5 - Darshan in Multiple Forms

It so happened one day. Abjibhai was helping his father in his work. The work was about to get over. His friends were talking among themselves.

Natha said, ‘No one can catch Abjibhai while playing the game of catch & catch. Kunvarji agreed, ‘He runs very fast, therefore he is our leader.’ Dhanji proposed, ‘Today let all of us together try to catch him.’ Kesra asked, ‘Impatiently, But why has Abjibhai not yet joined us? That very moment Abjibhai reached there. All the friends rejoiced.

Gangji began to speak, ‘Abjibhai, we can never catch you in the game of catch & catch, so....’ Abjibhai interrupted, ‘Because I run keeping God with me and all of you run alone, so you can not catch me.’ Kesra said, ‘Today we have decided that you shall run alone and all of us together will try to catch you.’

Abjibhai was amused. He said, ‘Well, let us try it today.’ Kanji was thrilled, ‘Today let us see, how Abjibhai could spare himself from being caught.’ Dhanji instructed, ‘All of you! surround him in a circle, so that Abjibhai can not sneak out.’ Thus a proper array bad been formed. With the saying ‘Jai Swaminarayan’. Abjibhai began to run. All of them ran behind him. Gangji screamed, ‘Kesra, where are you running? Abjibhai is in front of me. Come here!’ Kesra denied, ‘No, Abjibhai is in front of me! You come here.’

Dhanji cried out, ‘All of you! come here fast! Here is Abjibhai.’ Then Kunvarji called urgently, ‘Come quickly, let all of us together catch Abjibhai!’ Indeed! Abjibhai had created his own forms and appeared in front of each of his friend. Each of them tried to catch Abjibhai who had been running ahead of him. Kunvarji looked at Dhanji. Abjibhai was running ahead of Dhanji. He looked at Jadavji and saw Abjibhai running ahead of him also. He dropped down after noticing such an amazing incident. He called all the friends, ‘All of you! sit down, No one can catch Abjibhai. I am tired!’ All of them came back exhausted and almost collapsed under the tree.

Everyone started saying each other, ‘Abjibhai was running ahead of me. You did not come. Otherwise we would have caught him today! Kunvarji said, ‘Abjibhai appeared in front of all of us. I saw that. Abjibhai was running ahead of each of us.’ Everybody was amazed. They said, ‘Let us ask Abjibhai what miracle has he performed today?’ All the forms of Abjibhai united in to one. He approached in a single form smiling softly towards his friends. They asked unanimously, ‘Abjibhai, what an amazing act have you performed today? We are all exhausted running behind you. You were running in front of each of us!’

Abjibhai replied innocently, ‘I do not know anything, (I am not aware of it). Whatever God has shown you is true.’ They could not accept the explaination given by Abjibhai. They realized that Abjibhai was not an ordinary child like them!

Difficult words:
Multiple - More than one of the same type
Impatiently - Restless
Thrilled - Fully excited
Sneak out - To move out quietly

Points to ponder:
- No task is impossible for an Anadimukta.
- A game of an Anadimukta is also an aspect of his divine playful character.
- Anadimukta always gives credit to God for all his virtues.
- We should help our parents in their duties as per our ability. We should always remember God while performing any act.

Exercise

Answer the following questions:
1. What was Abjibhai doing in the orchard?
2. What did the friends decide?
3. Why was Abjibhai never caught by his friends?
4. What reason did Abjibhai give Gangji for not being caught?
5. Which trick was tried upon by his friends to catch Abjibhai?
6. Give the names of the friends of Abjibhai.

Fill in the blanks:
1. I run keeping _________with me.
2. You should run _________ and _________ willl try to catch you.
3. Abjibhai began to run with the words _________.
4. Abjibhai _________ in front of all of us.

Complete the following sentence:
- I do not know_______ _______ _______ is true.