The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur R. Venkata Ratnam, volume 2/Chapter 24
XXIV
§[1] IN MEMORIAM.
(1916)
Lord God ! We 'would approach Thee on this sacred day in reverential remembrance of Thy saint, profund in the wisdom of the Spirit, blessed with the direct vision of Thy Holy Presence; — a rare type of an illumined, hallowed soul wholly occupied in Thy sweet communion. An exemplary life — remarkable for having seen, known, felt and enjoyed Thee to a degree incomparable in these latter days — Thou hast presented unto our admiring gaze in this, Thy saint, the illustrious Maharshi. We remember him on this day with whole-hearted gratitude and soul-deep reverence unto Thee. Blessed be Thy name ! How his life has been a noble pattern of i transcendent truth, of free-flowing goodness, of prophetic vision, of inspiring sanctity, of enrapturing ecstasy ! How Thou hast been the vital sap of that glorious life, as it grew and spread out into a most sublime manifestation of heavenly grace ! We that fancied, in our purblind folly, that it was only a self-centred life sequestered from a liberalising world — we now realise that verily it has been a most fertile seed-bed of Thine own regenerating Spirit; which imparted the benediction of a revivified life to a number of fainting hearts. Unto doubting minds how reassuring, unto world -wearied souls how re-invigorating have been his intense devotion, his beatific vision, and his inspiring message! The topmost mountain-peak cannot approach the height of this towering spiritual genius; the lowest depths of the great main cannot fathom the profound experiences of this heaven-inebriated devotee now recalled and resumed into Thee ! How vast the range, how penetrating the insight, how illuminating the inspiration, how winning the example of this gifted son of God! We bless, we praise, we glorify Thee, our all-comprehending, our all-embracing God. Hallowed, hallowed,hallowed be Thy name! We supplicate Thee, and we implore that, sure and steady, the Maharshi's sanctified life may be reproduced in an ever-increasing cloud of witnesses unto Thy glory. We do trust that through all eternity will, endure and abide in Thee that emanation of Thine own Holy Spirit which took form and dwelt amidst us in the saintly career of our venerated Pradhanacharya May the sovereignty of Thy imperishable Truth, of Thy interminable Love, of Thy immaculate Holiness ho!d sway over our hearts and souls for ever and ever ! Blessed, blessed, blessed be Thy name now and for ever !
Om ! Thathsath !
- ↑ § Maharshi Devedranath Tagore.