Bhaktaratno

Lādhibā from Bhuj was a devoted disciple of Rāmānand Swami. After Rāmānand Swami’s passing, she had a divine darshan of Shriji Maharaj in the murti of Raghunāthji at the Raghunāthji temple in Bhuj. From that moment on, her conviction in Shriji Maharaj’s supreme divinity became unwavering. She dedicated herself entirely - body, mind, and wealth - to Shriji Maharaj and immersed herself in his bhakti. By Shriji Maharaj’s grace, she even attained samādhi.

Once, Shriji Maharaj celebrated a grand Annakut festival in Bhuj due to Lādhibā’s deep inner wish. During the assembly, Shriji Maharaj reinforced the importance of unwavering faith, saying, “As long as one’s conviction in my divine form remains steadfast, my grace will always be upon them. However, if doubts, arguments, or wavering thoughts arise, I will become helpless.” Lādhibā etched these words deep into her heart.

To test her resolute faith, one day Shriji Maharaj gave her an āgnā, “Dress like a married woman (she was a widow), wear a colorful sāri, apply a red chāndlo, part your hair with sindoor (vermilion powder), and walk through the crowded marketplace carrying a water pot on your head.”

At that time, society imposed strict norms on widows, making this an extremely challenging āgnā. Yet, without hesitation, Lādhibā obeyed, adorning herself like a happily married woman. She did not let doubt cloud her mind with thoughts like, “What will society think?” With a pot on her head and singing devotional hymns, she walked boldly through the busy market.

People were astonished to see her in such attire. Some even mocked her, asking, “Ladhi! Whose house are you getting married into?”

With unshaken conviction, she replied, “Purushottam Narayan’s!” When she returned, Shriji Maharaj was immensely pleased with her steadfastness and bhakti.

In Vachanāmrut Loyā 3 Shriji Maharaj says, “What would a person who has faith in God and his Sant coupled with the knowledge of their greatness not do for the sake of God and his Sant? For them, he would renounce his family, renounce any fear of public ridicule, renounce a kingdom, renounce pleasures, renounce wealth, renounce his wife, and in the case of a woman, she would renounce her husband.” When such absolute reverence and unwavering faith exist, thoughts like “What will people think?” disappear, and only Shriji Maharaj and his Sant remain the sole focus of one’s life.