Shri Hari’s Love for Gadhpur
After inspiring sadhus and devotees engaged in constructing the mandir in Vartal Shri Hari returned to Gadhpur. The mutual love between Maharaj and his devotees became apparent…
BY YOUR GRACE THE WORK IS GOING ON
The festival of Shri Hari Jayanti was celebrated with great spirit and devotion in Vartal. Thereafter, Maharaj called Brahmanand Swami and the sculptors and asked, “How do you manage the great task of building this mandir?”
Brahmanand Swami showed Maharaj the hut he lived in and revealed, “Maharaj, due to your greatness the sadhus who are with me travel to the neighboring villages to beg for alms. The grains are then stored in a large vessel and given daily to the masons and laborers to cook their food. Furthermore, this Gunatitanand Swami is stoical like Jad Bharat. He does bhajan day and night and also discourses to newcomers. He talks to them about your glory and inspires faith about your divine form. Thus, they become satsangis. Whereas, Joban Pagi and I travel to the surrounding villages to inform the Patidars (Patels) about the mandir project and appeal for donations. From the money received we pay the artisans and laborers. Thus, by your grace things are progressing well. Now come to my hut and place your hands on the vessel so that the grains never get depleted.”
Shri Hari was listening to Brahmanand Swami with great interest and exuberance. While building the mandir Brahmanand Swami had no other motive other than increasing Shri Hari’s glory. Shri Hari blessed Brahmanand Swami and said, “There will be no hurdles in your work.” Then Maharaj asked, “Are you taking the help of Narayan Giriji?”
Brahmanand Swami replied buoyantly, “Maharaj, his help will be taken in difficult times. Till the work keeps progressing through your grace I do not want to take any other support.” Shri Hari was pleased with his resolve.
SADHUS IN SATSANG ARE LIKE GEMS
Shri Hari appointed Hiraji as the main sculptor to do the carvings of Vartal mandir. Maharaj also instructed Purushottam and Damodar, and Keval of Nadiad and Kuberji of Ahmedabad to help Hiraji. He blessed them, “Through your efforts a grand mandir will be accomplished. Since Brahmanand Swami has designed the mandir with three shikhars the carvings and decorations should also match with it.” Then, Shriji Maharaj told the leading satsangis of Vartal, Narsinhdas, Narottamdas, Laldas and others, “With the mandir being built here you must all help in the project.”
The devotees responded enthusiastically, “Maharaj, the mandir will be the pride of our village. It will be like a feather in the cap and with your association it will become a great pilgrim place.” Shri Hari was pleased with their sentiments and then praised, “The sadhus in Satsang are like gems.”
Shri Hari declared to all, “I want to consecrate the murtis in Vartal in October–November (Kartik month), so labor briskly and hard.” Then, Maharaj told the leading devotees of Vaso, Sojitra, Petlad, Sinjivada, Umreth and Dabhan to come every month to inspect and provide whatever help or materials that would be required. In this way, Shri Hari distributed the work for the mandir construction and also lightened the burden of Brahmanand Swami by giving some responsibilities to Aksharanand Swami. Thereafter, Shri Hari instructed the local devotees, “As soon as the mandir is ready for the consecration ceremony let me know.”
Shri Hari departed from Vartal and halted along his journey to Gadhada.
GADHPUR IS MINE AND I AM GADHPUR’S
Whenever Shri Hari returned to Gadhpur it seemed as if he had arrived home, feeling hale and hearty. He often declared, “Gadhpur is mine and I am Gadhpur’s.” These words reflected the selfless devotion and love of the devotees of Gadhpur towards Maharaj. In fact, Shri Hari was not bound by or attached to place and time, but, he loved to stay where his beloved devotees resided. Whenever Shriji Maharaj departed from Gadhpur to travel to other places the local devotees reminisced about his lilas. Furthermore, they remained poignant and disinterested in eating or in doing their daily duties. Their bhakti for Maharaj was so profound that it seemed as if they survived because of their association with him. And Shri Hari reciprocated their deep devotion. Maharaj regarded Gadhpur village, Dada Khachar’s darbar and everything else to be dear to his heart.
Shri Hari’s arrival in Gadhpur invigorated the hearts of all. Whenever Maharaj arrived in Gadhpur the paramhansas travelling in neighboring regions and the devotees living far and wide would flock there for his darshan. The devotees would also sponsor the daily meals for Shri Hari and his sadhus.
One day, Maharaj called Dada Khachar and told him, “Dada, the devotees sponsor our meals daily. Since it is the mango season now, if you can get mangoes then I’d like to feed the paramhansas.” Dada Khachar thought that the season had not yielded a good harvest of mangoes in his orchard. So, he immediately called Harji Thakkar, his administrator, and instructed, “No matter how much it may cost order cartfuls of mangoes immediately. Maharaj wishes to serve mango juice to his sadhus.” Harji Thakkar replied, “As you wish Bapu, but I will have to go personally for this task.” Dada Khachar urged him, “By tomorrow the cartloads of mangoes should be unloaded in my storeroom.”
