Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 87

During the night when Motiläl came there, the bed had dropped down. Moreover, there were too many mosquitoes; therefore he covered Shrimad's body with a dhoti and went back to sleep. When he came again, the dhoti was lying on the floor and Shrimad was uttering some stanzas. Therefore Motilal covered his body again and went to sleep. Shrimad thus used to remain absorbed in spiritual meditation without caring for the body.
The next day Shrimad went for a walk in the morning and came back after two hours. Motiläl seated him upstairs on a carpet and went down. Soon after a Patel came there and inquired about Ambälälbhäi. Motilal was not supposed to indicate that without Shrimad's instructions. So he went upstairs and told Shrimad about Patel's inquiry. Shrimad asked him to tell the Patel that there was no problem about food etc.
As Motilal conveyed that message, Patel went back. When it was the time for food, Motilal asked Shrimad about that. Shrimad said, "Go to Nadiad, and ask your wife to take bath and then to prepare tortilla and vegetable. See that she does not use any utensil of iron and does not put water or oil in the vegetable."
Motilal went to Nadiad and arranged for preparing tortilla and vegetable as instructed. Ambälälbhäi was there and he had kept sweets etc. ready, but as per instructions Motiläl brought the food cooked in milk and Ghee (refined butter). After taking the food Shrimad asked whether Ambäläl was there. Motilal said 'yes'. Thereafter Motilal used to take his meal at Nadiad and to bring pure food for Shrimad. He also was taking only one meal a day so as to reduce indolence.
In the evening Shrimad used to go for a walk and to come back at about 10.00 P.M. At times Motilal also used to accompany him. While walking accordingly Shrimad once told him, "Why are you indulging in indolence? The right path is now strewn with thorns; our soul knows how much effort had to be made to remove those thorns. Had there been an enlightened being, we would have pursued him; you have the enlightened in front of you and still you are not awake. Remove the indolence and get awake. When I had been the last pupil of Lord Mahävir, I had indulged in slight indolence and as a result I had to take all these births. The worldly souls, however, do not worry at all even while living with too much indolence. It is very hard for them to recognize the enlightened being in front of them."
Once Motiläl had instructed his wife to bring the food after the mail train left and to wait a couple of blocks away from the building, where he would come to pick it up. Instead of that, she came close to the building. Thereupon Motilal reproached her very much without informing Shrimad about it. Somehow Shrimad came to know of that and told Motiläl, "Why had you been angry with her? Why do you behave as a dominating husband? No, no, it should not happen that way. On the contrary you need to be grateful to her, she is to attain liberation in the eighth life. Let her come here."
Motilal went back to his wife and asked her to see Shrimad if she wanted, because Shrimad had permitted to do so. Accordingly she came inside and had a glimpse of Shrimad. He urged her to avert indolence,"Remove indolence and get awake, why do you behave without endeavor and vigor? It is very hard to get such contact. Since you have got it by virtue of much wholesome Karma, why do you allow it to go in vain? Awake, awake; whatever we happen to say is for the sake of awakening."
During that period Shrimad used to take tortilla of less than an ounce and some milk every day and that too only once. He used to wind dhoti around his waist and rest its loose ends upon the opposite shoulders. Once he had said, "The body is fighting with us, but we do not heed to that."
From Uttarsandä Shrimad went towards Khedä in a coach along with Motilal and stayed in a building outside Khedä. Ambälälbhäi had been to Khedä for two days. He was seeking instructions to see Shrimad and had been to him when permitted to do so.