Sachchidānand Swāmi

Paramhansas

In Kishore Satsang Pravesh, Sachchidanand Swami’s narrative is as follows:

Everybody used to address him as Motabhai, but his real name was Dajibhai. He was seven feet tall and had a strong body. He was from the Vaghela Kshatriya community. This devotee from the town of Moda (near Jamnagar) was always engrossed in devotion to God, just like Jadbharat. His family did not like his intense spirituality.

From the first time he met Shriji Maharaj, Motabhai was completely attracted by Maharaj’s murti and harboured an intense desire to become a sadhu. Thus, he frequently ran away from home to Shriji Maharaj. Annoyed by this, his family put fetters on his legs and locked him in a room. Motabhai remembered Shriji Maharaj. Maharaj soon appeared before him, broke the fetters and took Motabhai to Gadhada.

In Gadhada, Motabhai was initiated into the sadhu-fold and renamed Sachchidanand Swami. Sachidananand Swami had great love for Shriji Maharaj. His mind was constantly attached to Maharaj’s murti. Whenever he was separated from Maharaj, blood would ooze from every pore of his body. Many times he even fainted.

As instructed by Maharaj, Swami had the Radha Vav dug. Near this well, he cultivated a beautiful garden of flowers. Daily, Swami would offer decoratively interwoven garlands and flower bracelets to Shriji Maharaj.

Just as he had a deep affection for Maharaj, Swami also had a great affinity for Satsang. He often said, “Even if my legs are cut off, I will drag myself to where all sadhus throw the remnants of their food, sit there, eat those remnants and remain in Satsang. But I will never leave Satsang.”

nce, Shriji Maharaj was giving special vows to be observed during chaturmas. Sachchidanand Swami took a vow, “I will not to sleep for four months and will sit cross-legged, with a stone on each thigh, to meditate on Shriji Maharaj during the night.

In a time of drought the devotees prayed to Shriji Maharaj for rain but Maharaj refused to oblige and said, “It won’t rain this year as Indra has become angry.”

The devotees became worried. They came to Sachchidanand Swami and shared their worries. Swami said, “I cannot do anything without the consent of Shriji Maharaj, otherwise he will become displeased.”

But the devotees persistently requested, “If Maharaj scolds you, we will bear the brunt of the consequences, but please have pity on us.”

Tenderhearted and compassionate, Swamiji sat in samadhi. In the state of samadhi, he gave a kick to Indra, woke him up and asked him to shower rain. Soon there was plentiful rainfall.

When Shriji Maharaj came to know that Sachchidanand Swami had brought the rains, he immediately excommunicated him from Satsang. Swami sat on the opposite bank of the River Ghela and began to offer devotion. Two days passed without food and water. He was very thirsty, but he did not give up chanting Maharaj’s name.

Shriji Maharaj was sitting in his room, Akshar Ordi, and began to feel very thirsty. The attendant Brahmachari served him plenty of water, but his thirst was not quenched. Then Maharaj said, “Serve water to the Swami who is very thirsty.” Ratanji and Miyaji understood the significance of these words. They ran with sanctified water from Shriji Maharaj to the opposite bank of river Ghela and served water to Sachchidanand Swami. It was only when Swami drank the water that Shriji Maharaj’s thirst was quenched. Such was Sachchidanand Swami’s oneness with Maharaj. Shriji Maharaj then called Sachchidanand Swami back into Satsang.

In the last moments before Shriji Maharaj returned to his divine abode, Sachchidanand Swami stopped his own pulse and breathing and went to Akshardham ahead of Shriji Maharaj.

On seeing him there, Maharaj immediately commanded, “Return to your body again!”

“I won’t be able to stay there. I will not be able to endure the separation from you,” Swami urged repeatedly. Shriji Maharaj then gave him sanctified water to drink and promised to bring him to Akshardham within six months. Only then did Swami come back into the body. Unable to bear separation from Maharaj, Swami still refused to eat or drink anything. Soon after, Shriji Maharaj took Sachchidanand Swami to Akshardham.

Such was Sachchidananad Swami’s deep love for Shriji Maharaj.