The story of Nijanand Sampradaya begins approximately 420 years from now with an eleven-year-old, very bright, highly disciplined and curious child named Devchandraji (1581 – 1654 AD). He was born in the village of Umarkot in the state of Marwar (now in Sindh Province, Pakistan). His father Mattu Mehta and mother Kunvarbai were very religious and devoted in the worship of Lord Krishna.
At the age of eleven, Devchandra began asking: “Who am I in reality? Where have I come from? What is the true purpose of my life? Who is the true owner of my soul? Where is God? How did God (Parmatma) create this world? Where is true happiness?1”
Determined to quench his spiritual thirst, he underwent a lot of hardships in his early age. He was not satisfied with the responses he received from saints and preachers at numerous temples. He did not even hesitate to reach out to mosques and the learned mullahs of Islam to seek more spiritual knowledge.
One day, to pursue his search, he left home and journeyed through the desert of Kutchch (Gujarat, India) alone. In the desert, he had his first miraculous experience of the Divine. A stranger, who looked like a Pathan (soldier), appeared before him in the middle of the desert, and helped him reach his destination. But, it was too late before Devchandra realized that he had received a direct help from the Divine, who he was seeking. The Helper –God in the dress of a Pathan – had disappeared!
Reassured by this experience, Devchandra engaged himself seriously in selfless service (seva) and satsung activities involving listening to the spiritual discourses and the study of scriptures. He was totally detached from the worldly pleasures at a very early age. His parents were concerned about Devchandra’s future. On one hand, Devchandra and his spiritual master were planning for mantra diksha (spiritual initiation ceremony), and on the other hand, his parents has secretly planned for his marriage. Coincidently, his spiritual and worldly marriages occurred on the same day! But these simultaneously occurring and apparently conflicting events did not change his focus on his spiritual journey. He moved forward with his family life as well as spiritual development.
Once, his master offered him to teach the miraculous art of poison control from the bite of a scorpion. Devchandra argued to his master that he was interested in learning the art of poison control that is universal and spiritually uplifting. He was interested in the attainment of ultimate eternal bliss, where the question of death ceases to exist permanently. At this stage, he was deeply involved in the meditation of Lord Krishna’s pastime (Leela) of Brij and Raas, and the service to his spiritual master Haridas. Once, in meditation, he found his soul in the spiritual domain (Yogmaya) experiencing the joy of eternal Brij and Raas Leela. This experience reaffirmed Devchandra’s faith that his spiritual identity was Radha, i.e., Shri Krishna’s most favorite soul.
At the age of 26, Devchandra moved to the city of Jamnagar to listen to the discourses of the holy Shrimad Bhagvatam. At the age of forty, when he was in the middle of the Satsung, the Aksharateet Lord’s power (Aavesh) appeared as Shri Krishna before him. The Aavesh swaroop conversed with him quenching his spiritual thirst, which will later flourish in the vast Kuljamic ocean of Supreme Divine Wisdom. This ‘seed’ conversation between the Lord and Devchandra is called Tartam2. Enlightened Devchandra realized God’s bliss-part (Shri Shyamaji) within himself. He realized Aksharateet as the One Supreme Truth God and the ultimate Sat-Chid-Anand. His had found eternal Home – Paramdham, which is beyond this visible world and above all heavens. It is the place of true joy and bliss (Nijanand), and is full of unlimited divine light and energy (noor). Below Paramdham is Akshar Brahmn’s world, the Yogmaya, which is responsible for the creation and annihilation of innumerable worlds like ours, the world of Kaalmaya. After this Tartam conversation, God’s divine powers merged within Devchandra. The Awakened Intellect came to this world for the first time in Nautan Puri (Jamnagar, India)3.
Devchandra’s work of spiritual awakening dissolved the boundaries of caste, creed or religion. He welcomed people of all races and religions, including Hindus as well as Muslims, and women and widows. He extended his special love for those who were considered untouchables in the society and invited them as members of his divine ‘Sundersath’ family. Many people began to participate in satsng, which mainly included his discourses, at Gangjibhai (the first sundersath)’s house, which is now known as Chakla Mandir. His message was simple: “The atmans have come to see this worldly drama and to undergo the test of Maya, which is the illusory power of God. The Lord has also come to rescue them and all living beings from these bondages.” In Jamnagar, the Lord also performed several miracles through Devchandraji. The emergence of holy water from the wall just by drawing a line, offering golden utensils, appearance of Shri Krishna’s Brij and Raas Leela were some of the main miraculous incidents, which are called as Adika Leela4. As more and more people started coming, Devchandra also shared his Tartam experiences and the divine pastime of Paramdham with them. He became known as Shri Nijanand Swami, the founder of the Faith, who is also regarded as Satguru or True Master.
One day, during the course of his sermons, God sends a 12-year boy named Mehraj Thakur (1618 – 1694 AD) to Devchandra. Mehraj was born in Jamnagar in a well-reputed family of Keshav Thakur and Dhanbai. At first sight, Devchandra could see a future spiritual leader in Mehraj, and revealed God’s Plan for him. To fulfill the Jagni mission of his Satguru, Mehraj left Jamnagar after the death of Devchandra and continued his extraordinarily challenging journey until he finally reached in Panna (M.P., India). God bestowed all His divine powers to Mehraj. The Kuljamic divine wisdom began flowing through Mehraj5.
