ABRIDGED MAI-ISM CHAPTER II MAI INSTALLATION JAY MAI JAY MAI JAY MAI The most important incident wherefrom the history of Mai movement starts, took place in the latter months of 1931 ( September and October ) in Poona (India). The wife of Founder's college friend and boss (Late Revered Sister Taraben Soparkar) was on death-bed suffering from Septicemia. The friend got the Founder (Markand Dholkia) transferred from Ahmedabad to Poona to help in the calamity. The wife was lying upstairs. She said to her husband, I am hearing the Mantra repetitions from some Matajee's devotee. I am on death-bed so please find him out round about our bungalow streets and let me have his Darshan". The friend took the Founder and went round in search and assured her that there was none :"Not only I but even 'Dholkia Kaka' accompanied me for the search". She exclaimed,"What, has he come? It must be than he. Please call him up". She repeated the same shloka of Sapta Shati fourth Adhyaya which the Founder was then repeating mentally unheard by anyone. This shloka was repeated by her to assure the Founder that he was a recognised devotee and that she was worthy recipient of his Darshan and blessings. A drawing professor was coaching the friend's daughter. He inquired of the future of the lady from a Pandharpur saint. The saint foretold, that her days were finished but added, "There is however a saint in his house, out of courtesy to whom She is not being taken away. The day he leaves the bungalow. she would expire." The friend enlightened by the first experience suspected that the saint in his bungalow was none other than the Founder and as he was the head of the department, kept him all hours confined to his bungalow by way of precaution. asking him to do his official work at that place . On 3-October-1931, the case was entirely serious. Three eminent doctors declared she would die within an hour or so. The worst news was broken by the husband to his friend who tried to strengthen his courage to meet the calamity. The husband vociferated, "What a coward talk? I am sure, if you heartily pray, she will at least live longer and give me sufficient time to prepare for the worst." The Founder had a very little of confidence in the efficacy of his prayers for the most impossible change, but he had to follow him upstairs. He prayed with his whole heart and devotion standing near the pillow of the lady in midst of nearly twenty weeping relatives. The pulse, speech and vision had left the body. On prayer, the Founder's tears fell in her mouth, the pulse speedily went up, vision and speech returned and the eyes opened. Her word were,"How can I like to leave this world leaving behind me the un-cared-for children ? I see Mataji standing before me. She says if you fast for a day she will give me a week's extension. Will you not promise doing that for me?" The promise was given hand in hand and the improvement began with most unimaginable speed. Just half and hour after, she asked for milk, fruit-juice etc. It was an unprecedented family joy. Some believed, and some did not, in God's hand in all these. But almost everyone including husband thought she was saved permanently. On the 7th day, the temperature however rose up from the morning. The husband was too shrewd to remain any longer under delusion. The whole story looked true. She was to go that day. He had a hysteric fit from he was made to recover to composure after consolation by his friend . At 3 p.m. , there was a phone from the Secretariat asking the husband to send certain confidential office files under lock and key. He could not possibly leave her. The Founder was given keys and the motor driver was ordered to drive fast and the Founder was given strict orders not to waste a single minute in the office. On reaching office, the head clerk informed him that the lady expired as soon as he has placed his feet outside the bungalow. Here was a continued episode which baffled all human solutions. She was a great devotee of Matajee. She actually heard the Mantra which the Founder was simply mentally chanting. The prophecy of the Pandharpur saint and its fulfilment were wonders. She saw Mother and heard Her words. A fast of a particular devotee earned the Mother's Grace of the boon of a week's life extension.All these happenings began revolving in Founder's mind, finally resulting an overpowering sense of his ingratitude to Mother. Said he,"Should I be simply living pleasure-dipped and fully ungrateful to my Mother? She has so often protected me all along and shown Herself to me and I have not breathed a single syllable to the world about Her mercifulness and Her dying for Her devotees.This one idea drove off all other ideas, even those required to sustain himself in daily routine. He became semi-lunatic, weeping day and night and beating his forehead, sometimes against walls rolling on ground and saying only one thing, I am a wretch, most ungrateful creature, Even such a simple thing glorification of Thyself, I have not done." He had to go on a long leave.Doctors consulted diagnosed that he had no disease whatever. He had divine madness.The best medicine was constant talk about Mother and Mother's occupation within his hearing and seeing. This was a furnace period, during which there was a wholesale drastic change, in the Founder's religious outlook. All the pride of Hindu-ism, Vedas, Brahmins (he himself being a Nagar the highest Brahmin in Gujerat) and the belittling of other religions evaporated. Strangely and wonderfully. Mother finally commanded him to install Her as Mai The Universal Divine Mother. "God as Mother, Mother of all, propitiable with universal