A Case of Visual God Infusion

By Dr. N. V. Kulkarni

Once, during a sitting at Nimbal, it was enquired by some sadhak whether the tradition of spiritual teacher, disciple, sabija nama existed in other religions.

Gurudev replied, “Why So?  When John the Baptist initiated Jesus Christ, Jesus saw the spirit of God descended like a dove.  However, Sabija Nama makes the pathway to God clear, with no apprehension at all”.

It is also remarkable to find Prof. R D Ranade citing the above reference from the Bible (Matthew 3.13) while commenting on Sanga’s poem “endu maiya maresi idarante” (Chp XX Pathway to God in Kannada Literature) about “the grace of the spiritual teacher” which “descends upon the disciple like a meteor or shooting star.  This phenomenon reminds us of a similar one exquisitely described in the Bible.  It tells us that when Jesus was baptized he saw the spirit, descending like a dove from the sky and lighting upon him.”

This is a visual incidence of ‘Nama’ becoming ‘Sabija’.  There is also an audio part to this incidence as the Bible says “And a voice from heaven said “This is my Son, the Beloved with whom I am well pleased” “

Jesus thus became the savior of his creed, as proclaimed by John.  Jesus reveals to his disciples the Secret of his Nama “Hitherto you have not asked anything in My name …….. If you ask Father anything in My name, he will give it to you” (John 16 23-24)

St. Paul, emphasizing this tells the Philippians (Philippians 2.9.10).  “God hath …….. given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and on earth and things under the earth” Or again, the solemn declaration from the Acts of the Apostles (4.2) “the book of the Name of Jesus”, as it has been called.

“There is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved.”