Jina Bhakta

Birth of Jinabhai

In the small town of Dhari in the Amreli District of Sau- rashtra there lived a devotee by the name of Devchandbhai Vasanji of the Lohana community. Jethabhai, the grandfather of Devchandbhai, was a blessed devotee of Shriji Maharaj. Yogiji Maharaj, the son of Devchandbhai, was born in Dhari on 23 May 1892 (Vaishakh vad 12, V.S. 1948). His mother’s name was Puribai. His childhood name was Jinabhai, but his parents lovingly called him ‘Jina’. Jina was loved by everyone. All were captivated by his handsome, shining face. When Jina was a child, his mother took him with her to the cotton farm every day. Other women of the village who came to pluck cotton also brought their children with them. The women would leave their children under the shade of a tree, before commencing their work in the fields. Sometimes their children, failing to see their mothers, would cry loudly. This infuriated the farm owner. He scolded the women daily, “Why do you bring your wailing children to my farm?” The farmer, however, never became angry with Jina’s mother. Looking at Jina, the owner always remarked, “Jina is a miracle child. Look, he always sucks his toe, just as Shri Krishna did. Puribai, one day everybody will fall at his feet. They will worship him.” Gradually, Jina grew up and he was popularly called Jinabhai. Jinabhai, though young, had a strong liking for simplicity and cleanliness. He enjoyed nothing more than to engage in bhakti and singing bhajans.

Jinabhai in Meditation

There is a confluence of three rivers on the outskirts of Dhari. The place of confluence is known as Triveni Sangam, and the resulting river is called the river Shetrunji. The Shetrunji narrows on reaching a bridge, and shrinks to the size of a small rivulet under the bridge. The inhabitants of Dhari call it Patalio Jharo. Jinabhai used to have his daily morning bath at this spot near the bridge. He would wear clean clothes after his bath and then sit in an upright posture and perform meditation for hours together. He meditated upon the divine form of Shriji Maharaj. To the many who saw Jinabhai seated in meditation at such a lonely place, it seemed as if Dhruv himself was meditating! They invariably stood and watched the young Jina engrossed in meditation. Sometimes, friends of Jinabhai would come to have their bath at Patalio Jharo. They were amazed to find Jinabhai rapt in meditation. They would wait for him till he came out of his meditation and then enquire, “What were you doing?” And Jinabhai would reply, “I was remembering God. You also sit with me to meditate. I will teach you how to meditate.” From his childhood Jinabhai never failed to do his meditation every morning. He advised everybody to start their daily work only after remembering Shriji Maharaj.