One day, while seated among santo and haribhakto, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan decided to test the depth of their understanding. He looked at them and spoke with great humility, surprisingly denying his own divinity.
Shree Hari’s Denial
“O Santo,” Shree Hari began, “I have heard all the glorious things you say about me. But I must tell you—in this current body and form, I have done none of those great deeds of the past.”
He began listing the famous miracles of the Dashavatar (the ten incarnations of Vishnu):
- “I did not save the Vedas from the demon Shankhasur; that was the Matsya (Fish) incarnation.
- I did not carry the mountain on my back to churn the ocean; that was the Kurma (Tortoise).
- I did not rescue the Earth from the depths of the sea; that was Varah (Boar).
- I did not tear apart Hiranyakashipu to save Prahlad; that was Nrusinh (Lion-Man).”
He continued, “I did not trick King Bali as Vaman, nor did I rid the earth of tyrants as Parashuram. I did not build the bridge to Lanka as Ram, and I did not play the Raas with the Gopis as Krishna. Even the future tasks of Kalki are not mine to claim. I am here before you now, and I have shown none of these powers. So, tell me—you are wise men—how can you possibly claim that ‘I am Bhagwan’?”
The Bewilderment of the Santo
The santo were stunned. A heavy silence filled the air as they began to whisper among themselves. They were witnessing a divine mystery.
Nishkulanand Swami observed that if the Sky were to say, “I am not the sky,” or the Sun were to say, “I am not the sun,” it wouldn’t change the truth of what they are. They realized that Shree Hari was speaking “human-like” words to test their conviction. They knew that if a person with weak faith heard Bhagwan saying “I am not Bhagwan,” they would be led astray and lose their path to salvation.
Lessons from the Past
The story reflects on how even the greatest beings were once confused by Bhagwan’s human-like behavior:
- Parvati once doubted Bhagwan Shree Ram when she saw him weeping for Sita like an ordinary man.
- Garuda, the mighty eagle, was confused when he saw Bhagwan Shree Ram bound by common snakes.
- Brahma was baffled when he saw Bhagwan Shree Krishna eating leftovers with cowherd boys.
All these great beings eventually realized that Bhagwan performs these “human-like” actions (eating, sleeping, walking, and speaking humbly) specifically to draw the hearts of his devotees closer to Him and to test their spiritual vision.
The Response of the Santo
Despite Shree Hari’s persistent denials, the saints’ faith remained unshakable. They smiled, understanding that Purna Purushottam Narayan was playing a divine game.
They bowed down at his feet and replied, “O Prabhu! It is true that you have not shown the same fierce power as the incarnations of the past in this current form. But we have looked deeper. We have sought refuge in your current form because we recognize the supreme peace and divinity within you.”
They realized that the greatest devotee is the one who sees Bhagwan as divine even when He acts most human. This serves as a testament to the unshakable nishchay of the paramhanso and nand santo.
This prasang has been documented by Akhandanand Varni in the 25th chapter of Shree Haricharitra.