Shree Ramanand Swami and Shree Nilkanth Varni met for the first time in Samvat 1856 Jeth Vad 12 (Thursday 18th June 1800). Shree Ramanand Swami lifted up Shree Nilkanth Varni and affectionately embraced Him. Shree Ramanand Swami gazed into Shree Nilkanth Varni’s lotus face and tears of love rolled from his eyes.

Eventually, Shree Ramanand Swami took his seat and Shree Nilkanth Varni sat before him in the respectful padmasan. The entire congregation also sat down, and watched as Shree Ramanand Swami and Shree Nilkanth Varni stared at each other’s lotus faces.

Shree Nilkanth Varni and Shree Ramanand Swami meet for the first time in Piplana

Meanwhile, a merchant from the Sindh region came to the village. As soon as he entered the village, he experienced a divine peace and tranquillity, and his worldly thoughts and volitions all subsided. He thought, “God or a divine prophet must be present in this village.” He enquired in the village, “Has God or a prophet come to this village?” One villager said, “Go to Narshi Mehta’s home. Many sants have come there. One of them may be God or a prophet.”

The merchant arrived at the assembly where Shree Ramanand Swami and Shree Nilkanth Varni were seated. As soon as Shree Nilkanth Varni’s gaze fell on the merchant, he fell into a trance (samadhi) in which he witnessed Shree Nilkanth Varni seated on a majestic throne and Shree Ramanand Swami bowing in obeisance to Him. Upon awakening from the trance the merchant asked, “You Hindus follow a strange practice! The disciple sits on a throne whilst God sits on the floor!”

Shree Ramanand Swami said, “It is a Hindu tradition that when God is in the guise of a devotee, He sits on the floor, just like the sage Vashishta Rishi sat on a prominent seat whilst Ramchandraji sat before him in a lower position.”

Shree Ramanand Swami’s answer left the merchant speechless. He bowed, first to Shree Nilkanth Varni and then to Shree Ramanand Swami, and then left the assembly.

Extracted from the scripture, Shree Swaminarayan Gadi, by Acharya Swamishree Purushottampriyadasji Maharaj. Chapter 9 – The Meeting With Shree Ramanand Swami