Chapter 28: Second Trip to Rajkot

Rajkot

In the Magh[1] Month of 1950, Shri Maharajji again went to Rajkot  on the particular insistence of devotees. Shri Vitthalji and I were with him. Hordes of devotees accorded a grand reception to him at the station itself. This time Jattubhai Jani, the diwan[2] of Bilkha State, insistenly made Shriji stay at his bungalow. Shri Jattubhai was a very sentimental person. He had got himself initiated by a great saint, the sackcloth garbed Shri Narayanswami (a former high court judge.) Shri Narayanswami was known to everyone, everywhere. His book 'Ek Sant Ka Anubhav'('The Experience of a Saint') has been published by Gita Press.

 Shri Balkrishna Das ji Maharaj (Shriji)

Jattubhai had made special arrangements for Shriji's independent stay and service. Shriji's satsang would take place for two hours every day. When the gathering increased considerably in eight to ten days’ time, Shriji would go for a couple of days  to see some special place, as he had done earlier. Those who came to listen to the satsang went home after Shriji's departure but  earnest spiritual seekers, eagerly waited for his return. The satsang would start again on Shriji's coming back. The fame of the satsang had spread throughout Rajkot. Moreover, the state surgeon came for Shriji's darshan. Everyone would listen spellbound to the spiritual discourse which generally lasted for two hours every day. At its conclusion everybody wanted to touch Shriji's feet but Shriji would instantly leave by the back door at the end of 

'Shrit Kamla Kuch Mandal'

 Shri Jaydeva's ashtapad[3]i arti 'shrit kamla kuch mandal' '. He would never give anyone a chance to touch his feet.

A high ranking custodian officer who was a resident of Sindh would come daily for the satsang. Since his body was very bulky it would be very tough for him to sit on the ground for two hours at a stretch but despite this inconvenience he would eagerly listen to the holy recitations because of being a spiritual seeker. He very much wished to touch Shriji's feet. The custodian officer requested Jattubahi for this favour and asked for an appointment. 

 

Dry Fruits

 On getting Shriji's approval, he presented himself at the feet of Shriji with lots of sweets and dry fruits. With a tearfully ecstatic throat he requested Shriji to accept them. Seeing his bhava Shriji smiled. He was pleased to see that such a high ranking official had so much humility. The officer got just five minutes to sit with Shriji but was delighted with gratification.

The fame of Shriji's satsang[4] reached the ears of Rajkot's Collector Sahab. One day he too came to the satsang out of curiosity. He must have been able to listen to merely five minutes when Shriji concluded the satsang as scheduled.

Later when some prestigious people told Shriji, “ The Collector Sahab had come so it would have been better if the satsang had continued for some more time.

Laughing, Shriji replied, “My satsang is not for the Collector but for spiritual seekers. If he is a spiritual seeker he should try to come on time.”

Once, a dentist attended the satsang for a couple of days. He expressed a desire to ask a few questions privately.

Shriji suggested, “ Attend the satsang for fifteen days at a stretch and then if some questions remain unanswered ask them.”

The dentist kept coming to the satsang for fifteen days and then assured Shriji, “All my questions have been solved.”

Shamiana

One day Jattubhai (in whose bungalow Shriji was staying) came and begged Shriji, “The maximum number of people should get the benefit of such glorious discourse. If you allow me I can get pamphlets printed and have a large shamiana put up in the courtyard here.”

Laughing, Shriji replied, “ I say do not even convey to others what you listen to here. One should be selfish in this matter otherwise you will be busy publicising and I  preaching. Thus without any spiritual gain, we will be getting nowhere.”

Poor Jattubhai left quietly.

On his previous visit to Rajkot, Shriji had continuously stayed at Kanjibhai's place, getting no chance to go to anybody's house. The wishes of so many devotees had remained unfulfilled. This time round, despite Jattubhai's insistent urging Shriji gave a chance to almost the devotees, turn by turn. So the long-standing desire of devotees to offer prasad to Shriji was fulfilled. Whereas Jattubhai got only two chances to do so in this entire one and a half months span. Jattubhai had a car constantly stationed outside Shriji's room for his outings and prayed several times to Shriji to use it.

 

Junagadh

However, Shriji never sat in it except once for going to Junagadh. He would go on foot to the devotees' houses in Rajkot. Jattubahi himself could not come separately to see Shriji daily, barring the satsang timings.

One of Jattubahai's nephews was lying sick with typhoid fever in a third storey room of Jattubahi's house. Eminent doctors had treated him but without any success. The boy's body had emaciated and he had become stick-like. At this  time, satsang was going on in Jattubhai's house. A mike had been fitted in his nephew's room so that he could listen to the satsang while lying down on bed. One day Jattubhai requested Shriji to come up and give the boy his darshan. Shriji went with Jattubhai to his room and sat down on a chair, right next to him. While lying down the nephew touched Shriji's feet and his eyes filled with tears.

Running his hand over the boy's body, Shriji urged, “Take the Name of God as He only cures!”

A Coconut

Jattubahi made the boy offer coconut, some mithai or sweetmeats and money to Shriji with his hands. Giving some spiritual advice for about ten minutes, Shriji came down. Miraculously, the seventy days old fever came down to normal on that every evening. Thereafter, the boy recovered gradually.

Shri Dham Vrindavan

Thus giving the unprecedented benefit of satsang to bhaktas for one and a half months, Shriji came back to Shri Dham Vrindavan.

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[1]    Magha: is the eleventh month of the year, beginning in Mid-February and ending in Mid-March.

[2]    Diwan:(formerly in India) the chief minister or finance minister of a state ruled by an Indian prince

[3]    Ashtpadi :Gita Govinda was composed in the 12th century by Indian poet Jayadeva. The composition is a lyrical poetry in twelve chapters, sub-divided into twenty four divisions called Prabandha. The Prabandhas contain couplets grouped into eights, called ashtapadis. The songs in Gita Govinda symbolize the eternal love of  LordKrishna  and His beloved Shri Radha..

[4]    Satsang: In Indian philosophy it means the company of the highest truth, the company of a guru, or company with an assembly of persons who listen to, talk about, and assimilate the truth. This typically involves listening to scriptures, reflecting on, discussing and assimilating their meaning, meditating on the source of these words, and bringing their meaning into ones's daily life.