“Nickolas, it is good to hear you praying so
sweetly.”
“Thank you very much.” Nick reached out and took
Surya’s hand.
“Father Mikalson also prayed with me. I remember his prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son
of God, have mercy on me. It is a very good
prayer.”
“Yes, that is the same prayer I am saying now. I
also want to thank Rama for teaching me the
prayer that you chant on your beads. I think I
know it: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna
Krishna Hare Hare • Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama
Rama Hare Hare.”
Standing next to Nick, Rama smiled.
“Yes, very good, Nickolas! We are also
asking for God’s mercy.”
Nickolas smiled.
“It took me a while to learn it and I am trying
to repeat it more and more each day. Even
though the words are foreign to me,
in an uncanny way they seem as if they were
designed to be spoken. So I’m enjoying it
very much.”
“Nickolas, either prayer is good. Father
Mikalson and I spent many hours praying together
and talking about prayer. Sometimes I would
utter his prayer and sometimes he would say
mine.”
“I wish I could have met Father Mikalson. As we
walk this morning, please tell me what you
talked about. By the way, where is the Father
now?”
“Sadly, Father Mikalson has passed away. He had
returned to England and was writing a book when
he suddenly took ill. It was such a sad day when I received
word about him, but Father Mikalson would want
me to be happy. He was like that. In our talks,
Nickolas, you ARE meeting the Father and
it is a great honor for me to speak to you about
him. Up ahead is a comfortable area where we can
sit. See, right there.
“Over the years this is where we have had many
conversations. I have told all these wonderful
men about Father Mikalson and how our two
religions share a sacred trust in the power of
prayer. Having your good company these past
months has been a great boon to me in my old
age.”
As Nick blushed, reaching over to a large leaf, Suryavarman shook
a drop of water into his palm.
“Nickolas, see this drop of water? It contains
so many life-giving properties. In order to
live we all need it. In many
ways, prayer is like this drop of water—in what
it contains. Tell me again the words you are
praying.”
“Yes, gladly—Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy
on me.”
“Nickolas, as you repeat this prayer the most
significant thing is that you are addressing the
Lord’s Holy Name. In discussing the Holy Name
with Father Mikalson he would often speak about the
endless treasures available in the name of
Christ. He even showed me where this is written
in the Bible: To me, who am less than
the least of all the saints, was this grace
given, so that I might make clear to the
Gentiles the good news of the unending wealth of
Christ. Ephesians 3:8
“The Father taught me that just as there are so
many treasures inside this little drop of water,
within the holy Name of God there is also an endless
treasure.
“Father Mikalson said that on his way
to Cambodia with Mr. Groslier they had to ride
on a large ship. The Father said that on the
ship he saw several smaller boats. He called
them, lifeboats. Inside each of these little
lifeboats were stored all sorts of provisions,
just in case their ship sank. Everything they
would need to survive was packed away inside each
little boat.
“Father Mikalson told me that the Holy Name was
also like a lifeboat, full of divine treats. But
unlike a lifeboat whose life saving inventory
could be easily counted, the divine provisions
found packed inside the Holy Name, are an
endless treasure.” Suryavarman smiled,
looking around at all the men, who lovingly
smiled back.
Nick then spoke. “What you are telling me
this morning is
just thrilling. I would have never thought about
this comparison. It is such a unique way to
understand the nature of the Holy Name. What else did
you and the Father talk about concerning
prayer?”
“We spoke of many things, Nickolas. We mostly used our
time comparing the teachings of our two
religions.
Shifting his weight, Nick then said, “What
should I know and understand about the Lord’s
Holy Name?”
“First, Nickolas, within both the Christian and
Hindu traditions, the Holy Name is recognized as
sacred sound, fully invested with the power and
presence of God. The Holy Bible says,
The Lord is His name. (Exodus 15:3)
“It also says, Everyone who calls upon the
Name of the Lord will be saved. (Joel 2:32)
“In the Padma Purana, which is another
Scripture we study, it mentions that the name of
Krishna is no less powerful than
Krishna—Himself. It says that the name of
Krishna—and Krishna—are identical.
“Although there are many ways to pray and many
prayers to recite, both of our religions place a
premium on the Lord’s Holy Name. Come, let us
continue. We can talk as we go.”
