Prasang 61
The Charity that Grants Moksha
In Samvat 1980, Shastriji Maharaj visited Bhāvnagar at the special request of his staunch devotee, Kuberbhāi. Along with him were Yogiji Maharaj, Nirgun Swami, and other swamis.
One day, Shastriji Maharaj called Kuberbhāi and said, “Today, we are going to go out into the town to beg for alms (collect alms for jholi).”
Hearing this, Kuberbhāi was taken aback. With deep concern, he said, “Swami, my home is here, and there are also many other satsangis’ homes in this town. If you go begging for alms in the streets, it will feel very embarrassing for us!”
But Shastriji Maharaj remained resolute and replied, “Kuberbhāi, your sevā is indeed immense. However, Bhagwān Swaminarayan went out to beg for alms and instructed his paramhansas to do the same. His purpose was to allow countless spiritual seekers to have darshan and attain salvation through their generosity. We must follow his āgnā and go for jholi as well.”
Kuberbhāi could not argue further against Shastriji Maharaj’s firm conviction. That day, as Shastriji Maharaj walked through the streets of Bhāvnagar, he filled the air with the divine chant: “Nārāyan Hare! Sachchidānand Prabho!”
The news spread like wildfire across the town - “Even a respected householder like Kuberbhāi is going out to collect alms with the swamis!” Curious and overwhelmed, hundreds of people gathered to witness this extraordinary sight. Seeing Shastriji Maharaj’s divine and serene presence, the people of Bhāvnagar were drawn toward him, and they generously filled the jholi with offerings. Shastriji Maharaj held one end of the jholi, and Yogiji Maharaj held the other end.
These two Gunatit Sants walked through every alley of Bhavnagar, spreading the divine grace of Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj. It was not just a collection of grains but a grand movement of eternal salvation, inviting all souls toward ultimate liberation.
This was not an isolated event. Shastriji Maharaj performed jholi sevā in many towns, including Sārangpur, Nadiād, Bhādaran, and Dharmaj. One day, Nirgun Swami asked him, “Swami, we are all eager to serve you. Why do you still go out to collect alms yourself?” Shastriji Maharaj responded with deep spiritual wisdom, “For the cause of Akshar-Purushottam, even if I had to sell myself at the home of an outcast, it would still not be enough. (Akshar Purushottam māṭe to shvapachane gher vechāi javun paḍe to pan ochhun chhe.) Every single grain that comes into my jholi - I have vowed to take each and every one of those donors to Akshardham!” Thus, Shastriji Maharaj transformed a simple act of collecting alms into a divine mission of spiritual liberation, ensuring that countless souls were uplifted.
