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52. The Ocean Was Silenced
Padamsibhai Khimji Chheda 14, Navyug Society, 4th Road, Vile Parle Juhu Scheme, Bombay-56
Now I am 58 years of age. When as a child, I was a student of school in Godhara (Kutch), modes of transport were very few. We could travel only by cart the places of pilgrimage to Suthari, Kothara, Nadia etc. of Abadasa (Kutch). We had to pass even nights on the way and travel was very tough.
I am here narrating an incident that took place 45 years back, when we were on a very tough journey for pilgrimage to Palitana. I was going there with my elder brother and his wife. We came by cart from Godhara to Mandvi. From there we proceeded to Okha by a boat. We were some 25 persons. We were expected to get to Palitana via Okha, Jamnagar and Rajkot. The voyage from Mandvi to Okha must have been of four hours' duration. When we were in the mid-ocean, there was a tide that unsettled and unsteadied our ship. The tide grew worse as we were in the vicinity of Okha; the waves were ten to twelve feet wide and high. We were afraid of being drowned; all were very much frightened and worried. Thanks to our good luck that we were reminded of the 'Navakara Mahamantra' and Adishvara Bhagavan of the great place of pilgrimage on the Shatrunjaya hills. We were on our way to his Darshan. We began to recite the Mahamantra enmass. The tide was on and so was our singing. The two mixed together. Even the ocean
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