Bihariji ki sachi kahania ------- Introduction

In vrindavan all the roads lead to Bihariji’s temple. If one asks the way to his mandir the reply will be , go in any direction and you will be there.Just as all all the rivers reach the ocean no matter where they come from,same way all the roads lead to his temple.He lives in the heart of vrindavan just as he resides in he hearts of his devotees.The maharaja, Bihariji is the thakur, the darling of vrindavan. A glimpse of this beautiful charmer is enough to turn a person his devotee who will within seconds give away his heart o him. His jet black image with big shining eyes which resemble the petals of a lotus and his smiling face with a bashful glance have taken away millions of peoples hearts. His shringaar is so unique and beautiful that millions of cupids like kamdevji will also fade away in seconds. The mor mukt , the besar on his nose, the kundal on his ears, the yellow robes that he wears are so so beautiful that one will curse brahmaji for making the eyebrows which blink. In front of this bliss of devotional bhakti of Bihari ji all other pleasures of the whole universe are nothing.
In order to get true devotion for bihariji one must follow the foot steps of swami sri harias ji who had renounced all materialistic happiness and comforts of the world and was totally engrossed in the most purist bhakti path of sakhi sampradya that is nitya vihar. Swamiji was all the time in a state of smadhi. He never went out from vrindavan and spent his whole life in the seva of bihariji. He has composed 110 padas known as keli mal and 18 padas known as ashtadas sidhant or eighteen principles. He has again and again emphasised that oh man wake up before it is too late and take shelter in the lotus like feet of bihriji who will free you from the fears of this mundane world which is full of sorrows and pains. Nothing is permanent here. Death snatches away our dear loved ones in minutes, diseases can any time announce their appearance, old age pangs will become unbearable and you will be left alone inspite of having a large family. Bihariji is the only permanent redeemer, friend, relative and well wisher. In his pada’s he has questioned us oh man !try to understand that you have spent millions of years loving your sons, daughters, mother, father, sister, brothers. How many births have you taken again and again ? You have not gained anything . From a millionier to a pauper every one has to leave this world empty handed. All are caught in the natural cycle of birth and death again and again. It is impossible and difficult to come out of this worldly whirlpool. So wake up brother and immediately follow this path so that you can have permanent bliss with bihariji in the nitya leela. Reading Biahriji’ stories is one of the methods to be his devotee. These strories are an inspiration that the ever blissful Bihariji can be so compassionate to every one, then why not me? A person develops a faith that one day Bihari ji will shower his kripa on me also. I pray that who ever reads these true experiences of Bihariji also develops love and faith for the only person who is in reality our own. Everone leaves us one day but not him so he is the only true friend,mother, father, and every thing of every living being.
My salutations and pranam to bihariji who never leaves vrindavan even for a second.I would alway love to be engrossed in singing is glories.I worship and pray my beautiful nikunj biharini, pleasing,elegant,heart throbe swamini nikunjvihariniwho is always chanting the viberating name of bihariji day and night.
I worship the supreme head of the nitya vihar who is alays carrying a flute in his hands and wears a mukut with a peacock feather and is also recognised by the garland made out of s-ylvan flower beads which is known as baijanti mala which he wears always to please his bhakts.ALL GLORIES TO BANKE BIHARI LAL..............................................................

THE STORY OF NATHIA BAI-------A GREAT SAINT OF VRINDAVAN

Nathia bai is known for her services rendered towards many saints of vrindavan through out her life. Her life was not very happy but she was so much devoted to krishna’s prem bhakti and accepted the way krishna wanted without any complain. She was the only daughter of her parents who died soon after she had got married at the age of 14 and soon after that she lost her husband as well. She had one brother who offered her to come and stay with him and since she had no choice she came there. Nathia was very fond of cooking food for the saints who came to their village and since her brother was quite well off he allowed her to pursue her passion for cooking food for the saints and the needy. As luck would have it,her brother also did not live for long so she took refuge at her cousin’s place who was not so liberal to let her spend his money on food for strangers and told her clearly that he will not allow any such thing. Nathia bai was very sad but she could understand her cousins reluctance also and prayed to Bihari ji to find a solution to her problem. Suddenly a realisation struck her and she thought why should she worry when Bihari ji was with her and at once she took leave from her brother’s house and came on the out skirts of the village and with her meagre means she started preparing humble meals for the saints and needy who came to her.

