A Sadhu had many followers, and there was always someone by his side. Among these followers was a young disciple, a quiet and uneducated young man who rarely spoke. While the other disciples bathed daily and on time, this young man never followed the routine. Yet, his lips were always moving, chanting the holy name with unwavering devotion.
One day, the young disciple was struck by a terrible cold. Seeing his condition, the sage, with concern etched on his wise face, advised him to take care of his health by taking just a single dip in the nearby river and avoiding long baths. The young man nodded silently, his eyes filled with gratitude, though the other disciples remained oblivious to the significance of the exchange.
Every morning, as the sun's first light kissed the earth, the young disciple would close his eyes and transport himself to the sacred city of Kashi. In his mind, he would feel the icy embrace of the holy Ganga as he took his dips. He would see the golden temples and hear the echoes of ancient prayers. He would then offer his heartfelt prayers to his revered Gurudeva. His visualization was so powerful, so lifelike, that it manifested physically, causing him to shiver as if he had truly bathed in the frigid waters of the Ganga.
This act of vivid imagination was not just a mental exercise; it was a profound form of worship. The young disciple's devotion was so pure, so intense, that the Lord himself took notice. The Lord cherished this form of worship, for it came from the depths of a devoted heart. It is said that when a devotee worships the Lord with such fervor, even in their mind, the Lord becomes accustomed to it. If the devotee ever forgets, the Lord himself will find a way to remind them.
This practice awakens the soul to the presence of the divine within. To constantly think of the Lord as a living presence is to invite him to dwell in our hearts. And when the Lord is firmly seated in our hearts, one day, he will reveal himself in person. This, the sage knew, was the highest form of communion with the divine.
The young disciple’s story spread among the followers, a testament to the power of true devotion and the miracle of visualization. It was a reminder that the divine is always within reach, waiting to be embraced by a loving heart.
