Bhagwan Swaminarayan

Bhagwān Swaminarayan was residing in Sārangpur. One night, as Shriji Maharaj was about to sleep, Mahānubhāvānand Swami began massaging his feet. Suddenly, Shriji Maharaj pulled his feet away. Seeing this, Swami was surprised! He asked, “Maharaj! Is there some flaw in my bhakti that you are denying me the opportunity to serve your feet? We have renounced the world for you, endured insults, criticism, and hardships to please you. We have followed all your niyams and gone through every test you put before us. What more is left for us to do that you refuse us this privilege?”

Hearing Swami’s words of sacrifice, Shriji Maharaj smiled and shared an example:

“Swami! A beggar once went to a wealthy man’s house asking for alms. The wealthy man told him, ‘You won’t be able to digest food given for free. Instead, sweep my courtyard, and I will pay you.’ The beggar agreed and cleaned the courtyard. Afterward, the wealthy man asked, ‘Now tell me, what should I give you as wages?’ The beggar replied, ‘Give me 10 kg of gold!’ Hearing this, the wealthy man was shocked and said, ‘You did work worth just a few pennies, yet you ask for 10 kg of gold?’”

Continuing, Shriji Maharaj said, “Your renunciation of home, your penance, your emaciated bodies - these are akin to merely sweeping the courtyard. These efforts are worth only few pennies to me. Yet, you desire to serve Parabrahma Purushottam Narayan? In the past, great kings renounced their kingdoms and retreated to the forest for penance, yet they did not even have a glimpse Parabrahma Purushottam. How does your renunciation compare to theirs?”

Mahānubhāvānand Swami immediately recognized his error, realizing he had already received the greatest reward for his austerities - the attainment of Bhagwān. Nishkulānand Swami has sung:

“Agaḷ bhagat anek thayā, sahyā teṇe sharīre bahu dukh re;

Toye prabhu pragaṭ pāmyā nahī, pāmyā pan nāvyā āvā sukh re...”

[Many devotees have come before; they have endured much pain in their bodies. Even then, they did not attain the pragat form of the Bhagwān, they did not receive such happiness…]

Even without great efforts or worthiness, we have attained the rare association of Bhagwān Swaminarayan, the supreme ruler of infinite universes, and his divine lineage of Aksharbrahma Gunātit Gurus. This is our greatest fortune! We must now cherish and preserve this attainment with unwavering faith and devotion.