Friday, January 14, 2011

Baba Shri Manohar Das ji, the Pride of the Spiritual World-XXIV

Shri Manohar Baba


A virtuous man used to live near Manohar Baba's kutiya. His daughter used to play in front of Baba's hut and she would even come to take medicine from Baba at times. Therefore Baba had developed affection for her. Some insane dog had bitten her, several days after she had got married. Baba himself hired a taxi and took her and her husband to many medical practitioners but they could not save her life. He was dejected about this mishap throughout his life.There are just a handful of people who have such a highly benevolent disposition in this world.

Invariably revered Manohar Baba knew a person's inner thoughts and feelings. The incident dates back to the time when he used to stay in his kutiya situated on the Jugal Ghat in Vrindavan.


Shri Usha Bahen ji or Bobo as She was Fondly Called


One fine day revered Usha Bahenji woke up a bit late in the morning because of which the seva or attending to the needs of her Thakurji (Lord's svarupa) was also delayed. She could not tolerate the slightest laxity in the schedule of her daily regime. Thus she remained without food for the sake of punishing herself. Bobo neither ate a morsel nor drank anything.


The River Yamuna in Vrindavan


When she was going in the evening to the river Yamuna for doing aachman (sipping water from the palm of the right hand as a ritual purification), Manohar Baba standing outside his hut, beckoned her by clapping his hands.The roti which he had got from bhiksha (begged food) was kept with Baba at that point of time. Therefore he kept the roti (the bread-cake)in front of Shri Usha Bahenji knowing fully well that she would not be able to refrain herself from having it. This is precisely what happened ultimately.

It is a matter of great amazement of how Baba got to know of Usha Bahen ji's abstinence from food. Actually speaking Thakur ji himself had made his bhakta eat the roti through the medium of Baba because He just could not bear His devotee going hungry.

Another miraculous incident of this kind dates back to those days. Once Manohar Baba was going back after having darshan of Usha Bahenji's Thakur ji when suddenly he stopped at the door. Turning back he asked Bahenji ji,



Shri Radha-Krishna or the Thakurji Svarupa Worshipped by Usha Bahen ji


“Did you put attar on Thakur ji, today?” Usha Bahenji replied in the affirmative, “ Yes Bhaiya, I did.” 

Baba confirmed, “Did you apply attar on the flute too? I saw Thakur ji smelling his flute.” 

Ever since that day Usha Bahenji religiously began dabbing attar on Thakur ji's flute.

Ghatampur


Once it so happened that revered Manohar Baba went to Ghatampur (Kanpur). There he stayed at a saint's place, whose name was Tatiya Baba. He would give four rotis got in bhiksha (begged food) to Baba and was least concerned, thereafter. Once while lifting a weight Baba's waist had a strong jerk because of which his old pain of sciatica resurfaced. Every act of his getting up, sitting down and walking around the place became an ordeal.

He would somehow manage to have a dip in the pond nearby at four o' clock early in the morning and bathe. Soon after, he would put out the wet clothes which had not been squeezed, on a bush to dry. The next day he would pick up the dried clothes from there itself. Tatiya Baba was not bothered about the tough time Manohar Baba was going through. (page 374 of 'Smriti Kaumudi, the memoirs of Manohar Baba)

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