On the morning of Aso Vad 7th Vachanamrt was being read in the temple ofVrnpur. Bapasri showing his favour, said, “Maharaj pushes me and sends me to tell about His greatness, so I talk about His greatness as it is, but some do not understand it and doubt and ask me why I was saying so. They say so because they do not understand His greatness, His supernatural powers and His glory. Formerly also those who doubted did not believe it.” Purani Kesavpriyadasji said, “Bapa! muktas who had come with Sriji Maharaj were also having great powers. They used to describe Sriji Maharaj’s supremacy as it is. Those who were attached with such great muktas would not hesitate in describing supreme greatness. Even then why does jiva doubt?” Bapasri said, “Even at that time greatness could not be told in the same way to all. Muktas who are brought by Sriji Maharaj with Him are the enjoyers of happiness of Murti so nothing is unknown to them. But some who are from other abodes may hesitate to know the greatness as it is. When Maharaj acts like a human being or when He hides His glory, His behaviour may appear different. Just see! When the Satsangijivan was being composed, Sadguru Nityanand Swami differed from others and stopped it in order that the author could write about Maharaj as He is. At that time, Maharaj tested Nityanand Swami very much but Swami did not give in.”
Swami Isvarcharandasji said, “Bapa! How was Sadguru Nityanand Swami tested when the Satsangijivan was being written? Please explain to us in detail.” Bapasri said, “When the Satsangijivan was begun to be written, Sriji Maharaj asked great saints how He should be described in that volume.” Some saints proposed to describe Maharaj as He wished, whereas others propesed to describe Maharaj according to the scriptures so that many jivas could be benefitted. Moreover, other saints suggested to describe Maharaj as He was. Thus, all said as they thought fit. Then Sriji Maharaj said that He had known their opinions and then He would do as He would think fit. After sometime Nityanand Swami went near Maharaj and said, “Maharaj! What kind of action are You doing? I wanted to tell You in the assembly but You said that You would do as You thought fit. How would You like to describe You?” Maharaj said, “I have decided to describe Me as great as Sri Krishna.” Swami said, “I did not speak because I wanted to know that much only. When other great saints Sadguru Muktanand Swami, Gopalanand Swami, Gunatitanand Swami, Brahmanand Swami will know about this they would not agree. In case if they agreed I would not agree.” Maharaj said, “How should I be described so that you agree?” Swami replied, “Maharaj! If You are described as You are -the supreme, the cause of all, the genesis of all incarnations, controller of all, the king of millons of cosmoses- then I would agree.” Maharaj asked him to go to his seat and that He would do as He had decided.” After Swami went away, He called Gopalanand Swami and Gunatitanand Swami and told both of them about the discussion He had with Swami. At that time Sadguru Gopalanand Swami said, “Maharaj! If You are described in that volume in conformity with the purpose You have descended from Akshardham, many jivas will benefit. If You are described like other incarnations how can any one know Your greatness as it is? Therefore, please see that You are described as Nityanand Swami says so that mumukshu jivas will understand from this volume that You are supreme and then they would become happy. If Your attributes like evermanifestness, supremacy, cause of all incarnations, controllerhood, doership and causerness are not described in this volume, how can Your pure upasana be understood?” At that time Sadguru Gunatitanand Swami said, “Maharaj! Is it proper to give a simile of servant for the king and a simile of a star for the moon?” Maharaj said, “All right! I have known opinion of both of you and now I would do as I wish.”
On the next day, Maharaj called all the saints and said, “I wish that I should be described as Sri Krishna in the Satsangijivan.” At that Nityanand Swami said, “Maharaj! In this assembly nobody will agree to Your being described as an incarnation.” Then Maharaj said, “Leave aside the assembly but tell me whether you agree or not.” Sadguru Nityanand Swami said, “Maharaj! This is not possible, because is it proper to give the simile of a tributary king for a sovereign king? If You are described like this how can a jiva understand Your supreme greatness? Therefore, I refuse to describe You like other incarnations.” Then Maharaj said to all the saints, “Look, this Nityanand Swami does not obey Me and opposes Me. Therefore, if you be on my side then this volume can be prepared.” At that some saints said, “Maharaj, we have not renounced the world for Nityanand Swami. We are with You and we will always be with You. Therefore You can write as You like and it will be our pleasure.” Maharaj said that then it was all right.
