April 2009 Annual Subscription Rs. 60 - Swaminarayan Sanstha

SWAMINARAYAN HISTORY: TRANSLATION: SADHU VIVEKJIVANDAS
Pleasing the
Devotees of Botad
Shri Hari
showered all with coloured water and
celebrated the Fuldol festival in Botad.
But Daha Khachar, the host,
had one unfulfilled wish...
Maharaj, I have been left out,
untouched by a single drop,”
“But
Daha Khachar declared.
“But I can see that you are wet. Why do you
say you have been left out?” Maharaj asked.
“Maharaj, you have drenched the streets of
Botad with colour, but my own darbar and its
precincts are dry.”
“Then let’s go to your darbar and celebrate.”
Shri Hari and his entourage proceeded to
Hamir Khachar’s darbar with the same exuberance.
At the darbar, Maharaj sprayed coloured
water and gulal on the sadhus and devotees.
The entire precincts took on a red hue. Shri
Hari was red from head to foot and so where
the devotees. Shriji Maharaj satisfied the wish
of Daha Khachar and his father, Hamir Khachar.
Then Maharaj took a bath in a river on the
outskirts and returned to Daha Khachar’s darbar.
An assembly commenced with bhajans by
the paramhansas. Januba, a government official
of Ranpur, came for Maharaj’s darshan. He
bowed before Shri Hari and placed a donation
of one rupee and a coconut at his holy feet. The
official was enthralled by Devanand Swami’s
soulful singing and the tune from the musical
instruments. He showed it by swaying to the
bhajan and music. Januba was delighted at Shri
Hari’s darshan and impressed by Maharaj’s
greatness for having such accomplished singers
in his service. Then he beckoned his servants to
bring the musical instruments he had brought
with him. On seeing the instruments Maharaj
asked, “You seem to be proficient in music.” The
official nodded humbly. Shri Hari stated, “I had
last seen such a variety of musical instruments
at the palace of Queen Kushalkunvarba.”
“Will your sadhus play them?” Januba asked.
“Yes.”
The sadhus tuned the instruments and started
playing them. The sadhus sang bhajans of
4 Swaminarayan Bliss ◆ April 2009