The Second Dawn

The Second Dawn
Revival o f Shakipat Knowledge
By
Swami Shivom Tirth
Devatma Shakti Society

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© C o p y right 2 0 0 5 Sw am ] S h iv o m Tirth
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Dedication
To the one who loved absolute solitude
Who was the incarnation (âbsolute involution
Who knew the highest state o f consciousness
Proponent Shaktipat knowledge
.......... at the holyfeet o f
Swami Ganâdhar Tirth Maharaj
This narration his divine play
O ffered to H im .
-Shivom
O th er English T itles by Swami Shivorn T irth
Churning of the Heart: Volume One

Introduction to Spiritual Life
Churning oj the Heart: Volume Two

Memories of Maharajshri
Churning of the Heart: Illume Three

Union With the Infinite
Guide to Shaktipat
Sadhanpath : Trek O f Spirituality
Jnana Kiran
Rays O f Ancient Wisdom
Contents
Forew ord 9
1. T h e S econd D aw n 14
2. Subtle V ibrations 21
3. T ransm igration: E ntering A n oth er Body 26
4. Aerial Travel 34
5. Judging the Level o f Saints 40
6. Subtle Experiences 46
7. T h e Search for a G uru 51
8. M eeting a T ru e M aster 57
9. T h e Benefit o f G race 64
10. In the com pany o f the G uru 71
11. Instructions to R etu rn 10 0
12. R eturning H o m e 125
13. K arm a and Sadhana 136
14. T h e Auspicious M o m en t 145
15. Baba ' 155
16. M ah a N irvana : Suprem e Liberation 167
A ppendix 173
G lossary o f Term s 183
A b ou t the A uthor 191
W^ho’s W h o in the Book
Swam iji M ah araj : Sw am i G an gad h ar T ir th M ah araj
K alikishore, Baba : Sw am i N aray an T ir th D ev M aharaj
M ah arajsh ri : Sw am i V ishn u T ir t h M ah araj
I : S h iv o m T ir th (th e A u th o r)
P lan tin g the Seed o f Shaktipat K n o w led g e
Swami Gangadhar Tirth Maharaj and Kalikishore (Swami Narayan Tirth Dev Maharaj)
on the banks o f Chandan Lake in his cottage, in Jagannath Puri, Orissa
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FO REW A RD
T o d ay w e all sadhaks are p oised to m o v e tow ard s a g reat and very old
tradition o f “ Shaktipat” . T his is d escrib ed by the lord Shri K rish na to
A iju n in the B h a g w a t G ita 9*^ ch ap ter “R ajy a-v id h y a R ajag u h y am ” .
G reat saints after extraord in ary en d eavor h ave m astered this “ Shaktipat”
tradition. T h e h igh est form o f m editation w as im bibed for s e lf w ell
being. E v en then this m ean s w as n ot lim ited to o n e se lf but for the w ell
b ein g fo r hum anity by w h ich th eir hearts w ere tou ch ed, hi ord er to open
the vistas for the co m m o n m an the sadhaks to o k untiring efforts in this
direction. T h ey sacrificed their eg o s, did not long for publicity, or
financial benefits nam e o r fam e and in this field untiringly m aking the
co m m o n m an em p ow ered w ith “ Shaktipat” .
W e are all in the group o f sim ple y et serious sadhaks. U nderstandably
each sadhak is cu riou s to know the sou rce o f our tradition. K n ow in g this
inquisitive m ind and desire Shri Sw am i S hivom Tirth M aharaj
sum m arizes the teach er-stu d en t relationship dialogue in a b rie f w ay to
you.
h icid en tally recitin g a 4 0 -y e a r-o ld episode o f G uru Shisya dialogue to
the co m m o n m an itse lf is a big deed. Shri Sw am i V ish n u Tirthji M aharaj
is narrating the divine event to Shri Sw am i Shivom Tirth M aharaj as it is
seen by him w ith spiritual sight. T he “V ibhuthi” (highly spiritually
evolved p erson ality) narrated are none other than Shri Sw am i N arayan
T irth D ev and his G urudev Shri Sw am i G an gad har Tirth M aharaj.
In the 19^ cen tu ry, Sw am i G an gad har Tirth M aharaj alighted to
Jaganathpuri. H e kept h im self aw ay from publicity and sow ed the seeds
o f “ Shaktipat” tradition to the w orld, w hich has grow n into a big tree,
and the nam e o f S w am i N arayan Tirth D ev has presented a p reciou s gem .
T he small spark o f “ Shaktipat” tradition created 1 0 0 years back is today
nearing extin ction . Shri Sw am i Shivom Tirth M aharaj agonizingly
w ishes that one m ore N arayan Tirth should take birth again. A fter
reading this b ook each and every individual should take the inspiration to
b eco m e N arayan Tirth D ev.
D evatm a Shakti S ociety is pleased that the deep relationships betw een
Sadguru and his disciples and the enlightenm ent w hich Sadguru has
b estow ed on his disciples is classical exam p le w hich is depicted in the
b ook “Punaruday” , w hich Shri Sw am i Shivom Tirthji M aharaj w ants
everyon e to exp erien ce. T he Hindi and M arathi edition o f “Punaruday”
h as already been published and given to you.
W e are pleased to publish on this auspicious o ccasio n o f G uru P o o m im a
the E n glish edition “T he S econ d D aw n” (T h e R evival o f Shaktipath
K n ow led ge). W e are sure you will enjoy reading this p riceless book.
W e are grateful to M r. H arkam al Jit Jaland h ar (P u n jab ), M s. Pallavi
A jm era (D elh i), M s Trupti K ap ad ia - solicitor from B o m b ay and M r.
V iresh Prabhu (B o m b a y ) for collectin g funds for printing o f this book.
l l ‘^ July 2006 A t his lotus feet

T K alidas. P resid en t-D ev atm a Shakti Society
Foreword
In 1 9 6 5 , p rior to taking Sanyas D iksha [vows o f renunciation], I had

embarked on a long journey with Gurudev Swami V ish n u T irth M aharaj.
T h e journey included som e cities o f M adhya Pradesh [a state in central
India], Jagannathpuri, Bhuvaneshwar, Konarak, Calcutta, Gaya, Vaidyanath,
Varanasi, Allahabad, and Rishikesh. W e started the journey from Dewas
in D ecem ber o f 1 9 6 4 , and arrived in Jagannathpuri in January o f 1 9 6 5
after going through Bhopal, Jabalpur, Bilaspur, R aipur and a few other
cities. O ne m arried couple accom panied us from R aipur to Jagannathpuri.
A fter staying for a week, they left, and M aharajshri and I lived alone for
about two weeks in Jagannathpuri.
W e had already visited Konarak, Sakshi G opal, Chandan Lake and
a few other places. Daily we would go to the temple o f L ord Jagannath.
A fter the couple from R aip ur departed, there was little to do besides a
daily bath in the ocean and a visit to the temple. So M aharajshri and I
used to spend m o st o f the day in satsang [spiritual discussions]. T h e
satsang o f those fifteen days in Jagannathpuri is the focus o f this book.
It is obvious that M aharajshri was the orator and I could do little but
listen. By raising doubts and questions along the way, I did extend the
discussion in some way.
D uring the twenty days in Jagannathpuri, I enjoyed sadhan [spiri
tual practice after receiving Shaktipat] and spiritual conversations with
M aharajshri to my heart's content. As such M aharajshri usually stayed in
the divine state, but since there was no one here to disrupt this state,
M aharajshri was constandy in a meditative state. Even while conversing,
his state o f divinity was maintained.
T h is book is a com pilation o f M aharajshri s experiences regarding
Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj and Kalikishore (Swam i N arayan T irth
Dev M aharaj, B aba), which he discussed with me in Jagannathpuri.
10 T he Second D awn
W h atever M aharajshri experienced, he narrated it to me verbatim. T here

was no m ental interference by M aharajshri in these experiences. It was
like som eone watching the television and narrating it to you. I was like a
blind m an, who could n o t see anything despite sitting in front o f the
television. M aharajshri s inner-eyes were awake and active, hence every
thing was visible to him.
I have attem pted to present the episodes as close to M aharajshris
narration as possible and add little from my side. M o st o f my endeavor
has been to improve the language and give it a literary form . I f my in
com petence and lim ited intellect have led to mistakes, may M aharajshri
consider m e as an ignorant child and forgive me.
Before this book, prior to my Sanyas Diksha, I did write a book
titled Shri Narayan Upadeshamrit [in H in d i] based on the brief biography
and teachings o f Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj. T h e basis for that
book was a booklet published in Bengali. T h a t book and this book differ
at one or two places regarding events during and after Jagannathpuri
because the bases o f the two books are different. W h ile the first book is
written the way the Bengali book was, this book is based on M aharajshri s
narrative. F o r example, the first book, ‘Narayan Upadeshamrit’ relates that
Kalikishore wrote a letter to Swamiji M aharaj in Jagannathpuri, when he
attained siddhopai [the perfect state] , whereas, this book states that the
letter was sent prior to that with som e pilgrims going to Jagannathpuri.
Also, in ‘Shri Narayan Upadeshamrit* there is no special reference to
internal events, experiences in sadhan, or the spiritual prowess o f Swamiji
M ah araj. A n average au th o r cou ld n o t even reach such states, but
M aharajshri was a minute observer. Advanced states o f spirituality were
within his grasp. H e had the ability to see even the events tliat happened
in the past within himself, just like the present. H e was so unfathomable
that even a person, who always stayed close to him, could n ot understand
him. T h e person, who understood him to some extent, was only the one
on whom he showered his grace and manifested his real self to. W^hen
M aharajshri visited Jagannathpuri, the sequence o f events in the life o f
Swami Gangadhar T irth Maliaraj came to life in his heart. Just like Saint
R evival o f Shaktipat Know ledge 11
Tulsidas, when he went to C hitrak oot, the events o f the C h itrak oot
phase o f L o rd R am a in exile, cam e to life within. T h e events narrated by
M aharajshri do n o t end with the events in Jagannathpuri but continue
till the spiritual advancem ent ;ind MahaNirvana [Supreme Liberation, the
U ltim ate U n ion with the Suprem e Spirit] o f Swami N a ra y a n T irth Dev
M aharaj.
Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj was an accom.plished siddha [per
fect being]. H e was the p rop on en t o f Shaktipat, which was long buried
and socially dead. H e revived its knowledge and illtimined it am ongst the
m asses. I t w ould be a m istake to gauge the sp iritu al prowess o f a
m ahapurusha [a great spiritual being] in p rop ortion to his fame. Today
people here and there are familiar with the name o f Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj, but during his lifetime he lived in total anonymity. Even
the ascetics living in neighboring cottages had no knowledge o f his true
personality.
T h e one and only Shaktipat disciple o f Swami Gangadhar T irth
M ah araj, Sw am i N aray an T ir th D ev M ah araj, was also an extrem e
renunciate, an humble ascetic, and a lover o f spirituality. It was his belief
that the worldly facade was like a blazing fire, but at the com m and o f his
guru, he gave up the resolve o f leading a life o f an ascetic and jtimped in
th at fire. H e always considered worldly pleasures and com forts to be
worthless. T h e welfare o f the disciples was his only objective.
W h e n I was writing the three parts o f 'Churning of the H eart’, I was
co n stan tly aware o f the presence o f G urudev Swam i V ishnu T irth
M aharaj. W h ile writing this book, Swami Vishnu T irth M aharaj ful
filled the responsibility o f the orator, but additionally, Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj and Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj (B aba), all re
m ained constantly present in m y heart. T h is is the greatest benefit I
received while writing this book.
T h e science o f Shaktipat is very ancient. Be it the age o f the Vedas
o rT an tra or the Puranas, this science has always been in existence. W h e n
ever a great spiritual being appears or takes birth, he brings this knowl
edge to the forefront. T h is knowledge pervades over the m ind o f the
12 T he S econd D awn
populace for som e time. Som e people benefit by it too. But gradually
selfishness, pride, enthusiasm, attachm ents, aversion and other defects in
the people begin to cast a shadow over it, enveloping the knowledge in
layers and plunging it into oblivion. Even in its state o f oblivion, this
science never disappears completely. Even though it is invisible to the
com m on masses, it still exists. Somewhere som e solemn solitude-loving
aspirant holds on to its divine flame. T h e n some time som e mahapurusha
once again manifests the knowledge before the masses.
O ne such divine mahapurusha, Gxirudev Swami Gangadhar X irth
Ivlaharaj, appeared in Jagannathpuri in the nineteenth century. H e him
self rem ained underground but planted the seed o f the great banyan tree
o f Shaktipat by gifting a priceless gem in the form o f Swami Narayan
T irth D ev M aharaj. Gurudev had no desire for worldly fame or to be
com e a guru. H is state o f m ind was the true em bodim ent o f solitude.
T h e world today needs another Gangadhar T irth , who can once
again infuse life, enthusiasm and radiance into the insipid path o f spiri
tuality. T h is endeavor is possible only through renunciation and con
tinuous spiritual p ractice. T oday the attention o f alm ost all spiritual
aspirants has deviated from the spiritual pursuit and is riveted on fame,
which has ob stru cted the path o f spirituality. T h e path o f spirituality is
one o f burning one s ego, whereas, the spiritual class o f today is busy in
strengthening its ego. Tolerance, patience, com passion, generosity have
been sacrificed and everyone is engaged in narrow-mindedness, excite
ment, vengeance and other negative tendencies. W orldly experiences re
main fresh in the h eart even after fifty years, whereas words heard at
spiritual discourses are forgotten the very next m om ent. H o w can the
feet move towards the ultim ate good under such circumstances?
N o t a single p o rtrait o f Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj is avail
able today. N eith er is there any picture o f Swami N arayan T irth Dev
M aharaj in his youth. W h e n he stood in front o f his spiritual m aster in
Jagannathpuri, he was at the doorstep o f youth. T h ere is no question o f
any picture o f that time, so only an imaginary picture o f the two is given
in this book.
Revival o f Shaktipat Know ledge 13
T h e b ook has been titled ‘T h e Second D aw n/ m eaning th at Swami

