Sunday, July 1, 2018

Chapter 15: A Ray of Grace (Part 1)


Shri Manohar Das ji, Author of Charit Vaibhav

When the pen has stopped writing and my heart is buried in diffidence today I am trying to muster courage  to write something about him who wonderfully accepting me as his own forever, gave me his rare companionship along with my residing in Vrindavan. It would be a crime not to write about the unconstrained blessing and merciful glance I received from him, because it was a part of his disposition.


Poet Saint Kabir

It is a humble request to my people and the readers that they should pardon my impertinence by following Kabir's doha and pardon my impertinence:
'sar sar ko gahi rahe, thotha dey uday  | '
'Retain the grain and blow away the husks.' 


 Shri Kripalu ji Maharaj

It is essential to allude to the sequence of happenings before I saw Shri Maharajji for the first time. Twenty-three years of my life had been spent in the awfully filthy atmosphere of the world but the grace of God had kept me out of wedlock. However, I certainly shared a strong bond of love with my affectionate mother. At that very hour, an all pervading saintly grace caught me by my hand and freeing me from all worldly bonds gave me refuge in Maharajji's holy feet at Shri Vrindavan Dham. A saint named Shri Ram Kripaluji Maharaj became instrumental in bringing about this change.

Shri Ram Kripaluji was twenty years old at that time. He was always intoxicated by the love of Lord Krishna. When he did kirtan or sang devotional hymns with emotion even a stony heart would melt. Moreover, tears would constantly stream down from his eyes when he did kirtan. Kripaluji would swoon when he experienced the lilas of Lord Krishna. He was not aware of eating-drinking and sleeping. Kripaluji Maharaj was a good scholar of Sanskrit too. Later on, he had  met Shri Maharajji in Shri Dham. Shriji had cautioned him to keep his bhavas or love flowing towards the Lord, hidden. 
 
Maheshwar

He had come to Maheshwar (my native town in western Nimar, Madhya Pradesh). A  seven day association with him made me detached from this mundane world and sent me to Shri Dham, Vrindavan. Four of his teachings deserve special mention for sadhakas :
1)    Remembering the Name of God
2)    Constantly remembering the Name of God
3)    Remembering the Name of God with implicit faith
4)    Faithfully remembering the Name of God, and constantly meditating on God's Name with divine wisdom.

These teachings had left a deep impression on me.


Vrindavan Dham

It was the month of Shravan[1] in the year 1945, when I unexpectedly reached Vrindavan Dham. I stayed at the dharamshala[2]  in Gopinath Bazar. I would daily go for darshan of Shri Bihariji through Govind Bag. One day I happened to meet Shri Motiramji. We were acquainted because of belonging to the same province but I did not know where he lived. I had come to Shri Dham in search of a siddh saint who was perfected and sanctified by penance and fully relied on Godly intervention.
After a day or two I was going for darshan of Shri Bihariji from the side of Motiram's house when I saw him folding hands and humbly talking to a saint, outside the entrance of his house on the road. I too went near and respectfully greeted the saint.

“Touch his feet. He is a great saint, “  Motiramji softly whispered in my ears.

Instantly, I caught hold of his feet and put my head on them. He was Shri Maharajji, the very refuge of my life. He would not let anyone touch his feet nor was he interested in being on familiar terms with anyone.

 “What are you doing,” was his response as he moved back by two steps.

Motiramji gave my introduction.

Saying, “Very good, very good,” Maharajji went away.

I went to see Shriji again at Motiramji's residence after a gap of couple of days. He was sitting in the inner room.

When Motiramji requested him to meet me, he was displeased, “I do not want to meet anyone. I do not want to increase my acquaintance with anyone in Shri Dham.

 Shri Balkrsihna Das ji Maharaj

I had to come back. I went again one day with the hope of seeing Maharajji. On hearing the sound of my approach Maharajji quickly hid himself in a room on the second storey. The newness of detachment had instilled humility in my heart. Greatly dejected at my ill luck I sat down there and began weeping. With head bent I was shedding tears of remorse, when I saw that all knowing Maharajji had got down from the room above and was sitting in front of me. My heart was calmed by his presence. After talking a bit about God he went somewhere.

