In the morning assembly when the katha was over Bapasri said, “This, Murti (in the form Idol) is the same divine as the one which is in Aksardham. This assembly is of divine Aksardham. If I am telling a lie, I swear in the name of Narnarayana. Thus, Maharaj has sworn. This assembly is of anadi mukta. Maharaj Himself is seated in this assembly. If I am telling a lie, you may hold me responsible. These two points have to be made firm. If these two points have become firm, we should know that the tendency has become introvert. If these two points are realised, he will become real ekantik. Who is called ekantik? The one who becomes blind in eyes, deaf in ears, the objects of touch, taste, smell, etc. are given up and he has no fondness inwardly is called ekantik. He has become worthy of favour. When he installs Supreme Lord in his soul, he becomes param ekantik. He has become worthy of real favour. When Maharaj shows His full pity on him, experiential knowledge emits from Murti and that experiential knowledge draws the devotee in Murti and gets him attached to Murti. Then he becomes anadi mukta. During the period of doing means if there is favour of muktas, one can become realised. Nothing can be done without the help of muktas. From Indra to Aksar it is means, above Aksar, there is ekantik and when he becomes param ekantik, he will get favour. With this favour, he can reach in the happiness of Murti. For this purpose, one should make firm his atmabuddhi (soul intellect), with great Anadi. It should be made as powerful as it is with body. One should thoroughly obey the commands of Maharaj and muktas, matured upasana should be understood and one should get attached to Murti by meditation. If one installs Murti and does Pradaksina (to go round), everything viz. infinite Brahmandas, infinite Aksar, infinite attendants and divine assembly are covered.”
Swami Vrndavandasji said, “Bapa! Experiential knowledge draws us in Murti- which is that experiential knowledge?” Bapasri said, “Experiential knowledge is that which draws us in Murti, qualifies Murti, it also qualifies bliss of Murti and gets us attached to Murti. One knows that this Gopalanand Swami, this Muktanand Swami, this Brahmanand Swami, this Dada Khachar, this Parvatbhai thus such type of awareness remains because of experiential knowledge.” Then the 47th Vachanamrt of Gadhada Middle Chapter was being read. In it, it is mentioned that, this disease made me give up tasty food- the one who is mumuksu (desiring salvation) and if he understands thus that muktas have met him in the form of T.B. Bapasri said, “Even if the devotee of God suffers from a diseases he should not feel unhappy with the knowledge that he has met muktas.”
Purani Hariprasaddasji asked, “If the disease puts hurdle in association with a saint, what should be done?” Bapasri said, “We should keep love for saint and Murti. If there is love for Murti, Maharaj and muktas are close to him though he may be thousands of miles away. And if he has real love, Maharaj and muktas are with him even if he may be in water, in fire or anywhere. They give darsan and protect him. Kaivalyanand Swami got darsan in water and was protected. As soon as Mamaiya bhakta uttered the words, oh Swaminarayana Bapa!, Maharaj gave him darsan because he remembered Him with love, If one remembers Maharaj with such love He remains with him. Maharaj Himself is present in this divine assembly, throws His glance, smiles gracefully, speaks softly, distributes Prasad slowly but if one gets divine sight, he can see.”
Lalubhai asked, “It is said that Sriji Maharaj gives happiness through the medium of Anadi muktas- what is to be understood about it?” Bapasri said, “Anadis are form of Murti, their medium has been told for the benefit of devotee doing means but Anadis are form of Murti. Though, they are not separate from Murti, their feeling of the donor-donee and Master-servant remains firm. I am talking with them and in the same assembly of Anadis, we are also there. What a great achievement! That which is Aksar has arranged his separate assembly. Those who say that they want to go to Aksar are also left out from this happiness. This happiness is unique. There are heaps and heaps of happiness. That happiness is presently indigestible. If one becomes worthy, he can enjoy that happiness. When that happiness is known with knowledge, he would be over-awed. One would become mad with joy. I will get that happiness for you by requesting Maharaj. Will Maharaj not oblige me? I am sure he will oblige me. Maharaj greeted with Jay Sachchidanand –what is it? It means he remembered His dear Anadi muktas. This saint is incarnation in divine perspective (parbhav) and he is saint in view from the perspective of this world. So know that, our greatness is because of Sriji Maharaj and mukta. Therefore, ego of any kind should not be allowed. Ego puts obstacles in all means. Just as when the king goes out, he is escorted by a pilot horseman. Similarly, ego goes ahead of all means. But what is the value of this seeker before Maharaj and Anadi? No value. There may be thousands of seeking saints but they cannot be compared with anadi mukta. There may be ekantik, param ekantik, in the state of upsam (tranquillity) and the one having divine sight (niravarana drsti) may go independently to fetch in this satsang but the talk of the Anadi muktas is beyond words (Alaukik). They are seen by the