G an g ad h arT irth M aharaj revived the sun o f Shaktipat once again. U n til
then the sun was hidden behind the clouds. Swami N arayan T irth Dev
M aharaj becam e the m edium for the new revival.
T h is b ook will present to the readers and spiritual aspirants the
pure illustriousness o f Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj and Swami
N arayan T irth D ev M aharaj and help establish devotion and faith in
them . It will also draw spiritual aspirants to the pure form o f detach
m ent and m editation.
Finally I end with a request. Please do n o t pray to me for initiation,
do n o t try to co n tact m e in person, through telephone or correspon
dence.
M a y G o d illu m in a te th e p a th o f p u re s p ir itu a l p u r s u it,
W ith this prayer —
Shivom
July 9th , 2 0 0 1
Indore (M adhya Pradesh)
India
I, The Second Dawn
T h e house in Jagannathpuri was only a sh o rt distance from Swarg Dwar,

a sacred bathing place at the seashore, and it was in close proxim ity to
Govardhan M ath , a m onastery established by Adi Shankaracharya. T h e
people, who had com e with us, had gone back. M aharajshri and I were
the only ones rem aining at the house. O ffering from the temple was
sufficient for our meals and I would prepare two cups o f c o f f e e o n the
stove. A handful o f local residents would visit M aharajshri, but they
came only in the evening. O u r daily routine com prised o f a m orning
bath in the ocean, a visit to the temple, a half-an-hour walk in the evening
and then sitting on the seashore on the sandy beach. W e would be alone
in the house for the rest o f the day. T h e subject o f discussion between
M aharajshri and me was n o t filled with likes, dislikes, criticism , gossip
or attachm ents. It was always based on som e spiritual topic.
W henever M aharajshri was at the ashram, he would rest alone in
his ro o m at night. Even during daytime he spent m ost o f his time in
m editation. H ow ever the convenience o f a private room was n o t avail
able everywhere, hence I g ot an op portu nity to be in his com pany all tKe
time when we travelled. W e slept, m editated and sat in the same room .
As a result the m ind would always be in a state o f bliss. M aharajshri
slept very little at night. M o st o f the tim e he would be seated in m edita
tion.
Since the time I had com e to the holy feet o f M aharajshri seeking
the benefit o f serving him, I had never heard him sing. But today in the
darkness o f the night, he started to hum and then sing in a slightly loud
voice -
hasforgotten the beloved Lordj has wasted his priceless lê
M on^j wealthy possessions and treasures^ a ll become strangers in the end.
The one who did not think truth and duty^ wanders around like a fyp no ti^ djoo l/
R evival o f Shaktipat Knowledge 15
T h ere was pitch darkness all around. M aharajshris voice, filled with
detachm ent, pierced through the darkness as it reverberated through the
atm osphere. It felt as if the words were n o t com ing from his th roat but
from his h eart.T h erefore they were entering straight into the h eart o f
the listener. M aharajshri was so deeply engrossed in singing th at possi
bly he was unaware th at he was singing, as though his h eart was dis
tressed from being separated from G od.
I thought, ‘B ut M aharajshris m ind is always engrossed in the be
loved L ord. T h e worthless nature o f the world is clearly visible to him;
he was never interested in wealth and possessions. N o t only has he thought
about truth and D h arm a [righteous con du ct] for all his life, he has in
fact experienced it firsthand. H e has never been influenced by M aya [the
grand illusion] like an ignorant person. T h e n how and why did such
verses spring forth from him? W as he singing to teach m e something?
N o , this was n o t just a serm on, it was a cry from the heart, filled with
sorrow, repentance and con tem p t for the m ind’.
T h e m e m o ry and aw areness o f G o d was always p re se n t in
M aharajshri s m ind, but it was possible that for a fraction o f a m om ent
his m ind had wandered and hence he was distressed. T h ere is no greater
anguish for a devotee than to forget the name and form o f G od. H e feels,
intolerable pain when his m ind wanders away, even for a m om ent, from
the G u ru -tattva [the essential nature o f the guru] th at is perpetually
active within him.
I lived in N an gal (a town in the n orth Indian state o f Punjab)
before com ing to the ashram. T h o se days I did have som e inclination
toward spirituality. O n the banks o f the river Sutlej or in the lonely
darkness o f the night, I too would sing this song in m y solitude. I was
surprised to hear the same devotional song com ing from M aharajshris
m outh. W h a t a strange coincidence!
M aharajshri woke up early in the m orning and went to bathe in the
sea. I loved to see M aharajshri frolic like a small child in the ocean waves.
H e would batlie for an hour. R eturning from the sea after his bath one
day, he said, “T h e O cean is considered to be a symbol o f infinity. It
contains countless life form s inside. T h e valleys in the ocean are deeper
than the tallest m ountains. T h e forests in the ocean are bigger than all
the forests on earth p u t together. Its expanse is m uch greater than land.
Ships and boats sail on its broad chest and travel for m onths w ithout
halting, just like individual beings who spend their lives in this great
ocean o f consciousness, expressing num erous feelings and tendencies.
Even L o rd Vishnu is depicted as resting in the ocean o f milk. A similar
ocean, in fact a m uch deeper and infinite ocean, sways in the chitta [m ind-
stuff] o f each and every individual being. N o m atter how deep one dives
in the ocean o f the chitta, he can not reach the b ottom . W h e n an aspirant
takes a dip in the external ocean, on a m ental plane, he delves deeper into
the ocean within.
“D uring the churning o f the ocean by the devas [dem igods] and
asuras [dem ons , both n ectar and poison em anated from the process,
though it was the poison th at cam e forth first. T h e ocean-like chitta
m ind-stuff] o f an individual being contains both poison in the form
o f bad im pressions and n ectar in the form o f good impressions. T h e
basis o f the poison as well as the n ectar is the A tm a-tattva [the essential
self, the ultim ate reality], which is the ultim ate elixir. By churning the
ocean o f the chitta with sadhan as the instrum ent, first the poison and
the nectar m ust be extracted. O nly then can one acquire the ultimate
elixir o f the A tm a [the S e l f . T h e L o rd extends his su pp ort to operate
this churner, and L o rd Shiva consum es the poison that manifests fr®m
the ocean. W h a t a similarity between the ocean within and without.'”
A t this p oin t I questioned - T h e chitta is generally com pared with
the sky, such as, chittakasha (inner sky, the psychic ether), chidakasha
and others. D oes the aspirant need to dive deep into the ocean o f the
chitta or in the chitta or does he need to rise above the chitta and soar in
the inner sky?
M aharajshri - W^hen you enter the chitta, all the ups and downs
outside will be left outside. All this is merely an attem pt to describe the
internal state o f the chitta in the con text o f the visible world. T h ere is
nothing above or below in the chitta. I f one talks about rising above then
the discussion is about flying high in the sky. I f one talks about scaJmg
the depths o f the ocean then the m ind is portrayed as diving in the
ocean o f the chitta. But there is neither a b o tto m to the depth o f the
internal ocean n o r is there a lim it to the inner sky. B oth the ocean and
the sky exist within and at the same tim e they also do n o t exist.
I asked - Is it even possible to bring an end to the internal heights
and depths?
M ahahrajshri - T h e end is possible only when the aspirant be
com es indifferent to these heights and depths and rises above the chitta.
H eights and depths o f the chitta are within the realm o f M aya [the
grand illusion] because the chitta itself is under the realm o f M aya. Just
like the L ord , his M aya too, is infinite. H en ce it is impossible to reach
the end o f M aya. ISlonetheless, by the grace o f G od, one can certainly
turn his face away and abandon M aya.
I asked - W h a t is the means to becom e indifferent to the depths
and heights o f the chitta?
M aharajshri - T h ere is only one way. Rem ove the cause th at is
responsible for the illusion o f the heights and depths. I f tam o guna
inertial qualities] and rajo guna [disturbing qualities] are the depths,
then satcva guna [harm onious qualities] are the heights. I f inauspicious
samskaras [accum ulated im pressions] drag one to the depths, then the
pious, harm onious samskaras lead one to the peak. However, all these
ups and downs occu r within the realm o f M aya. T h u s there is only one
goal o f sadhan, eradication o f samskaras [accum ulated im pressions],
vasanas [m ental tendencies] and kleshas [afflictions], destruction o f the
sense o f doership and freedom from avidya [false knowledge], so that
the individual being can rise above all these three qualities and the false
impression o f heights and depths can be brought to an end.
I asked - But how can the eradication o f accum ulated impressions
and the state beyond the three qualities be achieved?
M aharajshri - Innumerable paths, principles, religions, and means
have been proposed and each o f them proclaim s its doctrines and path
as the best. T h is leads to arguments and debates between them. T h ere is
a possibility o f display o f pride, h^^pocrisy and ostentation too. H o w
ever, in my opinion, surrendering to G od is the only way to eradicate
accum ulated impressions and achieve the state beyond the three quali
ties. Surrender to G od can be achieved by studying one or m ore o f the

mxaltitude o f approaches, personal endeavors and spiritual practices in
accordance with one s faith, beliefs and state o f mind. All other means
are merely the means to attain this solution.
W e would bathe in the sea at a distance from the crowd, in a quiet
and secluded place, and then sit in the sand for som e time and converse,
waiting for our clothes to dry. W atching the sxonrise and enjoying the
ocean waves, we would discuss som e spiritual subject. I initiated a con
versation by m entioning M aharajshris singing in the night, “L ast night
you were singing in the dark, ‘O n e who has forgotten die beloved L ord
has wasted his priceless life.’ It is m y belief that you never forget the
beloved L ord . T h e n w hat was the purpose o f singing that song? W as it to
im part instructions to m e?"
M aharajshri - A t that time m y intention was n o t to instruct you,
neither was my attention focused on my m ental state. T h is goes back to
the time when I was young and I had n o t received any form o f initiation,
but there was indeed som e hunger for spirituality. T h o se days I used to
do som e chanting, perform rituals and practice yoga asanas [H ath a Yoâ
postures]. T h o se days, I was also fond o f singing som e bhajans [devo
tional songs]. T h is bhajan, ‘O ne who has forgotten the beloved Lord has
wasted his priceless life', was my favorite. In the middle o f the night, in
pitch darkness, overcom e with em otions, I would sing this bhajan. Tears
would flow from m y eyes as I sang. M y m ind would becom e extremely
unhappy with its non-detached state. I m ust have sung this song many
times. T h e impressions o f m y state o f m ind, the lyrics o f the song, the
style o f singing, and m y expressions and em otions at that time were
being accum ulated. T h is accum ulation happens on its own, w ithout the
knowledge o f the individual.
L ast night, alm ost fo rty years later, those very impressions were
brought to the surface by the grace o f the awakened Shakti and were
transform ed into kriyas [autom atic m ovem ents]. In the m idnight dark
ness, the same bhajan sprung forth from within. U n d er the con trol o f
the kriya and also inspired by it, I began to sing that bhajan. Y ou are
aware that I do n o t sing, but I was singing this bhajan during a kriya in
R evival Shaktipat Know ledge 19
my sadhan.
I said - B ut you were singing in perfect notes and beats!
M aharajshri - I have absolutely no knowledge o f notes and beats.
I do have som e general understanding o f a couple o f ragas [con stru cts in
Indian m usic]. Y ou also sing during sadhan. H ave you studied m usic
anywhere? Yet, you sing the tunes o f the Bageshwari raga extremely well.
I said - I can sing only during kriyas, n o t otherwise.
W e g ot up from the seashore and went towards the temple o f Lord
Jagannath. It was about a mile away. E ith er side o f the road was thronged
with queues o f beggars; you could say th at an ocean o f beggars was
roaring. N ever before had I seen so m any beggars gathered together at
one place. It is all a play o f karm a [result o f past actions]. Som eone
becom es a d on or and gives alms, whereas som eone else seeks alms with
outstretched hands.
A place was built outside the tem ple to keep shoes and sandals. A
fee o f ten paise was charged if one wished to store the footwear there.
M aharajshri - It is n o t a big deal to pay ten paise, but it is a
question o f attitude and feelings. T h ere is no shortage o f donations at
the temple, and if the organizers desire, they can make excellent arrange
ments to store the shoes for free. In this regard the example o f the Sikh
people is w orth emtilating. N o t only in India, but all over the world, if
you go to any gurudwara [Sikh tem ple], they do n ot charge m oney for
keeping shoes and sandals. T h ey consider it a great virtue to take care o f
shoes o f the people com ing to the temple. It has been observed at a
num ber o f places that som eone m ight pass his hand under the shoes
kept outside the gurudwara and touch ones head for blessings. A t such
places, the visitors to the temple are considered to be the physical form
o f the guru. Such sentiments do n ot exist in H indu temples, hence they
charge m oney even for keeping shoes.
W h en we entered the temple, it was swarming with priests. It was
noisy throughout the temple. W ater had spilled here, flowers were scat
tered there. L ou d recitation o f hymns was in progress somewhere, while
som eone was calling out loudly for som eone at some other place.
Tvlaharajshri - Such chaos and com m otion is seen only in H indu
temples. G o to any Church, Buddhist or Jain temple, or gurudwara, and

it will be absolutely quiet. I f som eone wishes to sit here for five or ten
minutes and m editate peacefully, it is impossible. T h ere is m ayhem ev
erywhere.
2. Subtle Vibrations
M aharajshri was engrossed in reading som e scripture, I do n o t recollect

which one. Sitting in a corner, I was also trying to read a hook but my
m ind was busy in untangling som e oth er pixzzle, ‘H o w did M aharajshri
discover the location o f the cottage o f Swami Gangadhar T irth Ivlaharaj
near C handan Talab [lake] the other dayl T h ere was neither a m ap n or
any inform ation. p-Ie clearly said th at this was the location o f Swami
Gangadhar T irth M ah arajs cottage. T h ere were so many o f us accom p a
nying him, but we could do nothing except walk behind M aharajshri like
a bunch o f fools. M aharajshri visited many sites and passed through
many alleys. Finally he rested his cane only after reaching that place. I f
that isn’t astounding, what is?’
W h e n M aharajshri’s attention turned from reading, I blurted out
my question.
I said - W h e n we went to Chandan Talab, you stood at a spot there
and told us th at Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj had lived here. Subse
quently the m unicipal records confirm ed that it was indeed the place
where Swami G angadhar T irh M aharaj had lived. So how do you know
where a m ahapurusha [great being] was born? O r where he gave up his
m ortal form ? O r where he lived or any other facts? Is this also some kind
o f a siddhi [m iraculous power]?
M aharajshri - It is very simple. T h e place where a mahapurusha
resides, or where an im portan t event o f his life takes place, the subde
spiritual and conscious vibrations that em it from his body perm eate the
surrounding environment and their effect persists in the environment for
a long time. T h e greater the spiritual prowess o f the mahapurusha, greater
is the intensity o f the vibrations and they are effective for a longer time.
T o establish con tact with those subde vibrations, it is imperative for the
chitta to have the capability to transcend into the subde realms. Only
subtlety is attracted toward subtlety. T h e d orm an t chitta remains en

grossed in the corp oreal and in ert (o b jects), hence the chitta o f the
ordinary people can com prehend only the corporeal inanimate world.
However an aspirant who is spiritually advanced can go to subtle realms
and is capable o f grasping those subtle vibrations. Y ou can call it a m i
raculous power if you so desire, but it is only a m atter o f the state o f the
chitta. T h a t is the only reason I could experience the divine subde vibra
tions from the physical body o f Swami G angadharT irth M aharaj, whereas
you all stood like statues. Y ou could only reach the gross physical level
due to the corporeal and inertial nature o f your chitta.
‘'T h is state occurs in two form s. In the first state, only the subtle
vibrations radiated from the physical body o f the m ahapurusha are ex
perienced. T h e knowledge o f the events o f his life which took place
there is n o t revealed. In the second state, in addition to the subtle vibra
tions, the knowledge o f the events in his life also becom e manifest. F o r
exam p le, C h aitan y a M a h a p ra b h u had a strin g o f exp erien ces in
Vrinadavan about the different locations where L ord Krishna stole but
ter , bathed, played his flute, gra 2;ed his cows, or did the Raslila [L ord
Krishna’s m oonlight dance with the Gopis [cowherdesses] in the fields
o f Vrindavan . Vrindavan was developed according to the vision o f
Chaitanya M ahaprabhu.”
I inquired - D oes one need to p erform specific spiritual practices
to attain such capability?
M aharajshri - T h ere is only one spiritual practice - to steady ones
attention on the activities o f the awakened Shakti [the Divine Power]
with a sense o f total surrender, to perceive Shakti as the doer in every act
and event occurring in the world, and to progressively dissolve on es ego
in the K riya-Shakti [dynam ic aspect o f the Divine Power]. W ith the
grace o f goddess Bhagwati, the acctim ulated impressions, destiny, m en
tal tendencies, afflictions and impurities will be progressively eradicated,
the im portance o f the physical world will begin to diminish and the
chitta will begin to dwell in the subtle realms.
Q uestion - Can this subde state n o t be attained by reading and
reciting scriptxires and with contem plation and introspection?

