A devout man named Ramdas lived in the village of Dakor in Gujarat. Every Ekadashi, he would travel to Dwarka to sing kirtans (devotional songs) at Lord Ranchhod Ji’s temple all night and return the next day. As he grew older, the Lord advised him to continue his devotion at home. However, Ramdas refused to heed this request, citing his unwavering love. Impressed by his devotion, the Lord said, “I can no longer bear the trouble you take to visit me. Take me to your home instead.”
Lord Ranchhod Ji’s Plan to Move to Dakor
The Lord instructed, “Next time, bring a cart, and I will come with you.” Ramdas hesitated, saying, “But I am old and frail. How can I carry you? And what about the temple’s locked doors?” The Lord assured him, “I will open the back window of the temple myself. I will make myself as light as a flower. Just bring the cart.”
The following Ekadashi, Ramdas, arrived at the temple with a bullock cart. Villagers, surprised by his unusual choice of transport, assumed his age had compelled him to travel differently. Late at night, Ramdas approached the temple’s back window, which was already open. Adorned in gold ornaments, the Lord instructed, “Take me with you.”
Ramdas hesitated and suggested, “Lord, please leave your ornaments here for the temple priests. I am already fearful of taking you.” Agreeing, the Lord removed His ornaments, leaving them behind, and made Himself feather-light. Ramdas carried Him to the cart and began the journey to Dakor.
Priests Discover Ranchhod Ji Missing and Follow Ramdas
The next morning, the temple priests were alarmed to find the Lord missing, with ornaments scattered around and the back window open. They deduced that Ramdas had taken Him and set out on horseback with weapons to reclaim the deity.
When they caught up with Ramdas, he pleaded to the Lord, “They are chasing us! What should we do?” The Lord directed him to hide Him in a nearby pond. Ramdas followed the instructions and hid the Lord in the water.
Ranchhod Ji Takes Ramdas’s Wounds Upon Himself
When the priests arrived, they interrogated Ramdas. Upon his silence, they began to beat him with spears. Meanwhile, the Lord emerged from the pond, bearing the wounds on His own body. The sight of blood streaming from the Lord shocked the priests, who begged Him to return to the temple.
The Lord sternly replied, “I will not return to such cruel caretakers. I will stay with Ramdas.”
Weighing Ranchhod Ji in Gold
The priests argued, “Lord, without You, our livelihood is impossible.” The Lord proposed a solution: “Weigh Me in gold, and Ramdas will compensate you.” Ramdas, confused, protested, “Lord, I have no gold! I am a poor man.”
The Lord smiled and instructed Ramdas to bring his wife’s small gold nose ring. Reluctantly, Ramdas placed the nose ring on the scale, and to everyone’s astonishment, it outweighed the Lord. The Lord told the priests, “This gold is more than sufficient. Take it and leave.”
The priests departed, and the Lord declared, “I will never leave Ramdas.” He then manifested another form of Himself for the priests to take back to Dwarka while the original deity stayed in Dakor.
Power of Devotion
This story demonstrates the power of devotion. The Lord endured Ramdas’s wounds and rewarded his unwavering love by residing in Dakor. The village’s name is said to derive from this event, as Ramdas “stole” the Lord like a bandit (dakait). To this day, Lord Ranchhod Ji’s deity in Dakor is adorned with a bandage commemorating the wounds He bore for His devotee.
Guidance By: Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj
