The Power Of Prayer

THE POWER OF PRAYER
--Expereience of Mrs. Nila Patel in America


Prayer could be defined as an invocation seeking the blessings and guidance of the Divine Grace to show us the path of light in a state of utter desperation when we are unable to find a solution to the problem. The function of prayer is to create a mental condition which freezes the mind from its deadweight of worldly problems. Suffering is a door leading to God and prayer unlocks the door. When all the other therapy has failed it is only the serene effort of prayer that lifts the mind of its melancholy, depression and suffering. The true source of fulfilling prayers, miracles and other extraordinary phenomenon is the Divine Power immanent in all living beings. Prayer makes no distinction between one living being and the other. We often find a profound spiritual conviction in humble, unheard of simple folks whose devotion is simple and pure and whose prayer has brought wonderful relief. The experience of one such ordinary lady in America by name Miss. Nila Patel is a case in point.

In 2003, one Miss.Nila Patel, an ardent devotee of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa in Detroit, surrendered herself completely to the Master during a terrible ordeal. Describing in detail the ordeal she had to undergo, her twin sister Niharika Patel writes:

“My sister suffered a stroke with brain hemorrhage; her condition was very critical with 24 days in the intensive care unit. I came to help her. She is now back to normal with Mother Sharada Devi’s and Master’s blessings. There were no chances of survival, as the whole brain was covered with blood when she reached the hospital where surgery took 7 hours. Part of her skull was removed and was preserved in the hospital which was replaced after three months. In 5 months, three brain surgeries were done. She now has a shunt which drains the spinal fluid from the brain in the pelvis. No defects are left and no complications. Neurosurgeons were concerned about her becoming blind, becoming paralyzed etc. A renowned neurosurgeon Dr.Donald M.C.Seyfried, performed my sister’s surgery on 3rd December 2003

In the hospital, every day, with tubes in the whole body, she performed morning and evening Arathi. In the hospital, on 16th December 2003, she repeated Ashtottara Shata Nama of the Mother [Holy Mother’s 108 names] offering rice at Holy Mother’s feet—lying down. With Sri Ramakrishna’s grace we have totally survived this ordeal.

She recovered fully without any deficiency in any area. I decided to attend spiritual retreats after 5 months of stay with my sister. I now want to spend more time in spiritual practices. That too is Thakur’s will”.

Nila Patel has narrated her own experience in the following words:

“When I opened my eyes after the first surgery, I saw next to me the picture of Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Bhuteshanandji [my Guru] and Sri Sharada Mata. I had no idea of what had happened to me, except for the severe pain in my head due to injury. I asked the devotee “Who brought the picture of Sri Ramakrishna?” She said “Prasanna”. I could not recollect her as I had short-term memory loss. As soon as I came out of surgery into the ICU, a shrine was made next to my bedside. I looked at Sri Ramakrishna and my Guru. I remembered the Deeksha Mantra which my Guru had initiated and this was a beginning to the very slow and deliberate healing. All along the nurses kept me sedated. Every morning and evening I listened to Arathi and Chandi. I was in a different state of mind through the whole ordeal. I was calm, peaceful and had absolutely no fear. I had given myself completely to Sri Ramakrishna.

The nurses took excellent care of me and pointing to Sri Ramakrishna, asked me “Who is he?” I would tell them “He is God and He is the Lord” I was in no state to go into details, but, since Christmas was close, I told them how Lord Jesus had merged into Him and He was also Jesus. When they asked me about my Guruji, I told them “He is my spiritual Guru who will unite me with my Lord”. At night, the nurses would relax me with a sandalwood bath and keep the whole night to see that I was comfortable. They would ask me why I did not feel like leaving the room at all. Pointing to Sri Ramakrishna, I would tell them “He is pulling”.

Once, when I was in terrible pain that was unbearable, Surgeon Dr. Seyfried came all of a sudden at two A.M. early in the morning to ask me how I was doing. He at once ordered morphic shots. All along, I felt that it was Sri Ramakrishna who sent the surgeon in the middle of the night to treat me for the excruciating pain. When Dr, Seyfried had first seen me after surgery, he had said it was a miracle, since my whole brain had been covered with blood when he had first received me at the Henry Ford Hospital. I told him everybody should sing his praises for saving my life. It was the grace of the Master that descended and He has done everything for me and to me, to make me normal. When some people had doubts as to whether I would continue to be normal, I would feel like telling them “ He who has done so much to keep me and save this body—would He ever make me invalid?”

I pray to Sri Ramakrishna every day to bring me closer and closer to Him till I merge into Him”


B.M.N.Murthy


ARTICLE NO. 482---The POWER Of Prayer
Created: Friday, January 9, 2009 8:17 PM