Parshad means one who always remains with his master and serves him to the best of his capacity. Bhaguji was such a Parshad of Shree Hari.
Bhaguji was born in a royal family. As a prince he left his parents and served Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan all his life.He was very strong and mastered martial art. He could fight bravely with or without weapons.
Once Shree Hari was riding a horse and heading a religious procession at Ahmedabad. As it was summer Bhaguji held a royal umbrella over Shree Hari who was riding a horse. Shree Hari didn’t like this idea of being in the shade of the umbrella while His followers walked under the scorching sun. But Parshadji paid no heed and continued holding the umbrella. Enraged but in His good willed insolence Shree Hari smashed to pieces the royal. Bhaguji learnt a lesson: Never disobey God.
Bhaguji served as a body-guard to Dada Khachar. Dada Khachar’s life was under threat from some jealous land owners. One of such jealous persons was Bhan Khachar who had hired mercenaries to assassinate him. The assassins visited Gadhada and befriended Bhaguji. Through this they collected relevant information to hatch a plot to kill Dada Khachar. The plot failed.
Bhaguji said: “It is not the weapon that counts in the battle but the bravery of the wielder of weapon.” These enemies of Dada Khachar constantly instigated Bhan Khachar as they misled him into believing that certain fields belonged to him and he must forcibly take control over it.
The acts of transgression continued. Once when Dada Khachar’s men ploughed and sowed the millet, the men of Bhan Khachar also sowed millet cross-wise in the same fields. On the advice of Shree Hari, Bhaguji and some men were stationed at the field.
As all attempts to seize the fields failed Bhan Khachar declared prize money over the head of Bahguji.
Bhan Khachar was advised against this misadventure but he chose otherwise. Two Sindhi mercenaries - Khabad and Mataro accepted this offer.
Once they learnt about the absence of Bhaguji Parshad from the fields .Considering this as a golden opportunity Khabad and Mataro together with their accomplices dashed forward and started a shooting spree. All defendants lay down and escaped the bullets. Once the attackers had exhausted all their bullets the defendants charged and killed many men from the opposite party. Khabad broke the defense line and marching forward shouted: “Where is Bhaguji?”
By this time Bhaguji had entered in to the fray, he roared: “I am Bhaguji but I won’t attack till I am first attacked.” Khabad said: “Well I will attack first.” All of a sudden he cut across the shoulder of Bhaguji. When Bhaguji was profusely bleeding and bandaging his wound with the cloth of his turban an arrow from Miyaji’s bow had blinded Khabad’s horse. Using this opportunity Bhaguji struck Khabad with his sword and killed him. Khabad died praising the bravery of Bhaguji. The skirmish continued. Many men died on both sides. Bhaguji received eighteen wounds in different places of his body.
Bhaguji was taken to the royal residence of Dada Khachar who gave him the best medical treatment available at that time. The cuts were sutured with silken thread. Healing was then a matter of some weeks. The enemies learnt to their horror that Bhaguji was recovering. The enemies one night played war-music. Bhaguji thought that an attack was imminent. He attempted to get up from the bed. This exertion caused all the stiches to snap and this caused more infections.
Another plot to kill Bhaguji was exposed when medicines being applied over his wounds were examined. The physician had been bribed by the enemy and he was simply applying pigeon droppings over the wounds.
Shree Hari arranged to start the treatment all over again. He nursed Bhaguji with motherly care. Shree Hari instructed Suchchidanand Swami to drive away Death if it came nearby. The ruler of Bhavnagar praised the bravery of Bhaguji and the thirteen Parshads who fought victoriously. Mataro later on came to avenge the death of Khabad but was driven away.
Bhaguji was felicitated by the King of Bhavnagar and offered a very lucrative post in the state’s army but he said: “I have only one master and that too for the whole life." He was also felicitated by Maharaja Sayajirao of Baroda. When Shree Hari left this world he served Ayodhaprasadji, the Acharya. Then he left for Muli temple where he served till his last breath.
The valor of Bhaguji protected the rights of the innocent and he took pride in this.