Chapter 21: Village Wise Sankirtan & Shriji's Bhava Unmada, Intoxicated by Intense Longing for Krishna (part2)

Shriji Saw a Huge Forest of Apple Trees

One day Shriji was sitting in a room at Mangilalji's place. Shri Deviji, Mangilal and I were sitting in front of him. Some talk was going on when the eight sattvik bhavas [1]arose in Shriji and he fainted in exhilaration.

A few unclear words, ' seb...seb...kund...kund...sri krishna...murchhit '

or

 “apple...apple...tank ...tank...Lord Krishna...fainting...” were uttered in that state.

Shriji regained normal consciousness after half an hour. Getting a chance I asked him in the afternoon, “Those words which were spoken by you in that exalted state. Can you kindly tell us what lila or divine play were they symbolizing.”

Mischievous Krishna With Radha

Shri Maharajji wanted to evade the matter at first but narrated the divine episode on greater insistence, “ There was a huge forest of apple trees.  Shri Radha was roaming in it along with Her sakhis. Shri Lalita plucked a ripe apple and gave it in the hands of Shri Radha. Taking the apple Shri Radha bit the apple and began eating it. 

Mischievously Lord Krishna tried to snatch that apple from her hands, wanting to eat the remnants of that apple bitten by her. 

 

A Kund of Pure Water

Knowing His intentions Shri Radha quickly threw that apple in a nearby kund full of pure water. Indeed, dark-hued Krishna got another chance and He speedily jumped into that tank. However, the instant He leapt into the kund, the feeling of eating the left over apple made him faint. Some sakhis of Shri Radha also jumped in along with Krishna to eat remnants of that apple. A few of the sakhis took care of Krishna who had fainted. That fruit fell into the hands of the sakhis and sharing the same they ate it. Shri Maharajji was also one of the sakhis who had gathered there.”

Close devotees who always hovered around Shriji were the ones who were destined to relish the unprecedented joy of Shriji being steeped in bhava. Consequently, these  associates of Shriji's parikar or inner circle were forever elated and ecstatic, laughing boisterously all the time.

Shri Maharajji in Karonda Village

Journeying by Bullock Carts

Once the sentimental devotees of Karonda Village took Shriji with his circle of close associates to their village with great insistence. This journey was undertaken on bullock carts. Men and women of the village were present in large numbers to welcome him. With great love and faith they escorted Shriji to a proper place. Satsang went on. After having meals some rest was taken. The village devotees gathered once again. In the evening Shriji went to walk in a sentimental farmer's field, along with his circle of associates. That bhakta[2] offered sugar cane juice to everyone.  

While returning to the village at dusk Shriji began to get into a bhava stithi[3], a state of awakened spiritual consciousness. His eyes became red and revolved, the eyebrows lifted, the body became unsteady and his legs staggered. Swaying he was walking with unsteady steps in between. Seeing  the seriousness of his emotional upsurge I was holding Shriji from one side and  Mangilalji was holding his arm from the other side. He was walking slowly without any awareness of the external world. While walking a low voiced speech sprang forth from Shriji's mouth:

Cowherd Krishna Stops Cows

“ A cowherd stops all cows of the Braj Mandal with His lakuti...”

“The pyau, a roadside water hole for animals is very huge here...it must be nearly one mile in length and breadth....”

Cows Drinking Water 

“ Only one cowherd makes all of them drink water...”

“If cows grazing in the forest stray somewhere far away one does not have to search for them. Shri Giri Goverdhan is very high. Its big  boulders are very glossy and blue-hued. If cows have to be located the cowherds see their reflections in the gleaming rocks of Giriraj and find out how far the cows have strayed and where they are...”

Cows & Cowherds of Braj

“The cows of Braj are very robust, well developed and extremely beautiful to look at...the cowherds too are stoutly built with big eyes, are very good looking, fair-complexioned and of adolescent age...”

This utterance sprang forth from Shriji's mouth. Thereafter, Shriji became silent. He reached the village slowly in this condition. As he was still impassioned by divine madness Shriji was made to lie down. After a while he regained normal consciousness. The sankirtan  began with much enthusiasm at ten o' clock in the night, followed by a satsang. When the satsang ended at four o' clock in the morning Shriji took rest. Next day he came back to Mandleshwar.

Sankirtan and satsang took place at Awantikaji's and Shri Babulal ji's place for a few days in Mandleshwar.

Shri Maharajji at Peepalgun

While staying at Mandleshwar they got to hear that a teli, an oilman's son had had the vision of God. On Shriji's asking people revealed that this seventeen year old son of the teli was ordinarily literate and he used to keep reading religious publications of the Gita Press since childhood because of an spiritual inclination. Reading about Lord Krishna in 'Kalyan[4]' his natural tendency came to be absorbed in the name and form of Lord Krishna. One day he saw dark-hued Krishna walking ahead and he followed him. 