M aharajshri - Reading, reciting scriptures, contem plation, intro
spection and the rest are supporting limbs o f spiritual practice. O ne
definitely benefits from them, but the issue here is destroying the accu
m ulated im pressions and m ental tendencies. H o w is it possible with read
ing and reciting? T h is task can be accom plished only by the awakened
Shakti.
Q uestion - People consider this ability o f a m ahapurusha to grasp
subtle vibrations a siddhi [m iraculous power]!
M aharajshri - I f som ebody wants to believe it is a siddhi, they can
do so. But it is a specific state o f the chitta wherein the chitta is suffi
ciently purified and Chaitanya [the conscious-self, pure consciousness
is dom inant instead o f inertness. O nly a chitta th at dwells in the subde
realms can pick up the subde rays.
Q uestion - W h y do these vibrations disappear with the passage o f
time?
M aharajshri - F irst and forem ost, it is natural th at any vibration
that arises will fade away after som e time. Secondly, with the passage o f
time, vibrations o f worldly tendencies also start to enter th at place be
cause both, good and bad people com e there. Gradually, the effect o f the
worldly vibrations gets stronger and the spiritual vibrations start to dis
appear.
Q uestion - Is there any relationship between the vibrations o f the
resolve m ade by Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj and the subde vibra
tions th at radiated from him?
M aharajshri - T h ere is no apparent relationship between the two,
except that the potential o f the spiritual prowess can be known through
both. Subde spiritual vibrations are based only on Shakti, while the re
solve also includes m ental vibrations. T h e effect o f the vibrations o f
Shakti is localized, whereas the power o f a m ental resolve is effective n ot
only in India but all over the world. O ne day these subtle vibrations as
well as the vibrations o f his mental resolve will fade away. Is there any
wave that has surged and n o t disappeared with time? Is there any mental
resolve th at has com e forth and n o t becom e powerless with the passage
o f time? T h e world is transient. T h e world, the vibrations and mental
resolves, all keep changing their form s. Som e becom e m anifest while
others disappear. O n e day the world will also disappear. Vibrations and
m ental resolves both exist on the basis o f the world.
Q uestion - Y ou said th at the subtle vibrations are vibrations o f
Shakti and their effect is only local. A m ental resolve, however, com
prises o f m ental vibrations and they have a worldwide effect. Y ou have
also stated on a num ber o f occasions that in Shaktipat initiation, only
Shakti is extended out. However, in a distant initiation, the effect o f
Shakti is n o t only local but could be anywhere in the world.
M aharajshri - Y ou are right. In Shaktipat initiation, it is indeed
Shakti alone, which extends and spreads, but it is inspired by a mental
resolve. T h e impetus o f the m ental resolve can activate it anywhere in the
world, while the subtle vibrations th at radiate from a m ahapurushas
physical body are n o t associated with a m ental resolve. H en ce their in
fluence is local. In Shaktipat, the m ental resolve is necessary to propa
gate the Shakti as well as for establishing co n tact with the C hitta-Shakti
the dynam ic aspect or power o f the chitta] o f the disciple.
M aharajshri further said - In this journey we shall visit many places
where the subtle vibrations radiated by the m ahapurushas can be experi
enced, such as Dakshineshwar, where Shri R am krishna Param hansa Dev
lived, Belur M ath , which was established by Swami Vivekananda, and
Bodh Gaya where L o rd Buddha was enlightened with true knowledge.
Q uestion - It hasn t been long since Shri R am krishna Paramhansa
Dev and Swami Vivekananda were around; however, two thousand five
hundred years have passed since the tim e o f L ord Buddha. Are his spiri
tual vibrations p oten t even today?
M aharajshri - It is alm ost th irty years since I have been there. T h e
last tim e I visited that place, the intensity o f the spiritual vibrations
could still be experienced.
Q uestion - D oes everyone experience them?
M aharajshri - I do n o t know about everyone, but it is my belief
th at n o t everyone would be able to experience it. O ne m ust advance to

the subtle realms to experience the subde vibrations. A n inert and gross
m ind can only see the gross physical world. Subtleness arises with an
increase in sattva guna [good and harm onious qualities] and a predom i
nance o f sattva guna is observed in very few people. Generally, an indi
vidual being remains entrenched in the m aze o f tam o guna [inertial quali
ties, inactivity] and rajo guna [disturbing qualities, activity]. Unless and
until, by the grace o f G od, som e saint showers grace on him and he
experiences the dynam ic aspect o f goddess Shakti, the individual being
is incapable o f emerging from this pit o f darkness.
T h is world is a swamp that is filled with the mire o f ego and likes
and dislikes.T he m ore he tries to get out o f it, the deeper he sinks. H ow
can such a being experience the effect o f subtle vibrations radiated by
great beings?
3. Transmigration:
Entering Another Body
I was reading the biography o f Adi Shankaracharya M aharaj. T h ere I

read that when he engaged in a debate on the scriptures with M andan
M ishra on the banks o f the river N arm ad a, M adan M ish ras wife was
appointed as the m ediator. Being a housewife and lacking time, she placed
garlands o f fresh flowers around their necks and said that the person
whose garland wilted first would be considered defeated. As the debate
continued, the flowers from the garland o f M andan M ishra started to
wilt. It was decided that if M andan M ishra was defeated, he would be
come a disciple o f Shankaracharya and take the vows o f renunciation. I f
Shankaracharya were to lose, he would give up the life o f a renunciate
and become a householder. M andan M ish ras wife was frightened when
she saw that his garland had begun to wilt. She said, “1 am the better
h alf o f M andan M ishra. Unless I am defeated, his defeat can not be
considered complete.” O n saying that, she sat down to participate in the
spiritual debate about the scriptures and introduced die subject o f Kam a-
Shastra, the science o f sensuous pleasures. Shankaracharya was a celibate
all his life and had absolutely no knowledge about sexual desires and
tendencies. H ence, he requested a period o f one m onth and departed
from there.
H e returned to his cave and asked his disciples to take care o f his
physical body. H e then sat in m editation and separated his subde body
from his physical body. T h e king o f that region passed away at the same
tune. Shankaracharya entered the physical body o f that king. T h e queen
and the citizens were overjoyed to see the king alive again. W ith the body
o f the king as the medium, Shankaracharya lived with the queen for a
m onth, and having acquired the practical knowledge o f the science o f
sensual pleasures, he returned and defeated M andan M ish ras wife in the
debate.
O n reading this episode, m any questions arose in m y m ind. W h e n

I discussed it with M aharajshri, his response about the subject was as
follows -
“O ne m ight engage in unnecessary debate and talk highly about the
principles o f spirituality, or proclaim oneself a great scholar possessing
experiential knowledge o f the path o f yoga, but for spiritual advance
m ent, par kaya pravesh [transm igration, that is, entering another body], is
considered extremely im portan t. It is next to impossible to com prehend
the subject o f transm igration w ithout spending time, energy and effort
ijn yogic practices. Nlany people consider this knowledge to be an o rd i
nary siddhi [m iraculous power], which like other siddhis, is a hindrance
in attaining the Absolute state. However, w ithout the practical applica
tion o f the knowledge o f entering another body, it is extremely difficult
to end the false sense o f identification or oneness with the physical body.
W h e n an aspirant goes in and ou t o f different bodies it becomes a mere
trick for him. H e rises above the attachm ent to the body.”
Q uestion - But what is par kaya pravesh^ [transm igration]?
M aharajshri - F o r transm igration, first and forem ost the subtle
body m ust be qualified to com e ou t o f the physical body. As soon as the
subde body exits, the physical body becomes like a corpse. T h e subde
body com prises o f the m ind, intellect, ego, accum ulated impressions,
jnanendriyas [subtle aspects o f the senses], karmendriyas [subde aspects
o f the organs o f action] and the five pranas [the five vital airs]. M ental
resolve is the key factor in the process o f the subde body exiting the
physical body. As a resixlt, the prana [life force] and subde senses leave
the physical body after the mind. A t this stage, the subde body wander
ing outside needs another physical body. In the m ajority o f living beings,
the m ind functions only on the basis o f the physical body. However,
even though the minds o f the yogis reside within a physical body, their
vrittis [m odifications in the chitta] can leave the confines o f the physical
body by a m ental resolve and becom e active on the basis o f some other
object. T h e m ental resolve that we are discussing here takes place in the
realm o f the subtle body alone, w ithout any involvement o f the physical
body. W h e n the m ind enters som e other physical body, the subtle senses
and the five pranas emulate the m ind and activate the senses o f that
body. T h e physical sense organs are already present in the body. All that
is needed are the subtle senses and the five pranas, which is fulfilled by
the process o f entering another physical body . T h a t is ‘p ar kaya pravesh’
transm igration .
Q uestion - In transm igration, does the dead person com e back to
life or does the life o f the subtle body, which has entered the dead body,
becom e manifest?
M aharajshri - T h e true nature o f an individual being is n o t his
physical body, but his subtle body. T h e subtle body can exist w ithout the
physical body, but the physical body can not exist w ithout the subtle
body. T h e physical body is merely an expansion o f the subtle body. T hu s
only the life o f the subtle body that enters becomes manifest, while the
world believes that the dead person has com e back to life.
Q uestion - W h e n the dead body com es back to life due to trans
m igration, who is the bearer o f the fruits o f the actions perform ed by
that body? Is it the dead physical body or the newly entered subtle body?
M aharajshri - D id I n o t tell you that the physical body is nothing
but a mere expansion o f the subtle body; it is only a medium. M ental
resolves, feelings, impurities, accum ulated impressions and tendencies,
all exist in the subtle body, and m anifest in the world through the m e
dium o f the physical body. T h e impressions o f good and bad actions
also get engraved and acctim ulated in the subtle body and n o t in the
physical body. It is the subtle body that endtires joys and sorrows, yet
externally it appears as if the physical body is the one enduring, even
though the joys and sorrows are experienced by the mind.
A t the time o f departure from the physical body, the subtle body
carries with it the impressions o f the good and bad deeds that were
perform ed through the m edium o f the physical body. O n entering a
physical body once again, it endures those accum ulated im pressions
through the m edium o f the new body. H e who carries prarabdha [des
tiny], will have to endure it.
R evival o f Shaktipat KnoVi>ledge 29
Q uestion - W h e n the dead body com es alive after transm igration,

what will happen if its accum ulated impressions also get revived?
M aharajshri - T h is is n o t possible because the subde body that
accum ulated the impressions has already gone elsewhere. T h e physical
body does n o t have any accum ulated impressions o f its own. N o w a new
subde body has entered and hence the impressions o f th at subtle body .
Its worthiness, capabilities, nature and all else becom e m anifest through
the m edium o f th at physical body. All the knowledge and impressions
accum ulated through the physical body remain protected within the subtle
body. In the same way, Shankaracharya M aharaj acquired the knowledge
o f the art o f sex through the body o f the king, and carried it along with
his subde body when he left the body o f the deceased king. O nly then
was he able to defeat the wife o f M andan M ishra.
Q uestion - W e have talked about entering a dead body. Is it also
possible to enter the body o f a living person?
M aharajshri - In a deceased person, his senses, five pranas, the
m ind and the rest, in the form o f the subtle body, have already given up
the physical body. T ransm igration is like entering an em pty house and
taking charge o f it, whereas the state o f a living person is totally differ
ent. T h e mind, senses, and prana [life force] are all functioning norm ally
within that physical body. So the one entering a live body does n ot have
to work through his own m ind and senses. O n the contrary, he has to
m otivate and get the work done by the m ind and senses o f the person
whose body he has entered. H ence, this cannot be considered com plete
transm igration. T h is is only an entry o f one s vrittis, wherein after enter
ing som eone, that persons m ind is brought under control and the de
sired act is conducted through him.
Q u estion - W h e n the m ind o f a live person is brought under
control, then who has to endure the fruits o f the good and bad actions
perform ed by that body? Is it the body that perform ed the action, or the
m ind that has established con trol over that body?
M aharajshri - Before gaining con trol over a mind, it m ust be made
inert. T h e resolve is made by the m ind that is in control, it gives the
order and the m ert m ind simply obeys and executes the order. T h e indi
vidual is in som e kind o f a sleep or trance, hence it is the controlling
mind, which is the bearer o f the fruits o f the actions. A ctions are clas
sified into three types: planned, consented, and externally m otivated.
T h e actions discussed here fall under the category o f externally m oti
vated actions, since the m ind o f an individual is influenced or taken
under con trol and is m ade to p erform the task.
Q uestion - D oes the guru also enter the body o f the disciple dur
ing Shaktipat?
M aharajshri - T h e case o f Shaktipat is totally different. In this
regard, the followîng points are well known -
( 1 ) Shaktipat is n o t associated with the mind. It is an exchange at
the level o f the prana [life-force] between the guru and the disciple.
( 2 ) T h e disciple receives the su p p ort o f the gu ru s prana, n o t the
gurus mind.
( 3 ) A fter establishing co n tact with the C hitta-Shakti [conscious
power] o f the disciple, the C hitta-Shakti o f the guru returns to the guru.
( 4 ) T h e guru does n o t make a resolve for a specific kriya [au to
m atic m ovem ents o r activities th at o ccu r after the awakening o f the
Kundalini] for the disciple. T h e kriyas or autom atic movements manifest
in accordance with the accum ulated impressions o f the disciple.
( 5 ) T h e m ind o f the disciple does n ot becom e inert, but remains
n orm al and healthy. I f there is inertness, then it is a form o f kriya.
( 6 ) T h e Divine Power o f the guru remains within the guru. It
simply extends and establishes co n tact with the C hitta-Shakti [conscious
power] o f the disciple.
T h u s Shaktipat can not be classified under the realm o f transm igra
tion.
Q uestion - O k MaharajjiJ I f som eone had destroyed the physical
body o f Shankaracharya Ivlaharaj when he had left it and entered the
physical body o f the king using his subtle body, then which physical
body would he have returned to?
Tvlaharajshri (w ith a sm ile) - In that case it is evident that the
Revival o f Shaktipat Knov^ledge 31
possibility o f his returning to his body would cease to exist. H e would

then be forced to live the rest o f his life through the m edium o f som e
other dead body.
Q uestion - In your opinion, it is essential for every spiritual aspir
ant to attain the capability o f transm igration, but it is my belief that
there is hardly any aspirant in the world who has the ability to enter
another body. D oes this imply that there are no spiritual aspirants in the
world?
M aharajshri - T urn your attention towards all the aspirants in the
world and see who has eradicated his sense o f identification o r oneness
with the physical body. D oes identification with one s physical body end
by giving elegant serm ons on Vedanta? D oes attachm ent to the body
vanish by adding a suffix o f ‘Ybgacharya’ [m aster o f yoga] to one s name?
As long as a specific state o f the chitta does n o t manifest, identification
with the physical body will n o t go away. W h e n th at specific state be
com es manifest, the ability to enter another body arises. Just as a person
som etim es visits a park or a riverbank, sits at hom e o r in an office, in the
same way the individual endowed with the abovementioned ability wan
ders from one body to another.
Q uestion - T h is means th at there is n o t even a single spiritual
aspirant in this world!
M aharajshri - I never said that there are no spiritual aspirants in
the world! T h e world is full o f spiritual aspirants following many differ
ent principles and spiritual paths, but there is possibly only one odd
aspirant hidden somewhere, with that level and capability. T h e trek o f
spiritual practice is very long and arduous. O ne remains engaged in spiri
tual practice as eon after eon and birth after birth pass by, and the spiri
tual practice still goes on. Spirituality is n o t like food that you can pick
up and place in your m outh.
Q uestion - T h e n why n ot accept ‘par kaya pravesh' [transm igra
tion], as a vritti [tentency or m odification o f the chitta], a mental re
solve, or a m iraculous power, because com plete transm igration is ex
tremely difficult?
MaKarajshri - Anything can be accepted for the sake o f accep

tance, but that is n o t the case. T h e ability to enter another body is nei
ther dependent on the m odifications o f the chitta, n or on a m ental re
solve, and neither can it be considered a type o f m iraculous power. It is
a purified state o f the chitta. O nly a resolve m ade by a pure m ind can
separate the subde body from the physical body and gain entry into
another body.
Q uestion - D id Gangadhar T irth M aharaj also possess the ability
to enter another body?
M aharajshri - As per my belief and understanding, he had this
ability but he had already eradicated his sense o f identification with the
body and thus did n o t need to use this ability.
Q uestion - D oes this imply that the sense o f identification with
the body is n o t eliminated through kriyas?
M aharajshri - T ransm igration is also a kriya. In previous births, if
one considered it a m iraculous power and perform ed spiritual practices
to attain it, then those impressions would also get accumulated. O nce
the ability to transm igrate is obtained, then to wipe out the accum ulated
impressions collected in the process o f acquiring it, it is necessary to use
this ability again and again and Shakti also brings forth this kriya repeat
edly. A t that time, the resolve to enter another body continues to arise
repeatedly in the m ind o f the aspirant due to the Shakti, until those
accum ulated impressions are n o t erased.
Q uestion - So the ability to enter another body is also governed by
Shakti?
M aharajshri - All kinds o f capabilities and kriyas [autom atic move
m ents], whether one believes them to be the activities o f Shakti or the
result o f one s individual effo rt filled with pride, are in fact activities o f
Shakti. Are any o f our actions possible w ithout the su pp ort o f Shakti?
Be it a m ental resolve to remove the subtle body or the ability to enter
another body, everything is under the realin o f Kriya-Shakti, the dy
nam ic aspect o f Shakti.
M y head was spinning listening to all this. H ow many and how
diffiCTolt are the stages in spiritual practice and how long and arduous the
spiritual journey! Even courage gives up hope as one advances towards

them . A n aspirant has to go through states that we can n ot even fathom .
H o w swiftly we becom e Brahm a-jnanis, those who have realized Brah
m an, the A bsolute T ru th , and still we are confined to the limits o f the
body!
4. Aerial Travel
O ne evening I was sitting with M aharajshri on the seashore at Swarg-

