39 - Stopped The Rain

A few Haribhaktas from Kumbharia came to see Bapashri. Bapashri was meditating in the orchard.

Haribhaktas sat down. Bapashri woke up from the meditation. Haribhaktas bowed down to Bapashri. Bapashri inquired, ‘What is the purpose of your visit.’

Haribhaktas informed, ‘Bapa, we are planning to organize a series of religious lectures (Parayan) in Kumbharia. Bapashri was pleased, ‘Very good. What is there to ask?’

Haribhaktas invited him, ‘Bapa, we have come to invite you to attend the function and oblige us.’ Bapashri accepted the invitation, ‘I will certainly attend the function. I will definitely come to attend the Parayan.’

A Haribhakta requested, ‘Bapa, alongwith the Parayan, you narrate incidents of greatness of Maharaj. Your narrations make people happy.’

Bapashri consented, ‘Yes of course! God has sent me here to spread His glory.’ Haribhaktas were delighted. They asked, ‘Bapa, would you like us to come here to receive you?’ Bapashri replied, ‘No, you will have plenty of work there. I will find my way.’

Bapashri reached Kumbharia on the day of function. He noticed that Haribhaktas had erected the pendal outside the hall.

He adviced Haribhaktas, ‘Please shift the pendal inside. It would be inconvenient if it rains.’ Haribhaktas continued working without responding.

Bapashri noticed that nobody is making any sitting arrangements inside the hall. He knew that it was going to rain heavily. He called Haribhaktas and instructed.

Please shift this tent inside the hall. People would be troubled if it rains. A Haribhakta informed, ‘Bapa, a lot of people are going to attend the lecture. Therefore, we have made arrangements to sit outside.’

Bapashri knew in advance, so he frequently instructed everyone. But there were many people, so nobody followed the instructions. Bapashri told Ishwarcharandasji, ‘These people do not believe me, but tomorrow they are going to suffer.’

Swami agreed, ‘Bapa, you know that it is going to rain. But they do not know, therefore they are not obeying your instructions.’ Bapashri complained, ‘Because they are not aware, I am warning them, but they refuse to believe.’

Swami explained, ‘Bapa, they are not aware of your ability.’ Bapashri wondered, ‘now what to do? It is going to rain heavily.’ Swami requested, ‘Bapa, have mercy on them and stop the rain.’ Bapashri did not reply.

Next day morning the sky was cloudy. Nobody noticed it while working. The lecture began on time. Simultaneously the wind also began to blow. Everyone noticed it.

They had a doubt that it was going to rain. Aarti of God was over. They worshipped the holy book. The wind was blowing with intensity. They were concerned, ‘Now, what will happen?’

A Haribhakta remembered, ‘Yesterday Bapashri had warned that it was going to rain.’ The other one said, ‘He also suggested to erect the tent inside the hall. But we did not follow his suggestion. Now what will happen?’

It started to rain with big droplets. They panicked. Haribhaktas repented, ‘We didn’t believe Bapashri yesterday, so now how could we request him to help?’

One of them proposed, ‘Let us talk to Swami Ishwarcharandasji. He will convince Bapashri.’ They went to Swami. They confessed to Swami, ‘Swami, Yesterday Bapa tried hard to persuade us to keep the pendal inside the hall, but we did not listen to him. Now it is raining.’

Swami said, ‘Bapa is intuitive. Therefore he warned you.’ Haribhaktas apologized, ‘We are sorry. Now please help us out.’ Swami asked, ‘What can I do?’ Haribhaktas prayed, ‘Please request Bapashri on our behalf.’ Swami suggested, ‘You pray to him and I will also join you. Bapa is very compassionate. He will respond to our prayer.’

All of them went to Bapashri. They beseeched, ‘Bapa, we did not follow your instructions. We are very sorry. But if the rain does not stop now, all are going to suffer.’

Swami also joined, ‘Bapa, have mercy. They have realized their mistake. If the rain does not stop now, people are really going to suffer.’

Bapashri softened up by their prayer. And said, ‘All right. It would not rain. Now begin the lecture.’ As soon as Bapashri said this, the rain stopped.

Haribhaktas were full of joy. They bowed down to Bapashri. People from surrounding places who attended the lectures were astonished.

They asked each other, ‘It is raining heavily in our village. How come there is no rain in Kumbharia. Haribhakta disclosed the secret, ‘This is the prowess of Bapashri.’ It did not rain in Kumbharia during the Parayan. It was raining heavily in surrounding places.

Difficult words:
Plenty - A lot of
Simultaneously - At the same time
Persuade - To make on believe
Beseech - To pray

Points to ponder:
- By the grace of God, an Anadimukta also can perform all those tasks which could be performed by God.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. From which place did Haribhaktas come to visit Bapashri?
2. What did Bapashri suggest the Haribhaktas again and again?
3. Why did Haribhaktas ignore Bapashri’s suggestion?
4. What happened when the function started?
5. What did Bapashri mention when Haribhaktas pleaded him?

Fill in the blanks:
1. Bapa, we would like to organize a __________ at __________.
2. Please, erect the __________ inside the hall, if it __________ people would be troubled.
3. Bapa, they are not aware of your __________.
4. This is the ___________of Bapa.

Arrange in proper sequence:
1. His glory spread here to has God sent me.