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Bhaktachintamani Prakaran 31

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Hasmukh Patadia

Gujarati narration
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Let me tell one more story; listen, everyone, with full attention. I shall tell the nectar-like deeds of the merciful Krishnadev.

By the Lord's grace, Gopal Yogi beheld his own soul in its unbroken, unparalleled form, and, uniting it with Brahman, attained the nature of Brahman itself.

Such was the yoga Gopal Yogi learned; Shri Hari himself, out of love, had taught it to him. Through it, he at once attained the state of Brahman,

realizing his own true form as the radiant, luminous Self. Then it became clear to the yogi: "How could this one be called a mere human?"

When true knowledge had thus arisen in him, Gopal Yogi spoke: "Nara-Narayan, king of sages, has come here in the form of a brahmachari.

For the sake of countless souls, the Lord has himself become manifest." Having thus resolved with certainty that this brahmachari was indeed Narayan,

he held meditation upon him, his awareness fixed single-mindedly on that divine form. Thereby he forgot his own body, so absorbed was he in that form,

knowing that he had found the greatest happiness, and that everything else seemed false by comparison. Thus even so great a yogi as Gopal forgot his body for a time,

and when this forgetfulness became complete, he let go of his illusory body. Then, by the grace of Shri Krishna, the yogi himself went to Goloka.

Then the brahmachari Nilkanth performed the proper funeral rites for him. Then, leaving that place, the Lord traveled eastward,

remaining ever in the unbroken form of Brahman, walking as Brahman himself in Brahman's own form. With his gaze fixed steadily at the tip of his nose, he walked on like an arrow shot from a bow,

his vision fixed unwaveringly upon Krishna, seeing neither body nor universe. Having no path but by direction alone, he went from there to Adi-Varaha (a sacred site).

He remained there three days, and the people of that place had his darshan. Beholding him, they were filled with great joy, thinking, "Has Brihaspati himself come here?"

Thus, having given joy to the people, he departed from there. He went into Bengal, and came to the great city of Sripur.

Its king was named Siddhavallabh; the Lord went there without seeking it out himself. That king prayed to him and, with full devotion, kept him there through the rainy season (chaumasu).

Seeing him as exceedingly renounced and utterly alone, the king assigned one servant to attend him. His name was Gopaldas, who served him and remained always by his side.

There, many others in ascetic garb had also been kept there for the rainy season. They were steeped in the mode of ignorance (tamas), given to bodily identification, worshippers of petty deities.

They wore various different guises - some shaven, some with long hair, some naked, some wearing loincloths, some keeping no new garment at all.

Among them were about a hundred so-called ascetics who sat in the sun. Some were brahmacharis, some sannyasis, some hansas (renunciants), some udasis (mendicants).

Some spoke of the goddess Kali, some of Bechraji; some worshipped as followers of Bhairav, some worshipped Bhavani or practiced yogini rites.

Some called themselves sages, some spoke constantly, some kept their eyes closed day and night. Some were ash-smeared ascetics, some vagabonds - such an assortment of odd characters gathered there.

Some claimed to be perfected siddhas of various shady sorts, mixed together in that crowd. The king, thinking them all great siddhas, provided each a fine cook,

gave them seats and bedding, and honored them generously. Then the yogis spoke boastfully, each telling tales of their own miraculous powers.

As this went on, the rainy season arrived, with strong winds and disturbances. Lightning flashed again and again, and the clouds poured down in torrents.

It thundered terribly with great crashes, and water poured down ceaselessly. Such continuous downpour began that floods spread across the land.

In the midst of this the Lord lay sleeping, sand piling upon his body. Then in the morning his servant came and pulled him out of the mud.

The clouds rained on with heavy downpour, so that one could not open one's eyes for even a moment. Thus for four months the rain poured; how long could such claimed powers hold up?