I had stayed with a known family in Mahu while coming to Vrindavan. Every day I would break a morsel from the food they had given me and drink water of the Yamuna. I was not trained in asking for bhiksha and had no acquaintance anywhere. A room in the dharamshala of Gopinath Bazar could be somehow arranged for my stay. I would stay put on reaching there and constantly keep chanting the Name of God, as a daily routine.  


Vanshi Vat

 Thereafter, I began staying at the Chhoti Kunj of Gwalior in front of Vanshi Vat, where Shri Ram Kripaluji Maharaj was putting up. Soon after, he left and went elsewhere. Shri Bal Govindji, a priestly lad of the mandir, would give me some bhiksha from the bhoga[3] which was offered to Thakurji. In those days sectarianism was at its peak in Vrindavan. I did not have faith in sectarianism. My heart was completely fascinated by Shri Maharajji but he would not give me an opportunity to meet him. I kept wandering from pillar to post  but did not find a saint's refuge as per my heart and became desperate. Disappointed, I decided to leave Vrindavan one day.

“I am leaving Vrindavan, tomorrow morning. Even Brahma[4] can’t detain me here now,” I said on going to Motiram ji

I came away but Motiramji conveyed my intention to Shriji.

“All right! Call him here in the evening,” Shri Maharajji instructed Motiramji.

When I reached his house in the evening I saw that Shri Maharajji was already seated there resplendently. Touching his feet, I sat down in front. Motiramji sat near him. Shriji inquired about my home and current mode of living in Vrindavan.

He gradually began speaking of satsang. I was getting to hear such a discourse for the first time. Swaying in joyous abandon, Maharajji's religious sermon was solely aimed at me. Steeped in intoxication, his eyes were red and getting passionately loaded with sentiment. Feeling unfit in competing with the light of his eyes, a small lamp twinkling in the room had got extinguished. I was listening to him spellbound, without any lethargy or negligence. The identity of the world seemed to have vanished from my heart. This mercy, this divine discourse was just for me. I am saying so because Motiramji who sat beside me, had long been enveloped by sleep.

It had no inkling when the whole night passed away. It was for the first time in my life that I had sat, deeply absorbed in one posture, for so many hours. 



Musical Notes of a Flute

When Shri Maharajji concluded his speech, the sweet sound of a flute playing melodiously, made me conscious of the outer world. It is not within the power of my pen or words to describe the magical effect that sweet tone had on my heart. When the flute song came to an end Shri Maharajji and I sat silently for some time. On regaining normal consciousness it could be gathered that the bewitching sound of the flute, those musical notes which drew one's heart, were spontaneously flowing from Maharajji's mouth on their own accord just as children naturally whistle. It is the magical effect of that night long divine sermon or a fragment of Maharajji's grace that I have become bonded to the refuge of his feet in Shri Dham for all times to come.

Shri Maharajji revealed that the power of a rasika[5] saint of Braj is  greater than that of Brahma. It is absolutely true that Maharajji had delivered a person steeped in absolute misery by his grace and compassion.


Jadabharata Answers King Rahugana's Queries About the Self

'rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā  |
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam  ||'
  (Shrimad Bhagavatam, Canto V, chapter 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 Balkrishna Das ji Maharaj & Shri Manohar Baba

In that nightlong satsang of togetherness, Shri Maharajji had talked about the rarity of human life, the importance and realisation of life's supreme aim, the absolute need of yearning for attainment, the importance of Shri Dham, the beauty and sweetness of Lord Krishna and love of the gopis. Maharajji laid emphasis on living in Vrindavan to attain Lord Krishna. It is true that this spiritual exchange brought a complete and astonishing change in my life. I firmly resolved in my mind to reside in Shri Vrindavan. Watered by Shriji’s infinite love, I began living in Shri Vrindavan, ever since that day.

