Mystery of the Lotus Flower

My early childhood was spent in a house in Lalitpur, UP India, which was on the shore of a huge water pond (Talab in Hindi) called Raja Mansingh Talab, little smaller than the river, but very deep and larger than any usual pond. Many temples were situated all around the shore of it.  Many accidents & deaths used to happen in that huge talab as it was so deep and had water snakes, crocodiles and what not and on one far end, it had a huge swamp full of water weed and lots of Pink Lotus flowers. 

    Lalitpur - Religious Celebration on the temples around Raja Mansingh Talab at night

    Lalitpur - Temples around Raja Mansingh Talab

I lived in that house near temples since I was 6 years old till I was 9. The temples & talab shore were my playgrounds and some of the priests knew my father and they knew I was his daughter. Often I used to play with my younger sister & brother there in the afternoons after coming back from school and my favorite activity was to sit on the back of the Durga Temple and look at that far away swamp where there were so many Pink Lotuses. For hours I used to stare at those lotus flowers without having a sense of time or my surroundings. 

    Pink Lotus

After evening Prayers/Arti in the temples, devotees used to get some Prasad (sweets offerings) and I often went inside the temples just to see if there is a Lotus Flower as some devotee may have offered that to the Goddess/Deity and if I see one I used to ask the priest to give me that as Prasad instead of sweets or fruit, but rarely I got any. Then I used to stare at them from far for hours. Flower sellers used to sell very few lotuses that too around 4:00 AM in the morning at temples opening time. It was very difficult and dangerous to get to that swamp to get those Lotuses. When I did not get any then the only thing was to just go at the back of the Durga Temple, sit close to the edge of the Talab and watch them from far. My fascination with them kept growing and I just wanted to be as close to them as possible and wanted to have some really bad. 

When I was 9 yrs old, one afternoon I just couldn't stop myself and decided to get down in the water and go to that swamp so I can pluck some lotus flowers. I did not know swimming and had no idea how will I reach there. But I was determined, so I slowly got down into the water which was up to my chest and slowly I started walking. Every step I was scared thinking that there might be snakes and what if crocodile comes near me and what if that swamp just swallows me, or if I get stuck there and so many people die in this Talab every year. So every step I was fighting that fear within me but my eyes, my gaze was locked by those flowers and I kept walking. It was as if those lotuses were calling me. Then I arrived at that swamp and I realized that I am sure going to get stuck and will be late for back home and my mother is going to give me a real harsh punishment today. So I tried to walk faster, water depth was above my waist but the water there was muddy and dirty and water weed was entangling in my feet and twice I felt as if water snake just crossed and touched my legs. Continuously struggling to find some ground beneath my feet, I fell into that swamp and almost drowned, but then I was more worried about my parents scolding me if I went late or with dirty clothes, I hurriedly somehow stood up and again started walking. Finally, after more than an hour of walking, I reached the closest bunch of Lotus Flowers, I tried to pluck one and realized it has a very long stem and it's hard to break them. After much struggle, I managed to get 3-4 lotus flowers and I felt so happy as if I have got the whole world. I was extremely happy. After taking few breaths I realized it's getting dark and I need to get out of this swamp and talab, but the moment I turned my back and looked around I realized I couldn't see the shore, I did not know which direction to walk back and I became really worried thinking that my parents are definitely going to beat me today. So whatever came to my mind I just started walking back with flowers in my hand and after one and half hours I entered home with my face, hairs and frock all dirty, drenched in water, I even lost one of my slippers in the swamp, the moment my mom saw me she got towel and cleaned me and to my surprise did not scold me. Then I realized there was a search going on for me as it was more than 4 hours that I was missing. 

So this was the height of my mad fascination with Lotus Flowers and I did not know why there was such a strong bond and love I felt for only those flowers. No other flower I found that magical.  

Now in 2009, I moved from Iowa to Florida in the USA. It was spring time and my first day in the small town Lake Mary near Orlando. That town is full of ponds and is one of the most beautiful places to live. It was my first day in office so I was driving to my office and on the way, I saw a pond full of same Pink Lotuses. I immediately put the break in my car and stopped it in the nearby parking. It was around 8:45 AM and I thought I still have 10 minutes to reach the office, let me just go to that pond to look, after all, it's been a lifetime since I saw Pink Lotuses. I was very happy to find some in Florida and it was my first day in Florida, overall it was a very happy day for me. After parking the car, I almost ran towards the pond and watched lotuses in complete awe, stood there for a couple of minutes and then I came back to my car. When I turned on my car the time displayed was 9:25 AM, I thought what the heck, I looked at my wrist watch it displayed 9:25, I checked my phone and it was 9:25. I took a deep breath and sat there for few minutes to understand what just happened? I only stood there watching pink lotuses for a moment, a couple of minutes may be, how did 40 minutes went by and I did not realize at all. I just couldn't believe. 

I kept wondering whole day while working in the new company/office that I joined that day. In the evening when I was driving back it suddenly occurred to me that "I went into Trance and that's why I lost the sense of Time & Space" and instantly I realized that since childhood Pink Lotus flower was actually pushing me into the Transcendental State. Hence the reason I was so mad, so fascinated and so madly in love with them. 

From 2011, I was walking my spiritual journey consciously. Then in 2016 when Self Realization happened I realized I became a Lotus Flower as the Sahasrar/7th Chakra blossomed full blown as a Thousand Petal Lotus. 

Universe was sending me reminders in such a beautiful manner through pink Lotuses all along in my life. Even when I had a body like a child, Universe knew the Soul and created such a magical bond between me and the Lotuses, so I do not forget ever what did I came here for, why I had this human body and why this is my last life. The pull of this pink Lotus was the pull of Divine/SELF within me, as me, it was a calling within me all along. Real lotuses around me were just the symbols. I could have lived anywhere else, but no, Universe arranged my life around Temples only, first in Lalitpur and then in Mathura, Vrindavan where Yamuna River shore was full of pink Lotuses.

Finally, I learned and am living the Secret of the Lotus Flower. 

And just recently in May 2017,  I realized that this thousand petal Lotus Flower holds a really shiny jewel on the top middle of my forehead which keeps me showered in its light. Never before I felt the lotus flower so divine with beauty beyond words. Eyes open or close all I see is that Divine Light and that fountain of light which emerges from that Jewel. 

The search for Lotus flower ended and so did the mystery :-)

~ Adiguru

Categories: en, Guru Series