One day a group of people were gong to Vrindavan and she also accepted to go with them. There she had darshan of Banke Bihariji . Her first experience with Banke Bihariji was so enthrillng that she gave her heart and soul to him. While she was looking she,could see his smile and his compassion and love towards her. That time onwards she never felt that she was all alone in this world. With Bihariji’s blessings she got diksha from a spiritual master who was a goswami of sri Radha vallabha temple. Soon she was blessed by Bihariji and got the opportunity to stay in vrindavan. Soon people came to know of her passion for cookng food for the saints and she came in contact with Hargulalji who was a very rich merchant and was providing 56 bhog to Bihariji. He asked her to grind the flour for bihariji’s prasad bhog and she was only too happy to do this seva. Hargulal ji wanted to pay her for this work but she did not accept a penny for that work. She would always sit next to the chulha and serve the saints with utter devotion. Actally Bihariji was seated in her heart was playing this game. The first time she had come to Vrindavan was during the month of sawan. She had tied him a raakhi and related him as her brother. She remembered how she bought a beautiful raakhi for him and waited the whole day for the goswami on duty to tie it on her behalf. At last when the temple was about to be closed he took it from her and while he was tieing the rakhi she saw a divine light and in this light she clearly saw Bihariji’s wrist offering her to tie the raakhi. He was smiling at her and said come my dear sistr tie the raakhi on my wrist. You have waited so long today. That was the auspious moment when Nathia bai became Biharii’s sister.
The next day a seth came to her and asked her to grind one ser wheat for him. He was wearing a yellow paagri. He merely touched the grinding stone and she found that it became very light and without much effort she could grind the wheat very fast She guessed it, that this miracle has been done by none other than Bihariji. Now she started grinding wheat and whatever money she got from her work she used to buy wheat and make food for the saints. Bihariji would come to her in some form or the other and sought out her problems. Her grinding stone is still kept in the Hith das ji’s sampradya. Even today ten kg wheat is grinded and food is served to the saints. Bhaktimati Nathia bai will be always be remembered for her dedicated services in her humble way BOLO BHAKTI MATI NATHIA BAI KI JAI.

RADHA RANI EXPRESS

Once there was a boy called Bhola, who lost his parents when he was very small so he was brought up by his elder sisters.From childhood he was very dum and had no interest in studies nor doing any work properly. After the sisters got married he was sent to his tai’s home. She was a very nice lady who treated him just like her son, but in no time she also got fed up with his casual attitude. He was otherwise not a bad guy but he was not worldly. He also felt miserable that he could not come up to the expectations of those who were concered about him and his future. He did his best but somehow every thing turned the opposite so he thought that he is a misfit in this world and had heard of Haridwar where people could easliy lead a life of begging. Therefore he somehow came to Delhi as he had heard that one can take the train from Delhi to reach Haridwar. He asked many people at the station including porters etc but no body had the time or interest to tell him as to which train goes to Haridwar. He got very tierd of asking and at last found a bench to sit on and sat there wondering what to do. Through tears flowing from his eyes he felt the soft touch of a small boy and looked up to see who it was. The small boy asked him why are you crying my friend and he told him his problem that he wants to board a train for Haridwar but no one is helping him. The little boy said, oh I am also going to Haridwar you can come with me. He pointed out at the train haulting at the same plateforn and before he could answer his proposal,he took his hand and pushed him in the train and followed him. There was a large crowd but luckily they got a seat together. In a short while the train puffed out of Delhi station and was running at a great speed. It must have been a little more than an hour that the ticket checker came to check the tickets of the passengers.The small boy looked at him and asked him if he had a ticket which he didn’t and said don’t worry, even I don’t have one. Suddenly the train haulted and the little boy held his hand and pulled him out saying,I am in no mood to go to jail so quick jump out. Before he could think anything, he was out of the train which was waiting for the green signal. Both of them ranand entered inside the sugar cane field

