I am Russian and was in Cabella in 1992 for Krishna Puja, as a volunteer in Palazzo Doria, because there was a lot of reconstruction work going on. I desired to get a spiritual name from Shri Mataji. I was very new in Sahaja Yoga and had met many yogis from Europe to whom She had given a name. I understood that it was not so important, but couldn`t help thinking of it.
When I listened to Mother`s speech during the puja She said we shouldn`t think too much. If we want to find out something we should just ask. Then we would know for sure – either yes or no. That was my answer – I would ask Mother for my spiritual name. There was a moment after the puja when Shri Mataji was alone at the stage. I was standing in front of it and realised – now! I asked one of the leaders if I could ask for a name.
‘Why not?’ he said.
I went to the stage and made a pranam. When I put up my head I saw an architect next to me, who was in charge of the reconstruction work and knew all the workers. He introduced me to Shri Mataji. She asked me some questions and asked me to stay longer in Cabella, so I stayed till Ganesha Puja.
She asked what my name was and I answered. Then there was a moment of silence when I saw Mother`s image lose its sharpness. It looked if She started melting and become liquid like a reflection in water. She was watching me and I felt She knew more about me than I could ever know myself. When She gave me the name Karunakar, I asked Her five times more, because I couldn`t catch it. The same thing happened when I was told the English meaning of the name. Shri Mataji just switched off my ego. She told someone to remember my new name and tell me when I asked them later.
The name Karunakar means compassion and is one of the names of Shri Shiva. I do not know why I was given it, whether it means the qualities I have or the qualities I have to develop in myself. In any case, the name given by Shri Mataji is a mantra that gives us all energy to become worthy of its real meaning.
Karunakar