love, service, devotion and unconditional cheerful self-surrender". These six words and expressions he would often hear in the air and would read written on walls and on the ceiling between joist-gaps and on closed doors and windows. He pleaded his full unworthiness to such an innovation. The more he tried to evade, the more did Mother sit on his heart and head till the sweet talk became artificially embittered and wrathful. "What do you prefer? Installing me as Mai with the dictated six tenets or life-long present semi-lunacy? The Founder finally gave the promise to Mother and so to say escaped, on giving a promise, in order to avert semi-lunacy.His recovery was marvellously quick after promise and he returned to Poona (Pune) and rejoined his service. He had a world of reminders from Mother almost every week. But he was too conscious of the crushing responsibility, to so easily yield. He went on procrastinating. Two persons one in Calcutta and the other in Mysore (Shimoga) were given command in dreams to go over to the city of Poona (Pune) and deliver Her Message of Installing Mother. The Calcutta message-bearer came over to Poona (Pune). Finding no place in any other hotel, he had come over to the hotel where Founder resided. With great despondency as how to find the man in such a large unknown city, he fell into sleep at 10 p.m. He had a dream; "Don't be afraid and losing heart. I have brought you to the man. Just at twelve midnight, you see things through the slit of common door between your room and the front room. You have to hand over the message to the man there in the morning. Make a bold statement". The man saw the Founder at the said hour in communion, full of solicitations to Mother," To find some other man to install etc." In the morning he delivered the message and left. The Mysore devotee who carried the message happened to come to the hotel as a casual visitor. The Founder by chance went to the dining floor at the time the man was dining. As soon as that man saw the Founder returning to his place, he suddenly left his half-meal and ran after the Founder. Most abruptly he talked ,"Are you a devotee of Devi ?" Founder also made no delay: "Yes, not only a devotee but a passionate, most uneasy devotee". Still most abruptly the man said," I come from Mysore. I have a message to hand over to you from Mother." The Founder got dumb-founded. "Yes please come to my room. The man followed: the message was communicated. Said the man," I have come so far. Would you not favour me with the spark of Love for Mother? I have enough of divine knowledge for my purpose (this was only his modesty). Said the Founder," Are you prepared? Would you sit with me on the bench of the Sheikh Sulla bridge during night hours ?" He agreed. The Founder was sitting with him from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. on wooden bench. The man went to his place. He was at the highest pitch of desire that he may have a vision of Mother at least in a dream. He had a dream in the sleeping. Mother appeared and said ,"You are now longing for my Darshan. Who was talking to you for hours on the bridge? That was myself. You have not only seen me but talked with me". The man narrated the event to the Founder at early dawn. Two persons coming down for only the purpose of delivering the message was something too great to be taken lightly. That put the Founder to an indescribable shame about his obstinacy and suspiciousness. Said he with a sigh," I am surely a man without faith. I have a faith in reality what I have seen and heard, but I have no faith in Mother making me fully fitted for the uphill unique task". He was extremely nervous and terribly afraid of how people would consider his act and of their defaming him by attributing highest impudence, hypocrisy and blasphemy. He decided to be tricky with Mother and to get to Her agree to let her fad go once for all, but he could not succeed. On the hand Mother directly repeated Her treat, "Tell me in one word once for all, what do you prefer - Installation or lunacy ?" The Founder had no go and with a sorrowful laughter he set down to stipulate terms with Mother, as he had done before, when he had begun hundred repetitions of Saptashati. He made a Sankalpa ( a resolution ) pouring sacred water offering to the Mother, " If there is an entirely new building of which the first in-dweller is myself, if I enter it on a Friday, if by evening there is a dazzling light, if there is a basket of 'mithai' and fruits received that day,if three girls and two men knock my door at 9.30 p.m., if they press me to install Thee, if at 10 p.m., I find Mother's picture in any shop, if at 11 p.m., I find some shop open wherefrom I can purchase worshipping materials and lastly if at 11.30 p.m.. some 'Mali' (garland hawker) brings me a most beautiful garland befitting Thee and the occasion, then I shall not hesitate and I shall not fail to Install Thee and declare Thee and Thy Religion. Each and every condition was so very wonderfully and admirably fulfilled. He was getting surer and surer as one condition after another came up attaining fulfilment and when finally a hawker shouted out "Har Har' (Garland, Garland), he burst into tears on hearing that shout. He began to beat his breast and forehead. "Mother, Thou hast finally caught me. Could you not find any other man, who is more worthy than myself? "The five persons consoled him with the sweetest words, "She would do Her own work. Who is more blessed than yourself? Why should you loose heart and courage? Where is the question of your worthiness or unworthiness, at all sirs, when She Herself has chosen you?"
