Mataji (Malati Bai V. Date)
Mataji, as Malati Bai V. Date was known by all the disciples of Dr. V. H. Date, spent her life in accordance with the description given by Samarth Ramdas Maharaj. How to live life even under painful times in the worldly life, how to obey the words of Sadguru even under adverse circumstances and how to earn the grade of Sadguru even when struggling with difficult situations of life, the ideal form of all these can be seen clearly in Mataji’s life and is very important from point of view of both – the worldly as well as spiritual life.
Born on July 7, 1907 in Satara, Mataji got married to Dr. Date on Feb 3, 1925. In Dr. Date, Mataji found an ideal life partner who walked the spiritual path together with her. In 1926 Bhausahib Maharaj appeared in Mataji’s dream and asked her to do daily Bhajans and in 1932, Mataji got initiated by Shri Amburao Maharaj!
After the Niryan of Dr. Date, Mataji took over the well-being of the disciples. Despite the pain she had to endure, she would sit for 4-5 hours at a stretch during Sunday program and Puniyatithi days. She would always remember even the tiniest details about the Bhaktas’ and their families, always asking about their well-being and observing their progress on the Spiritual path.
She left her body on the Krishna Janmashtmi day Aug 28, 1994 Sunday, Bhadrapad Kr 7 (Shravan in Maharashtra).
Concise Spiritual Life of Malatibai Vinayak Date (1907 - 1994)
Prof. V. H. Date’s devoted wife- Maltibai V. Date, is a holy mother (Mataji) called by devotees of Prof. R. D. Ranade in Rajasthan. The spiritual life of such a holy mother has been spent in the sacred company of Shri Gurudev in Sangli, Belgaum, Nimbal, Pune, and Allahabad.
Though she belonged to a wealthy family, she chose to live a life of numerous perils and trials with Prof. Vinayak Date and Prof. Ranade used to say regarding Mataji that “The Tulsi plant is born amid Bhang” (Suthar, S. L. – Mataji Ke Vachan, pg no. 16)
She was full of generosity, unparalleled service, and utmost motherhood. Prof. Vinayak Date has written true regarding the importance of a marriage companion in his book- “A Century of Spiritual Flowers”, “Marriage is for the sake of finding an agreeable companion who will increase your love for meditation” (Date, V. H. – A Century of Spiritual flowers, pg. no.8). MalatiBai Vinayak Date proved to be her faithful companion from the point view of material as well as spiritual world. Her way of living showed us how to cross the trials of worldly life, even in the worst circumstances, follow the path of righteousness with obedience to the spiritual teacher, firm faith and devotion, and receive God’s grace even in hard times. If we look at her daily routine, we would be surprised that her every moment was full of contemplation on the Divine Name. She used to meditate while doing every household work, sitting, cooking food, etc. Daily bhajans, spiritual songs, and meditation were part and parcel of her life. She obeyed what her Spiritual teacher, Saint Amburao Maharaj, had told her – to remember the Name of God while doing every work. The present writer is very fortunate to have been in the company of such a great incarnation of divine love and motherhood for such a long period of his life.
“परी श्रुतिस्मृतींचे अर्थ । जे आपण होऊन मूर्त ।
अनुष्ठाने जगा देते। वडील जे जे ॥86॥” (ज्ञा. 17-86)
“Who know perfectly what is contained in Srutis and Smritis and who keeps his conduct in keeping with what they know, he will certainly get the same fruit as they would get. (J. L. B., V. H. Date, pg.334)”
A great human who has become the embodiment of shruti/smriti, who, by living in the company of the God-realized spiritual teacher (Sadguru), achieved self-realization every moment by performing spiritual practices and endured many hardships for the devotion of God, by taking the naam mantra from such a great saint and doing devotional practice, the seeker will get spiritual results in the long run. Mataji MaltiBai was such a great lady saint. If someone wants to achieve spiritual goals, knowing the self-character of such a saint will be very useful. Once in a spiritual discourse with the present writer, she recalled Gurudev Ranade’s words,
“जन्म-मरण हे जगांत चाललेलच आहे. त्याच्याबद्दल बोलून काय उपयोग? देवाच्याबद्दल काहीतरी बोललात तर उपयोग होईल.”
(Birth and death are happening in the world; what is the use of talking about it? It will be helpful to say something about God.) That’s why Mataji was less interested in worldly life than spiritual life as her life affirmed, “God forefulfils the desires of the Devotee.”
Mataji’s marriage with Date Saheb and Mataji’s meeting with a Guru, it can be said that she must have accumulated virtue in her previous birth. Mataji’s virtue bore fruit, and Mataji married Vinayak Hari Date Saheb on February 3, 1925. In the book titled “A Century of Spiritual Flowers,” Date Saheb has written, “Marriage is important only from the point of view of getting such a partner who can help in spiritual pursuits.” In this way, Mataji got married to Date Saheb only for future charitable work. This becomes understandable after seeing their entire lives.
Initiation
Mataji received the Naam Mantra from Amburao Maharaj in 1932. Amburao Maharaj then said that they’d remember the name”. Before this, in 1926, Bhausaheb Maharaj had asked Mataji in a dream to do bhajan daily. Mataji wholly followed the words of Bhausaheb and Amburao Maharaj throughout her life.
Follow the Guru’s divine words with faith, devotion, love and respect. Ramdas Maharaj has written in Dasbodh,
“सुख दुःख उद्वेग चिन्ता । अथवा आनन्दरूप असता । नामस्मरणविण सर्वथा । राहोच नये ॥
Gurudev R. D. Ranade says, “All Saints, both Indian and Christian, have laid stress should never forget God’s Name, whether we may be merged in happiness, sorrow, sadness, or anxiety.”