Dwar. T h e weather was pleasant. W h e n I looked up, I saw a row o f birds
flying in the sky. A th ought arose in my m ind as I watched their unre
strained flight. T h ese birds are so fortunate, com pared to humans. T h ey
can fly carefree in the sky. G od has designed their bodies so th at they can
rise above the ground. I t would have been so m uch better if a human
could fly too unhindered from place to place like these birds! All that a
hum an being does today is wander around scaling m ountain ranges. H e
undertakes long journeys, and if he travels by air, the fare costs th ou
sands o f rupees. Birds do n o t need any fare n or do they need any fuel.
T h e y simply extend their wings and take o f f in the sky.
T h e n I rem em bered reading in the scriptures th at in the ancient
days, deities, demons and spiritual aspirants acquired such miraculous
powers through spiritual practices and they could fly in the sky like
birds. It is said th at the seat o f the aspirants levitates above the grotind,
whereas m y seat does n o t even budge from the floor. Flying in the sky is
a distant fantasy.
M aharajshri saw me deeply engrossed in thought and asked, “W h a t
are you thinking?”
I said, “I was thinking about the birds flying in the sky. People say
that, in Rishikesh, when you were deeply engrossed in sadhan [spiritual
practices after the awakening o f the Shakti], you would walk on the river
Ganges and cross it. T h e speed at which you traveled through the sky was
such that you would travel the distance between Rishikesh, Deva Prayag
and R udra Prayag (approx. 8 0 m iles) in a sh o rt time. Is it true?”
M aharajshri - But I have never said that! W h y do you ask me about
things I have never talked about? T h o se who talk about such things are
the ones responsible for answering these questions.
R evival o f Shakt ip at Know ledge 35
I said - Please forgive me. I asked som ething I should n o t have. A

genuine aspirant never talks about his personal spiritual experiences and
qualities. I shall keep the subject o f whether you had these experiences
or n o t aside, as I discuss this topic.
“O n e hears much about levitation. In the m ythological tales in the
Puranas, m any examples o f aerial travel can be found. B oth demigods
and dem ons were well versed in this science. C an you please shed som e
light on this subject?”
M aharajshri - I f time, energy and effort are directed towards any
given purpose, it is always possible to accom plish th at goal. T h is effort
is also called an austerity. T h e austerities and personal endeavors o f the
dem ons were full o f rajo guna [disturbing qualities] and tam o guna [qual
ity o f inertia or inactivity], yet the fruit o f austerity is always realized.
T h u s the dem ons became experts in the science o f traveling through the
skies. T h e austerity done by the demigods or heavenly beings, who had
also m astered flying, was filled with sattva guna [pious and harm onious
qualities]. However, we are thinking about this from the point o f view
o f spiritual aspirants. T h e sciences o f demons and deities are o f no use
to aspirants, n o r do aspirants make efforts or p erform austerities for
their attainm ent. T h e y have no aspirations for the kalpita siddhis [super
natural powers which one imagines, desires for and obtains through con
scious effort]. Even if they attain akalpita siddhis [unexpected super
natural powers which m anifest spontaneously , they remain indifferent
towards them.
Q uestion - But why does the body rise from the ground, and how
is it im portan t from a spiritual standpoint?
M aharajshri - Som e people believe that it is n ot possible for the
human body to levitate because o f the gravitational force o f the earth
and so there is no link between spirituality and levitation. However these
people forget that despite the earths gravitational force coundess birds
fly in the sky with their physical bodies. T h ere is definitely a similar
reason that allows the physical body to fly in the sky. T h e reason is the
predom inance o f the vayu-tattva, the element o f air [one o f the 5 ele
ments that make up a human body]. I f somehow the element o f air in a
hum an body is increased, then it could also rise up in the sky.

“Levitation o f the body and traveling through the skies are actually
internal states. Elevating the m ind above the earth-like body (to which it
is attached) is m uch m ore im portan t than levitation o f the physical body.
Similarly traveling in the inner sky o f consciousness has greater meaning
than just flying in the air. But an average aspirant does n o t grasp the
essence hidden in the words and gets entangled in the illusory web o f
words and their literal meanings. First the m ind is withdrawn from the
external world and then from the earth-like body.
“Levitation and aerial travel are two levels o f the same science. T h e
ability to levitate develops into the ability to travel through air progres
sively. T h ro u g h Pranaayaam , the yogic practice o f breath control, the
quantity o f air in the body is increased to such an extent that the body
begins to float in the air like a gas balloon. T h is is the path o f H ath a
Yoga, but this does n o t imply that levitation is possible only through
H ath a Yoga. Levitation can be achieved by other means such as prayer,
ritualistic worship, kirtan [singing divine songs], or japa [repetition o f a
m antra]. T h e vayu-tattva, elem ent o f air, being in excess is also n ot the
only cause.
“A m ongst the three gunas [qualities] that are active in nature, Tam o
guna, the quality o f inertia o r inactivity, generates heaviness as well as a
veil o f darkness. T h e purpose o f Sattva guna, pious and harm onious
qualities, is exactly opposite; it brings forth lightness and illumination.
R ajo guna, the quality o f disturbance or activity, resides and operates
between these two qualities. It is always trying to push the inert towards
the harm onious and pious, and the harm onious and pious towards the
inert. Spiritual practice, ritualistic worship, chanting, and singing spiri
tual songs are tendencies o f rajo guna th at are dom inated by sattva guna.
I f these activities are practiced continuously for a long time, then sattva
guna flourishes in the m ind and tam o guna gets suppressed. As a result,
the inertial qualities, heaviness and lethargy o f the physical body, reduce
and the aura expands. I f this state is developed further, various parts o f
the body becom e lightweight and the body rises above the ground and
all four directions are illuminated. T h is is possible only when sattva guna
is extremely predom inant, b oth in the m ind and physical body.

“ Levitation o f the body during m ed itation indicates th at sattva
guna is predom inant in the chitta. T h e fact th at his seat does n o t levitate
during m editation o r japa, is a m atter o f serious contem plation for a
spiritual aspirant. T h is is why I repeatedly state th at spiritual practice is
n o t just a subject o f conversation. Everyone can appear to be a great soul
or an advanced spiritual being through words, but the m ind is n o t yet
dom inated by sattva guna. Still they are firmly glued to earth."
Q uestion - But in the case o f dem ons, the chitta was n o t dom i
nated by sattva guna, yet they were no less qualified in the science o f
aerial travel?
M aharajshri - W h a t I said earlier is one m ilestone o f spiritual
practice. Y ou already know th at in spirituality, first and forem ost, tam o
guna and rajo guna have to be suppressed to increase sattva guna. Levita
tion o f the body is the p ro o f o f an increase in sattva guna in the chitta.
O n the other hand, dem ons had nothing to do with spirituality; they
would chant, perform austerities and sacrifices harboring desires for dif
ferent types o f siddhis in their minds. T h e ir austerities did n ot result in
an increase o f sattva guna, but they definitely obtained the fruits o f their
penance and personal endeavors in the form o f these siddhis.T he siddhis,
m iraculous powers, o f the demons were kalpita [desired by them ], whereas
the siddhis o f an aspirant are akalpita [unim agined or spontaneous].
T h e dem ons used these powers copiously, whereas spiritual aspirants
generally rem ain indifferent towards them.
Q u estion - H o w im p o rtan t is this subject in the trad ition o f
Shaktipat?
M aharajshri - T h e subject o f spiritual practice after the awakening
o f the Shakti, due to Shaktipat or by any other path, is som ew hat differ
ent. Everything that happens afterwards is due to the com passionate
activities o f Shakti [Divine Power]. Kriyas [autom atic movements after
the awakening o f Shakti] perform the task o f destroying impressions o f
all three gunas from the chitta. Sattva guna has a lo t m ore lightness
com pared to tam o guna; however, the state beyond the three gunas is
even lighter and m ore luminous than sattva guna. T h e state o f the chitta
beyond the three gunas occurs at two levels:

( 1 ) W h e n the chitta becom es totally inactive and is thereby re
strained.
( 2 ) W h e n the three gunas com e in perfect balance in the chitta, yet
the chitta continues to carry ou t its activities. In this state, the divine
light o f A tm a-tattva, the essential Self, continues to illuminate the chitta.
Levitation and many other m iraculous yogic powers becom e manifest in
this state. T h is state precedes ultim ate detachm ent, in which one gains
experiential knowledge o f the distinction between inert m atter and con
sciousness and thereby becom es detached from it. T h is state cannot be
attained according to one s wishes; it arises spontaneously through kriyas,
activities o f S h ak ti.T h u s after Shaktipat, the descent o f the Divine Power,
surrender is the only spiritual practice.
Q uestion - Is the attam m ent o f miraculous powers such as enter
ing another body or flying in the sky essential for students o f Shaktipat
to advance further?
M aharajshri - N o . In the spiritual p ractice o f Shaktipat, these
states m ay manifest, or they m ay not. T h e purpose o f kriyas, the activi
ties o f Shakti, is n o t the m anifestation o f such states, but to reveal the
light o f the soul. However, if these states do manifest, it clearly indicates
that the person is advancing on the right path. T h ese states are like the
street signs on the streets.
Q uestion - C ould this capable state o f the chitta [wherein m iracu
lous powers becom e manifest] arise before the abovementioned state o f
the chitta has been attained?
M aharajshri - Yes, this state o f chitta, wherein supernatural powers
manifest, can arise even before that, i f impressions o f this supernatural
power were accum ulated in the past. A t that time this state can manifest
tem porarily in the form o f a kriya.
Q uestion - M aharajji, I am astounded to hear about transm igra
tion and aerial travel because, up until now, one could only read about
these top ics in b ooks. It has n o t been observed firsthand, either in
Shaktipat or any other school o f spiritual practice.
M aharajshri - A nd you never will. W h y would a person who has
attained this state exhibit it to you merely to satisfy your curiosity? N e i

ther is your spiritual state such that it is necessary to exhibit these powers
to you to explain something. It is also true that such states are n o t co m
monly observed. A m ongst millions and billions o f aspirants, hardly one
o f them is able to reach this state. T h e m ajority o f aspirants waste time
in idle talk. F o r a b rief p eriod they becom e enthusiastic ab out their
spiritual practice and again slide back into the world, whereas spiritual
practice is a subject o f faith, sincerity, surrender and continuity.
W h a t m ore could I sayl I still had a long way to go. F ro m a spiri
tual standpoint, the state o f m y chitta was n o t even w orthy o f consider
ation. N onetheless, conversations with M aharajshri definitely helped to
set my future goal.
5, Judging the Level o f Saints
It was evening. I sat close to M aharajshri near Swarg Dwar. T h e ocean

was em itting a swishing sound with every wave. T h e sun was about to set.
T h e salty air blew gently. I do n o t know what M aharajshri was looking
at o r thinking but I was thinking about the greatness of-M aharajshri. I
had heard about saints all along but right there a saint was sitting with
me. It is extremely difficult to recognize a saint otherwise how could so
many people be deceived in the nam e o f religion! O nly a saint can fully
understand a saint, but a person, with whatever lim ited intellect, may
judge a saint as well.
In Ramacharitmanas [A poetic rendition o f the R am ayana ], Tulsidas
has frequently enum erated the qualities o f a saint, as well as those o f a
person who is n o t a saint. W h ile it is true that one can guess the inner
state o f a saint by observing his external qualities, but a conjecture is still
a conjecture. Tulsidas has also enum erated only the external qualities
even though he was a saint himself. H e m ay have been familiar with the
inner states o f a saint. Perhaps he did n o t think it was appropriate to
describe the inner states to com m on masses. Similarly m y reach was
lim ited only to the external qualities o f M aharajshri. I did n o t have the
ability to look inside his chitta [psyche]. I still considered m yself a pre
liminary student.
A fter returning, MaJiarajshri first answered the questions o f visi
tors who came in the evening for an audience with him. A fter dmner
M aharajji sat down to rest. I thought it was the right time to start a
conversation.
Q uestion - M any saints have described the traits o f saints, but
from these descriptions it is hard to know the true inner state. External
traits could even be deliberate. T h ey can alter with changes in time, place
and circum stances. O n the other hand, how can any person be qualified
to recognize a saint? As his perception could be flawed too.

M aharajshri - U n d erstan d one fact very clearly. A n individual
being bound in M aya [the grand worldly illusion] can in no way fully
u nderstand a saint. H is estim ation can be co rre ct b ut it can also be
wrong. T h e true essence can never be realized, but external traits can
definitely help in identifying a saint. H ow can an individual being, sunken
in M aya, even imagine the state beyond Maya?
“Generally an individual being is engrossed in searching for happi
ness in worldly pleasures. Even he, who realizes th at the world can never
be the cause o f happiness, is unable to delve into the depths o f the world
and grasp its essence, due to the impurities in his chitta. W henever a
sattvik [pure and h arm on iou s] state arises in the mind, the search for the
right guide, a great saint, a spiritual m aster is initiated. T h a t is when the
thirst and im patience for knowing the qualities o f a saint or a spiritual
master, the state o f his chitta, his abilities, power, com petency, influence
and nature arise. It is also true that even a com m on person cannot be
truly understood on the basis o f his general behavior and external per
sona. It is n o t easy to determ ine under what difficult circum stances and
m ental tendencies, inspired by w hat kind o f inner desires, due to what
kind o f helplessness, to what end and in w hat m anner a com m on m an
perform s a p articu lar task. A person evaluates som eone else s m ental
state, sentim ents, actions and good and bad qualities, only in the light o f
his own intelligence and ability, his own resources and circum stances and
his own beliefs and plans. H ere the personality under consideration is a
saint or a guru [spiritual m aster], about w hom an average person cannot
even imagine. Som eone may have a sharp intellect from the worldly per
spective, m ay be able to understand the finer details o f worldly subjects
or grasp the subdeties o f some specific art form with ease, but these
subjects are within the realm o f M aya. H ow can that state o f chitta,
which is beyond M aya, be understood by weighing it on the scale o f
M aya, especially when the living being is under the com plete influence
o f M aya! A living being is trapped by the miseries o f attachm ent, likes
and dislikes, abhinivesh [love o f life], and ego, whereas every action and
sentim ent o f the saint, whom he has to judge, is affected and inspired by
the invisible Divine Power. H en ce it is extremely difficult to understand,