Then Maharaj went to each and every saint and asked everyone that Nityanand Swami had opposed Him, so whether they were on His side or on Nityanand Swami’s side. At which the saints answered, “Maharaj, how can we not be on Your side? We are Your obeyer. Our liberation lies in Your being pleased and in our obeying Your words.” Then Maharaj came back to His place. Again, at midnight Maharaj sent Dungarji Parsad to call Sadguru Muktanand Swami and Brahmanand Swami to His place and told Muktanand Swami, “Nityanand Swami opposes Me; what is to be done about him?” Swami said, “Do as you wish.” At that time Sadguru Brahmanand Swami said to Muktanand Swami, “Please pray Maharaj to do as Nityanand Swami says.” Sadguru Muktanand Swami said that he could not say so. He asked Brahmanand Swami to tell so to Maharaj. Then Sadguru Brahmanand Swami said that if Maharaj asked him, he would say so. Soon Maharaj said, “Who asks you to speak? I simply ask you whether you will be on My side or not –answer it.” Then Sadguru Brahmanand Swami said, “Maharaj! Whatever Nityanand Swami says is correct; so my soul is on the side of Nityanand Swami and my body to be on your side.” Maharaj said, “I am concerned with the body only. You may keep your soul on the side of Nityanand Swami.” Then both Sadgurus were permitted to go. So they wentback to their place.
In the morning after completing the daily routine, Sriji Maharaj took up the same topic and asked to hold a meeting of all saints, because He wanted to decide. Because of this command, there was a large meeting. All the saints were looking at the lotus face of Sriji Maharaj. Maharaj said, “Those who are ready to obey My words and to be on My side may sit with Me and those who want to be on the side of Nityanand Swami may sit with him. Nobody shall join Me just because of Me.” Then all the saints sat with Maharaj. Sadguru Nityanand Swami sat alone separately. At that time Maharaj said, “Just see! As you have become alone, you have no say whatsoever. Therefore believe Me and let Me be described as I wish.” Sadguru Nityanand Swami said, “Maharaj! Let me remain alone. Do whatever You like against me but I will agree only when You allow me to describe You as You are. I do not want to transgress Your words. But how can I agree, despite my knowing Your greatness and powers, when You propose to describe You as other incarnations?” Maharaj said, “Have you become greater than other saints? Look! All of them follow My words whereas you do not obey. This will not be good for you.” Swami said, “Maharaj, I am also in conformity with Your words. If I have to suffer misery because of describing Your greatness, I will bear it; but I will not allow to You to be described as other incarnations.” Maharaj said, “You do not obey Me but future will tell you.”
On the next day, Maharaj began the Satsangijivan to be dictated by Dinanath Bhatta. Sadguru Nityanand Swami came to know about it, so he approached Dinanath Bhatta and requested to let him see the pages written by him. After reading, Swami immediately tore off all the pages. Then he warned, “If you write without my permission I will drive you out and will not allow you to come on this side of the river Mahi” Bhattaji said, “Swami! It is not my fault. Maharaj makes me write according to the scriptures. You have nullified my work; so Maharaj will scold me.” Nityanand Swami told him, “Tell Maharaj that Nityanand Swami refuses to write in this way.” Then Bhattji went to Sriji Maharaj and told Him everything about it, and said that he would not be able to write without the desire of Swami. Sriji Maharaj called Sukanand Swami and told him, “Go to Nityanand Swami and tell him that I ask why he was hindering the writing of the volume and why he had torn off the pages of the volume. Why he had stopped Bhattji to write. Also tell him that he was not the Master of the Satsang. I am the Master of Satsang; so I shall do as I like. He should not oppose anything I do, otherwise it will not be good.” Then Sadguru Sukanand Swami went to Nityanand Swami and told him whatever Maharaj wanted him to tell. Sadguru Nityanand Swami insulted him and told him, “How could you dare to come with such message? Go and tell Maharaj that Swami was the Master of the Satsang. Do not take that I am speaking with oblivion of Maharaj. Maharaj is like my life, but since you have brought such news, I have to say