Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 59

Shrimad had the right perception and yet he held the inclination to remain in touch with the liberation-seekers. Saubhagyabhäi used to play vital role in spiritual discussions and in securing lot of clarifications from Shrimad. If other liberation-seekers wanted to know something, they used to convey their requests through Saubhagyabhäi and being kind-hearted, he presented their problems to Shrimad with entire simplicity. The inspiration to compose Atmasiddhishästra also came from him by his pointing out that the letter of six fundamentals being in prose, it was hard to memorize and that something similar to that in poem would be highly beneficial to every liberation-seeker.
Regarding Ätmasiddhishästra Saubhagyabhai writes in one of the letters:
"Gosalia is reading and pondering over Ätmasiddhishästra and I am also doing that. I have committed to memory 134 stanzas and derive much pleasure by pondering over that. I am getting fever for last five months and feel that I would not have survived but for your sending Atmasiddhi. I am surviving because I get pleasure while reading it. You have written about sending its commentary. It would be a pleasure, if you do it soon; if it is sent when it would be hard for me to read, I cannot get the pleasure by hearing it from others. As such, kindly send it early. What else can I write?"
Shrimad writes in his diary, "Oh omniscient Lord, I bow to you with intense devotion. You have infinitely obligated this low-laid one.
"Oh Kundkund and other Ächäryas, your words also have been superbly helpful to this low-laid in realizing the nature of Self. As such, I am bowing to you with intense devotion.
"Oh Sobhäg, I bow to you, because your contact led to the memory of the realized state."
He also writes to him, "I request you to exert youthfulness even in the old age and to remain at the head of the abstract objective specified by me."
"If you and I prevail from the mundane perspective, who would prevail from extra-worldly one?... You have written, 'Better survive with begging, but would not feel grieved; that misery is insignificant as compared to the pleasure of infinite knowledge.' My obeisance to those words! Such words cannot come out without being worthy of it."
This pen is not capable to describe the wonderful extraordinary state of Shrimad, which, by virtue of his growing internal detachment, could lead others to attainment of right perception and to tranquil end. How can words reach where even intellect cannot go? However, as significance of a cause can be made out by its result, it would be easier to realize the state of Shrimad from the tales of those, who had come in his contact. The effort has therefore been made to relate the impression he made on other cultured people.
Chapter 14: LIBERATION SEEKERS OF KHAMBHÄT
By virtue of coming in contact with Juthäbhäi, Ambalälbhai and others, who had been to Ahmedabad, were very keen to contact Shrimad. They therefore wrote several letters to Shrimad to come to Khambhät. If he could not do that, they showed their willingness to go to Vaväniä and called for his permission. They were happy to ultimately receive the letter that Shrimad would come to Khambhät at his convenience.
They belonged to Sthänakwäsi (non-worshipper of idol) sect. As such, they regularly went to Upäshray (temporary residence for monks). But after coming in contact with Juthabhäi they used