Bhaktaratno

Mulji Brahmachāri served Shriji Maharaj with great devotion. Once, in Bhādrā, Shriji Maharaj gave Mulji Brahmachāri his mojdi (shoes) and instructed him, “Apply oil to these shoes yourself. Do not give them to anyone else.”

Following Shriji Maharaj’s āgnā, Mulji Brahmachāri began oiling the mojdi. At that moment, Vashrāmbhāi arrived and requested, “You serve Maharaj daily, so allow me to do this sevā today.” He insisted and took the mojdi from Mulji Brahmachāri and began oiling them. Shriji Maharaj then passed by and saw what had happened. Shriji Maharaj asked Mulji Brahmachāri, “I had told you not to give the mojdi to anyone. Why did you give them to Vashrām Bhakta?”

To test Mulji Brahmachāri’s faith, the all-knowing Shriji Maharaj said, “You are excommunicated. From today, you shall not wear shoes or eat rich and sweet foods.” With this, Shriji Maharaj relieved him of his sevā immediately.

Mulji Brahmachāri then went to Rāmdāsbhāi in Dabhān and stayed with him for six months. Once the summer came around, the mangoes of the Dabhān mango orchard ripened. Rāmdāsbhāi prepared a basket of 1.5 maunds (about 60 kg) of mangoes for Shriji Maharaj, but there was no one to deliver them.

Mulji Brahmachāri immediately volunteered, saying, “Give it to me; I will take it.” Despite the scorching summer heat, he walked barefoot to Gadhadā, carrying the heavy basket of mangoes. Upon reaching Gadhadā, where Shriji Maharaj was in sabhā, he placed the mangoes before him, bowed, and said, “Jai Swaminarayan.” But Shriji Maharaj turned his face away and did not respond.

As Mulji Brahmachāri wandered through the village, a Suthāran woman (a carpenter’s wife) recognized him and asked, “Brahmachāri! Why haven’t you been seen for so long?”

He then narrated the incident of Shriji Maharaj’s āgnā. Feeling compassionate, she invited him to her home and offered ghee, jaggery, flour, and other groceries. But Mulji Brahmachāri only ate bāti (baked dough ball) and returned the ghee and jaggery. When the woman asked, “Why did you refuse the ghee and jaggery?” Mulji Brahmachāri replied, “Maharaj has forbidden me from eating rich and sweet food.”

Even while excommunicated, he faithfully adhered to Shriji Maharaj’s penance for six months. This demonstrated the extraordinary divinity he had in Shriji Maharaj!

Seeing his devotion, the woman took him to Shriji Maharaj and, while scolding, asked, “Maharaj! How have you become so merciless? This Brahmachāri walked barefoot for sixty miles in this scorching heat to bring you mangoes, and you didn’t even greet him?” Shriji Maharaj smiled and said, “I have nothing against him! Call him here.” Hearing this, Mulji Brahmachāri was instantly reinstated in Shriji Maharaj’s sevā. He immediately prepared and served Maharaj ras and rotli, bringing joy to Shriji Maharaj once again.

Despite being tested through humiliation and hardship, Mulji Brahmachāri never wavered, never felt distressed, and maintained unwavering bhakti of Shriji Maharaj. That is why Bhagwān Swaminarayan praised him, saying, “This Brahmachāri never wavers in his faith, which is why I have a deep connection with him and get along with him.”

How can we connect with Bhagwān and the Gunatit Sant? Shriji Maharaj states in the Vachanāmrut Gadhadā I-76, “A true satsangi is a person who…remains totally undisturbed until the end of his life regardless of whatever stern commands I may impose - even if I compel him to forsake his preferences and enforce my own. In fact, I effortlessly and naturally develop affection for such a devotee.” If we cultivate such unwavering faith and maintain divinity in all his actions, then Shriji Maharaj and the Satpurush will always remain connected with us!