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Let us observe the surprising changes that took place in the Jagayi-Madhayi brothers by the causeless mercy of the Nimayi-Nitayi brothers. Both the ruffian brothers abandoned their families and friends and always stayed at Srivas Pundit’s house performing Sri Krishna kirtan and Bhagavan Nãma kirtan. Everyday they woke up at four in the morning, cleansed themselves in the Ganges and sincerely chanted two lakh Hari Nãma. Their eyes were always flooded with tears. Often reminded of their past deeds, they felt ashamed and repented it. They hated food and water as though it were poison. They strictly avoided talking to others and chanted the Divine Name all through the day and night.

Despite Srivas Pundit’s compulsion and coaxing, it was difficult to send food down their throats. Nityananda also tried to console them in many ways. Still they refused to eat. In the end, Nityananda called for Mahaprabhu. Prabhu caressed their backs with his soft hands and said – “Brothers! I have taken all your sins. Now that you are sinless, why don’t you take food? Have you not given your sins to me in the true sense? Or is it that you do not have faith in me?

Both the brothers pleaded with folded hands – “Prabho! We have complete faith in you. We are not crying for our sins. We shall be only happy if we had experienced the fruits of our sins. But our hearts melt again and again thinking of your causeless mercy. It is the extreme concern and love that you shower on sinners and fallen ones like us that brings tears to our eyes. We are unable to control it.” As soon as they said this, Prabhu consoled them in many ways.

Somehow Jagayi got consoled a bit. But Madhayi would not stop repenting. “Alas! How did I commit a great offence to a Mahapurusha! Could that Sudarshana chakra of the Lord not have chopped my head off! Despite all my sins, Nityananda prayed to Prabhu for my welfare!” – thus repented Madhayi thinking over and over again of the incident that changed their lives. One day, he caught hold of Nityananda’s feet and cried – “Prabho! being reminded again and again of the troubles I have given you, I am facing untold agony. How much ever I try to forget that, the same incident comes to my mind with greater force. Please impart peace on me by advising a way out for me."

Nityananda said – “Brother! I promise, I am not at all angry with you. If you still feel sorry, you can do penance. All sorrows are mitigated by penance. It is only by penance that worries, fears and sorrow disappear. Make a Ghat on the banks of the Ganges. Men and women who take bath here will bless you. You too stay there humbly without any attachments and do penance.

According to his instructions, Madhayi built a very beautiful Ghat on the banks of the Ganges with his own hands. He also built a hut for himself there and lived in it. He caught hold of the feet of all the women, men, children, old people, pundits and fools who came there to take bath and pleaded them to forgive his sins. With tears in his eyes he used to say – “I fall at your feet and plead you to forgive whatever harm I caused you knowingly or unknowingly.” Hearing those words full of emotion, the people too cried, embraced him with love and blessed him. The shastras say – “A quarter portion of a man’s sins get reduced when he repents for them, a half of it goes by telling aloud his sinful acts in front of people and another quarter goes to those who discuss his actions and find pleasure in criticizing him.

Madhayi became a great devotee by his humility and by the grace of Mahatmas. The fame of his devotion spread far and wide. People forgot his past sins and even his name and started calling him ‘Brahmachari’. Even today the ‘Madhayi Ghat’ at Navadweep exists, spreading his fame. The words of Lord Krishna as told in the Gita – “However sinful a man might be, if he resorts to me with one-pointed devotion, he must be considered as the greatest saint” has come true in the case of Madhayi.

Api chet sudurãchãro bhajate mãmananya bhãk
Sãdhureva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah.

To be continued...

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