Prayer Offered by Yogiji Maharaj

at the Birthplace of Shastriji Maharaj in Mahelav

On the morning of 9 December 1966, Yogiji Maharaj was at Mahelav, the birthplace of Shastriji Maharaj. There, at the pilgrim place Yogiji Maharaj was engrossed in profound devotion to his guru. It was as if Shastriji Maharaj in person was seated in front of him.

Just as the ocean leaps and dances on seeing the moon, likewise waves of devotion sprang forth from this ocean of divinity. This is a collection of the ‘droplets’ of devotion which emerged from the devotionally charged occasion.

This Mahelav is the birthplace of our guru. Its greatness is incredible. Shastriji Maharaj was born here (in this house). This soil is more divine than that of even Vrundavan. The trees and bushes, and each particle of earth is sacred. He stayed here for 11 years. He would pluck stalks of tulsi seeds and use them as spires for his sand-mandirs.

He showed Jethabhai Mistry, who wanted to build a mandir, where to place its pillars. Jethabhai was pleased and said, “Such great insight at so young an age!” As a child he always came first in studies. He studied at the village school. Now, instead of the school, there is a clock tower and a pilgrims’ rest-house. When we first came here for katha, Chaturbhai praised Swami greatly.

Mahelav is a place of such great sanctity. We have come here, so we should pray that we become virtuous like him. Swami was very devout. He loved Thakorji immensely.

The celebrations (of Shastriji Maharaj’s Birth Centenary) will be in Gondal. Thousands of devotees will come to Mahelav. Devotees from Africa and London will also take this opportunity. May they have darshan of the Akshar Deri, Mahuva, Bhadra, Dangra and Mahelav. A pilgrimage to all these places should be arranged.

Swami Shastriji Maharaj was a disciple of Vignananand Swami. (Shastriji Maharaj) was immeasurably great. He went to Mahuva and served Bhagatji. He stayed in Bhadrod. He served Bhagatji intuitively. He served Jaga Bhagat.

In Rajkot he associated with Ada. When Bhagatji left his body, Swami received the news in Rajkot. Ramji Bhatt was sitting with him at the time. He said, “The earth’s auspiciousness has now gone, for Bhagatji was auspiciousness on this earth.” But Shastriji Maharaj explained, “The Satpurush never leaves the earth.” Then they discussed this.

Now let us pray in this most sacred Mahelav:

O Shastriji Maharaj! Grant us such virtues that we may always remain in the trials you put us through and at your holy feet. Bless us that we maintain feelings of suhradhaybhav for all your devotees. May our minds never split. May we never attribute human traits (to you) and only perceive you as divine. Bless us that whatever the nature of those in your association, we may view them as crowns on our heads.

‘Tulsi jyake mukhan se...’ Grant us the intellect to never develop a rift with anyone and the insight to recognise all those who are attached to you. Please gift us with an intellect like yours.

You are the manifest form of Gunatit. Maharaj resides within you at all times, so grant us the virtues of nirman, nirmoh and others that you have. Look upon us with grace, so that we, too, may learn these virtues.

May we be able to spread your glory in this world, revealing who you were. What you have accomplished can never be done by us. But we are your disciples, so give us strength. Grant such strength and knowledge that thousands may be attracted to your divine form. May obstinacy, conceit and jealousy never arise in us. May the feelings of tamogun and rajogun never arise in us. Grant us the virtues you have. Give us a divine intellect in this birthplace of yours.

We request that may we pray today, and then not break our promise to you tomorrow. We pray that our mind remains firmly rooted in your form. Grant us an intellect that enables us to describe your virtues. Twenty four hours a day, may laziness never enter our hearts. May we realize the glory of your disciples. May we never be idle at any time. Grant us the ability, strength and enlightenment to continually sing the praises of your virtues. Grace us that we develop a strong inclination for spiritual discourses, that we remain distant from worldly talks, that the appeal for such conversation departs, and that we develop love towards you. And may we never listen to worldly talks in our life.

May we pray to you and remember you, day and night and never forget you. May we also have the same feelings for your devotees that we have for you. May we not see their human faults. You are kaivalya-murti; bless us that we see your devotees as kaivalya-murti also. Enable us to behold your devotees as divine. Let no love for this body remain. May we become attached to your form. We pray that we develop virtues. (We know) you would never abandon us. So if we cling to you, you will hold us. But if we attribute faults to your devotees, you will forsake us, even if we be your disciples. May we always retain and firmly follow dharma, niyam, agna, upasana, sadbhav and paksh. For this we pray day and night.

