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Muktanand's jivan charitra
is a prime example of how to do bhakti of Lord Shree
Swaminarayan. His contributions to the Swaminarayan
Sampradaya are too many to describe. He was one of the
five Sadgurus who compiled the memorable words of Shree
Hari in Vachnamrut.
He was born in v s 1814, in Amrelli, a city on the
slopes of Mount Girnar. (Historical name for Amrelli was
Amravalli). Mother was Radha and father was Anandram. He
was named Mukunddas. (in Sanskrit Mukund means giver of
Moksha)
He was very bright for his age and his parents loved him
a lot. At early age he began to learn Holy Scriptures.
Had a good singing voice and was keen to learn musical
instruments and Bhajan/Kirtans. Also learnt Aryuvedic
treatment of illnesses and became an expert in
identifying type of illness by examining one's pulse.
Also did Ramayan Katha with music.
He was totally engrossed in Bhakti and his parents were
concerned that he would become a Sadhu, so arranged his
marriage against his will. He accepted this for the time
being and went to earn his living in Amrapar, a town
near by. But Bhakti and devotion was strong in his heart
and he wanted to renounce this Sansar but felt that his
parents would not let him do that. He decided that he
would act as if he had become insane. Parents thought
that some kind of spirits had affected him. They did
everything to remove these spirits but there was no
change in Mukunddas.
A close friend of Mukunddas eventually realised that
Mukunddas was not insane but was deliberately acting in
such a manner. He asked for reasons. Mukunddas asked his
friend to speak to his parents and let him go to a Yatra
and he would be fine.
He was allowed to go and when he returned his parents
were happy to see him but his Bhakti and Vairagya had
become much stronger.
Eventually he left home in search of a real Sadguru who
will show him a true path. He searched from place to
place until he came to meet Dwarkadas od Dhrangadhra. He
was not happy there so he went to Kalyandas of Vankaner.
Kalyandas could not teach him what he wanted so he went
to Tulsidas of Sardhar. Tulsidas made him a Mahant of
his Ashram.
At this time Ramanand Swami came to Sardhar. Mukunddas
met him and liked his preachings. He wanted to become
his Shishya but Ramanand Swami asked him to get
permission from Tulsidas. Tulsidas would not let him go
easily as he was very important to him so Mukundas
decided on a plan that will ensure that he was allowed
to leave. He decided to give away everything that was in
the Ashram. Ashram stores began to empty and other
sadhus told Tulsidas what was happening. Tulsidas told
Mukunddas that he should leave. Mukunddas said that he
would leave but asked him to give it to him in writing
stating that he had permission to leave.
Mukunddas took this letter to Ramanand Swami and became
his disciple. At first Ramanand wanted to test Mukunddas
so he was sent as a farm labourer to the farm of
Mudubhai. After sometime he was given diksha at Bandhiya
and was named Muktanand.
Soon he became a very well respected sadhu and was sent
to Bhuj to learn Sanskrit. He had a small room and in
the courtyard there was a Pipal tree in which lot of
Bhoots lived. Muktanand Swami sent them to Badrikashram.
He pearched satsang to many in Bhuj made lot of
Satsangis.
He came to Loj and was the leader all sadhus who lived
there. When Sukhananda brought Nilkanthvarni to the
Ashram, he welcomed him and persuaded to stay there.
Nilkanthvarni was made a sadhu and was named Sarjudas.
Muktanand Swami was doing Ramayan Katha at the home of
Jivraj Seth. Sarjudas was invited to go but when he went
there he saw sadhus men and women sitting together. He
did not enter the sabha. Later on he told Muktanand
Swami that this practice of men and women sitting
together must stop. Men will have to sit in the front
and women behind so the sadhus do not see the faces of
women. Sankhyayogis like Harbai and Valbai did not like
this as they used to sit in the front they left the
Satsang altogether.
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