Pragat Brahmaswarup Mahant Swami Maharaj

After receiving Pārshadi Dikshā, Mahant Swami Maharaj was known as Vinu Bhagat. From 1957 to 1960, Yogiji Maharaj kept him as his beloved personal attendant. Before taking dikshā, Vinu Bhagat had experienced immense love from Yogiji Maharaj, and he believed that after initiation, his bond with Yogiji Maharaj would grow even stronger.

However, for the first three months after dikshā, things were very different. Yogiji Maharaj deliberately distanced himself from Vinu Bhagat, behaving as if he did not even recognize him.

After about three months, Vinu Bhagat traveled with Yogiji Maharaj to Bhāvnagar. That day was Hari Jayanti, and everyone was fasting. Unable to sleep at night due to the fast, Yogiji Maharaj woke up and approached Vinu Bhagat. He gently woke him up and said: “Since neither of us can sleep, let’s do goshthi.”

That night, Yogiji Maharaj lovingly conversed with him for a long time. In the end, he said, “You have passed the test!” Yogiji Maharaj then showered his blessings, saying: “I bless you with the punya (merits) of doing 178,000 malās.” Since it had been 178 years since Bhagwān Swaminarayan’s birth, Yogiji Maharaj symbolically gifted this merit with immense affection.

Throughout those three difficult months, Mahant Swami Maharaj never once doubted Yogiji Maharaj’s actions. He never wondered, “Why did Yogiji Maharaj suddenly stop talking to me after showering me with love before?” Instead, he saw everything as Yogiji Maharaj’s divine lilā. Years later, on Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s 95th birthday, Mahant Swami Maharaj expressed his feelings in a prayer: “Swami! Whether you speak or remain silent, whether you look at me or not, whether you smile or not - everything feels divine!”

This vision of seeing everything divine in his Guru was not something Mahant Swami Maharaj had developed later in life - it had been a part of him from the very beginning.

Once, Yogiji Maharaj instructed Vinu Bhagat to fast for five consecutive days without water. Even after five days, Vinu Bhagat did not question his Guru’s decision. He was even prepared to continue fasting on the sixth day. Reflecting on this incident, Mahant Swami Maharaj once said: “At worst, what would have happened? The body would have perished. But as long as Yogiji Maharaj was pleased, that’s all that mattered to me.”

On the sixth day, Yogiji Maharaj himself woke up early to prepare food and personally served him - expressing immense rājipo at Mahant Swami Maharaj’s obedience and faith.

Mahant Swami Maharaj exemplified how a disciple should have complete jodān (deep connection) with unwavering faith and divyabhāv in the guru. When such jodān is established with the guru, there is nothing left to attain - one experiences a constant state of fulfillment.