The following was previously posted in "obo परिवार" on sept 15.

It is being reprinted here at the suggestion of respected Bagi ji.

          Ocean of Love .... Love, Love, Everywhere !

In the recent July-August, my life-thread Neera ji, my daughter and I had gone

on a pilgrimage to the Ramakrishna Missions' Vedanta Ashrams in northwest

(Seattle area) and the west coast (Los Angeles, Hollywood, Santa Barbara,

Trabuco area) of USA. Some of my friends wrote to me to share the

experience. The following is my humble attempt at the same.

Our primary thirst was to give love to strangers, but in stead, we received

immeasurable love everywhere. Hence, the title above ...

" Ocean of Love .... Love, Love, Everywhere ! "

I made a new friend in Seattle, I will call her Caroline here. I could write

pages on her, but for brevity, suffice to say here that she was born premature

long ago with zero vision in one eye, and only 10% vision in the other eye.

In spite of vision impairment, she completed her bachelor's degree in Sciences

with honors, wanted to go for medical degree, but was refused because it would

require internship in surgery, which she would not have been able  to perform.

Her tenacity is marvelous... she wants no help, walks with "blind-stick" ...

wants no help even to cross the road, she fixed breakfast for us twice (... LOVE),

but insisted on having no help from us (... LOVE); we went on long-long walks

and 'talked and talked' about "life" (...LOVE). She personally

introduced us (... LOVE) to every plant and flower in her garden that she has

planted herself ( ...LOVE). She uses computer independently, using a software

that converts words into voice for the blind.

Going to the parks, we met children, strangers, who wanted to

play with us (LOVE), as if they knew us.

Another new friend, I will call her, Nancy, ... has a garden so peaceful

like a paradise! ... There was imagination in the placement of kind, color and

quantity of flowers to soothe the soul (pouring ... LOVE). And one evening

she surprised us with a beautiful bouquet of flowers that she had personally

made for us (... LOVE).

At Hollywood, a Swami Sivananda ji burst out with joy, saying to the flock

in the room, " this is my family from ATLANTA, Georgia", and five days later

as we were leaving, said " leave Vijay here as collateral, so the family will be

sure to come back and be with us again".... LOVE !

I asked the head Swami, Swami Sarvadevanada ji, for the telephone #

for another monastery, and in stead, he personally took time to dial the #,

make appointment and also the necessary arrangements for us to be there (...LOVE).

We asked someone for driving directions from Hollywood to Santa Barbara

monastery, and in stead of oral directions, he went to the computer and

printed out directions not only for this venue, but for four other places that

we had a desire to visit ... (...LOVE).

At Santa Barbara monastery, the head nun, Pravarajika Vrajaprana ji took

personal pains to make our stay a memorable one.. with details on our lodging,

food, worship services (...LOVE). Upon our departure she was away, but

took time to leave a loving note to say 'good bye' (... LOVE).

A worshipper happened to be a PhD candidate working at NASA's famous

Jet Propulsion Laboratory working on Mars space program. Usually it takes

about 2 months advance notice and an application subject to security approval,

to be able to have a tour of this elite facility. His LOVE not only arranged the tour

for us at a short 2 day notice, but he also took time off from work, (... LOVE) 

and personally took us around the facility ( ... LOVE).

We met a famous astronomer, John Dobson, inventor of Dobsonion Telescope...

a huge 8 or 10 feet long and over 2 feet wide telescope. John is now 98 years old,

still walking without a stick. We met him after about 12 years, had met him in

ATLANTA last time. After a breakfast with him, he excused himself 

for a few minutes ( without telling us the reason ... LOVE), and returned with a

8"x10" picture of him with his telescope for us (... LOVE).

At Trabuco monastery, a Swami Yogeshananda ji, now 92 years old,

our guru/teacher for "years" ( used to be with us in ATLANTA till 5 years ago),

had open arms with a beautiful beaming smile ( ... LOVE) greeting us. He was

so happy to personally show us around the facility, the vegetable garden and

the flower garden (... LOVE). He called the kitchen to say that there will be

special guests from ATLANTA that day at the dining table, and to make sure to

make extra food (... LOVE). Upon leaving from there, we were almost out of petrol

in our rental car, so low that there was a question if we could even drive up to the

petrol station without running out of petrol. And guess what ! ... Our dear Swami ji

was not going to take any chance...( .. LOVE), and at his age 88, he drove in

his car to follow us to the petrol station just in case we get stranded on the road

before getting the petrol  (... LOVE, LOVE, and nothing but LOVE)).

This is what I call an OCEAN of LOVE...LOVE and LOVE !

So much on DIVINE LOVE through human beings, or shall I say

DIVINE  LOVE  THROUGH  DIVINE  BEINGS, because BRAHMAN  has 

personally created us all DIVINE, and this DIVINITY is there in abundance

for us to experience in each other right here... in plain simplicity.

So long, dear friends, I am happy to share the experience of divinity I see in you, with you.

Regards,

Vijay Nikore