Dark-hued Krishna Had Climbed Up a Tree

Covering some distance he noticed that Lord Krishna had climbed up a tree. That boy also climbed the tree after him.  Krishna climbed onto a high branch of the tree and jumped down. Following him, the boy too leapt down from the same branch and fainted with his foot getting hurt. Instantly Lord Krishna vanished. Ever since, the boy remained impassioned by the same state of unrestrained joy. This incident became the talk of the town.

The devotees of Mandleshwar wanted to see this boy. On being requested, Shriji consented to go to Peepalgun. The very next day, all of us reached Peepalgun in three bullock carts. Shri Gulab Chand, a wealthy sentimental Seth of that region, accommodated Shriji and his associates at his place with warm hospitality. Every year Gulab Chand would go to Vrindavan and had great veneration for saints. At noon all of us had meals at his residence and took rest. 

 Orange Orchard

Sethji had a big orange orchard. In the evening all of us went with Shriji to roam around in that orchard which had been beautifully decorated. There was a small house and a swing in it. Spreading cloth on the swing, Shriji was seated. Seth ji had lovely ripe oranges plucked and offered them to Maharajji. Soon after, Shriji distributed them to everyone with his own hands. Thereafter, a singer clad as a sadhu who resided there sang a pada for Shriji accompanied by a musical instrument. Shriji also sang two padas. Shortly, signs of a trance like state of spiritual ecstasy became visible in Shriji. The eight sattvik bhavas were awakened. Shriji swooned and a pada sprang forth in this condition which was instantly transcribed. On his regaining normal consciousness all of us came back to Sethji's place.

The arrangement of a night sankirtan[5]had been made. In a bhava stithi [6] Shriji was strolling alone on the roof. His eyes were becoming red-hued and intoxicated when the son of the teli or oilman came to see Shriji. He prostrated full length  at Shriji's feet. Shriji lifted him up, hugged him and clasped him with both his arms. A constant flow of tears from his eyes was consecrating the boy's head. Tears were streaming down from the boy's eyes,  as well. In a few seconds both Shriji and that boy swooned and fell down. Shriji regained normal consciousness in fifteen minutes but the boy became normal in about an hour. Many people had gathered to see this episode. A transcendental intoxication had pervaded the ambiance due to this loving union and the overflowing grace of Shriji. 

 

 Prema, Selfless Love for Krishna

 All the young and old were swaying in prema or selfless love for Lord Krishna. Shriji was lying transfixed and he did not have the strength to speak as yet. It was time for the sankirtan to start and it was getting quite late. Therefore when some close devotees reminded him, Shriji motioned them to get a pencil and paper with his eyes still closed. The pencil and paper were put in his hand.

“ I do not have the strength !”he wrote with eyes shut.

All the devotees were informed and they went back. The next sankirtan and satsang  took place with great enthusiasm. Three days later, Shriji returned to Mandleshwar with his inner circle of devotees. The sankirtan and satsang of Shriji would take place daily. In between, he would go to visit lovely places located nearby with his close associates. There were several places worth seeing near Maheshwar and Mandleshwar.The banks on both sides of river Narmada were embellished with them. 

A Lotus Pond

 At  a short distance from Maheshwar there is a site worth seeing by the name of 'Barahdwari', and it is adorned with a lotus pond. There is a small Ram Mandir also located here. Shriji had gone there with his inner circle of associates. He was very pleased to see the lotus pond. Staying at this place for a night, the programme of satsang-sankirtan and forest feasting was held here.

Banks of River Narmada

Similarly on the southern banks of river Narmada in Mandleshwar there is a site called 'Markati Sangam.' Here river Veda (Vetravati) has merged with the Narmada River. Its attraction is eye catching and this place has been the penance site of ancient rishis. On a high hill top near Markati Sangam there is a mandir and a bhavan[7] adjoining it,  

Shrimati Ahilyabai Holkar

 which had been built by Shrimati Ahilyabai Holkar about two years ago. Shriji wished to see this place. One day he went there with some close associates by boat and staying there for a night, came back. However, he wished to go there again and stay for a few days. Therefore, he went to Markati Sangam once more with his few inner circle of associates. There would be complete solitude there even during the day.  The Mandleshwar group of devotees had made arrangements for getting food prepared at this site. At night, a few people would come from nearby  villages and there would be kirtan.

One day the handful of devotees were busy cooking food and doing other chores. Shriji slipped away unnoticed, climbed down the hill and reached the banks of the Narmada. When he did not return even after a long wait, a couple of people walked down to search for him. Soon after, he could be seen coming from the front. When they asked him the reason for his delay Shriji said he was drying his dhoti[8].They reminded him that he had bathed in the morning itself so how did his dhoti get wet.

