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Spiritual Oneness of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj  
 
Published on: November 22 2004
 
 


In the summer of 1970, Yogiji Maharaj was in London. Only after repeated insistance from the local devotees had he agreed to spend time in England for his spiritual mission. One day, while he was preparing to retire to bed, Mr. Meghani, a devotee, asked, "Swamiji, you often bless our homes by visiting them and scattering rose petals but it would be wonderful if some day you show us your home."
The whole room pricked to attention, awaiting Swamiji's reply. Yogiji Maharaj smiled and said one of his most profound utterances.
"Just as I have shown you the home of Shastriji Maharaj, Pramukh Swami will reveal my home to you," and he pointed to Pramukh Swami who was silently present in the room. It was a spiritual riddle which was not fully understood until the day Yogiji Maharaj retired from his earthly life, passing his spiritual succession to Pramukh Swami. In revealing his home, he revealed the person with whom he was at home and eternally one with.

"Pramukh Swami is the Form of Shastriji Maharaj."
During his last days on earth, Shastriji Maharaj had revealed, "I am Yogi and Yogi is I - we are one and the same." Thus, Shastriji Maharaj pointed towards Yogiji Maharaj as his spiritual successor. We know that Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj were spiritually one. On many occasions, Yogiji Maharaj shed light on his spiritual oneness with Pramukh Swami Maharaj by identifying him with Shastriji Maharaj. In essence, all the Gunatit sadhus are one and the same.
Once, Yogiji Maharaj told a devotee named Ramanbhai, "Pramukh Swami is the spiritual successor of Shastriji Maharaj and the leader of this Sanstha."
A devotee named Ravjibhai of Pij requested Yogiji Maharaj to bless his home. Yogiji Maharaj said, "Pramukh Swami will bless your home - he is the form of Shastriji Maharaj."
On 3rd February 1968, Yogiji Maharaj said on the occasion of Vasant Panchmi festival, "Please perform the 'pujan'(worship) of Pramukh Swami - in so doing it will amount to having done the 'pujan' of Shastriji Maharaj and myself."
On May 19th, 1957, Yogiji Maharaj was talking to devotees in Ahmedabad, "It is indeed great that today Pramukh Swami is residing over this assembly. He is no other than the form of Shastriji Maharaj."
In 1969, during Pramukh Swami's 48th Birthday Celebrations in Bombay, Yogiji Maharaj uttered, "Pramukh Swami is very special because Shastriji Maharaj's love and grace are constantly on him. Shastriji Maharaj appointed him as President of this great organisation. He is the form of Shastriji Maharaj. There is not an atom of difference between them. Develop such divinity in him and obey his commands. It is our wish to initiate 700 young men as sadhus - this aim will be fulfilled by Pramukh Swami."

"Pramukh Swami is in My Place."
On many occasions Yogiji Maharaj revealed his eternal oneness with Pramukh Swami in direct terms.
Once, Pramukh Swami's attendants, Devcharan Swami and Pragat Bhagat, had both fallen ill. A devotee grabbed the opportunity of washing and drying Pramukh Swami's clothes). Later, the devotee talked to Yogiji Maharaj about this. Yogiji Maharaj was very pleased and said, "You have done a great service. Pramukh Swami is really a great sadhu and your hands are sanctified by washing his robes. Please place them on my head so that I too may be blessed."
In 1970, during the course of Yogiji Maharaj's last visit to East Africa, there was a spiritual assembly in Kampala, Uganda. The local youth organization played the band in front of Yogiji Maharaj and pleased him. Pramukh Swami was absent during the performance as he had gone to visit some devotees' homes in the city. When Pramukh Swami returned in the evening, Yogiji Maharaj told the youths to play the band again. "Please make Pramukh Swami happy. If he is happy, I am also happy."
In this way, Yogiji Maharaj showed his oneness with Pramukh Swami.
In 1970, whilst Yogiji Maharaj was in London, a sadhu showed Yogiji Maharaj a photograph of Pramukh Swami performing 'puja'. Yogiji Maharaj was happy to see the photograph and instructed the sadhu, "Pramukh Swami is my form - keep this photograph in your 'puja' from today."
Once during the festival of Raksha Bandhan, Yogiji Maharaj said to a group of youths, "From today onwards, your real mother and father is Pramukh Swami."
On a few occasions, Yogiji Maharaj prophesied that Pramukh Swami would become the next spiritual leader.
During the foundation stone laying ceremony of Bhavnagar mandir, Yogiji Maharaj professed, "This mandir will be completed in one year from now. Pramukh Swami will perform the image - installation ceremony." A year later Pramukh Swami performed the rites.
In 1970, during the Diwali-Annakut celebration, all the sadhus in Gondal requested Yogiji Maharaj to keep Pramukh Swami there. But Yogiji Maharaj told Pramukh Swami to celebrate the New Year in Sarangpur and said, "Let Pramukh Swami celebrate the Diwali in Sarangpur this year. From next year he will surely remain with you in Gondal to celebrate Diwali."
A few months after this prophetic utterance, Yogiji Maharaj left this earth and Pramukh Swami, as the spiritual successor, has continued the tradition of presiding over the Diwali celebrations in Gondal to the present day.
Once, a Youth Festival was being organised in Gondal. Ishwarcharan Swami had drafted a letter of invitation for all the guests. Yogiji Maharaj read the draft and quickly pointed out, "Why haven't you mentioned that the festival will take place in the presence of Pramukh Swami?" Unaware of the significance behind Yogiji Maharaj's words, Pramukh Swami's name was added to the draft. A few months later Yogiji Maharaj passed away, leaving Pramukh Swami Maharaj as his successor. And the youth festival that followed was held in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. It was then that everyone realised why Yogiji Maharaj had insisted Pramukh Swami's name to be included.
On 18th January 1971, just a few days before Yogiji Maharaj left this earth, he called Harshadbhai Dave, a prominent devotee, and said to him in Gondal, "Now my body will not remain for long. Time has come for me to leave this earth."
"But Swamiji, who will lead us and inspire us in Satsang?" Harshadbhai asked.
"Pramukh Swami is here, isn't he? He will lead you to greater heights. He will give you more happiness than I ever did. Pramukh Swami is everything that I am."
What more is there to say about the spiritual oneness of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami?
A single soul dwelling in two different bodies! In the line of succession of Gunatit sadhus, Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the successor of Yogiji Maharaj.

Sadhu Gnanpurushdas
 
     

© 2004, Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, Swaminarayan Aksharpith