Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Chapter 34: Shri Balgovindji


Vanshi Vat

Shri Balgovindji was born in the Shukla family of Ladukheda village in Agra district. Around the age of sixteen-seventeen he had come to Vrindavan for studies. He was a priest in the Gwalior Mandir facing Vanshivat. After renouncing home when I had come to Vrindavan in 1945, I had stayed in this temple for some days. Staying here Shri Govindji would study Sanskrit and live on the income of his priestly duties.



Taking Refuge in Shriji's Feet

After taking refuge in Shriji's feet, I would go and see Shriji, every day. Off and on, he too would keep coming to Shriji at the Ganga Mandir. 


Mandleshwar

He went to Mandleshwar after some time and began living among Shriji's parikar or inner circle of associates. There is a secluded site endowed with a charming waterfall on the banks of river Narmada, a mile away from Mandleshwar. He would go there and chant the Mahamantra, three lakh times every day, from morning to evening. He would do bhiksha by begging for alms from some or the other devotee of Shriji. Balgovindji would take part in the night sankirtan  held at the residence of some devotee of Shriji's group of bhaktas, and sleep here or there. 


Vrindavan

He came to Vrindavan later on after spending ten years in Mandleshwar in this manner. Staying in a hut of Kaladhari Bagicha, he began doing bhajan by expressing his love for the Divine. 


 
He kept studying the Shrimad Bhagwat simultaneously from Shri Shukracharya. Thereafter,  he acquired a praiseworthy scholarship in it and constantly read through the Shrimad Bhagwat, a hundred and eight times. During this span he had come into the sole refuge of Shri ji's feet.


Davanal Kund

Bathing parti at 3 o'clock in the morning, he would read the Bhagwat and do naam japa  till one o'clock in the afternoon at the Davanal Kund. Then he would cook his own meal and eat it. Besides, he would listen to satsang or holy discourses, at the feet of Shriji as a daily routine. The felicitous verses composed by him for Shriji's birthdays would be extremely emotional.   


Sandhya Arti of Shri Balkrishna Das ji Maharaj (Shriji)

The very charming arti[1] composed by him was sung on Shriji's birthdays. The same ceremonial song is now sung at Shriji's samadhi sthal , daily in the evening.


[1]     Aarti: Aarti  refers to the songs sung in praise of the deity, when lamps are being offered.

No comments: