Brahmachariji

SR No.: 007622
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi
Total Pages: 22
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 258 KB

Page 19

and defiling instincts used to evaporate in his presence. He looked like a banyan tree under which everyone could get the rest. From his face one could get the glimpse of nonattachment and of desireless state. During last year of his life when he had to stay at Näsik for three months, he remained so detached that everyone was induced to observe silence in his presence; that time everything looked dreamlike.
He had maintained his body under full control and kept it uptight. He would move alone in the midst of hills and canyons. When some liberation-seekers were with him, he would always be ahead of them; it was hard for others to keep pace with him. He maintained that strength and zeal till he was 64. Since he adopted celibacy in 1925, he had avoided taking bath or resorting to sponging, kneading, massaging, etc. (Sponging had to be resorted to while undergoing medical treatment during the last year of his life). Still his body remained clean, bright and luminous. He hardly availed of sleep or rest. At times, the nights were passed while meditating in lotus or standing posture. He hardly took rest for an hour or two, yet he remained fit till the age of 60; it seemed, he was neither old nor young.
Not only did he remain busy with study, devotion and meditation, but also induced the liberation-seekers to resort to the same to the extent possible. He used to undertake tour every year and took the liberationseekers to different places in Charotar, Dhäman, Märwäd etc. At his hand were set up Shrimad Rajchandra Ashrams at Bhädran, Sadodarä, Kävithä, Dhäman, Ähor etc. He made them the centers of worship.
He was also enthusiastic of going on pilgrimage. Every two or three years he would undertake pilgrimage along with 100/200 or even 500 liberation-seekers. He had been to Mt. Abu, Shatrunjay, Girnär, Rajkot, Vaväniä etc. in Gujarat, Indore, Ujjain etc. in Madhya Pradesh, Kesariäji, Näkodä, Panchtirhi, Jesalmer etc. in Rajsthän, Mathurä, Ayodhyä, Käshi etc. in Uttar Pradesh and Sametshikhar, Räjgruhi, Päväpuri etc. in Zärkhand. He did not forget the South and had been to Näsik. Mahäbaleshwar, Bhadrävati, Kärikal, Mudbidri, Shravanbelgodä, Ramanäshram etc. During the pilgrimages he used to point out to the liberationseekers the significance of the places concerned. Simultaneously he used to continue the work of translating the books like Jnänsär or composing of Self-realization.
Chapter 7; Evaluation
It is, of course, hard to evaluate the life of a great man like Brahmachäriji. It can, however, be said with certainty that he had experienced the soul and that had led to the manifestation of utter devotion and spirituality in his life. By virtue of his extra-ordinary genius he could make out that devotion does not consist of mere lifeless rituals, the true devotion should lead to liberation. One could see from his life that spiritualism is not merely bare verbal knowledge; it is the vigilant, meaningful endeavor for a delighted life. He was not merely a visionary, he had a real, concrete and accurate approach that cannot be measured by our yardsticks. After renouncing the worldly life he consistently stayed away from all the concepts related to personality, property or sense-objects.
To him the devotion for Graceful Lord was the great endeavor for realizing the Self. Shrimad has said, "Always keep it in mind that I do not belong to any sect or creed; I abide within the soul.... Religious are the ways by which one can gain the true concept; those, which turn to other concepts, are not religious.... All souls are like the liberated ones and one who understands gets liberated: the precepts of true Guru and the state of omniscience are among the instrumental causes... Saintly is he, who continually stays within the Self, whose words can come to the experiential level even though they might not occur in scriptures or are not even heard of, and who has no desire whatsoever, it is hard to say anything beyond that."
In tune with those words Brahmachäriji remained totally unaffected even during the adverse times. That he was above such aspects can be seen from the fact he could prepare the commentary of a tough composition like Samädhishatak during the adverse time, thereby he has stamped the mark of victory over the hard time. In that composition he has put the words of great men in meaningful order. The level required for preparing it can be gauged from the following description of Samadhishatak narrated by him.