and reach a place where an old lady was making chappaties on a mud chullha. The little boy said Mayia can you give us water to drink ? The lady said, why not my dear chidren ? you can also eat my humble food which I am cooking. Both were very hungry and readily accepted the offer. When they had finished Bhola asked the old lady mayia how far is Haridwar from here ? She looked at him with wonder and said, what? Haridwar !! You are at the moment in brijdham which is on the opposite direction of Haridwar. Bhola gave a scornful look at the small boy who was smiling and said, friend don’t worry I have brought to you to your right destination. Bhola had no choic but to accept the situation and left on him to take him whereever he wanted. He held and started walking till they reached Mathura raiway junction. He pointed out at a train standing on the plateform and said that train is known as Radha rani express. Go and sleep in it and you will reach Vrindavan where I will meet you in the morning. Before he could ask further questions the queer boy just vanished in the dark evening of winter saying I have some urgent work to do so i am going and will meet you in vrindavan tomorrow. Bhola looked here and there as if he was in a dream and went inside the empty train and went off to sleep.In the mornin he was woken up by the noise of passengers who were boarding it to go to Vrindavan. He sat down and in a few minutes he heard some one asking him to get down as it was the last station. When he got down , he enquired which station it was, he was told it was Vrindavan. Now he started looking for the boy who had promised to meet him in vrindavan but he was no where to be seen. There were many beggers and saints in orange robes who were useing the public facilities of the vrindavan station so he also went there to wash his face . There he met another begger who could guess that he was new to this place so told him,friend don’t worry. As long as you have not come here to make a fortune, you will not starve here. He invited him to go with him to the dharamshalla where he was staying and told him to stand in the line where hot khichri will be served to all. As he stood in the Q a girl came and asked him,Are you new to this place ? He nodded saying yes, and she said since it is your first day here you can come right in front.Suprisingly nobody standing in the Q objected to this and she made him stand right In front. After a while some people of the ashram brought steaming hot khichri and bhola realised that every one had a plate or a bowl to put the khichri but he did not have any container to put the hot khichri. He was what to do and was contemplating on that when the same girl came and handed him a thali or a plate.The person serving khichri announced his presence so he started receiving the khichri when that girl said this thali has been sent to you by the same boy who brought you here. After taking the khichri he looked back to ask the girl where is that boy who brought me here? He saw no one.The girl had vanished out of sight though he looked every where. He asked many people if they had seen the girl in blue sari who had handed him the thali but no body else had seen her. She was no one other than Radhaji and the boy who had brought him here to vrindavan was Bihariji. Bhola is now an old man. Day and night he chants the yugal name and is still looking for that wonderful boy who had brought him here. He tells his story to any one who he feels is a devotee of Bihariji.

हरे कृष्ण गोपाल text 2013, copyright © bhaktiprachar.in

BIHARIJI’S KRIPA ON BINDUJI

Some devotees of Bihariji are so fortunate that they get real experience of his kripa. One such bhakt was Binduji. Everday Binduji would go to Bihariji’s temple and sing a new pada for him.This was his humble sewa everyday.He could feel that Bihari ji used to listen to his composition very lovingly and affectionately. All the composition came out of his mouth automatically as if Bihariji himself was singing in his place.

