Life of Shrimad Rajchandra

Author(s): Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

Page 94

places. Seeing the places where the Guru had put his feet, we felt that those spots were sanctified. Who would have such movement except the enlightened one? Thus praising him and enchanting the devotional words of Guru, we came back to Upäshray.
The fifth day
Today all the seven monks were asked to come under the same mango tree. Accordingly we went there. The graceful Guide also came there. Since we used to come in contact with him under that mango tree, we considered it as the desire-yielding tree of the three worlds.
Along with the graceful Guide we walked on a path strewn with thorns etc. He was, however, moving fast ahead of us like a guide showing the path of salvation. Seeing that the aged monk Velshirakh uttered whether Shrimad was going to leave behind one of us. The path of ascent was tough and he was moving very fast. As such, there was distance between him and us.
The Guru reached earlier and took seat on a wide slab of stone. We also went there and sat after showing our reverence. Then he said, "There is a tiger nearby, but do not feel scared. This is Siddhasheelä (abode of the liberated) and one, who is sitting on it, is Siddha (the liberated one). So saying he turned his eyes in an extraordinary way and said that the wonderful capabilities become manifest as the soul rises upward. Then he asked: "Since we are seated at this height, can a person at the foot see us?"
I replied: "No, he cannot see us."
Shrimad: "Similarly a person belonging to a lower stage cannot accurately make out the state of the enlightened belonging to a higher stage. If, however, he becomes worthy and reaches the higher stage, he can make it out. Since we are at the top of the hill, we can see the whole town and other far off places, while the person at the foot can see only the area roundabout him. The enlightened being therefore suggests to the person below that if he comes a little up and sees, he can make out better."
Then he recited the following first stanza from the third chapter of Uttaradhyayan Sutra in such a divine a tone and with such enamoring rhythm that its echo spread all around.
Chattäri Paramangani, Dullahänih Jantuno; Mänusatta Sui Saddhä, Sanjamammi Cha Viriyam.
There are four supreme aspects, which are hard to be obtained by the living beings, viz. human life, listening the truth, faith and exercising of vigor for observing restraint.
Then he asked Devkaranji to recite that stanza. He tried it twice or thrice, but could not do so. Thereupon he asked me to do that and I recited. Since I also did not do it properly, he said that at least it was better than those belonging to Limdi (a town in Saurashtra) sub-sect. Then he told all of us, "Assume the lotus posture like that of the omniscient lords, listen the stanzas of Dravyasangrah and try to make out their meanings.
Accordingly we assumed that posture and he started reciting the stanzas so excellently that the whole hill was reverberating with it. That way, he recited one after another stanza while explaining the meaning and conveying its essence. He thus read the whole Dravyasangrah. Till then we stayed steadfast in the same posture. What the great Guru explained was grasped by everyone to the extent of his Kshayopasham.
Devkaranji felt very excited by the pleasure on that occasion and delightfully spoke out,
"Of all the contacts with the great Guru so far, this was the supreme. As the people fix a metal pitcher at the top of the temple, similarly this occasion has become supremely beneficial. The