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Hindu Bhakti Stotras (Devotional Hymns) Index
Bhakta Nabhaji
Stories of Devotees, Stories from Puranas, Stories from Hindu Mythology, Stories of Bhakthas, Stories of Alwars, Stories of Nayanars, Stories of Hindu Saints, Biographies of Hindu Philosophers, Stories of Hindu Sages, Stories of Hindu Gods and Goddesses,
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God resides in us and so he knows our innermost thoughts too. We don't have to spell out our desires to him. But here is a miraculous story which goes one step ahead. If we pray to God with ananya bhakti, we can know the whereabouts of God, who resides in us.
Kasi is known for the holy river Ganges, for Lord Siva and for many jnanis and yogis. One such yogi was Anandaswami . The sishya parampara begins with Ananthanande swami. His disciple is pokarides, whose disciples were Agraji and Kinji. Agraji chanted the name of the Lord Vishnu and was known for his bhakti, jnana and vairagya. He taught nava vidha bhakti and the greatness of Srihari to his disciples like Padmahasti.
Agrasi was so great a yogi that the Lord Lakshminadha manifested himself before him in human form as and when he wanted. In due course there arose famine in the tours and people wre starving for food. There was a lady known for her good qualities and her devotion to her husband. She was unable to feed her son. So she left him on the river bed and praying to God, she gave up her life in the river. The boy on the riverbed let out a pathetic cry out of hunger and out of fear.
At that time Agrajidas came there to have his bath in the holy river. He asked the boy why he was crying. The boy said that he asked his mother for food and she disappeared leaving him there. Agrajidas learnt what had happened with his jnana drusti and took pity on the time. He took him to his Matt and named him Nabhaji.
Nabhaji grew up in the Matt with the food offered to saintly people. He felt he was lucky to be blessed by such people and ate it as the veritable food of Gods. He felt the food could protect him as his parents.
Nabhaji keenly observed the rituals followed by Agrajidas in his offerings. He fell to the feet of great saints. He listened to stories of Bhagavatam. By such continuous practices all his previous sins were nullified and he was provided with Divyajnana. He could read the innermost secets of people around, but never revealed his powers. He was just praying to God and was finding immense pleasure in it.
One day as usual Agrajidas had his holy dip in the Ganges prayed to God and asked Nabhaji to watch out for any tresspasser . He closed the door and prayed to God in deep meditation, but there was trace of God that day. He was worried why God had not appeared. God did not answer his prayer second time too. Nabhaji who was seated outside knew all this. He consoled his guru, Swami! A ship is about to be sunk in the ocean. The owner of the ship is a businessman. He prayed to God desperately and offered one fifth share to God's staunch devotee. Agrajidas if he was saved. So God who is known for his kindness, soft nature helpful nature etc. rushed there to help him. So please bear with it and stop your prayer for sometime. Agrajidas followed his advice.
After some time, Swami, Rukminivallabha has completed his task of saving the ship. So now you can pray to him. Accordingly Agrajidas prayed to God and God appeared before him in the humanform. His clothes were wet. Agrajidas asked where he was and why his clothes were wet. God answered I went to save a businessman whose ship will about to be sunk. He promised one fifth of the goods in his ship to you. You make use of that amount for the Matt. Anyway the expenditure of the Matt is unbearable now a days . Then the Lord disappeared.
Then Agrajidas opened the door and invited Nabhajidas inside,. He asked, how did you know a secret which was impossible to be known even to the Lord Brahma ? Nabhajidas smiled and said Narayanethi mantraha sarvardha Sadhakhalu said our elders. So I have been chanting the name of Narayana incessantly. Not only that, I have been eating the food of the great saints. God has blessed me as his disciple . So I was able to know his whereabouts.
Agrajidas smiled and said, 'God is more pleased at the praise of his devotees than at his praise. The people are not aware of this secret. I'll enlighten you with those stories. Nabhajidas learnt those stories and wrote them down in Gwalior language and in Sanskrit of the common people. The news spread far and wide and many people came to listen to those stories. By listening to such bhaktas stories narrated by Nabhaji they too became the devotees of the Lord Krishna and were blessed by him. Nabhajidas too ultimately was united with God.
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