The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur R. Venkata Ratnam, volume 2/Chapter 23
XXIII
NAMAKARANAM*[1]
(1913)
Hymn — Anandamritha Namah (Telugu).
Thou the Spring of life, Thou the Life-giver, Thou the Light that shineth in and through every soul, Thou the central Luminary from which rays forth every life with all its powers, we render thanks unto Thee that even into this small house-hold there has entered Thy blessing of new light — the light of reciprocal love, the light of pure enjoyment, the light of in- tensified attachment, the light of sanctified fidelity, the light of out-looking hope, the light of far-seeing providence, the light of close-watching care, the light of tender nursing and affectionate fondling. We render thanks unto Thee, Thou benign, ever-merciful, ever-provident, ever-clement God! Thou the ready receiver of, and Thou the rich response unto, all our prayers, why dost Thou deign, how is it that Thou, the mighty, majestic sovereign Lord of all, condescendest, to come down to list- en to our humble prayers, to hearken to our lowly supplications, to grant our little requests, to vouchsafe the dear desires of our hearts? Not that Thou mightest win our praise and gratitude, earn our thankfulness and benediction, but solely and eternally because Thou car$st for, Thou art solicitous of, our all-absorbing joy, delight, happiness, rapture and ecstasy. Thou canst not, Thou wilt not, Thou choosest not to, stand by and leave us alone in all our struggles. Thou wiliest, Thou choosest, Thou yearnest to enter into, to feel a direct concern in, intimately to associate Thyself with, all our little needs and wants, toils and endeavours. Such is Thy intimate interest in Thy creatures, such Thy unfailing solicitude about them that they report themselves, address themselves, to Thee and seek their satisfaction and fulfilment in Thee alone Thou art always willing, ever ready, cheerfully prompt ; nay, Thou dost long anticipate our needs, and wants. Oh Beloved One, how can we adequately thank Thee? Is it not sufficient unto Thee that each object grows by itself and not in a chain of antecedents and consequences ? Even as bubbles rise by themselves on the surface of the deep, may we not spring into existence on the surface of Thy illimitable life? But no ; Thou wouldst not only multiply life but also generate love. Thou designest not merely the increase in numbers but also the intensity of life and love. Thus Thou createst this thrice-happy relationship of parent and child. Seemingly standing aloof, Thou art really planning, designing, shaping, ushering, guiding, completing, blessing the whole process of life — individual life, family life, communal life, national life, universal life, all-inclusive, all-comprehensive life. We render thanks unto Thee as Thou hast brought Thyself once again to our homes and hearts and souls as the Giver of light, as the Vouch-safer of light, as the Parent-Source and Eternal Spring of light, the indwelling light, the in-flowing light, the outpouring light, the flooding light, the illumining light. Do Thou deign to receive our grateful acknowledgment of Thy blessing.
Do Thou bless the blessing which Thou hast vonchsafed. May this little light which Thou hast lit be purified, intensified perennially fed, everlastingly amplified by Thy grace and mercy, sustained, strengthened, sanctified, blessed by Thy Spirit ! May the light that dwells in the babe spread about him, shine through him, go forth from him ! May he be the bringer of light and the harbinger of peace and truth — Thine own chosen messenger ! And as the devout parent of a noble servant of Thine prayed by the bed of his child and invoked Thy blessing on him, as he named him Luther, that he might be the light- bearer, so may our dear Prabhakar be the light-bearer into our dear congregation and community-not the light that startles but the light that cheers, not the light that criticises but the light that convinces, not the light that searches out faults but the light that sheds its gleam over dark spots and illumines them ! May he be the harbinger of such light, the morning-star of truth, joy and blessedness ! May this, Thy blessing, be thrice-blessed — blessed in himself, blessing the household which holds him dear and blessing the community' in which he needs must grow ! Thus thrice-blessed of Thee, may he bless and glorify Theenow and for ever ! May all the other darlings who from time to time have come amidst us grow in Thy light and become guiding gleams and shining spirits of Thy light and illumine all corners of the universe ! We invoke Thy blessing on the growing generation, growing in trust, in hope, in strength, in pure and pious resolves.
Blessed, blessed, blessed be the Lord of all light, the light that leads, the light that cheers, the light that illumines, the light in which we live and love, the light in which we would be merged in eternal life ! Blessed be the Lord of Light for ever and ever Om ! Santhih Santhih ! Santhih !
- ↑ * Of Mr. V. V. L. Narasimharao's son as Prabhakar.