Listen, all people, once more to Shri Maharaj's greatness — I have heard beautiful wonders that Shri Bhagwan has fulfilled. In Dhandhavya region, in Nardipur, there lived a Brahmin devotee named Titaram, a devotee of Maharaj alone, while the rest of the village opposed him. The opponents said with their mouths, "This devotion is of a different kind. A plane (vimaan) will come to fetch him — believe this Vedic prophecy." Renouncing others' wealth, others' wives, and other such vices, he remembered the name Swaminarayan through all eight watches of the day.
They spoke sweetly out of mischief: "Such devotion has never been seen anywhere. This is truly a great devotee — all of you keep watch over him. A plane will come to fetch him, and Bhagwan will come himself. So all remain alert, and whoever learns of it, tell the others. Do not stay behind and miss the darshan — remain watchful, day and night." One said, "I will go along, holding the plane's railing in hand."
Thus they spoke in mischief, young and old alike, children and elders together. As they said this, some days passed, and in due time Titaram gave up his body through the working of time. A plane came to fetch him, with many sadhus and Bhagwan accompanying it. It shone like a crore of suns, that extraordinary plane.
The village was covered in its radiance, and men and women were struck with wonder. All said, "Right over my house — Nath has directed the chariot toward Tita's home!" "Brothers, all our mischief-making — this has not turned out false at all." The plane went to Tita's house and took him away in fine fashion.
As if taking leave to go to another village, Tito departed, his purpose accomplished. Seeing this wonder, the people were astonished, and everyone said, "Blessed, blessed." "Such a thing has never been seen or heard — a manifest plane came and took him away." True was that devotee's devotion — what wonder occurred, how much can be told?
Also in Dhandhavya region there is a village called Prantij, where there lives a devotee. There, discourse on Hari happens always, and a true sadhu gives true teaching there. All the people come to listen, and hearing the account they become joyful. There was a metalworker named Kanji, who became a satsangi, abandoning bad company. He had formerly been a follower of Kabir, and Kabirpanthis came together to his house.
They said, "Brother, what fault is there in Kabir — how have you decided Swami is the true one?" "Let Swami prove it himself to us — if he is truly Swami, let him eat with us." Saying this, they brought a ball of iron, heated somewhat red-hot. They said, "Now lift this — since you believe Swami to be true. If it does not burn you, it will convince us; if you remain unharmed, we will believe."
Then the metalworker made his prayer: "Take care of me, Lord of Golok." Saying this, he lifted the ball and showed it to everyone. He said, "Sinners, see this wonder — become satsangis, or lose your birth in vain! See, my hands have not been burned even a little — believe Swami is true, foolish ones."
Thus Sahajanandji helps his devotees in distress; thus the wonder was fulfilled by Bhagwan, but if one is sinful, one still does not believe. In the Chadotar region, in the village of Vaso, lived a Brahmin devotee named Dado Bhai; his daughter Jamuna had achieved happy samadhi always. One day, in samadhi, this woman came before Maharaj.
She had darshan of the great Lord, and seeing Nath she was overjoyed. Whatever Shri Maharaj said in conversation, she heard it directly. Exceedingly joyful upon seeing Nath, Jamuna spoke with folded hands: "Show me the grace of your prasadi — give me a cloth to take home."
At that time Nath was bathing, and he wiped his body with his own hand with a cloth. He wiped his body with that cloth and gave it to Jamuna, that Beloved One. "Jamuna, go now to your own home — you have been here a long while." Then Jamuna returned to her body, bringing a manifest cloth with her.
The extraordinary does not enter the ordinary, but whatever does come thus is proven extraordinary. Thus, extraordinarily, one cloth Jamuna received, and she was made joyful by it. Such is Maharaj's greatness — what can be said fully by mouth?
Also in Chadotar, in the village of Changa, lived a devotee, a bard (Bhat) named Nathu. His relatives too were satsangis, worshipping the Lord with children's joy. All the children were prone to samadhi, meditating on the manifest Lord. They would go into concentration and come before the Lord, having his darshan with great joy.
The compassionate one called to them with love: "Go home now, all you children." Saying this, he gave them prasad — pedas, patasa, sugar, and more; garlands of flowers, tussled crests, and bunches of roses he gave them. Having received the prasad, the children came back, coming to their bodily awareness.
When the children woke and looked, they saw manifest proof: the pedas, patasa, and sugar they distributed to everyone. The garlands, crests, and flower-strands they saw, astonished at this manifest proof. Seeing an otherworldly thing in this world, everyone said, "Blessed, blessed."
Let me also tell one more story from that place — good to hear, well known. There was a Kanbi named Vasandas, exceedingly absorbed in farming. He worked eight watches of the day at this labor, and never took the Lord's name upon his mouth. Exceedingly quick to anger, easily irritated, the whole village avoided him out of fear.
Then, through the working of time, he gave up his body, and after death he became a black cobra. He remained in his own field as a serpent, exceedingly sharp, like a flame of fire. He allowed no cattle or thief near it, forcing entry and taking their lives.
As this continued, Maharaj came to that very field to bathe. He saw the compassionate one performing his ablutions, and the serpent was struck with astonishment. "This is the complete Brahman himself — beholding him I have become sinless. From today I resolve: as long as I live, I shall take no life. I shall remain without poison, entirely gentle, giving up anger and rage completely.
"From today I shall keep this vow, remaining exceedingly humble." Such saintliness the serpent adopted; yet whoever met it afterward still gave it trouble. One day the sons and grandsons together struck and killed this very serpent. Then, being bitten, someone else was possessed by it, and the serpent began speaking through that person, saying:
"Why do you kill me without fault — what harm have I done to you? The day I met Maharaj, that day my task was accomplished. I now go about without venom, having darshan of Swami and his sadhus. Having done this, I shall now give up my body — none will have fortune like mine.
"When I give up this body, Nath will come to fetch me. Believe this, all of you — there is not the slightest falsehood in it." Thus the serpent spoke these words, and all who heard were astonished. See the greatness of Swami Shriji, by which even a serpent attained liberation. Brothers, this is truly an extraordinary matter — accept that this wonder occurred as fact.
Also, in the village of Pipalav, there lived a Brahmin devotee, Het Bai, who attained samadhi always, entering the Lord's presence. Whatever prasad she received in that concentrated state remained manifest in this world, that princely gift. She gave good sugar to everyone, and seeing it people were astonished, saying, "This has never happened at any time before — the compassionate one has done this now."
Wonders occur moment by moment — how can they all be written down? Where the Lord is present, what wonder is there in this? I tell it, all you people, accept it as true.