|| Gan Gan Ganat Bote ||

Shree Gajanan Maharaj Vijay Granth

Chapter 4

Salutations to Lord Ganesha

Overview of the Chapter

Chapter 4 of the Gajanan Maharaj Vijaygranth is a captivating narration that highlights the divine miracles and unwavering faith of Gajanan Maharaj’s devotees. This chapter delves into an extraordinary event that not only reinforced the devotees’ faith but also illustrated Maharaj’s boundless grace.

Testing the Devotees' Faith

The story from Chapter 4 narrates an incident that happened on the auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, which is highly regarded by the people of Varhad. On this day, people perform rituals like Shraddha, offering water to their ancestors, and the day is considered very special and auspicious.

The story begins with Maharaj seated among the children, engaging in playful activities. He expressed his desire to smoke a chilum (a traditional pipe) and asked the children to prepare it for him. The children were eager to serve Maharaj and started filling the chilum with tobacco. However, they soon realized that they needed fire to light it, but there was no fire available as the household chores hadn't yet started.

The children, worried and uncertain, began to think about how they could find fire for Maharaj's chilum. Seeing their concern, Bankat suggested that they could go to Janakiram, a goldsmith, who usually had a fire burning in his shop for his work. The children followed this advice and went to Janakiram, asking for a piece of burning coal for Maharaj's chilum.

However, Janakiram was not only surprised by their request but also became annoyed. He refused to give them the fire, saying that on the day of Akshaya Tritiya, he would not give fire to anyone, especially not for smoking a chilum. The children tried to persuade him, explaining that the fire was for Gajanan Maharaj, who was a revered saint, but Janakiram mocked them. He questioned the sanctity of Gajanan Maharaj, referring to him as a mere wanderer who smoked ganja and tobacco, wandered around naked, and drank dirty water.

Janakiram continued to disrespect Maharaj, saying that if he was truly enlightened, he should be able to create fire by himself and not need to beg for it. He dismissed the children and sent them away without giving them any fire.

Disheartened, the children returned to Maharaj and narrated the entire incident. Upon hearing this, Maharaj smiled and assured them that they did not need to worry about Janakiram's refusal. Maharaj then took the chilum in his hands and, without striking a match or using any fire, simply held a stick over the chilum. Bankat, with devotion and concern, asked Maharaj to wait a moment while he attempted to create fire by rubbing sticks together.

However, Maharaj gently stopped him, instructing him not to rub the sticks, but just to hold one above the chilum. Bankat obeyed, and as he held the stick, an extraordinary event occurred—fire manifested from the stick on its own, and the chilum lit up without the need for any external fire.

This miraculous event demonstrated the divine power of Gajanan Maharaj. The stick remained intact, and the chilum was fully ignited, proving that a true saint does not need external aids to fulfill their needs. The fire was not ordinary; it was a manifestation of Maharaj's spiritual power, astonishing everyone present and reaffirming the faith of his devotees

Janakiram's Repentance

The story from Chapter 4 describes another miraculous event involving Gajanan Maharaj during the celebration of Akshaya Tritiya. This day is held in high regard by the people, much like the significance of neem flowers on the first day of the new year.

The story begins with people sitting down for a meal, and a dish made from tamarind was being served. As they were about to eat, they noticed something shocking—there were worms crawling in the tamarind dish. This sight caused great disgust and chaos among everyone, and people abandoned their plates, unwilling to eat the food.

Janakiram, the goldsmith who had earlier insulted Gajanan Maharaj, was among those present. He realized that the entire meal was wasted because of the worms in the tamarind dish and began to feel deeply troubled, as he understood that this was a consequence of his disrespect towards Maharaj. Janakiram had refused to give fire for Maharaj's chilum earlier in the day, mocking him and dismissing him as an unworthy saint. Now, he felt that this incident was a direct result of his actions.

Feeling regretful and ashamed, Janakiram approached Bankatlal and confessed his wrongdoing. He explained that the entire meal was ruined because of the worms in the tamarind, and this was his fault for not providing fire for Maharaj's chilum earlier. He admitted that he had wrongfully judged Maharaj and recognized that Maharaj was not an ordinary man but a great saint with immense power.

