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Daya – The Compassion
Aksharbrahman
Gunatitanand Swami says, “God is the root of compassion. It is from him that
all compassion is born.”
Daya is compassion. Compassion is listed as one of
the foremost qualities of a true sadhu in the 11th chapter of the Shrimad
Bhagvat. Sant Tulsidasji says in the Ramacharitamanas that a true sadhu has a
tender heart that melts on hearing the sorrows and difficulties of those around
him. Pramukh Swami Maharaj has an amazing level of personal resilience, but his
heart melts with compassion on seeing the sufferings of others.
Aksharbrahman Gunatitanand Swami says, “God is the
root of compassion. It is from him that all compassion is born.”
A closer look at Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s life
reveals just how true this observation is. The day he was appointed as the
spiritual heir by Ramanand Swami, the 21-year-old Sahajanand Swami asked for
two boons from him for the welfare of his disciples: “If your satsangi is
destined to suffer the distress inflicted by the sting of one scorpion, may the
distress of the stings of millions and millions of scorpions befall each and
every pore of my body, but no pain should afflict your satsangi. Moreover, if
the begging bowl is written in the destiny of your satsangi, may that begging
bowl come to me, but on no account should your satsangi suffer from the lack of
food or clothing. Please grant me these two boons.”
The paramhansas who compiled the Vachanamrut
describe Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s compassionate ways: “Upon hearing about a
devotee in despair or difficulty, he would utter ‘Rama, Rama, Rama’. At other
times he would give food, clothing and shelter to those in need. He could never
tolerate another person being beaten or offended and would call out to
intervene.”
Such compassion is also clearly visible in Pramukh
Swami Maharaj. His love for all living beings is the basis of his empathy for
all. For him, to feel the pain and suffering of others is as natural as
breathing.
Swamishri’s care and concern for all living beings
are evident from his active support for the victims of natural calamities, his
involvement in anti-addiction drives and campaigns to promote
vegetarianism, his mediation in resolving domestic
quarrels and even social unrest. He has inspired tens of thousands of
volunteers to help lessen the troubles of those around them.
In 1990 the monsoon had nearly passed in Gujarat,
and not a single drop of rain had blessed the dry earth. Swamishri was in
London at the time and was alerted on the grave drought situation. Swamishri’s
response was sleeping less at night. He would wake up in the middle of the
night, sit up in his bed and pray to Bhagwan Swaminarayan for the much-needed
rain. One night, at about 2.00 a.m., his attendant sadhu realized that
Swamishri was awake. He observed Swamishri for a while and then asked him why
he was awake. Swamishri told him about his nightly prayer sessions. From then
onwards, the attendant sadhu too joined in the prayers every night.
Not one to normally highlight such things,
Swamishri wrote in a letter from London, “The monsoon has almost gone. It is
natural that you are worried, but have faith in God. I am praying daily in the
Akshar Deri. Shriji Maharaj, Gunatitanand Swami, Shastriji Maharaj and Yogi
Bapa will all shower their compassion. There is still time.”
Swamishri has always shown his love and kindness
whenever he found or heard people suffering.
In 1979, due to severe rains the Machhu Dam in
Morbi gave way. There was widespread destruction. Swamishri mobilized over
1,500 sadhus and volunteers to rush there and help. A volunteer still recalls
the sorrow visible on Swamishri’s face as he surveyed the muddy streets of
Morbi strewn with bodies.
During the severe famine in Gujarat in 1987,
Swamishri was visiting Ratanpura, a small town near Rajkot. The town had a
government-operated cattle camp. The camp had about 5,000 famished calves. As
Swamishri approached the camp, a group of calves gathered around him and
followed him. The volunteer explained that the calves hadn’t eaten for three
days. Swamishri’s eyes welled up with tears as he heard this. He remained
silent. When he reached Gondal, he immediately summoned Jnanprasad Swami and
said, “The way those calves in Ratanpura were running after us was unbearable
for me. So, arrange to send some trucks full of fodder for them immediately.”
In the days to follow Swamishri was not himself.
He would stop his routine activity and would become lost in deep thought. He
would say, “I can’t think of anything else right now. I really feel for the
people and livestock that are suffering because of the drought. In everything
that I do, I think of the rain.”
Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s concern gave birth to a
project that was to change the lives of hundreds of farmers and thousands of
cattle in Gujarat.
