Page 43 - Amrit Varta - Issue Feb. 2023 - English

Vol. 27, No.1, February 2023 MA ANANDAMAYEE AMRIT VARTA 33

the new golden crown from which hung strings of pearls. A few devotees of
Kashi had made arrangements for the daily offering of kheer-laddoo to Gopalji.
A prominent affluent devotee Smt Rani Majumdar had sent a set of silver utensils
for Gopalji. Later Yogibhai the Raja of Solan also sent gold ornaments like
crown, necklace, bangles, anklets and a flute. There was no dearth of costumes
for Gopalji.
Observing all the ornaments and dresses and arrangements of Gopalji, Ma
one day said, “Gopal, so this is the reason why you did not go to Vrindavan and
by giving excuses stayed back in Kashi. Thieves are a great nuisance in Vrindavan,
there it is not safe to wear gold ornaments daily. But Gopal has a liking to wear
gold ornaments daily and hence He has somehow got Himself settled here in
Kashi. Heard that almost four hundred years ago a landlord of Barishal (in
Bangladesh) had installed this idol of Gopal in a newly constructed temple in
Kashi. There was a royal system of serving Gopal with a lot of devout property,
ornaments, etc and staffs. But gradually because of the greed of the serving
staffs all the property and ornaments had exhausted, so much that even the daily
rituals could not be done. It was then that the pujari requested for the transfer
of Gopal to someone else. Learning about this Batu’da informed Ma. And it was
decided to install Gopal in Vrindavan. But the pujari caretaker demanded an
enormous amount of money in exchange. Hearing that Paramanand Swamiji
remarked, “If we have to give him money, why accept an old idol. We will purchase
a new Gopal.” So Gopal was not sent to Vrindavan.”
After that Ma again came to Kashi for Jhulan and Janmashtami festivals.
In Ma’s presence, the Jhulan festival was being held in the Kanyapeeth. In the
meantime Batu’da arrived and informed Ma, “Ma, the pujari being unable to
look after that Gopal has decided to immerse the idol in the River Ganga.
Immediately Ma replied, “Fetch Gopal here immediately.” So finally Gopal
arrived in the Ashram. But in the meantime a Gopal had already been installed in
the Vrindavan Ashram. Hence He did not have to go to Vrindavan. He remained
here in Kashi Ashram, initially in the Smriti Mandir and later as an emperor
enthroned on a sandalwood swing in the new Anandjyoti Temple.
As long as Gopalji was in the Smriti Mandir, the daily worship was con-
ducted by Mamu (Shree Shree Ma’s brother Shri Makhan Bhattacharya). It was
Ma’s instruction that on only two days of the year i.e., on Janmashtami and
Holi Utsav, Gopalji would be brought out and properly consecrated again. Once,
Ma was in Kishenpur Ashram, Dehradun. There was a pain in Ma’s arms. Ma saw
that Gopalji had arrived and was complaining that His arms were paining. After
witnessing this for two three days, Ma informed Gopalji, “Wait, let’s enquire.”