Mehraj, accompanied by the Aatman Indrawati, earned the title of Mahamati — the one bestowed with God’s Josh (Aavesh or inspirational power), Aatam dulhin (Bliss), noor (Tartam or brilliant spotless divine knowledge), hukum (Command), and Jagrut – Nij Buddha of Paramdham. The contemporary followers experienced the work of God’s power in him, and started calling him Prannath6, the name that in fact should only be used for the God’s divine form in Paramdham. But, he never expected or taught his devotee colleagues to worship any person, including himself even though God’s powers were working through him. He always stressed the worship and meditation of the perfect divine couple Shri Raj Shyamaji. Even though during his last period in Panna, the devotees expressed their Seva (selfless service) towards his material body, he required that each devotee’s ultimate awareness be raised to a level where each sundersath finds him/er self in the divine lotus feet of Shri Raj Shyamaji in Paramdham.
Now, Shri Prannathji began laying the foundation of his Jagni mission, the divine mission of spiritual awakening. Through out his life he traveled through oceans and mountains. During his journey of thousands of Kilometers throughout India, and the Middle East, he happened to meet with people of many different faiths and religions. In 1735, Haridwar Kumbh Mela7, a historic theological conference was held. In this event, the religious and spiritual leaders of all Hindu faiths (The Sanyasins, the Six Darshanas and many others) collectively conversed with Shri Prannathji. Upon realizing the spotlessness and universality of Shri Prannathji’s Tartam Knowledge, they accepted and announced him as the Buddh Nishkalank Avtar.
After that, Prannathji also sent his Twelve Comrades to the Jama Mosque in Delhi with the message of Imam Mehndi’s arrival to awaken the last Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He conveyed to him the true message of the Holy Koran, including the revelation of the true meanings of the seven major signs of the Final Day of Judgment (Kayamat)8. A number of Muslim experts conversed with him and they not only regarded him as Imam Mehndi, but also devoted their entire life for the cause of Jagni.
Shri Prannathji revealed the essence of the seven major signs of Kayamat primarily by dividing them into two broad categories. The first four signs are maya-related. They deal with raising awareness through the realization of (1) deteriorating human qualities and standard of personal and social behaviors (Dhabh-Tul-Arj), (2) the nature and the negative works of false ego (Dajjal), (3) how faith is misplaced in the modern times by over-emphasizing the rigid rituals (sariyat) due to narrow vision (Maghrib Suraj), and (4) the hectic nature of precious human life (Ajuj and Majuj). The last three signs deal with the coming and the work of (5) the Tartam Knowledge through Shri Shyamaji (Rooh-Allah) in two garbs, (6) Archangel Asrafeil through the Awakened Intellect, the Jagrut-Buddha and the Nij-Buddha, and (7) Imam Mehndi Shri Prannathji by awakening the deads from the graves, wiping out the Dabh-Tul-Arj and the Dajjal, levelling up the ego of those in religious or spiritual leadership role, establishment of one true eternal religion (Hakiki Din) by utilizing the sword of the divine wisdom.
The world received the divine gift of the Holy KS, which in itself, is the proof of work of the Buddh Nishkalank Avtar in Prannathji. Holy Bitak Saheb provided a historical account of NS and also serves as a foundation to understand the essence of the Divine Wisdom. Today, with more than 30 lakh sundersath devotees from diverse races and people, despite their origin or inherited religious beliefs read, understand and practice these divine teachings. Most devotees are born Hindu with less than one percent population initiated from the non–Hindu faiths. They believe that living by this Divine Wisdom can offer eternal happiness to all living beings. Non-violence and selfless love are the two foundation stones of this Divine Wisdom, which today’s terrorized world needs more than ever.
According to Prannathji, God’s work of spiritual awakening or Jagni shall continue until the End Time of this world. This Divine Wisdom shall pave one’s path to realization of the divine eternal qualities such as glory, beauty, harmony, peace, love, awareness, sacred intimacy and gracefulness. To reflect these Godly attributes in the world environment is the only true purpose of Shri Nijanand Sampradaya.
1 Jab Bhaya Varas agyarvan, tab mana upjyo vichar |
Mein kaun kahan thei ayiyo, kahan mero Bhartar || The Holy Bitak Saheb: 2/29
2 Literally, Tar means to save and tam means darkness. Thus, Tartam means the knowledge that rescues the Jiva from ignorance (darkness) to eternity.
3 Eteh din trilok mein, huti budh supan | So Budhji budh Jagrit Lay, Pragte Puri Nautan || (KS, Pari. 2/11)
4 The purpose of Adika Leela is not to mislead or deceive an individual, but to attract the person and then offer the Divine Tartam Knowledge leading to one’s spiritual awakening.
5 Kahe Indravati Ati Uchhrange, Hamko Laad Ladaye ji |
Nirmal Netra Kiye Jo atam ke, Parde diye uday ji || (KS, Pr. Hi. 26/6)
Mahamati kahe eah momino, eah Hadi Mehndi Imam | (BS 17/68)
Indravati ke main ange sange, Indravati mero anang |
Jo ang sopen Indravati ko, tae preme ramadu rang || (KS/Kalash. 23/66)
6 Aksharateet is known by many such different names in the Faith as Raj Shyamaji, Rajji, Prannathji, Shrijee, Walaji…But Prannath is not just another name of Mehraj Thakur. Prannath refers to Aksharateet, and is used only in the context of His divine powers when they worked in this world. Thus, Prannath is the name of Mahamati’s Lord, who is everyone’s God. Prannath had simply made Mehraj an instrument to convey the Divine Wisdom to the world in the form of the Holy KS. Due to this, the devotees addressed him as Lord Prannath. But, this must not be confused with the divine form of Aksharateet. For the sake of convenience, hereinafter, the name Prannath will be used for Mehraj, who is charged with the divine powers of Aksharateet Parbrahmn.
7 Read the Bitak of Haridwar for full description of this Kumbh Mela event.
8 Seven major signs of kayamat have been explained in details later.