News spread around. The nearest people were Theosophists and Harijans. Some educated Harijans had the most reverential regard for the Founder, the man who was Love and Mercy himself with an innocent childlikeness and who was happily blessed with the most intense devotion. People began calling him "Second Ramakrishna", 'Mother's child', 'Mother', or 'Mataji'. The Founder had a terrible exhaustion after the installation night which lasted for three days. On the third night he had a pleasant dream, in which he saw a vast open lawn in which there were innumerable ladies of all religions. He interpreted this to mean the Mother desired a congregation of ladies in strict purdah (with no gents and or boys) of all religions, in commemoration of Her installation.In spite of so many difficulties, a sisters' social of over 300 sisters of all religions presided by Mrs. Choudhary of Bengal on Dashera day (9-10-1932) became a fait accompli. By one and all that attended, it was called "Mother's Miracle". The Founder attaches great religious importance to this novelistic idea of a congregation of all ladies without distinction of caste, creed and colour, in strict purdah without any gents or boys, meeting together in the spirit of religious sisters to have religious discourses and thought exchanges, prayers , worships, refreshments, prasads etc, on a Dashera day. The requirement of a purda has a deep significance to provide safety against any unusual custom or belief. If that provision is not there, Muslim sisters stand precluded; so also Hindu ladies of royal orthodoxies as also ladies whose husbands and relations are strictly against their womenfolk freely with men. Soon after, the Founder (Saint Shri Mai Swarupa Mai Markand ) was deputed to go Belgaum, Dharwar etc., for official duties.In the very train, Mother was worshipped at Belgaum by a large number of ladies, with garlands, sweet offerings and Arati. “Prasad " was carried away by people right up to Madras ( Chennai ). The Founder was entirely joyful. One has never heard of an instance of a Divine worship on a railway station in the train by the varied (unknown-to-each-other) train travelers, including especially ladies. At Belgaum the Founder was taken to a Ganpathi-devotee-Sanyasin whose predictions were reported to be wonderfully correct. The Founder had his turn and the Sanyasin told him, “ Believe my words if you start within one month from now, a religious institution ". On return to Poona ( Pune ), he was pressed by all that had seen Mother's miracle of the sisters' social, to start an institution for universal prayers and lectures on different religions and spreading Mother's conception. In less than a month from the meeting with the Mahatma of Belgaum, a Mother's Lodge was started on 27-3-1933. Meetings were held every Sunday with printed handbills distributed and mention in the local papers. Lectures were mainly about Devotion, Love, Service and Surrender as emphasised in different religions. The Founder dealt with Harijans by various lectures and Mother's worship in the mission. A few experiences may be narrated to show Mother does help Her devotees-in-distress most miraculously : A Parsi Lady (Rev. Sister Mithibhai) who served as a chairwoman in sisters' social had one night a trouble. Her brother (Rev. Brother Jahangir) asked her for Rs. 500/ as he was in difficulty. It was Friday night. She said she would paid off his bills but would not give cash because he was sure to loose that in the race-course. The brother got wrathful and ran shouting she may read in the papers the next day the result of her refusal. The lady was terrified. How could she run after him ? In her despair she shouted for the Founder, " Oh my brother, Oh my Mother, who can save me ? Who would bring my brother back ?" She decided to go the Founder, when, in the bungalow itself, she saw Mother who told her , " My son is just now having a nap after a long exhaustion. Don't trouble him. I will bring your brother back in an hour and a half. " The brother who had gone to Bund Garden with a determination not to return home, returned. All of them motored to the Founder and joined in Friday prayers. They narrated experience to their friends and that added a lot of popularity of Mai-ism. One of the Mother's devotee's ( Rev. Bro. L.S. Prasad ) brother (Rev. Brother Sankarlal) was in some great prosecution difficulty though he was innocent. He was praying as initiated. Once he was so much unnerved that he decided to run down to Poona (Pune) to be blessed. He had a dream in which there was a room in which the Founder (whom he had not seen) was sleeping and Mother was patrolling and guarding the Founder. He entered the room. She asked him, “why are you here ?" He said," I want the Founder as I am in great difficulty ". Said She," Don't disturb my son,. He is fast asleep after a bitter weeping for me. You want acquittal, is it not? Well, I promise you; you now walk off. Let him sleep." The man wrote about the dream to the Founder and asked his meaning and whether he should come down to Poona for blessings . The Founder asked him details of the room, direction, things lying, the posture of the Founder etc. as he saw in the dream. Details came forth. The Founder had three pillows, he had a blanket which was brown with black squares. He was sleeping with Mai's picture by his side. These and other details equally tallied. The Founder said," You need not come down to Poona, but pray, pray and pray ". He was later acquitted. There was plague in Poona. People left the city. The Founder lived on Toddiwala road. One day a lady came and told and told him that Mother had appeared in the dream