One day Bindu ji got high fever with a body ache. He could barely get up to go to the temple. He was taken good care of by his loving disciples who had got ayurvedic medicines for him. After three days his fever had come down but he still felt very week.He told his disciples that hewill somehow manage to go to the temple and with their help he reached thepremises of the temple but was feeling very tierd and uncomfortable.It was the first time that he was not able to compose a new poem for Bihariji though he tried to write one on a paper also before reciting it, but was not successful in his pusuit..He had brought his old bed sheet wich was smeared by the brij dust. He had folded it and was holding it in his hand. Now he covered imself with the sheet and had tears in his eyes and went on staring at Bihariji for a long time.Since he could not think of a single line , he decided to go back to his ashram. He told his disciples to take him back and again looked at Bihariji for a last glance. As he was looking without a blink of the eye, he heard the tinkling sound of nupur.He had never heard such a lovely viberating musical sound so he stopped to see where it was coming from. The scene he saw now was like a dream. He saw the nij mahal of Bihariji in which there was a beautifully decorated throne studded by precious gems and stones.Both the divine couple were seated on it and were surrounded by millions of sakhi’s .Suddenly Bihariji stood up in front of him and said, Won’t you recite a new pada for us today? Thakurji’s voice was so tender and soft and enchanting that it came right inside his whole being.It touched his heart which skipped so many beats. He was in a high state of ecsaty. As he was watching this in flabergasting condition, he heard the same maginimous voice again and then he saw Bihariji holding one corner of his sheet, please recite one poem for me only.

Binduji did not know what was happening.Was this a dream? He could not make out whether it was real darshan or a dream. He was completely at a loss and forgot himself. Suddenly he felt he was fit and all his weaknes had disappeard. As he stood in front of Bihariji, his eyes were full of tears, his voice was choking with love, his heart was skipping beats due to excitement of Bihariji’s compassion for him, he was reciting poems for Bihariji. Suddenly everyones eyes turned towards Bindu ji who was singing so melodiously with joy and his voice was echoing in the mandir.

Kripa ki na hothi jo aadat tumahari,
Tou suni hi rahti adaalat tumhari,
Garibon ke dil mein jagha tum naa paate
Tou kis dil mein hothi hifaazat tumhari.
हरे कृष्ण गोपाल text 2013, copyright © bhaktiprachar.in

