વચનામૃત પ્રસંગ

Gadhadā I-44

Samvat 1953, Junagadh. Harilālbhāi, Shivlāl Sheth’s grandson, had arranged for a month-long Satsangijivan pārāyan in Junagadh. Four purānis read the kathā in turn during the month. When the pārāyan ended, everyone was faced with a dilemma: which purāni’s pujan should be done first? Everyone discussed among themselves who it should be and had concluded that it should be the senior and experienced purāni Haridās. His pujan was going to be done first when the talk went to Harilālbhāi, who was known to speak his mind. He instantly said, “Whoever’s kathā was most effective should be honored first. By listening to Shāstri Yagnapurushdāsji’s kathā, I experienced great joy; moreover, everyone else also listened with keen interest. Therefore, his pujan should be done first.”

Those who bore malice started a turmoil. In order to insult Shāstriji Mahārāj and disparage his guru, Ghanshyāmdās stood up and said, “Today, the one who has made a tailor and a shoemaker his guru has become prominent; such is the adverse time.”

Shāstriji Mahārāj was still seated on the dais and gathering the pages of the scripture when Ghanshyāmdās made his retort. Shāstriji Mahārāj roared like a lion in defense, “The right to become a guru is not reserved for sadhus only. Mahārāj has said: as long as he continues to harbour vanity of his caste or āshram, he will never imbibe the virtues of a sādhu. (Gadhadā I-44) Where is your sādhutā if you identify a devotee of Bhagwān only by his caste due to your self-conceit? Prāgji Bhakta and Jāgā Bhakta have received the blessing of Gunātitānand Swāmi. Mahārāj will not tolerate such derogatory words spoken against them.” Ghanshyāmdās was subdued by Shāstriji Mahārāj’s defense and couldn’t speak any further. The others also became silent.

After Shāstriji Mahārāj walked off the stage, he addressed the assembly again and said, “Only because of malice and to disparage Prāgji Bhakta and Jāgā Bhakta did this sadhu speak. However, many of the senior sadhus here know how Prāgji Bhakta and Jāgā Bhakta served Gunātitānand Swāmi and pleased him. If we truly know how great they were, yet we do not answer back in order to save our face, then we should be called vimukh according to Shriji Mahārāj’s words.” Shāstriji Mahārāj sat down having said that.

[Brahmaswarup Shāstriji Mahārāj: 1/180]