Chapter 56 - Ramanand Swami leaves Bhuj and arrives in Piplana

Shri Hari on the way to Pippalana. 

The month of Vaishakha passed while the celibate was staying there at Lojpur, engaged in austerities and teaching yoga. 1. 

Half of the month of Jyestha also passed while he was thinking of the master to arrive in a day or other two. 2. 

Troubled by the expectation for Ramanand Swami’s arrival, the celibate could not get even a little of ease, extremely disturbed and shrunken due to austerities and anxiety, in pain of expecting his arrival. 3. 

Also, Carried away in heart by longing to see him (Shri Hari), the best of the noble men people (Swami Ramanand) left Bhujnagar, accompanied by many devotees. 4. 

He was sitting in the cart covered with gold and jewels. On the way, he took glances at the citizens gracefully, who were standing in rows (to see him). 5. 

Honoured and followed by the citizens with tearful eyes, he arrived in Pippalana giving joy to the people on the way. 6. 

There he stayed in the house of one of his Brahmin devotees namely Narasimha Mehta, and there being worshipped by his followers. 7. 

From there he sent a messenger named Kumarjit to Lojpur to call Muktanand Swami and other devotees staying there. 8. 

Immediately reaching Lojpur on the same day, he delivered the message that: ‘all of you have been called by the master’ to Pippalana. 9. 

They all were extremely happy with this nectar like pleasing words. Then Nilakantha said to Muktanand Swami: we shall go to the sight of guru today itself. 10. 

After consulting with each other all those ascetics eager to see their master, started for heading towards Pippalana gaamin the same night with the rising of the moon. 11. 

Those noble sages headed by Muktanand, accompanied with devotees like Parvat, and ascetic Devananda, Jyestha and others, moved speedily on the way towards that village, driven by the eagerness in their hearts to have a sight of their beloved master. 12- 13. 

On the way, Nilakantha on account of walking fast suddenly fell on the ground due to extreme weakness of body, gasping for breath. 14. 

Those sages who were leading, after moving ahead for some time looked behind for him and seeing, him fallen, went near him quickly. 15.

They rubbed his feet slowly and seeing, him gaining consciousness, they spoke to the celibate: 16. 

‘Walking fast’ today only we have to reach Pippalana hence you may take help of your pure yogic strength. 17. 

Moving fast hence you will be able to cross the path with the help of that strength only. Having told thus he acted accordingly and moved speedily on the way. 18. 

Observing upon the lord in his heart, he moved fast like an arrow released from the bow, in front of all, forgetting his bodily pain. 19. 

The noble sages following, moving fast could not keep up with him. Soon all of them reached the river called Ojasvati. 20.

The river was flowing south of Pippalana. It was flooded with muddy water due to heavy terrible rains with waves rising high and extremely difficult to cross. 21. 

The great celibate crossed it quickly straight away without being dragged by the flow of waves and reached the other bank. 22. 

All the devotees seeing the terrible river difficult to cross stood on the bank looking for a boat. 23. 

All of them with great efforts crossed the river on shaft and reached the other side and entered Pippalana with him. 24. 

The First meeting of Ramanand Swami and Nilakantha Varni . 

They saw their master in the house of the Brahmin Narasimha in the morning itself, of the twelfth day of the dark half of the month of Jyeshstha in samvant 1856. 25. 

They saluted the master seated on the heavenly throne, having fair skin tone, of healthy built, wearing white cloth, having beautiful smiling face with lotus-like eyes and arms long down to the knees. He was being worshipped devotedly in the assembly of the devotees, with sandal paste and flower-garlands, who was the treasure throne of the highest joy delighting every one. 26. 

As soon as the master saw the great celibate coming, he stood up and the great devotee prostrated before him. 27. 

Raising him He (the master) embraced him with his arms and gave him a seat close to him and also made others seated accordingly. 28. 

The great celibate after seeing the master as was given to known by the noble ones, was extremely satisfied and became exited with tears of joy, and body horripilated. [VA1] 29. 

For a couple of moments they were looking at each other with their eyes fixed and unmoved (without twinkling). 30. 

The master Ramanand Swami welcomed him accordingly, with due honour when he saw him after his initial excitement (having no body consciousness). 31. 

Muktananda narrated all the happenings with Nilakantha as were known by his experience. Hearing this master praised the celibate. 32. 

With the voice choked in devotion the celibate also praised him and said: ‘’The tree of my wishes has born its fruits today. 33. 

I feel accomplished in meeting you who is spreading on earth the devotion of Lord Shri Krishna himself. My human life is now fruitful. 34. 

Then the master happily welcomed him and others with good fruits and milk etc. accordingly. 35. 

The meeting of those two spiritually powerful persons like the royal sage and the celibate having lotus tearful eyes full of love and speech like an essence of nectar was amazing for the people. 36. 

Thus ends the fifty-sixth chapter entitled ‘The meeting with Ramanand Swami’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 56