and said ," Those who want to save their families should attend my Friday Prayers." The Founder told her," I have very small space here . Your own desire has materialised in the dream." With all reverence, she was a bit wrathful. She spoke words which showed she was severely distressed. “Do you think, Mai, that we are not fit and Mother will not talk to us in the dream and that you are alone have all the monopoly ? However small we may be for Her Grace, there is no question of worthiness; I tell you Mother is actually living in your house. If you like you may see test. She is going out at 5 a.m. and moves in the garden and returns within few minutes. " The Founder gave the substance of this talk to his cook and his servant and asked them to keep watch and shout for him if they saw Mother. At about five next morning both of them heard a sound near the door as if someone was unloosening the chain and they saw the door opened and closed quite speedily and the chain swinging and hanging vertically. They ran out, looked all round but could see none. They reported to the Founder. The Founder used a lock, kept the key with him. The next night, the cook and the servant shouted. The lock was opened and there was the sound of the doors striking freely as if they were broken open most angrily. The Founder ran up, saw the doors wide open and the lock opened, hanging loose one side and the chain on the other. He ran in the garden and saw Her just before disappearing. He danced like a mad man with joy and composed a poem which is sometimes sung in Mother's Lodge meetings. " Bagan me fool chunan jaye meri Maiya : in the garden, flowers to pluck, goes my Mother." Orders were issued not to close the doors by night or to open them at 4 a.m.. The predicting woman was obeyed. Friday prayers began in a spacious terrace and there was no case of a plague attack in the vast number of families that attended. However the most wonderful and interesting experience of the Founder was this. One young man who had lost his equilibrium due to his wife's death was in the spiritual service of the Founder, after he was restored to normality. One night he made a very strange statement. He said," Mother just passed in front our door in a royal splendid car and She told me, You come over with your Kakaji (Founder) to the Globe Cinema Theater (in Poona-Pune). I am going there. Bring him without fail. He thinks a religious preacher loses all his austerity and Punya by seeing the Cinema. He needs a relief now. Don't fail." The Founder thought the young man's head had again turned. He thought all his labours of recovery on him were lost. He tried to make that man forget but the latter would not leave him.Both went to Globe Cinema. The picture was 'Maya Machendra". The other man had absolutely no peace of mind. He would go out of the theater and come in every five minutes till finally he came shouting : " Mother came in just now in the very same car. Few minutes later, the man shouted," See, See , See there, She is sitting just in that balcony all alone." The Founder was more than stupefied as he saw Mother there all alone in gem-becked easy chair. Both were steadily gazing at Her. After 4 to 5 minutes, they saw Mother getting up most hurriedly. Said the other man, "Kakaji, Mother is going away” and rushed out. The Founder also ran after him. They saw Mother getting into the car with a lightning speed and the car flew off. There will be no end to narration of all the Founder's experiences. To those that have some mystic knowledge of occult religious nature, it is known fact that visions and dreams are powerful avenues of divine communications. Deities and dead or distant Guru carry their work through dreams, regarding the interpretations of which the wisest are often at their wits' end. Dreams themselves are often untrue, but sometime true, sometimes a picture of own desires, imaginations and ambitions, and sometimes actually by way of a command, message or guidance, or even initiation by the higher souls. There is no seal of certainty about its source, and every dream has to be dealt with most cautiously, neither with blind faith, nor with nothing-caring-indifference. The best thing is to consult and take decision from one in whom you believe and who is more advanced religious soul, higher than yourself. In the case of the Founder ( Shri Markand Dholkia - the author of this book & the Founder of Universal Religion Mai-ism, popularly known as Mai Swarup Mai Markand or Maiji), dreams and visions have played an extremely important part, as would be seen from so many instances narrated already and to be narrated hereafter. The very belief in the existence of a Finalmost element beyond this visible world, was the rich first fruit of the Divine dream given by Bhadrakali at Ahmadabad. His acceptance as a son by Bahucharaji Mother was through the dream in the temple. His being permanently established as a devotee of Mother was the most invaluable Grace through the Direct Vision of Mother Herself,at the moment of his suicide leading despair. In the very installation of Mai, it was the dreams of Her two devotees, one from Calcutta and the other from Shemoga (Mysore) that had played the important part of convincing the Founder about Mother's determined Will. Further, he convened the Sisters' Social at Poona (Pune), simply because he took the dream-command as realistically as a General's command to his humble servant. The Madras (Chennai) Sisters' Gathering on 1-10-1949 (Dusserah day) was also the result of a later command in dream. The activities in respect of the latter were enthusiastically taken up by leading Madras (Chennai) sister, (a resident of Mambalam) because she had a dream. In Poona (Pune) Sisters' Social, one rich Parsi lady, eighty one years of age , was actually carried by her grand-daughters to the meeting because she had a dream ( as narrated by her grand-daughter during the meeting) to the purport attendance in that meeting was the highest expiation of all sins , for anyone belonging to any religion. Seeing dreams in which Mother and Founder would be seen sitting together and sometimes playing some indoor or outdoor game and sometimes "hide and seek", was one variety. Mother teasing the Founder and the latter getting wrathful and running to catch Her and hit Her and Mother eluding the grip and laughing at his inability to cope with Her lighting speed - another variety. In 1942 a lady from Karachi, and in 1944 a gent from Surat, came right down to Bombay (Mumbai) and Hubli respectively, simply because in their dreams they saw Mother sitting with an old devotee, who on description to someone knowing the the Founder, was believed to be he . On seeing the Founder in person, they expressed their happiest wonder and joyfully narrated their details of identification, while talking about the "dream-devotee" and the devotee-before-their-eyes. Someone, with open eyes while meditating on Mother saw Her in life-size behind the Mother's worship picture. Her heart opened slowly as a thin mist of cloud scatters away to show the moon behind, and in Her heart's cavity, that one saw a small size bust of the Founder. Few seconds after, the heart closed up, setting a seal, as it were, over the heart protecting its beloved treasure. Someone from Belgaum, who had been the Founder's guest, once heard words like this in his ears "Bachchako Jagaav. Bolo Do Niwaalaa Khaake So". -"My son, awaken; tell him two morsels having eaten, sleep". This was in his wonderful hearing on one of the Navaraatra nights, when the Founder had not taken his regular meal by day and being tired with work and worry about the success of the Poona Sisters' Social (9-10-1932), he lay on his cot half-hungry but half-sleepy and tired. Someone would see the most graceful living slim figure of Mother as in the Maai picture, with the face of Founder. The Founder's face in that case would be quite young and beautiful ,without wrinkles and grey hairs. Someone would see the beautiful Mother's face and body up to the waist from below in green sari and the upper body would be covered under the Founder's usual thin white shirt. Some would see half-Mother half-Founder. A layman in this matter may, for a time, argue, such dreams as are narrated above, may be the creation of their own mental thoughts, but we can't explained away like that, when the Founder actually experienced a vast, striking change in the attitude of the persons before and after their experience. I am referring to the dream experience of Mysore (Shimoga) devotee, who carried the Mother-Installing message, referred to before . This young man happened to come to the hotel as a casual visitor, like one of so many passers-by where the Founder was residing. The Founder also , by chance, just went to the dinning -floor, at the time that man was dinning. As soon as that man saw the the Founder quickly returning to his place, he suddenly left his half-meal and ran after the Founder. Most abruptly, he talked to Founder," Are you a devotee of a Devi?" Founder also made no delay, " Yes, not only a devotee, but a passionate, most uneasy devotee". Still more abruptly the man said, " I come from Mysore. I have a message to hand over to you from your Mother". The Founder got dumb-founded. "Yes, please come up to my room". The man followed. The message was communicated. Said the man," I have come down so far. Would you not favour me with the spark of Love for Mother? I have enough of divine knowledge (Jnana) and Ritualistic Bhakti, just for my purposes ( this was only his modesty ). Said Founder," Are you prepared ? Would you sit with me on the bench of the Sheikh Sulla bridge (in Poona - Pune) during night hours?" He agreed. The Founder was sitting with him in exposure from 11 P.M. to 4 A.M. on a wooden bench. The man went to his place. He was at the highest pitch of his desire that he may have a vision of Mother, at least in the dream. He had a dream, on sleeping. Mother appeared before him and said," You are now longing for my Darshan ( vision). Who was talking to you for hours on the bridge ? That was myself. You have not only seen me, but talked with me for hours." The man full of devotion and with tears in his eyes, narrated the event forthwith to the Founder, at the early dawn. The reader may feel inclined to know similarly about the Calcutta message-bearer. With the command to carry the message in a dream, he came over to Poona (Pune). Finding no place in any other hotel, he had come over to the hotel where Founder resided. With greater despondency as to how to find the man in such a large unknown city, he fell into sleep at 10 P.M. He had a dream."Don't be afraid and losing heart. I have brought you to the man." Just at 12 mid-night, you see things through the slits of the common door between your room and the front room. You have to hand over the message to the man there in the morning. Make a bold statement of what you see and the message." The man saw the Founder at the said hour in communion, full of solicitations to Mother"to find some other man to install etc."and in lamentation and in his part of unconsciousness and ground-falling in swoon. In the morning, he delivered the message in a bold convincing manner and that evening he left for Nagpur. Once a great yogi arrived at the