so. You are called as one of the favourites of Maharaj. You have experienced many powes of Maharaj because of your closeness with Him. Even then, was it proper to write Maharaj like other incarnations? Tell Maharaj to show mercy and ask Bhattji to describe Him as He is. If I am allowed to carry out that service, I am ready and if it is not possible, I would not allow Bhatt to write the volume in that way.” Sadguru Sukanand Swami told everything to Maharaj. In this way, Maharaj tried to persuade Swami for seven days but he did not budge even an inch. Then ordering Bhaguji and other attendants Sriji Maharaj said, “I have no use of Nityanand Swami in the Satsang because he hinders My work and does not obey My words. So, as per My order go and put him in a deep forest so that he can not come back again.” Bhaguji, Dungarji, etc. attendants came to Swami and told him that they have been ordered by Maharaj to put him in a forest. At that time, Sura Khachar of Loya was sitting in the assembly. He got up and told Maharaj, “Maharaj! This attendants are strangers; so where will they put him? This work is not possible by these attendants. I have brought with me ten assistants who all have horses and they will not let any shortcoming in this work. If You order I may call them here and they will take him on horseback right now.” Maharaj was pleased and said, “O.K. Send for them here immediately.”
Sura Khachar went to his place of stay and explaining the matter to his assistants, he said, “Sriji Maharaj is going to send Sadguru Nityanand Swami in exile. This work is to be done through you. So, lock Nityanand Swami in this room, put a water-pot here, keep the keys with you, then go to Maharaj and inform Him why He had called you. Then Maharaj will command you to leave this Nityanand Swami in such a forest or mountain or dense wood that he cannot come back from there. Then you ask Maharaj how you would be rewarded for doing that work. Then Maharaj will be pleased with you and give you a boon of salvation. Then you take Nityanand Swami on horseback and after taking him up to sixteen to twenty miles let him rest. I am giving you the tiffin from which you feed him and when the whole village goes to bed, bring him back here and make him sleep in this room. Then go to Maharaj at night and tell Him that you hade done according to His wish.”
Thus, Sura Khachar directed his assistants and sent them to Maharaj. All the ten attendants came to Maharaj and prostrated before Him and said, “Maharaj we have been sent to you by Sura Khachar. What have we to do?” Sriji Maharaj finally announced in the assembly so that all could hear, “Nityanand Swami! Now these attendants are ready for you. Therefore obey Me or get ready.” Then Swami said, “Maharaj, You may leave me in dense forest or in a barren place or on the peak of a mountain, but I am going to describe You as supreme as You are. Now do as You like.” Then Maharaj ordered the attendants, “Go and leave Swami in such place from where he can not come back again because he is not going to obey anyone.” The attendants said, “All right Maharaj, this is our task. You be assured, but what will be our reward?” Maharaj said, “I shall give you salvation on par with our great saint Muktanand Swami.” So the attendants were pleased. Then they asked Swami, “Get up, sit on the horseback and if you do not do so, you will be forced to get up. Therefore, it will be better to get up.” On hearing such words of the attendants, all saints and attendants sitting in the assembly became sad and thought, “Maharaj was not doing proper by leaving such learned Sadguru having the supreme faith in Maharaj. But, what can be done? What can we tell Maharaj?” When they were thinking thus, the attendants made Swami sit on horseback, while Maharaj and all saints and parshads were looking at. Then the attendants, as they were instructed by Sura Khachar, brought Swami back to the room at night after a travel of sixteen to twenty miles. Then they hurriedly went to Maharaj and informed that they had left Nityanand Swami very far in the forest where there were dense trees, hills, etc. and no human being could be found there. On hearing this, Sriji Maharaj became much pleased and said, “You have done well. Now your salvation will be on par with Muktanand Swami.” After hearing these words, the attendants became pleased and went to their lodging place.
On the next day when the assembly was held, Sadguru Muktanand Swami said, “Oh Maharaj! Today, this assembly does not look splendid because the one who was the ornament of the assembly has gone away.” Sriji Maharaj said, “What can be the ornament for the one who is a renouncer?” Sadguru Muktanand Swami replied, “Maharaj! Nityanand Swami was the ornament of this assembly. Such saint cannot be found in infinite cosmoses. It is not proper that such Sadguru has been driven out without any fault.” Maharaj said, “It was certainly My mistake. I had accepted you as My guru in village Loj. Today you have proved that you are worthy guru because you pointed out My mistake. But if you had told Me when I consulted you about this matter, this would not have happened.” Swami said, “Maharaj! I did not know that You were going to do such lila. Brahmanand Swami wanted to speak, but as You stopped him, he did not speak.” Maharaj said, “Of course it happened thus. I was told by Gopalanand Swami and Gunatitanand Swami but at that time I had told them I would do as I thought fit. Now, where can Nityanand Swami be found? Who will bring him back? I will not take My meal unless I get darsan of Swami. Saying so, Maharaj ordered the parshads to find out Nityanand Swami from anywhere. I will not be able to take food without his darsan.” Sura Khachar said, “Maharaj! How can the parshads find him out? It is only known to them who had lef him in the forest.” Saying so, he called the attendants.” Maharaj informed them the matter. They said, “Maharaj! How can Swami be found out! He must have gone somewhere or some animal must have devoured him. If God had wished to see his face, he would come. As You instruct us, we will go, but we are not bound to bring him back. If he is found we will bring him back.” Saying so the attendants left. Then as the attendants had done before, they rode their horses for sixteen to twenty miles and came back and at night they went to the place where Nityanand Swami was kept. From there he was brought on horseback before Maharaj. They said, “Maharaj! We have brought Swami. He was sitting where we had kept him and was chanting Swaminarayana, Swaminarayana. Now be pleased on us.” Maharaj gladly told that they had done a very good task by bringing that saint back. And showing His pleasure, again promised them for salvation. Then Maharaj embraced Nityanand Swami with much love, and then after taking His meal, Maharaj fed him His prasadi. Then Maharaj asked him to go to bed at his place and further said that He was very much pleased with him.
On the next day when the assembly was held Sriji Maharaj graced the assembly with Nityanand Swami’s hand in his hand. On seeing this, all the saints and parshads were very much pleased. Maharaj made Nityanand Swami sit in front and said, “Swami! I subjected you to a very hard test. I tried to budge you but you did not budge at all. Other saints sided with Me but I have been won by you. Therefore, you perform My puja today.” Then Nityanand Swami performed Maharaj’s puja with sandalwood paste and garlands. Sriji Maharaj got up from His seat and embraced Swami and showing His love Maharaj also performed Swami’s puja. Maharaj took off garland from His neck and garlanded Swamisri with the same garland. Then putting His hand on Swami’s head, He told the assembly, “Saints! An upasak should be like this Swami! This saint knows My greatness perfectly. I made some saints to change their opinion and they changed, but this is the only Swami who did not budge an inch.”
Then Maharaj explained to Sadguru Nityanand Swami, “Scriptures are written according to the norms of the scriptures and whatever you said was also right. I am getting the Satsangijivan written for the benefit of infinite jivas, so if it describes My greatness, divinity of My form and My powers as it is, ordinary jivas and the devotees of other incarnations will not be able to understand this matter and so they will neither come to hear nor will they sit beside you. All of them will be attracted by this volume. Then explain to them My greatness. With regard with this volume, it will be better if I am described as I instruct. For explaining My upasana I am preparing the Vachanamrt which contains My complete secret and proper knowledge about My form. He who understands it and behaves accordingly will get ultimate liberation. Therefore, that volume is the best of all.” In this way, Sriji Maharaj had tested Sri Nityanand Swami.
