Prayagdutt Ji was born to a Brahmin couple in Janakpur. His father died at the time of his birth, and his mother raised him single-handedly. The child was still walking on his knees when a fire struck in the house. People started thinking that the child was very unfortunate. Everyone stopped helping them, and they no longer had the means to feed themselves properly. One day, when the boy was playing with his friends, he saw a sister calling her brother to tie Rakhi; that day was the festival of Rakhi.
Prayagdutt Ji ran home and asked his mother why he had no sister. Mother was filled with tears and said your sister exists, but your brother-in-law is a king, so your sister remains busy serving Him. He asked their names, and his mother told him that his sister’s name was Sita, his brother-in-law’s name was Lord Ram, and they lived in Ayodhya. He insisted on going to Ayodhya.
Prayagdutt Ji Goes To Ayodhya
Some devotees were going to Ayodhya, so Mother thought of sending Prayagdutt Ji along with them to Ayodhya for a few days. She told him that one must take some gifts while meeting their sister. She asked for rice from some houses and made rice laddus. Prayagdutt Ji was very eager to meet his sister and brother-in-law.
When he reached Ayodhya, he was happy to see the capital city. He would tell everyone the names of his sister and brother-in-law and ask about their address. Everyone would think of him as a child and laugh at him. Some people sent him to Kanak Bhawan (a famous temple in Ayodhya). Going there, he told the priest the names of his sister and brother-in-law and asked, where are they? The priest pointed towards the idol, saying I don’t want an idol; I want my real sister, the priest thought this was a child and was stubborn and laughed.
Lord Ram And Sita Ji Came To Meet Prayagdutt JI
Sitting outside the temple, he kept asking the saints about his sister and brother-in-law. He desired a sister who would hug him, tie him Rakhi, and feed him sweets. He was crying in distress and started cursing his brother-in-law as he was hiding from him. His mother told him that he was a king, but no one here even knew his name, he thought to himself.
He was so distressed that he thought he would die. Then he heard a voice saying, “Rajadhiraj, Lord Shri Ram is coming.” He saw his brother-in-law and sister sitting on a throne over a big white elephant. Both of them came down, and Sita Ji ran and hugged him. He started getting angry, asking where you were and if you knew how long I had been searching for you. Sita Ji said that not everyone knows me; only some special people can know us.
Sita Ji tied a Rakhi on his wrist and asked whether Mother had sent anything for her. He gave her those rice laddus. Sita Ji fed Lord Ram, ate herself and fed the remaining to Prayagdutt Ji. As soon as he received the Prasad of the Lord, all his ignorance was destroyed, and every pore of his body was filled with joy. Sita ji said, don’t worry, we will come whenever you call. He thought his sister was different and the best; he was right; she was not an ordinary sister.
Sita Ji said, now your brother-in-law and I have other work; when you go home, give Prasad to Mother and tell her you met your sister; she will be happy. After that, you come back to Ayodhya; just go back once. Saying this, both of them sat on the elephant and went back. Seeing them leaving, Prayagdutt Ji fainted and fell down. After this, a sage came and picked him up. When he heard about this incident and saw the loving state of Prayagdutt Ji, he named him Mamaji because the people of Ayodhya consider Sita Ji their mother and Ram Ji their father. Prayagdutt Ji was Sita Ji’s brother, and the whole of Ayodhya started calling him Mamaji.
Desire To Meet Sister And Brother-In-Law Again
After this, Prayagdutt Ji proceeded towards his home, Janakpuri. When his mother saw lustre coming out of his body, she understood that Sita Ji had blessed him. When he narrates the entire story to his mother, his mother also starts crying and thinking about Sita Ji’s kindness. A year later, Prayagdutt Ji’s mother passed away, and he was left alone. After this, Prayagdutt Ji went to Ayodhya to meet his sister again.
As soon as he reached Ayodhya, he again started searching for his sister. He kept searching for them repeatedly; there was a longing in his heart for his sister and brother-in-law. He accepted renunciation to always remember the Lord and avoid worldly illusions. After initiation, his name became Prayagdas Ji. Even then, people called him Mamaji. His famous name was Mama Prayagdas Ji.
