Revered Pandit Shri Gaya Prasadji Maharaj
The matter dates back to the eighties. Revered Pandit Gaya Prasadji had Hari Vallabhji convey through Vijay that he wanted to meet Bobo in the year 1977. Those days Vijay was residing in Giriraj and on returning to Vrindavan he presented the entire episode.
Bobo smiled and when Vijay asked the reason, she said,”I will explain later.”
Shri Radha Rani
Shri Radha Ashtami was coming in the near future and Bobo made a plan of going to Giriraj with Shri Thakur as was her usual practice. Her intimate friend Sushilaji, Vijay and a couple of other Bahens accompanied her. They reached Shri Giriraj and fixing the time went for darshan of Pandit Gaya Prasadji, the next day. He instinctively respected devotees and was waiting beforehand, absorbed in meditation. His attendant Thakurji Dasji informed him about Bobo's arrival.
Gently folding both his hands, half bent Panditji ran speedily from this end and Bobo pacing faster then Sushila Bahenji and Vijay, hurried from the other. Both were overwhelmed by affection for each other. Panditji, a paradigm of righteousness stood welcoming her while Bobo, an icon of humility, clad in a white dhot and head covered, bowing respectfully before him who was like her father, was emotional.Their bond had paternal affection, motherly love, sakha bhava and above all transcendental love within the context of restrictive social constraints.
A Sakhi Meets Her Close Sakhi
It seemed as if one sakhi had met her close sakhi after a long time and it was the coming together of two bhaktas absorbed in the love of Krishna, the Supreme Lover.Their bodies were distinct but minds relished the same rasa of Krishna like two black bees.
At one end sat Panditji's attendant whereas revered Sushila Bahenji and Vijay sat at the other.Several topics were discussed and the voice of Panditji laden with essence gushed forth through the medium of writing and sound.
Meanwhile a speaker of the Shrimad Bhagwat arrived. He had seen Bobo sitting next to Panditji from a distance and asked simply like a denizen of Braj,“Panditji I can not refrain myself on seeing such a strange marvel today! We have never heard of women entering your residence leave alone sighting such a scene.”
Revered Bobo
Quiet for a few seconds, Panditji explained in a straightforward fashion,“Bhaiyo! She can not be termed a woman.Bobo belongs to the nij parikar (inner circle of Krishna) and has come to earth for a specific purpose.She is my elder sister and I am just a young boy.”
The matter was very strange and still is. Moved by conventional norms, not meeting women as a matter of principle, Panditji had firmly resolved to abide by this practice. He never allowed any sort of laxity regarding the matter since he wanted to establish an ideal state of righteousness for future sadhakas and thus this sequence was followed stringently.
Bobo had evaded an answer earlier but now when Vijay asked about her laughter she replied with absent minded simplicity, “ Revered Panditji is the glory of today's era. It is rare to find a competent person with a clear perspective, who is warm hearted, compassionate and humane like him in this world.” Saying so she bowed reverentially and revealed,
Shri Giriraj Parikrama
Mirabai
Srila Jeev Goswami
Revered Bobo remembered the incident where Jeev Goswamiji had refused to meet Mirabai in Vrindavan saying that he did not meet women.
“Well being a saint Panditji does not need this restraint.We will have his darshan when he summons us on his own,” Bobo had resolved.
Later on they would go to Giriraj and visit him. But she had longed to meet him with a particular kinship and oneness and was ecstatic on seeing revered Panditji affectionate and warm behaviour now.
Ever since Bobo would visit Panditji every year when she went to Giriraj. They would discuss spiritual doctrines and Krishna's divine play.
Once for no particular reason Bobo asked,“Panditji! All the saints and bhaktas roaming in the lowlands of Giriraj have been adulating Shyama-Shyam absorbed in their lilas. You have been residing in Shri Giriraj for years and the blue-hued god has been drawing you with his spirited antics.Kindly Bless us with a bit of His grace.”
Teary eyed he bowed, reaching the heights of elation and ecstasy.
“Rasikan has said the truth, and revealed my condition...” he exulted soon after.
Manohar Bhaiya (right) With Bobo
Similarly when Bobo went again accompanied by Sushila Bahenji and Vijay, Panditji was so emotional that he began describing the lilas of Priya-Priyatam. He narrated the divine play of Priyaji's incarnation in Braj and revealing the tale of other sakhis' manifestation, was delighted. When this episode was disclosed to Manohar Dasji in Vrindavan he wondered how this was possible because apart from the playful dalliances of Krishna's childhood, Panditji would never give an account of the dark god's madhurya or other such episodes of sweet romance.
Boboji's Mother Passes Away
We have said earlier that Bobo's mother was affectionate towards everyone. due to her large heartedness and lovable nature. Having intense interest in Vrindavan and Vrindavan Vihari, she had come to reside in the dham and was staying with her.
Shri Radha-Krishna Kripa Kataksh Stotras
She would spend most of her time in chanting Shri Radha-Krishna Kripa-Kataksh and japa along with attending to the needs of sadhus. The grace of the mahatmas of Braj and Vrindavan would shower constantly on her since she was a devout Hindu who was earnestly religious.
Well Ma Shyama was living with Bobo and had implicit faith in Vrindavan, Bobo had no restraint due to this but a certain responsibility. As long as her mother lived, the independent spontaneity of renunciation was slightly bound by societal constraints. After she passed away, detachment escalated in Bobo's daily routine and steadfast renunciation linked to the love of Shyama-Shyam, became apparent and spilled over.
Revered Bobo writes at one place,“ Revered Bauji (In several Bhatnagar families the word Bauji is used for mother) left as if one gets up from this room and goes to another.She bore no grief or ailment and neither any attachment to anyone nor the ensnarement of delusion.”
Bobo was neither attached nor detached to her mother.Solely a responsible friendship was apparent towards her mother who had carried Bobo in her womb and reared her with maternal affection in childhood.
The salvation of this mother who had given birth to such a gem was predestined.
“She had left her body only after darshan of Shyam-Shyam.”After she departed revered Shri Balkrishan Dasji Maharaj had confirmed.
“Today I have seen a fully decked sakhi, departing for Golok,”Mata Shyamaji of Majitha (Amritsar) had told a friend early in the morning,
Introduction to Shri Radhika Dasji, a saint of Andhra
During these very days Shri Radhika Dasji Maharaj ( Nanna Garu) came into contact with Bobo. Childlike in nature, longing for the world's well being and respecting everyone, Radhika Dasji was so impressed by Bobo's firm resolve in the feet of Priya-Priyatam, spiritual dignity, lucid and philosophical perspective that he developed great respect for her along with affection.
“ The spiritual sensitivity of Guru Ma is reflected and spills over in every act of Bobo's. Such a selfless bhava in the realm of bhakti, a persona laughing in joyous abandon and a self-assured majestic demeanour has not been seen by me in today's era,” he would always say.
“A life dedicated to attending the needs of Priya-Priyatam, moved by inspiration and delight in discussing Shri Krishna,
Bobo's Thakurji
It was his practice to send bhaktas coming to him for darshan to her.
(Maharajji was working as a high official in the education department of Andhra Pradesh Government. Full of love for the feet of Radha Rani, he was instinctively blessed and set free on submitting his resignation. Now he was absolutely engrossed in serving Shyama-Shyam. Along with a desire of serving mankind his religious devotion impressed several confused people. His dedicated devotees have a permanent connection with Shri Vrindavan even today.)
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