knov/, recognize o r make any decision about the saint. O n the other
hand, due to the lowly or miserable state o f his chitta, a person believes
an im poster, a fraud, and a hypocrite to be a saint. T h a t is why it is n ot
so easy to find a saint or a guru. O f course, external traits can definitely
provide som e help, but one m ust n o t rush to judgm ent on this m atter.
T h e ones whose experiential knowledge is aptly ripe and are standing on
tlie doorstep o f sainthood themselves, are definitely in a state where they
can separate the transient and false nature o f the world and the worldly
ego, hatred, hypocrisy and love for life and recognize a saintly person.
T h e y do n o t need any guidance. B ut for an average person it is very
im portan t to know the qualities o f a saint.”
Q uestion - I f we keep the external traits aside for now, what would
the inner state o f a saint be like?
M aharajshri - W^hat can be the inner state o f a saint except that
ultim ate truth and pure consciousness is manifest (directly perceived)
before him, he has attained the state o f divine bliss, he is unaffected by
worldly events and knows eternity, enlightenment and liberation. T h e
saint lives in the world, yet he is beyond it.
Q uestion - T o me this is the highest state o f sainthood, but how
far can a saints state com e down?
M aharajshri - Saintliness (th e state o f a saint) cannot com e any
lower than this but for your ow'n satisfaction, you can bring it down as
m uch as you wish. T h ese days anyone who has adorned the garbs o f an
ascetic is called a saint. T h e phrase “com m unity o f saints” has becom e
quite prevalent these days, but in reality saints do n o t have or belong to
a com m unity. I f you find even one saint, consider it a great grace o f
G od. Besides, som e saints m ay either be carefree, som e forceful, some
ghostly, som e following the path o f action and other inaction. H ow can
the external traits be the same in all the cases? Scriptures have described
their social traits but it is hard to say how far their inner states have
evolved.
“Som e people believe that saints are n o t engrossed merely in their
own spiritual advancement. Take the example o f Swami Gangadhar T irth
Revival o f Shaktipat Knowledge 43
M aharaj, he was definitely eager for his own spiritual advancem ent but
his sentim ent for the welfare o f the world was no less. O nly such great
beings can be included in the category o f saints."
Q uestion - N ow adays, som e folks consider only the practitioners
o f a specific spiritual practice as saints!
M aharajshri - In m y opinion a saintly state has nothing to do with
specific spiritual practices. It is a specific state o f the chitta. Anyone who
can get to th at state following any path can be considered a saint. T hese
days Shaktipat is being transform ed into a type o f business. N orm ally
the duty o f a saindy m aster is to lead the disciple on the path o f spiritu
ality by awakening the disciple s Shakti, w ithout expecting anything from
the disciple, w ithout accepting any m on etary services and taking full
responsibility for fulfilling all the needs o f the disciple.
"Saints have experienced the inner light, bliss and consciousness
direcdy. N o t driven by ego but overcom e by the sentim ent for public
welfare, and if appropriate, to push a capable disciple toward such expe
riences, is the nature o f saints. F o r a saint, it is n o t necessary to im part
knowledge to an aspirant through speech. Knowledge can be transm itted
and received only through silence. T h e union o f one chitta with an-
othe’r, the co n tact between one Shakti and another, the secret transfer o f
knowledge from one pair o f hands to another. T h a t is the true grace o f
a saint. By the virtue o f this grace, the border between the hearts is
broken. T h is grace is the real grace. T h e Divine Power o f G od is the
basis o f this grace. T h e serm on o f the guru continues in silence, and yet
the doubts o f the disciples get dispelled! Such grace is called Shambhavi
D iksha [highest form o f initiation], but in tod ays age it is impossible to
find such saints as well as worthy disciples. Consequendy, the level o f a
saint’s grace has descended to the level o f Shaktopaaya Diksha, in which
the conscious power is infused in the disciple through words, touch,
sight and other means. T h en the internal sadhana [practice] o f the dis
ciple begins.
“O nly those lucky ones are capable o f upholding the true meaning
o f the word saint, who, through the grace o f a guru, and through contin
ued spiritual practice have cut through all the knots in their chitta, also
attained the state o f consciousness that is beyond M aya, the grand worldly
illusion, and is full o f bliss, and are engrossed in activities for the spiri
tual benefit o f the world. O ne who has a genuine hunger for the ultimate
truth, who is n o t interested in any worldly object, whose heart is con
stantly torm en ted due to separation from the Lord, G od manifests in
him naturally, in the form o f pure consciousness and truth. But the one,
who does n o t have a real hunger for the ultim ate truth, no m atter how
m uch chanting, austerities, reading, reciting, contem plation, or prayer he
perform s, will never attain the ultim ate truth.’'
I slid into deep thought. By the grace o f G od I had found a saint
and had also received his guidance. But I had n o t been able to step for
ward to reap the benefit o f his grace and guidance. Based on what
M aharajshri had said, I did n o t have the real hunger for the Absolute
T ruth. W h a t is this real hunger for the A bsolute T ru th and how can one
attain it? T h e question rose in m y m ind repeatedly, so I presented the
same to M aharajshri.
M aharajshri - T h e appetite for P arm arth a [the ultim ate or A bso
lute T ru th ], is called M um ukshutva [being desirous o f liberation] in
Vedanta. It is also called Param Prem [the ultim ate love] for G od in the
path o f devotion. But this hunger for the Absolute T ru th arises only
when the detachm ent toward worldly pleasures is firi^ y established in
the m ind. E ith er the m ind will be attracted to the world or to G od, To
awaken the attraction for G od, the attraction toward the world m ust be
ended first. O nly then can natural separation towards the world arise.
T h is is the hunger for the Absolute T ruth.
Q uestion - Is it n o t possible that love for G od be awakened with
such intensity that the m ind turns away from the world and turns to
wards God?
M aharajshri - In principle your statem ent is co rrect but in practical
life it is difficult. As long as there is an attraction for worldly objects,
love for G o d is hard to m aintain in the mind.
Q uestion - But this nuisance o f arising detachm ent and fostering
love does n o t exist in Shaktipat! Shakti does everything by itself. Kriyas
autom atic m ovem ents] will occu r as the needs arise.
M aharajshri - T h e kriyas will occu r based on where your attention

is focused. I f the attention is on accum ulated impressions then the deple
tion o f im pressions will take place; if attention is on detachm ent then
inner indifference will take place; and if attention is on the world, then
desire for worldly pleasures will arise. It is only shakti [a power], what
ever type o f work you wish to get done, good or bad, she will simply do
it. I f you keep your attention toward the world, how will you advance
towards A tm a [the Self, eternal nature o f consciousness
6. Subtle Experiences
T h e next m orning after bathing in the sea, M aharajshri said he

wished to go to Chandan Lake again, where Swami Gangadhar T irth
M aharaj once lived. So we first went to the temple o f L o rd Jagannath to
pay our respects and then we took a rickshaw to Chandan Lake. W e had
already seen the place where Swami G angadhar T irth M ah araj lived, so
we went there direcdy.
A t som e p oin t in tim e the place m ust have been like a jvingle but
now it was totally inhabited. T h e land where the cottage existed was
open on two sides. O n one side there was a market, on the other side a
street. L ast time, when M aharajshri had recognized it as the place o f
Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj s cottage, we had arrived at that spot
from the street side. T h is time we went into the spot from the m arket
side. T h ere was a hut in the corner, perhaps for the caretaker and there
was a shop o f w ood and coal on that ground. T h e pieces o f w ood had
been arranged into a num ber o f stacks. Big tree trunks were scattered
around waiting to be cut. O n one side, bags o f charcoal were stacked and
on the other side a m ound o f coal. T h e stall owner was talking to a
custom er. O n seeing two m onks clothed in saffron inside his shop, he
bowed to them and asked, “Tell me what brought you here? H ow can I
serve you?” M aharajshri pointed to the custom er and said, “First co m
plete your business with him and then we will talk.”
W h e n the custom er departed, the stall owner seated M aharajshri
on a broken chair kept nearby. M aharajshri began, “Sixty or seventy
years ago, when this place was like a jungle, our Gurudev Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj s cottage stood here. W e do n o t know how long he lived
here, but he gave up his m ortal body at this very place. So this is a holy
place o f pilgrimage for us. Today you do your business here, but the
spiritual vibrations em itted by Swamiji M aharaj are still present here. It
is possible th at you have n o t experienced these vibrations. W ith your

perm ission, can we sit here for a while?”
T h e owner o f the stall was impressed with what M aharajshri told
him and the m anner in which he said it. H e said, “Y ou can happily stay
here as long as you please. But I would like to ask you one question, how
did you know th at the cottage o f Swamiji M aharaj was at this spot?”
M aharajshri - T h ere are two p roofs. T h e first one I can not show
you. I am able to experience the subtle vibrations o f Swamiji M aharaj
right here at this very m om ent. Since you m ight n o t be able to experi
ence them , this p ro o f is o f no use to you. Secondly, we have checked the
old m unicipal records. T h e cottage was in the name o f a brahmachari
celibate, the person, who has taken the oath o f celibacy] nam ed Karaali,
a disciple o f Swamiji M aharaj. H e gave the cottage to Swamiji M aharaj
and went to live in a guesthouse nearby.
M aharajshri asked, “Since how long have you owned this land?
T h e owner o f the stall said, “A b ou t tw enty-four years ago m y fa
ther bought it. I do n ot know from whom. H e started this business here,
and now I look after it.”
M aharajshri spent about an hour there. H e sat quietly for some
time. I also sat on a big log. T h e n M aharajshri walked around the shop.
H e stopped where the pile o f coal was stacked and then asked me to
bring the chair close by, and sat on the chair. A fter a little while his eyes
closed. H e rem ained in th at state for about h alf an hour. A fter that he
got up, to o k leave from the owner o f the stall and walked away. W e hired
a rickshaw and returned to our place.
O n the way he told me, “Each and every corn er o f that place is
fully charged with subde vibrations o f Shakti [Divine Power] but they
were m ost powerful where the pile o f coal was. I believe that the cottage
o f Swamiji M aharaj was at that spot. Seventy to eighty years have passed
since then. N o w worldly business is done there. T ru th and lies, possibly,
all go on there. T h o se subtle vibrations m ust have lessened a little. W h a t
m ust have been the state during the time o f Swamiji Maharaj? Shakti
the Divine Power] m ust have been dancing everywhere. T ru th and bliss
m ust have been experienced all around.
“A guru-brother o f mine nam ed Swami Pranavananda M aharaj used

to go to the ashram o f Swami N aray an T irth D ev Ivlaharaj in M adaripur.
N ow that place is in E a st Pakistan (now called Bangladesh). A ccording
to him, Swami N aray an T irth D ev M aharaj had said that when he reached
the cottage o f Swami G an gad harT irth M aharaj with Karaali Brahmachari,
he felt very pleasant, but did n o t experience any Shakti. Only when Swamiji
M aharaj graced him and gave him initiation did he becom e familiar with
Shakti, and the state o f his chitta was transform ed. H e kept sinking in
the Shakti and bliss that perm eated all around. It seemed as if som eone
had thrown him in an ocean o f bliss.’’
It rem inded me o f the days when I had just arrived in Dewas in
1 9 5 9 . M aharajshri had gone to N epal, so I had to wait in the ashram for
two m onths for his return. I used to hear the sounds o f kriyas [au to
m atic movem ents] o f the aspirants sitting in the cave for sadhan [m edi
tation practiced after Shaktipat initiation]. I felt good when I strolled
around in the ashram, but the mysteries o f Shakti, bliss, and sadhan
became known only after initiation. T h e revered guru, spiritual master,
turns such a key that the lock o f the h eart that is bolted is thrown open
and the state o f the h eart is transform ed. Consciousness is experienced
in inertness and bliss is experienced everywhere in the world. N oth in g in
the world seems to be ou t o f harm ony; T here is only love, beauty and
oneness everywhere!
M aharajshri - As long as the tree is connected to its roots, the tree
remains lush and green. Severed from its roots, the tree dries up in a few
days. T h e roots o f the tree o f our tradition are here on the banks o f the
Chandan Lake in Jagannathpuri. N on e o f us have paid any attention to
the roots, and that is why we are getting cut o f f from the foundation.
G od alone knows what is written in the fate o f our tradition. H aving
forgotten about the roots, everyone is busy accum ulating self-praise. N o
one is worried that the tree is drying up.
I blurted out, “M aharajji, trees continue to germinate, grow, and
they dry up. I have learnt from you that this is the cycle o f nature. So
what is there to w orry about?”
R evival o f Shaktipat Kno'wledge 49
M aharajshri - T h e germ ination, grow th and drying up o f trees

occurs in the jungle, but in a garden, trees are given water and manure,
they are tended and cared for. T h is tree is the tree from the garden o f our
lineage, but today it has been forsaken w ithout care like a tree in the
jungle. T h is neglect shows how serious we are about the progress o f our
tradition! O u r own spiritual progress and the advancem ent o f our tradi
tion are closely linked to each other. T h e sentim ent to advance our tradi
tion is the cornerstone for increasing detachm ent, austerity, and generos
ity.
Conversing along these lines, we reached ou r place. O ffering o f
food arrived from the tem ple shordy. W e accepted the offering and rested
for som e time. Afterwards M aharajshri sat in m editation.
A fter a little while, when he g o t up from m editation, he said - It
would be ideal if every ashram in this tradition celebrated at least one
day in the h on or o f Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj. A ccording to me,
the day o f Akshay Tritiya [an auspicious day in the H in d u lunar calen
dar] would be the m o st appropriate, since it is the day Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj showered grace on Kalikishore [Swami N arayan T irth
D ev M aharaj]. T h is would sustain a sentim ent o f unity in the entire
lineage. T oday everything seems scattered.
“I think th at a brahm achari o r sanyasi [one who has taken the vows
o f renunciation] should com e and stay here. W e should try to buy this
land. W e can establish a m editation center here in the m em ory o f Swami
Gangadhar T irth M aharaj. T h a t way disciples will visit regularly and the
m em ory o f Swamiji M aharaj will also be sustained. T h e aspirants will
continue to benefit from the spiritual vibrations and the vibrations will
also remain powerful for a longer time."'
I said - M aharajji ! T h a t is a fine idea, provided an appropriate
person is identified! I do n ot know whether I am worthy o f this, but if
you consider it appropriate and com m and me, I am ready to stay here to
try and fulfill this task.
M aharajshri (after thinking for a while) - N o ! T h is task is n o t for
you. W e will see whenever we find the right person for this work.
M aharajshri s plan never came to fruition. Discussions with some
people did take place but no one was willing. M aharajshri had told me
th at it was n o t m y task, b u t he did n o t say why it was n o t! Finally
M aharajshri said, “Such is the wish o f the Lord, then so be it I A m ans
ego instigates him to act against the wishes o f the L ord, but ultimately
only that happens, w hat G od wishes.
“W e can harbor good wishes for the lineage and the aspirants. W e
can also make all possible efforts, and we can inspire people, but only
what is in G o d s plan, happens.
“I f this place had developed in the m em ory o f Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj, the attention o f all the disciples o f this tradition would
be focused here, the sentim ent would also be sustained within, and on
visiting here, the aspirants would benefit from the subde vibrations o f
Swamiji M aharaj. Everybody would feel that Swami G angadhar T irth
M aharaj is our G uru. U n d er these conditions, the subtle vibrations would
remain powerful for a longer time. N o w the attention o f the lineage is
drifting away from this place. Even the gurus are experiencing a false and
baseless sense o f pride in their being a guru. I f the connection from the
powerhouse is cu t-off, how can one receive electricity? Soon the subde
vibrations o f Swamiji M aharaj will disappear. W^hat will happen to the
tree o f this tradition if the roots get cut o f f or dry up?
“W^hat else can we do besides surrendering our wishes at the holy
feet o f the L ord ?”
7* The Search for a Guru
T h e next day while discussing M aharajshri said -

“I f you consider carefully, Jagannathpuri has a special significance
in our tradition. Two m ajor personalities related with our tradition in
two distinct ways, o f spiritual practice and renunciation, are associated
with this place. O n the one hand, this is the place where Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj did austerities and gave the only Shaktipat initiation o f
his entire life to Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj [then known as
Kalikishore], Swamiji M aharaj also left his m ortal body here. O n the
o th er hand, m y reverend m aster, Swam i Shankar P u ru sh o ttam T irth
M aharaj, who blessed me with Sanyas D iksha [vows o f renunciation],
was blessed into the path o f renunciation by Shankaracharya Swami
Bharati Krishna T irth M aharaj o f Govardhan M ath , in Jagannathpuri.
O u r n ob le g ra n d m asters had very close ties w ith this city. A lso
Jagannathpuri is recognized as the fourth place o f pilgrimage along with
Badrinarayan, D w arka and Ram eshw aram .
“It would n o t be an exaggeration to say th at Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj was an em bodim ent o f sacrifice and penance. N either a
craving n or any desire for public fame, anonymous, always absorbed in
the self, to a point: where even the herm its living in nearby cottages did
n ot know what a great being he was. As for Swami N arayan T irth Dev
M aharaj, it is sufficient to say that it is n o t very difficult to imagine the
type o f ashram he m ight have had, considering the fact that he had no
source o f incom e, the m onetary donations from disciples were paltry,
there was no bank balance and the ashram was supported with alms.
Today Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj and Swami Narayan T irth Dev
M aharaj have been reduced to mere ideals. I f they are ever m entioned,
then it is limited only to serm ons and books. Like a foundation stone,
Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj has borne the heavy load o f this tower-
like lineage, but now the building has started to crumble.

“Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj was sacrifice and asceticism per
sonified, and Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj was the incarnation o f
both, N ivritti and Pravritti [N ivritti - Inward path by abstention from
all acts and Pravritti - Active participation in life and due discharge o f
ones duties and obligations to society]. Som etim es his active involve
m en t seemed to be detached and at other times even if he was inactive
and detached, it seemed he was actively involved. Is there a m ahatm a
great soul] in our tradition today who runs the ashram by seeking alms!
Swami N arayan T irth D ev M aharaj had only one goal in front o f him,
the spiritual progress o f his disciples. As soon as the guru’s attention
turns towards the wealth and prosperity o f disciples, the goal o f the
disciples’ spiritual progress fades from sight.”
Q uestion - H as the foundation becom e weak or is the building
crumbling?
M aharajshri - T h e foundation has n ot becom e weak, but the bond
between the building and the foundation is breaking away.
M aharajshri becam e'silent after saying this and I slipped into deep
thought. ‘M aharajshri is right in what he is saying. G reat empires were
established but tim e razed them to the ground. T h ere was a time when
the sun never set on the British Em pire, but today where is that situa
tion? Principles, paths, and traditions arise, shine everywhere in the,
world, and today no one even rem em bers their names. F o r some days
there is uproar and then everything com es to a standstill. Fireworks ex
plode in the sky, and then everything disappears (in the darkness).’
M aharajshri - W h e n som eone begins to notice this ever-changing
nature o f the world, then he does n o t get attached to it. O u r scriptures
have presented this very ideal in the form o f Kak Bhushundi [an im m or
tal being living in the form o f a crow; he was cursed by a sage for the
im perfections o f his beliefs and turned into a crow ]. T h e whole creation
manifests and then dissolves. Kak Bhushundi remains on the sides and
watches this entire process. M aya [the grand illusion continues its up
heavals and uprooting. T h e divine sp o rt o f M aya can be observed only
by staying away from it. O ne who gets entangled in M aya, she makes him
wander all around. H e, who separates him self from M aya, she (M ay a)
presents a variety o f tricks and form s before him and entertains him.
T h e L o rd to o stays beyond the realm o f M aya and enjoys watching the
tricks o f M aya.
“Swami G an g ad h arT irth M aharaj had crossed the river o f sadhana
spiritual p ractice]. N o w he was simply sitting on the seashore and en
joying the ocean waves. Seated at a distance from M aya, he was watching
the tricks o f M aya. H o w M aya m ortifies the individual beings? H o w she
lifts him and then throws him down? H o w she holds his head submerged
deep in the ocean o f Becom ing [cycle o f birth and death]? T h e n she
rejoices in glee. All these facts were passing before the eyes o f Swami
G an g ad h arT irth M aharaj like a m otion picture. H is state was such that
he could only watch the m ischief played by M aya.
“Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj s h eart was filled with com pas
sion when he saw the pitiable state o f individual beings, who were sub
m erged in the great ocean o f M aya. H e also knew th at all this was the
result o f their own actions. Nevertheless the condition o f the individual
beings getting crushed in the m illstone o f daily life was still very piti
able. H e could also see som e o f them making efforts to free themselves
from the grip o f M aya. Anytim e they heard that an enlightened soul
had arrived, they would run to him. Yet their endeavors were n ot com ing
to fruition. T h e y were unable to think o f a way out. O thers would get
frustrated and com pletely forsake tlie path o f spiritual practice.
“Swamiji M aharaj was an enlightened soul who had com pletely
retired from all worldly activities. H e was experiencing firsthand that the
worldly beings were bearing the fruits o f their own actions. T h ere was
nobody in the world, who was either close or alien to him, yet he would
feel pity at the state o f these beings. H e would think, ‘T h ese individual
beings are unable to find any support for their spiritual practice. A nd if
they do find som ething, it is often imaginary. H ow can their spiritual
practice progress further merely on the basis o f their imagination? I f
they could merely see the finest aspect o f the Divine Power, or even
receive just a single ray o f knowledge, or just get the slightest glimpse o f
the falsehood in their sense o f doership, their spiritual practice m ight be
able to move ahead. I have com pletely withdrawn m yself from all worldly
activities, hence I cannot p erform this task. But if I can find a worthy
individual who considers providing su pp ort to the aspirants a service to
his guru, and overcom e with a desire for public welfare does this in a
m anner that is detached and devoid o f ego, that kind o f an individual
can be endowed with Divine Power.’
M aharajshri continued, “Y ou already know about Kalikishore since
you have written the ^^Shri Narayan Upadeshamrit”, which included a sh ort
biography o f Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj. However, to maintain
the continuum o f the subject, I will tell you a few things in a concise
manner. Kalikishore was born in E a st Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in the
district o f Faridpur and in the village o f M andrasar. H is m oth ers name
was N avdurga Devi, and his father was Xarinicharan Gangopadhyay. H is
birth was the result o f a blessing from a highly advanced spiritual master.
T h e same Kalikishore eventually becam e famous as Swami N arayan T irth
D ev M aharaj. H e was cerem onially adorned the sacred thread af^the age
o f eight and a half. D uring those days, the tradition was to m arry at a
young age, so discussions about his m arriage were also initiated. H o w
ever, due to his inclination towards renunciation, he ran away from hom e.
H e tried to engage his m ind in singing devotional songs, he also did
som e odd jobs here and there, but he did n o t find peace o f mind, nor
proper guidance. H e returned hom e after a period o f three years.
“H is interest in spirituality was a cause o f anxiety for his parents.
A t the age o f eighteen, he was forced to m arry Sarojani Devi. N ow he
had to bear the responsibility o f a householder. H e even worked at a
num ber o f places. T h e n with the perm ission o f his father, he took up a
job in C alcutta at a printing press, but the flames o f spirituality were still
blazing in his heart. H e decided to forsake everything, becom e a renunciate
and ran away from C alcutta too.
“Kalikishore had realized th at a capable guru [spiritual m aster or
precep tor] was essential for spiritual progress, so he first went to the
holy town o f Baidnath D h am in Bihar and wandered in many different
ashrams in search o f a guru. But everywhere he saw only worldliness.
T h e n he rem em bered Jagannathpuri in Orissa, so he proceeded there.
T h e situation here was no different from Baidnath D h am . H is m ind was

overcast with clouds o f disappointm ent. Eventually w ith the help o f
Karaali Brahm achari, he landed before Swami G an g ad h arT irth M aharaj.
“Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj was waiting for such a person
when he m et Kalikishore. Kalikishore was also wandering in search o f a
true m aster. I t was during these wanderings th at he bum ped into Karaali
Brahm achari. T h u s, the union o f a capable guru and a worthy disciple
to o k place. However, after this union and receiving grace from his guru,
Kalikishore had to return hom e and wait for approxim ately twenty years,
and it was only then that the grace o f the G u ru -tattva [the essential
nature o f the guru] descended upon him.”
Q u estion - “W h e re did Kalikishore wander p rior to this?”
M aharajshri - As I told you earlier, he ran away from hom e and
dedicated him self to the quest for a real guru. H u ge spiritual institu
tions and ashrams, throngs o f disciples, impressive lectures, wealth and
splendor could n o t attract his m ind. H e visited Baidnath D ham and
m any other ashrams on the way until he reached Jagannathpuri. H e vis
ited a num ber o f ashrams after arriving in Jagannathpuri. Everywhere
there was ostentation, hunger for fame, m utual animosity, speaking ill
about each other and debates over greatness. N o b o d y was focused on the
U ltim ate T ru th . Everyone was entangled in the world. W orldliness reigned
under the saffron robes. H e would go to the temple o f L o rd Jagannath
and pray, “O Lord ! Is there a dearth o f your devotees even in your own
town? Are all these people here engulfed in worldliness too? W ill I have
to face dejection even at your doorstep?”
As he sat on the sand on the seashore in disappointm ent, one
brahm achari [one who has taken the vows o f celibacy] arrived there for
a bath in the ocean. H is face was glowing with the radiance o f detach
m ent. A loincloth was wrapped up to his knees, bare from the neck to
waist, and a h erm its water p o t in his hand. H e bathed in the ocean and
spread his clothes to dry on the sand. T h e n he sat down at a spot and did
chanting and m editation for some time. H is clothes had n o t yet dried.
H is.sigh t fell on Kalikishore and he noticed his crestfallen face. H e en
quired, “W h o are you, where have you com e from , and why are you
sad?"’ H is com passionate words touched Kalikishores heart. H is simple,

spiritual personality and his loving words brought tears to the eyes o f
Kalikishore. Kalikishore said, “I am a resident o f Faridpur district in
E ast Bengal. Ivly name is Kalikishore. I am wandering around in search
o f a guru, but wherever I have gone I have seen nothing but deceit. I had
com e with a great hope but so far a capable guru is nowhere to be seen
here. It is the reign o f Kaliyuga [the age o f D arkness] all arou n d ”
T h e brahm achari felt pity fpr Kalikishore on listening to his simple
but touching words. H e said, “T h is age is an age o f ostentation. M o st
often you will only find people who are satisfying their own needs and
chasing worldly objects. Such people have- disgraced the com m unity o f
renunciates.” H e paused for a while, and then continued, “Please com e
with me. I will introduce you to a great man. T h ere is no ostentation or
pretension in him. N o one com es to him n or does he go anywhere. H e
remains im m ersed in m editation m o st o f the time. Pay your respects to
him. I am confident that you will definitely be satisfied. H is name is
Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj.’’
8. Meeting a True Master
Karaali Brahm achari and Kalikishore were talking and approaching the
cottage o f Swamiji M aharaj. Karaali Brahm achari said, “M y name is
Karaali, and I am in the service o f this m ahapurusha [great soul or per
son]. I live in a lodge nearby. M y duty is to clean the cottage and bring
alms for this m ahapurusha, along with whatever else that he tells me to
d o .’’
V /h en they arrived at the cottage, the M ahapurusha was blissfully
absorbed in m editation. H is loincloth was hanging on a tree. Som e flow
ers o f m arigold were bloom ing. Tulsi [Indian Basil] adorned a plant bed,
and there was a N eem tree in the centre o f the open space. N eem seeds
were scattered around on the ground. A raised p latform had been con
structed on the side for sitting. T h e surroundings were extremely quiet
and peaceful. Karaali Brahm achari asked Kalikishore to sit on the side.
A fter waiting a little while, he signaled Kalikishore to step away [from
the cottage] and said, “M aharajji is still in m editation and it is time to
seek alms, so I will seek alms and return. Please wait here.”
Karaali Brahm achari came back with alms but the M ahapurusha
was still in the meditative state. A fter about two hours when his m edita
tion was interrupted, his gaze fell on Kalikishore. H is eyes were shining
w ith the in ten sity o f m ed itatio n . K araali B rah m ach ari in tro d u ced
Kalikishore and Kalikishore prostrated before him respectfully.
Kalikishore was already impressed with the personality o f Swamiji
M aharaj, the spiritual aura that bloom ed on his face, the divine rays that
perm eated the atm osphere. T h ere was no pretension or ostentation nor
any possessions in the cottage. A single wooden staff stood hangmg on
the cottage wall. A water p o t filled with water was kept on the side. A
very simple asana [m at] and one blanket were the only other belongings.
Kalikishore said, “Maharajji! I have wandered a lot. Please bless me. I
have seen many m ahatm as but I have n o t been satisfied anywhere. F i

nally, by the grace o f brahmachariji, I have been able to reach you. I do
n o t need any wealth or splendor, I seek only the path o f U ltim ate T ruth.
Please bless me."
Swamiji M aharaj - I am very pleased to hear your feelings. In this
tim e o f Kaliyuga [the D ark A ge], such sentim ents are possible only
through the grace o f G od. O therw ise the present age is full o f selfish
ness, indulgence, excitem ent, con ceit and likes and dislikes. T h ere is a
big noise about spirituality but m orality has fallen everywhere. Even if
som eone wishes to be absorbed in G od, the Kaliyuga does n o t let him
do anything. G o d s infinite grace is upon you.
Kalikishore - Yes, M aharajji! I have been experiencing the same
condition o f the world these days too. So m uch deception is being propa
gated in the name o f spirituality. O ne does n o t even get a glimpse o f
honesty. Selfishness and pillaging reign supreme everywhere. T h e grace
o f saints like you is the only su pp ort available.
Swamiji M aharaj - Okay, the L o rd will take care o f everything.
A fter meeting Swamiji M aharaj, Kalikishore went to the lodge where
he was staying. O n the way he kept thinking. T h e world is never devoid
o f saints, but they are found only by those, w hom they wish to meet. All
my wandering was in vain. Finally Swamiji M aharaj sent Brahmachariji
to me. W h a t a glow on his face! H o w profound and serene he is/ H ow
pleasant his speech is/’
Back in his cottage, Swamiji M aharaj was thinking, ‘G od has sent a
m an in accordance with my wish and need. I have never m et such a pure-
hearted individual. Such genuine dedication to seek the U ltim ate Truth!
T h is boy m ight be capable o f attaining the U ltim ate T ruth, and at the
same time, showing the path o f welfare to others.'
As m entioned earlier, Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj never di
vulged any inform ation about him self anywhere. T h e only thing known
is that he was a Vajpayee Brahmin from M athura [a city in N o rth India
and his gurudev [spiritual m aster] was Swami M ukund T irth M aharaj
and his grand m aster [his gurus guru] was Swami Param anand T irth
M aharaj.
Q u estion - W ere all these great m en aspirants fon d o f solitude?

T h ere is no inform ation publicly available about them.
M aharajshri - Spirituality is the only area where fame and a desire
for public fame is extremely fatal. All o f them were reclusive aspirants
who were far from society. T h e y never exposed their spiritual practices
to the com m on masses. N o t only did they n o t succum b to the desire o f
having num erous disciples, but they m aintained the essence o f spiritual
practice through intense sadhan, solemnity, unwavering detachm ent and
the grace o f Bhagwati Kriya-Shakti [the dynam ic aspect o f the Divine
Power]. O nly such aspirants are like the foundation o f spirituality. O nly
by rem aining hidden from sight in the earth does the seed transform
itself into a tree. N ow adays our tradition is like a huge flourishing tree,
but its seed destroyed its own identity to evolve into this tree. Today
Shaktipat has becom e widespread. T h ere are many ashrams, many gu
rus, literature and big events. But when the roots dry the leaves dry up
too. Still one odd seed m ight remain underground to sprout later. T hese
great m en destroyed their own identity and existence and only then did
they realize their true identity.
T h e re was no significant dialog between Swamiji M aharaj and
K alikishore on the first day. N e x t day K alikishore reached Swamiji
M aharaj s cottage again. H e had now started to see some rays o f hope.
H is m ind was elated and filled with enthusiasm. H e began to follow that
ray o f hope. H is feet were taking him automatically.
Kalikishore - Maharajji, have you thought anything about me? Please
shower your grace on me.
Swamiji M aharaj felt as if he had some relation with this boy from
previous births. A guru-disciple relation is form ed quite often, but if the
relationship between the guru and disciple has serious depth and the
disciple surrenders him self at the feet o f the guru, then the relationship
continues across many births. Swamiji M aharaj also sensed that this boy
was a yogi o f many lifetimes who had strayed frorri the path for some
reason. I f he received the right guidance, and the divine grace o f goddess
Bhagwati, then n ot only could he attain his previous state, but he could
also scale greater heights on the path to the U ltim ate Truth.
Swamiji M aharaj - W h a t do you desire?

