Chapter 7: The Final Departure of Kamal Nayan ji

Shri Balkrishna Das ji Maharaj

Shri Maharajji and Kamal Nayanji shared a close bond with each other. Both of them were very detached from worldly objects and had immense love for God. The two of them were well-girded for sadhana. There was great similarity in their mode of worship. The duo shared a close rapport with each other. Generally they used to live together but they would venture to different places in Braj region for doing bhajan[1] in seclusion. Though neither of them knew the other's place of worship yet if one of them remembered the other, a sudden and spontaneous meeting of theirs would take place.  

 

Shri Vrindavan

 The duo would be astonished at this sudden contact. They would stay together in Shri Vrindavan Dham and roam about in the region. The devotees of Vrindavan would affectionately call them 'jugal jodi [2]' . In this manner the companionship of Shri Maharajji and Kamal Nayanji lasted for a span of three years.

Gendokhar

Shri Maharajji had once built a hut beside a field of village Gendokhar. He lived by himself and began worshipping God in isolation. About four months had passed in this manner when some person came and informed him that Kamal Nayanji had departed for the next world. After going through a brief spell of illness he had passed away in the bagicha [3] of ShriRangji, five days ago. On hearing this sad news Shri Maharajji's heart weighed down with sorrow. He immediately started for Shri Vrindavan Dham on foot and reached the bagicha of ShriRangji in the evening. He was aggrieved on seeing the empty hut without his friend. Tears flowed from his eyes and streamed down from his cheeks to his chest. After a while he regained his composure. Soon after plastering the hut with a fresh coat of mud, he slept inside.  

Earthen Pot of Water

Shri Maharajji felt very thirsty at night, so much so that he drank a pitcher full of water. He simply could not understand why his throat had been so parched. In the morning, he narrated this incident to Vaishnavas living in the bagicha. They revealed that when Kamal Nayanji had come he had no one along with him. Nobody came to know of his death for three days. He gathered from their talk that Kamal Nayanji had been thirsty at the time of his death that is why Maharajji had felt so dehydrated. Soon after, he did japa in that hut for the peace of Kamal Nayanji's soul. Thereafter Shri Maharajji left residing in the bagicha of ShriRangji for good and began to stay here and there in a free manner.

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[1]     Bhajan: singing devotional songs

[2] Jugal Jodi: the united pair

[3]     Bagicha: garden