Harji Thakkar was about to leave when Maharaj called him. Shri Hari inquired, “For what purpose have you readied yourself? Are you going off to some place?”
Harji Thakkar humbly folded his hands and replied, “Maharaj, with the young Bapu’s order I am about to go to two to three neighboring villages to purchase mangoes. There was no crop of mangoes this year in Dada Khachar’s farm.”
Shri Hari smiled at Harji Thakkar’s words and restrained him, “There’s no need to visit the villages to buy mangoes. Cartloads of mangoes are on their way here now.” Harji Thakkar pondered for a while thinking that if he did not go then Dada Khachar would be offended. On seeing him contemplating Maharaj checked him, “Tell Dada that Maharaj had told you not to go.”
At that time Dada arrived before Maharaj. On seeing Harji Thakkar Dada Khachar asked, “Why haven’t you left?” Shri Hari interjected, “Dada, cartloads of mangoes are already on their way here. Your wish will be fulfilled by Bhagwan.”
Aksharanand Swami had sent eight cartloads of mangoes from Vartal. The carts arrived in Gadhpur the next day, with each containing 600 kg. Shri Hari told Harji Thakkar, “Unload the mangoes and place them in the storehouse. I wish to feed the sadhus mango juice and chapatis for eight days.”
Harji Thakkar was astonished by Shri Hari’s lila. He was enthused on witnessing the devotion of Dada Khachar for Shri Hari and the latter’s love towards Dada Khachar. Harji Thakkar’s eyes turned moist with tears of joy. He felt that ever since the day Abhal Bapu gave Shri Hari the onus of looking after Dada Khachar Maharaj had relentlessly been taking care of him. In spite of looking after Dada Khachar Shri Hari often uttered that he would never be able to repay Dada for his services and dedication.
Whenever the devotees of Sarangpur, Kariyani, Kundal, Khambda and other neighboring villages came to know of Maharaj’s arrival in Gadhpur they would arrive in large numbers for his darshan.
I WAS EAGER TO MEET YOU
Vasta Khachar of Kariyani arrived in Gadhada. When he entered Akshar Ordi for Maharaj’s darshan Jiva Khachar was also present. Shri Hari was pleased to see Vasta Khachar and said, “Vasta, I was eager to meet you. If you hadn’t come I would have sent a messenger to call you.”
Vasta Khachar was pleased to know of Shriji Maharaj’s love for him. Jiva Khachar inquired, “Maharaj, why so much love for him?” Shri Hari replied, “Because he is a good devotee. He has firm faith in me. He perceives me to be divine and thus offers devotion to me in that manner. And that is why I feel joy in seeing him.”
Jiva Khachar simply listened and remained shrewdly quiet.
NOW VASTA KHACHAR WILL NOT COME
Shortly thereafter, Jiva Khachar got up to leave. He told Vasta Khachar, “Vasta, come and stay at my home.”
Shri Hari tried to stall his invitation, “Since he has come here let him stay here in Dada Khachar’s darbar.” But Jiva Khachar was persistent and obstinate. And, Vasta Khachar succumbed to his wish, out of his friendship and obligations. So, he too stood up and bowed before Maharaj to leave. Shri Hari did not look at him. Vasta Khachar explained, “Maharaj, since Jiva Bapu has insisted I will have to go with him to stay at his house. However, once I have placed my belongings I will return here.” Shri Hari remained silent. And, Vasta Khachar accompanied Jiva Khachar.
Shortly thereafter, Shri Hari uttered, “Vasta Khachar will not come back.” Muktanand Swami was curious and asked, “Maharaj, why do you say this?” Shri Hari sighed and revealed, “He will be vitiated by the negative words of Jiva Khachar and Buddho Dhadhal. His faith in me will be tarnished and he will become averse towards me.”
WE HAVE SUNG HIS GLORY AND MADE HIM INTO A BHAGWAN
Jiva Khachar provided Vasta Khachar with the best of hospitality and servings of a delicious meal. Then they sat in a ballad’s party. Budha Dhadhal was appointed as Vasta Khachar’s personal attendant. He started talking to Vasta Khachar, while pressing his feet, “Vasta Bapu did you understand Shri Hari’s purpose in praising you?”
Vasta Khachar remained silent. Budha Dhadhal continued, “Jiva Bapu, Vasta Khachar is naive, so he cannot think intelligently.” Vasta Khachar was puzzled by the tangent remark. Jiva Khachar perceived Vasta’s confused expression. He signaled to Budha to continue. The latter resumed, “Ever since Maharaj’s family (Dharmakul) arrived in Gadhada Shri Hari has taken possession of a large part of Dada’s darbar for them to live. Furthermore, I’ve heard that Maharaj has divided Dada’s property into two parts and will later give them to his two brothers. Dada is truly foolish. Similarly, Maharaj will praise other naive people like you and take over your land and homes. All this does not augur well. In fact, we have declared and praised him to be Bhagwan and thus catapulted him to the heights of unparalleled glory and fame. So, he has taken advantage of our naivety and invited his family members to spread his glory.”
Translated from the Gujarati text of Bhagwan Swaminarayan authored by Shri H.T. Dave
