Sushuri Siddhesvari Devi Ji of the Universal Society of Spiritual Love spent four weeks in Trinidad in May and June. Dedidi Ji is based in Toronto, Canada, but has lived several years in India under the direct tutelage of the Society's founder, Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Mahaprabhu. Kripalu is noted for his knowledge of Hindu scriptures and divine inspiration, though he has had no formal education or training.
Dedidi Ji, who holds a bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Toronto in languages, has been convinced that "Spiritual Love to Lord Krishna, who has given His message of love in the Bhagavad Gita." Dedidi Ji explained that she is, "not against rituals per se, but I want to stress and deliberately underline the point that there must be rituals with devotion. When there is no devotion, then there could be no rituals in the true spirituality."
"We can attain Divine Love through God's Grace alone," she teachers. "This is so because Love is the name of a power is possessed only by God. God possesses innumerable powers, but his topmost power, the one that governs and controls His other powers, is the power of love."
The 30-year-old Hindu missionary, who has been on lecture tours to several parts of the USA, Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, has two sisters and one brother, all of whom now reside in Toronto. She is a strict vegetarian. "Surrender to God will result in the attainment of His grace," she emphasizes. "One must seek refuge in one's guru who is of utmost importance for the realization of God. A guru is a practical person, one who is versed in the scriptures and who can provide the spiritual leadership and guidance to his devotees," Dedidi Ji told me with a deep smile and sense of comfort.
"The world needs selfless people, not selfish people," she said. "This is where our crisis lies, in not being able to communicate or understand God as our Maker. There is no need to ask for material things. What we must do is to seek refuge in Him, and when we have done that, He would, in His mercy and love, supply us with all our material needs."
Article copyright Himalayan Academy.