Chapter 37 - Bhaktimata’s veneration of Shree Hari

Bhakti offering last prayers to Shri Hari, revealing himself as 

Shri Krishna. 

The king said: while meditating upon the Lord, which destination did Mother Bhakti attain? Then what did Shri Hari do? O great sage, kindly tell me all this. 1.

Suvrat said - 

While she was still continuing in the state of meditation, O King, dawn advanced and Krishna took bath, and entered the fire-place in order to perform daily rites. 2. 

While meditating she saw Shri Hari as a celibate revealing himself as he was perceived earlier in her lotus-heart. 3. 

Having pleasant face with moon-like lustre, eyes resembling lotus petals, having two arms, and of dark complexion, and attractive figure, Wearing loin-cloth (Koupin) and white upper garment, and having fine, tender, curly black hair on his head tied with turban. 4 -5. 

(She saw him) wearing white sacred thread (Yajnopavit) and string of beads in hand for chanting (Maala), and wearing two small auspicious Tulsi garlands around his neck (Tulsi-Kanthhi). There were beautiful vertical marks of saffron with moon like spot inside, on his forehead, throat, heart and shoulders (Urdhvapundra Tilak and Chandlo). 6 - 7.

Then she saw her body, mind, breath and the like attributes separated from her Self, their illuminator. 8. 

Then she saw her Self merged in the imperishable ‘Akshar’ and therein the residing Supreme Self and then again there she saw Shri Hari himself. 9. 

When Shri Hari perceived that she has realized Shri Hari being Shri Krishna himself, he manifested the same form to her. She saw that form wonder-struck. 10. 

In astonishment, she saw Him assuming the elegance of millions and millions of cupids and having dark complexion of fresh cloud and emitting the brightness of millions and millions of moons through each of his limbs. 11.

He was wearing garment of shining, of pure-golden shade occupied with jewel belt; wearing the crown (Mugat) of peacock feathers and earpendants of crocodile shape (Makrakaar), and Kaustubha gem (Kausthubhamani) illuminating his neck, and also the ornament of pearl necklace and charming garland made of Tulsi clusters. He was wearing on arms, upper armlets and chains and golden bracelets (on wrists) and anklets. She witnessed Him to be a youth (15 yrs) resembling an actordancer with charming eyes, elegantly besmeared with sandal paste and wearing floral garlands and crescent as ornaments. 12 - 15. 

She saw him having two arms and playing flute with melodious notes. Beholding Him with wondering eyes, again and again she bowed before Him. Then again she saw Him in his original state as her own son, wearing celibate attire. Then she saluted him and praised him. 16.

Bhaktimata’s vision of her Atma.

Bhakti said:- 

O Lord, to protect righteous people, gods, cows and religion, from the multitude of arrogant demons, on account of compassion, you are born to me. You are the lover of intent devotion. You are like the sun removing heap of radical ignorance, and have taken several incarnations; to that supreme lord Shri Hari, who has assumed the form of a celibate, I salute you. 17 - 18. 

O the friend of the all-tolerating, you are forgiving as the earth, pure as water, indestructible like fire, well-wisher for all like air and untouched like the sky (i.e. five elements), strong as the sun, preserver like the moon, kind as Hara (Shiva), and worthy of devotion like nectar-carrying cloud, O the one loving saintly people and their virtues O settled in the self, O Shri Hari, may my intellect be engaged on you. 19. 

O the sustainer of undistracted devotion, O courageous one, posing the hands like giving boons and protection, and whose name uttered only once, burns away the multitude of sins; O the protector of the cows, the Brahmins, the earth, the gods, and the virtuous! May my intellect be engaged on you. 20. 

O expert in destroying the multitude of troublemakers, you have lead innumerable devoted souls to the abode of Goloka. You are a canopy fulfilling desires of the devotees. Let my intellect be engaged on you. 21. 

You are the promoter of sacrifices without violence (ahimsa yajnas). You are one who offer oblations to gods and manes; and preach devotion with its integral components like knowledge, detachment, and doing one’s religious duties; observing great vow of celibacy and others; being calm, pure and restrained; Let my intellect be engaged on you. 22. 

O Madhava, the shelter of the genuine scriptures, truth-embodied and truth-willed, worshipped by Brahmins and saints, inclined towards faith, meditation, pure intellect and the art of Yoga. Let my intellect be engaged on you. 23. 

Shri Hari, who has caused the uprooting of the demonic king and his preceptor, hypocritically boasting of Vedic path, outraging the red-faced invaders; one who bears fatherly love for all living beings May my intellect be engaged on you. 24. 

O Shri Hari, bearing gentle form, marked by all auspicious signs, and endowed with attributes like essence of entire competency, modesty, generous, learning’s, austerities, cautiousness; insisting on goodness and cShri Harity, May my intellect be engaged on you. 25.

Excelling the moon with face and eyes like lotus petals, elegant beautiful garments and ornaments; and one taking away the misery of all beings by their slight glance at his gentle smile. May my intellect be engaged on you ! 26. 

Bhakti attains divine state. 

Suvrat said:- 

Thus praising Krishna, her mind got absorbed in him and her rootnescience disappearing, she stopped speaking further and stayed still. Her mortal body collapsed unaware of it. 27.

At that moment she obtained celestial form, invisible to the people, as in the past. 28. 

Being liberated from Durvasa’s curse she continued to serve her husband with love, and lived with Shraddha and the 12 other wives, with that celestial body. 29. 

It was in Vikrama era 1848, in the month of Kartika in the bright fortnight on the tenth day that being a Saturday, when the sun was rising in Tula zodiac, mother Bhakti left her physical body and attained immortality. 30 - 31. 

Her sons and all the kinsmen surrounding her, seeing her unconscious and pulse-less, knowing her dead, wept heavily. Dharma consoled and reminded them of the fate of worldly things. 32 - 33. 

Then he arranged to carry out final rites of the deceased, befitting to his financial capacity, at the hands of his eldest son, Ramapratapji. 34. 

Since the day she passed away, practical Krishna respected and loved his elder brother’s wife Suvasini Bai as his mother. 35. 

Thus ends the thirty-seventh chapter entitled ‘Attainment of Divine State by Premavati (Bhakti)’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 37