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At 10.45 p.m. Swamishri was about to rest for the night. Suddenly,
a telephone ring echoed in the room. It was A call from a youth in
Mumbai. He started narrating his serious health condition, "Swamishri,
I am at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai. I have terminal cancer.
The doctors have given up all hope for my life. They say I have only
a few days to live." The youth barely spoke in a croaking tone.
"Maharaj and Swami will bless you," Swamishri replied with
care and affection.
"But Swamishri, I wish to be colored and blessed by you on the
Fuldol festival tomorrow. If you permit me, I would like to come there."
Swamishri agreed to his wish.
When the telephone conversation ended, the youth was elated and felt
peaceful at heart. That night he slept blissfully.
After this conversation, Swamishri rang up a sadhu in Mumbai and instructed
him to make the necessary medical arrangements required for the youth
for his flight from Mumbai to Bhavnagar.
On 7 March, the youth arrived in Sarangpur. Attended by a couple of
youths and nourished by a glucose drip, he was brought to the festival
assembly in his wheelchair. Though he cut a sorry figure, his heart
was dancing with joy. When Swamishri commenced the spraying of colored
water, the devotees advanced in jubilation and divine ecstasy. There
was no way that he could be wheeled along with the euphoric columns
of devotees. So, the sadhus made arrangements for him to be wheeled
on to the stage.
Swamishri directed the spray of holy colored water onto him and the
youth expressed his elation with outstretched arms. Everyone was simply
amazed by this unique scene.
Later, meeting Swamishri in his room, he expressed his joy, "Swamishri,
I feel blessed today. You colored me with holy water and fulfilled
my wish. Now I desire to be liberated to Akshardham." Swamishri
replied , "Shriji Maharaj, Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj,
Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj will take you to Akshardham."
"But Bapa, you have not mentioned your name?" the youth
asked.
Swamishri told him something in his ears. The youth did not reveal
what Swamishri had said to anyone except his friend, Ghanshyam Ajagiya
of Rajkot.
That same day the youth was flown back to Mumbai. Despite the exhausting
journey he was in high spirits.
On 15 March 2004, the youth passed away peacefully at the Tata Memorial
Hospital. His name was Haresh Dhorajiya, a dedicated volunteer of
the BAPS Children's Forum in Mumbai. Though he was poor by means,
his spirit and attachment to Satsang was overwhelming.
During the final rites of immersing his asthi (bone pieces and ash)
in Gondal, Ghanshyam Ajagiya, his friend, attended with tears flowing
from his eyes. Ghanshyam emotionally revealed what Swamishri had whispered
in Haresh's ear in Sarangpur, "Swamishri had told him that he
would take him to Akshardham on Monday 15 March."
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