To return to our narration, all his friends and admires and Mai-ists hailed the idea of selecting a place where he would be staying alone with visitors , off and on. In actuality, he had leaved separate from his family since he began the movement in 1932. With his devotional activity, it was impossible for him to be living with his family. Some visitors may be honest, some cheats. Any one in distress would come to him at any odd hour.
Once at the one a.m. in the night in 1932, the Founder’s door was knocked by a man of reputation . He explained his calamity. Someone was dragging him into court with a nasty woman-entangled accusation. He had to come for a loan of Rs. 500 at that odd hour. The Founder was never rich. He said, ” I have no money, but I can move Mother to change your enemy’s mind to be merciful.” He agreed. He was made to lie on a carpet, repeating certain Mantras at the Lotus Feet of Mother, that night. He was made to fast for three continuous days and subjected to confinement in the owner’s place. One of the man’s friends kept a watch over developments and informed the Founder and the man. Soon a well known pleader was engage, as the next day a suit was to be filed. First day gone. The friend brought the news that the filing of the suit was detained as the antagonist had a high fever. Founder made himself bold to send word to the antagonist,” Your accused has surrendered himself to Mother and is in my charge. You will not get free from the fever , unless you change your mind to be merciful.” The man laughed away. Three days passed. The fourth day happened to be the day when the Founder was ordered by the head of his department to proceed to Dharwar for things to be kept ready for him for a meeting. He had promised the man in distress that he would do his best to take him out of the calamity.
The reader can imagine the double difficulty, the Founder wept Mother, ” Why do you bring such a distressed souls if you can do nothing ? ”
It was a dilemma. At 8 p.m. ( the train leaving at 9 p.m.) the Founder’s door was knocked. In came a young man with fever just down, his beautiful wife and his wickedness incarnate mother. Founder adopted the sweet tone , welcomed them and with the speech of Mother , asked them all to be wise. The distressed was keeping his head low. The wife said,” I have to say something.” Founder told her ,” I have no time.I have to catch the mail. I am already late.Is it anything more than a little evil eye , some joke or some little external departure from strict morality ? But should that have brought him to a stage of such a suffering by your retaliation ? “He mad a summary trial; said he to the distressed ,” Prostrate to Thy mother here , and you mother , forgive him. Now he is your son. ” He was obeyed and the bitterness was buried. Founder took Rs. 25 from his purse and gave that sum to the lady as Mother’s Prasad; he did everything so hurriedly and flew away to the station.
He was late but the train too was late. Seeing the Founder coming up with Mother’s picture reverentially held up in his hands , the mail guard opened an unoccupied second class compartment . He traveled all alone to Dharwar, talking with his Mother in the night breeze, till at Belgaum the worship previously referred to was conducted.
The Founder was a house-holder. He had neither advantage of a Hindu saint nor of a Sanyasin in the matter of public approbation. On the other hand all the disadvantages of being a house-holder were there. His religion was to serve the public and not to be worshipped and served . He was not rich. He had spent a good deal for Mother. to him the expenses of a son’s marriage were nothing of greater importance than a Mother’s function, if not of less importance. His pension has been decided to be Rs. 114 p.m.. hardly enough for himself and family.
The problem was a taxing one. But the more unhopeful the problem presented itself to be, the more determined he became to have his ” Mai – Niwas “, for himself and his Mother.
With tears in his eyes, the Founder would thus talk to Mother, ” Mother, Shalt Thou not condescend to live longer than myself , for world’s welfare ? Well, if that be Thy cruel wish, we shall die together simultaneously and be burnt together , but we shall live alone together for a few years of my life .” His feelings described in his rambling language ( from his green diary 20-07-1945) :- From the worldly point of view , my wife and children are most unfortunate . Their husband and parent has left very little for them, as he was Mother-mad in matter of spending for Mother. He has neither the public support of the religious world , nor is public opinion in India so developed with free thinking and independence of action, as to make people come forward with money to help the religious cause which they actually hold dear. People are swinging between the old and the new religious ideals and I too am swinging between a recluse and a house-holders life.People cherish new ideals but support the old ones. For relief of distress , people come to Mai and for thanks giving and charity, they go to their old deities and ashrams.Mai will give a prosperous lift or avert some danger through a daily programme of Mantras and the wholesale responsibility of the Founder, but the donation will go some Mataji or ashram.The idea itself of meeting expenses by a system of donation or an institutional fee is quite foreign to me. My children are in no way responsible for whatever I have received or will receive for Mother’s work.The property which I possess at the time of death is my personal one. All monies that I have received or will receive , is by way of Mother’s Grace to me while praying hard to remove miseries of different types.”