WHEN BIHARIJI GAVE HIS OWN BLANKET TO HIS BHAKT

One never knows when suddenly a turning point comes in the life of a person. There are many instances of athiests who believe in non existence of god. But some incident happens in their life and they believe that there is god.A group of devotees were circubating the vrindavan marg with their guru whom they use to call Baba.While walking barefooted some devotees were taking out their thorn while some were nursing their wounds which they had got due to the stones that were scattered on the road. Baba went on walking without a slight whimper. They stopped under a shady tree to take some rest and sat down on the cool sand beneath it. After a short while Baba stood up and said let’s go but some of the devotees were still not willing to go as they were feeling very tierd.Baba had no choice so agreed to their request.One of the devotee asked baba,aren’t you having pain on your feet baba? Baba nodded and said, yes I do, but I don’t have timefor nursing them.The oo’s and aah’s are hidden due to Bihariji’s kripa.The devotees saw that his feet were bleeding and his heel and toes were badly injured due to hitting on the stones. The devotees were admiring baba’s patience and felt ashamed the way they were behaving with their sore feet.Then one of them asked Baba were you always so modest as you are now? Baba straightened up and said, no my dear no, I was a great athiest and use to make fun of bhakts. It was due to my sadaguruji Lalitdasji that I became a swan from a crow.He handed me over to Bihariji and since then he is my saviour, master, mother, father and everything. My guru gave up in reforming me because I was useless case. He told Bihariji, now it is your wish to set him right or not.Since my guru had abanded me, Ihad no place to stay. It was a cold shivering winter night of December.
I went to Bihariji’s temple for the rajbhog aarti and as I stood in front of himI saw two drops of compassionate love fall from Bihariji’s eyes and then I saw those drops falling on Bihariji’s cheek. I could then seeBihariji’s lips moving as though saying something to me and he had a lovely smile on his whole face. Iwas an idiot and thought that I was imagining it and came out of the temple.I was going to my place which I had found to spend the cold wintery night, when I heard somenoe calling my name ,Gopal!Gopal!.I looked back and saw a person wearing tattered and torn clothes who was lying on the floor behind the temple shivering due to the icy wind of the evening.Without thinking anything else I gave him my little shawl that I had tucked on my self tightly to get some relief from the cold. I too was like a beggar and slept on the open red stoneed floor of Bihariji’s temple and tried to go off to sleep. When I woke up it was night and I was shrinking my body due to the cold wave of winter. I was very hungry and felt like a starved urchin but ad no place togosince guruji had given me away to Bihariji.At that moment a gosain ji who knew my guruji saw me in this condition. He offered me to go his place but I declined the offer saying that I will now onwards stay only at the lotus feet of Bihariji as per my guruji’s wish and instructions.He served me nice hot meal and again offered me to stay at his place but I refused and came back to the temple for shyaan aarti.After that I came back to my chosen place among the beggars and came and sat on the stairs outside Biariji’s temple. Due to the icy cold wave I could hardly sleep so I thought I should chant Bihariji’s name again and again. That worked like magic and I found it very blissful. I don’t know when I fell off to sleep, but I could feel the touch of soft hands and felt very cosy. Someone had put a blanket on my body. In the morning I was awakened by the bells and chanting of padas of swami sriharidasji and saw the blanket which had given me such warmth. I took it off and was wonderig who gave me this lovely blanket when a bhandari came and tells me, how did you manage to steal Bihariji’s blanket? I was stunned at the thought that the soft hands that had touched me were Bihariji’s. How great of him to accept me as his bhakt. That was the turning point of my life.Since then I am living under the shelter of Bihariji only.
हरे कृष्ण गोपाल text 2013, copyright © bhaktiprachar.in

TRUE FRIEND BANKE BIHARILAL

Once I was having tea at a tea stall on the vrindavan parikrama marg. I was about to finish my tea when an old lady entered and greeted me by saying Radhe Shyam. I greeted back in the same manner and was wondering if I knew her. At that moment another group of people came and she greeted them also in the same manner. I understood that is the ettiquete of vrindavan and she is following that. I asked her amma will you have tea? She replied, no not yet.I have come here under the instructions of Bihariji because he told me that soeone will give me Rs 5/- I thought that must be one of her ways to ask for money and took out a five Re. note and was handing it over to her. She gave a cool stare and said, no the person who is going to give me the money is younger than you. He is in his early thirties. I thought she is a little out of her mind and found her conversation very weird. I got up to go but she stopped me and said, see that man who is coming towards the tea stall,I think he is the one whom Bihariji has instructed to give me Rs.5/- I did not pay much attention to what she was saying but saw that the man was coming inside the tea stall and gave her Rs/- That was how I bacame curious to know more about her. So I followed her but she vanshed out of sight within seconds,but after a shot while I saw her coming out from a hut with Rs10/- and the prescription of some medicine. As she saw me she said,o that’s good! Bihariji has sent you here to bring this medicine so please bring it from the chemist. Without asking any questions I obeyed her and went off to buy the medicine. I was obviosly curious to know for whom she had got that medicine so I kept standing there. She was talking to a poor old lady whose child was having very high fever.I heard her telling her to give these medicines three times a day.After consoling the poor lady she started going .Iwas impressed by her helping attitude.She was collecting the mony to elp others and not for herself. Now I had a desire to know more about his noble woman. I stopped her by saying mata ji,mataji, but she ignored,and went away. The next day I went to the same place with hopes of meeting her again but came back dissapointed.On the third day I met her by chance and I literally begged her to stop and tell me more about herself. She gave a sigh saying, Bihariji! Do you want to remind me my miseries which I had long forgotton? If that is your wish then I will narrate how I came to Vrindavan.