Watching helplessly as their livestock was perishing,
the farmers decided to sell their cattle. Swamishri stopped the farmers from
doing so. He organized cattle camps to take care of the animals until their
owners could provide for them. Swamishri realized that these animals were the
source of livelihood for their owners. The animals were nourished and looked
after for a year till their owners were able to take care of them.
Pravinsinh of Vadheda couldn’t help but cry after
seeing his cattle being cared for so well.
Kasambhai, a Muslim resident of Madhupur Gir, was
touched by Swamishri’s kindness, “I feel that Pramukh Swami Maharaj is my
Khuda.”
At 8.46 a.m. on 26 January 2001 a devastating
earthquake rattled Gujarat. It measured 7.6 on the Richter scale, demolishing
buildings, infrastructure and killing thousands. While most people were still
recovering from the initial shock of the earthquake with its epicentre in
Kutch, Pramukh Swami Maharaj had arranged warm meals for survivors in Bhuj by
lunchtime. Swamishri mobilized the BAPS Sanstha’s sadhus and volunteers to
begin emergency relief work. For the whole year, Swamishri coordinated the
Sanstha’s earthquake relief work, often staying up till well past midnight to
contact people in India and abroad to make the necessary arrangements.
At the BAPS relief camps in and around Bhuj, more
than 40,000 people were fed warm and nutritious meals daily. Attending to the
smallest of details, Swamishri called Vedagna Swami, the Kothari in Bochasan,
regarding the grains being sent to Bhuj, “The grains that are being grinded for
the relief kitchens have to be of the best quality. Make sure they are cleaned
and sifted for small stones.”
Swamishri visited the kitchen in Atladra where
food packets for distribution were being prepared. After inspection he
suggested that two green pickled chillies be included in each packet,
explaining, “People from the Kutch region enjoy spicy food. Also, they will
taste good with the sweets.”
The survivors of the earthquake will probably
never know the care Swamishri took in organizing the relief work.
Swamishri personally walked through the
rubble-strewn streets of earthquake-devastated villages in Kutch, showering his
grace and compassion on the survivors. He blessed the injured and traumatized
victims to lessen their pain and sorrow.
More than 500 villages were provided with aid and
15 villages and colonies were reconstructed. Today, these villages are
considered among the finest in Gujarat, made possible by Swamishri’s meticulous
care.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s compassion is selfless.
There are no expectations, except one – to please God.
Swamishri’s tolerance is immeasurable, but he does
not tolerate any cruelty to animals.
He has been a strong advocate of vegetarianism
around the world. He often says, “Every being has the right to live. Killing to
survive is just not humane.”
With this understanding, Swamishri has
successfully convinced hundreds of thousands of people to adopt a vegetarian
diet. Speaking to a youth who enjoyed hunting as a pastime, Swamishri expressed
his value for life, “Just as we have the right to live, don’t they? Do not
commit such a grave sin. These poor animals live on grass. Do they harm anyone?
If somebody hits us do we not feel pain? They also have feelings. Promise that
you will never kill again. You will find the strength to abstain. You will
experience peace and happiness.”
The youth agreed, but while taking the pledge he
murmured, “I will not be able to stay without hunting.” Swamishri heard this
and then, looking directly into the youth’s eyes, patiently explained, “What do
you mean? There’s nothing you can’t live without. Give up that thought. You
will get strength from satsang. Hunting does not benefit you or the animals.
The poor animals suffer and die. They also have a soul. God has given them an
animal body and us a human body. You are a Kshatriya and so your duty is to
protect. Killing is demonic, and the more you do it the more miserable you will
become.”
Out of his compassion towards those that have
addictions, Swamishri has personally counselled and inspired hundreds of
thousands of people to give up such harmful habits. No matter how busy he may
be, but whenever Swamishri meets someone entangled in addictions, he always
finds time to speak to him and convince him to give up bad habits. He
repeatedly reminds people of their vows to eschew their vices and constantly
follows up with them for years.
Swamishri was meeting devotees as he walked
towards the assembly hall in Ahmedabad, when suddenly a youth bowed at
Swamishri’s feet. A sadhu started to introduce him, but Swamishri interrupted,
“I know him. How are you Atul? Are you still on it?”
“On what?”
“Brown sugar, Atul. I haven’t forgotten.”
Atul couldn’t look into Swamishri’s eyes.
Swamishri noticed his body language and said, “You are still addicted? I have
told you so many times. How have you benefited from it? Everyone is telling you
to give it up. Is it because they want to harm you? You have to decide. How
much do you take?”