Janakiram, overwhelmed with guilt and remorse, requested Bankatlal to take him to Gajanan Maharaj so that he could beg for forgiveness. Bankatlal, understanding the gravity of the situation, took Janakiram to Maharaj.

Janakiram approached Maharaj with great humility and fear, bowing down at his feet and asking for forgiveness for his disrespect. He acknowledged that he had made a grave mistake by doubting Maharaj's divinity and had suffered the consequences through the ruined meal.

Maharaj, in his infinite compassion, told Janakiram that the tamarind dish was not actually spoiled, and there were no worms in it. He assured Janakiram that he was forgiven and that the incident was merely a test of faith and humility.

To everyone's surprise, when they checked the tamarind dish again, they found it to be perfectly fine, with no worms or any signs of spoilage. The earlier incident had vanished as if it had never occurred. This miracle amazed everyone present and spread quickly throughout the village, further establishing Gajanan Maharaj's greatness and the deep respect people had for him.

The story concludes with the realization that just as the scent of musk cannot be hidden, the greatness and divinity of a true saint like Gajanan Maharaj cannot be concealed.

The Story of Devotee Chandumukin

The story revolves around a devotee named Chandumukhin, who was a resident of Shegaon and a devout follower of Gajanan Maharaj.

In the month of Jyeshtha, a gathering of devotees had assembled around Maharaj. They were respectfully serving him—some were slicing mangoes, some were feeding him pieces, others were fanning him, offering sugar candies, adorning him with garlands, and applying cool sandalwood paste to his body.

At that moment, Maharaj told Chandu that he did not wish to eat the mangoes being served to him. Instead, he asked for two kanhole (a traditional sweet) from Chandu's utrandya (a storage container).

Chandu, with folded hands, replied that he did not have any kanhole at home. He offered to quickly make fresh ones for Maharaj. However, Maharaj insisted that he did not want fresh kanhole but specifically wanted the ones from Chandu's utrandya. Maharaj asked him not to make any excuses and to hurry home to bring the sweets.

Encouraged by the other devotees, Chandu hurried home and asked his wife, Kanta, if there were any kanhole left in the utrandya. Kanta was puzzled and informed him that a month had passed since Akshaya Tritiya when she had made kanhole. She doubted if there were any left and even if they were, they might have gone bad by now.

Chandu insisted on checking, as it was Maharaj's command. Kanta reluctantly began searching through their storage, recalling that she had indeed made kanhole a month ago, and if any were left, they would likely be spoiled by now.

To their surprise, when they opened the utrandya and checked the earthen pot where she had stored them, they found two kanhole that were still fresh and untouched by any mold or spoilage, despite the time that had passed.

Overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, Chandu took the kanhole back to Maharaj and offered them to him. The onlookers were amazed at this miracle, realizing the greatness of Gajanan Maharaj, who knew the past, present, and future.

Just as Lord Rama relished the humble berries offered by Shabari, Gajanan Maharaj accepted Chandu's kanhole, blessing Chandu and his family with abundant spiritual merit for their devotion.

Spiritual journey of Madhav

This story describes the spiritual journey of a Brahmin named Madhav from the village of Chincholi, located south of Shegaon.

Madhav, who was over sixty years old, had become frail with age. In his youth, he had been deeply engrossed in worldly affairs, which had occupied his entire life. However, he now found himself alone, having lost both his wife and children. This profound loss left him disillusioned with life, and he developed a sense of detachment from the material world.

Feeling the weight of his past actions and regrets, Madhav began to reflect on how he had spent his life immersed in worldly pursuits, neglecting his spiritual growth. He lamented not having devoted any time to God and realized that, in his old age, he had no one to turn to except God.

With this realization, Madhav decided to renounce everything and seek refuge at the feet of Gajanan Maharaj in Shegaon. He went to Shegaon and, with a firm resolve, began a fast at Maharaj’s doorstep, refusing both food and water. His only prayer was to chant the name of Lord Narayana continuously.

Madhav's fast lasted for a day, but he remained firm in his resolve, which caught the attention of Gajanan Maharaj. Maharaj, seeing Madhav's determination, told him that such an extreme act was unnecessary and that he should have taken the name of the Lord earlier in his life. Maharaj pointed out that waiting until old age to pursue spirituality was like digging a well after the house had caught fire.