Bapasri said, “Once Sriji Maharaj was seated in village Tera where He talked much about His greatness. At that time Maharaj asked Muktanand Swami how he understood Him. Swami said, “Maharaj! You are Sri Krishna who incarnated previously.” So Sriji Maharaj asked him to go immediately to Ravjibhai at Kalatalav and ask him this question. On getting the order, Muktanand Swami started for Kalatalav. On the way, he met a saint, who asked him where he was going. Swami thought, “This saint appears like our saints but I do not know him. How did he know me?” In the meanwhile, the saint disappeared. Then Swami went ahead for some distance and saw another saint like the previous one. That saint asked Swami in the same way where he was going. Swami said that he was going to Ravjibhai at Kalatalav. In the meanwhile, that saint also disappeared. In a state of being surprised, Swami was going on and on. After some distance he met third saint and he asked in the same way where he was going. Swami was surprised and said that he was going to Ravjibhai at Kalatalav to ask a question. The saint said, “What do you want to askKalatalav You can ask me whatever you want to ask.” Swami said, “Sriji Maharaj has asked me how I understood Him. I replied that He was like Sri Krishna incarnated previously. Then Maharaj ordered me to go to Ravjibhai at Kalatalav.” As soon as Muktanand Swami completed, the saint stretched his hand and opened his fist and showed him infinite Krishna and asked him where his Swaminarayana, who is like Krishna, was among all these Krishnas. Then when he undid his pinch all Sri Krishnas disappeared. Then the saint said, “Such infinite Sri Krishnas are under Vasudevbrahmas; such infinite Vasudevs are under personified Akshar; and above infinite Akshars there are infinite param ekantiks who are in front of Sriji Maharaj in luminous Akshardham; and there are infinite Anadi muktas in Murti. I am one of such Anadi muktas and our Master Sriji Maharaj is the head of all and nobody is beyond him. Know Sriji Maharaj like this and go back.” Saying so, that saint disappeared.
Then Muktanand Swami came back to Tera and told Sriji Maharaj about this incident. He said, “Oh Maharaj! I now understood Your supreme greatness through anadi mukta.” Then Sriji Maharaj was pleased and said, “I am that much great and you should understand Me as such.” Then Swami sat in the assembly. Thus to understand the greatness of Sriji Maharaj is very difficult. Everyone cannot understand it by himself.
In Samvat year 1906, when the majestic mansion in the compound of Amdavad temple was completed, Dharma Dhurandhar Acharya Maharaj Raghuvirji Maharaj was invited from Vadtal. At that time Anadi Mukta Sri Gopalanand Swami, Nityanand Swami, Sukanand Swami, Gunatitanand Swami, Pavitranand Swami, Adbhutanand Swami, Bhomanand Swami, etc, had come along with many other saints and parshads. Dharma Dhurandhar Acharya Sri Ayodhyaprasadji Maharaj and Sri Raghuvirji Maharaj both were sitting on the same dais. There, great Sadgurus were giving sermons in turn. One day Acharya Maharaj asked Gunatitanand Swami to talk in the assembly.
At first, he talked for sometime about dharma, jnan, vairagya, and bhakti; and then he began to talk about the greatness and supreme upasana of Sriji Maharaj. He said that Maharaj is greater than any other incarnation. This was not understood by some. After sangar arati, some saints and devotees went to both Acharya Maharajs and said to them, “Whatever Sadguru Gunatitanand Swami talked in the assembly was against the principle of many scriptures. So call him and tell him about it.” He was called and instructed, “Swami, you should not talk anything in the assembly which is against the scriptures.” At that time Anandanand Swami told those saints and devotees who were standing near Acharya Maharaj and who could not understand if they did not know that Sriji Maharaj was talking about the same matter in village Tera. Then some saints said, “Swami, on that day the chapter was like that.” Anandanand Swami said, “A chapter changes only when it is about do’s and don’t’s; whereas a chapter about jnan does not change because jnan is the core point.” Then a saint asked, “Is such matter mentioned in the Vachanamrt?” Sukanand Swami said, “Indeed, there are many citations to this account. Refer 31st Vachanamrt of Gadhada Middle Chapter which reads, “There are many such Aksharatmak brahmarup Purushas and they worship Me.” Then some saints said, “Though it is mentioned in the Vachanamrt, it should not be talked in an assembly.” At that time Anadi Mukta Gopalanand Swami said, “Gunatitanand Swami is free to talk as he talks now. All you, who insist the proof by scriptures, many or may not talk on this matter. But, there is no way out without knowing Maharaj as supreme.” Thus, though there may be some who can explain this matter to us, even then it is very difficult to understand.” || 3 ||