Kalikishore - I am interested in the practice o f H ath a Yoga.
Swamiji M aharaj - O ne type o f H ath a Yoga has to be perform ed,
and the other type o f H a th a Y oga takes place automatically. T h a t which
is perform ed is Aanavopaaya and that which happens is Shaktopaaya.
Kalikishore - W h a t is Anvopaaya and Shaktopaaya?
Swamiji M aharaj - T h a t spiritual practice, which is done with ones
own efforts, with a sense o f doership, is Aanavopaaya. T h a t, which hap
pens due to the Shakti after the inner Shakti [Divine Power] is awakened
and activated, is Shaktopaaya.
Kalikishore - T o do som ething by personal effort and to be per
form ed by Shakti, do both these states exist in all types o f spiritual
practices?
Swamiji M aharaj - M any spiritual practices go only until the level
o f personal efforts. W^hen the sadhan [spiritual practice] perform ed by
the Shakti becomes manifest, then all spiritual practices merge into a
single one. R aja Y oga starts with Shaktopaaya.
Kalikishore - Is Japa Y oga [the practice o f chanting] also initiated
on its own?
Swamiji M aharaj - Japa [chanting]. H ath a [yogic postures , Laya
practice o f m editating on the energy centers , Bhakti [devotion , Jnana
knowledge], all (types o f yoga) begin on their own.
Kalikishore - T h e n why is there a need to do anything?
Swamiji M aharaj (laughing) - S elf-effort is necessary because it
does n o t happen autom atically to everyone."'
Kalikishore was absorbed in deep thought on hearing this. H e
asked, “H o w does it happen automatically?”
Swamiji M aharaj - It happens within, as a result o f the awakening
and activation o f Shakti.
Kalikishore - H o w will that happen?
Swamiji M aharaj - You have com e to m e for that purpose. R igh t
now you have no understanding o f these things because you do n ot have
any experience. O nce you get the experience, then everything will be
com e crystal clear.
T h e n Swamiji MaKaraj asked, “H ave you accepted anybody as a

guru in die past? I f so, then it is appropriate to seek his perm ission
before taking any other form o f initiation. O therw ise it is an insult to
the g u ru /’
Kalikishore - O th er than learning the Gayatri M an tra from Punditji
a priest or religious scholar], I have n o t accepted anybody as m y guru.
Swamiji M aharaj - A disciple should have com plete surrender. I f I
ask you to jtimp in a blazing fire, are you prepared to jump?
Kalikishore - W h atev er instructions you give me, I will follow
them accurately.
Swamiji M aharaj - R ig h t now I do n o t see a firm conviction in
your voice. Y ou r condition is som ew hat ambivalent.
Adding m ore strength to his voice, Kalikishore said, “I surrender
m yself at your holy feet. E ach and every instruction o f yours will be
w orth following for me. W ith your blessings, I will embrace the biggest
o f challenges.”
M aharajshri - Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj was an acco m
plished p recep tor o f the principles o f Shakti [the Divine Power] and
also had absolute knowledge o f the science o f Shaktipat. T h e m om ent
he saw Kalikishore, he experienced a kriya [activity o f the Shakti] that
the boy was w orthy o f being infused with Shakti. T h is was another rea
son why he had no difficulty in determining the worthiness o f Kalikishore.
I have already narrated these facts to you and you have also experienced
them, so it should n o t be difficult for you to com prehend.
Q uestion - Is there no other way to determ ine the worthiness o f a
disciple?
M aharajshri - A guru who does n ot have the abovementioned knowl
edge o f the science o f Shaktipat determines the worthiness based on his
personal judgement.
T hereafter Kalikishore started visiting Swamiji M aharaj regularly.
O ne day he asked a question -
Kalikishore - All the things that you have told me, I have n ot been
able to find in any book!
A t th at tim e there was rio in d epen d en t literatu re available on
Shaktipat in H in d i or Bengali (the language spoken in E ast Pakistan,

where Kalikishore came fro m ) language. U p until then it was n o t cus
tom ary to write openly about this.
Swamiji JVLaharaj - T h ere is definitely a m ention in the scriptures,
but one has to understand the subject. I f one does n o t have an under
standing, it just passes over on es head.
Kalikishore - But in the scriptures it is stated on num erous occa
sions that one m ust do Purushartha [self-effort]. Purushartha, based on
what you have said, I can only interpret it to mean Anvopaaya [the spiri
tual practice, th at happens with a sense o f doership]!
Swamiji M aharaj - T h e m eaning o f the word ‘Purushartha is based
on the state o f one’s chitta. T h e purushartha [self-effort] o f an average
worldly being whose Shakti is n o t awakened, falls under Anvopaaya. N o t
having experienced the activities o f the Shakti, what can a person think
beyond this? H ow ever for them, whose inner-Shakti is already awakened
and have experienced the active nature o f Shakti, surrender is the only
purushartha o r self-effort. I f one continues to make deliberate efforts
even after awakening, then the spontaneous activities o f the Shakti com e
to a stop. T h e scriptures have w ritten it correctly but the meaning is
unfolded according to the understanding o f the reader.”
Kalikishore - T h e n should I do any chanting, ritualistic worship,
m editation or anything else, through m y personal efforts or not?
Swamiji M aharaj - As o f now you can definitely repeat any m antra
based on your faith.
Kalikishore - I have done plenty o f japa [chanting or repitition o f
a m antra], but nothing favorable has com e o f it.
Swamiji M aharaj - But now I have asked you to do japa. Even if a
form al M an tra D iksha [initiation by giving a m antra] is n o t given, but
you have been told to do m antra japa, even then, the blessing will do the
job.
Kalikishore decided to start his japa, that very m om ent. W h en he
departed from the cottage for his lodge, his japa started on its own. H e
was also experiencing a strange kind o f joy. Even at his boarding place,
his chanting (japa) continued for m ost o f the time. H e started to think.
‘Earlier m y m ind was never interested in japa! H ow I had to struggle

with m y m ind! I wotild try to forcibly con trol m y m ind and engage it in
japa and nowl Japa is happening on its own. I t is giving m e joy too. I f
this is n o t a m iracle, then what is!’
Kalikishore was visiting the cottage every day. A t times he had to
wait for hours because Swamiji M aharaj was in m editation m o st o f the
time. N o w Kalikishore had no problem waiting, for he had acquired the
su p p ort o f japa [chanting]. Sitting outside the cottage, he would enjoy
the intoxication o f chanting. A t times he would get so absorbed in doing
japa, th at he would lose track o f time. O nly when Swamiji M aharaj came
ou t and stood in fron t o f him, would he com e becom e conscious o f
tim e.
9. The Benefit o f Grace
M aharajshri and I used to go to the seashore in the m orning and evening

and sit there for a while. A t th at time, like M aharajshri, the ocean too
was busy expressing spiritual knowledge. T h e knowledge im parted by
M aharajshri was based upon his personality, sadhan and speech, whereas
the knowledge o f the ocean was based on its vastness, depth, finite size
and constandy rising waves. O ne can understand the futility o f worldly
life by thinking o f the waves rising in the sea. T h e waves arise, becom e
visible, and then subside, while all along the water remains. Similarly, the
sights and form s o f the world arise due to vibrations o f Shakti in the
tm fathom able ocean o f the future, they becom e visible in the present,
and then dissolve in the deep darkness o f the past. T h e basis o f this
world, the Divine Power, always remains similar to the water in the sea.
T h e sea is similar to a Vedanta scripture that im parts theoretical knowl
edge as well as provides an experiences through a practical example.
I asked M aharajshri - W h e n was the last tim e you came here?
M aharajshri - I have com e here twice before. I came the first time
when I was a teacher in Bilaspur (before taking the vows renunciation}.
T h e second time was after taking Shaktipat initiation (in 1 9 3 3 ) from
Shri Yogananda M aharaj. D uring the first visit I knew nothing about
Shaktipat and Swami G angadhar T irth M aliaraj. I had com e only to
visit and offer my prayers at the temple o f L ord Jagannath. W h e n I
came here the second time, I had som e basic in form rtion about Swami
Gangadhar T irth M aharaj but did n ot have any significant knowledge, so
I did n o t investigate too much.
“W^hen I came here the last time, I also went to Chandan Lake. A t
that time the surrounding environment was like a forest. Trees and shrubs
and cottages o f m ahatm as were scattered everywhere. It was very quiet.
N o b o d y knows when Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj came here and
settled down, but before him Karaali Brahm achari lived in this cottage.
W h e n Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj came, Karaali Brahm achari was
im pressed by him and offered him his cottage, and started living in a
lodge nearby. H e also brought alms for Swamiji M aharaj.’'
Q u estion - Karaali Brahm achari served Swamiji M aharaj a lot, but
Kalikishore (Sw am i N arayan T irth D ev M ah araj) was given Shaktipat
initiation! T h a t seems a little inappropriate!
M aharajshri - It is inappropriate to d oubt the actions o f gurus. H e
desired the welfare o f the entire world. M aybe Karaali Brahmachari was
considered unw orthy o f initiation. Shaktipat is n o t like a medicine that
can be given to anybody who com es. By the way, Karaali Brahmachari
had also been given m antra initiation.
N o w M aharajshri had com e back to the episode relating to Swamiji
M aharaj.
T h e next day when Kalikishore came to the cottage, Swamiji M aharaj
requested a pocketbook version o f the Bhagavad G ita from an ascetic
living in a nearby cottage. H e m ade Kalikishore read som e o f the verses
and then asked him to recite the G ita daily. W ith in a m on th o r two
Kalikishore had m em orized quite a few verses. E ith er his japa would be
in progress or he would be hum m ing verses o f the Gita.
Kalikishore used to recite the G ita before too, but now the recita
tion had undergone a distinct change. N ew meanings o f the verses started
to spring up in his heart. H e was getting particularly attracted to the
verses from the ninth chapter, especially the following verse -
Rajavidya rajaguhyam pavitramidamuttamam
Pratyakshaavagamam dharmyam susukham kartumavyayam
T h is means that the king o f all knowledge, king o f all secret knowl
edge, is pure and supreme. It can be directly experienced, it is in accor
dance with D h arm a [the path o f righteousness], imperishable and bliss
ful. Kalikishore had read this verse many times in the past but never
before was his attention drawn seriously to the depth o f its meaning. H e
started to think, ‘W h a t could be th at knowledge which has all the
abovementioned qualities? All these qualities can never be present in any
spiritual practice o r worship within Aanavopaaya [spiritual practice done

with a sense of doership and n o t surrender]. All the knowledge o f the
world is incom plete in the same way the statue o f L o rd Jagannath is
incom plete. T h a t alone is knowledge, which can take one from im perfec
tion to perfection or incom pleteness to com pleteness. Such a knowledge
m ust be the one referred to as divine knowledge.'
W h e n Kalikishore did n o t understand anything on his own, he
decided to approach Swamiji M aharaj.
W h e n he reached the cottage the next day, Swamiji M aharaj was
engrossed in m editation. Kalikishore had to wait for around three hours.
In the m eantim e his chanting continued.
Kalikishore thought where was he doing the japa! It was happening
on its own. H e felt as if his m ental dilem m a was being resolved to some
extent. O n a num ber o f occasions he had heard the japa going on within
himself. Is this what they call Ajapa-japa [japa that occurs spontaneously
w ithout any deliberate effort]? Is this D rishta Bhav [the state wherein
one is a mere observer]? Is surrender nothing but contemplatioi^ on this?
It seemed as i f som e power was p erform ing all the activities' within.
F ro m where is this japa manifesting?
A lm ost three hours later when Swamiji M aharaj s m editation was
broken, Kalikishore prostrated before him to offer his respects and then
presented his question, “W h a t is m entioned in the ninth chapter o f the
G ita and is called the king o f all knowledge, the king o f every secret
knowledge, is pure, supreme, can be experienced directly, is in accor
dance to D harm a, is blissful and imperishable. W h a t is that royal knowl
edge and supreme enigma?”
Swamiji M aharaj - N o w the time has com e for this knowledge to
m anifest before you. I can certainly try and explain this knowledge to
you in words. But the best way is to know it through experience. T o m o r
row is Akshay Tritiya, an auspicious day. G et a haircut today and return
tom orrow at three in the m orning with som e flowers.
W h e n Kalikishore heard this, his joy knew no bounds. H e got a
haircut and wrapped up other things and arrived at the cottage at three.
Swamiji M aharaj was waiting for him. H e said, “F irst bathe in Chandan
Lake and com e back.” Swamiji had already taken a bath at two in the
m orning.
W h e n Kalikishore returned after bathing, he was asked to set up
his asana [w oolen m at] in front o f Swamiji M aharaj s asana. First he was
asked to do a sh o rt puja [w orship] o t Swamiji M aharaj. T h e n he was
asked to offer the flowers to Swamiji M aharaj in the form o f a dakshina
a token offering as a fee to the guru]. Afterwards Swamiji M aharaj read
a few verses. As soon as he heard the hymns, Kalikishore felt as if his
m ind was being pulled inwards. Swamiji M aharaj gave him a m antra -
Om Sacchchid ekam Brahma So Ham
T h e n in a m inute or two, he explained the m antra, “Brahm an is Sat
Real, the tru th ]. C h it [consciousness], and the only O ne. T h e L ord is
Sat [real] and he is chetan [sentient]. H e is the only one like himself.
Ishwar, the L o rd and his inseparable Shakti [Divine Power] that is about
to be awakened and becom e active within you, are n o t separate from you.
It is your own self/’
E ach and every word was piercing the h eart o f Kalikishore. T h en
Swamiji M aharaj fixed his gaze on Kalikishore and cast a penetrating
look. T h e Shakti, transm itted through the meditam o f his eyes, and floating
on the w aters o f C h aitan ya [co n scio u sn e ss], en tered the ch itta o f
Kalikishore. Just as a bird com es flying and sits on a branch o f a tree,
Kalikishore experienced the Shakti com ing and entering his chitta. Si
multaneously he experienced a sensation akin to the crawling o f ants
throughout his body. H e had goose bumps all over. H is entire body was
soaked in perspiration. First he let out a scream and then started shout
ing loudly -
Om Sacchchid ekam Brahma So Ham
Swamiji M aharaj had already gone into deep m editation. S oon
Kalikishore also went into a meditative state. N o w two yogis were ab
sorbed deep in m editation in the cottage. It was m orning. T h e sun had
risen. W h e n Karaali Brahmachari came to clean the cottage, he found
both o f them in deep m editation. W h e n they got up from their m edita
tion, the face o f Kalikishore was shining and radiant with a divine light.
Tears rolled down from his eyes and he fell at the feet o f Swamiji M aharaj.
T h e n he bowed to Karaali Brahm achari and said, ‘‘It is the result o f your
grace alone, that I have found the path to U ltim ate T ruth. Y ou are also
like a guru to me.”
T h e n Swamiji M aharaj said - N ow there is no need to give you
a verbal explanation o f the ninth cliapter o f the Gita. T h e knowledge
that you have begun to experience today is the Raja-vidya [king o f knowl
edge] and is Raja-guhya [the greatest secret, the king o f secrets]. N ow
your experiences are lim ited only to yourself. Even if you wish to narrate
them to som eone, you will n o t be able to express them completely. It is
extremely simple and blissful. It is directly experienced. In com parison
to the physical world, this conscious power is supreme and the very best.
It is n o t just a mere top ic o f conversation, but a thing you have directly
experienced within you. Y ou do n o t have to do anything on your own.
N oth in g could be simpler than this. It is in con form ity with D harm a
righteous con du ct] and is imperishable.
O n hearing this, Kalikishore started to sing a devotional song by
M eerabai.
Y received the gem called Rama as my wealth.
My master has given me a priceless object,
and bestowed his grace by accepting me.
I received the wealth oj many lifetimes, and lost everything in the world.
No one can spend it, thieves cannot take it,
and it continues to grow in leaps and bounds everyday.
With the boat of truth and my master as the oarsman,
I shall cross this ocean of becoming
O! Giridhar Nagar [one who lifted Mount Govardhana, Lord Krishna],
You are Meera’s Lord, and 1 sing your praises with joy and bliss.’
Swamiji M aharaj was overcom e with em otion on hearing the devo
tional sentiments. H e said, “Kalikishore, you have grasped the right sen
tim ent. T h e wealth o f the world can be endangered by many things. But
the N am e [ o f the L o rd ] cannot be endangered. Yes, some problems may
arise from within, but the N am e becomes active within and destroys all
inner enemies. T h e Shakti [Divine Power] o f the L o rd makes one expe
rience a new activity, a new sentim ent, a new vibration and a new enthu
siasm everyday. She is a damsel endowed with everlasting youth. But this
Divine Power o f the nam e can be received only from a guru. T h is wealth
is truly priceless.”
H e continued further - T h is is the Shaktopaaya o f a Shaktipat
initiation wherein, the activities o f Shakti are experienced within one
self and distinct from oneself, but this is only the beginning. Slowly the
samskaras [accum ulated im pressions] will get depleted through kriyas,
the m in d will b eco m e p u re, and you r state w ill get elevated in to
Shambhavopaaya. But this will take time. R ig h t now, this knowledge is
hidden. It is possible that in the future it will be well known throughout
India.
Kalikishore - Are there other people in India who are knowledge
able about this science?
Swamiji M aharaj - A t this tim e there are only six o f us throughout
India who are fam iliar with this science or knowledge. Like me, they
have hidden themselves from the world to o and are engaged in sadhan
spiritual practice after the awakening o f the Kundalini]. H idden does
n o t imply that they have physically hidden themselves from the world,
albeit, their tendencies, sadhan and inner state is what is concealed from
the eyes o f the world. N o knowledge disappears all o f a sudden. T here
are definitely som e aspirants o f that knowledge, who stay hidden from
the eyes o f the world.
Kalikishore - W h y is this knowledge n o t being put ou t in the
open? W ith the welfare o f hum anity in mind, this seems necessary.
Swamiji M aharaj - It is only due to the desire for public welfare
that this knowledge is revealed time and again, but the com m on masses
begin to misuse this knowledge and as a result the quality o f this knowl
edge deteriorates and finally disappears. N o w the time has. com e to re
veal it again.
Kalikishore - Besides you, who are the other five great beings, who
possess this knowledge?

