47 - Identity Card To Enter Akshardham

Bapashri had accepted illness. He was not able to get up. Bapashri remained in meditative state. Haribhaktas attended to him.

Bapashri requested the Sevaks (attendants), ‘Please, help me to have bath.’ Sevaks replied, ‘Bapa, you are sick. How would you have bath?’ Bapashri suggested, ‘Please, carry me in a chair.’ Sevaks gave him bath in his chair. Bapashri instructed, ‘Please, bring my worshipping kit.’ Sevaks brought it.

Bapashri said, ‘Please, put on a Tilak and a dot on my forehead.’ Sevaks tried to convince, ‘Bapa, you have done prayer. Now if you do not put on Tilak and dot it does not matter. It is allowed to the sick.’

Bapashri insisted, ‘However sick I am, please put on Tilak and dot on my forehead.’ Sevak put on Tilak and dot. A Haribhakta came to see Bapashri. Bapashri asked him, ‘Have you finished your prayer?’

Haribhakta informed, ‘Yes, I have finished my prayer.’ Bapashri asked, ‘You have finished your prayers and have you not put on Tilak and dot?’ Haribhakta repented, ‘Bapa, I forgot.’

Bapashri explained, a satsangi should always put on Tilak and dot. If you do not put on Tilak and dot, how would people know that you are a Satsangi?’ Haribhakta apologized, ‘Bapa, I am sorry. Now I will never forget.’ Bapashri instructed, ‘Please go and put on now.’ Haribhakta left.

Bapashri spoke, ‘A Satsangi must put on Tilak, dot of Kumkum and Kanthi. When we go to Akshardham and if we have not put on Tilak and dot, nobody would allow us inside. If we have put on Tilak and dot, nobody would stop us. We can reach directly to Maharaj. For a Satsangi Kanthi, Tilak, dot are like identity card to enter the Akshardham. Without these identity marks nobody would allow you to enter. You must always keep them on you.’

Sevaks and Haribhaktas promised, ‘Bapa, we shall always remember this.’

Difficult words:
Convince - Make one feel sure
Repent - Feel sorry

Points to ponder:
- As you need an identity card to enter the school, Similarly Kanthi, Tilak and dot are the identity signs to enter Akshardham.
- If we put on Kanthi, Tilak, dot, then we belong to Lord Swaminarayan.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. Why did Bapashri have bath sitting on a chair?
2. After peforming the prayer, what did Bapashri ask to do? Why?
3. What was the opinion of Bapashri about Kanthi, Tilak-dot?

Fill in the blanks:
1. Bapashri had accepted ________.
2. Please, put on ________ and ____________ on my forehead.
3. If we do not put on ____________ and ____________, how could people know that we are a _________.
4. Tilak and dot are identity card to enter the ____________.