6. Diksha or Initiation

The initiation of Neelkanth Varni is not without its divine meaning and significance. The Divine Pilgrim, arrived at village Loja near the port city of Mangrol in Saurashtra. While He was sitting on the platform of a step-well on the outskirts of the village to relax, there came a monk called Sukhanand, one of the disciples of Swami Ramanandji, to take his morning bath. Sukhanand on seeing the luminous figure of Neelkanth Varni was filled with divine awe and began to experience divine joy. There was a brief conversation between the two. When Sukhanand asked Him, "Where have you come from and what is your destination? Who is your father and who is your mother?", Our Lord replied,"I have come from Brahmpur and Brahmpur is my destination and those who can lead me to Brahmpur are my parents." Thus in a symbolic language, Neelkanth revealed to Sukhanand His true divine self. Sukhanand was simply struck by the divine wisdom of this young ascetic. He found this young celibate to be a treasure of knowledge which he has been seeking all those years from his master. Sukhanand paid his respects to Him and requested Him to accompany him to see his master. First, they met Swami Muktanandji, the chief disciple of Ramanandji, to whom He expressed His desire to realise God and to have a glimpse of the Supreme Lord. Muktanand and Neelkanth sent two separate letters to Swami Ramanandji. Ramanandji was actually awaiting the arrival of a suitable disciple who could continue his work. He was waiting for a genious, a man possessing divine knowledge to take his place. He often used to say, "I am only a drum beater, a crowd catcher, the real charmer is yet to arrive." On receiving the letters, when Ramanandji read about Neelkanth's insatiable thirst, for the realisation and glimpse of God, he immediately recognised Neelkanth and informed the congregation, "The one I have been waiting for has arrived."

Keeping Swami Ramanandji's observation in view, once Swami Nishkulanandji remarked,"Our new guest resembles Swami Ramdas, doesn't he?" Ramanandji replied, "You can't compare the two. He is far greater." Nishkulanandji asked him if he was as great as Muktanandji. The Swami observed that he was superior to Muktanandji. Ultimately when Nishkulanandji asked him, "Is he of your stature?" The swami replied, "I stand nowhere in His comparison. He is far greater than, and superior to me." Later on, after years when Nishkulanand Swami perceived His supreme self through personal experience,

he observed, "Now I have understood the meaning of Ramanandji's observation."

In reply to the letters received by him, Ramanandji asked Neelkanth Brahmachari to stay at Loja under the guidance of Muktanand Swami and teach Hatha Yoga to the disciples. Accordingly, Neelkanth began His work under the guidance and supervision of Muktanand Swami and carried out his instructions. He performed sundry chores of collecting dried cow dung for fuel, swept and cleaned the dwelling place for the saints, cooked food for them and nursed the saints taken ill. He never grudged any work, big or small. To him no work was low or unimportant. In the human form of Neelkanth, our Lord was eager to set an example for the people to follow. Our supreme Lord through His actions showed, "Although He had nothing to gain from the three Lokas [the three spheres] nor had He to achieve anything not yet achieved, however

still, in order to set an example and confirm the dignity of labour He must toil and work. After all people imitate the great."

After some time, Swami Ramanandji arrived at village Piplana near Loja. He asked Neelkanth Varni to see him at Piplana where on the 11th day of Prabodhini Ekadashi of the bright half of Kartik of Samvat Year 1857, He was offered Diksha- initiation and was

given the name Sahajanand by his Guru. This was the most appropriate name because whosoever came into his contact experienced an instant joy. Moreover, as he possessed all the attributes of Narayan in Him, Ramanand Swami called Him by the name of Narayan Muni. As He possessed all the spiritual qualities and divine attributes and although He was only 21 years old, He was appointed the chief preceptor of the Satsang Fellowship. Shortly after handing Him over the reigns of the religion, in a month's time, Ramanand Swami dropped his mortal body and returned to Akshardham. Thus Swami Ramanandji had prepared a background for the divine activities of this great preceptor of all preceptors.

Within the Satsang Fellowship, keeping His different attributes in view, the devotees call Him by different names such as Ghanshyam, Neelkanth Varni, Sahajanand Swami, Narayan Muni, Harikrishna Maharaj, Shreeji Maharaj, Shri Hari etc.

The day of Diksha-initiation marks the beginning of the third phase of the luminous life of Shri Swaminarayan. During this phase, God the incarnate, among men, revealed His prowess by uprooting adharma -the path of sin, and by establishing the path of righteousness. In order to assert His divine origin, He performed acts which no mortal can conceive of or accomplish. As a result, during His stay on this earth Shri Swaminarayan was worshipped as the God Incarnate. Due to paucity of time and space we shall have only glimpses of some of His divine acts of love and mercy and of social and moral regeneration.