Founder's, in Hubli, as a distinguished rare guest. He was a master of English and Sanskrit in his young days. He had relinquished the world and was moving from place to place. He lived on milk, fruit and wet gram pulse uncooked. The Founder remained all the while in high humility with his two hands folded and attended him as a waiter. Like Totapuri in Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa's life, he was talking to the Founder, almost spurningly or atleast belittlingly about Founder's devotional madness and absence of regularity, looseness in daily routine trivial matters, over-kindness to undeserving, mind weakness, etc. It was in the manner of a Gyani or a Yogi with an extreme superiority complex, talking from the terrace to a foot-path man. All this took place during the day time, on the first-arrival-day. They slept that night at 2 A.M.Founder is a late riser. He usually sleeps after 3 A.M. and gets up between 8 and 9 in morn. As soon as Founder woke up, the Yogi made a long prostration, and began to speak in humblest words ,' Forgive me. Forgive my impudence, my folly, my swollen-headedness . For the first time in my life, I have a cause to repent. Even a house holder can be a highest religious man. Thou art the Divine Mother, in human form". The Founder was shocked at such a change in few night hours.The Yogi told him, he had a dream. "With his Yogic powers, he was soaring high along a big mountain and was standing near the edge of the plateau. Somehow his foot slipped and he rolled most hurtfully along the slope.He was being crushed with ice-blocks falling on him. He came rolling at the foot of the mount.He had got senseless. When he got consciousness, he saw that one most beautiful Mother was nursing him. She lifted him and carried him to a long deep cave and placed him lying just at the cave-mouth. The Mother shouted hard to someone in the cave, 'Come out quick, a great Yogi has slipped from the mount and is most seriously hurt.' Out came a simple dressed quite an ordinary-looking man, with childlike lustrous face." The Yogi at this point began to ask the Founder" Who do you think or guess this Saviour man might be?" The Founder gave some two or three names, Kali Kamaliwala, Lord Anand, etc. The Yogi impatiently said, "No. No", and then with an outburst of lamentation frantically prostrated to the Founder and catching his feet said," Who else can he be ??? It was you, you, you with merciful heart for anyone, even the worst sinners. You, human Merciful Mother." And he wept profusely. There was one interesting instance of a lady. She was supposed to be the Maataaji. We have so many of them amongst Hindus, ladies in whose body some Devi would appear periodically. All will worship her, ask questions, advice and blessings, this was in a much earlier period. Whereas the Yogi incident was in 1944, this one was in 1936 in Poona (Pune). Somehow Founder was introduced to the lady, and she began to take him"right and left". She attacked him ruthlessly," Do you think mere knowledge is God's Grace?? Does any Maataaji favour you with Her Grace by making you yourself the Maataaji ? Can you tell me now what is going on at a certain place and a certain hour? Show me what you are capable of ." The Founder was more than "ground-dusted". He prostrated to her saying “I am simply a worthless nothing ". This took place at about 3 p.m. on a Sunday, at some common friend's house. The next day, she was found in her motor at the very door of the Founder's office. Founder was surprised. He took her in. There was no prostration, but full humility in her eyes. She asked pardon in the honorable manner that a lady, and one who was herself worshipped as Maataaji, can do. She explained herself. She had a dream in the night in which she saw her own living Guru in Mount Abu. He was "red and hot" and telling her," What a foolish thing have you done !!! You have insulted and humiliated a great devotee whom I myself would consider a great privilege to meet. Find him out and immediately run to demand pardon ".She said she had no sleep for the rest of night. She knew only the office address and she had been there to ask his pardon at the first available moment. On 15-9-1950, the Ganapati Installation day, a distinguished Swamiji of Madras (Chennai) city, who had seen the Founder only twice at Madras (Chennai) when he went for the first time to Madras for Sister's gathering on Dusserah day (1-10-1949), had a dream at 4.30 A.M. ; he wrote it out to the Founder. It was nearly ten months since they had any correspondence whatsoever. The substance was: " I was sitting on a sea-shore. Something took place and I was hurled down into the sea - life itself being in danger and practically lost. I began to struggle hard with hands and feet and to repeat with the highest intense devotion, the most effectious hymns and mantras of Shri Tripura Sundari, Ambika and Ganapati. All hope lost, but finally Mother was pleased to save me. There was an upward push which brought me near up to the surface. I was over joyful on being practically saved. I saw Mother Herself on the shore, with "one". That "one" jumped into the sea and clasped my hand and pulled me out on the shore ". The Swamiji further wrote, "Who do you think that "one" was?? I am myself so joyfully surprised to find who that "one" was. It was Mai-Swarup Mai Markand, Founder and President of Mother's Lodge. You are the most Beloved Soul of Mother. You are the replica, you are Her embodiment ", etc. etc. The Founder has an inward satisfaction when he knows Mother's full Grace continuously showering on him. Mother gives dreams visions and messages to others and directly or indirectly informs others, as if to say Mai and Mai-Swarupa are nearest, if not Mother and son. But then comes an extremely sorrowful wave of a lamentation and yet turbulent mood. He goes to Mother and talks to Her," What have I to do with my recognition ? Is that my goal or happiness? No. I want the world to come forth with whatever sacrifice each one can make, to work with me , to spread Thy simple and straight religion. There I find a great cipher. Raise the minimum smoothness and peacefulness of average life of mankind. Let the happiness and misery, at the two extremities be much more heightened if that is necessary and inevitable , for exceptional few. But let the neutral man live a much better life, with Thy Grace of the raising the minimum. Let at least Thy devotees not suffer, for no fault of theirs, and for the only reason that they happen to be in the midst of the world's self invited destruction and misery all round them. If segregation or isolation is the only salvation remedy, if things can be made more smooth be a re-classification, do that. Do anything, but let the world be much happier than now. Some few more things before we turn from Poona (Pune) to Ahmedabad to which the Founder was transferred. He was invited in June 1933 to speak on "God as Mother" by All-Faiths' Conference at Nasik and in 1934 by the ninth Indian Philosophical Congress on " Modern World and Mother-hood of God ". Founder had become so popularly known that he was addressed as Mother or dear Mother, or Mai or Maiji; even some college professors (like Suryanarayan Shastri of Madras-Chennai) who took part in the congress and conference addressed him as Mother. In a printed address in a casket given to him on transfer, the Founder was addressed as "Dearest most Merciful Mother ". The practice of addressing him as " Mother " has continued till now. The Founder's Mother- absorption is most interesting. If there be any letter which did not start with Jay Mai from a man who had religious relation with him, he would tear it out and write to him, "your letter did not begin with ' Jay Mai ', so it has been torn out. Please write again. "If anyone, of course initiated, finished his letter without a reference to Mai, he will be out of his mood. " You want your son to recover, etc., you ungrateful mortals? You have not even the courtesy to enquire about Mother? "and suffering son will not recover soon. If on the other hand anyone wrote," Please tell Mother, the boy is suffering much "he will dance and immediately reply, or even wire," Mother will cure your son before next Friday " and that would surely happen. Founder says ," I have seen so much bankruptcy that with full knowledge about insincerity, I want Mother's remembrance and name repetition. At least let the courtesy be there. Let it be even lip-stated one. It is better than ungratefulness and absence of consciousness itself." One day, one girl, 24 years, entered his place saying," Is Mother here? " Founder ran to to her with every devotional out-flow," Yes, She is here, come in ". He took her to the picture , performed a quick Arti and gave her prasad. The fact was something else. The girl was given an address of the building and her own mother had come to the adjoining block. The girl was wise enough not to give shock to Founder by telling the truth as she saw him over-joyful with supreme devotion. The girl went to the next block where her mother was seated and mother with her daughter came to the Founder for Founder's Darshan. Founder was so much ashamed when he knew the facts. With tears he said," Excuse me , please excuse me, I am mad after my Mother and feel as if the whole world has no business to do except to be occupied with Mother and Mother's work. Let my Mother however make amends for my folly. Have you any misery? "Their eyes were wet. The mother said," She my daughter herself is unhappy. Her husband had gone to Africa, does not send a single pie, not even a letter. " The Founder danced, blessed the girl by putting his hand over her head. " What a wise girl you are. You did not spurn and laugh at me an old devotional fool. Within nine Fridays you come here with your husband's letter and the money-payment information. " This actually happened. When he went to Nasik in 1933, he was carrying Mother's picture in his hands. On the way from station to the college quarters, there was heavy rain which made it impossible for the motor to go further. Volunteers took away the bags. one of them said," Please give that picture to me. I will carry it safe. Said the Founder,"That picture is my Mother. She is the most obstinate mother and most naughty child. She won't go in any hands. She will harass me to carry Her myself all the long way off under rains.; just take Her." The weight was so very heavy, a young man of twenty himself half-bent down in water as if overloaded. None else dared trying, although Founder said," Do you wish to try any one of you ? " Most important event which led to the broadcasting of Mai-ism in Gujerat and Sowrashtra was the initiation of Rev. Bro Keshavlal B. Pandya alias Kanishta Keshav. The spread of Mai-ism in poorer classes in Gujerat and Kathiawar was mainly due to his untiring work. His work can be imagined from the fact that there are not less than a hundred Mai Mandals and over fifty crores of Mai names have been written by different people by different places and there are two Mai Temples, one at Nadiad and the other at Rajkot in charge of brother Keshavlal and Markand Ray Vasavda alias Mai Kalapi respectively. Keshavlal, a devotee of the Hindu Mataji was an assisting clerk to the editor of 'Jyoti ', a