Pragji Bhakta of Mahuva had remained in the service and company of Gopalanand Swami for thirteen years. In the end Gopalanand Swami had told him, “Pragji, go to Junagadh. The Jogi of Junagadh will fulfil the promises which I have given to you.”
After that, once at Sarangpur, Gunatitanand Swami told Pragji Bhakta, “Pragji, I have been beholding the highest spiritual knowledge for many years; but now I wish to impart it to someone who has profound faith and spiritual zeal.”
Pragji Bhakta said, “Swami, give me that knowledge. I’ll spread it.”
But it is not easy to gain such knowledge, which is beyond maya, and become one with Aksharbrahma. So Swami told him in a grave tone, “It is not possible to get that knowledge so easily. You can get it only if you renounce the world, attach your jiva to me and shatter the fetters of body and senses.”
Pragji Bhakta took up the challenge and obeyed Swami.
Around this time Swami made him sit in meditation for nine days and enabled him to see Shriji Maharaj and also made him one with his own (Swami’s) self. To attain this grace of Swami, Pragji Bhakta had served without caring for his body and with a singleminded zeal for three-and-a-half years in the mandir, haveli construction and other services. He had performed even the menial jobs enthusiastically. At the same time he had observed fasts like dharna-parna, and listened to discourses. Looking at his enthusiasm and service Swami said, “Pragji, you seem to know even my inner wishes.”
He had derived immense spiritual strength by Swami’s grace. When Pragji used to mix lime for the construction of the new haveli with his bare feet, some sadhus used to advise him, “O Pragji, you’ll become blind by the effect of this lime.”
He would merely smile in reply and say, “I have sacrificed this body of mine for Gunatitanand Swami.”
After celebrating the festival of Shravan Punam, Swami addressed the assembly and said, “Now I have retired and have entrusted the task of delivering discourses to Pragji Bhakta. Moreover, Shriji Maharaj had given me the key to Akshardham which I have now handed over to Pragji Bhakta.” With these words Swami instructed all the sadhus and devotees, “Listen to Pragji Bhakta’s discourses.”
As a result of this, everyone felt that Swami was under the clutches of Pragji Bhakta and had passed all his knowledge, powers and mandir keys to him. After this incident there was opposition against Pragji Bhakta in Satsang.
Jaga Bhakta was also a leading disciple of Swami. Under instructions from Gopalanand Swami, he, too, had detached himself from everybody and had come to Junagadh to remain in the company of Gunatitanand Swami. He served according to the wishes of Swami and pleased him and became one of his foremost disciples. Other such devotees were Swami Balmukunddasji, Swami Yogeshwardasji, Swami Madhavcharandasji, Swami Madhavpriyadasji, Brahmachari Achintyanandji and devotees like Shivlal Sheth of Botad, Nathu Patel of Kariyani, Vaghjibhai of Vaso, Jetha Khachar of Sarangpur, Manji Thakkar, and others.