Swami Sri Bolananda Giri
Maharaj
Pranams at the lotus feet
of Giri Maharaj!
Chapter – 14
The number of people
increased in the Ashram. The disciple
and devotees had to face the constant trouble of monkeys in this Ashram, many a time
Rotis were missing, clothes kept for drying were missing and torn. The monkeys mishandled the boxes of rice, wheat flour, and grains and kept in the storehouse and messed it all over the floor, even
the places like Ayodhya, Mathura, and Gokul also had the same trouble of monkeys. The disciples were complaint to Guruji about
the troubles of monkey habits. It was a strict order from the preceptor that
‘None of the animals or humans should mistreat or hurt in the Ashram.” Even the devotees started complaining about the
same to Maharaj, he came out in the garden and said “ Monkeys, you should be in
the place where you are supposed to be, you are troubling my disciples and
devotees, they are finding it difficult to perform their simple tasks, and they are not harming you because
of my order, it does not mean that you are free to do all your monkey acts here,
you have the right to eat the fruits of the Ashram, my disciples and devotees
will feed you happily, but never torn off the clothes kept for drying, or should
not touch the storehouse ingredients, Do
you all understand that?.” All the monkeys assembled before him like they were
listening to the lectures of Bholanandji, devotees and disciples looked at this
with amazement, there was an old monkey sitting close to Bholanandj, it responded
with its tilting head as if he understood the lectures of Maharaj, rest of the
monkeys were kept silent. Bholanandji
said “You have all the right to eat fruits from the Ashram; if you disturb us
we have the right to scold you and chase you from here. Is that okay?” The
elderly monkey shook its head and agreed to it. The next day onwards, the Ashram was free
from the troubles of monkeys.
Baba Bholanand Giri was a
great saint, who does not find any difference in humans and animals. He treated everyone with kindness and
humility, he was unforgiving to his disciple and took great care of them, and
he sincerely wanted them to achieve great heights in spirituality. Prabhupada Vijaykrishna Goswamiji used to
comment about Baba Bhlonand Giri “ He is a supreme Yogi”. It was
on 8th May 1929 Bholanand Giri Maharaj attained Mahasamadhi in his
Haridhwar Ashram.
