A Miracle
On a special occasion, I firmly believe we should do something special, so as to make that occasion a memorable one. When organising a program many questions arise about where, when, and how the function should be commemorated.
Such questions preoccupied my mind when organising a function for Sharad Purnima. Pujya Gurudev’s birthday was fast approaching, and we needed to decide on where to hold the function and what to do. We had just arrived in Rajgir. There were two or three potential places where it could be organised – Panditpura, Saptaparni or at foothills of Vaibharagiri hill. Most felt that Panditpura’s 25 acres of government land was the most suitable venue because it had all the amenities, but I, on the other hand, was of the view that the foothill of Vaibharagiri was the right place. Whilst acknowledging that this place was indeed far from the town itself and that there were no suitable facilities available there, I nevertheless knew that the area’s history was immersed in these foothills.
With firm determination, I contended that whilst facilities can be brought to the foothill of Vaibharagiri, its history cannot be transported elsewhere. All were worried about a solitary sadhviji working in the jungle to deliver such a function. They were probably right to be concerned but my decision to choose the Vaibharagiri’s foothills was not to be shaken.
Therefore, it was decided that on Sharad Purnima, Pujya Gurudev’s birthday programme would be organised at the foothills of Vaibharagiri. The challenge now was how to organize it. That evening we were all sitting in the temple premises for prayers and Shri Devraj Mehta was present with his family. I told him that in two days’ time we were celebrating Pujya Gurudev’s birthday at the foothills of Vaibharagiri and that they were all warmly invited. He enquired, ‘What will be in the programme?’ I answered that for the people attending from the nearby areas, apart from blessings, offerings of jaggery and chick-peas will be distributed.
He immediately said, ‘We want to take advantage of this worthwhile opportunity but not to just distribute jaggery and chick-peas. On this pious land of Bhagwan, it is the first time Gurudev Shriji’s birthday is being celebrated, so we will give all a meal and some sweets.’ I was left in awe. I was amazed that where there was great anxiety only to distribute jaggery and chick-peas, now a meal to feed hundreds of people was being arranged! This was nothing short of a miracle!
On Gurudev’s birthday, prayers were recited, a spiritual discourse delivered, and a resolution made to transform Bhagwan Mahavir’s land. Shri Devraj Mehta pledged to contribute to sanctify this desolate land so that Prabhu’s name would echo once more on the foothills of Vaibharagiri.
Today, 45 years later, Shramani Vidyapeeth’s foundation stone in Palitana has been laid by the very same family. As long as such families remain dedicated to Prabhu, no pious land will remain desolate.