Staying at the Gwalior Chhoti Kunj in front of Vanshi Vat, I began coming to the feet of Shri Maharajji every day. I had never imagined begging for alms even in my dreams, nor did I know of any kshetras[6].  Shri Maharajiji would take me along to ask for bhiksha[7]  and do the same himself. He did this for a few days and thereafter I began to go by myself. I gave up the Gwalior Kunj after some time and took up a hut at Jagannath Ghat. 

 
Shri Banke Bihari ji

Daily I would venture out to beg for alms and after having darshan of Shri Bihariji, go to sit at Maharajji's feet. As long as I sat there, I had the benefit of listening to constant talk of Lord Krishna, emanating from his holy mouth. Bathing in his boundless affection, I would return to my cottage. Whenever Shriji was in Vrindavan he would often visit Motiramji's house. His coming brought very lengthy and efficacious spiritual sittings. I too would be present. Veiled by amusement, some miracles would  naturally take place through Maharajji.

Once Gopal, Motiramji's two month old son, suddenly took ill and was on the verge of death. The doctor's had given up on him. Manji, Motiramji's wife, started crying. All of a sudden, Maharajji arrived. Seeing him she wept even louder.

Looking at the baby boy he said with a laugh, “Nothing has happened to him, he has just been influenced by the evil eye. I have seen the lifeline of his palm and he has a very long life. I have seen my mother removing the effect of an evil eye. Get me a broom. I shall shake off the evil effect.”

Taking the broom in his hand, Maharajji lit its front portion with a matchstick. He took the burning broom over the child, twenty-one times from head to toe and thereby undid the evil effect. A miracle took place! Gopal, the baby boy, got well in just five minutes. He would perform such miracles and others would not have any  inkling about them.

Another incident of this kind is as follows:
A Sindhi named Bhagwan Das used to live in a second storey room of Motiramji’s residence in Bhatt Lane. Finding fault in Shri Maharajji's mode of living he indulged in talking ill of him. As a result he was seized by a deadly disease. No treatment was successful and the illness assumed a fearful form. He went to Dr. Hotichand in front of whom he had defamed Shriji and expressed his agony.

“Bhaiya[8], this is the outcome of talking ill about a siddh  or self-realized soul. No medicine can cure you now so you must go and ask for his forgiveness,” explained Dr Hotichand.

Bhagwan Das came to Shri Maharajji and falling at his feet, began to weep.

Shri Maharajji said, “God is very kind. One must remember his causeless mercy. He has salvaged so many sinners. 
 
Lord Krishna is Compassionate

A saint met me once and said God sees everything, knows everything but one thing is not allowed in his omniscience and that is, “degrading someone.” His very nature is to shower His grace on everyone; have mercy, just mercy. If we think a bit about His compassion, everything will be accomplished. God forgives everyone but there should be true repentance.”

Thereafter he was cured by Shriji's grace in a few days.
Most of my time was spent at the holy feet of Maharajji. Suddenly I began having fever, which rose gradually. I left the Chhoti Gwalior Kunjand stayed with Motiramji. Shriji would often put up there due to his selfless kindness and make me relish the elixir of satsang. The fever kept on rising but I experienced no sort of pain due to Shriji's presence. Physical weakness went on escalating. Without telling me Motiramji informed my elder brother Sakhya Hariji about my ill health. He came to Shri Vrindavan Dham at onc and stayed here for five to six days. Even he benefitted a lot from Shriji's satsang. One day Shriji's spiritual discourse was proceeding seriously at night. Keeping my head near Shriji's feet I was listening to it while lying down. My elder brother and other participants were sitting in front. The discourse was going on fluently. 
 

Shri Balkrishan Das ji Maharaj, Sakhyahari ji and Manohar Das ji

 All of a sudden Bhai Sahab (Sakhya Hariji) went out to relieve himself. When he had been gone for a very long time, Shriji sent Motiramji to see where he was. Motiram found that Sakhya Hariji was standing stupefied, outside in the lane. When Motiram called out, he was startled and recovering himself came and sat in the satsang.

On asking, Sakhya Hariji revealed, “As soon as I came out I saw Lord Krishna standing in the lane. This flashing vision of Krishna occurred for just a moment but I had no inkling where I was and for how long I had been standing?”

