8. Pilgrim's Progress

Muktaraj's was a life divine. Each and every action revealed his spiritual powers. His every thought, word and action was an offering to Lord. He could effortlessly draw in his senses and act with total self-control. He performed every action as worship of God and therefore he was forever in the state of spiritual absorption- 'akhand dhyan', or unbroken meditation. In fact, the Lord exercises His divine will dwelling in the body of Anadimuktas. And these God-realized, enlightended ones for ever remain absorbed in divine bliss. In order to teach and mould the character of the people, they perform every action without growing attached to the activity or their results. They teach people to do their work with mind fixed on God. Free from ego, free from pride, undisturbed by desire, Muktaraj taught his devotees how to lead an active life of selfless action.

Being an independent, illumined soul, knowing the absolute reality, this Anadimukta was not required to perform any rites or follow any form of worship to attain grace or enlightenment. He had already attained union with God and therefore he was continually united with God. There was no need for him to strive for the perfection of soul. However, with a view to leading mankind on the path of true knowledge, our Muktaraj willed to work amongst people, live with God within him in human form. Although he had nothing to acquire or learn, he accepted Sadguru Shri Bhagvatswarupdasji and Shri Vrundavandasji as his preceptors.

Sadguru Shri Bhagvatswarupdasji who also had formally initiated Pujya Shri Narayanbhai by offering him 'kanthi' - rosary and vartman -the five sacramental vows, was a great God-realized saint. In all the three states of human consciousness his mind for ever remained fixed on Murti. Every word from Vachanamrut he could recite effortlessly. He knew every precept by heart. When our Muktaraj was a young boy, the Swami used to tell him the tales of divine splendour and spiritual powers related to Shreeji Maharaj. The fruits offered by the Swami to the idol of Maharaj in the temple, were actually eaten by Lord Swaminarayan Himself in His manifest form. Bapashri, himself had made it possible for the Swami to establish a live contact with the Murti of Maharaj, at Chhapaiya. Since then Shri Bhagvatswarupdasji had forever remained in communion with Maharaj who readily answered all his prayers. Such a spiritually accomplished Saint was Mukraraj's Preceptor. When the Swami decided to leave the mortal world and fell ill by the exercise of his will, Muktaraj attended on him with deep devotion. While the Swami was eagerly awaiting the divine call from Maharaj, the saints and devotees turned to Muktaraj and asked: ''To end the agony of the devotees, please meditate upon the Murti of Maharaj and ask Him what time will He arrive to escort the Swami to His abode?'' Muktaraj immediately sat in 'Samadhi', evoked the Murti and inquired. He was told ''Maharaj shall lead the Swami to His abode at 4.00 o'clock." The time reference had been deliberately kept vague. The devotees took it for 4.00p.m. while our Lord had decred it to be 4.00a.m.. Moreover, great saints and seers are not heard of leaving their mortal coil in the presence of crowds. They arrive and leave as silently as the soft soothing breeze. Accordingly, Shreeji Maharaj escorted Sadgurushri to His 'Dham' at four in the morning and offered him eternal bliss by absorbing his soul into His own Murti. At that time by the divine will of Maharaj Sadguru displayed the signs of illness. By serving his guru until his last moments, Muktaraj taught his followers to develop pure love towards one's preceptor and serve him with devotion that one would show while serving God. A small temple like structure, in the memory of the late Swamishri stands on the bank of the river Bhogavo at Dhrangadhra where devotees pray and seek the Saint's blessings. Whatever they ask for is received by the devotees by praying at this hallowed ground.

An Anadimukta by definition is a complete, enlightened, God-realized soul. He is not bound by any sort of duty. There is nothing whatsoever, which he does not already possess; nothing he has yet to acquire, including 'knowledge' and 'happiness' or 'bliss'. Nevertheless, to set an example, Muktaraj accepted Sadguru Swami Shri Vrundavandasji as his second preceptor.

Once, Swami Shri Bhagvatswarupdasji had directed Muktaraj to call on Sadguru Swami Shri Ishvarcharandasji who had been ill for some time. Muktaraj, accompanied by his brother, Dr. Amrutlalbhai went to see the ailing Swami who was staying in the house of a haribhakta situated at Champaner society, Vadaj, in Ahmedabad. The brothers stayed overnight in that very house. Early in the morning, standing on the terrace of the building, the two brothers saw the Swami strolling in the garden like a healthy man. They couldn't believe their eyes. They hurried down and were surprised to see Swamishri in bed. The Muktaraj soon realized that the Swami was simply displaying the signs of sickness because no ailment can ever effect the genuinely liberated Muktas. The Swami whispered in the ear of Muktaraj : ''I cannot disclose the secret. I am unable to speak. Go to Sadguru Vrundavandasji. He will help you attain to the 'ultimate and absolute Vartamana' i.e. the spiritual state in which the soul gets absorbed into Divinity.''

On his arrival, when Swami Vrundavandasji asked Muktaraj if he knew about the 'ultimate vartamana', he answered in affirmative. He said, ''I know everything. Are you surprised? I am in constant communion with Maharaj. I can experience His bliss within my heart.'' Vrundavandasji Swami smiled and remarked : ''You have just began to splash in the shallow waters; you are just ankle deep in the stream of divine bliss. How much joy will you experience when you will be carried away into the ocean of spiritualism by the tide of devotion!'' The Swami then explained the spiritual state of Anadimukta to Shri Narayanbhai and taught him how to meditate inversely [Pratilom Dhyan] and offered him the 'darshan' of Maharaj's luminous Murti. ''This is called the last 'vartman' or the final stage in the language of 'yoga'.''

Muktaraj had already climbed to heights of the highest in meditation and had established union with Maharaj, the height of oneness. Although he had independently seen the King of Heaven many times before, our Muktaraj would never discuss it with others. But now everyone knew and talked about his mystic experience and accepted the fact of his spiritual powers. People respected him as the knower of all, even of the unknowable.