“Around two hundred rupees worth daily.”
“Where do you get the money from?”
“I have a job in the government where I can coax
extra money from people.”
Swamishri picked up on this point, “So you steal
money. Your drug habit is one type of sin. Then you steal again from people to
support your addictive habits; that’s another sin.”
After eight years of persistent effort, Swamishri
was able to save Atul, the only son of a widowed mother, from the fatal grip of
a silent killer.
Through personal meetings, letters and home
visits, Swamishri’s compassion has saved and pacified countless people.
Whenever someone is in a difficult situation or condition, Swamishri is
overcome with a feeling of pity: “How may I help?”
When Harshad Chavda, a youth who had been serving
in the BAPS for many years, met with a car accident, Swamishri wrote him a 20-page
letter to express his serious regret for not being able to serve him
personally:
“The news (of your accident) brings me much pain.
I am praying to Maharaj and Swami for your speedy recovery. I am praying for
you in my morning puja as well. I also feel the pain you are suffering. I
should be serving you in your time of need, because you have always selflessly
served with great understanding and enthusiasm, and without concern for your
health, hunger or thirst, or time of day. I can never serve you enough to make
it up! The fact that I cannot serve you now is causing me immense sorrow.”
Prabhashankarbhai Pandya of Ahmedabad, an elderly
devotee from Shastriji Maharaj’s time, recalls a moving incident to illustrate
Swamishri’s compassion:
“Once, I arrived in Atladra for the Vasant Panchmi
celebrations at around 2.00 a.m. Everyone was asleep and there was no place for
me to sleep. I decided to rest in front of the steps leading up to the assembly
hall, using my bag as a makeshift pillow. At around 5.30 a.m. I felt a hand on
my shoulder. It was Pragat Bhagat – Swamishri’s attendant. I saw a blanket
wrapped around my body. ‘Who covered me with this blanket?’ I asked him. Pragat
Bhagat replied, ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj had come in the middle of the night and
covered you with his blanket.’ ”
In 2000, a young boy named Prashant, from the
small village of Sagarkhedu Kharva, was seriously injured in an accident during
the preparations for a festival in Surat. He was admitted to the ICU of Mahavir
General Hospital for treatment. Swamishri heard of the incident and was deeply
saddened on hearing of the child’s plight.
Coincidentally, Swamishri arrived in Surat that
day. The next morning, he decided to visit Prashant in hospital and left by
car. As they neared the hospital, they realized that the road leading to the
hospital had been temporarily closed for repairs. Swamishri opened the car
door, stepped out and expressed his wish to walk the remaining quarter of a
kilometre. Supported by his attendant sadhus, he began to negotiate over pipes
and ditches as he made his way to the hospital. Swamishri was 80 years old, yet
he was not deterred by the physical obstacles. When he reached the hospital and
entered the ICU, he placed his hands on the boy’s head and whispered, “Prashant,
Prashant…Jai Swaminarayan…”
Prashant was unconscious, but Swamishri spoke to
the boy as if he was listening to every word. He then placed Harikrishna
Maharaj’s garland around Prashant’s neck and prayed for his wellbeing. Then,
Swamishri comforted the boy’s father. His compassion touched Prashant’s family
beyond imagination.
Swamishri left the hospital and returned to his
car, walking over the uneven ground, and leaping over ditches and manholes. He
was satisfied, since he had been able to soothe and care for an innocent young
child and his family in their time of need.
Only a Satpurush who is beyond the attachments and
needs of the body can truly and selflessly shower compassion on others. Only he
can speak and live by the words.
“In the joy of others lies our own;
In the progress of others rests our own;
In the good of others abides our own.”
That such a Brahmaswarup Sadhu engages in
countless activities for the benefit of others is the result of his compassion,
as described by Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the Vachanamrut: “For a devotee of God,
even though mayik influences are overcome, intense compassion and affection for
God and his devotees increases. But in no way are compassion and affection ever
lost; they always remain” (Vachanmarut, Gadhada III 3).
The compassion of such a Sadhu is not shown only
when he sees someone suffering. It is more than that. The ancient sages call it
akaran daya – ‘Compassion with no particular cause’.
Yogiji Maharaj called it atyantik daya or ‘the
compassion to free souls from the never-ending cycle of life and death’.
We are indeed fortunate to have such a sadhu in
our midst.
Guruji. A. Sivaguru Swamy
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Skype – sivaguruswamy29
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