Craving for Darshan

The glory of great people lies in their very living. The divine virtues of Gunatitanand Swami, described by Shriji Maharaj, revealed themselves on many an occasion. The year was Samvat 1869. Light showers of rain were falling from the sky on that dark night. The sky was covered with clouds and was illuminated with intermittent thunderbolts. All the sadhus had retired to sleep after a session with Maharaj, in which they had enjoyed the company and the darshan of Maharaj. Then Maharaj went to the palace to talk to the devotees.

It was at that time that Gunatitanand Swami was standing under some shade beside the wall, half-drenched, trying to save himself from the rain, in order to have the glimpse of Maharaj's darshan. Meanwhile Muktanand Swami came out of his room for some work and saw somebody standing there. So he enquired as to who it was. Swami modestly replied, "It is me, Nirgunanand, I am standing here with a view to have the darshan of Maharaj when He returns from the palace after the spiritual discourse."

Muktanand Swami was surprised when he saw Swami craving for the darshan. He thought to himself, "Oh! Look at his faith, he cares neither for his body nor for sleep. Although the murti of Maharaj is constantly in his heart, he craves so much for His darshan." Muktanand Swami then went into his room but Swami stood there till late in the night, shivering in a half-drenched condition. When Maharaj returned, Swami had a glimpse in the light of a thunderbolt. Thereafter, he went outside the village to sleep under the shade of a tree on the banks of the river Ghela.