In my early days, I would document the experiences shared by elders, parents, and senior devotees of Bhagavan Nityananda about the grace they had received. Initially, this was purely for my personal interest, and I never considered sharing it with others. It was Shri Niranjan Suvarna who compiled all my notes, had them bound into a thesis, and presented it to me. It was then that the idea of publishing these accounts came to light, and the suggestion came from Niranjan himself. This event occurred in front of Baba’s Samadhi in Ganeshpuri. At the time, Niranjan was preparing to create a documentary on Bhagavan Nityananda and was gathering all possible information. He allowed me to contribute by making me part of his team and also encouraged me to write books.
Earlier, I had once visited Shree Govind Swami at his Bhiwali Ashram in Ganeshpuri. After I was introduced, he spoke about my family, mentioning that we had published the original Chidaskasha Geeta, compiled by Shree Tuals Amma. Then, out of the blue, he asked me, “Will you write on Chidaskasha Geeta?” I was taken by surprise. I had made several attempts in the past to study this book, but after reading a few pages, I often found myself drifting into deep sleep. My cousin, Ratnakar Shenoy, was with me, and he immediately replied on my behalf, “By the grace of Baba, he will do it.” I wondered what made him so confident in my ability to undertake such a monumental task. I neither had the necessary background nor the qualifications to take on such a huge responsibility, but this incident stayed with me.
When I was five years old, during one of my visits to Ganeshpuri with my brother, Harinand, Bhagavan called me close to Him. I was small, and He would often give me chocolates, biscuits, or sweets. This time, to my surprise, He gave me a blue-colored pen. In those days, they were called fountain pens. I was still a kindergarten student, limited to using chalk and pencils, so a pen was something beyond my reach. Yet, I was given a pen!
When Shri Niranjan Suvarna suggested that I should share all my collections publicly, I was hesitant. When Bhagavan Nityananda took Samadhi, I was only six years old. Everything I knew about Him was what I had heard from His direct devotees. After Bhagavan’s Mahasamadhi, my house often became a gathering place for devotees to meet and share their experiences. I would listen intently, and the wonderful stories I heard about Bhagavan Nityananda remained deeply embedded within me. As I grew older, I realized that very little was known about Bhagavan, especially from the perspective of householder devotees. Fearing that I might forget what I had heard, I began jotting down these stories in a book. When Shree Gopal Anna and Shri Chandawarkar approached me, requesting that I share whatever I knew about Bhagavan, I shared my notes with them. Shree Gopal Anna later published a book on Bhagavan.
Years later, I met Prof. Kamath in Kanhangad. When I was introduced to him as the grandson of Shree Devrai Pai, he showed interest in learning about Bhagavan Nityananda. I was able to share spontaneously everything I knew. After listening to me, he said, “You have knowledge that is unknown to many. You must publish it, or else it will be lost, and future generations of devotees will not know about Bhagavan and His devotees.” I told him about my predicament: “I don’t have a flair for writing, and I’ve never done any writing. The only writing I ever did was in my English composition class, where I rarely scored well. I have no mastery of English.” He responded, “Forget about limitations. Write about the One who is beyond all limits. Write from your heart and share with love. The rest, Bhagavan will take care of.”
Despite his encouragement, I was still skeptical about publishing anything. I kept asking Bhagavan for guidance. When I was in this dilemma, whether to write or not, I came across an Abhang written by Shree Dnyaneshwar Maharaj. It read:
पाहेंपा ध्वजेचें चिरगुट ।
राया जतन करितां कष्ट ॥१॥
तैसा मी एक पतीत ।
परि तुझा मुद्रांकित ॥२॥
मसीपत्र तें केवढें ।
रावो चालवी आपुल्या पाडें ॥३॥
बापरखुमादेविवरदा ।
सांभाळावें आपुल्या ब्रिदा ॥४॥
I felt a deep connection to this poem but struggled to understand the message it held for me. After several attempts to comprehend it, I approached my colleague, Shri Arun Tembe, who was well-versed in Marathi literature. He shared it with his father, who translated it for me as follows:
“Just as a piece of rag becomes a flag when taken by the king, and all rally under it, struggling to keep it fluttering. Similarly, I, a downtrodden one, am uplifted by You. Just as an ordinary paper becomes a law when stamped with the king’s emblem, so too are those under Your care, protected by You, O Lord Vitthal, husband of Rukmini.”
