Shri Hari’s Grace Upon Kashidas Mota

Shri Hari relinquishes his sadness and ill health in Panchala and promises to reestablish Vedic dharma through the establishment of mandirs…

A TRUE ASCETIC

Shri Hari renounced his illness at the prayers of Muktanand Swami and other sadguru sadhus. He then declared his program in Panchala, “We shall celebrate Ram Navmi here and leave for Gadhada the following day.”

Shriji Maharaj’s illness and sadness, which he had accepted to reflect his disinterest for his rela­tives, gave the devotees and sadhus a glimpse of his profound renunciation towards his relatives. One who renounces the feelings of ego and attach­ment for his relatives is a true ascetic. One who is firm in observing his five moral vows is a true ascetic. One who gives up ego of his caste and class is a genuine ascetic. And one who attains the state of brahmarup and offers upasana to Parabrahman is a bona fide ascetic. These attributes of a true sadhu are necessary for any aspirant to understand before associating with him for his own moksha.

Everyone was relieved to learn that Shri Hari had willed to give up his chronic illness. To cele­brate the good news Jhinabhai Darbar of Panchala sponsored a meal of laddus for all. He came to Maharaj with five platefuls of laddus. Shri Hari gave two laddus each to all the sadhus and hap­pily blessed everyone.

SHRI HARI ARRIVES IN GADHADA

In April 1822, Shriji Maharaj celebrated Hari Jayanti in Panchala. Jhinabhai was happy to have served Maharaj, his sadhus and devotees. Maharaj left Panchala on the day following the celebra­tion, Chaitra sud 10, and travelled to Manavadar. He stayed for a day at Mayaram Bhatt’s house. Thereafter, Maharaj went to Ganod and then to Jaliya. Here, he was welcomed by Hirabhai Thakkar. Seven years before, Maharaj had stayed at Hirabhai’s house when he was ill. During that time Maharaj had showed human traits (manush­yabhav) in his behavior, but Hirabhai perceived them to be divine. Subsequently, Maharaj became immensely pleased upon Hirabhai.

From Jaliya Shri Hari passed through Upleta, Jhanjhmer, Dudhivadar, Bandhiya, Navagam, Pipaliya, Raipur, Vankiya, Khambhala and Mandavdhar. The families of Jiva Khachar, Dada Khachar and others came to Mandavdhar to wel­come Shri Hari and lead him to Gadhpur.

ACTIVITIES TO FOSTER DHARMA

Shri Hari arrived in Gadhada after a gap of eight months. With Shri Hari’s recovery from a serious illness, Jiva Khachar celebrated by bringing a dishful of large sugar crystals before Maharaj. Shri Hari happily gave handfuls of sugar crystals to everyone. Then Maharaj went to Dada Khachar’s darbar. He presided over a satsang assembly in the courtyard and informed all about his illness and recovery. Then he explained, “I had become ill out of my own will, but because of the wishes of the senior sadhus I gave it up for the sake of nurturing Vedic dharma. The mandirs are centers for fostering dharma as prescribed in our Vedas and Purans. As long as there are mandirs, bona fide sadhus and spiritual discourses, dharma taught by the Vedas and Purans will be preserved and flourish. Otherwise, dharma will remain con­fined to the scriptures only. Thus, we must also start activities to foster dharma.”

KASHIDAS OF BOCHASAN COMES TO SEE MAHARAJ

Devotees flocked from far and wide to Gadhada on learning that Maharaj was well. Kashidas of Bochasan was one of them. Maharaj asked him, “How did you come here?”

Kashidas replied humbly, “Maharaj, it is all due to your grace. Last year I was unable to pay the taxes because of a drought. So, the local au­thorities threw me into jail in Kheda.”

Shri Hari smiled and commented, “Even a village chief like you was not spared by the authorities?”

“No, Maharaj! At present there is no law and order. If they had summoned me to ask why I had not paid the taxes I could have filed for bail and promised my house in assurance. But they simply put me into jail.”

