Ms. Kusum Parmar, a devotee of Rajkot had the privilege of meeting Sri Revashankar Dave at Porbandar on 7-12-1975 along with Marie Lousie Burke. Notings of her diary are important because we get the evidence of Swami Vivekananda’s presence in Porbandar on Tulsi Vivah day i.e. November 13, 1891.
Today (7-12-1975) Res. Marie Louise Burke, Nomita, Sobha and myself visited Res. Revashankar Anupram Aacharya at Porbandar. He saw Swami Vivekananda in Porbandar when he was a teenager. He was the student of Sanskrit Shatpath Makrant.
We entered his room with great faith and enthusiasm to know about Swami Vivekananda. We introduced ourselves, made pranams, and requested him to describe his reminiscences of Swamiji.
We asked: “Have you seen Swami Vivekananda?” He replied by saying: “Not only seen but also listened to him.” He then continued: “I was a boy of 15 or 16 and studying in Sanskrit school.”
“Swami Vivekananda was the guest of Diwan Shankar Pandurang Pandit of Porbandar State. Swamiji once asked Panditji to bring his students to see him and we got a chance to see him.”
“Shankar Pandurang had two sons: Vaman and Madhav. They were my friends, so often I could go there. Masurekar was their title. Panditji’s sons used to go to sea for a bath, I too went with them. Swamiji has stayed in a small room, upstairs at the direction of Agnikona (Agni corner).”
Govinddas was a student, looked as gorgeous as prince. He was the chief disciple of Shingada Mahant. Their village was 16 miles away from Junagadh. They had come with the recommendation of Diwan Haridas Desai of Junagadh. Swamiji called all of us but he caught a sight of Shingada Mahant and his disciple. Swamiji asked him: “What do you study?” He replied: “At present, I study Panchtantra and stories of Isap.” He also recited 2 verses. Swamiji laughed and looked at Panditji. Then he told a story of fox.
“Panditji and Swamiji used to go for a walk. Panditji used to keep the spear with him and Swamiji kept a stick in his hand. Where they used to go for a walk, was a large ground; now there are many buildings. I used to listen to Swamiji attentively and he was pleased with me. He always had a soft smile.”
One more question: “Acharyaji, how do you feel when you recollect Swamiji’s reminiscences?”
Acharyaji said: “Rev. Atmasthanandaji gave me Swamiji’s photo. I feel very happy to remember Swamiji all the time. Many times his memory becomes fresh and vivid.”
Again I saw him on the Kartik Shukla Ekadashi Day which is known as Dev Diwali. In the evening, Panditji’s wife arranged for Tulsi Vivah at the private premise, northwards in Bhojeshwar Bungalow. The priest of Bhojeshwar temple came there for religious ceremony. We four boys, Vaman, Madhav, priest’s son, and myself were present there. Panditji’s wife was performing Tulsi Puja, at that time from northern staircase Panditji and Swamiji came down.
Swamiji saw the rituals and said about the importance of Tulsi Vivah. He said that the Shaligram stone is a kind of jiva like a conch from the Gundaki river. There is a hole in it and an insect named ‘Shal’ dwells in it. Its food is Tulsi. The insect eats Tulsi as food and gets nourished. Then Gold is cultivated! Thus these two objects come together is called bond of marriage. Panditji nodded and said: ‘Yes’.
Swamiji explained that Tulsi Vivah made the pious Brahmins to earn their livelihood by getting gold and money. The Brahmins lead Vedic religion and teach the society. Looking at Panditji’s wife, Swamiji asked: ‘Mother, do you understand?’ The lady with folded hands said: ‘Yes Swamiji’. Swamiji and Panditji then left the place. She continued her worship. She gave dakshina with generous heart to the Brahmin and finished Tulsi-Vivah.
Swamiji used to speak in Hindi. Sometimes, he used Bengali words but we did not understand. He used mostly Sanskrit words.
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