This beautiful metaphor illustrates how something ordinary can become extraordinary through the touch of divine grace or royal authority. Shree Dnyaneshwar Mauli’s poetry, known for its depth and spiritual insight, offers a perfect example. Just as a piece of rag is elevated to the status of a flag by the will of the king—commanding respect from all—or an ordinary paper is transformed into a law by the stamp of the king’s emblem, so too is an individual who is taken into God’s fold recognized as His own. Bhagavan Nityananda often said, “Sanyasacha swan, gaonva bhari maan,” meaning “A monk’s pet dog is respected by the entire village.” This highlights the profound impact of divine association and how it confers respect and recognition even on the most humble.
Reflecting on the chain of events—from Bhagavan Nityananda giving me my first pen, to Shree Govind Swami’s request for me to write on the Chidakasha Geeta, to Prof. Kamath’s encouragement to document everything I knew about Bhagavan’s devotees, to Shri Niranjan Suvarna presenting me with the bound thesis of my notes in front of Bhagavan’s samadhi, and finally, to discovering the Abhang by Shree Dnyaneshwar Mauli—I found the courage to write and share about Bhagavan’s devotees and His teachings. Through my writings, I aim to offer a glimpse of Bhagavan’s grace by sharing the divine experiences of His devotees. My first book was Anant, followed by The Endless One, Blooming of Brahmakamal Part-I & Part-II, Shree Nithyanandeshwari, Sadguru Sthavan, and several smaller pieces shared on blogs and social media.
Today many have taken to write on Bhagavan Nitynanada and His devotees. I have tried to make it as authentic as possible by sharing what I got from His direct devotees who were parties or witnesses to the Grace. I have avoided any exaggeration so that Bhagavan is made available to all easily, openly and effortlessly. Some of the information available on the internet leaves a sense of uneasiness. For example, I came across a post which claimed that Bhagavan Nityananda came from Nagloka!!!. Such claims even His direct devotees would not do. Bhagavan was a Mahavatar and spreading such misinformation by people who did not have His direct darshan is disturbing to devotees like us.
Effort is made to share what is known from His direct devotees. Since most of them did not document their share of Bhagavan’s Leela, it was all from what they shared. Some discrepancies can come, but they are not with any intention or motive. My effort is to bring Him amongst us, available, free and effortlessly so that there are ceaseless showers of His grace for all unconditionally.
There are 6 comments on this post
Om Namo Bhagavathe Nithyanandaya 🙏🏻
Thank you
Thank you for sharing Treasure 🙏🏼
Keep enlightening Us about Bhagwan!
Jay shree Nityanand 🕉️
Thank you. Your feedback inspires me and increase my belief in Dnyaneshwar Maharj's Abhang that it is He would does not I and His grace and support makes me write
Your seva is so important to us my brother, it really fills the devotion
Thank you so much 🙏🏼
Dear Patricia,
My Namaskara to Gurudeva. My namaskara to you.
I often consider myself as nonqualified as I have not read any scriptures, nor I am a good orator or writer. I was six when I saw Him last in His physical form. My only qualification is the blessings of all my peers and my elders. Hence I become skeptical on me taking to sharing His Love & Care. When such a thing happens, the kind feedback like yours are very encouraging and inspiring. My only objective is to make His Love available for all, freely, openly and unconditionally so that He is 'Avialable' to all in their worldly and spiritual needs.
Thank you once again for leaving your kind feedback.
In His Prem,
At His Lotus Feet
I remain
Gopalkrishna