Sl. No. 28 - Inaugration - (Direct worship also takes place in the course of indirect worship)

Dhaka - East Bengal Brahmomandir.
Sunday, 19th Pous 1293 Bengali Calender [1888 A.D.]

Worship of the Supreme Lord takes place everywhere in the world and wherever human beings exist. There is something in the heart of human beings that draws us to worship Him whether we wish or not. Without going into logic or arguments, following an attraction in our heart we engage in worshipping Him; like the current of the water, the air carrying scent and the honey bee coming to a flower. I do not know why, yet it is as if I am hearing something known to me for ages, someone who is very near; that just on hearing about whom I feel so much of pleasure and happiness. I do not know why but it still happens. Thus many men are moving towards Him knowingly or unknowingly. That is why the spiritually accomplished pandits of ancient times have said worship is of two types, such as direct and indirect worship. Direct worship consists of no language, no rules, no fixed emotions. The child calls his mother, goes to her, drinks milk from her breasts. Similarly the worshipper calls God, goes near Him, sees Him directly, presents his message directly and is blessed by achieving love, devotion, peace and purity. As long as we are unable to get Him like this, we get pleasure on hearing about Him, get satisfaction by calling Him, singing hymns in His praise. This is called indirect worship. Worship should be done with this belief that He, the creator, protector, ruler of the universe, the Supreme Lord does exist before me. Till we can directly see the Lord, just as we see fire or any other thing, we have to worship in the indirect way; just as a blind child cannot see his mother but is sure of her existence and is happy to surrender himself to her. By practicing in this manner one realises His existence. A blind person cannot see the sun but feels its rays and heat and unmistakably recognises it. This is a similar realisation. A blind person cannot see the Himalayas but feels the cold directly in his body. When this happens, existence of God no longer remains a matter of guessing—it is perceived clearly. Sense of God gradually increases in the same way as the body becomes cool by bathing, thirst is quenched by drinking water, hunger goes by eating.

The next is the state of direct access. We should not worship always on the basis of guesswork or imagination. We do not have to worship Him all the time just because He is in front of us and is the creator and the giver of well being. We can really feel Him gradually by sincere searching. How happy do we feel when our own kin comes to us or when we hear of the arrival of some friends at someone’s place after many days. Similarly we get some sort of happiness, peace and purity by his worship, hymns and prayers. The realisation becomes deeper gradually. The worshipper then says, “How happy am I to hear about Him after so many days. When shall I hear this again!” Subsequently newer states develop in the heart. He then admits that worshipping Brahman is not just a matter of talk.

Truly speaking worship never remains the same all long. Change is inevitable. One must progress. First is the indirect stage, Then comes sensing followed by realisation. The third stage is direct worshipping and the last is the stage of being immersed. It is the same as the growth of a tree from the seed without ever remaining static. It is a definite truth that God is awake, alive. Direct worship also takes place in the course of indirect worship. “I am not seeing Him, I am not hearing Him; But He is seeing everything, hearing all my talks; the all seeing, all pervading Supreme Lord is prevailing everywhere. Here He is, just before me in the air, in the sky. He is present everywhere in fullness. He is hearing all my talks while being directly present. With such a faith, devotion and heartfelt simplicity we go to Him to seek refuge.

Oh the kind friend of the wretched, be kind to us. You are drawing us to you, thus our hearts are attracted to you like the current of the river. Shower your grace upon us. Help us to realise you. We rely on You to engage ourselves to worship You.