INDIAN SAINTS AND THE WILL OF GOD

Throughout the centuries, Saints or Enlightened Souls have been born in India dating right back to 1500 BC. These were souls who were attuned to the Will of God, who saw God around them all the time, who lived and breathed God each and every moment of their lives, and who merged into God in the end, with some of them going to heaven in their bodies.

One such notable saint was Namdev who lived in Maharashtra in Central India during 1270 AD.

Many a legend and story have been woven around this great devotee of God who carried the concept of Will of God to extremes no man was capable of. His one chant was : "The Will of God be done!"

It is said that once when he had left his house and had gone out, the house caught fire. All his belongings were lying inside the house.

When Namdev came to the scene he found kindly neighbours and friends rescuing his belongings from the fire.

He was aghast!

"What do you think you are doing?" he shouted at those who were rescuing his belongings.

"Saving your furniture and clothes!"

"O Woe unto you! Stop! Stop!"

And saying this Namdev went to the scene and picked up the belongings and started throwing them back into the fire!

Now it was the turn of the neighbours to be aghast:

"Hey! And what do you think you are doing!!" they yelled at him, trying to hold him back.

Namdev was inconsolable.

"Today the Lord in His Infinite Mercy, came as Fire to the poor house of Namdev to take his home and belongings! Alas! These became as offerings to the Lord! Why did you have to take them back!

" Throw them back! Let the Lord consume them with the fire he has sent! It was His will that this house be consumed in the Fire that he had sent! Who are we to oppose that Will!"

For these saints everything that was happening around them was the Will of God, and worldly gains and losses had no meaning. Life was the Will of God and Death, too, howsoever unpleasant, was the Will of God. They accepted both with equanimity and love - love for God and for the Will of God, no matter how frightening or bizarre its shape might turn out to be.

"How can you love these dreadful things?" they were asked.

"How can they be dreadful when we love them because we love God more than anything else in the world, and we see the Will of God in them!"

These saints gave the concept of the Will of God a shape which most ordinary folk found incomprehensible - but which was as clear as daylight to them.

When one of these saints was asked:

"You speak of God and His Will all the time - but have you ever seen God?"

The saint replied: " I see Him all the time. I see Him as clearly as I can see you!"