Exile Of Lord Ram And Sita Ji
One day, Prayagdas Ji was wandering, and suddenly, he thought that his brother-in-law and sister had been sent into exile by Dashrath Maharaj of Awadh. My sister is so gentle; how could she walk barefoot in the forest? He thought. Now, whenever someone came to him, he would start thinking that he could make arrangements for his sister and brother-in-law if they gave him some money. He started receiving money and collected it. With this money, he made three pairs of wooden slippers, beds, mattresses, and pillows for Shri Ram, Lakshman and Sita Ji.
He placed all these on his head one after the other and proceeded towards Chitrakoot to meet his brother-in-law and sister. I would go there and scold Lord Ram that you had been exiled; why are you troubling my sister? He kept thinking. He neither ate nor drank anything during this walking journey. God longs for a relationship like this, that someone yearns so much for Him. He reached Chitrakoot, and seeing the stones and pebbles on the road, his heart started burning because Sita Ji would have to walk on those same paths. Lord Ram is so cruel, he thought. He spread all three beds, kept the mattresses and pillows and started waiting for his brother-in-law and sister. When they did not come after waiting a long time, he thought that perhaps they were hesitant because of his presence there. So he went and hid behind a tree.
Lord Ram And Sita Ji Came To meet Prayagdas Ji Again
Shri Ram, Lakshman and Sita ji appeared before him. He ran towards Lord Ram and started scolding him for making such a gentle sister of his walk on such a harsh land. Lord Ram was looking at Sita Ji, and Sita Ji was looking at Lord Ram, not knowing what to say. You go to exile; why did you bring my sister to exile? Come on, sit down, he invited them to sit on his newly built beds. All three sat on their respective beds. Lord was doing whatever Prayagdas Ji was saying. When he took the wooden slipper and gave it to Sita Ji, Sita Ji said the brother-in-law should wear it first. So first, he made Shri Ram wear the wooden slipper. What a fortune this devotee had! This is not a fabricated story; it is a true incident that happened two hundred years ago.
He made all three of them wear the wooden slippers and made them sit on the bed. He was looking at the beauty of all three with tears in his eyes. In his mind, he was thinking that now my service will be that wherever these three go, I will accompany them with beds on my head and serve them. Lord Shri Ram said I have got exile, so I cannot sleep on your bed every day, today I sat down to fulfil your wish. Now you sleep on these beds. I can’t even wear these slippers every day. Sita ji said, don’t worry, I am very happy with your brother-in-law.
Prayagdas Ji Was Instructed To Go Back
Prayagdas Ji said that you are not listening to any of my requests. Lakshman Ji said, if you want, then I can go with you alone. Prayagdas Ji became happy that he would get to serve him. Lakshman Ji said that I would go but only if Lord Ram went. Prayagdas ji said don’t joke with me. Shri Ram said, you take this bed and go to Ayodhya, sleep on it, live happily, we will come back to you as soon as the exile ends. Sita Ji also instructed him to leave. So he put all the beds back on top of each other, placed them on his head and left for Ayodhya.
He was so immersed in their thoughts that he didn’t even think of taking a break. While leaving, he thought about what a strange brother-in-law he had. He thought he could have at least sent my sister back with me. No one listens to me; they are taking my sister in such a dense forest. I don’t know how my sister will live in such difficulty.
He bathed in the Mandakini River and picked up the beds, mattresses, etc. Now those beds were no longer beds; the Lord had sat on them, and they became lighter than a flower. After walking a little, he reached Ayodhya. He thought he had just taken a bath in Chitrakoot and felt he had lost track of time. By the grace of his brother-in-law, he did not have to walk; he reached Ayodhya directly from Chitrakoot.
Build Any Relationship With God; You Will Find Him Easily!
Now, whichever saint he met, he would complain about Lord Ram and all the saints would be happy to hear his words because everyone knew that he was a great man who had attained God. Now, by placing all three beds one above the other and keeping all three mattresses, he would live as luxuriously as a king. Sometimes, some saints would say that Prayagdas ji, you have adopted the guise of a detached person, but you do not even do any spiritual practice, then Prayagdas ji would say,
neem ke neeche khaat bichhee hai, khaat ke neeche karava,
prayaagadaas almasta soye, ye raam lala ka sarava
Do you know whose brother-in-law I am? Lord Ram’s. I need not do any spiritual practice. In fact, one with a strong relationship with God does not need any formal practice to attain him; love is enough to bind the Lord. He lived in Ayodhya for the remainder of his life, and after his death, he went to the Lord’s abode and got engaged in the service of his sister and brother-in-law forever.
Narrated By: Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Ji Maharaj
