I was fortunate to read this story in one of the magazine that made my eyes wet and hence thought of sharing the condensed version as part of my blog.
Before proceeding and to get an idea of this blog, would recommend to watch this short video of 6 mins that will help you to correlate the article.
On her visit to the ISKON temple in Baku, she met a devotee who was giving lecture on Gita. There was an urgent call for the devotee and he excused the class and when returned he was astonished to see Ms Sevanam was providing the lecture on Gita with much more clarity and passion. Though this was the beginning she slowly got engaged into other activities like participating in Kirtana, Bhagavad Gita class etc.,
One fine day she decided to sell her property as her kids were grown and was able to sell in quick time. She requested the temple authorities to accept the proceeds from the property and provide her a small room in the temple premises till her end. After much deliberation it was accepted by temple authorities and from then on it was serving the temple, Chanting and Singing was the duties of Sevanam in the ISKON temple of Azerbaijan.
This is an amazing love story from the land of Azerbaijan erstwhile part of USSR and now an independent country. The love story is between Lord Krishna and Ms.Sevanam a 70 year old lady from Azerbaijan.
Click the below picture for Video
Click the below picture for Video
I would request you to believe in destiny and rebirth, yes to me this lady was destined in her previous birth and this destiny brought a copy of a Russian translated version of Bhagavad Gita to her place. Someone was distributing this and she got a copy and started to read. In her first reading she got dissolved by the content. Curious to get more knowledge she followed the address in the book that lead her to a local ISKCON temple in Baku the capital of that country.
On her visit to the ISKON temple in Baku, she met a devotee who was giving lecture on Gita. There was an urgent call for the devotee and he excused the class and when returned he was astonished to see Ms Sevanam was providing the lecture on Gita with much more clarity and passion. Though this was the beginning she slowly got engaged into other activities like participating in Kirtana, Bhagavad Gita class etc.,
One fine day she decided to sell her property as her kids were grown and was able to sell in quick time. She requested the temple authorities to accept the proceeds from the property and provide her a small room in the temple premises till her end. After much deliberation it was accepted by temple authorities and from then on it was serving the temple, Chanting and Singing was the duties of Sevanam in the ISKON temple of Azerbaijan.
Some of the positive things I found in that book about this lady are
1. Not only the thoughts were positive but her action and words are full of love
2. Love was towards both god and fellow human being who visited the temple.
3. She used to give small gifts to selected people and would inform them that it was an order by Kirishna. That was her love.
4. She treated Lord Krishna as a kid, had a small cot for him in her room and even toys for him to play. Among them a significant toy was a battery operated toy car and she would seat Krishna in that car and operate the remote and enjoy the ride made by Krishna.
5. She used to feed Krishna similar to how we feed our kids
She had a personal relationship with Krishna and I would call her a Meerabai of Azerbaijan.
Now the turning point in her life was through the above video. She happened to watch this movie and in that an ancient temple of Lord Narashima will be shown, the deity in this temple can be approached if we pass through a chest deep water with bats hanging over your head.
Voice in that video will narrate that since the temple is situated midst of a jungle the priest would come weekly once to perform rituals due to the hardship in reaching the temple. As soon as she heard this in the video she wanted to be in this temple and perform daily rituals, her immediate shout was “Krishna My Krishna is suffering in his land”. Imagine is it feasible for a normal person, then how can it be for a 74 year old lady?
People around her gave terrified views about India and the ISKON people suggested to worship Radhe Krishna so that the 74 year old lady stays back and prevented from any adversity.
In spite of all these arguments she found her way to Andhra Pradesh, nothing stopped this lady in reaching the village. She approached the priest in that village for help to reach the temple that is 5 kms into the forest and the same was obliged by him. Sevanam told him that Lord Krishna wanted her to serve Narashima hence she travelled all the way to India.
Along with her she carried only the idols in her suitcases with couple of clothes, from a developed country she landed in a forest where there was no potable water and electricity. The priest who accompanied her thought she will return back on witnessing the reality but as soon as they reached the cave she lost in admiration.