sankalpa of Sriji Maharaj when they have oneness with Murti. Such great Anadi muktas are very powerful and miraculous. On that point Bapasri said, before being initiated as sannyasi Sadgurusri Gopalanand Swami, once he came for darsan of Maharaj at Jetalpur. There he had darsan of Maharaj. At that time, Maharaj gave much happiness to Khusalbhai by showing much love. Then Maharaj said very often that he was very great mukta. In the mean time, Damodarbhai came to call Sriji Maharaj for taking meals. Maharaj said to Damodarbhai to ask Gangama whether he should come alone or with the group. Damodarbhai told Gangama about everything which was told by Maharaj. Gangama send the message to Maharaj, tell Him that the meal had been prepared for Him and He knew everything. Therefore, He could do, as He liked. Maharaj went for dinner with the group. Maharaj and Khusalbhai holding hand in hand walked in front. On the way, there was an empty well. In that well some ghosts were making fuss. Maharaj said, “Just see! What is happening.” After saying so Maharaj and Khusalbhai (Gopalanand Swami) stood on the corner wall of the well and threw His merciful sight and Swamisri liberated all ghosts by the wish of Maharaj. From there they came home. Maharaj often showed His love on Khusalbhai. Then Maharaj asked Gangama if she knew him. Gangama refused. Then Maharaj said, he is very great. Then Gangama looked at Maharaj and Khusalbhai for a long time. Maharaj asked to bring the food prepared for dinner. Saying so Maharaj ordered saints to arrange a row, so the line was arranged. Then Maharaj Himself got up to serve the meal. The food, which was kept outside by Gangama, was divided into two parts. Maharaj took half part of it and asked Khusalbhai to serve it in the row of saints. As per Maharaj’s order, Khusalbhai started serving in the row. From that half part, all the saints were fed fully, serving two to three times in the row. Gangama was very much surprised by seeing his such capacity. Then Maharaj and Khusalbhai both sat together to dine. While dinning Maharaj showed much love on him. Gangama was looking at this and was wondering who he was. Though he is new, he is very miraculous. At that time luminescence was emitted like jet from Murti of Maharaj and Khusalbhai. Both the forms looked like Maharaj. Gangama was very much surprised and was wondering, who Maharaj was from the two. After some time Maharaj made the luminescence disappeared and gave darsan as He was at first. Thus, Maharaj and Anadi muktas are not separate. Anadi muktas enjoys happiness by remaining engrossed in Murti with the feeling of servant. Therefore, greatness should be understood and happiness is there only in Murti. If one gets attached to it, he will become happy. Therefore, remain engrossed. Jiva is much concerned about the work but causal body cannot be avoided without causal Murti. Therefore insists on meditation and devotional song. Just as illness draws us. Similarly, in all activities tendency should be kept in Maharaj. One should keep love for such Anadi muktas and keep faith and understand their greatness. If there is love and faith, it will do much work and one can become happy in the happiness of Murti.”
In the afternoon on the upper storey of the temple Swami Vrndavandasji said, “Bapa! You are doing much exertion.” Bapasri said, “Swami! Maharaj has decided to load infinite warships (i.e. Maharaj wishes to liberate innumerable jivas). His muktas have the same work. They can make innumerable jivas happy by putting them in the happiness of Murti by a sankalpa only- so where is the question of exertion? This time Maharaj has made the work of salvation very easy. Formerly there were lot of efforts even then salvation was not easy, whereas today young sons of satsangi talk about happiness of Murti. This is all because of the power of Sriji Maharaj and His anadi mukta. Muktas never live separately from Maharaj. Just as Maharaj is giver of salvation, similarly they are like Him. This opportunity is very good. Just see! In this country, there is temple like Aksardham. The power of Sriji Maharaj is very great. He has kept open doors of liberation in every village. Come someone! come someone! ‘Jene joie te avo moksa magva, aj dharmavansine dwar’ (whoever wants liberation, come, come, today to Sriji Maharaj). One should get himself fulfilled knowing that this is the best opportunity.”
Bapasri said, “Who should be called as having met God? The one while doing mental worship, meditation has to be drawn back from Murti and he gets attached to Murti in that way, is called having met and the one who joins seva in such a way that he is required to draw back from seva is called having met. This flowers offered to God Himself also do the work of ultimate liberation. Therefore, we should meditate on God with much love, do katha-varta, hear it, sing devotional songs and learn them. I could orally sing 1100 quadruplets of devotional songs, and sing them with other singers and sing them excitedly. We would sing them in the temple, in the farm. Even today, many boys have been swung away by this intoxication. They would come to the temple, sing devotional songs and once again, when the katha would be over, they would sing and at the end of session would sing. Thus, they would make to sing thrice or four times. In singing devotional songs and learning them, Maharaj and muktas become pleased.” || 44 ||