Man Abhiman Nahi Lesh...…
The Sanskrit word anahamkrutihi means the absence of ego. Pramukh Swami is polite and simple, natural and open. He has never craved or expected accolades. Let us look at his worldly achievements in order to comprehend the extent of his absence of ego.
Swamishri has created hundreds of magnificent mandirs and monuments around the world. He has contributed to society through anti-addiction campaigns, tribal care programmes, women’s uplift programmes and disaster relief operations. He has sanctified the mansions, bungalows, apartments, condos, shanties and huts of thousands of devotees and wellwishers. Swamishri has educated thousands of children through hostels, boarding schools and education drives. He has initiated over 850 sadhus, who have renounced their personal ambitions to serve God and society. Swamishri has been honoured every day of the week for the past 42 years!
Despite all of this, whenever he is asked by a dignitary or even the common man about his accomplishments his answer is the same, “It is all due to the grace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and my gurus.”
Dipak Jhaveri, a reporter for India Post in the United States, interviewed Swamishri. He asked, “Don’t you ever tire from the constant travel and your organization’s growth?”
Pramukh Swami replied, “It is God’s work. I don’t believe that I am doing anything. It is all due to my guru’s blessings and God’s inspiration. You only feel the burden on your head if you try to carry a pot of water. If you swim in the ocean, thousands of gallons of water are above your head, but you don’t feel a thing. Similarly, you should always pray to God saying, ‘You are doing everything. I am merely an instrument.’ He will guide us through success and failure. If you work in a way that pleases him, you will produce results that please everyone.”
Dipak continued, “Humility seems to be at the foundation of your organization. This is the first time I have seen something like that.”
Swamishri added, “None of us believe that we have done anything. Bhagwan Swaminarayan does everything. God is the all-doer. It is this principle that lets everyone share the credit. There is no jealousy or hatred.”
The underlying cause of Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s humility is his love and devotion to God and guru. A devotee once asked him, “If God does everything, what do you do?”
“I am his humble servant,” Pramukh Swami replied. He believes himself to be God’s servant and doesn’t like to be compared with him. If someone gets too excited and compares him to God or his guru, calls him God or calls him greater than God, Pramukh Swami feels as if he himself has committed a grave sin.
Sadguru Muktanand Swami, another of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s senior paramhansas, describes the greatness of such a sadhu in a bhajan:
“Hu tale Hari dhukadã, te talãy dãse re;
Muktãnand mahã sant ne, Prabhu pragat pãse re…”
“Forsake I-ness and God will become close to you; Muktanand Swami says God is embodied within such a great Sadhu.”
Pramukh Swami has no ego. Self-importance does not drive him. He derives his strength solely from his faith in God; and as a result, God resides within him.
Let us join in by paying homage to our guru, Pramukh Swami Maharaj – who is an ocean of virtues, the pinnacle of mental stability and the embodiment of humility. To this Sadhu, I bow down – “Evã Santne nãmu hu shish.”