Message from the Gospel – 27. Ever-Free Homa Bird

Sri Ramakrishna says that his disciples Narendra (later Swami Vivekananda) and Rakhal (later Swami Brahmananda) belong to the class of the ever-free.  He says, “They are never entangled in the world.  When they grow a little older they feel the awakening of inner consciousness and go directly toward God.  They come to the world only to teach others.  They never care for anything of the world.  They are never attached to 'woman and gold'.”

"The Vedas speak of the homa bird.  It lives high up in the sky and there it lays its egg.  As soon as the egg is laid it begins to fall; but it is so high up that it continues to fall for many days.  As it falls it hatches, and the chick falls.  As the chick falls, its eyes open; it grows wings.  As soon as its eyes open, it realizes that it is falling and will be dashed to pieces on touching the earth.  The moment it sees the ground, it turns and shoots up toward its mother in the sky.  Then its one goal is to reach its mother."

"Ah, what a nice character Rakhal has developed! Look at his face and every now and then you will notice his lips moving.  Inwardly he repeats the name of God, and so his lips move.”

 

"Youngsters like him belong to the class of the ever-perfect.  They are born with God-Consciousness.  No sooner do they grow a little older than they realize the danger of coming in contact with the world.” 

"Youngsters like Narendra and Rakhal are like that bird.  From their very childhood they are afraid of the world, and their one thought is how to reach the Mother, how to realize God.”

"You may ask, 'How is it possible for these boys, born of worldly parents and living among the worldly-minded, to develop such knowledge and devotion?' It can be explained.  If a pea falls into a heap of dung, it germinates into a pea-plant none the less.  The peas that grow on that plant serve many useful purposes.  Because it was sown in dung, will it produce another kind of plant?”

"Those who are born as the companions of an Incarnation of God are eternally perfect. For some of them that birth is the last.”

It may not be possible for everyone to be ever-free. But, by being aware of it and reminding oneself about it, and also aspiring for it, it may be possible to move a little closer to the goal.