History of the Vrindavan Ashram
In the morning, MA visited the Kalyanvan ashram with the Rajmata of Tehri, Ranjitda, Bhavanidi, Sri Pannalal’s daughter and son-in-law, Prabhadi, Ranjitda’s sister and her husband, and many others, and they sat on the veranda of the kutir. While looking at Didi, MA said, “Didi, listen to what Ranjit says regarding the installation of the mandir. Look at the amazing yogayog (connections). Seeing THIS BODY installing so many Shivs, some may think that MA is a Shivbhakta. But everything is the same to THIS BODY. Nothing is done by THIS BODY’s own wish. Everything is happening on its own at all times.
“Look, when Manmohanbaba (engineer Monada) was building a kutir, etc., in the Vrindaban ashram, he had travelled to Ahmedabad to see his daughter. THIS BODY was also there. It was said, ‘Baba, when you have come so far, accompany THIS BODY to Dwarka for darshan – you will not come again for darshan.’ He agreed. From Dwarka we visited Prabhash. From there, everyone took THIS BODY to see the tree under which Shri Krishna was reclining where the arrow of the vyad (hunter) had struck HIM. That tree was seen in that place – it was seen too that a Shivling was installed there. Thereafter, (THIS BODY) was taken to that place of Balaram and it was seen that a Shiv was installed there also. Afterwards, everyone returned to Dwarka.
“Manmohanbaba was supposed to leave early in the morning. Manmohanbaba was sleeping during the night and at about midnight or 1 a.m. (THIS BODY) told Didi, bring Manmohanbaba here. When Baba arrived it was said to him – you are building a kutir in the Vrindaban ashram. There was a small room in the ashram on the roadside of that land – it was the type of construction that is made on the roadside, in this state, for serving water to travellers during the summer. Referring to that, it was said – repair that room and build an altar there. Do it in such a way so that three Shivs can be placed there. Keep a bell-metal pitcher beneath it in such a way so that it is not visible from the top. Now Shiv shall be placed there. If Shiv so wishes, HE will make his own arrangements for a mandir. That happened.
“Later during Shivratri, THIS BODY had gone to Kashi. During the installation of Shiv in Hardwar, Yogibhai had brought extra Shivs (from Narmadeshwar). They were kept in Kashi until that time. From there the three Shivs were sent to Vrindaban through Kusum and Didi, during Shivratri, for installation there.
“Later, on discussion with Didi, Parshuram expressed his keenness to build a Shiv Mandir in that place (Vrindaban). He had mentioned that for a long time he had a wish to construct a Shiv Mandir. On that wish, that Shiv Mandir was built and five Shivs were installed there.
“Another person had mentioned about Mahaprabhu’s mandir and puja. Later, when some money came, the construction of that mandir was started, but due to paucity of money the top portion of the mandir was left unbuilt. There was no hurry; it would be built whenever HE wished. And if it was not to be, it would not be done, there is no ambiguity or confusion.
“One day, Parshuram told Didi that he wanted to fix a fan in MA’s room. Didi told him, MA does not allow the fan to be on, and rather, if you can build the top portion of the Mahaprabhu mandir that is pending, then the vigraha (idol) can be installed. He did that with enthusiasm. Later, Pannalal Pitaji installed the idols of Gaur-Nitai.
“Everything is happening in this way. Here also (in Dehradun), there was no talk of a Shiv Mandir. The wife of a professor in Calcutta, Srimati Nihar Kana Ghosh, had not seen Bholanath while he was alive. She narrated an incident. The incident was – one day she dreamt that Bholanath had come and was telling her to take diksha from him. She had seen Bholanath’s picture, so she could recognise him. She did not give importance to the dream. She had the same dream the next night. On the third night, she saw in a wakeful state that Bholanath had come and was telling her, ‘Come quickly after taking a bath. (I) shall give you diksha now.’ She immediately said to her husband, ‘Bholanath has come, can’t you see?’ The husband could not see anything. Then the wife sat near Bholanath after taking a bath and received diksha. Then (Bholanath) disappeared from there. She then had a wish to do something in remembrance of Bholanath, here (Dehradun), as he had left his body here. Some money was collected for this purpose but it was not enough, so over time, discussion stopped on this matter.