She started telling me that she had lived a very happy life with her family which included her husband, four sons, their wives and children. She had served the family with full devotion. Her husband was a wealthy merchant and the sons had also joined the family buisness. Everyone in the family was very respectful to the parents. One day there was a small boil on the foot of this lady and eventually it turned out that she had developed the germs of leperosy. There was a sudden change of attitude among all the members of the family towards her. Everyone encluding her husband who loved her dearly tried to avoid sitting next to her. She was isolated and spent her days in a secluded room.Her utensils were kept seperately which she washed herself. She could understand all this for the welfare of her family but one day she got a rude shock when all her son’s came with their wives and wanted to say something to her. The eldest son on behalf of others came with the propsal that amma should go and stay in some place of plgrimage where they will send money or her daily needs.After all this is an infecious disease and even amma will not like it if any of her child or grand child got infected.

She kept on listening and just nodded. The sons went away leaving her to wonder if they were the same sons who would not eat before amma started eating her meal. That night she skipped her dinner which, the maid servant had left for her in the room. The whole night she was tossing and turning and could not have even a wink of sleep. She went on thinking what to do .Should she jump in a well? Should she leave home? All these thought came to her mind. At last in the early hours of morning she quietly packed a few clothes and took what ever meger money she had and left home without telling any one.She had no one to share her plight.One poor lady used to ome to her and she used to give her many things in charity to help her. She landed at her doorstepand woke her upAfter haring her sad story she advised her to go to vrindavan where she could et help from one of her relative who ad gone there and had become a babaji.The lady offered to go with her and leave her there with her relative and soon they reached vrindavan.For a few days the relative of that lady shared the food he begged with her but he too died and she was again left alone to fight for her survival.She felt embarassed to beg in the beginning but soon got used to it. One day when she went to bathe in the yamuna river her foot slipped and she was on the verge of drowning.She was in an uncocious state and all she could remember wasthat a very attractive boy had dived into the river to save her.When she became concious she was surrounded by some brij folks.She looked every where to find the charming diver but he was no where to be seen. The people around her told her that she had a very lucky escape. She looked at her foot and was astonished. She found that there was not a single wound,her lepersoy had dissapeared. One person from the crowd advised her to go to Bihariji’s temple and thank him for saving her life. She had never been here before so now that she was no longer infected by leperosy she entered the emple and was looking at Bihariji spell bound because it was this charming boy only who has dived in the yamuna and saved her life. With tears in her eyes and a shiver of excitement going through her entire body she vowed that she will depend only on Bihariji who had brought her to vrindavan.Leprsory was just a temporary excuse to detach her from her family.Now she was doing sewa of Bihariji in her small way by helping his devotees who were in need.He was the only true friend she had in his world.Swami sri haridas ji says in one of his padas:

HIT TO KEE JE KAMAL NAIN, SO JAA KE HITH AAGE SAB HIT LAAGE FEEKE.

KE HITH KIJE SADHU SANGATI SOUN, JYUN KALMASH JAAYEE SAB JEE KO.

HARI KO HITH EISO, JAISE RANG MAJEETH; SANSAAR HITH RANG KUSUMBH DIN DUTI KO.

KAHE SRI HARDAS HITH KI JE BIHARIJI SAUN

AUR NIBAAHUN JAANI JEE KO.

It means swamiji says o brother!If you want to love, then love only Bihariji or love his bhakts who are always engrossed in Bihariji’s bhajans only.The worldly love is temporary made out of faded colours of flowers which is finished the moment you are of no use to your so called loved ones, but Bihariji’s love is permanent which is made out of the scent of flowers. It is Bihariji alone who will by your side when you are in pain or trouble,your relatives and friends will run away the moment they see approaching for help.Bihariji will wash away all your sins and take you in his arms. Such is the love of bihariji.

हरे कृष्ण गोपाल text 2014, copyright © bhaktipracharorg.blogspot.in