In the village of Dholera stands the beautiful mandir of Shree Madanmohanji Maharaj. To the west of the mandir was a peaceful and sacred place where Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan had often sat during His visits to Dholera. A small vedika/baithak marked this prasadi place and preserved the memory of Shree Hari’s divine presence.
Nishkulanand Swami’s Divine Experience
Sadguru Shree Nishkulanand Swami, whose life embodied intense vairagya, was residing in Dholera. One day, he sat near Shree Hari’s sacred vedika and began remembering the many leelas Shree Hari had performed there.
As Nishkulanand Swami became absorbed in these memories, the divine leelas of Shree Hari manifested vividly before his eyes and within his heart. His mind and senses became completely immersed in the bliss of Bhagwan. He entered a state of samadhi and, for a brief time, lost all awareness of his physical body. Seated at the prasadi place of Shree Hari, he appeared like a liberated soul experiencing the divine bliss of Akshardham.
After some time, Nishkulanand Swami returned to bodily consciousness.
Just then, Devkrushnabhai, the wise Brahmin minister of King Raysinhji of Ganf, arrived in Dholera. He first went to the mandir and performed darshan of Shree Madanmohanji Maharaj. After bowing respectfully to the elder santos, he came to Shree Hari’s sacred baithak.
There he saw Nishkulanand Swami seated in great peace and divine joy. Seeing the extraordinary happiness upon Swami’s face, Devkrushnabhai bowed before him and asked, “Swami! Today you appear to be filled with immense joy. What is the cause of such happiness?”
An Agyna from Nishkulanand Swami
Nishkulanand Swami pointed to the place around them and said, “Look at this beautiful and peaceful place. Shree Hari has sanctified this land by sitting here and performing many divine leelas. Simply sitting here brings His remembrance to one’s heart.
“Therefore, build a beautiful mandir at this prasadi place. Shree Hari will be pleased with you, and the ekantik bhaktas who come here and meditate upon Him will also experience great peace. By preserving this sacred place, your troubles of the past, present, and future will be destroyed.”
Nishkulanand Swami then expressed his happiness with Devkrushnabhai and again emphasized how worthy the place was of preserving the remembrance of Shree Hari.
Devkrushnabhai received Swami’s words with complete reverence. He accepted the agyna as though a prasadi flower garland had been placed upon his head and replied, “Swami, I will preserve your agyna within my heart. At the proper and auspicious time, I will certainly construct a mandir here.”
Pleased with his devotion and resolve, Nishkulanand Swami removed the flower garland from his own neck and placed it around Devkrushnabhai’s neck as prasadi.
From that day onward, Devkrushnabhai never forgot the agyna.
Seeking Acharya Maharaj’s Agyna
When the appropriate time arrived, Devkrushnabhai traveled to Vadtal and approached Acharya Shree Bhagwatprasadji Maharaj to seek his agyna as well. Bowing humbly before him, he explained his wish to construct a mandir at Shree Hari’s sacred vedika in Dholera.
There was another purpose within Devkrushnabhai’s heart. He served King Raysinhji and wished for the King to develop an association with satsang. He therefore requested Acharya Maharaj, “When the mandir is completed, please come to Dholera with the santo and bhakto and install Shree Hari’s Charnarvind, bearing the sixteen sacred marks. At that time, I will bring King Raysinhji for your darshan. Through your darshan and the words of satsang, may satsang enter his heart.”
Acharya Shree Bhagwatprasadji Maharaj was pleased with Devkrushnabhai’s devotion, granting him agyna for constructing the baithak.
Having received Acharya Maharaj’s blessings, Devkrushnabhai returned with great enthusiasm. Skilled shilpis and craftsmen were called, and construction began according to the principles of Shilpa Shastra. Gradually, a beautiful mandir began to rise upon the very place sanctified by Shree Hari.
An Unexpected Loss
As the mandir neared completion, however, Devkrushnabhai received sorrowful news. Acharya Shree Bhagwatprasadji Maharaj had departed from this Earth.
Devkrushnabhai had great devotion toward Acharya Maharaj, and the news caused him immense grief. At the same time, the loss reminded him of the temporary nature of the human body, and intense vairagya arose within him.
He reflected that spiritual duties should never be unnecessarily delayed. Whatever seva Bhagwan and His santo have entrusted to him should be completed while the opportunity remains.
With this determination, Devkrushnabhai took a few companions and traveled to Gadhpur. There he performed darshan and pujan of Shree Gopinathji Maharaj, bringing peace to his grieving heart.
He then met Acharya Shree Bhagwatprasadji Maharaj’s adopted-son and successor, Acharya Shree Viharilalji Maharaj.
Although Bhagwatprasadji Maharaj had departed from this world, Devkrushnabhai remained determined that the promise made for Dholera should be fulfilled.
The Invitation to Dholera
The installation of Shree Hari’s Charnarvind was arranged for the auspicious day of Aaso Sud Purnima—Sharad Purnima.
Devkrushnabhai prepared a traditional Kumkum Kankotri, a sacred invitation sprinkled with kumkum. With great humility, he reminded Acharya Shree Viharilalji Maharaj that his father, Acharya Shree Bhagwatprasadji Maharaj, had promised to grace Dholera for the installation. He therefore prayed that Viharilalji Maharaj fulfill his father’s wish by coming to Dholera with santo and bhakto.
Devkrushnabhai also hoped that the occasion would become a means for many others to experience satsang. King Raysinhji was invited to attend the festival and receive the darshan of Acharya Maharaj and santo.
After completing the invitation, Devkrushnabhai entrusted it to his elder brother, Pitambarbhai of the Khas village.
Pitambarbhai journeyed to Gadhpur and respectfully bowed before Acharya Shree Viharilalji Maharaj. He then placed the Kumkum Kankotri before him.
Acharya Maharaj peacefully read the invitation. Remembering his father’s wish and seeing the devotion with which Devkrushnabhai had carried out Nishkulanand Swami’s agyna, he joyfully accepted the invitation.
He instructed the santo and parshads to prepare for the journey to Dholera.
The sacred place where Shree Hari had once sat, where Nishkulanand Swami had become absorbed in the remembrance of His divine leelas, and which Devkrushnabhai had faithfully preserved was now ready to receive Shree Hari’s Charnarvind and become a lasting place of remembrance for countless generations of bhakto.
This prasang has been documented in Chapter 6 of the Unnmat Ganga scripture, authored by Acharya Shree Viharilalji Maharaj.