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restraints and confer Mantra to liberation-seekers, who came to him for that purpose. After Brahmachäriji settled in Ashram, Prabhushri many a time directed him to undertake that work. As the physical condition of Prabhushri started deteriorating from the full moon day of Month of Mahä in Samvat year 1992 (By the end of winter 1936), he took it as the signal for his end. Thereupon he gave the following instructions while entrusting the Ashram to Brahmachäriji in the presence of Trustees.
"All this pertains to Ashram. Choonibhäi, Manibhäi, 'Let there be croutons in the soup'... I have nothing to say so long as this body lasts, but main entrusting relates to Brahmachäri. (To Brahmachäriji) Go to the portrait of Graceful Lord; after going round if one comes for Smaran Mantra, it should be seriously looked into, examine his objective; if it is worth, the vow to resort to the commands be administered to him."
That auspicious occasion was exhilarating to every resident of Ashram. During 1924 when Prabhushri was on his way to Poona, some liberation-seekers had seen him at Anand. With tears in eyes they had asked, 'Whom shall we resort to now?' Prabhushri had said, 'We would leave behind a true celibate, who would come to serve us and at whose command even the river Yamunä would give way, as it gave way to the command of Shri Krishna. On another occasion when Mänekchandji, Jiji uncle, Kalyanji uncle and others were expressing their worry about the future of Ashram, Prabhushri had said that he would leave behind a celibate, who was to stay at his service for eleven years. Everyone was therefore full of cheers to notice that those words were now coming true.
The following day Prabhushri said, "For soul this is the festival of death; death itself is a festival. Choonibhäi, Manibhäi, Sobhägbhäi, Parikh, Vanechand, we have instituted this Center of Graceful Lord. Soul is the religion; let us abide by the directives of Graceful Lord. Take Brahmachäri also. Take others if you think fit. The Graceful Lord has commanded: Änäe Dhammo, Änäe Tavo' (Carrying out commands constitutes the religion and that itself constitutes the austerity.). That is the original path. We should believe in surrendering to Graceful Lord. There is nothing that stays beyond what he has said."
He specified the same thing to Brahmachäriji once again. That time detachment, disentanglement etc. were evident from his facial features, movement of eyes etc. It seemed as if he was not speaking, yet the people were listening the divine voice, 'Confer Smaran-Mantra, ask to recite 20 lyrics, Yam-Niyam, Kshamäpanä and to avoid seven addictions as well as seven non-eatables: I entrust the religion to you.'
Thereafter Prabhushri stayed mostly absorbed in soul. On the 8th day of the month of Vaishäkh (About May 1936) after the end of Devvandan, Prabhushri asked the people at his side to recite Apoorva Avasar (Unprecedented Occasion). As the highly contemplative song composed by the Graceful Lord came to the end, the pious soul of Prabhushri got absorbed in ecstasy and leaving the mortal remains here it proceeded towards the higher abode. Up to the end he had maintained the state of total disentanglement, which is hard to be maintained even by great ascetics.
Chapter 5: Unique Experience
The position of Brahmachäriji became tough after the departure of Prabhushri. While he was still grieving of the departure, he had to bear the responsibility relating to the liberation-seekers. In order to reduce the grief and to stay with the memories he started writing Prabhushri's life, and also undertook pilgrimages of the places where Prabhushri had moved. That led to enhancing the memories and the grief resulting from the separation thus grew. The outcome was, however, wholesome as mentioned by the Graceful Lord.
"The intense grief of separation from the Lord leads to attainment of His state, and identical is the outcome of grief resulting from separation of Saint."
By virtue of remaining in internal grief Brahmachäriji could gain total concentration of soul during the last
