Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 72

SIXTH DAY
On the sixth day Shrimad said to the monks at Vadvä, "Since you have renounced home, family and other relations in the witness of people, you should be true monks. Manifest truth within the soul. Repeatedly think about the six fundamentals, viz. i) there is soul, ii) it is eternal, iii) it is Karta (actuator, doer), iv) it bears the consequences, v) there is liberation and vi) there is the way for liberation. My staying at Vadvä so long has been only for you. Your conviction about us in this dress would be really helpful. Yours is the monastic attire, you may not notice in us anything like that; but by looking at the state of soul you will be convinced of that."
Shrimad used to move alone in Kävithä. If some people got together at times, he would show his compassion in the form of instructions. Such occasions occurred in Rälaj too. Since many liberation-seekers used to assemble at Khambhät, instructions were given every day. Ambälälbhäi had a strong memory. Of the instructions given at Anand, Kävitha, Rälaj and Vadvä, he has written down what he remembered, and that has been published in 'Shrimad Räjchandra' volume under the title 'Upadeshchhäyä'.
Chapter 20: ATMASIDDHISHÄSTRA
Shrimad went from Anand to Nadiad. Ambälälbhäi had remained at his service throughout that itinerary. One day Shrimad had been out and it was evening by the time he came back. He called for a lantern and started writing, while Ambälälbhäi stood there holding the lantern in his hand. Shrimad's pen went on uninterrupted till 142 stanzas of the new composition were over. Meanwhile Ambälälbhäi stood there like a lamppost witnessing the birth of Atmasiddhishästra, which was going to remove the ignorance of innumerable people. That resembled king Bhagirath noticing the descent of Ganga for the salvation of his forefathers. Atmasiddhi was flowing fast through Shrimad's pen like the sacred Ganga emerging from Lord Vishnu's lotus like feet and flowing ahead. As the moon gives light to the world by removing the darkness of night, Ätmasiddhishästra is capable to bequeath to liberation-seekers the spiritual delight by removing the darkness of ignorance and providing the conviction of soul. When the composition was finished, it was handed over to Ambälälbhäi with the instructions to prepare four copies and to send them to four blessed persons, who deserved to get the same. One was for Saubhagyabhäi, one for Ambälälbhäi, one for Lallujiswami and one for Mänekläl Gheläbhäi Zaveri.
In 1895 the letter of six fundamentals was sent to Saubhagyabhäi also with the instructions to commit it to memory and to ponder over it again and again. On account of his old age he found it hard to memorize. Moreover, being kind-hearted, he realized the difficulty that other liberationseekers may experience in doing so. He therefore respectfully wrote to Shrimad that if the conviction of soul effectively presented in the letter is available in the form of a poem, it could be easily memorized and would be highly beneficial to all the liberation-seekers. It is said that the drop of rain falling in the mouth of oyster on the autumnal full-moon day is turned into a pearl. Similarly, this request came from such a man, at such a time that it prompted the heart of Shrimad to bring out the pearl of Atmasiddhishästra. The nature of soul was continually manifest within his heart while he was traveling on the road to liberation. He brought it out in the poetical version on the day after the autumnal full-moon day of 1896 in the form of Atmasiddhishästra, in a simple language, which can be understood by every one.