In spirituality, one can attain the eternal brahmi sthiti or the highest state of spirituality. Yogiji Maharaj was born with such attributes. No one was above him except God. He was at the peak of spirituality. Just as we have champions in wrestling, boxing, athletics, cricket and badminton, similarly, in the domain of spirituality Yogi Bapa was an outright champion. Shastriji Maharaj used to say that in the infinite universes there was no one who could match Yogiji Maharaj’s saintliness. Bhagwan Swaminarayan has mentioned in the Vachanamrut that saintliness is the highest attainment in all the universes. He further elaborates in Vachanamrut Gadhada II 22 that like a king’s power to rule a kingdom the queen, too, has equal power. Similarly, what God can do, a saint like Yogi Bapa can also equally do.

There are many saints in India, but saints like Yogi Bapa were in a different league. He was unparalleled in this universe. Yet he remained unknown, nor he did not allow himself to be publicized. In fact, he was not worried about his own publicity. Whatever realization of divinity we felt and imbibed in our soul with Yogi Bapa’s company was good for us, as he was the embodiment of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s divinity. Only when we reach that stage of oneness with God, which Yogi Bapa had, would we achieve that complete bliss and joy every second of our lives. He was happy in remaining and believing that he was a servant of God’s servants. What can be humbler than that. He was proud of that belief, unlike others who remain servants because they have no other choice. Out of his spiritual knowledge about the greatness of God, he believed he was a servant of God and his devotees.

Shastriji Maharaj praised Yogiji Maharaj many times in different ways. Yogiji Maharaj got his name Yogi in Junagadh when he was a very young sadhu. He had been a sadhak (a trainee) for a year and then a sadhu for another year during which  the senior sadgurus started calling him Jogi (Yogi) because of his high spiritual state. He had earned his name Jogi. It was not casually gifted or mentioned. Once, as a very young sadhu, he was in Bhavnagar. During that time, there was a marriage procession of Maharaja Krishnakumar Sinhji, who was the ruler. It was a magnificent procession with a lot of pomp and gaiety. Everyone rushed to the balcony to watch the procession, but Jogi did not go. He refused to watch. When others insisted, he said, “What is the point in watching something which one has already renounced.” Therefore, he was a Yogi by nature.

One day, he met Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj in Rajkot. He had wished for this divine meeting since the day a senior sadhu, Madhavpriyadasji, of Junagadh had informed him about the greatness of Shastriji Maharaj and the noble work he was doing to establish Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s true philosophy. Yogiji Maharaj had made 14 gurus in his life and served all of them with equal respect and glory. However, he harboured a special reverence for Shastriji Maharaj by following and obeying his minutest commands. For him, Shastriji Maharaj was everything: his life, soul, deity. He pleased him in every possible way. In short, only an ideal disciple can become an ideal guru. Shastriji Maharaj was extremely overjoyed and pleased with Yogiji Maharaj’s nature and obedience, his service to God, his devotion, nobility, forbearance, tolerance, humbleness and eagerness to serve. Yogiji Maharaj was an embodiment of all virtues. Shastriji Maharaj once mentioned that Yogiji Maharaj was worth more than one crore rupees. Shastriji Maharaj mentions this to highlight the greatness of Yogiji Maharaj, because when he arrived from Junagadh the coffers of the mandirs of Shastriji Maharaj were empty. Whatever donations came were used immediately in either payments to labourers, buying stones and murtis, and other essentials. The money never entered the mandir treasury.

Shastriji Maharaj used to say, “I am Jogi and Jogi is me.” He said that he was Jogi since time immemorial. Jogi had a saintly nature in his genes. There is a saying that some are born great, some become great and some have greatness thrust upon them. Yogiji Maharaj was born great.

We have mentioned his attributes and divine nature, but was there any proof? Shastriji Maharaj once remarked, “Vyasji has mentioned 64 characteristics of a sant in the shastras, but in case he had forgotten to write some more, one will find them in Yogiji Maharaj.” If Vyasji had met Yogiji Maharaj, he would not have had to go around looking for saintly characteristics in various saints of his era. He would have seen everything in Yogi Bapa. Yogiji Maharaj was like pure gold. If one were to test gold in any way, cut it, melt it, smash it, store it, bury it, still, gold would possess the same qualities. Yogi Bapa’s saintliness glittered throughout his life.

For example, in 1970, Yogiji Maharaj arrived in London, UK. A news reporter of The Times came to interview him. He asked Yogi Bapa if he had any issues in the past that troubled or puzzled him. Swamishri replied without a moment’s hesitation, “Never ever.” He never had any issues or problems in his lifetime. He was absorbed in God’s bliss and always smiling. During his life he met many people who were problematic, yet he remained equipoised. He had many ailments, like hernia, haemorrhoids, prostate gland enlargement and others, but he never worried or thought about his pain and discomfort. If fact, he always enjoyed every moment of his life because he was engrossed in God and at peace. He made all who came to him happy.

Yogiji Maharaj had tolerated a guru named Vignandas, who was always agitated and frustrated. He often harrassed and  punished Yogiji Maharaj for no reason. He could not bear Yogiji Maharaj’s humility and saintliness. No one in this world would tolerate Vignandas except Yogiji Maharaj, who was an epitome of tolerance.

It is said that a person is known by the company he keeps. Yogiji Maharaj was in the company of Vignandas for 17 years. The latter was always angry, arrogant, jealous and mean. However, Yogiji Maharaj was never affected by  Vignandas’s perverse nature.