Chapter 62: Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah in Barwani

 

Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima was on 3^rd July 1993. Shri Maharajji's programme to visit Barwani was almost fixed due to the repeated insistence of devotees living there. However, Shriji’s health deteriorated because he got fever which caused immense weakness. Consequently, Shriji couldn't go to Barwani on Guru Purnima. Jagjiwan Bhai Gupta had made arrangements to have the Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah and the 'Rasa Lila,' which got postponed by two days on Shriji's instructions. Shriji's close associates never wanted that he should step out of Shri Dham in this condition but the determination of great personages is unshakable. Shriji sent the rasa mandali of Shri Ramji and the Shrimad Bhagwat reader Achyut Lalji Bhatt to Barwani along with Shri Vidyadharji.

The Rasa Lila

”The Bhagwat Saptah and 'Rasa Lila' will start from 5^th July. We will be reaching there after a couple of days,” he sent word to eagerly awaiting devotees

 Delhi

On 5^th July Shriji left for Delhi with Lalji in his car for a health examination. When we rang up Delhi on 6^th morning, Ghanshyamji said that they would be leaving for Barwani that evening by the Malwa Express.  

Mathura Junction

When we went to meet Shriji at the Mathura Station at 9 PM we came to know in detail that the Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah and Rasa had begun in Barwani on 5^th July.

Barwani

Resting for a night at Indore, Shriji reached Barwani on 8^th July. The Saptah and Rasa Lila were held with much fanfare for a week as there was unprecedented zeal amongst the populace of Barwani. Thousands of people had thronged the place from nearby villages; the maximum number had come from Lonara village.  

Shrimad Bhagwat Saptah

A huge bhandara[1] was held after conclusion of the Saptah.  A week long non-stop sankirtan was kept from 13^th July onwards. At its conclusion a grand procession singing devotional hymns was taken out in the town, after a spiritual discourse. Thereafter, a bhandara was served once again on a large scale. Devotees really wanted that this sequence of events should never come to an end and Shriji should forever be present amidst them.

Devotees of Lonara begged Shriji to have akhand sankirtan in their area as well. Seeing their enthusiasm Shriji permitted them to have a one-month non-stop kirtan from 23^rd July onwards and said that he would come to attend it occasionally. However, his ill health did not allow him to do so.

 

Indore

Shriji came to Indore on 26^th July. After resting for a week and getting treatment he went straight to Vrindavan on 5^th August.

 Shri Vrindavan

Shriji would do the task which had to be done at any cost without bothering about his health or the inconvenience-convenience it entailed. Seeing the radiant face of this great soul who would always be detached from his body, outsiders could not even imagine that Shriji' health was deteriorating day by day. Only his very close followers were always worried about his failing health.

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[1]     Bhandara: community feast