On the day of Ashadh Sud 5th, Bapasri remaining self directed, gave darsan in this world for eighty- four years by the sankalpa of Sriji Maharaj, made many enjoyers of Murti, made his physical darsan invisible, so his sons and grandsons and devotees who were near him had this misery unbearable but knowing that it may be the wish of Sriji Maharaj all kept patience. Then the news of Bapasri’s becoming invisible was sent to twenty-four villages through devotees who went on bicycles, horses, and through messengers. At some places he himself gave darsan at that time. Lalsankarbhai taking Bapasri’s horse-carriage went to Bhuj to inform Bhogilalbhai, etc. and to bring sandalwood. At that time Bhogilalbhai was awaking at home. Lalsankarbhai gave him news about the disappearance of Bapasri. Bhogilalbhai asked at what time Bapasri became invisible. Then he said that at one o’clock night. Bhogilalbhai said that Bapasri had just awaken him by holding his hand and put his hand on his head showing much pleasure and told him that he was going, saying so, he became invisible. At that time I got up and saw that it was one o’clock. Since then I have been thinking what had happened? In the meanwhile you came and gave this news. Then Dhanjibhai, etc. devotees were informed and all came to Vrspur with sandalwood. At that time devotees who were standing near Bapasri were making (preparing) ready a palanquin. Before, the sun rose the mandlis (groups) of all twenty-four villages and devotees whosoever came to know, came hurriedly like mad-persons. At that time of sun rise nearly eight to ten thousand people had gathered. All had metallic pot of ghee in their hands and coconuts-thus all came and had darsan of Bapasri. At that time sons of Bapasri and devotees who used to stay with Bapasri made Bapasri sat in the palanquin which was prepared. Then puja was performed with sandalwood paste, kumkum, garlands of flowers and gulal. Devotees started doing darsan and were spreading gulal, then they lifted Bapasri’s palanquin, singing grief songs and with musical instrument. At that time it seemed to all that Bapasri was sitting now as he used to give darsan and as if he would speak now. The sea of devotees had come, someone on horse back, someone on cycle, someone on foot, some running and some hurriedly. All looked constantly at Bapasri in the palanquin, some would walk back legs, some would fall and would be injured by thorns, pebbles but nobody would have sense of it. Devotees would go on coming, mass of gulal was going high in the sky and below on earth, there was gulal everywhere. At that time devotees and enthusiastic were singing songs of grief- ‘Aavun nhotun karvun Nathji ke, chalya maragdaman meli’ and Sajni Sriji Mujne sanbhariya re’ (Oh Nathji-God! You have left us on the way which was not to be done and Oh beloved ! Remembrance of Sriji has come to me). Devotees were repeating it. Tendency of all was in front of Bapasri. Some were doing dhun of Swaminarayana, Swaminarayana in high pitch, some were crying sadly, some were controlling grief with understanding nature, whereas some even forgot themselves. In this way all started having darsan of Bapasri and reached near the compound of Chhatri after five hours. There palanquin was put outside. At that time devotees became impatient for darsan. All would prostrate with folded hands, pray, etc. when all had darsan they became calm. Bhogilalbhai and Motibhai said that Bapasri had once said mysteriously that his body should be cremated on the south side of Chhatri. As they said thus, all considered it to be well and good. Saints and devotees applied sandalwood paste, performed puja with garland of flowers and did arati of Bapasri. Then pyre was made ready with sandalwood and coconuts. At that time devotees wanting to have last darsan rushed and fell on one another. Bhogilalbhai and Lalsankarbhai, etc. requested them with folded hands and persuaded them to be calm. Thus, at the time of the last rites of Bapasri all became sad and grieved. With a view to consoling them Bhogilalbhai began to talk. He said, “Remembering Sriji Maharaj all of us viz. saints and devotees have to keep patience. We should know thus that Bapasri is not such that would pass away- he is always with us. Those who were near him from among us say that Bapasri did not speak anything but we should know that Bapasri was speaking and very often he mysteriously told us but we could not understand. He has explained everyone every talk millions of time and had told us about his desire of becoming invisible. Whenever Bapasri had sickness, we felt that Bapasri would become invisible this time but on seeing love of saints and devotees; he would change his sankalpa. This has been seen for many times. When in Samvat 1948, in the months Vaishakh and Jeth, Bapasri had taken illness, saints of Bhuj were in his seva on the recommendation of Sadguru Sri Nirgundasji Swami. During that time he had taken no food so everyone thought Bapasri would become invisible but since Sadguru Nirgundasji Swami had prayed Sriji Maharaj so Maharaj had kept Bapasri with us showing mercy on us.