Up ahead a deer jumped off the trail, quickly
followed by two more. But just as quickly, they
stopped to forage along the hillside. One of the deer lifted its head and stood
looking at the group of men as they all smiled. Nick cleared his throat and began to speak.
“Sir, everything is now making sense. I really like
how Father Mikalson compares the Holy Name to a
lifeboat that is packed with endless provisions. But
what about our sins? For the past week I have
been feeling so guilty. I just can’t shake off
the feeling that I am damaged goods. This war—things that I have done—the men that I have killed.
I feel so hopeless. How can I ever be fixed?”
“I see that you are full of sincere question
this morning. Very good, my son, and yes, we
are all, as you say—damaged goods. But
don’t fall into the false conception that you
can somehow erase the past. That’s impossible. We all have to live with what we have done.
“Nickolas, the perfection you are seeking will
never be achieved if you think that somehow,
with enough atonement it will all go away. Instead of looking for something that YOU
can do—which is simply another form of
self-pride—you must seek shelter of the Lord’s
devotees and His Holy Name. Jesus was so kind.
He reached out to everyone—asking them to be lovely, holy,
and gentle. Being rich or intelligent, or
possessing some
other greatness was never required. Instead
Jesus
simply spoke about the Commandments and the
necessity to always pray. These are simple
guidelines that any decent human being is more
than happy to follow. In return, this great
devotee of God—Lord Jesus Christ—gladly accepted
and blessed so many.
“Nickolas, you say that you feel like,
damaged goods. On the other hand you want
God to accept you. Our salvation, then, is
found in Jesus—and others—who are most dear to
our beloved Lord. These dear souls do not ask
from us the impossible—only that we behave as
gentlemen. Then their mercy falls upon us.
They accept us, and give us their blessings. And no one is more dear to the
Lord than His faithful servants. When God sees
how they have accepted us, then out of His love
for His devotees, God is also merciful.
“To be
accepted by God is what we all want and it is
through His loving devotees that His acceptance
is given—damaged goods and all. If God
has accepted you, what is the meaning of—damaged
goods? His Blessings make us pure
again. Although so many things have happened to
us, Nickolas, during our sojourn across time, in
the end it is our blessings that count.”
Taking Nick’s
hand, Suryavarman stopped for a moment.
“I once asked the Father what he thought we were
made of and he told me that we ARE our
blessings. I liked hearing that very
much.
“Furthermore, Nickolas, both of our religions
address the topic of sin in relation to the Holy
Name. Father Mikalson once showed me a small
book, The Mysteries of Salvation Revealed
Through Ceaseless Prayer. Inside it, the Father
showed me how every offense would immediately be
purified by grace, from the frequent calling on
the Holy Name. I told him that in the Garuda
Purana, a similar statement is found. It
says that if one chants the Holy Name of the
Lord, even in helplessness or without desiring
to do so, all the reactions of his sinful life
depart, just as when a lion roars and all the
small animals flee in fear.”
With a large smile on his face, Nick stopped
walking and turned to Surya. “How can I ever tell you how
much these talks mean to me? The things you are
telling me are filling me with great faith in
the Holy Name. What you have told me about
salvation and the mercy of the Lord’s
devotees and their blessings—your words are
filling my soul with joy. I
never understood the enormous value that you
have shown me this morning. Thank you.”
“Very Good, Nickolas. Yes, Father Mikalson
taught me many wonderful things about the Holy
Name. Soon the trail will take us back to our
monastery. If I may, there are other things I
would like to tell you.”
“Please do. Please
continue.”
Everyone began walking again and once again the monkeys
could see the men slowly moving, with
Suryavarman and Nickolas in the lead.
“The
reason that Jesus said, it behooves you to
pray always—is that He understands the
power of the Holy Name and what it contains.
There is nothing more spiritually valuable than
the Holy Name. This is stated in both our
religions. As the Father told me, honoring these words of Jesus, the
Holy Fathers gathered together in monasteries
throughout the wilderness: great
patriarchs such as Saint John Chrysostom, Saint
Gregory of Sinai, Saint Simeon, Saint John Climacus, and many others.”