Exceedingly troubled by the rains, the so-called siddhas fled away night after night. Slowly, the siddhas all vanished, and people began to mock them,

saying, "The great siddhas have all run off - look, their seats stand empty!" Only the brahmachari remained seated, and beholding him, men and women bowed to him,

saying, "Here alone is a true siddha - the rest were frauds who fled away." The king, too, bowed to him, recognizing Hari as truly great, and regarded the others as false.

The Lord's honor increased greatly, and he ceased to honor the others. Because of this, many of the others grew resentful, and they gathered together to attack him.

Casting black lentils with mantras upon him, whatever they did proved false and ineffective. Then, upon the servant who attended him, called Gopaldas,

one of them cast a spell, and he fell to the ground, unable even to turn over. Foam came to his mouth upon being struck, and everyone said he would not live.

Then the king summoned the siddha responsible and told him he must revive the servant himself. The siddha, full of arrogance, said, "Let the brahmachari revive him if he can."

Then the king came and, with folded hands, said, "O Lord, please revive him." Then Hari went to him, and, reciting the Krishna mantra, revived him.

He rose at once without delay, and all who saw it were struck with wonder. They said, "This one is surely Krishna himself - what great fortune to have his darshan!"

And the men and women also said, "If not Krishna himself, he is surely a great devotee of Krishna." Then the spell that the siddha had cast

fell back upon his own head, in accordance with proper justice. He fell crashing to the ground, dust filling his mouth.

Foam came to his mouth, his jaw slack, hovering between life and death. Then he called for his fellow siddhas, summoning them with many pleas for remedies,

but not the slightest change occurred. Then he made supplication to Hari. The Lord then came to him, recited the mantra, and revived him.

Then the siddha and the king together praised Hari greatly. The king, recognizing his greatness, took refuge in him along with his household.

Whatever conduct that siddha had followed - casting spells to fill his own belly - Nilkanth broke that fear, and all people became fearless of it.

They brought clothes and wealth and offered them before him, but what use had the renunciate Hari for such things? At about this time, a Telugu brahmin arrived, bringing his wife and son with him.

He was learned in the Vedas, scriptures and Puranas, a brahmin renowned throughout the land. He came to King Siddhavallabh, hoping to receive a gift (dan) in reward for his learning.

Then that righteous king, recognizing his learning, gave him a great gift - an elephant and, along with it, a slave called Kaal Purush. Upon receiving it, the brahmin's skin turned black as ink.

His fair complexion turned dark, and the village began to mock him for it. Then the brahmin came to Hari, speaking with great humility and distress:

"O Maharaj, I was already troubled before, and hoped to become happy by receiving this gift. But instead great new trouble has come upon me - what use is my life now?

So I shall now give up this body, unless you yourself save me." Then Hari, recognizing the brahmin's distress, took compassion upon him, being merciful.

He recited the Krishna mantra into his ear, and his dark complexion turned fair once more. Then the brahmin fell at his feet, saying, "I have now found true refuge in the human world."

Then, singing the Lord's praises, the brahmin returned to his own land. Such was the Lord's great power, bringing happiness to many by cutting away their sorrow.

Renunciation and detachment dwelt exceedingly in his heart; the great sage conducted himself thus toward all. As this went on, the rainy season passed, and Kartik arrived, the season of Ashwin having ended.

Then the king honored Hari and the other siddhas greatly and with proper rites. Then all departed from there, Hari and many other siddhas together.

They came to the forest of the goddess Kamakshi, and all the siddhas settled in a garden there. Then, to prepare their meal, the whole company gathered together.

Nearby was a village where a brahmin named Pibaik dwelt. Hearing that a company of siddhas had arrived, he rose at once, burning with envy,

saying, "I shall shatter their claimed powers and keep them as my slaves. Watch how, by the Mother Goddess's grace, unsought prey has come right to my door."

Thus in the Bhaktachintamani, composed by Nishkulanand Muni, disciple of Shri Sahajanand Swami, the establisher of the exclusive path of devotion, ends the thirty-first chapter, named "The Deeds of Shri Hari."

Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Bhuj-Kutch / Vadtal Gadi, AI-translated, unverified · Source details