Murti

The Murti is not merely an image; it is a sacred medium that strengthens our firm conviction (sākṣhāt bhāv) in the manifest presence of Bhagwan and His eternal muktas.

It is the divine form that lovingly accepts the heartfelt intentions, sincere devotion, and dedicated service offered by fully devoted seekers—those who have wholly surrendered themselves to Bhagwan.

The Ever-Present Bhagwan

Shriji Maharaj and His muktas are never absent; they are eternally manifest. Jivanpran Bapashri emphasized one of Shriji Maharaj’s fundamental principles:

"The Ghanshyam Maharaj who appeared in human form in Samvat 1837 in Chhapaiya and performed countless divine līlās, who seemed to depart—He, the human-form Murti, the divine luminous form in Akshardham, and the Murti we worship and serve—these three forms are completely one and the same, with not even a trace of difference."

This understanding is why we offer daṇdavat, perform darshan, puja, arati, thāl, and engage in many other forms of worship. From the moment a God-realised Satpurush consecrates a Murti, it becomes the very form of Bhagwan. Regardless of the material—be it stone or painted image—we do not say Bhagwan is present in the Murti; we declare that the Murti is Bhagwan.

When approached with deep devotion, Bhagwan in Murti form accepts our service, hears our prayers, and fulfills our inner wishes. Just as a hundred-rupee note appears to be mere paper to a child but holds genuine value, so too may the Murti seem like a picture to a non-believer—but to us, it is the manifest Bhagwan.

A Real-Life Revelation

Sad. Nirgunanand Brahmachari once served Maharaj in Bhuj Mandir. One morning, while adorning Maharaj with regal attire, he suffered intense stomach pain and lay down behind the curtain, unable to complete the seva. As arati time drew near, he lovingly whispered, "O Compassionate One, would it be wrong if—just this once—You dress Yourself when Your sevak is in pain?"

At that very moment, Maharaj divinely responded: He adorned the survāl, then the angarakhū, and finally tied the pāgh upon His head—completing His own attire. This miraculous occurrence was not isolated; it became a recurring reality whenever such need arose. This divine response proves that Maharaj remains forever manifest in His Murti.

Could such miracles happen if the Murti were not Bhagwan Himself?

The Power of Perception

When the tribal devotee Ekalavya was denied archery training by Guru Dronacharya, he sculpted a clay Murti of the Guru. With unwavering sākṣhāt bhāv, he learned the art of archery on his own—eventually surpassing even Arjun. The secret behind this extraordinary accomplishment was Ekalavya’s deep conviction that the Murti was truly his Guru.

In the same way, Bhagwan’s Murti is His very form. The Murtis of His muktas are also their divine manifestations. For example:

The Murti of Bapashri is none other than Bapashri Himself.

The Murtis of Gurudev Bapji and HDH Swamishri are the very presence of divinely realized Satpurushes.

We must approach their Murtis with the same reverence, manifest belief, and respectful conduct (maryādā).

Worship with Inner Conviction

Whether offering darshan in a mandir, performing puja in a home shrine, or engaging in arati or thāl, every act of seva-bhakti should be carried out with the heartfelt realization:

"I am directly serving Maharaj and His muktas. Maharaj is seated right before me."

When such divine conviction fills our heart, Bhagwan and the great Satpurush shower us with their boundless rajipo.