21 - A Great Lesson

As the glory of Abjibhai spread around, people used to call him ‘Bhaishri’ or ‘Bhai’ out of respect. Bhaishri was meditating in orchard. Bhimabhai, Khimjibhai, Nathjibhai, Laxmibhai etc. came for his Darshan. Bhimabhai observed, ‘It seems Bhaishri is not around.’

Laxmibhai looked around and said, ‘May be he is visiting some place.’ Khimjibhai pointed out, ‘No, he has not gone anywhere. There he is under the tree.’

Nathjibhai suggested, ‘Bhaishri is meditating. Let us go and sit next to him.’ Khimjibhai cautioned everybody, ‘Please don’t talk, otherwise Bhaishri would be distracted.’ Cool breeze was blowing. Bhimabhai said, ‘Breeze is really soothing. I hope I do not fall asleep.’

Nathjibhai agreed, ‘I am also feeling drowsy for a long time. If I doze off, Laxmibhai, please wake me up when Bhaishri comes out of meditation.’ Khimjibhai also requested, ‘Laxmibhai, please wake me up too!’ All of them dozed off.

Laxmibhai was awake for sometime, then he also dozed off. Bhaishri woke up from the meditation and notice that all the visitors had dozed off. Bhaishri wanted to have bath. So he left.

Suddenly Laxmibhai opened his eyes with a jerk and found out that Bhaishri was not around. He woke up everyone and informed, ‘Wake up! Bhaishri has left.’ Nathjibhai said, ‘Oh Gosh! Bhaishri left when we dozed off.’

Khimjibhai guessed, ‘He must have gone to temple. Let us go to the temple.’ They went there and inquired. Bhaishri was not there. Laxmibhai asked one Haribhakta, ‘Has Bhaishri arrived here?’ Haribhakta replied, ‘No, may be he has gone home.’

They hastened towards the house of Bhaishri.Devubai informed, ‘He is not here. He must be in the orchard!

Nathjibhai was anxious, ‘Hurry up! Otherwise Bhaishri would leave the orchard.’ Bhaishri was not there. One of the workers informed, ‘Bhaishri is at another orchard.’

They hurriedly proceeded towards the orchard. Bhaishri was meditating under a tree. They brightened up. Bhaishri woke up after a short while. He asked innocently, ‘When did you arrive?’

Nathjibhai explained in detail. Bhaishri adviced, ‘When we go for the Darshan of Maharaj or His Mukta, we should ignore bodily impulses like hunger, thirst, sleep etc. Otherwise we may loose the opportunity of their Darshan. Khimjibhai agreed politely, ‘Bhai, you are right. When we dozed off. You came out of meditation and left.’

Bhaishri pointed out, ‘You dozed off for a short while and Darshan was delayed for such a long time.’ Laxmibhai realized that, ‘Yes Bhai, It has so happened today!’ Bhaishri said, ‘Dharshan of a Mukta is like piercing a bead during a flash of lightening. And a flash is always instantaneous. Isn’t it?’

Nathjibhai agreed, ‘Yes Bhai.’ Bhaishri explained further, ‘We should be eager for the Darshan. We should not feel lazy. A moment of past can not be captured again. If we miss the Darshan, nobody knows when would be the next opportunity.’

All of them promised, ‘Bhai, now onwards we will never act out of lazyness.’ Bhaishri preached, ‘God’s grace is priceless. Today it is available easily. Greatness of God could be understood from a true saint of God. Such knowledge can liberate a devotee.’

They were glad that Bhaishri taught them a valuable lesson. They bowed down to Bhaishri. Bhaishri blessed them.

Difficult words:
To caution - To warn
Distracted - Unable to concentrate
Drowsy - Feeling sleepy
Impluses - Sudden desires

Points to ponder:
- When we go for the Darshan of God and his Mukta, we should ignore the bodily impulses like hunger, thirst, sleep etc.
- We should have Darshan of God and His Mukta with eagerness.
- When a Mukta is available for the Darshan, we must grab the opportunity. Otherwise we may miss the chance.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. Why was everyone feeling sleepy?
2. Where did Bhaishri go after he woke up?
3. Where did Haribhaktas look for Bhaishri?
4. What was the advice of Bhaishri regarding the Darshan of God and His Muktas?
5. How is the Darshan of great Muktas?

Fill in the blanks:
1. Bhaishri was ____________ in the orchard.
2. Bhaishri wanted to have ____________, so he left.
3. While going for a Darshan, we must ignore the bodily ____________.
4. The Darshan of a Mukta is like piercing a ________ during a __________ of lightening.
5. God¬’s grace is _________. Today it is available _________.

Arrange in proper sequence:
1. God greatness of true knowledge liberate God of such can saint understood could a devotee be a from.