Purposeful Leela
There are moments in our lives when events converge in such a way that we find ourselves serving a particular purpose. We might not fully understand the scope of what that purpose is. Nonetheless, there is a surety that we have overstepped the boundaries of randomness and the limitations of destiny to enter a space where individual cause and effect seems to have long since been left behind. We come to know without a doubt that, I am not the deer. But rather, I am like an actor participating in the giant drama of the universe under the guidance of the omniscient director.
On the afternoon of Dec. 13th, 1993, l decided to go shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue—something I rarely do. As I neared St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the street was blocked off and filled with police cars. A crowd had gathered, and l wondered what was happening. “President Clinton is coming,” I was told. Within minutes a motorcade of cars whisked by and voices shouted, “There he is.” But I couldn’t see a thing! When I decided to leave the store, the front door was blocked. “You can’t leave from here,” I was told. “President Clinton is coming.”
As I joined the small crowd in the first row down the center aisle of the main entrance, the thought dawned on me, “You are here for a purpose.” I began to repeat “Om Sai Ram. Om Sai Ram.”
Walter Cronkite stood near the doorway with the president of Saks. The thought returned: “You are here for a purpose. What do you want to say to him?” Instantly the answer came.
I stood still in the front row feeling as if I were waiting for Darshan at Prashanti Nilayam. More people gathered. There were well dressed ladies from New York, a handful of tourists with cameras, a few kids and a crew from the press. Salesgirls were crowded behind counters. Anticipation reigned. All eyes were focused on the door. Secret servicemen streamed in and out.
Then the door opened, cameras flashed, and screams of excitement filled the air. “We love you Bill! Merry Christmas!” He greeted Walter Cronkite and the President of Saks. Slowly and efficiently, he walked up the aisle shaking hands. We were high, he was high—forever smiling. The energy of adulation filled the air. Stone-faced New Yorkers with insular hearts were children again, joyous and open.
Soon he was standing beside me, shorter than I had thought, a bit grayer and with a much thinner face; smiling, always smiling. There is a real sweetness about this man! He shook my hand quietly, not really looking at me. l watched the words come out, “Follow your conscience. Don’t be political. Follow your conscience.” The words emerged with strength, solidify, a sense of inner authority that did not come from me. His smiling expression changed. Was it shock? Surprise? Or were the words really registering in a place beyond words? He stopped moving forward and shook hands behind me. Then he shook my hand again. This time he looked. I gave his hand a squeeze. And he moved on.
The lady next to me said, “l never wait for political figures but this is different.” I had said a very similar thing half an hour before. This sure was different!
All the leelas of Baba are a teaching. With this one what rang out loud and clear is, “You are not the deer. I alone am the deer.” But at the same time, there is some interaction between our own wishes, desires, actions and external events. These determine to some degree the way He makes use of us in His divine play. The force of individual action is always in partnership with the supremacy of His divine will and in reality, there is only His will.
Last year I was at Prasanthi Nilayam during the presidential election. I would not even have known an election was taking place had it not been for my Irish roommate from Italy who was listening to her short-wave radio. My Australian roommate was also interested. We all rejoiced when Clinton was elected. But I was a bit apprehensive. The next day at Darshan, I prayed very hard to Baba to help President Clinton and bless him to do what is right, both for the U.S. and for the world. When I returned home, I found myself writing a letter to the President-elect—a rare event for a non-political person such as myself.
How Baba fits together all the pieces in the giant play of the universe we cannot begin to fathom. But this experience has left me with a conviction that the roles we are chosen to play and the myriad of our interconnections are in some inexplicable way molded by our wishes, our desires and our prayers.
~Naina Lepes, Manhattan
