In his bestselling book "Conversations with God", the author Neale Donald Walsch, explains about his dialogue with God. "It is like God speaking to everyone all the time". He adds "the question is not to whom does God talk, but who listens." He expands further that God can communicate with you in "the next song you hear, the next breeze that caresses your ear, the next conversation that you overhear". "All these devices are mine. All these avenues are open to me. I will speak to you if you invite me."

"Can God speak to us" is the first reaction that runs into our mind whenever we read about such phenomena. With little or no spiritual experience, we are apt to dismiss stories such as above as a figment of author's imagination. However, stories about individuals having direct divine vision of God and having direct divine interaction with God, what to speak of hearing God's voice have abounded in history, especially in the Indian subcontinent.

Many of us have grown reading stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata, where the personal form of God forms the quintessence of the spirituality.

In one of my earlier articles, we learnt about Ugna, Lord Shiva in disguise as a servant in the house of the famous Maithili poet Vidyapati.

Here is another heart touching story about Dhanna Jat and his exemplary devotion to Lod Krishna.

Dhanna Jat was an unlettered simpleton. He worked as a servant in the house of a priest. The priest was reasonably well versed in the scriptural knowledge but carried within himself a sense of pride. Humility was not his forte and he would consider Dhanna Jat as an illiterate rustic who could not be expected to understand the slightest knowledge of scriptural science. Dhanna Jat, though lacking any knowledge of the scriptures, had an unshaking faith in God. He would observe the priest worshipping a shaligram shila. Shaligram is a stone found in the Gandaki river and is worshipped by vaishnavas as a form of Vishnu. He would very longingly aspire to own such a stone for his personal worship. He would often ask Panditjee to give him such a stone but Panditjee would always brush off the topic saying that worship and devotion were not for him. However, Dhanna Jat would not give up and would keep serving Panditjee with even greater dedication. Once while pressing Panditjee's feet, he repeatedly pleaded with Panditjee to bring him a Shaligram Shila. Panditjee had to take him seriously this time, however, he gave him just a normal stone telling Dhanna Jat that it was an actual Shaligram.

Dhanna Jat's joy knew no bounds. He took to the worship of his beloved Lord immediately. He bathed and installed the deity and cooked Makke Di Roti for bhog (offering). Being poor, he had the corn flour sufficent for four rotis only. He himself was also very hungry. After laying the plate with all the four rotis, and with loving tears in his eyes, he called upon the Lord to appear and eat the rotis in person. Hours passed but the Lord, as usual, did not appear. However, Dhanna Jat was very insistent. He declared that he would not relent and remain hungry until the Lord fulfilled his wish of feeding him in person. F inally, the Lord had to yield to the implorings of this pure devotee. Lo and behold, Shri Krishna appeared from the stone and started eating the rotis. However, when he finished eating three rotis and was about to take the fourth one, Dhanna Jat, caught His hand, realising that if Krishna ate the fourth roti also, nothing would be left for him. It so happened that in the process, Krishna's hands touched Dhanna Jat's head and it is said that the entire scriptural knowledge was transmitted to him at that moment.

A saint poet has written some beautiful verses describing this episode, which is often sung while offering bhog to Shri Krishna.

Bhog lalai bhog lalai Thakura, bara paira gussa Dhanne Jatt da, ve tu lalai parem naal bhog ve, assa tera pichcha naiyo chhadd na
O my dear Thakur Ji ( Shri Krishna), please accept this food offering of mine, else Dhanna jat will show you his anger. Please accept this offering with love, as I am not going to stop insisting.

Nit makkhana num kha kha ke, ve tu bigar gayo re dada, ajj makki di roti da tu maan rakkhi sada
All the sweet butter eaten by You so often has spoiled You. Please honor me by accepting this simple offering of roti made of corn flour.

Aj Dhanne ne jid kiti, je tu khaven te khavanga, nai ta tere bina Thakura, maim ta bhukkha mar javanga
Dhanna has made this resolution today that I will not eat unless You eat. Else I will die of hunger in waiting for You.

Patthara chon pragat hoke Hari bhog lagaya hai, Hari bhog laga kar ke sanum daras dikhaya hai
You have been known to emerge from stone idols and accept food offerings. Then please emerge and accept this food and grant me your ‘darshan’ (divine vision).