Last month, we read that Shantilal arrived in Ambli Vali Pol in Ahmedabad, exhausted and not well. Shastriji Maharaj was pleased to see him and blessed him with good health.
Within one day, he had fully recovered, and he received hisinitiation as a parshad. Three months later in Gondal on 10 January 1940, he received his bhagvatidiksha and was initiated asNarayanswarupdas Swami. We will now refer to him as Swamishri.
Earlyyears–Engaging in Seva and Sanskrit studies
Swamishri immersed himself into seva straight awaystarting to help with the construction work in Bochasan, Gondaland Atladra. During the course of his seva he sustained injuries at various times. Once his fingers were injured and another time while helping to prepare limestone during the Atladra construction in the middle of the hot summer, blisters eruptedon his entire body. When Shastriji Maharaj heard about this, he immediately asked young Narayanswarupdas to come to him. As soon as Shastriji Maharaj saw him, he embracedSwamishri and very gently rubbed his hands on his face, hands and legs and blessed him that the blisters woulddisappear. Within seven days, all the blisters did disappear except for one on his nose– which still remained until his later years.
He studied at a number of places includingGondal, Bhadran, Khambhat and Ahmedabad.Shastriji Maharaj would ensure that he received tutorage from the right teacher. For food, he learnt to ask for alms which was the traditional way for sadhus – it helped to sculpt him.
Education also came in the form of lessons of sadhuta (virtues of a saintly sadhu). Among many lessons he learnt fromShastriji Maharaj, one was to always have folded hands, a sign of humility, attentiveness towards agna and following the same, how to engage in a dialogue and help resolve disputes by listening carefully and compassionately. Shastriji Maharaj was also instilling the art of management in his young disciple.
Despite working so hard Swamishri mastered the art of oratory and would deliver exceptional discourses in a loud and confident, but very sweet voice that would engage the minds of the listeners.
Head of Sarangpur – at the age of 25 years
Shastriji Maharaj was very impressed with Swamishri andsoon appointed him as the head of the mandir in Sarangpur in 1946. Despite Swamishri’s veryyoung age, he becamewell respected. During this period, the organisation faced serious financial difficulties. Swamishri was left in a very difficult and precarious situation. He decided to travel to the sanctified places of Gondal, Dwarka and Bhadra to pray for the alleviation of such a dire situation. Upon hearing of the situation, Shastriji Maharaj gave courage to Swamishri.
Appointment as the administrative head of BAPS – at the age of 28
In the meantime,Shastriji Maharaj continued to suffer from ill health. He decided that it was now time to appoint Swamishri as the administrative head of the organisation, as its President (Pramukh). Swamishriwas not at all agreeable to this. However, after receiving three letters and a number of messages from senior devotees, he accepted the position.
Theceremony took place on 21May 1950, again at Ambli Vali Pol in Ahmedabad, where he had received his parshad diksha ten years previously.
Around 70 to 100 devotees had gathered on this occasion.After eating, their used utensilswere spotted by Swamishri. He immediately proceeded to wash all those utensils. And thus was written the first page of his glorious chapter as the new President – who had no problem in being an exemplarysevak. From that day, he was known as‘Pramukh Swami’.
Shastriji Maharaj departs for Akshardham
During his illness,Shastriji Maharajhad told Yogiji Maharaj:“Now Maharaj will call me to Dham. Therefore, I am handing over the responsibility of this Narayanswarupdas to you. Look after him.”
While resting in Sarangpur, Shastriji Maharajexpressed his final wish to visit Gadhpur. On reaching hewas overjoyed at the work that Swamishrihad done. He performed the entire pratishtha rituals to the murtis that were to be installed. He then uttered: “The pratishtha is complete. My rituals are now complete. Jogi Maharaj will come and perform the arti.”
A few days later in Sarangpur, Shastriji Maharajwas seated with Yogiji Maharaj and Swamishri along with other sadhus and devotees. Addressing Swamishri, Shastriji Maharaj said: “The most senior in this Satsang is this Yogi Maharaj.Everyone should act according to his agna.That will please me.”
Shastriji Maharajdeparted for Akshardham soon after on 10 May 1951. His divine body was brought to the banks of the River Falgu and River Utavali to the location where Bhagwan Swaminarayan had performed countless liberating pastimes.
Swamishri watched the final rites of Shastriji Maharaj, filled with tears and sadness. However, with the Akshar-Purushottam philosophy fully ingrained in him, he was fully aware that: ‘Shastriji Maharaj has not left; he remains present in Yogiji Maharaj.’
The clear message isthat this was exactly the same individual whohad “merged from a young boy from a very small village who literally overnight became the head of a vast organisation.”It was as if this was the reason he was born. His incrediblyrapid progress was indeed a testament of his natural ability or perhaps even his divine purpose.
