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After
travelling the length and breadth of India for 7 years, Neelkanth Varni
(Lord Swaminarayan) finally arrived in Loj at the age of eighteen in 1799.
He stayed and served at a hermitage eagerly awaiting the arrival of its
master, Ramanand Swami. After nine months of long waiting, Neelkanth Varni
finally wrote a letter that reflected his thirst for Ramanand Swami's
darshan. In His letter (Patri), He describes the glory of Ramanand Swami,
mentions His own austerities, His love for devotees who have renounced
for the sake of God, the glory of devotion to God, His profound love for
God and His repulsion for worldly pleasures and praises. Neelkanth Varni
concludes the letter with a prayer to Ramanand Swami to grace him with
his darshan. The historic letter was written by Neelkanth Varni, 200 years ago, on 15 March 1800 (Fagan Vad 5, VS 1856). A photographic replica of the letter is displayed in the' Prasadi Mandapam' at Akshardham monument, Gandhinagar, India. The original letter, the only existing letter written by Lord Swaminarayan, is preserved under special conditions by the Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). The 'Patri' or letter was gifted to the Sanstha by Maniben, who had received it as an heirloom from her forefather Mayaram Bhatt (the devotee who had delivered the letter to Ramanand Swami). The contents of the Patri have been eloquently described in verse form in the 'Bhaktachintamani' (chapter 42) by Nishkulanand Swami. This chapter has been sung by HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj (Bhaktachintamani cassette no - 13.) An audio -publication of 37 cassettes on the Bhaktachintamani has been published by Swaminarayan Aksharpith and is available or can be ordered at all Swaminarayan Aksharpith bookstalls. A small audio clip of the Patri has been presented here in the voice of HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj |
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© 1999, Bochasanwasi
Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, Swaminarayan Aksharpith
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