Finally caught up this evening, after five years since it was first staged,with the wonderful Gujarati Play ‘Apurva Avsar’~Re-Glimpsed the Jain Seer’s Life Srimad Rajchandra’s Life through this ~he was an evolved soul born in November 1867 and passed away in April 1901 at the young age of 33~even was a great influence on Mahatma Gandhi and is widely believed to be his spiritual mentor who guided him to the concept of Ahimsa or Non Violence
My late mother had accepted him as her ‘Guru’ and we have been raised on the beautiful expressions of this great seer ~ He wrote the famous verses of ‘Atma Siddhi’ in one straight inspired stretch of just one and a half hour in a small room in Nadiad with a lamp being held up for him ~ I have been fortunate to visit this room more than once and actually recite the full ‘Atma Siddhi’ for 45 minutes to an hour there~ the positive vibrations are simply heavenly ~ every evening the diyas and agarbatti incense sticks are lit at our House and Prayers are offered in Dev Vandan
Apurva Avsar is directed by Manoj Shah with Dharmendra Gohil portraying Srimad Rajchandra really well and Pulkit Solanki and Pratik Gandhi essaying multiple characters in Srimadji’s Life ,some of them brilliantly
Shrimad Rajchandra was never lost for an answer to Life’s searching Questions,though he searched deep within for answers to Self and Reason for Existence
Some of his expressions,beliefs and momentous events …..
- He believed that one could do both ~ lead a Life of a Businessman as well as adopt the Spiritual Path of ‘Atma Gyan’
- Scriptures can only be your teacher and companion for part of the way beyond which only your own experience will guide you
- If your Mind is Restless,read noble books,think noble thoughts or simply count Prayer Beads Mala
- Sometimes we ourselves do not realize what we’re wearing ~ when Gandhiji asked him why his topi was laced with leather inside when he preached that one should definitely never wear Leather on person
- Gave up Practicing Astrology and showing off his Pnuemonic Powers as it was not of any use and energy and time consuming and could even be misused for commercial gains and also distracted away from the spiritual path of meditation and self realisation ~ This was after December 1886 when Srimad Rajchandraji was invited and showed of his pnuemonic powers in a public display at Framjee Cawasji Hall in Mumbai ~ he subsequently received invitations to travel overseas,which he never even considered, to show of these incredible powers there and many wondered and wanted to initiate sponsored research on why only a Hindu was able to do this and not a Parsi,Christian or a Muslim !
- He was able to see into the Future and the Past
- He advocated accepting the Hindu Gods Noble Messages without analysing them too much to be happy
- “It’s only a Rat not a Snake !” he laughed at Gandhiji when the latter jumped from where he was sitting ~ “So if it was a Snake,Should I have killed it lest it bit me !” asked Gandhiji ~ Srimad Rajchandraji replied ” This would be Hinsa and you would be committing a Crime by Killing ~ let it bite ~ it’s only the Body ~ your soul can never be bitten !”
- Believed that being a Brahmachari was more conducive to following a spiritual discovery path but was forced by family into marrying
- He once went to collect a debt from a business client along with a copy of the debtors accounts to show that his firm was owed Rs 60000 ~ The Client was deeply worried as he had suffered a huge business loss but showed honest intent to repay even if he had to sell all his assets including property but begged for more time ~ Srimad Rajchandra told him ” Is this Piece of Accounts Paper worrying you so much ? ” and then he tears it up implying that the Debt is forgiven and he owes nothing !
- Once a business associate inquires of Srimad Rajchandraji whether he could obtain ‘Moksh’ ~ In a jocular mood,Srimad Rajchandraji says he can show him the path to instant ‘Moksh’ and asks him to hold his breath till he attains it ! ~ Needless to say the rather naive associate after a few seconds gaspingly gives up even trying and realises that ‘Moksh’ was not that easy to obtain !
- Once a Friend asks Srimadji to come along to watch a Play ~ Instead Srimadji asks him to open the Window and he would show him a Play !~ he keeps asking his friend what does he see outside ~ Friend’s initial excitement turns to agony as he relays what he sees
- Srimad Rajchandra believed we are living in a bad age and he could only see ‘Pain & Death’ all around him ~ when he was very young and a village elderly had just passed away,he questioned his grandfather relentlessly as to what is Death and what happens to the Body ~ his grandfather thought he was too young to understand ‘Death’ and tried to feign an answer
- He never believed he was a ‘Guru’ to many and said he will never be so ~ though in reality he was a Guru and yet is to many
A great Evolved Life was lost young at the turn of the twentieth century when Srimad Rajchandra left his ‘deh’ at the young Age of 33
It is worth turning to the ‘Atma Siddhi’ for spiritual guidance on the path for self realisation in this cruel,ruthless,fast paced,selfish and materialistic world ~ The 142 stanzas and the English translation that I have linked will certainly fascinate you and make you wonder how on earth could such a gem be created and that too in verse in just one inspired sitting of an hour and a half with a lamp being held up for him !