Today is the auspicious 12th. We have prayed at five-thirty in the morning. So bless us always with wisdom, strength and illumination. Bless us that we always remain in Satsang. Grant us suhradbhav for devotees of God. You possessed innumerable ocean like virtues that cannot be described. Bless us that such virtues develop within us. Day and night we pray that we see all as without fault, develop suhradbhav for all and that we practice our upasana resolutely. Grant us the virtues asked for here.

May we never become self-willed, but always obey your commands. One who is self-willed may appear virtuous, but he has no virtues. O Shastriji Maharaj! You incarnated, and by serving the holy Sadhu, became virtuous. In the same way we pray to you to grant us virtues. Keep us under your divine vision, and may we experience unbroken bliss and tranquility.

O Shastriji Maharaj! You took birth here, recited the story of the Mahabharat and studied. Your father came to Surat to take you back home. He made you sit in a cart, but you changed his inner self. Although young, you worshipped God. You returned directly to Surat. Viharilalji Maharaj said, “I’d like you to serve in the kothar.” But Vignananand Swami said, “I’d like to keep you in my service.” Finally, how can one who has met Shriji Maharaj in person be denied? A yagna was performed, thousands of Brahmins came. You were given initiation in Samvat 1939 (1883 CE). Many are made sadhus but a yagna is not held. But a yagna was held and you were initiated as a sadhu. Thus you were named Yagnapurushdas. That was the divine state of Swami. We pray that we also become similarly enlightened.

May the sadhus who study in Mumbai attain the degree of Acharya. May their wisdom flourish, negligence and laziness disappear and may they become ekantik. Swami’s birthplace is a kalpavruksh. Grant us our every wish. Grant us our wishes for gnan and bhakti. You are here to bestow.

Grant us with such an intellect that we never do anything that brings sadness to the Lord and His Sadhu. We pray that our mind never changes, but remains forever unchanging. Because I have served such a person (Shastriji Maharaj) I experience peace within. I have obeyed him intuitively.

Rupram Thakar did not serve sugar to Maharaj, so he was distressed by regret. Rudabhai did not give his oxen and he also later burned with regret. May such distress not arise within us. We pray that we may understand your teachings. Grant us such virtues that ignorance does not remain in our intellect and we become enlightened. You are eager to bestow virtues. May you forever look upon us. May we never see flaws in the devotees of God.

Before Jinabhai of Panchala died, Maharaj said, “Do you want to ask anything about (your son) Hathi?” Then Jinabhai said, “If he becomes Your devotee, then You will take care of him. If he does not become a devotee, You will not care for him even if I say so.” Likewise, Swami! If we become your devotees, you will be pleased with us. And if we do not proclaim your name, then you will not be pleased.

After such an association, may we never remain in sorrow but instead remain ever jubilant. Grant us that anger, fraud, arrogance and the inclination to betray, do not remain within us.

You are here to give. May our feelings that you are faultless and divine, and our association with you always remain. This mandir has now become big. We do darshan. This is now a place of pilgrimage. We experience great peace and joy. This supreme shrine is only a few kilometres from Vartal. We pray that a three-pinnacled mandir is consecrated here and Akshar Purushottam Maharaj and you are enthroned.

Improve the mundane lives of hundreds of thousands. May famous ministers and professors bow their heads here. May they become your disciples. We pray that through your sadhus the name of Swaminarayan is awakened everywhere.

May we remain engrossed in prayers day and night. May our laziness and carelessness go. Grant us virtue that our intellect always sees everyone without fault.

May my habit of loudly clearing my throat, thus not allowing anyone to read, and my laziness all (faults) go away.

May we offer you devotion 24 hours a day. May we not leave you. Grant us virtues that the memories of your murti remain. On this twelfth day, may our work be completed.

In this way, Shastriji Maharaj, we have described your virtues and remembered you. As you beheld Maharaj and Swami, may we behold you.

You are hungry for nirdosh-buddhi. If we retain nirdosh-buddhi toward your devotees, then you will love us. But if we abandon it, then you will not allow us to sit close to you and will drive us away.

You are present to bestow virtues. Come, let us all chant the dhun for five minutes, so that virtues may be granted to us.