Mataji lived her life according to the words of Ramdas Maharaj. How one should live life in many troublesome worldly situations, how the orders of Sadguru should be strictly followed even in adverse circumstances, how one can receive the blessings of Sadguru by serving him even in the struggling moments of life, all these. The ideal form is visible to us in the life of Mataji, which is of utmost importance from the worldly and spiritual point of view.
When I remember an incident from 1985, it seems as if that incident has just happened. Date Saheb used to roam around the house; at that time, he was in complete Brahmasthithi. He had not talked to anyone in two or three years. One day, Mataji said, “Say something. People come from so far away to listen to you.” While roaming around, Date Maharaj suddenly stopped and said in a shallow voice, “Now there is no difference between us. I have spoken a lot. Now you speak.” We were happy to hear some words from his mouth. Because we had not heard even a single word from him in about three years. We felt hopeful that maybe he would speak more in the future and we would get to listen to his words. We were delighted with this idea. But it did not happen. He remained in Brahmaikya state. While explaining the importance of Namsmaran, Mataji reminded the seekers of the words of Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj and said, “One should be careful neither to forget the Nama, nor to change the direction of his gaze from the vision of God he might be seeing before him.” This vision of God in the form of light is “Chitprakash”.
Divine Thoughts for Inspiration
It is written in Kakad Aarti that (“Sadguru beetle ho. Tyani charitable karin. Paschimen chevalier. Atma the nirdhari.”) (N.I. page 34) Sadhguru met me. He has held me with his hand and is taking me in the west direction, where the soul exists. Mataji explained the meaning of “Paschmein Chavilen”, while remembering the Name given by Sadguru every night, you must set where you came from. Remember this Name so much that you end up in the form of God. One has to be absorbed in the place where it has originated.
Gurudev Rambhau Ranade Saheb had said about Mataji, “The Tulsi plant is born amid bhang.” Perhaps the feeling behind Gurudev’s statement was that the devotion that Mataji would spread in Rajasthan in the future originated in a family where only wealth, comforts, and luxury were important. By following the words of her Guru, Mataji showed the devotees the highest path of devotion by pursuing spiritual goals throughout their life after marriage with Date Saheb.
On 14. 11. 1993, Mataji said, “Take firm hold of Guru’s devotion. This body should be used only in expanding it; I understand this earthly body’s importance. I am no longer worried about this body. The wishes of Sadhguru Bhausaheb Maharaj, Sadguru Amburao Maharaj and Gurudev Ranade Saheb completed my entire life. Whatever Date Saheb wants me to do, I am doing it now. That’s it! While doing charity, I am doing as much as is necessary.
Mataji’s Daily Prayer for Aspirants
Mataji, keeping in mind the entire family of all the seekers, may all their wishes be fulfilled by Sadguru, may they be healthy, and may Sadguru’s mercy always be upon them.
She used to pray for him every day after the 8 o’clock morning bhajan. When the feeling of love and respect is associated with remembering the Name, then even ordinary food tastes delicious. Whatever food items my Mataji prepared had a different taste. Many seekers who have come to 63, Jaswant Sarai have experienced such Mahaprasad by sitting under the blessings of Date Saheb and Mataji.
Mataji said, “It is useless to worship the saints with doubts. If there is even a little doubt, and then there is no sense of God towards the Sadguru. There should be devotion without doubts.” Mataji used to clear the doubts of the doubting seekers based on her own experience. If any spiritual person told Mataji about his physical pain or worldly calamity, she would be moved with compassion and protect him. Mataji was, in the true sense, the representative of God, who is called an incarnation. Saint Tukaram has said, “The saint incarnates for the welfare of the world. He gives pain to the body for the sake of doing good.” (Tukaram abhang gatha, page 88)
One Must See One’s Self
On reading, Mataji said, “One should see one’s own form.” I first experienced this in Nimbal. In this one’s form is in front of you. The experience lasted for a very short time but was extremely enjoyable. This is the best experience. This was Gurudev Ranade Saheb’s influence on me. This is the result of having a lot of blessings. Today, I feel that this is the truth; if there is grace from Sadguru, then one experiences this while chanting the Name and also understands that this body is the reflection of that Self. That Self is the image, and the image is the real. It cannot be pointed out as if it is a worldly thing.
In the experience of the Self, the sense-generated ego is destroyed because I (Ego) no longer exists. In Self-experience, there are no such things as image and reflection or the seer and the seen. Since God is on both sides, such duality can’t exist between me and my form
Revelation of Name within Name
Mataji said, “Earlier, when I used to pay obeisance to Date Maharaj’s Samadhi by placing my head on the padukas, I used to hear the continuous anahata sound of “Shri Ram Shri Ram Shri Ram” in a very melodious voice. Now, my physical condition has become such that I am unable to sleep on my feet. I don’t have the strength anymore. Hence, Samadhi Darshan is not possible. But by the grace of our Sadguru, I can hear “Shri Ram Shri Ram Shri Ram” continuously for two or two hours while sitting here, at any time, whether night or day. It does not take any effort to chant the Name. My chanting of the Name happens automatically. Now, it has happened like this.
Writer’s conviction
Mataji herself suffered for the welfare of the refugees. Whoever followed Mataji’s words achieved spiritual progress and attained peace in worldly life. I fully believe that all this happened because of Sadhguru’s blessings on Mataji, Mataji’s complete faith in her Guru, and her means of devotion. I salute such a great personality again and again. My only wish is to remain in his grace forever.