He smiled and said, “Standing on the bank I was looking at the Narmada waters flowing with a gurgling sound when I noticed something shining, a few steps ahead in the water. Out of curiosity I stepped down in the knee deep water to pick it up but there was an unlimited expanse of water ahead. As soon as I bent down to pick up the object my foot slipped and I drowned in deep water. I just did not know how to swim. A strange thing happened on my drowning. 

 Divine Vrindavan

 I saw divine Vrindavan.Lord Krishna was grazing cows with His group of sakhas[9]. Cows and cowherds were roaming here and there. Sitting comfortably on the branch of a kadamba tree with His legs dangling down, dark-hued Krishna was imparting joy to the horde of sakhas. The sakhas roaming nearby had seen me drowning but instead of coming to pull me out they began calling out loudly for 
Krishna. 

 The instant dark-hued Krishna heard the call He jumped down from the branch. With the sound of tinkling anklets He reached the spot, and entering the water caught hold of my hand and drew me out. As soon as I came out of water this scene disappeared from my sight. I wrung my clothes, dried them and wearing them, I am coming up now.”

Shriji stayed in the region of Markati Sangam for fifteen days with his inner circle of associates. He completed writing a spiritual piece by the name of 'Sur Prabhat'  at this site.

The month of Ashvin[10] arrived. Gradually the rainy season wrapped up its spread and took leave. The skies were cleared of heavy black clouds. Rivers controlled their speed and flowed calmly. The waters flowed clear and sweet. Lotus buds began blooming and smiling in clean water bodies. Nature veiled in a green garment became radiant and began spreading its mild smile with beautiful moonbeams of the autumnal full moon.  

 

Golden Sun Rays Bathed Nature

Garlands of golden sun rays bathed nature and beautified it further. In this manner the autumnal season decked nature with different kinds of shingara or adornment, with its skilled expertise.

Shri Vrindavan Dham has forever been passionately drawing the minds of rasikas[11] with its unprecedented beauty. It had become more glorious with the advent of autumn now. Lord Krishna accepted this very enchanted season and decided to do Maha Rasa. So be it.

Enactment of the Rasa Lila, Vrindavan

Remembering the auspicious time of this season, Shriji returned with his inner circle of associates to Shri Dham and enjoyed watching the Rasa Lila, the enactment of Krishna's dalliance and dance with the herdgirls of Braj.

With Shriji's coming the fragrant ambiance of his bhava stithi or state of religious rapture pervaded the Ganga Mandir which was forever diffused with a certain divinity. A sentimental devotee by the name of Ami Chand had come from Radhanpur (North Gujarat)and had been staying in the Ganga Mandir for the past few days. He was a householder but very simple, innocent and sensitive. He would earn his living by working as a carpenter. 

 

Lord Krishna's Presence

One day he revealed that he often strongly felt that Lord Krishna roaming around in the Ganga Mandir. Some sentimental people of that time, who would come to see Shriji become restless even today on remembering that ambiance of the Ganga Mandir. Even while eating and drinking with his inner circle of associates, Shriji would keep the atmosphere intact by sweetly talking about chanting  God's Name, His form and His divine play.

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[1]     Eight sattvik bhavas: 1]stamba or stupefecation 2]sveda or sweating 3]romaancha or feeling thrileed 4]Svarabedha or break in the voice by stuttering in different voices 5] Vepatha or trembling 6]Vaivarnya or pallor 7]Asru or tears 8]Pralaya or swoon death by collapsing onto the floor.

[2]     Bhakta: one who practices bhakti or religious devotion

[3]     Bhava stithi: or  spiritual emotion is a state of communion with God. It is related to the sub-conscious mind (chitta). When one’s spiritual emotion is awakened, for that time one transcends one’s usual state of identification with a worldly existence. The awareness of one’s own existence also reduces. Thus in a state of spiritual emotion one transcends the little ‘i’ and identifies with the big ‘I’. Spiritual emotion gives us a spiritual experience of Bliss (Ānand).

[4]     Kalyan: a monthly magazine published by Gita Press

[5]     Sankirtan: congregational singing of devotional hymns

[6]     Bhava stithi: or spiritual emotion  is a state of communion with God. It is related to the sub-conscious mind (chitta). When one’s spiritual emotion is awakened,  one transcends one’s usual state of identification with a worldly existence. The awareness of one’s own existence also reduces. Thus in a state of spiritual emotion one transcends the little ‘i’ and identifies with the big ‘I’. Spiritual emotion gives us a spiritual experience of Bliss (Ānand).

[7]     Bhavan: a building or large house in India

[8]     Dhoti: a piece of cloth worn around the lower body, one end of which passes between the legs and is tucked in behind

[9]     Sakhas: cowherd friends

[10]    Ashvin : the seventh month of the Hindu calendar

[11]    Rasikas : people drawn by passionated religious devotion esp to Krishna