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of a Great Mother, Part 2
In Memory of Guru Maharaja's Mother
By Gaurangi Dasi
.JPG)
She was one of my mothers,
Having given birth to my spiritual master.
As he is very dear to me, she also became dear,
For all the love and care she showered upon him.
And I also loved her in her own right.
A simple woman from Maharasthra,
Having lived close to Mother Earth,
Not far from the blessed land of Lord Vitthala,
Working on the farm, raising her children,
Squatting on the ground to cook
Fantastic meals in the open air kitchen
Amidst the mooing of the family cows.
Very much alarmed when she heard that
Her dear son Raghunath, such a brilliant student,
Had dropped his chemistry studies
To join a weird bunch, the Hare Krishnas,
In the big metropolis of Bombay.
Right away she dispatched one of her other sons
To bring him back urgently to the village,
With the message that otherwise mother might die...
He had just gone a little crazy, "pago" as they say.
But he was such a nice and well-behaved boy!
He stayed for a few weeks to reassure her
That everything was all right and fine,
That Krishna was such a wonderful Lord.
So despite his unexpected turn in life,
He was still her Raghunath, her darling son.
Surely he came back, with tilak and sikha,
Japa mala and his new name, Lokanath Dasa,
And later on with his swami clothes and danda.
Every year he brought devotees to the village
To chant and sing and distribute kitchri.
They even performed padayatra with oxen
For the pleasure of his family and friends
In the tiny village of Aravade, his birthplace.
When Lokanath Maharaja became a guru,
He brought his disciples with him on the tour.
Maharaja's mother and all the family
Welcomed them all so graciously
Like true members of an expanding family.
They cooked, and cooked even more,
And we ate and ate, and enjoyed so many
Feasts of tasty Prasadam in the front yard.
Now she has departed from this mortal world.
May the sweet Lord bring her to Goloka!
Such a service she has done for Him,
By giving birth to her son Raghunath
And so affectionately nurturing and loving
The staunch devotee who is now
His Holiness Lokanath Swami Maharaja,
Our dearmost spiritual master.
© CHAKRA 6 May 2002