Any saint is after all a living man; he naturally has a soft corner for all that have suffered for him. He is however booked for different type of work.In course of time so many moths crowd round the light. A hillock is formed round the saint. The hillock is made all types of people.The saint himself does not wish a hillock be formed. The hillock is made of warring elements ; the strongest man has the chance of usurping the master-ship., not only of the hillock but the saint himself. The saint sees all the currents round him.Says he, ” Oh, Mother, I never craved for a hillock. At least save me now. “It is a matter of repeated occurrence that the world never cares to know how a saint fares , but as soon as he brings forth something worth the name the world comes forth like a swarm of locusts to give him directions and to have the hand in the management of all affairs.
He had to decide his future line of working and living. He did not seek other official service.As a matter of fact he refused offers of appointment. He became full time Mother’s servant from August 1945.
There were several experiences which made him to think that it was Mother’s desire that a Mai Niwas of independent ownership by the Founder should be there .
Unbelievably, events took place as if Mother was arranging for the finance. One rich lady of Bombay [The lady was Mrs. kale – her husband was engineer] who attended Mother’s Lodge meetings and came to Bombay (Mumbai) whenever he used to go to Bombay from Poona or Hubli, had her husband on death-bed.The Founder was called for. He went from Hubli to Bombay, prayed and gave every instruction and a daily programme of mental repetition, worship, devotion, spiritualised waters etc. He was told by a most responsible reliable nearest relative that if the husband survived , Rs. 5000 were to be spent in charity for the recovery. The Founder worked day and night, devoting two to three hours every night between 12 a.m. to 3 a.m. and the least hoped for the result was there by Mother’s special Grace. What can be the greater reason than the lady’s letter that by Mother’s Grace the husband was alright and that she would not forget to make a handsome charity to Mother’s cause, for the Founder to be presume that he was sure to get Rs. 5000 on the husband’s full recovery ?
The Founder was extremely enthusiastic on getting her letter. He purchased a plot of 12 Gunthas immediately in Hubli for Rs. 2000. Founder believes that for every moment lapsing between a good -luck and thanksgiving, a man is an extremely heavy loser. He is without the protection of Mother.
[ Founder’s experience s are very interesting. He was once travelling from Belgaum to Nipani in a bus. Bus would have several halts on the way.Just after the bus started from a halt, the Founder saw someone selling jasmine flowers. He asked the driver to stop for few minutes as he wanted to purchase the flowers for his Mother. The driver said he won’t stop. Founder explained ,” I am no ordinary routine worshipper. If you don’t you will find your bus can’t go after sometime.You shall have to bring the bus back.” The chauffeur scornfully laughed. After some furlongs machine went wrong and could not proceed. The passengers all got exasperated due to delay. Said the Founder,” I can make it run. You promise you will take me back to those jasmine flowers “. The chauffeur with grim faced agreed. Said Founder ,” Well than, be all on your seats “. All passengers got in. Founder was in the front seat. Said he in a child -like way, : Mother see see the chauffeur has agreed to go back . Don’t you want to be worshipped with beautiful jasmine flowers ? I will purchase the whole basket. I will worship Thee as soon as I reach. It is getting late. Now don’t make delay. ” Said he to the chauffeur, ” Start “. The motor immediately, to the joyful surprise of all, worked up. Founder purchased the whole basket and reached the travellers’ bungalow in time and worshipped his Mother with every endearment. He satisfied his principle of promptitude.
Once you have established relationship with Mother, it is your choice to set up the standard for give and take or postponement. Mother’s speed to your call will depend on the intensity and impatience with which you offer your thanksgiving. Mother accepts and adopts standard which you yourself lay down.
It is serving one’s own interest to see that the connection once given is not cut off.Every wise man must have before his mind , while dealing with religious matters and Divine aid , this fact viz., that such relations are quite delicate and therefor extremely tender as a flower , fragile like glass and quickly falling from invaluableness to valuelessness as a pearl. Further , we remain in the dark as to when Mother’s Grace is withdrawn. ]
In a less than a week, since he had the information from the lady, he got every thing ready. The deed was registered . The land was demarcated. However the charity did not came forth. On the other hand reports were heard that handsome charities were made at several quarters. One day, the Founder had the money order of Rupees Twenty five with an endorsement in the coupon to the purport that he amount was sent by the way of the recognition of Mother’s Grace for the husband’s recovery. The Founder had paid Rs. 1000 from his own purse to the vendor and Rs. 1000 more had to be paid. The Founder’s sorrowfulness and awkward position may be better imagined than described.