I went to Vrindavan for the first time but did not come back empty-handed due to Shri Maharajji's grace,” he becomes ecstatic and exults on remembering the incident till date.


Maheshwar

Since my health had deteriorated Shriji ordered me to go to Maheshwar with my brother. My mind was very perturbed on leaving the proximity of Shri Maharajji and Shri Dham Vrindavan. On reaching Maheshwar the fever was cured in a month's time but my body had turned pale. Weakness deprived me of the strength to sit down or even stand up. Missing Maharajji immensely would invariably make me very distressed.

I wrote a letter to him, “Actually, I am unable to reach your holy feet so I am begging you to give me darshan  of your presence.

When my letter reached Shriji was sitting at Motiramji's house. Manji (Motiram's wife) was preparing his breakfast. When Shriji read the letter he got up quietly and left as he was. When Motiramji brought breakfast into the room he saw that Shri  Maharajji was missing. The snack was left untouched. Motiramji left to look for Maharajji but he was not to be found.


Mathura Junction

Maharajji had got up and had straightaway reached Mathura Junction by walking. He never kept any money on him so when the Dehradun Express came in a short while he boarded it without a ticket. The ticket inspector made him get down at Sawai Madhopur Station because he did not have a ticket. Now he set out on foot from there and walking for three days and three nights at a stretch, he reached Indore.

Midway from Indore to Maheshwar there is a dense jungle where wild animals live in abundance. There is a deep rocky valley on the way but Maharajji kept on walking ahead fearlessly. A lion crossed the road before his eyes. His bare feet began bleeding because of walking constantly so he lay down at a spot. When his eyes opened he found himself in Maheshwar. Just as Sudamaji had been transported to Dwarka in just one night similarly his well-being was taken care of by God.

Though I had written a letter to Shri Maharajji, I began contemplating at this end,Why should he leave Shri Vrindavan Dham to see such a worthless person like me?"

Vrindavan Dham

I became so disturbed on deeply remembering his divine feet that it became unbearable for me to stay on at home. Thereafter, I left for Shri Dham despite resistance by the members of my family. On reaching Vrindavan next day I learnt that Shriji was not there. I was sitting nonplussed when I got a telegram from my elder brother from Maheshwar:

Shri Maharajji has reached Maheshwar. Come back immediately.' I started off at once and reached Maheshwar, the next day.

My elder brother narrated the incident of Shri Maharajji's arrival,Shriji came home straight. Our father was very angry with you for having left home so as soon as Shriji called out your name on reaching the entrance, our father stepped out.

Saying, ' Radhe-Shyam,”' Shriji asked, ' Is Manoharji at home?'

Father had to just hear your name and he became livid with rage, ' Which Manohar? We do not know him. Who are you? Where have you come from?' And he did not even ask Maharajji to come in.

Instantly Maharajji walked away. He was standing at the bus stand of Maheshwar when Shri Babulal Brijwasi, a resident of that area, saw him. Insisting he took him home and hospitably served him."
Babulal Brijwasi had informed my elder brother. Sakhya Hariji came to Babulal's house, prostrated before Shriji.

 
 Narmada River, Maheshwar

 He respectfully took him to a hut at Rajrajeshwar Ghat of river Narmada, and put him up there. Maharajji's soles were bleeding. My elder brother massaged them with ghi for three days. Bhai Sahab had told us later that on touching the soles of his feet it seemed as if fire was blazing in them.  This burning sensation was calmed after three days of constant massage. After some days even my father developed implicit faith in Shriji and began calling him home to respectfully attend to his needs. I got immense peace on beholding Shri Maharajji in Maheshwar.


[1]     Shravan:  is the fifth month of the Hindu year, beginning in late July and ending in the third week of August.
[2]     Dharamshala: free charitable lodge
[3]     Bhoga: food offered to an idol
[4]     Brahma: the Supreme Being regarded as personal and especially in his capacity as Creator of the world
[5]     Rasika: a person moved by passionate religious devotion especially for Krishna
[6]     Kshetras: free food distribution centres
[7]     Bhiksha: beg for cooked food
[8]     Bhaiya: or brother, an affectionate mode of address

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