Site menu:

Prabhushree's journey of IDAR Ghad(Hills) at IDAR

 

Laluji Swami and other monks reached Idar and sa under the mango tree and waited for Shrimad, who was chanting the following ghatas of Dravyasangrah Granth (compilation of basic substance) the meaning of which are as follows:
"If you want to concentrate mind in absolute meditation, avert illusion, craving and aversion towards the desirable or undesirable object".


"While contemplating about any one subject, when one stays absorbed of and devoid of any desire that is called absolute meditation".

"If you want to remain steady, do not undertake any physical activity, do not speak, do not think, the superb meditation arises when the sole stays within thyself".

Shrimad chanted the above ghatas for half an hour with utmost concentration. Then restraining his mental, verbal and physical faculty, he stayed absorbed in concentration for half an hour and then asked: "Think over".

Next day Shrimad directed the monks to go to the Shwetambar and Digambar temple on the hills with Thakharshi. That was the first time the monks bowed to the idol of omniscient Lords. The superb mode, which arose by bowing to the idol of the hills, as per Shrimad's directive, was beyond words. There were relics and memoirs of digambar muni on one of the cliffs and cemetery, ponds and caves which were shown to the monks.

The next day the monks were asked to go to the Mango tree. Devkaranji was feeling feverish. Shrimad asked him: Are you feeling cold, do you want to get rid of it. So saying he started walking and so did monks passing through thorns and pebbles, spider webs and sharp stones and came to a slab and sat on it facing east and the monks sat before him. Shrimad said: "There is a Lion around here but do not be afraid"


Shrimad went to Idar library which was locked for long due to dispute between shwetambar and digambar and both from there a manuscript copy of Bruhad Dravyasangra granth and started reading.
After halfway reading, Devkaranji mentioned:
"Why do we now go down to the town".
Shrimad said: "who asked you to go down"
Devkaranji said: "Where is the alternative? The monks also have stomach".

Shrimad said: "The stomach of the monk exists for the well being of the people and so they go to the towns or else would stay in caves and move in forest with total detachment. The stomach of the monk is for the well being of the populace".
Shrimad while explaining meditation said:
"An ascetic visualizes what he contemplates in meditation. If he contemplates a soul being a huge buffalo as large as this slab, the ascetic would visualize the soul as that type but that is not soul. The one that knows it is the soul".

Once all the monks were sitting before Shrimad when Mohanlalji said I take more time in tying Muhupatti after the meals and my guru penalizes me for that.
On hearing that Shrimad asked all the monks to remove Muhupatti and asked them not to tie the same within 40 miles of Idar. If anyone inquired about it, they were advised to do so and satisfy with peaceful explanation.
On the last day, the monks showed their reverence and sat before a big sheela on which Shrimad sat.
Shrimad said: "This is Shidhsheela (abode of the liberated) and one who is sitting is Siddha – the liberated one". So saying he said when a person is sitting at this height can a person at the foot can see us.
Lallujiswami said: No he cannot see us.

Shrimad explained: "Similarly a person belonging to a lower stage cannot accurately make out the state of the enlightened belonging to a higher state. If however one becomes worthy and reaches the higher state, he can make it out. Since we are at the top of the hill we can see the whole town and other far off places while the person at the foot of it can see only things surrounding him. The enlightened being therefore suggests to the person below that if he comes up a little and sees he can make out better".

Shrimad asked the monks to remain seated in lotus posture like the omniscient Lord and continued explaining Drayasanghra granth and the monks remained in same position till it was finished.
Devkaranji felt very excited on the occasion and said:
" Of all the contacts with the great Guru, this was the superbly beneficial like a metal pitcher placed on the top of the temple. This explanation has occurred to the highest order".
Then Srimad made reference to Acharya Gunabhadra, the author of Atmanushasan (Order of the Soul) and said
"In the later part of the book, Acharya has blossomed forth in wonderful enlightenment that vividly explains the nature of soul", so saying he read it.
Under the same tree, Shrimad once said:

"Due to devotion and detachment, the tendency and state of Ambalal had earlier been of a level that manifested various accomplishments. If we might have talked for three or four hours and asked him to bring in writing the next or the third day, he could bring ad verbatim(corresponding word for word to the original discourse). His tendency has not been slackened on account of indolence, greed etc. We knew 12 months before that this fault will arise."

Lalluji was sad to hear it and immediately responded: Would it remain the same now.
Shrimad said: "Do not worry as a leaf floating in water halts due to web, but would free itself and resume the journey of meeting the ocean. Similarly, the indolence of Ambalal would overcome by our preaching and he will attain higher state".

Thereafter Lallujiswami moved around Idar for about 2 months and then moved to Kheralu and then to Nadiad to pass the monsoon of 1899 in Nadiad.