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SPECIAL FEATURE                                                          APRIL 07, 2023  |   The Indian Eye 14



                                               TOWARDS BETTER LIVING


                      Wisdom from the life and talks of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj


        Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s Devotion to God




        Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life was a testament to his devotion to God. Throughout his life, he emphasized the importance of devotion
         to God in one’s daily life. One of the hallmarks of Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s devotion to God was his unwavering faith. He inspired

             his followers to trust in God and to surrender to His will. Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s devotion to God was reflected in his life.

               n the morning of September                                                                     had the darshan of Bhagwan Swam-
               2, 1980, the auspicious day                                                                    inarayan.
        Oof Janmashtami, Pramukh                                                                                  After the surgery, everybody in-
        Swami Maharaj arrived in Boston by                                                                    sisted to Swamishri that he should
        road from New York. After a medi-                                                                     sleep. Swamishri did not wish to
        cal examination for his ripe cataracts,                                                               sleep. Still, he closed his eyes af-
        Swamishri departed to return to New                                                                   ter everyone left the room. But, he
        York. To ease the fatigue from the                                                                    couldn’t sleep. Standing at a dis-
        8-hour two-way commute, Swamishri                                                                     tance, the swamis had a special
        accepted the sadhus’ request to sleep                                                                 darshan – as if Maharaj had come
        on the rear seat of the van. Thakor-                                                                  in person for Swamishri! Humbly,
        ji (the murti of  Bhagwan Swamina-                                                                    with folded hands, Swamishri was
        rayan) was also placed to rest on the                                                                 making gestures as if he was saying
        upper berth of the van. The sun had                                                                   something. Briefly, he would fold his
        set. Then, while the van was traveling                                                                hands, then he would say something.
        smoothly on the broad highway, a                                                                      Then, he would relax his hands, and
        sudden loud thud of something falling                                                                 concentrate as if listening to some-
        down was heard amid the darkness.                                                                     thing. This continued for about
        Along with the others, Swamish-                       His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj              twenty minutes. After a few days,
        ri  suddenly  sat  up,  asking,  “What                                                                the secret of this silent conversation
        happened?  What fell down?” One   murti.  Such  was his  exemplary  de-  Parliament or a Nairobi City Crest   was revealed. When an attendant
        swami replied,  “Thakorji fell down   votion towards God. Such devotion   presentation, a meeting with Pope   swami asked Swamishri, he said, “At
        from  above.”  The  statement  was   is described in the scriptures, but   John Paul II in Vatican City or a   that time, I was having the darshan
        like a jolt to Swamishri. Tearfully, he   Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s life was a   meeting with The Dalai Lama, a visit   of Thakorji in all the mandirs.” Ev-
        continually stroked his hand all over   living form of devotion.    to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi   eryone  realized  that  Swamishri  re-
        the body of Maharaj while repeated-                                 at the invitation of President of India   mained constantly engrossed in Tha-
        ly saying, “Maharaj, please forgive.   Swamishri did not Stand Up   Zail Singh or a suvarna tula honor   korji even when alone and under the
        Maharaj, please forgive.” It was as if   On 13 June 1988, during a ses-  by devotees – Swamishri always kept   effect of medications.
        Swamishri felt responsible for the fall   sion of the Canadian Parliament,   the murti of Bhagwan Swaminarayan   In Ahmedabad, Swamishri ar-
        and that Thakorji had been injured.   Hon. John Fraser, the Speaker,   at  the  forefront,  because  he  firmly   rived at an assembly. He saw that the
        Remorsefully, Swamishri started   stood up to felicitate Swamishri, de-  believed  that  the  honors  were  first   seat for Thakorji was behind his own
        prostrating in the van… one…two…  claring, “I wish to draw the attention   to be offered to Thakorji, whereas   seat. So, he immediately called one
        three…five…ten…twenty…twen-       of members to the presence of Pra-  he was merely a medium. He often   of the organizing swamis and said,
        ty-five…  Despite  his  own  ill  health   mukh Swami Maharaj, Head of the   said that whatever greatness there is,   “My seat should never be ahead of
        and exhaustion, he continued pros-  BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in the   is due solely to Thakorji.     Thakorji’s  seat.  Bear  this  in  mind
        trating. Yet, in his mind, he was still   gallery.”                                                   always. Fix it in your mind. Remem-
        not satisfied. To please Thakorji, he   And with thundering applause,      Staunch Devotion           ber this. Not just for today or for this
        lovingly offered food, and afterward   the members of parliament looked   At Khambhala  Hill Hospital   place only but remember this norm
        sat silently throughout the remainder   up towards the VIP gallery to have   in Mumbai, Swamishri had an op-  forever.”
        of the journey, devoutly turning his   darshan of Swamishri. But Pramukh   eration  to  remove  a  lump  from  his   Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s de-
        rosary. Even on reaching New York,   Swami Maharaj did not stand up to   thigh. When Swamishri regained   votion towards God reveals how ev-
        his heart remained unalleviated.  receive the felicitation. Instead, he   consciousness, everyone thought of   ery spiritual seeker can learn the art
            Thakorji had fallen was not his   first made the swami who was hold-  showing Swamishri the orange-sized   of leading a God-centered life.
        fault. But their bond was different.  ing the murti of Bhagwan Swamina-  tumor that had been removed. Swa-
            Swamishri offered devotion and   rayan stand up.                mishri did not give any response, but   Atmaswarupdas Swami
        service to Thakorji with the firm con-  Whatever the occasion, big or   asked instead, “Where is Maharaj?”   BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
        viction that he was manifest in the   small – an honor in the Canadian   He  put  on  the  spectacles  and  first











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