—By : Shri. S. N. Huddar (continued).
When at Shinora, a Gujarati woman came to Swamiji and offered a pot-ful of sugar-candy. Swamiji did not look at it nor did he ask anyone to take it. For 2-3 days the pot was there. Ramachandra Shastri asked the reason. Swamiji said : " Did you see, even a fly or an ant has not touched it ? " Ramchandra Shastri further asked the reason for it. " What have you to do knowing this ?" was the reply of Swamiji. Later the very woman took away the pot. On inquiry it was discovered that the woman was not of chaste behaviour.
Due to advice of Swamiji, Brahmins at Shinora began to do Vaishwadeo and observe other rites. He preached " Acharah Prathamo Dharmah. (To behave well is the first duty in religion ).
After the birth of Ramchandra, a Brahmin gave his maternal uncle a copy of ' Gurucharitra ' and asked him to read it daily. Maternal uncle accordingly read it daily. When Datta Jayanti approached, Swamiji asked the maternal uncle to give his Gurucharitra for Parayana. Swamiji said in joke " You being a Vedic Brahmin, you may not even look at the Prakrit Gurucharitra. " He replied that he was reading it daily. Swamiji blessed him with Datta Mantra.
GANDABUWA (later Yogananda Swami of Gunj ).
A Gujarati Brahmin with two panchas a stick and a lota came to Shinora to see Swami Maharaj. He had come leaving all family attachments. For 8 days, Swamiji did not speak with him. He used to bathe in the morning and sit in a corner of the room. When Swamiji went out for alms, he would go out, take his meals somewhere and again come and sit in the room.
One day Swamiji asked him, " Why do you sit here ? " He replied, " I believe these holy feet will relieve me from all my worries. " He then narrated all his account. He said " I hail from Telang-pur. In boyhood, I was a vagabond, so people called me' Ganda '-meaning ' a mad person.' My name is Kalyan. I was married at the age of 8. After education, I served in a school and at a merchant. I had no peace of mind. So I went to Madras in search of Sadhus. I am a Brahmin and a devotee of Shiva. I wished to have a Brahmin Guru. For some time I served at Pondicherry. I was relieved from that service and returned home. Mother and father are alive and so I cannot go out for penance. Though well financially, I could not have pleasure in anything. Pretending to do business, I went out and lived on the bank of Narmada and served Sadhus and saints. In the guide of a Bairagt, I lived under a Buniyan tree near Onkareshwar. After some days, I met Pandurang Maharaj who collected cereals, ground them himself and distributed breads to those who were doing Narmada Parikrama. Due to his advise even thieves changed their behaviour and became good persons. Narmada Mata was pleased with Pandurang Maharaj's services. He told me to go to Namawar and do Jap in Siddheshwar Mandir and then I would meet Sadguru. On his advice, I stayed at Siddheshwar and started Jap. Some people told me about your holy self and so I have come to you. Kindly give me your blessing." Swamiji simply smiled.
After some days Swami Maharaj went to Nikoda with him and asked him to practise Yoga in Shiva temple and said " As per your devotion, you will have blessings. " Swami Maharaj proceeded further. He asked Gandabuwa to go to his parents, beg pardon and with their permission come to him at Dwarka at the time of Chaturmas. Gandabuwa then went home.
KRISHNARAO PENDHARKAR
Krishnarao was a clerk of court at Shinora. He came daily to Swamiji and showed him the houses of Maharashtrian Brahmins at the time of alms. He kept a pot of water and sprinkled water on the path of Swami Maharaj. Swamiji dipped his hand-with alms in Narmada. Krishnarao would clean the surface with cowdung. The food of alms was placed on this surface, divided into 3 parts, one was given to Narmada Mata, one to a cow. the third was taken by Swamiji himself. If anyone touched in the way, he would leave the alms in the Narmada and observe fast. But giving of lessons and sermons continued on such days also.
Seeing the devotion of Krishnarao, Swamiji gave him a mantra for recitation due to which he got better service and later promoted as Mamledar.
Girnar, Prabhas, Somnath
Swami Maharaj one day went to Girnar and bowed before the Datta Padukas. He then came to Prabhas and wished to go to Somnath. Balambhat Mode, priest of Somnath lived at prabhas, Diwan of Baroda and others had also come there for Darshan. Due to darshan of Swami Maharaj, there was great change of behaviour and they became believers in God.
Lord Datta asked Swami Maharaj to write criticism on "Sanhita Dwisahastri. " He had no copy of this volume. So with divine recollection, he wrote criticism on 9 chapters at Prabhas.
Gajanan Bapu Sabnis, son of Rambhau Sabnis of ------ was the Mamledar of Dwarka. He came to see Swami Maharaj His thread ceremony was attended to by Swami Maharaj. He felt great respect for Swamiji and there was great change in his behaviour. He had been to Garudeshwar also when Swami Maharaj was there.
From Prabhas Swami Maharaj came to Prachi ------ where Shri Krishna had his end. He bowed at the place went to Porbandar i. e. Sudampuri. He stayed here for some days and in the month of Jyestha, reached Dwarka, the seventh Teerth of Bharat.
CHATURMAS 9—Shak 1821 (1899 A. D.) DWARKA.
Swami Maharaj stayed here in the Math of Sharadapeth Shankaracharya. Due to scarcity of rain this region was suffering from drought. One she-buffalow could be had for Rs. 51- only. Even females left their children for want of food. Gaikwad Government distrubuted 2.5 lakh rupees for food amongst the hunger-stricken.
People were delighted on the arrival of Swami Maharaj and he was requested to observe Chaturmas. As some Maharashtrian Brahmins lived here, there was no difficulty of alms. While coming to Dwarka, he had to pass through Gujarat, where there were no Maharashtrian Brahmins. Hence, he could not have alms for 33 days. He passed these days on palms and cocoanuts obtained from Gujarati Brahmins. Due to this, he began to pass blood in motions and dysentery troubles increased. After taking food or water, the trouble increased. He therefore took butter-milk where-ever available. He did not prevent the disease by taking medicine, as he thought that the befallen miseries should be suffered.
Seat of Shankaracharya offered
People here pressed him much to accept the seat of Sharadapeeth but he declined to have the honour. Still for 2 years he was being requested again and again. While in Dwarka he completed the commentary of " Sanhita Dwi-Sahastri " from 10th chapter to the end. As the original book was not there, Swami Maharaj himself wondered how this work could be completed.
While at Dwarka, on the request of a Gujarati Brahmin Swamiji also wrote a " Churnika " on Shri Guru Charitra.
Gandabuwa returns
As advised by Swami Maharaj, Gandabuwa went home took permission of his parents and came to Swami Maharaj, in Dwarka. He told Swamiji that his parents had given him permission on three conditions (1) to be with parents at the time of their end, (2) To do their last rituals, and (3) To get their daughters duly married.