In Samvat 1975, the illness was like that. All arrangement were made-to give meals (rasoi) to all temples and offered thal, to do seva thus with so many koris (currency of Kutch)-so much amount should be spent here and it was documented, took permission from all by pleasing them and got ready; but at that time Brahmachari Nirgunanandji, Purani Kesavpriyadasji, both Sadgurus and many saints who were near became sad and sat without offering thal to Ṭhakorji. Brahmachari would not speak as if he was in trance. Devrajbhai was also near. Mahamukta Dhanbai also came from Rampur and seeing the readiness of Bapasri leaving this world became sad and began to pray Sriji Maharaj. On seeing such state of all Bapasri changed his decision.
Once Bapasri complained about gout in the body and he had severe pain on both sides of the waist, so Kanjibhai and Manjibhai would come and go to see Bapasri’s health condition. Hirjibhai and Jadavjibhai and young children would utter Bapa! Bapa! and would bring methi or black pepper but what is the use of such medicine for Bapasri-he is divine Murti! But when we have human feeling for him, he would also become ordinary human. I had also such experience of his. Once I and Dhanjibhai had come to see Bapasri during his illness and naturally he would talk about his illness! Bapasri told me to sit on the chair near by and soon began his divine act (lila) with me. He would say Bhogilalbhai I have become very ill-I neither know about eating food nor able to sit or get up-at home I am not comfortable so the cot has been kept in the temple- passing my days by watching devotees who come and go. Bapasri would get it confirmed about illness from me. At that time I would say Bapasri you are as you are. Then he would say then it is all right, but even then we just think that Bapasri is suffering from cold, it is hot today, today health is not good, today it is thus and that but divine feeling which is to be understood cannot be understood.
Once in his lila, Bapasri fell off the mare. At that place nobody was nearby but a cart driver who was on the way came to know and wondered who he was. He went near and recognised that he was Bapasri. Then he helped him to get up and brought him home on his cart. At that time all would also ask news, fomented his body, someone would massage (press body)-what is the reason?-it is human feeling. Even experts may make mistake in it. We have read in writing of great saints, Parvatbhai, Dada Khachar, etc. but when the time needs they do not come to memory.
Once, Bapasri had so much pain in the ears that he was unable to bear it. At that time Swami Isvarcharanadasji was nearby. He would also ask about his health like us and foment. Once Swami went to bed late in the night, Bapasri told his disciple that he had much pain in his ear so wake up Swami. That sadhu thought that Swami has just gone to bed so should he wake him up or not, he was thinking thus. In the meanwhile Bapasri himself woke up Swami by loud voice and told him that how he could sleep when he was having pain. Bapasri asked him to foment him; so Swami fomented. At that time Bapasri said that your disciple was in dilemma that should he wake you up or not because you had just gone to bed but if I think to wake anyone up I can do so by a pinch even the great king. Saying so, Bapasri said that since he fomented him, he was relieved of pain. In the morning Bapasri came in the meeting with bokani (A mask on the face). Thus Bapasri continued his pain of ear for a long time. There is one doctor at this place. He came to know about it so he came for darsan and asked Bapasri to let him use syringe so that he would be relieved from pain. Because of his prayer Bapasri got the ear cleaned and became all right. But in my opinion Bapasri, wanted to do good of the doctor through the medium of the ear.
In Samvat year 1982 in the month of Bhadrapad, Bapasri had severe illness. Then all believed that Bapasri would definitely leave this world this time. During that year there was much rain and Bapasri also had severe illness and in every village this was the case. To show the union of human body and cosmos, everywhere there seemed illness. At that time, Sadgurus came and devotees having love also came from various villages. Seeing all of them Bapasri had pity on them so till today he gave us darsan and happiness.