“Then what happened?” Maharaj enquired. The whole assembly was eager to hear his story.

“Morning came and I told the jailors, ‘I have a pledge to eat only after my bath and daily puja. If you take me to River Vatrak to have a bath only then will I be able to fulfil my vow.’ By your grace, they agreed and took me to the river. I entered the waters and took a dip. When I surfaced, I realized that I was no longer in Kheda. So, on asking someone I realized that I was not far from Gadhada. I don’t know how I came here. On having your darshan my worries have dissolved and my mind is at peace.”

Shri Hari blessed, “When you return your problem will have been resolved. The British will be reigning and law and order shall prevail. You will be let off scot-free.” Kashidas Mota felt blessed with Maharaj’s prophetic words.

Shri Hari was still suffering from a few symp­toms of his illness in Panchala. Thus he was unable to sit for too long in an assembly. While he was resting in his room, Akshar Ordi, no one was al­lowed to enter and meet him without his permis­sion. Devotees who had come to Gadhada for his darshan would have to sit in the courtyard of Dada Khachar’s darbar or at the living quarters of the sadhus and listen to or discuss spiritual matters.

LET AMBA COME IN

Amba Sheth of Jhinjhuda village came to Gadhada for Maharaj’s darshan. On reaching Akshar Ordi a parshad stopped him from enter­ing. Amba Sheth stated, “I merely want to have a glimpse of Maharaj. Why don’t you ask Maharaj whether I can see him briefly.”

The parshad went inside and asked Shri Hari. Maharaj assented, saying, “Let Amba come in.” When Amba Sheth entered, Maharaj told him, “Amba Sheth, a mere glimpse of my form will not suffice to impress it in your soul. For that you will have to keenly and profoundly do darshan. I have never come to this universe and shall never return. Since you have come from afar stay here for five days and take the benefit of doing darshan.” Then Shri Hari placed his hands on Amba Sheth’s head and the latter experienced a cascade of inner peace.

DOUSING THE FIRE AT KASHIDAS’ HOME

One evening Shri Hari was sitting in a sat­sang assembly. Suddenly, he called his attendant, Mukund Brahmachari. When he arrived, Maharaj asked him urgently, “Bring some oil to apply to my burnt hands.” Brahmachari was a little sur­prised at Maharaj’s words. So, Maharaj showed both his hands to him. Everyone was shocked to see his scalded skin with angry boils. A distressed Muktanand Swami asked, “Maharaj, what has happened? How did you get your hands burnt when there is no fire here?”

“First apply oil to my hands,” Maharaj told Brahmachari. Mukund Brahmachari gently ap­plied oil to soothe the burning sensation. Then he placed a pillow in Maharaj’s lap so that Maharaj could rest his hands on it. Shri Hari was pleased with his attendant’s meticulous services. Maharaj then addressed all, “Kashidas Mota of Bochasan is seated here before me. He has come for my dar­shan. His house in Bochasan caught fire. To extin­guish the flames I had to go there in a divine form. While dousing the fire my hands got burnt.”

Shri Hari’s revelation astonished the sadhus and devotees. Kashidas’ eyes began raining tears and he spoke emotionally, “My Lord, how much you care for me! I am unable to do anything for you.” Kashidas fell at Maharaj’s feet and broke down further.

Shri Hari soothed him, “Kashidas, it is my promise to save others. Since you remember me by doing bhajan, I, too, remember you. This is the type of bond that God has for his devotees. So, I have not done anything new by dousing the flames in your house.” Then Maharaj instructed Kashidas, “Go to Bochasan tomorrow and discard whatever is charred. I sat by your window so it has not been destroyed even though it may appear to be so. Keep that window as it is.”

The next day Kashidas took Maharaj’s bless­ings and left for Bochasan. A few days later Maharaj celebrated Bhim Ekadashi in Gadhada and discoursed to the assembly.

