4 - Purified The House

When Narayan completed five years, his father passed away. Shakuba spent three years in Dhrangadhra with lots of difficulties. Shakuba was not able to get work in Dhrangadhra. She found it difficult to provide even food. Once Tyagi Bhagirathiba from Wadhwan visited Dhrangadhra. She was very sad looking at the financial condition of Shakuba. She spoke to Shakuba, ‘Shaku, here you are not able to find work. You have to raise five children. Please, come with me to Wadhwan. You may be able to get some work there.’ Shakuba was in two minds. Narayan was accompanying them. He encouraged, ‘Yes, mother. Let us go to Wadhwan. Maharaj will certainly help us to find work there.’ Shakuba made up her mind, listening to such encouraging statements of little Narayan. She consented to Bhagirathiba, ‘All right Ba, we shall go to Wadhwan.’

They reached Wadhwan. But now where to stay? They had little money left. If she paid that money as a rent for the house then how to feed the children? Shakuba was worried. Now, what to do? The house owners were demanding a very high rent. By that time, a rich man approached Shakuba, He said, ‘I have a big, double storeyed building. I would charge only two rupees as rent. If you like the house, you can take it on rent. It is next to Bhagirathiba’s house.’ Shakuba was delighted looking at the house. She thanked Maharaj. Shakuba was about to shift in that house alongwith the children. At that time, her neighbour came to her and cautioned, ‘Lady, do not stay in that house. It is a haunted house. The ghosts do not allow anyone to stay there even for a single night. They trouble a lot. Some of the tenants have died out of fear.’

Shakuba and the brothers and sisters of Narayan were scared. Shakuba realized that the rich man asked for such a low rent, because the house was haunted. She thought, ‘I do not want to stay in a haunted house. I will make some other arrangement.’ She left the house with the children. Narayan said, ‘Ba, let us go inside! Why don’t we stay in such a beautiful house?’ Shakuba replied, ‘Didn’t you hear? That lady says that this is a haunted house. The ghosts do not allow anyone to stay here even for a single night’. Narayan tried to convince her mother, ‘Ma, we are devotees of Lord Swaminarayan. We wear His Kanthi. Shreeji Maharaj is always with us. Poor ghosts! What are they going to do us? On the contrary, they would be scared of us. So, let us go. We won’t be able to find such big house at such a low rent. Whenever we remember God, he protects us.’ Shakuba remembered the statements of Bapashri. She recollected that Narayan is Anadimukta. Shakuba felt fearless. All of them shifted to the new house. Narayan suggested, ‘Ma, we shall stay upstairs.’ People of the town came to see them. Who has occupied the haunted house? By tomorrow they are going to leave the house and will shift to another house. We have warned them, but they did not listen to us. At night when the ghosts would trouble them, they will realize.’ They talked among themselves for some time and went back.

Shakuba cleaned the first floor of the house and installed Maharaj. The night set in. Downstairs the ghosts began to make various noises. They tried to scare them. Brothers and sisters of Narayan were scared. Shakuba also was chanting the name of God. Narayan instructed, ‘Let us remember God and go to sleep. The ghosts are not powerful enough to trouble us.’ All of them remembered God and inspite of fear, they tried to sleep. When all of them were asleep, Narayan took a glassfull of water and went down. The ghosts were scared of Narayan. They saw divine brilliance of Narayan. They requested to Narayan, ‘You are a great Mukta. Please, liberate us. We are haunting for a long time.’ Narayan felt pity for the ghosts. He chanted “Swaminarayan-Swaminarayan” and sprinkled the water on the ghosts. He blessed the ghosts and liberated them. Shakuba was observing everything sitting on the staircase. She told Narayan, ‘You are a Mahamukta. You have come to me as my son. I am the most fortunate.’ Narayan replied, ‘These are all divine acts of Shreeji Maharaj. We are just an instrument’. In the morning, people of the town came to see them. They found everyone in the house safe and sound. They were astonished! When they found out that an eight year old boy has purified the haunted house, they bowed down to Narayan. And said, ‘We are blessed! You have arrived to our town.’

Even the house owner came running when he heard the news. He bowed down to Narayan and spoke gratefully, ‘For years, this house had been haunted by the ghosts. They did not allow anybody to stay in this house. You have made this house as pious as a temple. You can stay in this house as long as you wish. I do not want even rent. I am fortunate enough to have Darshan of a Mukta like you.’ With such words, he went back home delightfully. Shakuba and her children stayed in that house happily.

Difficult words:
Recollected - Remembered
Sprinkle - To scatter drops of water
Astonished - Surprised greatly

Points to ponder:
- Anadimukta of Maharaj can liberate the haunting souls out of compassion even as a child. I.e. age is no bar for an Anadimukta to carry on his divine work.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. From Dhrangadhra, Shakuba shifted to which place? Why?
2. Why did the house owner ask for a very low rent?
3. What did the ghosts request Narayan?
4. How old was Narayan when he liberated the ghosts?

Fill in the blanks:
1. This is a _____________ house.
2. We are devotees of _____________, poor _____________! What are they going to do us?
3. You made this house _____________.
4. You are a ___________.

Explain with reference:
1. You have to raise five children. Come with me to Wadhwan. You will be able to get some work there.
2. We are devotees of Lord Swaminarayan, Poor ghosts! What are they going to do us?