“What they taught and practiced amongst
themselves is also true today. They understood
and wrote that prayer is the chief and most
powerful means of our renewal and
transformation. This is why Jesus willed that
men pray everywhere: I will therefore that
men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting. 1 Timothy 2:8
“This is how to be close to God,
Nickolas—prayer. This is how to be holy—lifting
up holy hands. In the Padma Purana, the
Lord tells his disciple—Narada—that He resides
wherever his pure devotees are chanting His Holy
Names.”
Nick was almost speechless. The acute memory
that Suryavarman possessed was uncommon—his words
and thoughts always pure. He knew he
was in the presence of a great saint. “But
please tell me this—most Christians do not
repeat the same prayer over and over again, for
hours on end. I have even heard them argue that this is
wrong. I guess I never
heard it explained properly. I’m sorry, it almost appears
to be a form of brainwashing.”
“I must say Nickolas that Father Mikalson seems
to be directing your thoughts this morning. Your
questions are universal and many people face
them but have no answers. In your Orthodox
tradition, to pray means to direct the mind and
heart to constant remembrance of God—to arouse
in oneself the love of God by saying the Name of
Jesus Christ in harmony with one’s breathing,
and the beating of one’s heart.
“In all places and in all occupations the
Christian begins this process by vocally calling
on the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. This is also
true for all of us, who call upon Lord Krishna’s
Holy Name. However, many pseudo-enlightened
people regard this vocal and frequent practice
of the same prayer as useless and trivial—a
mechanical and senseless occupation of
simple-minded people. But those who criticize
frequent and vocal prayer can be compared to
little children who are being taught how to read
by learning the alphabet first. They complain
constantly, having to repeat the ABCs. The
benefits and enlightenment coming from reading,
which is the result of the repetition of
letters, is for them a great mystery.
“This mechanical exercise reveals a mystery of
which they are, unfortunately, not aware. The
Holy Names of Christos and Krishna have
self-activating power. They do not realize that
this vocal but frequent call is imperceptibly
becoming a true cry of the heart—that it is
becoming interiorized—as if it were natural for
the soul—that it enlightens and nourishes the
soul and unites it with God. The power of prayer
prepares it for union with God. You will have
reached the summit of all virtues and you become a
dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.”
“What do you mean when you say that the Holy
Name prepares the soul for union with God?”
“Again, I am getting to be an old man, Nickolas. The
monastery is right up ahead. Let us talk again
this evening. I will not forget. Your question
touches upon the very essence of the Holy
Name—its most valuable ingredient.”
Nick turned to Surya and held his hands. “Thank
you. You have given me insights
that I would have never received, elsewhere. I
will keep this conversation in my heart all day
until we speak again. I will be looking forward
to this evening. Thank you.”
________________________________________
At this point, over a year had passed. Deep inside Nick was
sure that he would be leaving the monastery
soon but he hadn’t mentioned this to anyone.
Not that it was such a great secret but rather he
just didn’t want to bother the monks with his
plight anymore than he already had. Besides—he
felt that they already knew.
Since he had started his own garden, taking a
few vegetables would be OK. More than fully
recovered and jungle-wise, Nick wasn’t afraid of
leaving. But at times he hesitated. In fact,
the thought of staying with the monks, forever,
had even crossed his mind. But more frequently
the memory of his wife and daughter is what
occupied him. He had to get back to his family.
He wanted to tell them about the wonderful
things he had experienced at the monastery.
Alive and healthy, he couldn’t just forget about
them. He had to get back, but also knew
that the path home was going to be very
dangerous. Nick smiled as he thought about the
little scarlet fish.
________________________________________
“Nickolas, I’m glad you remembered about this
evening.”
“Oh, I never forgot for a single moment. I hope
you are feeling better. Did you get some rest?”
“I feel much better, thank you. I always feel
stronger after my afternoon nap. And how are
you, Nickolas?”
“Fine. Very good. Thank you, Sir.”
At that moment, one of the monks brought a pot
of hot tea.
Surya took the first sip and smiled at everyone.
Surya’s followers had gathered around the two
men. “Nickolas, I have been thinking about your
question. I have prayed to
Lord Krishna to give me the wisdom to answer it
properly. As you recall, you had asked, How
does the Holy
Name prepare the soul for union with God?”
Taking another sip of tea, Surya closed his eyes
for a moment and then began to speak. “Just as
the tea leaves are the most valuable ingredient in
this pot—giving the water a most pleasing taste—the most
valuable ingredient found in the Holy Name makes
anyone who takes the time repeat them—most pleasing to God, our Lord and
Father. This most precious and holy substance
prepares the soul for union with God.