Similarly, whenever Bapasri wanted to wind up his lila-vigrah, he did not do so because of the prayer of love of saints and devotees during that time. This time he had decided not to say anything to anyone and made all feel that he was asleep. Moreover he stopped speaking. He did not lengthen his illness even for more than two days. Though we were near him, we did not get the chance to have last look, so at that time he himself had given darsan showing sympathy. In this illness he did not any wish to talk. Premji told me about that matter recently that Bapasri had made known to him that he wanted to leave this world but he had forbidden him to tell it to anyone with the threat that he would not be pleased on him. If he told about leaving this world, he wanted to inform Swamisri but Bapasri did not want to inform him because he was called from Bhuj to have the last meeting with him and had made him happy. Now he (Bapasri) would not speak because it was the wish of Maharaj-such things were told by Bapasri. Therefore, we should remain happy in whatever Bapasri had done. In the recent yajna he had got it written in the invitation that, that was his last yajna so all must come leaving aside their work and no one should be left out, so all devotees having love and liking had come. Bapasri had shown his wonderful capacity to all and had talked about the happiness of Murti, had fed them and had given them divine happiness. Recently he came to Bhuj and made all devotees happy. In Madhapur he stayed for eight days and made all happy. In a far place like Karachi Bapasri went there because of devotees’ love and whenever they called Bapasri, he went there. There he stayed for fifteen days and talked about divine talks of happiness of Murti and made devotees very happy. Similarly, he went from one place to another and gave much happiness in satsang. Bapasri also talked about the form of Sriji Maharaj as it is and tried to explain through talks and put many in the happiness of divine Murti. Thus Bapasri gave boost to satsang. In our case we know every event afterwards but he (Bapasri) knew and talked about that events and everything in advance. During this time Bapasri had told Swami Isvarcharanadasji in a mysterious way that if saint (he) like him stayed with him (Bapasri) for two months it will be well and good. You also if know thus could stay back, I (Bapasri) do not desire at all to let you go. If you stay back we would go together to Bhuj and Madhapur and perform brahmayajna. This time if you stay for two months it would be better, I can relieve you in the month of Ashadh. Thus, much was told mysteriously so he also did not want to leave. Bapasri requested often for staying back but other saints did not stay back and they were permitted to go and asked Swami to go with them because they cannot be separated. As such Swami had also gone with the permission of Bapasri. Bapasri did not detain this time even such great saints, we were also not near him, Bapasri did not say anything. Knowing thus if we become sad or grieve it is better if we think that whatever Bapasri did, did it according to the wish of Sriji Maharaj and it would be better if we keep patience. Loss of Bapasri is impossible to be filled. Thus, Bapasri gave us happiness of realisation, showed his affection, would give garland- prasadi, would put his hand on our head, would embrace us, would give talks of knowledge and got Murti realised and would get us bliss of Murti in this physical body. Now this is all over in this way. The passing away of Bapasri is just like the cows returning from trough without getting water from it- the donation of liberation which was given easily has become scarce. We have been given Akshaypatra (vessel which never becomes empty) and we shall take from it and will dine. During this time Bapasri had made it very easy in getting happiness of Murti. Getting Murti realised by giving donation of knowledge is not an ordinary mercy. Everything has become the form of Murti. Those saints and devotees who had heard about Sriji Maharaj and his Anadi muktas’ boundless mercy but had not seen it were given the experience of remaining happy in the happiness of Murti by Bapasri’s own behaviour leading to happiness of Murti in an easy way. Someone may wonder that what kind of anadi mukta dwelling in Murti would be! That was experienced by darsan of Bapasri. Not only that but with darsan of Bapasri religion, knowledge, renunciation, bhakti, tranquillity, trance, state of sthitpragna (one who remains unmoved in the dualities of insult or honour, happiness or misery, etc. in any kind of situation) were also experienced. Thirty-two characteristics of saint and beneficial thirty-nine attributes were clearly visible in Bapasri himself. Bapasri kept his behaviour pure from the time of birth till leaving the physical body and moreover every activity was also pure in the same way. If someone, wanted sincerely wish intense desire of ultimate liberation, during this birth only, Bapasri was the person showed the less difficult and easiest path. Many got ultimate liberation by his seva, association, darsan, touch, pleasure, etc.- means Murti was realised. Now the charity started by Bapasri in the form of achieving happiness of Murti given to many by making them fulfilled and becoming grateful, will be available from Vachanamrt Rahasyartha Pradipika Ṭika which he himself prepared and by the talks he had given. Thus showed his invisibility to us is his desire. Now our duty is to behave according to his words. All were consoled by many such talks. Then Bapasri was given the bath of ghee and his body was consigned to flames. At that time also devotees became impatient to pour ghee and offer coconut- the pain of separation was unbearable. At that time Bapasri inspired patience to all so all became calm and chanted Swaminarayana, Swaminarayana in a loud voice. Thus when the rites of cremation were over, all bathed and chanting kirtans of separation, came to Bapasri’s house, had darsan in the temple and remembering Sriji Maharaj and happiness given by Bapasri and describing his virtues went to their respective villages. Then the sons of Bapasri Kanjibhai and Manjibhai, Bhogilalbhai, Motibhai of Bhuj, Devrajbhai of Rampur, etc. devotees sent telegrams about passing away of Bapasri to Swami Vrndavandasji, Swami Isvarcharanadasji etc. saints. Other saints and devotees having love were informed by telegram and by post. || 155 ||