A child who was an orphan in the eyes of the world became the King of creation. He was not Narayan (God) in name only, but became NARAYAN. Who knows how many hearts received Wine from his glance as he guided them on the path to realizing Narayan!
A middle-aged Hindu named Bhim Rao lived in the village of Sindgi in the city of Bijapur in southern India. Bhim Rao was deeply religious and his wife Lakshmi became lakshmi (wealth) itself through her devotion.
For approximately ten years, Bhim Rao and Lakshmi were childless. But the divine wish had ordained that they would not always remain so. After so many years, the couple was thrilled when Lakshmi conceived and a son was born to them on 20 May 1885. They named him Narayan — Lord of the Heart. Happiness and the laughter of a newborn infant in the house transformed their lives. But the couple's joy was short-lived. When Narayan was only fourteen months old, Bhim Rao suddenly became mortally ill and died at the age of 35. Lakshmi was overcome with grief. But amidst her deep sorrow from the loss of her husband, she mustered her courage to face a lifetime of raising her infant son alone.
After Bhim Rao's death, his brother Kashappa took Lakshmi and Narayan to the city of Bagalkot, where they lived for almost four years. But misfortune soon befell the little family again. When Narayan was only five years old, his mother died suddenly, leaving him an orphan.
Narayan's paternal grandmother lived in Nargund, where she had a small piece of land. She had no other grandchildren, so a year after his mother's death, Narayan went to stay with her.
Although Narayan seemed like a normal child, playing with the other children of the village, even at a young age his thoughts were of God. From the age of six, he would daily visit the Hindu temple of Lord Vyankatesh for darshan of the deity enshrined there.1 The young boy fervently participated in the ceremonial bhajans (devotional songs) and kirtans (stories of God accompanied by song and music). Narayan's serious devotional tendency was noticed and respected by the temple priests.
One day, while playing with his companions in the forest outside the village, Narayan and his friends climbed a nearby hill. They discovered a cave and dared one another to enter. The curious group of playmates ventured inside the pitch-dark cave, but soon became frightened and ran out.
Footnotes
- 1.Vyankatesh is another name for Vishnu — the Preserver of creation.