SHRI HARI’S UNIQUE ASSOCIATION

The new year of 1822 (A.S. 1878) dawned in Gadhada. On that day the rains blessed the earth. By now, Shri Hari had recuperated totally from his illness. Often when Maharaj was seated in his room, Akshar Ordi, Jivuba, Laduba, Panchuba, Naniba and other women devotees would sit be­fore him for his darshan. Both sisters, Laduba and Jivuba, believed themselves to be intensely fortunate and blessed for having Shri Hari’s as­sociation and darshan. Shri Hari reaffirmed their faith, saying, “You have the association of the supreme God in flesh and blood. From him have emanated the avatars of Ram, Krishna and others and thereafter merged into his form.”

This revelation from Shriji Maharaj himself inspired joy in the hearts of the two sisters. They often shared their faith with others, “Only we and the akshar muktas of Akshardham have been blessed with this divine association. No other muktas of other abodes have Maharaj’s company.”

JIVA KHACHAR’S COMPLANT ABOUT DADA KHACHAR

Daily Shri Hari attended the morning and evening spiritual discourses and also spoke to the assembly. He celebrated the festival of Janmashtmi in Gadhada.

One day, Jiva Khachar entered into an alter­cation with Dada Khachar on a social matter. Subsequently, Jiva Khachar became intensely resentful towards Dada Khachar. He decided to lodge a complaint to the King of Bhavnagar. Shri Hari perceived his malicious resolution and called him, “Bapu, Dada Khachar is like your son. So, you must have an open mind.” Jiva Khachar, however, remained silent. Then Shri Hari ex­plicitly commented, “Bapu, you have decided to complain against Dada to the King of Bhavnagar, but you will not succeed. Therefore, you must give up your resolve.”

Shri Hari’s words inflamed his thoughts all the more. He replied in a huff, “Maharaj, I wish to go to Bhavnagar for some other work. There’s no way that I can cancel it.” Maharaj replied gently,

“You may do as you wish, but you’ll not succeed.” In response Jiva Khachar walked away, pretending that he had not heard Shriji Maharaj’s words.

Jiva Khachar went home and got ready to leave for Bhavnagar. His daughter, Amulaba, asked “Bapu, are you going to Bhavnagar?” Her father answered, “Yes daughter, I’m going to put an end to the arrogance of Dada. Amulaba re­mained quiet. She was fed up with her father’s enmity for Dada Khachar. She knew about her fa­ther’s jealous and stubborn nature. She breathed a heavy sigh out of her disapproval for his action. When Jiva Khachar heard her sigh while saddling his horse, he asserted, “Amula, whether you like it or not but I want to take Dada to task! Maharaj always favors him more than me. Now, I’d like to see what Maharaj can do about it!” Then Jiva Khachar put the soles of his feet into the stirrups and dug them into the horse’s sides. The horse took off rapidly from the darbar.

JIVA KHACHAR FALLS FROM HIS HORSE

Shri Hari smiled when he got news at Dada’s darbar that Jiva Khachar had left for Bhavnagar. He said, “He’ll have to return soon!” In that in­stant Jiva Khachar’s horse tripped and fell over on the way to Mandavdhar, not far from Gadhada. Jiva Khachar’s foot got stuck in the stirrup and he was dragged along with the horse. He started bleeding profusely and was badly hurt. As news reached his home, his men came and took Jiva Khachar carefully back home.

When Shri Hari learnt of the accident he went to see him with Muktanand Swami. Jiva Khachar was lying on his bed, crestfallen. Jiva Khachar folded his hands when Maharaj arrived. Shri Hari gently spread his hands over his body to soothe him and bless him for a quick recov­ery. Maharaj said, “Bapu, I had told you not to go, but you did not heed my words. Now, try to retract from your worldly affairs. Curtail your anger, lust and jealousy; only then will you enjoy the bliss of satsang.”

Translated from Gujarati text of
Bhagwan Swaminarayan by Shri H.T. Dave

Swaminarayan Bliss | Jan / Feb 2014