Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 83

"It is worthwhile to behave in a way that can lead to non-opposition and unity. That would be beneficial to everyone. Taking disunity for granted causes others to move in the opposite direction. It is possible for them to turn their face towards you, if they can be led to think that there is unity; there is no disunity, and the sense of disunity arises merely by misunderstanding. Every endeavor needs to be made to maintain unity among all."
Lallujiswami and others spent the monsoon of 1897 at Khedä, where Shrimad had sent the book Moksh Märg Prakashak (Path of Liberation) for their reading. For three months of 1898 Shrimad was at Morbi. One liberation-seeker had taken notes of his discourses during that period and that has been published in 'Shrimad Räjchandra' volume under the title 'Essence of Sermons'.
During August-September of 1898 Shrimad went to Kävithä via Petlad and stayed there in retreat for 39 days. Ambälälbhäi had remained there at his service. That time Lallujiswami was in Vaso for the monsoon and Devkaranji was in Khedä. Shrimad therefore went to Vaso and asked Lallujiswämi, "Muni, how long would you like me to stay here?" Till then, Lallujiswämi did not have any occasion to remain in his contact for more than six days except at Bombay. With the intention to remain in longer contact he said, "It would be good if you stay here for a month." Shrimad remained silent.
As Devkaranji came to know that Shrimad had been to Vaso, he became very keen to contact him. He therefore began to send letters and messages to Shrimad to go to Khedä. Then under the advice of Ambälälbhäi, Lallujiswami wrote a letter to Devkaranji that if he requested Shrimad for contact after the end of monsoon, it would be beneficial to all. As the letter was received accordingly, Shrimad asked Lallujiswämi, "Who had written to Devkaranji?" Without disclosing the name of Ambäläibhäi, Lallujiswämi replied, "I had written the letter." Shrimad said, "All this is done by Ambäläl, not by you."
When Lallujiswämi had to go for alms, he used to say to the people that a great man had come from Bombay and he was very learned; it would therefore be beneficial, if they attended his sermons. As such, many people started coming to Shrimad. Thereupon he told Lallujiswämi, "You and other monks should not come when other people are here." Lallujiswämi repented that he had requested for remaining in contact for a month and the obstruction arose in that matter. His thirst for contact grew very much. The monks could have the benefit of Shrimad's talks only when he went out. In that respect Lallujiswami has stated as under.
The First day on the grazing ground
Along with a group of liberation-seekers Shrimad once went to the grazing ground about a mile away from Vaso. We also accompanied them. After reaching there, he asked Dhoribhäi to sing the soul-oriented song of Bharateshwar Nrupati Bhayo Vairagi (Detachment of king Bharat) three times. Then Shrimad asked him to sing the devotional song addressed to Lord Mallinäth written by Anandghanaji and told him to repeat it several times. It is hard to describe the immeasurable pleasure of that time. When such songs were sung in the presence of Shrimad, an atmosphere of total detachment used to prevail by virtue of his spiritual force. After finishing the singing Dhoribhäi asked, "How is it that we consider Jainism as the highest school of thought?" Shrimad replied:
"There are six medical practitioners; of those, one Dhanvantari is the real physician. He correctly diagnoses diseases and cures the patients with right treatment. As such, his fame spread everywhere. On seeing that, five bogus physicians also started the practice. Since they used to give medication at lower cost, many patients turned towards them. To the extent they dispensed the medication of true physician, the patients could derive the benefit, and the extent they dispensed their own medication, the patients' diseases could grow. Similarly the detached omniscient Lord is the true physician, others are the bogus practitioners, the worldly souls are the patients afflicted with the disease of cycle of birth and death, and compassion, celibacy etc. are