paper of Nadiad. He took an appointment with the Founder residing at Toddiwala road in Poona (Pune). He was sorely disappointed on a homely talk; he had expected a devotee's talk in which praises of Mataji and greatness of Geeta would be overflowing. He was surprised that there was nothing like a deity-grandeur and bathing-sanctity. The Founder talked in universal strain and especially on God as Mother without reference to Amba, Kali, Bhavani etc. He did not eulogise pilgrimage places. He talked of service, love, devotion and surrender. Both returned home from the Bund Garden where they had been. Keshavlal was dejected. Said the Founder pointing out to a simple Mother's picture," Shall we pray and worship " the question was confusing as if praying was playing, with nothing done in readiness. Keshavlal said dejectedly," Yes, I don't mind. What is to be done?" Founder replied," Do whatever you like. Sing, dance, meditate, kneel, pray, prostrate. Do whatever you love best.Three is no particular method with Mai. You know what will make you most absorbed in Mai. " Keshavlal said he would perform Arti. Arti was prepared. While he waved the light, before he finished the first line of ' Namo Devyai ' he had Mother's full vision, the Arti dish fell on the ground and he fell like a tree under a storm, repeating," Oh Mother, I did not know Thee and recognise Thy devotee ". He rolled on the ground and placed his head in the lap of the Founder crying to him," Mother, excuse me, I did not recognise Thee ". When he came to normality, Founder took meals with him. The Founder asked him," Now let me know your religious difficulties, if any ". Keshavlal said with great joy," What do I want more? When you have showered on me the Grace of eye-to-eye vision of Mother? "The Founder told him," That is because in a particular matter viz., "Visualisation" you needed only a Guru to give the final stroke ". Keshavlal said he would do Mai's work. The Founder blessed him with the most brilliant success in Mai's work. Keshavlal was given a sanctified picture of Mai. In 1937, Keshavlal printed in the preface of his Chandi path the week-life -extension incident above described. He also printed the Mai Mantra "Jai Mai ", with all necessary instructions by the Founder. He also wrote " I also many others have many miraculous experiences about the efficacy of this wonderful Mother's Mantra ". In about 1938 Keshavlal got a wave of renouncing the world. The Founder gave him the right understanding, emphasised the point that Mai-ism believed more in service of others that are suffering for want of understanding and guidance and solid assistance in religion than in striving for own's own progress, leaving the whole world to its own fate. Keshavlal finally gave a promise to continue Mai's work. Mai Mandals nearing hundred, each having nearly 100 to 125 members were organised by him in different places. Outside India, Mai-ism has followers and Mother's Lodges in Singapore, Malaya, Nairobi, Mombasa, Daresalem,Aden etc. The basic work of changing the " Power-aspect " to the " Mother and child aspect " has been admirably done; and practically by now, the old conception of Mataji which had made it an ignominy for anyone to be known as devotee of Mataji (Devi Bhakta was a taunting word, for a drunkard, one with no morals and full of secret powers of subjugating or ruining others) has been refined and reformed to be that of Mai. Regarding this healthy improvement, the following observation by a college-professor in Bombay (Mumbai) on 28 July 1950 is recorded here: " The direct result of Kali age is atheism. It was largely arguemented by the so-called reformers of the society, who pulled the mass towards materialistic happiness and planted seeds of irreligion. The centuries-old current of national religiosity survived all destructive efforts but has surely got extremely weakened. In such times of embarrassment on all sides and from all quarters, as the saviour of mankind, Mai Swarup Mai Markand has raised his finger to show us the most merciful Mother parent and has renewed Mother-worship under Mai-ism with an altogether new conception, new form and new belief. He has facilitated and made anew the old path, long forgotten, misunderstood and misinterpreted. In the past, villains have cheated the blind-faith-ed mass. Mai Swarupa has torn asunder the black veils that intervened between the Merciful Mother and Her children through his teachings; he has shown the ways of Mother-worship that can well be followed conveniently in the changed circumstances of the modern world. The sacred teachings of Divine knowledge, kept concealed from the general public to strike fears, establish superiority, extract money and get benefits have been laid open by Mai-Swarupa to all without distinction of caste, creed and colour. The stagnant waters of religiosity have been made to flow smoothly. Evil things such as superstitious black magic and religious sanction to immorality have have been all swept out and annihilated. Let people once decide to give a trial to this religious remedy of removing their miseries. all ye that have their faith in the assurance given by the writer of these words, do believe that, just as writer has experienced himself, they too will have a miraculous peace and bliss on commencing the repetition of Mother's most efficacious Mantra " Jaya Mai Jaya Markand Mai, Jay Markand Rupa Mai, Jaya Markand Rupa Markand Mai ". Jay Mai Jay Mai Jay Mai. EXTRACT FROM THE BOOK : MAI-ISM AUTHOR : MAI SWARUP MAI MARKAND MAI NIWAS , SARASWATI ROAD END, SANTA CRUZ WEST, MUMBAI 400054 INDIA
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