Bhaktaratno

In the village of Sundariyānā resided Himrāj Shah, a wealthy merchant of the Modh Vanik community. Himrāj Shah was a devoted leader of the Vaishnav tradition and a follower of Vallabh Swami. Among his three sons, the eldest, Vanāshā, embraced the Swaminarayan Satsang. Whenever Vanāshā spoke to his father about the greatness of Bhagwān Swaminarayan, Himrāj Shah would firmly respond, “Vallabh Swami is the only true Swami; all others are divine but secondary.” Himrājbhāi held this conviction firmly.

Once, Yogmurti Gopālānand Swami visited Sundariyānā. Himrāj Shah had no intention of meeting him, but due to his expertise in Ayurveda, he naturally felt inclined to serve swamis. Vanāshā cleverly invited his father to the mandir under the pretense of checking Gopālānand Swami’s health. Himrāj Shah sat beside Swami and placed his hand on Swami’s wrist to check his pulse - but to his astonishment, he could not detect a pulse anywhere! Each time he attempted to find Swami’s pulse on his hands, feet, throat, or chest, it seemed to disappear. This experience shocked Himrāj Shah. He realized that this was no ordinary man but a perfect yogi with Ashtāng Yog mastery. He thought, “If a disciple possesses such divine powers, then surely his Guru, Swaminarayan, must be Bhagwān himself!” Himrāj Shah bowed to Gopālānand Swami and, with firm conviction, embraced the Swaminarayan Satsang.

From then on, Himrāj Shah began worshipping the manifest Purushottam, Shri Swaminarayan Bhagwān. However, his relatives and community disapproved. They tried to convince him to renounce Swaminarayan but failed, as he remained firm in his conviction.

Seeing his unwavering resolve, the community leaders decided to excommunicate him. They decreed that no one should interact with him, conduct business with him, or attend any family events. Thus, six years passed in isolation.

As Himrāj Shah’s final moments approached, he called his three sons - Vanāshā, Punjāshā, and Jethāshā - along with his nephew, Bhagābhāi. He advised them, “This world is temporary. Stay patient, remain fearless, and hold onto Satsang with unshakable faith. Always act in a way that pleases Shriji Maharaj.” Saying this, he left his body while remembering Bhagwān Swaminarayan.

When it was time for Himrāj Shah’s final rites, his sons sent invitations across villages and made elaborate preparations. They purchased ghee, sugar, and jaggery in large quantities. Seeing this, the community elders arrived with a warning, “If you include Satsang in the final rites, we will excommunicate you too, and the rituals will be ruined. Remove your kanthi, and everyone will attend.”

Vanāshā boldly replied, “No one abandons their mansion out of fear of mosquitoes. Likewise, we will never abandon Swaminarayan, nor will we remove our kanthi. Our faith is as dear to us as our heads!” Hearing this, the community leaders proposed another compromise, “At least remove your kanthi just for the day of the ceremony. If not, then stay hidden in a room until the guests finish eating.” But the brothers stood firm. They declared, “Even if the earth itself collapses, we will never leave Satsang!”

Therefore, the community leaders sent letters to all surrounding villages, warning, “Whoever attends Himrāj Shah’s funeral will be excommunicated.” Upon learning of this injustice, Vanāshā sent his nephew, Hirābhāi, and Bhagābhāi to Gadhpur to inform Shriji Maharaj.

Hearing about their unshakable faith, Shriji Maharaj was moved to tears and said, “These brothers have given up their community for us and have taken such a firm stand!” Saying this, he immediately traveled to Sundariyānā with his swamis and devotees. For several days, the three brothers prepared a variety of delicious meals for Shriji Maharaj, the swamis, and the devotees, lovingly serving them. Not only did Shriji Maharaj partake in the offerings, but he also played rās, did rangotsav (sprayed swamis and devotees with colors) and filled everyone’s hearts with divine bliss. Himrāj Shah’s family was honored by Shriji Maharaj’s krupā (grace) and they felt eternally grateful to Shriji Maharaj for his presence during their father’s funeral rites.

Satsang is our true and divine family. Shriji Maharaj and Swami are our real parents, and the swamis and devotees are our closest relatives. Having received such an invaluable family, should we ever forsake it for worldly relationships? Let us never allow our faith to weaken, for losing such a rare and divine Satsang would be an immeasurable loss!