વચનામૃત ઇતિહાસ
Gadhadā I-1
On Māgshar sud 14, Samvat 1876, about four and a half hours after sunset, Shriji Mahārāj was resting on a cot in the courtyard of His quarters in Gadhadā. Muktānand Swāmi started singing kirtans in the bihāg tune while playing the sarodā. About 10 or 12 pārshads were sleeping near Mahārāj. They said, “Brahmānand Swāmi must be singing since Muktānand Swāmi’s voice is soft whereas Brahmānand Swāmi’s voice is loud.”
Shriji Mahārāj requested Devji Bhakta of Pachccham to check who was singing. After going to the sādhus’ residence and asking from the doorway, Devji Bhakta said that Brahmānand Swāmi is singing. Shriji Mahārāj said, “Let go verify whether Brahmānand Swāmi is indeed singing.”
Using the pretext of verifying who is singing, Shriji Mahārāj went to give darshan to Muktānand Swāmi. Other munis were sleeping while only Muktānand Swāmi, along with Sadguru Ādhārānand Swāmi, was awake and engaged in singing affectionately. Having realized Shriji Mahārāj arrived, both stood up and placed a cot with cushions in the courtyard where Shriji Mahārāj sat down and said, “We came to check who was singing.” All the other sādhus said, “Muktānand Sami sings daily as according to his niyam.” Shriji Mahārāj replied, “I have a great liking for singing kirtans and I’m never satisfied listening to kirtans. I have the same liking for listening to discourses.”
From henceforth, the dialog of the first Vachanāmrut of Gadhadā I-1 starts.
[Haricharitrāmrut Sāgar: 21/1]
In Gadhadā I-1, Sadguru Muktānand Swāmi asks the question, “What type of body does a devotee of God attain when he leaves his physical body, which is composed of the five bhuts, and goes to the abode of God?”
Shriji Mahārāj answers, “… by the wish of God, a devotee attains a divine body composed of Brahma… this is how they reach the abode of God…”
One would wonder why Muktānand Swāmi, an astute sādhu, asks a question about leaving the physical body when Shriji Mahārāj visits him in the middle of the night – a question that does not relate to the previous questions (about constant contemplation on God’s form and the form of māyā).
Although it seems unrelated, Muktānand Swāmi’s question alludes to the event of that time. The incident surrounding this Vachanāmrut is as follows:
Hirābā (daughter of Dādā Khāchar’s sister Pānchubā) became seriously ill, causing everyone sorrow. When Mahārāj heard the news, He visited Pānchubā’s quarter and consoled them, saying, “Hirābā was a Brāhmin during her previous life. I visited her house during my van-vicharan. She served me intensely; hence, the fruit of that service is her birth in Satsang in your family. She had a desire to obtain the bliss of my murti. That wish has been fulfilled so she will now go to dhām. No one needs to grieve.”
Saying this, Mahārāj retired to the Akshar Ordi and Hirābā immediately went to dhām. Everyone in Dādā Khāchar’s darbār began weeping. When Mahārāj heard the weeping, He asked [Mulji] Brahmachāri, “Who is crying?” Brahmachāri replied, “Pānchubā’s daughter Hirābā went to dhām so they are crying.”
Mahārāj said, “I have placed her in my Akshardhām, so in such a joyous moment should one cry or rejoice?” So saying, Mahārāj became disheartened.
[Bhagwān Swāminārāyan – Part 4/177]
From this narrative, it becomes clear that the clouds of mourning that were cast in Dādā Khāchar’s darbār were due to Hirābā’s passing away to Akshardhām. Muktānand Swāmi must have also felt some remorse. Therefore, with the intent to console Dādā Khāchar’s family in any way, Muktānand Swāmi must have asked what happens to a satsangi devotee after he passes away: “What type of body does a devotee of God attain when he leaves his physical body, which is composed of the five bhuts, and goes to the abode of God?” Muktānand Swāmi’s intent is for Dādā Khāchar’s family to hear from Shriji Mahārāj Himself that Hirābā’s passing away is fortunate as she is in Akshardhām with a divine body.
Immediately after Muktānand Swāmi’s question, Harji Thakkar asks Shriji Mahārāj, “Some have been practicing satsang for quite some time, yet they do not harbor the same profound love for the Satsang fellowship as they do for their own body and relatives. What is the reason for this?”
It is worthwhile to understand the background to Harji Thakkar’s question. As noted above, everyone in Dādā Khāchar’s family were mournful of Hirābā’s death. During this time, Mulji Brahmachāri went to get Mahārāj’s thāl from the darbār as was the usual routine. The thāl was covered with a cloth so Mulji Brahmachāri did not realize what he was bringing. When he placed it in front of Mahārāj and removed the cloth, Mahārāj asked in surprise, “Brahmachāri, what is this?” Brahmachāri was bewildered. But recalling Hirābā’s death, He said, “Since everyone in the darbār is still in mourning, they sent bhadku (a type of porridge made from dried grains) today as may be their custom during mourning.”
Amusingly, Mahārāj asked, “How long will this last?” Brahmachāri replied, “Thirteen to fourteen days at least.” The mourning led to a lapse in serving Mahārāj! Harji Thakkar seems to be aware of this incident since he lived in Gadhadā. Naturally, this question must have arose in his mind since Shriji Mahārāj has been residing in Gadhadā from around Samvat 1860 or 1861 till this point – a span of 16 years. Therefore, Harji Thakkar uses the words “some have been practicing satsang for quite some time…” implying a great duration of time when asking his question.
Moreover, the fact that Hirābā was Harji Thakkar’s mother in her previous life has been passed down from sadguru sādhus. She had a wish to serve Mahārāj food with her own hands; and was born as Hirābā to fulfill that wish.
[Bhagwān Swāminārāyan – Part 4/177]
If we accept the fact that Hirābā was Harji Thakkar’s mother, then we can surmise that Harji Thakkar must have also known this fact. Naturally, one experiences intense joy when reuniting with a person or object one has previously lost. One’s love increases longing for someone in their absence. In a sense, Harji Thakkar reunited with his “lost” mother in the form of Hirābā.
Dādā Khāchar’s family was with Hirābā for about 5 years, whereas Harji Thakkar’s relation with Hirābā was years old. If anyone should mourn, it would be Harji Thakkar rather than Dādā Khāchar’s family. Yet, Harji Thakkar is not sorrowful at Hirābā’s passing away. On the contrary, everyone in the darbār are affected so much so that they lapsed in Mahārāj’s sevā. Hence, the reason for Harji Thakkar’s question stems from the thought: “If anyone should be sorrowful, it should be me but why are they all so disturbed that they served Mahārāj bhadku?”
