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Kesarmiya
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Kesarmiya
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Kesarmiya
Two hundred years ago, there were many small states in Saurashtra. Vadhawan
was one of them. Thakor was the king of this state, but he was a nominal king.
Actually his minister [Diwan] was all in all. The minister’s name was
Bhanji Mehta. Bhanji Mehta was jealous of Shriji Maharaj. He would slander Maharaj
very often. There was a Sepoy [a policeman] under him. He was a Mohmedean [a
Muslim]. His name was Kesarmiya. Kesarmiya had a great respects for Shriji Maharaj,
so much that he would be ready to sacrifice his head for Shriji Maharaj. Once
a Brahmin came to Bhanji Mehta. The brahmin requested him, “I wish to
go on a pilgrimage to Dwarika. Give me some rupees.” Bhanji Mehta said,
“I am prepared to give you as much as you want but on one condition, that
you will abuse Shriji Maharaj, standing in the square of the village.”
The brahmins greed for money forced him to accept the condition and he accepted
it. Kesarmiya warned him not to speak ill of Shriji Maharaj. The brahmin was
afraid of Kesarmiya but his temptation for rupees did not vanish. He began to
speak ill of Shriji Maharaj. “Shriji Maharaj is a hypocrite. He dissuades
people, he misleads the people.” Kesarmiya warned him again and asked
him to be silent. The brahmin took a fright but again he continued shouting,
“Shriji Maharaj is a heretic.” Meantime Kesarmiya struck him hard
on his head with a scabbarded sword. The brahmin’s turban rolled off and
he was saved. Kesarmiya shouted, “This time I have thrown off your turban,
but henceforth if you utter a single word, I will cut off your head off!”
The Brahmin ran away.
Bhanji Mehta could not tolerate this. He ordered Kesarmiya, “Untie your
sword belt and leave the service and go home.” Without any hesitation.
Kesarmiya threw the sword belt away. Kesarmiya went home loaded the cart with
his household belongings and prepared to leave the village. Kesarmiya had been
serving the state for the last three generations. When Thakor came to know that
Kesarmiya was leaving the village, he called Kesarmiya back and restored him
with his service with due honour. Once Kesarmiya started, with some horsemen
to arrest some robbers. There on the way he passed near Gadhada ? He went for
the darshan of Shriji Maharaj with his companion horsemen. Shriji Maharaj was
holding a meeting under a Nimb tree at that time. Kesarmiya stood in a corner.
Brahmananda Swami saw him and called him nearer. Kesarmiya went forward and
bowed down his head before Shriji Maharaj. Maharaj was well conversant with
Kesarmiya’s feats. So he said, “Miya bhagat, please tell this meeting
what had happened on that day.” Kesarmiya had come at once in full of
spirit. He told what had happened and said, “I considered Maharaj my own,
and how can I tolerate when somebody slanders Maharaj and I keep quiet ? ”
Maharaj smiled and said, “ Miya bhagat, where did you learn this from?”
“From you”, replied Miya boldly. “You have always insisted
on taking sides [favour] of God and his devotees. Never to leave the side of
God or his bhakta, whether we are honoured or dishonoured, whether we live or
die.” Shriji Maharaja’s pleasure knew no bounds. He said, “Whosoever
wants to worship God and if he gets the opportunity to worship God and to serve
His devotees, must consider this the greatest luck. We should not worship God
for getting peoples’s praise, but we have to worship God leaving aside
all considerations of honour. Such a worship of God is hardly done by anyone
except Miyaji.”
EXERCISE
1. Shriji Maharaj in the ‘Vachnamrit [gospels] Gadhada M |
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