7th NOV.

Completed morning program. Pravesh rang up and wanted time for conference in a case. I told that it was not possible today. We could meet next day at 11.30am. He said that he would let me know.

Elder sister rang up. I could not control my tears and sobs when we discussed Naresh Bhaisaheb's death yesterday at about 7.30pm. Guddu rang up. I told I won't be able to join in cremation which is to take place today at 11am at Fatehpur.

Reminiscences : Naresh Bhaisaheb

I became close to Bhaisaheb after the death of my father on 6th April 1991. Even earlier to that my father would send me to the ancestral village along with him. He would also accompany me to see matches for my niece, Gilloo.

After the death of my father on 6th April, 1991 (curiously he also died on a 6th ), I used to visit Fatehpur at least twice in a year for over 10 days each time. He used to my friend, philosopher and guide at Fatehpur. Each day at Fatehpur with him had the following schedule:

1. Leave for morning walk 5.30/6 am.

2. Return after walk 7 am.

3. Havan 8 am.

4. Breakfast 8.30 am.

5. Meet again in the afternoon as per convenience. Generally we discussed spiritual matters.

6. Evening walk and visit different persons 6 pm.

7. Return from evening walk etc. 8 pm.

8. Discussions on spiritual matters 8 pm to about 9.30 pm.

9. Disperse for sleep.

10. The same routine was followed next day.

But for his help and handling of the management of the farm in my village, I would not have been able to take care of the same for about 20 years after the death of my father. He always accompanied me to the village. Even during the life time of my late father, he accompanied me to the village as my father due to old age could not go there. We traveled by bus and other means of transport. In one instance I remember to have travelled with him in a horse driven cart. The other passengers besides us were a villager and his two goats. I remember the she goat during the journey drenched me with its urine. Naresh Bhaisaheb was quite disturbed seeing my embarrassment. He was loving and caring. He was over 13 years senior to me in age.

After he touched 80, he started feeling difficulty in walking, so much so that he became completely incapable of walking about 3 years prior to his demise. He was in the 86th year when he died. He died on 6th November and he was born on 30th July .He loved his wife.After her death a couple of years before his death, he was quite depressed. For the first time I found that he was quite concerned with his ailments, inability to walk, stiffening body parts so much so that he did not talk spiritual. He invariably talked abut Vedas, Upnishads and other scriptures. I sent him a copy my blog which I wrote on return to Delhi to revive his interest in spiritual matters. I met him last on 6th Oct,2011 in his house. One month later he died. He was a staunch follower ofArya Samaj.

Copy of the blog dated 12th October,2011

Naresh Bhaisaheb and My Father

"On 11th October completed morning program. In chamber from 12.30 to 3.30 pm. The parents of Lt. Col. Jain came and discussed their son's case.Lt.Col.is at a place which is about 200 kms.away and up from Leh.BSNL lines are difficult to connect.You get a line sometime.We faced it when we were there for a holiday sometime back.We got Delhi occasionally.The father tried to connect so that Lt. Col. could talk to me,but could not.

Today is Venita's birthday.Wished her many happy returns of the day. Blessed her too.She said that she would like to go to Devi temples in Himachal Pradesh, namely Jwalaji,Chintpurni & Chamundaji. The journey to these temples is via Chandigarh by road. It is a long journey from Chandigarh. I suggested that she could go to Dharmashala by air and from there by road to the temples which could be covered in one day and not much of journey by road was involved. She said that her friend, Mrs. Manorama Gupta, wife of a retired Superintendenting engineer could not afford the cost of air journey.I told that taxi expenses from Chandigarh and back plus train expenses from Delhi to Chandigarh would be more or less equal to expenses by air. But she insisted that she would like to go by road and that the distance was not much from Chandigarh to the temples. I said that her health would not permit long journey. She has spondalitis as also back pain. She still insisted that she would like to go by road. The heated arguments continued for sometime. I left for the chamber. I could not convince her of my viewpoint. At Fatehpur I noticed that Naresh Bhaisaheb was still very keen to walk & prayed to God for power to walk . He had tears in his eyes when he talked to me about his inability to walk.He also told that he could not move his right hand properly. I told him to take these inabilities as blessings of God. As he is 85, there is no place left for him to visit. He still toys with the idea of going to Haradwar and staying in an Ashram. But he cannot move. This is in contrast to the attitude of my father who never complained of his inability to walk, as he used to walk earlier before the age of 80. He wanted to live in his house at Fatehpur and din't want to leave it even for a day.I wish Naresh Bhaisaheb also has the same attitude and should now give up craving for walk and going to any Ashram. I told him so when I met him last on 6th instant. Craving for something is the main cause of suffering, so said Buddha. I am reminded of a story narrated by Gurumaa in course of her discourses. She told that she visited a saint. She was completely bedridden. Seeing Guruma, she welcomed her. She looked quite happy. Gurumaa saw her being cleaned by the disciples. She said to Guruma "Look He has crippled me. But He has provided me tools to take care also." She said this with laughter. I wish Naresh Bhaisaheb also develops the same attitude. Although he cannot move, but he has attendants to take care of him. "

When I told my wife about the state of mind of Naresh Bhaisaheb , she said that it happened towards the end of life. A person forgets spiritual things and becomes more and more temporal. I sent a copy of my blog dated 12th October to Naresh Bhaisaheb by courier. Even after reading it he continued to think of temporal things. His second son was to come from Bangalore to look him up before he died. But he could not come. Till his last breath he was remembering him. His daughter-in-law was telling him to recite OM. Very feebly he once said OM. He could not speak during the last hours..

I will miss him much during my visits to Fatehpur. I pray to God to give peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear the loss and to live amicably..