Madhav, however, remained steadfast in his decision and did not heed Maharaj's advice. Despite the efforts of the people of Shegaon, including the village head, to persuade him to break his fast, Madhav refused to relent.

That night, as the second watch approached, a fearful vision appeared before Madhav—Maharaj assumed a terrifying form, resembling Yama, the god of death. This form of Maharaj rushed toward Madhav as if to devour him, causing Madhav to flee in terror, his heart pounding with fear.

Just when Madhav thought he was doomed, Maharaj returned to his original form and spoke to Madhav, asking him if this was the courage he had to face the consequences of his past actions. Maharaj reminded Madhav that the fate he was trying to avoid would indeed catch up with him if he did not change his approach.

Madhav, shaken by the experience, pleaded with Maharaj to spare him from the horrors of Yama's realm and to instead grant him liberation. He acknowledged that while he had accumulated many sins, he believed that Maharaj's grace could burn them away

Madhav, acknowledging his sins and pleading for Maharaj's mercy, asked not to be sent to Yama's realm. He expressed his desire for liberation and not to be entangled in the cycle of birth and death again. He humbly requested Maharaj to relieve him from his worldly sufferings and grant him Vaikuntha (the abode of Lord Vishnu).

Maharaj, hearing Madhav's sincere plea, responded with a smile and assured him that he had granted his wish. Maharaj told Madhav that he would no longer be reborn and would be freed from the cycle of birth and death, thus ending his earthly sufferings.

As Maharaj's words resonated with Madhav, his awareness of his physical body began to fade. Madhav, feeling immense peace and relief, realized that his connection to the material world had dissolved.

People around Madhav, unaware of the spiritual exchange between him and Maharaj, began to speculate about his condition. Some thought that Madhav had lost his sanity due to prolonged fasting, while others wondered if he had gone mad.

However, the truth was that Madhav had attained liberation (moksha) through Maharaj's grace. His physical body might have seemed lifeless to onlookers, but in reality, his soul had been set free from the cycle of birth and death. His journey in this world had ended, and he had merged with the divine, all thanks to the compassion and grace of Gajanan Maharaj.

Thus, through this story, the narrative emphasizes the power of true devotion, repentance, and the transformative grace of a realized saint like Gajanan Maharaj.

The Vedic Brahmins and the Vasant Puja

Once, Gajanan Maharaj expressed a desire to his disciples to perform a Vedic ritual known as "Mantra Jagar." He wanted Vedic Brahmins to be invited to chant the Vedas, as he believed that hearing the Vedas brought immense joy to the divine. Maharaj gave specific instructions: "Serve the Brahmins with refreshments like panh, pedha, barfi, salted soaked dal, and also give them one rupee each."

Hearing this, the disciples were worried and humbly informed Maharaj that there were no Vedic Brahmins left in their village, Shegaon, to perform the ritual. They were willing to bear the expenses, but their only concern was finding the Brahmins for the ceremony.

Maharaj reassured them, saying that Lord Hari (Vishnu) would send the Brahmins for their Vasant Puja. The disciples, filled with joy, began preparations immediately. They collected a hundred rupees and gathered all the necessary items, including sandalwood paste, which they mixed with saffron and camphor for the ritual.

As promised, at the time of the second prahar (a specific division of the day), Vedic Brahmins arrived in Shegaon. These Brahmins were well-versed in the Vedic rituals and knew the correct procedures to perform the Jatela (ritualistic sequence).

The Vasant Puja was performed with great splendor, and the Brahmins were pleased. After receiving their dakshina (offerings), they departed to other villages. This incident highlighted the divine power of saints like Gajanan Maharaj, whose wishes were fulfilled by the grace of Lord Ramananath (a name of Vishnu).

Moral and Continuation:

The last verse mentions that this practice of performing the Vasant Puja in this manner was carried out every year by Bunkatlal with great enthusiasm. Even today, his descendants continue this tradition at Shegaon, keeping the legacy alive.

Conclusion

The miraculous acts of Gajanan Maharaj and the tests of his devotees' faith in Chapter 4 convey the importance of unwavering devotion. These stories not only inspire devotion but also reinforce the omnipresence and benevolence of Gajanan Maharaj in the lives of his devotees.

Each miracle and lesson in this chapter contributes to the larger tapestry of teachings found in the Vijaygranth, encouraging readers to deepen their faith and trust in divine providence.