Just then, an extremely liberal minded , practically a relative , though of another caste, was staying with the Founder as his wife was suffering from tuberculosis. The gentleman of an extremely liberal heart had some experience of the Founder’s powers. He had appeared for an examination; he had no hope. The first thing he did was to inform the Founder about it and to pray. To his greater astonishment he passed. He was now a big man. His wife was suffering from T.B.. He inquired by telegram ,” S.S.L. suffering from T.B.What do you advice Meeraj or Devlali ?” Founder replied, ” If you have faith in Mother, neither Meeraj nor Deolali , but Hubli. “The devotee took the Founder at his word and went straight to Hubli.”
The devotee [ Pranjivan D. Dalal-Executor of Universal Mai-ism Trust ] with his wife [ Mrs. Sushila Dalal ] and a daughter were present when the Money Order of Rupees 25 was received. They could see the Founder’s eyes wept. On their repeated pressure , the facts had to be explained. The devotee went to his room and returned with his cheque-book, he wrote Rs 1000 in Founder’s name . Said he, ” Kakaji, Don’t be sorry. Here you are. Founder was more than liquefied . Said he, “Mother bless you my children”. He turned with a forcefulness to Mother and began to speak in loud words, ” Don’t you see difference between men and men ? Remove this T.B. forthwith immediately. Now and now. ” Founder closed his eyes and after a few moments told them ,” Mother has been pleased to take away your T.B. You now proceed to Bombay and get your re-examination . Just as you tore of my anxiety with the cheque, so has Mother too torn off your calamity of the fell disease. “. The couple started the next day with greatest joy. Got the lady examined. She had no T.B. T.B. was gone forever.
The couple returned to Hubli, they proposed that the Founder should stay permanently in Bombay (Mumbai).This devotee proposed that a plot of 1600 square yards be purchased in Santa Cruz which would be enough for two bungalows, the front one for the Founder and the rear one for the devotee. A plot on Saraswati Road was purchased. The Founder was in position to pay off an advance Rs. 1000 for the plot.
He was determined and for only a small hut of matting and bamboos, if nothing better can be managed. He had the unflinching resoluteness of having any abode where he can stay with Mother in solitude.
This incident of T.B. cure gave a lift to the Founder. He was accepted with every reverence that a saint can command in Bombay. Were it not that the Founder had an established home in Bombay, it would not have been possible for him to settle in Bombay and construct his Mai-Niwas.
MAI – NIWAS
One more thing that added to the glory of Mai-ism was the publication of a long article in ” Sunday Times ” of Madras on 2 – December – 1945, ” MAI-ISM A NEW FAITH ” written by ” a pilgrim” – a retired Goverment Officer. This is a summary of the article :-
” When we think of a saint, the picture of one in a saffron robes with a tonsured head come into our minds.Orthodoxy sets its face against any departure from rigid rules relating to even dress and behavior. But cropped heads , collars and ties, and pants and boots have come to stay in modern life and if religion can not be capable of existing with them, it is religion that has to depart.
Some time ago I had heard reports of a new saint in Hubli and his miraculous powers .On the night I reached Hubli, I saw a telegram which had just come saying,” Child safe. Mother’s Grace is unfathomable.” Evidently there was frantic appeal from the parents to this live – wire of infinite Love for help with the result the telegram indicated. My stay with him was a unique experience. There were no rituals.It was all simple , but what a world of difference in the atmosphere of sincerity love and devotion !
His theology is simple. He realizes Love as the Supreme force and God as Mother. Mother and child relationship is the speciality. Mai-ism according to him is the Universal religion , or Mai-ism can take under its wings the followers of any religion without submitting the charge of apostasy.
Let me warn the reader that if he expects to find a saint in saffron robes, he will be disappointed. Instead, he will meet a person wearing collar, tie and paints, familiar with every body and looking like challenge to orthodoxy. The vulgar crowd can not know a saint unless he is accompanied with external insignia and hence has not spotted him. Luckily this is an advantage to the honest seeker.”
The fact of the purchase of a plot was communicated to all. Madrasis were the first people that came forth each with a handsome donation.
Jay Mai Jay Mai Jay Mai
EXTRACT FROM THE BOOK – ” MAI-ISM” WRITTEN BY THE FOUNDER OF MAI-ISM SAINT SHRI MAI SWARUP MAI MARKAND , EDITION : 1952. ADDRESS : MAI NIWAS, SARASWATI ROAD END, SANTA CRUZ (WEST), MUMBAI -400054, INDIA.
God as Mother and Father in MAIISM AND HINDUISM 