Bilwamangal : a well-known Vaishnava saint of South India, son of a devout Brahmin, Ramdas. He had received a devotional education from his father. But after the death of his parents Bilwamangal fell into bad society & got completely engrossed in the love of a prostitute, Chintamani, till one day a biting reproach from her for his blind infatuation, suddenly opened his eyes & his love turned towards God with the same intensity of emotion. Once again, however, the sight of a beautiful woman gave him a jolt, but soon after he came to himself. Holding his eyes responsible for the slip he pierced them each with a thorn & became blind, Sri Krishna himself used to come to him as a boy to provide him food, & one day led him to Vrindāvana.
... To the book. The Letters of D. H. Lawrence, edited by Aldous Huxley. Bilwamangal: The Sanskrit poet and author of Krishna Karnamrita. He is supposed to have been passionately attracted to Chintamani, a woman of ill repute but who nourished a deep devotion to Lord Krishna. She shows Bilwamangal the Page 297 path of devotion and turns him into a saint. This story ...
... surely thwart the fire of aspiration rising upwards, won't they? All that is logical, but it does not happen in every case. It may be true in your case, but what of St. Augustine, Jagai Madhai, Bilwamangal and the rest? St. Augustine had difficulties, but they do not seem to have been of a very violent character, the others are described as having made a total yoke face, I believe. If I had been... It is true however that "the spirit bloweth where it listeth",and that one can get some emotional impulse or touch of mental realisation of spiritual things from almost any circumstance, as Bilwamangal got it from the words of his courtesan mistress. Obviously it happens, because something is ready somewhere,—if you like, the psychic being waiting for its chance and taking some opportunity in mind ...
... prayers. It does not select the righteous and reject the sinner. The Divine Grace came to aid Saul of Tarsus the persecutor, to St. Augustine the profligate, to Jagai and Madhai of infamous fame, to Bilwamangal and many others whose conversion might well scandalise the puritanism of the human moral intelligence. But it can come to the righteous also—curing them of their self-righteousness and leading to ...
... of men of little or no virtue into spiritual seekers and God-lovers has frequently happened in religious and spiritual history—as in Europe St. Augustine, in India Chaitanya's Jagai and Madhai, Bilwamangal and many others. The house of the Divine is not closed to any who knock sincerely at its gates, whatever their past stumbles and errors. Human virtues and human errors are bright and dark wrappings ...
... does not select the righteous and reject the sinner. The Divine Grace came to aid the persecutor (Saul of Tarsus), it came to St. Augustine the profligate, to Jagai and Madhai of infamous fame, to Bilwamangal and many others whose conversion might well scandalise the puritanism of the human moral intelligence; but it can come to the righteous also—curing them of their self-righteousness and leading to ...
... It is true however that "the spirit bloweth where it listeth", and that one can get some initial impulse or touch of mental realisation of spiritual things from almost any circumstance, as Bilwamangal got it from the words of his courtesan mistress. Obviously it happens because something is ready somewhere,—if you like, the psychic being waiting for its chance and taking some opportunity in mind ...
... enjoyment, at the height of outward conquest and victory without any sorrow or disappointment but by a sudden or growing enlightenment, by a flash of light in the midst of sensuous passion as in Bilwamangal, by the perception that there is something greater and truer than this outward life lived in ego and ignorance. None of these turns need be accompanied by sorrow and depression. Often one turns saying ...
... enjoyment, at the height of outward conquest and victory without any sorrow or disappointment, but by a sudden or a growing enlightenment, by a flash of light in the midst of sensuous passion, as in Bilwamangal 42 , by the perception that there is something greater and truer than this outward life lived in ego and ignorance. None of these turns need be accompanied by sorrow and depression. Often one ...
... with his pregnant wife there was nothing immoral in it according to ordinary ideas, but he regards that as immoral ! Most saints have been sinners in the earlier period of their lives – like Bilwamangal. Disciple : There are exceptions. Sri Aurobindo : No, the fact is that they do not confess their sins. Das was not exactly moral, but he became great. Disciple : In his ...
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