Many Kings and rulers were followers of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan. Some did exceptional and many remained stuck in their administrative work. Jiva Khachar was the ruler of Sarangpur. He was a benevolent ruler and was known for his religious work. He was a devoted follower of Shree Hari. His name is immortalized as one of the thousand names of Shree Hari that is recited by devotees during their daily prayers as: Janmashtami Utsavapurnajiva – Varma Manorathya Namah (I bow down to the one who fulfilled the desire of Jiva Khachar to celebrate the Janmashtami)
The pleasing nature of Jiva Khachar was only the reflection of the inner peace he had. He followed Shree Hari’s advice and developed love for all beings. He used every opportunity to talk about religion. He was prompt in serving saints and followers. All these qualities in him made him popular among the saints.
Jiva Khachar had friendly relations with Mancha Khachar, the ruler of Kariyani. Mancha Khachar had arranged a festival at Kariyani where for the first time Jiva Khachar had the holy Darshan of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan. There and then he decided to invite Him to visit Sarangpur in Samvat 1864. Shree Hari had arranged the festival of flower-bedecked Jhoola (swing) in the presence of Dada Khachar the ruler of Gadhada. Jiva Khachar was so deeply impressed by the majestic glory of this festival that at its conclusion he prayed to Shree Hari to visit Sarangpur and arrange a similar festival of flower-bedecked jhoola (Fuldolostava). Impressed by his devotional fervor Shree Hari promised to visit Sarangpur the next day.
On his way from Gadhada to Sarangpur Shree Hari bought a basket of fresh brinjals for a rupee which he paid from the five rupees offered by a devotee. It’s a principle of Swaminarayan way of life to carry a gift while visiting a host.
Shree Hari received a warmwelcome and was given residence in the royal palace of Jiva Khachar. Hundreds of devotees from the town of Sarangpur prayed to Shree Hari to visit their homes and bless their families. Shree Hari was scheduled to halt here just for a couple of days. To fulfill the desire of all these devotees Shree Hari assumed hundreds of forms and simultaneously dined at all houses and thus He convinced them He was God.
During the festival of flowers everyone in the crowd wanted to be initiated into the Swaminarayan way of life. Setting aside the formal ceremony for initiation, Shree Hari sprinkled holy water on them and said: “From this moment I accept you all as the followers of Swaminarayan way of life.” (Later they received double-strung necklace (kanthi) of Tulsi wood beads as confirmed devotees)
Invitations were sent far and wide to all devotes to attend the festival of colors that was being organized by Shree Hari. For this occasion Jiva Khachar stored gulaal, a red color powder. Shree Hari occupied the royal bedstead resting on the wide wall separating women on one side and males on the other side. The compound on the women’s side belonged to Matara Dhadhal the son-in-law of Jiva Khachar. Everything turned red as people threw gulaal over each other.
Swami Premanand, the intimate disciple of Shree Hari, composed an immortal song extempore at the end. Shree Hari and others bathed in the river Dhola. When He was returning He met a woman who was selling fire wood. So great was her rapture that she went straight into super conscious stance. Explaining this miracle Shree Hari narrated the events of her previous birth wherein as a rich trader’s wife she enamored a wood cutter. As a result of which she was born as a fire wood seller (She was later on redeemed by Shree Hari).
Sarangpur had drought and the villagers feared that a famine might follow. When Shree Hari came to Sarangpur the villagers started praying for rains. What was to follow was heavy torrential rain and thundering sky. Flood and storm destroyed many houses in the village.
For shelter Jiva Khachar shifted Shree Hari twice into recently built houses. At the third house late in the evening, Shree Hari felt hungry and asked for food but stoves of mud were out of order and fire wood was wet. Jiva Khachar smashed his royal wooden bed-stead to get dry wood. A provisional stove of brick was made. Food was cooked for Shree Hari and served.
When Shree Hari expressed regret for the royal bed-stead Jiva Khachar said: “My Lord nothing is more valuable than you to us.”
Lakho and Devo were farmers. Their house was on the point of collapsing. All their cattle and family members would be crushed. They were shouting for help. But no one dared. Shree Hari rushed there and held the main central supporting wooden beam on His shoulder till all cattle and family members escaped. Then Shree Hari rested one end of the beam on the floor and let the house collapse. The beam had left a deep lesion on his shoulder which he concealed for many days. Later on when people saw it they were convinced that Shree Hari was Lord Krishna who held up Mount Govardhan on his little finger and Lord Vishnu who bore the sign of being kicked on the chest by an angry sage.
In this tough times Shree Hari accompanied by Jiva Khachar begged for food and fed the hungry villagers.
Once Shree Hari said to Jiva Khachar: “As I am pleased with you, ask for any boon,” Jiva Khachar said: “My Lord give me only this much as a boon that none who dies in my Sarangpur should go to hell. He should be redeemed.” He was blessed with this boon.
To serve Brahmins Shree Hari arranged a dinner party for them that lasted for seven days. At the end each Brahmin was given a rupee.
On the festival of Holi Shree Hari arranged for a mock fight between the brave Kathis. Shree Hari’s dress tore on the day of playing with colors. He was presented with a new dress by followers from Surat.
A well was being dug by Jiva Khachar on his farm but he couldn’t get sufficient water from it. Shree Hari bathed with its water and said: “Dig a little more and you will have ample of water.” Following this water gushed out of the well and a successful sugarcane crop was harvested.
Shree Hari said: “Hide me in your house as the minister from Baroda is out to arrest me”. Jiva Khachar did this but the door had no stopper or chain. When Shree Hari drew his attention to this he called a blacksmith and got a stopper and chain fitted.
Jiva Khachar wanted to have a temple at Sarangpur. Shree Hari’s blessings materialized in Samvat 1905 on the fifth day of the dark half of Ashvin month when Sadguru Gopalanand Swami installed the icon of Kashtabhanjan Hanumanji at the internationally famous temple of Sarangpur.
Jiva Khachar and his family members – wife Panchalibai, daughters Devabai and Rajbai, sons Vagha Khachar and Amara Khachar, all were followers of Shree Hari. The village Sarangpur received several blessings from Him.