“Furthermore, Nickolas, the Scriptures tell us
that although there may be many discrepancies
regarding one’s religious life, as soon as the
Lord’s Holy Name is chanted, everything becomes
faultless—preparing our union with God.
“In the history of India, there is a more modern
influence that I have only mentioned in passing. When I
tell you more, I believe I will have answered your
question. Nickolas, although Cambodia is a long way from
India, still there is contact between our two
countries. A few pilgrims from India come to
Angkor Wat every year and Rama has told you how his family came
from India, almost 500 years ago. You have also
met, Chaitanya das.”
Hearing his spiritual master say his name,
Chaitanya smiled.
“I have named this nice boy after a great saint
whose name is Lord Chaitanya. Nickolas, in your
Christian calendar, Chaitanya lived around the
time of Columbus—who discovered your country.
“Nickolas, as you recall, whoever tasted the
nectar produced by the
Ocean of Milk
would live
forever. But the nectar of the Holy Name
contains a gift even more valuable than
immortality.”
“What could possibly be more valuable than
everlasting life,” Nick asked?
“Yes, Nickolas, now we are addressing the
essence of your answer: love of God. This is
what chanting the Holy Name produces. Just as
you must enter the lifeboat to touch the provisions
packed away inside, we must chant the Holy Name to
receive its provisions. This is the divine gift
given by the mercy of Lord Chaitanya. And this
gift perfectly matches the supreme goal of both
our religions: to
attain love of God. In other words, when you’ve
got love of God you’ve got all there is to get.
It is exactly this standard of love that is
stored within the Holy Name of Krishna and
Christos.
“As far as the quality of that love, it is the
topmost love of God. Once you receive this
nectar, it situates you within the Lord’s
intimate circle of devotees. Lord Krishna is
completely captivated by anyone possessing the
love contained within the Holy Name. The Lord
and that person enjoy transcendental bliss
perfectly. Furthermore, chanting the Holy Name
fills us with an overwhelming spirit of devotion
and makes us even more eager to serve
our Lord’s lotus feet.
“Nickolas, calling upon the Holy Name is the
recommended way to achieve our place in heaven.
Both our religions teach this. My dear friend,
Father Mikalson, who I see so much in you, saw
no difference in our two religions. He liked
referring to the lifeboat. He would say that on
a sinking ship, out in the middle of the ocean,
there is no other way, no other way, no other
way to save yourself, except to take shelter in
the lifeboat.
“Once inside you will discover all you need to
safely take you to shore. Using this analogy, we
agreed that the saints from both our religions
proclaim the same message regarding the Holy
Name. This is
where we need to take shelter. Father Mikalson
was also fond of quoting Psalms. The one
he repeated often was about a man in great
trouble. This man said, The sorrows of
death surrounded him and the pains of hell got
hold of him. Then he called upon the Lord’s Holy
Name and He delivered his soul from death.”
Psalms 116:3-4
Surya stopped speaking for a moment. Tears were
beginning to form in Nick’s eyes. Slowly Nick
began to speak. “After I fell into the ravine I
knew that I was going to die. I could sense a
curtain of death descending upon me. I remember
the pain and the darkness. Then I started to say The Jesus Prayer.
I must have said it a thousand times. And then you appeared and
saved me.”
A few moments passed before Suryavarman
continued. He reached over and held onto Nick’s hand.
“Nicholas, you have been a blessing. Your
questions have benefited everyone. God is
pleased. As far as the remainder of your life,
please keep in your heart all the things we have
discussed. There are many important decisions
that you must make.”
As everyone got up to leave, Nickolas thanked
Suryavarman. Later on, pulling weeds in his garden,
Nick began to reflect upon his life.
The next morning was hot. Most of the monks were
ready to go to fill their jugs with water.
“Will it be alright with you if I don’t go to
the spring today? I have some thinking to do.”
“Nickolas, whatever you want to do is fine with
us. You have our blessings. You also have the
blessings of Lord Krishna and blessings of Lord Jesus Christ
watching over you. Yesterday we were talking
about the endless treasures in Christ. One of
those treasures, Nickolas, is that the Holy Name
will make you a much wiser man. Yes, stay
here and pray, and may God be always with you.”
