Ramdas

 Dadaji would tell little Ramdas stories of Shri Ram as they would walk to the village temple. Inside the temple Dadaji would lift him so that he could reach the temple bell and ring it. Taking the small hands of little Ramdas into his own shivering hands and joining them, teaching him how to recite the Sanskrit Shlokas, and performing a small Pooja. While returning home Dadaji would carry little Ramdas on his shoulders and walk slowly. He would say- “Shri Ram is with you child, you don’t see him but he is there with you”, and Little Ramdas would look into the eyes of the stars in the sky above, the stars would see Shri Ram in his eyes.

It wasn’t that Ramdas didn’t love his parents, he loved them, it was just that he loved his grandfather more. At night too He would insist his Dadaji to read from Ramayana before sleep. He would rest his head on Dadaji’s shoulders and listen with Fascination. Whenever the part of Shri Ram’s exile would come Dadaji would feel his Kurta over his shoulder getting wet. In the same emotional state Ramdas would fall asleep. He dreamt of all the beautiful characters from Ramayana. One night he saw himself riding on Lord Hanuman’s back over the ocean, the other day he saw himself walking slowly on the stones of Ram Setu towards lanka, and one day he even saw himself wiping the tears of Mata Sita.

It is easy to describe the emotions of an eight year old child. Like here, little Ramdas was a huge fan of the delicious sweet dishes prepared by mother which included Rasgulla, Rasmalai and laddoos, he would also enjoy fooling around with his father and stealing his pens, and when Dadaji would be around he would jump here and there in playful moods. But beyond all this there was something else. Love for Shri Ram, pure love. Shri Ram wasn’t a family member, but Shri Ram completed his family, Shri Ram wasn’t seen but Ramdas always felt that he was seeing him and his family,Shri Ram was like a flute and Ramdas it’s music.

What kind of love was this? There was no physical presence of the person yet there was so much love? After Dadaji would complete reading the Ramayana, Ramdas would touch his forehead on the book cover as if it were an elder’s feet. Dadaji had also taught him how to do Japa using the Japamala. When he would take the name of Shri Ram while doing Japa sometimes he would feel lost…as if in a forest full of mist…taking Shri Ram’s name continuously..looking for light..calling him with utmost devotion..waiting for the arrival of Shri Ram..Just like Shabri! 

One fine day as little Ramdas sat near the banks of river Ganga,inside the water he saw certain reflections. There she was a smiling vibrant face..that must be his mother he thought. Just beside her was a man with twinkling eyes yet a sturdy face…that must be his father he thought. Beside his father an old looking gentleman with a wrinkled face yet the glow of a true devotee, that must be his Dadaji he thought. He was seeing his family for the first time today. Behind the reflection of these faces there was one more. Ah! He knew him always it seemed, it was Prabhu Shri Ram. And very slowly a boat appeared and mist covered the water surface, the crowd on the ghat disappeared..Shri Ram begun taking form.

Gradually one by one his mother, father and Dadaji took form too. They all got into the boat, Shri Ram at last. Everyone waved at Ramdas as Shri Ram rowed the boat and smiled. Very soon the boat got lost in mist. Ramdas waited with moist eyes. After a few minutes he saw some light and then he saw Shri Ram appearing on the ghat. Ramdas touched his feet, tears not stopping. Shri Ram. The relationship with him was the ultimate truth in the universe, which was beyond human emotions, it was pure, powerful and eternal . Shri Ram wiped little Ramdas’s tears, that child who had never seen his family…yet he had seen him. “Shri Ram is with you child”, Ramdas thought and then smiled looking  at Shri Ram. Shri Ram held his cute little hands and both walked slowly towards the city orphanage.