Divine Madness Part – Nineteen

Divine Madness

It is clear that the leelas of God are inexplicable and infinite. It is ludicrous to seek the whereabouts of the Divine, who is omnipresent. Uttara was one who recognised the omnipresence of God. Recognising her supreme devotion Krishna was prepared to change His plans. People should realise that God responds only to deep and genuine devotion. Verbal supplications will not suffice. The devotee must acquire the yearning that will melt the heart of God. Even butter which is so soft melts only when heat is applied. Likewise, the warmth of Bhakti (love of the Lord) has to be applied to the butter of the human heart to make it melt. It was their intense devotion which made Krishna dwell in the hearts of Gopikas. They became God?intoxicated. Once, when Krishna disappeared from their midst, they started searching for him everywhere, among the trees and the bushes of Brindavan, oblivious to everything else. Their appeals to the creepers to tell them whether their Krishna was hiding amongst them might seem “hysterical”. But it would be a good thing if such “hysterical” love of God filled people’s hearts today. The world will be a calmer and better place.

Some people talk caustically to Sai devotees saying: “You have gone crazy over Sai Baba”. This craziness is sublime madness. There are all kinds of lunatics in the mental hospital, many of whom pose difficult problems for the doctors. If some God?mad devotee sits in a corner chanting God’s name, what a relief he would be to the doctors! If you develop this kind of sublime madness, you will be supremely fortunate indeed! Everyone should be crazy about God. Only then they will get rid of the mad craving for wealth and the things of the world. The craze for money is the cause of all the ills in the world. With the result that the desire for God declines.

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Because of the craze for riches, all other evil qualities like pride, greed, envy and hatred have grown among mankind. Wealth is, indeed, needed, but it is the wealth of Divine Grace and the treasure of Divine Love. That alone is lasting. All other things are transient.

Divine Madness – A sacred love beyond ordinary understanding

Divine Madness is a beautiful spiritual theme that describes the state of a heart completely absorbed in God. To the ordinary world, such devotion may look strange, excessive, or beyond normal behavior. But to the devotee, it is the highest joy. When love for the Divine becomes deep, worldly attractions lose their power, and the heart begins to live in constant remembrance, surrender, and inner sweetness.

Divine Madness does not mean loss of wisdom or careless living. It means a sacred intensity of love where God becomes the center of every thought, action, and breath. A person in this state may laugh with devotion, cry during prayer, sing the name of God with feeling, or forget personal worries in divine remembrance. The world may not understand this love, but the soul recognizes it as true freedom.

Many people are considered normal because they run after wealth, praise, comfort, power, and temporary pleasures. They spend their lives chasing things that do not last. But when someone runs after God, the world may call it madness. This shows how different worldly understanding is from spiritual truth. Divine Madness teaches that loving the eternal is wiser than becoming lost in the temporary.

A devotee filled with such love does not calculate devotion like a business. The heart does not ask, “What will I get?” It only wants to love, serve, remember, and surrender. This kind of devotion is pure because it is not based on fear or reward. It is based on longing. The devotee feels that life without God is empty, while even a moment of divine remembrance is precious.

Divine Madness can be seen in saints, sages, and true lovers of God who forgot themselves in devotion. They did not live for name, fame, or comfort. Their joy was in chanting, serving, praying, and seeing God in all beings. Some were misunderstood by society, but their lives gave peace, hope, and inspiration to countless people. Their madness was not weakness; it was spiritual greatness.

This sacred state also softens the heart. A person who truly loves God cannot remain harsh, proud, cruel, or selfish. Divine love naturally becomes compassion for others. The devotee begins to see every being as belonging to God. Feeding the hungry, helping the sick, comforting the sad, and forgiving those who hurt us become natural expressions of devotion.

Divine Madness also removes ego. Ordinary love often says, “This is mine.” Divine love says, “Everything belongs to God.” Ego wants control, praise, and importance. Devotion wants surrender, service, and closeness to the Divine. As ego becomes smaller, peace becomes greater. The devotee no longer feels the need to impress the world because the heart is satisfied with God’s presence.

This path requires purity. If a person claims divine love but remains full of anger, jealousy, pride, and selfishness, then the love has not yet become deep. True devotion must transform character. Speech should become gentle, thoughts should become clean, actions should become helpful, and life should become disciplined. Sacred love is not only emotion; it is transformation.

Divine Madness also gives courage during suffering. A person deeply connected with God does not escape pain, but receives strength to face it. Illness, loss, delay, and misunderstanding may still come, but the devotee does not feel abandoned. Prayer becomes a shelter. God’s name becomes medicine. Faith becomes a lamp in darkness.

To the world, such a devotee may appear simple, emotional, or different. But inside, there is a hidden richness. The heart that loves God deeply carries a joy that cannot be bought. It does not depend fully on outer situations. Even tears become sweet when they flow in remembrance of the Divine. Even silence becomes full when the heart feels God near.

This theme also teaches balance. Sacred love should not become an excuse to ignore duties. A true devotee fulfills responsibilities with sincerity, but keeps the heart connected with God. Work becomes worship, family life becomes service, and daily duties become offerings. The mind may live in the world, but the heart rests at the feet of the Divine.

In the end, Divine Madness is not ordinary madness. It is the highest form of love, where the soul longs for God more than worldly pleasure. It purifies the mind, softens the heart, reduces ego, and turns life into worship. When this sacred love awakens, the devotee no longer lives only for the world. Every breath becomes prayer, every action becomes offering, and every moment becomes filled with divine remembrance.