She requested the priest to build a small tent so that she can live near the cave. Tent was built with temporary materials and she was left alone but the priest on reaching the village spread the news about this Grandma to the people. Curious to see her people started to visit the temple and our Sevanam transformed into a Saint.
The transformation happened to the entire place and she was invited for wedding and new born functions to bless. She also started to perform abhishega to the deity, news spread to far off places and people throng the temple to see this lady and hence priest started coming daily and daily rituals are back.
Now it is the turn of local newspaper to publish an article and then came Governer of Andhra Pradesh with his family to seek blessing of both Lord and Sevanam. On seeing the condition of the place he took personal responsibility of collecting money and built road, water connection, marble steps etc., now it is one of the celebrated temple of Lord Narashima in AP.
Years went and on a Dvadhishi morning people came in as usual to the temple and to the house of Sevanam where they witnessed that she was on her feet embracing Krishna in one hand and Gita under her arms. People thought she was sleeping and no movement for some time created doubts and when checked she had left the body and the Soul joined HIM. Readers might be aware of the significance of death on a Dvadhisi day and how sacred it is?
1. Not only the thoughts were positive but her action and words are full of love
2. Love was towards both god and fellow human being who visited the temple.
3. She used to give small gifts to selected people and would inform them that it was an order by Kirishna. That was her love.
4. She treated Lord Krishna as a kid, had a small cot for him in her room and even toys for him to play. Among them a significant toy was a battery operated toy car and she would seat Krishna in that car and operate the remote and enjoy the ride made by Krishna.
5. She used to feed Krishna similar to how we feed our kids
She had a personal relationship with Krishna and I would call her a Meerabai of Azerbaijan.
Now the turning point in her life was through the above video. She happened to watch this movie and in that an ancient temple of Lord Narashima will be shown, the deity in this temple can be approached if we pass through a chest deep water with bats hanging over your head.
Voice in that video will narrate that since the temple is situated midst of a jungle the priest would come weekly once to perform rituals due to the hardship in reaching the temple. As soon as she heard this in the video she wanted to be in this temple and perform daily rituals, her immediate shout was “Krishna My Krishna is suffering in his land”. Imagine is it feasible for a normal person, then how can it be for a 74 year old lady?
People around her gave terrified views about India and the ISKON people suggested to worship Radhe Krishna so that the 74 year old lady stays back and prevented from any adversity.
In spite of all these arguments she found her way to Andhra Pradesh, nothing stopped this lady in reaching the village. She approached the priest in that village for help to reach the temple that is 5 kms into the forest and the same was obliged by him. Sevanam told him that Lord Krishna wanted her to serve Narashima hence she travelled all the way to India.
Along with her she carried only the idols in her suitcases with couple of clothes, from a developed country she landed in a forest where there was no potable water and electricity. The priest who accompanied her thought she will return back on witnessing the reality but as soon as they reached the cave she lost in admiration.
She requested the priest to build a small tent so that she can live near the cave. Tent was built with temporary materials and she was left alone but the priest on reaching the village spread the news about this Grandma to the people. Curious to see her people started to visit the temple and our Sevanam transformed into a Saint.
The transformation happened to the entire place and she was invited for wedding and new born functions to bless. She also started to perform abhishega to the deity, news spread to far off places and people throng the temple to see this lady and hence priest started coming daily and daily rituals are back.
Now it is the turn of local newspaper to publish an article and then came Governer of Andhra Pradesh with his family to seek blessing of both Lord and Sevanam. On seeing the condition of the place he took personal responsibility of collecting money and built road, water connection, marble steps etc., now it is one of the celebrated temple of Lord Narashima in AP.
Earlier in the article I called her Meera of 21st century hope you too agree now…
What a beautiful article. I have enjoyed so much. No words to describe. No doubt every body will definitely get tears in their eyes while reading. Thank you so much Ganesh.
ReplyDeleteExcellent article. Nicely written. Love and unconditional surrender is the need of the hour. Lot of lessons from this article and Sevanam's life. Many thanks for sharing this information m
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