Shri Ahilyabai Holkar
Maheshwar is a very ancient Puranic town known by the name of Mahishmati in the Puranas. It has been the capital of Kartha Veeryarjuna (who had a thousand arms). Two hundred years ago it was the capital city of world-famed Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar. Beautiful ghats[1] and shivalayas[2] built by Shri Ahilyabai add to the beauty of the Narmada Banks. These ghats are even more beautiful than those of Kashi (Varanasi.) Maharajji was staying in a hut on Rajrajeshwar Ghat which was one of these ghats.
Matangeshwar Mandir
Mandleshwar
At the conclusion of the
satsang everyone accompanied Shriji to his hut at 4 AM in the morning. He accepted Narayan Rao's prayer to visit Mandleshwar and we left for Mandleshwar with Shriji on that very day. Shri Maharajji and I stayed at the house of Narayan Rao. He developed implicit faith in the feet of Shri ji on that one day of satsang. Gradually the number of eager devotees went on increasing. Mangilalji, Haribhauji, Karuna Shankar Dube, Chandra Shekhar Joshi and Ram Sajeevanji were foremost among them. Shri Nageshwar Maharaj of Dhargaon and Anand Dasji Maharaj were also present at that time.
Shri Anand Dasji Maharaj
Shri Anand Dasji Maharaj had told his disciples, “I am going to Chitrakoot,” and had given up his body a few years back. He propagated sankirtan[3] in the province of Nimar.
River Narmada
Shri Maharaj ji's Divine Face
The entire family of Shri Narayan Raoji had much respect and fondness for Shriji. All of them were zealous in attending to his needs. The above-mentioned devotees would start gathering again and the satsang would begin, and continue till
11AM, sometimes even later. After Manji's (Narayan Rao's wife) repeatedly telling Narayan Raoji, he would signal to Shriji and Maharajji would stop the satsang to have meals etc., Shri Anand Das Baba, Shri Nageshwar Baba and I would have meals along with Shriji. The devotees too would retire to their houses to
take some rest and
have food. Shriji would get up sharp at two o' clock in the afternoon. The devotees would
pour in and satsang would go on till 4 PM. Devotees' hearts were so much attracted by the satsang that they would arrive sharp in time without bothering about their meals, sleep and other important tasks. This mandakini
or stream of satsang flowed for one and a half months at a stretch. Shri Nageshwar Baba and Shri Anand Das Baba lived in close proximity to Shriji during this entire span.
The lifestyle of Nageshwar Baba was just like that of Nagas because he belonged to the Naga Sect. He had ashes smeared on his body, tied a thick girdle of woven rush grass around the waist, wore just a kopeen or loin cloth for cover, held tongs in his hand and had long matted hair. Exercising daily was his habit and he consumed a lot of ghi. His body was robust and life was sattvik[4] . He read the 'Ram Charit Manas' and did sankirtan as a daily routine.
His life changed beyond imagination because of associating with Shri Maharajji and so did his dress up. He began living as a love-struck devotee thirsting for the Divine. The one and a half months of satsang brought a drastic transformation in the life of Mangilalji too. He was a kshatriya by caste and a devotee of the Mother Goddess. He developed implicit faith in Shriji and worship of goddess Devi was given up.
Lord Krishna
Shri Maharajji's constant endeavour was that the sadhaka should never be without Godly thoughts. Why think about the material world when it is not ours. Shriji would never preach to an individual and convey whatever he had to in his public discourse. Willing learners would understand his intent. Neither did he make any disciple in his life nor did he consider anyone his guru.
“From whomever one gets God realization, that person is one's guru,” is what he would say.
“All of us have to go 'there[5]', some have to go earlier and some later so who is one's guru and who is whose disciple. All God realized saints should be regarded as gurus.”
Shri
Maharajji stressed a lot on kripa[6] . He would say it is impossible to get the love of God and attain Him without the grace of saints. ' Vastu prapti ' or Spiritual evolution’ is not possible by devotional means. These practices simply make one eligible to be a recipient. Expounding the grace of saints he would give the example of Rahugana.
Jada Bharata Instructs King Rahugana
rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād
vā |
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair vinā
mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam ||
(
Shrimad Bhagwat, Canto V, Chaper 12, Shloka 12)
'My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth. One cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy [brahmacarya], strictly following the rules and regulations of householder life, leaving home as a vānaprastha, accepting sannyāsa, or undergoing severe penances in winter by keeping oneself submerged in water or surrounding oneself in summer by fire and the scorching heat of the sun. There are many other processes to understand the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth is only revealed to one who has attained the mercy of a great devotee.’
Shri Radha-Krishna
“Life is mortal and is attained as a precious gem through spontaneous blessings. So the supreme and ultimate aim of human life is to attain Lord Krishna,
for sure,” Maharaj ji used to say.
In this way Maharajji bestowed bliss on the devotees of Mandleshwar by infusing a new lease of life in them during these one and half months of satsang.
It was the last night of this one and a half month satsang in Mandleshwar. Shri Maharajji concluded the all night spiritual discourse at 4 AM and the following hymn:
'Oh heart! Let us go to Vrindavan and live there now, where the sweetness of the Yugal[7] (Divine Couple, Shri Radha-Krishna) revels. When
the hungry beg from the denizens of Braj and eat their scraps of food. When thirsty drink the nectar-like water at the banks of the Yamuna, ' says Vyasa
on looking at the winsome Brijeshwari Shri Radha, go on singing Her unblemished glory.'
The devotees did not know that it was a specific hint of Shriji's departure. They assumed
that the pada[8] was reflecting their heart's wish. Thereafter, Shriji lay down to rest and the devotees left for their respective homes.
After performing the morning ablutions and eating breakfast, Maharajji told Shri Narayan Rao, “I am going to some devotee's house,” and stood up.
Shri Vrindavan
Braj
Bhuteshwar Mandir, Mathura
Shri Maharajji suddenly got up and said, “The train from Masani Station starts early in the morning. We shall be late if we go from here. Thus let us go to Masani Station and take rest.”
I tried to live life as Shriji wanted therefore I got up at once and set off with him.
Dwarkadhish Mandir, Mathura
Going a bit further down from Dwarkadheesh Mandir, Shriji asked me to sit on the plank of a closed shop.
“ I will be back,” he said and left.
Shri Maharajji returned shortly with a munim. He took me to a shop serving spinach and parathe[9]. The munim
asked the shopkeeper to serve us spinach and parathe. I was astonished. Shriji had come to know that I was famished and so he had acted accordingly. He would never have gone for himself as he was habitual of being without food for three days at a stretch. Seeing this compassion of Shriji I was overwhelmed and my eyes brimmed with tears.
I asked, “Why did you do this?”
Maharajji answered, “I could figure out that you were hungry. If
I had asked whether you wanted to eat a bite, you would have refused so I made the excuse of coming to Masani.”
Even today my heart becomes
joyously elated on remembering this incident.
Maharajji took care of me very lovingly, like a small child. He always fulfilled my desires in spite of bearing hardships. My heart got so attached to him because of this love of his that it became unbearable for me to be separated from him, for even a moment. My eating, drinking, sleeping and walking always went on in his company.
Shri Balkrishna Das ji Maharaj & Shri Manohar Bhaiya
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