Page 17 - Amrit Varta - Issue Feb. 2023 - English

Vol. 27, No.1, February 2023 MA ANANDAMAYEE AMRIT VARTA 9

Haribaba had then asked, ‘What change has occurred?’ And Puran had replied,
‘Shortage of energy’.
Sadanand Brahmachari conducted Puran’s last rites. Shree Shree Ma patted
the chest and body of Puran’s father and bid him leave. It was a pity watching
him. Even though he did not shed any tears, his face seemed dark with emotion.
In the night after meals when Ma again sat in the front verandah of the Ashram,
then again Puran was the only topic of discussion. When Puran fell ill initially
he had stayed for a few days in the verandah opposite to Maharaj Trivenipuriji’s
room. Maharaj had blessed him with a cardamom saying that he would recover
very soon. Smt Ruma Devi was also sitting along with us. She was present when
Puran had passed away, hence Shree Shree Ma asked her to describe the last
minutes of Puran’s death. Ruma Devi said, “Just before his death all the sense
organs of Puran had become active and he himself was uttering loudly ‘Ma,
Ma’. Then he looked skywards, paid his obeisance with folded hands and smilingly
closed his eyes and passed away.” Ma too mentioned, “His overall circumstances
were truly good. He left his body on a Thursday, in Uttarakhand, on the new
moon day after getting the blessed touch of several Mahatmas. His last rites
have also taken place on the banks of the River Ganga in Haridwar. It is no less
than an immense fate to have so many pious circumstances at the same time. I
had noticed earlier too that he did not have any attachment for worldly life. He
loved to stay alone instead of spending time with his companions.”
Kirtan for the welfare of Puran’s soul
28th Jaisth 1356, Saturday (11-6-1949). Today from four to nine in the
morning a kirtan has been arranged for the welfare of the departed soul of
Puran. After this Haribaba performed the Chandi-paath for more than an hour.
The kirtan again commenced at eleven in the morning and concluded at three in
the afternoon. After this Haribaba’s paath ensued from three to six in the evening.
The kirtan started immediately after this paath. Ma had gone out for only a
small interval.
A sikh devotee resides very close to the Ashram. He has married a Swiss
lady named Helen. She is now old and extremely fat. Miss Blanca (Atmanand)
of our Ashram sleeps and takes bath in their house. Mrs Helen visits our Ashram
quite regularly and today she has arrived with her friend, another foreign lady.
Ma questioned Mrs Helen, “I had requested you to come to the Ashram daily.
Why don’t you come?” I could not hear what Mrs Helen replied. Her companion
replied, “Miss Blanca is my friend.” In the meantime Khukuni Didi arrived with
a cloth (dhoti) of Ma and handed it over to Mrs Helen. She was extremely
pleased to receive the gift and asked Ma what she should do with that cloth.