'Guru Smruti' is a translation of Pragat Brahmaswarup Pramukh Swami Maharaj's recollection of inspiring incidents with Shastriji Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj and sadhus from his childhood, in his own words.
When Shastriji Maharaj left Vartal he did not have the means, sadhus, money and devotees. Nevertheless he established such a big organization. This reflects his strength. To enshrine the knowledge of Akshar-Purushottam in thousands of souls is by no means an ordinary feat. He had the power to create from nothing. From the effects one can understand the cause. Swami was always determined in whatever work he undertook. He believed that the work will be accomplished. He had inner faith and courage! He believed the task he had taken up was absolutely right. With such faith he persevered and built such big mandirs. He appeared to be small. People said that Shastriji was just a fistful of bones, so what could he do? But he accomplished a Herculean task which his opponents also praised. The whole world saw what great works he accomplished.
He built a mandir of marble in Gadhada. When a householder builds his house he does the first floor well, but as he builds the top floors his mindset becomes confined and short. Shastriji Maharaj built all the mandirs, but his last in Gadhada he made out of marble! As he proceeded ahead (in building one mandir after another) he exerted all the more.
I had to go to Makrana quite often for (acquiring stones for) the Gadhada mandir. It was very difficult to build a mandir of marble because the stones and labour costs were very high. Whereas the stones from Porbandar cost two to three rupees per cubic foot. Everyone said that making a mandir out of marble would be costly. But Shastriji Maharaj said, “Let it be so, but I want to make it of marble.” At that time Shastriji Maharaj said, “There will be a change in political governance, and during the construction of the Gadhada mandir we will get someone to donate Rs.100,000.”
At that time there was stiff opposition, and Mohanbhai Motichand, a leading light of Gadhada, was the main opponent. He had told the Maharaja, “Do not give land for building a mandir to Shastri Yagnapurushas.” The official order was thus made and it could not be changed.
The pratishtha of Sarangpur mandir was done in V.S. 1972 (1916 CE). Ever since then efforts for acquiring land in Gadhada were going on. Many years had elapsed. Whenever I went with Swami to Gadhada for darshan we would take a dip in the river Ghela. Then Shastriji Maharaj would sit there and say that he would like to build a mandir on the hilltop. He would point it out to everyone and say that to all. For years no one ever welcomed and offered us any hospitality. Only Keshav Maharaj of the Ramji Mandir offered us lodgings, and no one in the village welcomed us. There was only one satsangi called Haribhai Mistry. But he was poor. He had a very small house, so he could not host us, thus Bawaji (Keshav Maharaj) gave us accommodation. In such circumstances Shastriji Maharaj would say, “I want to build a mandir in Gadhada.” Initially Shriji Maharaj had wished to build a mandir on the hilltop, but it did not become possible then. So, Maharaj built a mandir at Dada Khachar’s darbar. Maharaj said it would be done in future.
Shastriji Maharaj had resolved to build a mandir on the very place that Maharaj desired. Mohanbhai Sheth said, “You will have to spend lakhs of rupees to make the hillock conducive for construction. Instead build a mandir on the holy grounds of either Lakshmi Vadi or Radhavav.” But Shastriji Maharaj replied, “The whole of Gadhada was sanctified by Maharaj, but he had wished to build a mandir on the hilltop; that is why I wish to build it there.”
Shastriji Maharaj had said that because (the murtis of) Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj wanted to be consecrated at that place there would be a change of political power, and we would get the land and Maharaj would be enshrined there. He said with immense power and confidence that we would find a person who would donate Rs. 1 lakh. One man would give a lakh rupees and the mandir would be built. And the mandir was indeed built! When the auspicious kalashes were established, (51) youths were given the sadhu diksha.
Thus the task that Swami so wished indeed happened. There were thousands of hitches, but when Swami lay down to rest he would sleep instantly. He had no worries because he left everything on Maharaj. Thus today, we are reaping the benefits of his works. The drums of victory sounded at the gate of Yagnapurush, and so mandirs were established joyfully in Africa, London and Europe. In Delhi, too, there was the sound of joy and victory.
We, too, must rely on this (divine) strength. Today we are happy in every respect. I congratulate you on having joined in such a work. When you hear such talks about our past, and the hard times in which this work was done, you gain inner strength.
Such works can only be accomplished by God alone. Only God’s powers can fulfil such works. And with God’s powers working through Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj they accomplished such wonderful works. What the great (divine persons) will, happens. But they do it in accordance to the ways of our world, bearing financial and other difficulties. Such great people have taught us that in the midst of difficulties if we keep God in the forefront of our works then they will be successfully accomplished.