Jagannath Puri

THE train rode on. Jagannath Puri was reached in the evening. The night was spent on the verandah of a Dharmashala. The cold here was also very great. Next morning, both went up to a large tank, outside the city, and finishing bath and ablutions directed their steps to the famous temple of Jagannath, the beautiful white dome of which was visible high up in the sky from any place in that pious city. Now the Sadhuram and Ramdas found themselves at the great door of the temple. But how to gain entrance? The doorway was completely blocked up by the rushing crowd of pilgrims. There was a good deal of elbowing, pushing and kicking in the thick and struggling mass of humanity. Looking on this state of things Ramdas, with hands joined in salutation, spoke thus:

“O Ram! How can Thy poor slave gain access in this rush of men and obtain Thy Darshan? There appears to be no chance for him – a weak and helpless fakir.”

Scarcely were these words uttered, when, from the crowd at the entrance, out came a tall Brahmin and approaching him, took him by the hand, led him to the door and using all his strength he pressed himself through the thick crowd, and making a passage, conducted the bewildered Ramdas along with him. It all appeared like a dream! Ramdas had now become unconscious of his body and plunged into communion with the Almighty Ram. In about five minutes, he was standing before the big idol of Jagannath. The Brahmin still holding him by the hand, Ramdas laid his head at the feet of this idol.

This over, the Brahmin took him for a round of the temple. ‘O Ram! What words can convey Thy kindness to Thy slave! All glory to Thee!’ All along, while going round, he was immersed in a strange ecstasy, tears flowing down profusely from his eyes. What joy indescribable! Oh! One moment of that existence outweighs all the pleasures of the world. A few minutes later, he and the Brahmin guide were out again at the very place wherefrom he had been fetched. Here procuring some Prasad, i.e., boiled rice, the Brahmin put it into the mouth of Ramdas.

“Now my work is over,” said he and was going inside the temple leaving him; but before he did so, Ramdas was somehow impelled to put him a question:

“Brother, how was it you were so kind to a wandering Sadhu whom you took into the temple for Darshan?”

“Jagannath alone can answer your question,” replied the Brahmin. “No sooner did I see you, than a strange and sudden desire seized me to take you in and get you the Darshan of Jagannath. Why I did all this I cannot explain – it was all the work of God.” Certainly Ram’s work!