Swamiji M aharaj - W h a t will you do with this inform ation? T h ey
are deeply engrossed in their sadhan in solitude. I have no right to dis
turb their solitude. I f they think it is appropriate then they will reveal
themselves on their own accord. It is inappropriate to disrupt som eones
sadhan. Yes, I have certainly revealed m yself by giving you Shaktipat
initiation, but now it is your duty to keep me hidden from the general
public, and to spread this knowledge in the world at the appropriate
time. D o n o t rush into this, wait for the right time and a suitable inner
state.
In this way, in 1 8 8 9 , on the auspicious day o f Akshay Tritiya, on
the shores o f the Bay o f Bengal, in the holy city o f Jagannathpuri in
Orissa, the great fire ceremony was perform ed in the form o f the Shaktipat
initiation o f Kalikishore, with the intent o f making the knowledge o f
Shaktipat easily available to the com m on masses. It took place on the
banks o f Chandan Lake, in Swamiji M aharaj s cottage, in the tranquil
and secluded environment hidden from the eyes o f the world. W ith o u t
interrupting his own state o f detachm ent from worldly activities, Swami
Gangadhar T irth M aharaj m ade his sacrificial offering in the grand fire
ceremony, and through the m edium o f Kalikishore, he initiated the spread
o f this knowledge. Kalikishore [Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj
becam e the principal proponent o f this m ovem ent for the welfare o f the
people, but behind him was the power and blessings o f Swamiji M aharaj.
10* In the company o f the Guru
F o r Kalikishore the path had now opened to remain engrossed in sadhan

at the holy feet o f Swamiji M aharaj, so he started to spend m ost o f the
time there. T h ere was nothing to do but sadhan and spiritual discourse
with the holy m aster. O n finding an appropriate m om ent, Kalikishore
put forth this question, “T h e m antra that you have given me, ^So H am ’
means ‘I am T h a t’, but the sense o f an observer has arisen within me,
that is, I see Shakti separate from m yself and experience its activities.”
Swamiji M aharaj - W h e n G o d s power is experienced separate from
oneself, then the feeling o f oneness with the power manifests in the
mind. T h e feeling o f oneness is ‘So Ham\ ‘So H am ’ is a specific state o f
chitta. It is n o t a m atter o f mere chanting w ithout having the experience.
T h is is the state prior to getting established in the Self.
“R ig h t now you are observing the activities o f Shakti, not Shakti
itself. T h e activities or kriyas o f the Shakti are responsible for cleansing
the samskaras [accum ulated im pressions], vasanas [m ental tendencies],
vrittis [m odifications o f the chitta], em otions, mem ories, and thoughts.
As I said earlier, this is only the beginning. Sadhan is a very long journey.
M any difficulties will arise; many ups and downs will occur. M any times
you will b ecom e indifferent to sadhan, and often times con flictin g
samskaras will arise and ob stru ct your way. I f you maintain continuity
o f sadhan, after a long time, you will experience the separation with
Shakti, and its pure form will manifest. I f you persevere, one day you
will attain a state like mine.
“Okay, now sing a bhajan [devotional song].”
Kalikishore - I m ostly rem em ber devotional songs in the Bengali
language. I know only a few in H indi but I will sing one o f them. I like
the bhajiins o f M eerabai very much.
Oh! I have been pierced by the arrow of the revered master.

The spear of separation has struck my heart; my entire being is now yearning.
The chitta does not wander elsewhere, now that the shackles of love
have been cast.
Who knows my Beloved Lover, nor do they know my agony.
What can I do my dearfriend, tears stream from both the eyes.
M.eera says O! Lord, withoutfinding you, my breath cannot wait any
longer.
Swamiji M aharaj spontaneously uttered the words “Very good, very
g o o d ” . T h e n he said, “M eerabai was engulfed by love. H o w is it possible
to attain Yoga [oneness, singlepointedness] w ithout love? People have
form ed a habit o f considering the different spiritual practices totally
distinct from one another. T h e y com pare them and believe their path o f
spirituality to be the best. All this is an ou tcom e o f ego. T h e lovers o f
G od, who are engrossed in sadhan, do n o t get involved in these com pli
cations. O n ce Shakti is awakened, all spiritual practices becom e one.
W h atever type o f sadhan [spiritual practice] is necessary for the aspirant s
progress, Shakti manifests it within according to the accum ulated im
pressions. D o n o t consider M eerabai to be an aspirant who merely fol
lowed Anvopaaya [spiritual practices based on personal effort]. W h en
the Ektaara [a single string m usical instrum ent from India] o f her m ind
started to play due to the kriyas o f Shakti, the m elodious lyrics filled
with love for the L o rd would spring forth and echo in the ocean o f love
in her heart. T h e com m on masses, in general, have a num ber o f strings.
Som etim es the m ind attaches itself to a sense organ and begins to wan
der around som e worldly object, at other times it unites with some other
sense organ and does the same. M eerabai had only one string in her heart
and it always created melodious notes o f love for the Supreme Lord. T h e
sacrificial urn o f her heart, was blazing with the fire o f separation from
the L ord and her samskaras and vasanas were being offered and turned
to ashes in that fire. T h is state cannot be achieved w ithout the awakening
o f Shakti. H e r guru Ravidas was a great being, endowed with Shakti, but
he did n o t let this knowledge be revealed to the com m on masses. H o w
ever if a worthy disciple came his way, he would certainly bless him.”
Kalikishore - D id M eerabai n o t have any disciples?

Swamiji JMaharaj - She only had devotees, no disciples. H e r atten
tion was never drawn in that direction, for she was always absorbed in
her love for the Lord. Also it is n o t that easy to uphold the responsibili
ties o f a guru. O ften the gurus themselves becom e victims o f M aya.
Becom ing a guru is appropriate only for those who have received a divine
edict. H en ce the p ractice o f receiving authorization from a guru has
becom e prevalent.
Kalikishore - D oes a disciple becom e a guru on receiving authori
zation from the guru?
Swamiji M aharaj - Yes, the disciple becom es the guru. T h e mental
resolve o f the guru works through the disciple. I have made a resolve,
which will continue to work through the lineage, that is, it will continue
to be transferred from a guru into the disciple.
Kalikishore - W ill this m ental resolve be effective forever?
Swamiji M aharaj - N o resolve remains effective forever. As the
influence o f selfishness, greed, likes and dislikes, and ego over the lin
eage and the spiritual practice continues to increase, the m ental resolve
will slowly disappear.
Kalikishore was submerged deep in thought for som etim e. W h en
he g o t back to his senses, he said, “Please say som ething about the
sentimen,ts expressed in the bhajan sung by M eerabai.”
Swamiji M aharaj - In Shaktipat, the Shakti [Divine Power] ad
vances like an arrow from the chitta o f the guru and on entering the
chitta o f the disciple, establishes con tact with it. Just as a rock rolling
down the m ountaintop falls tc^ the ground speedily and creates a hole in
the ground, in the same way, the spear o f agony caused by separation
from G od pierces the heart o f the disciple and the m ind and body crave
intensely with the love for G od. T h ere is n ot a moment's rest until one
sees the Lord. T h e m ind becomes indifferent towards the pleasures, joys
and attractions in the world. H is m ind is now shackled in the chains o f
love for G od. T h is state o f the chitta is extremely agonizing for an aspir
ant. Y et there is a unique joy even in this agony. O nly by remaining
afflicted by this pain, does an aspirant achieve happiness. R ath er than
wandering in the unfathom able jungles o f worldly pleasures, he wishes

to wander in the barren desert o f this agony. T h e L ord alone knows the
secret o f the state o f the chitta. H o w can the world even com prehend
this mystery? T h e vision o f the world is lim ited only to the external
body and its pleasures. A ccording to the world, a devotee is a very sad
being. H o w could it know about the secret o f love? T h e agony o f sepa
ration arises in the m ind o f the devotee in such a way that the m ind is no
m ore under his control. H is h eart continues to burn within or incessant
tears continue to flow from his eyes.
“M eerabai has described the state o f the chitta o f a devotee here.
Such a state is called G uru-kripa, the grace o f a guru. A ttainm ent o f
fame and fortune is n o t grace. Anyway one receives these things as fruits
o f destiny. T h e n M eerabai goes on to say that how can the m ind ever be
pacified w ithout finding G od. O n the one hand there is a desire to
continually suffer in the separation from the L o rd and on the other
hand, there is a restlessness to be united with G od. W h a t a predica
ment!^’
Kalikishore - But, as a result o f your grace, I have already received
the directly experience o f the Divine Power o f the Lord, then why do I
need the agony o f separation from G od?”
Swamiji M aharaj - Leave aside direct experience, presently you do
n o t even have an indirect experience. T h is is merely the beginning. T h e
destination is very far. Y ou will need to do sadhan for a long time just to
destroy your vasanas [m ental tendencies] and samskaras [accum ulated
im pressions]. T h e n there are many stages, such as the pure nature o f
Shakti, followed by the oneness o f Shakti with G od, and dien the om ni
presence and om niscience o f Shakti. R ig h t now, only the activation o f
Shakti based on your accum ulated impressions has becom e manifest. A
mere upsurge o f vasanas can reduce the effect o f this experience to ashes.
Y ou have n o t even taken a single step towards your real hom e. T h e pain
o f separation [from G od] will help you to maintain the continuity o f
your sadhan.
“Y ou r condition is similar to a person who looks at him self in the
m irror immediately after eating ghee [clarified butter] to see how much
his body has grown. It is extremely im p ortan t for an aspirant to have

patience. In the absence o f patience, one’s spiritual practice can be de
stroyed.”
K îkishore becam e silent. H is intellect seemed to be constricted.
H e started to think, ‘I was in such haste. I was hoping to reach the goal
in just one leap. Even the first m ilestone has n o t been reached in this
long journey. I have just lifted my fo o t to take the first step. Problem s,
m ental tendencies, m ental disturbances, inner suffering, uncontrollable
desires and who knows what else is ready to ob stru ct my way. A nd here
I was convinced th at I had reached the peak o f the m ountain. Shame on
m e!’
Swamiji M aharaj - Shaktipat initiation is n o t a state o f perfection.
T h e level o f Shaktopaaya initiation is m uch lower than Shambhavopaaya
initiation. Shaktopaaya initiation is only the beginning. Still m uch re
mains to be done and one m ust be prepared to do this for many life
times. T h e final attainm ent is in the hands o f G od, and your only duty is
to do sadhan, to perform good actions and to serve selflessly. Y ou should
try to keep your heart filled with com passion, tolerance, and free from
attachm ents and aversions.
It was now time for our evening walk. It seemed appropriate to halt
the spiritual discussion at that point. JMaharajshri picked up his cane and
with quick steps turned towards Swarg Dwar. H olding the woolen seat
under my arm s for M aharajshri to sit on, I ran after him.
T h e next day, the spiritual discussion, following our afternoon rest,

was still dom inated by Swami G an gad harT irth M aharaj and Kalikishore.
I queried, “W ere all the doubts o f Kalikishore put to rest?”
M aharajshri - All his doubts were n ot cleared yet. A person
harbors so many doubts within him, that even if one doubt is resolved,
numerous new doubts arise within. T h e doubts in the mind are like the
demon Raktabeeja. Every time Goddess Bhagwati (K ali) killed Raktabeeja,
num erous new Raktabeejas would m anifest from the droplets o f his
blood that fell on the ground. In the same way even when one doubt is
cleared, many new doubts arise. Surrender is the only way to clear all the
doubts. Even though Kalikishore had received initiation from Swamiji
M aharaj and accepted him as his guru, his surrender had n o t yet devel
oped fully. N eith er had he fully grasped the G u ru-tattva [the essential
nature o f the guru], n or had he fully accepted the im portance o f kriyas.
A doubt followed by curiosity is a different subject altogether. A person
has curiosity to understand many subjects naturally . W h eth er he is wor
thy o f that subject or not, he continues to harbor a curiosity. O ne such
curiosity had arisen in Kalikishore to o and he ended up asking Swamiji
M aharaj.
Kalikishore - W ith your perm ission, can I ask something?
Swamiji M aharaj - Yes, G o ahead.
Kalikishore - W h e n you gave me initiation, I felt as if something
came and entered inside me. D id you also feel as if som ething came out
o f you and entered me?
Swamiji M aharaj (sm iling) - Actually this question is beyond the
scope o f your authority, however, since you have asked, I will talk a little
about it. A capable guru experiences the inward and outward flow o f
Shakti. T h ere wasn’t anything that came out o f me and entered your
chitta. O n the contrary, the Shakti that is active within my chitta, ex
tended forward and entered your chitta. Just as my hand, which is a p art
o f my body, can extend forward, touch you and then retract itself, simi
larly m y C hitta-S h akti [the power o r Shakti in the chitta] connected
with your C hitta-Shakti, awakened it, m ade it introverted and then re
turned to my chitta. T h e extending and returning o f Shakti is n o t yet a
p art o f your experience, but one who is a capable master, he can experi
ence it.
Kalikishore - T h ere are many gurus in India. D oes the Shakti in all
o f them extend and enter the disciples during initiation and do all o f
them experience this?
Swamiji IVlaharaj - W^here do all the gurus have the capability o f
Shaktipat? M o st o f the gurus generally give Anvi D iksha (a type o f
initiation; anavi means lim ited) in which the Shakti is n ot active at all.
T h e disciple has to p erform the spiritual practice through personal ef

fort. O nly a capable guru endowed with the Divine Power is called a
Sadguru [a true m aster] because his state is established in the T ru th in
the form o f C haitanya-Shakti, the dynam ic aspect o f Shakti, the dy-
nainic power o f the conscious-self.
Kalikishore - D oes Anvi D iksha have any significance?
Swamiji M aharaj - M o st o f the aspirants start utilizing Anvi D iksha
for the fulfillm ent o f worldly desires and therefore obtain no spiritual
benefit. Anvi D iksha is beneficial only when the disciple equips him self
with a sense o f surrender and continues his spiritual practice uninter
ruptedly for a long time with the goal o f attaining the grace and love o f
the Suprem e L ord. T h e n the spiritual practice helps him in purifying the
chitta and becom ing w orthy o f Shaktipat.
K alikishore - M aharajji! Based on what you have said, the six
m ahapurushas [great beings], who know the science o f Shaktipat are
renunciates and lovers o f solitude. D oes this m ean th at this spiritual
practice is only for those who are detached and have retired from worldly
activities?
Swamiji M aharaj - N o ! T h is school o f spiritual practice is equally
beneficial to both householders and renunciates. Everyone has a right to
this spiritual path, be it a man, woman, child, young or old, citizen o f
any country, o f any era, caste or religion, educated or illiterate, wealthy
or poor, householder or renunciate, everyone can becom e worthy o f it.
T h e current period is o f anonym ity for this knowledge. It is a coinci
dence that all the aspirants are renunciates, distanced from the chaos in
the world, hidden from the sight o f the world and lovers o f solitude,
otherwise all human beings, irrespective o f their worldly differences, can
seek the su p p ort o f this spiritual practice. I f such a time com es when
this knowledge is revealed am ongst the com m on masses and becomes
accessible to everyone, then the renunciates as well as the worldly people
will all com e in its range.
Kalikishore - I f everyone has a right (to attain this knowledge),
then why is it said that one does n o t have the right to ask certain ques
tions?
Swamiji M aharaj - O nly the one who makes him self w orthy o f it,
attains the right to it. Every hum an being has the right to attain this
worthiness, hence everyone is said to have the right to it. A specific
spiritual practice is received based on that worthiness. As one becomes
m ore deserving, that is, as the state o f the chitta evolves, one attains the
right to higher and higher spiritual practices and these practices begin to
m anifest spontaneously within the chitta. W h e n an aspirant asks a ques
tion according to his worthiness or in other words, according to his state
o f chitta, he is able to understand the answer he receives. W h e n the
question asked is n o t according to the aspirants capability, the aspirant
is unable to understand the answer and its essence, as the chitta does n ot
have the grasping power.
“Y ou are in the initial stages o f Shaktipat practice. H igher states
like the om nipresence o f Shakti and the inward and outward flow o f
Shakti are n o t expected from you at this point. T h a t is why you do n ot
have the right to ask these questions. People, who are undeserving, often
ask questions beyond the state o f their chitta and they believe that they
have understood everything, but in reality they do n ot understand. I f
they understood, their lives would change.
“Every person has a right, som e less and some m ore. To hope for a
spiritual p ractice th at is beyond your capability or to ask a question
beyond your level, means th at one has n o t understood his own w orth. I f
an ordinary servant tries to use the rights o f a king, it will get him into
trouble.”
Kalikishore asked another question, “W h a t is the basis for the kriyas
activities] o f Shakti?”
Swamiji M aharaj - D o you have any knowledge o f the Pancha-
Koshas [the five sheaths] and the Shat-Chakras [the six chakras or en-
ergy centers]?
Kalikishore - I have definitely read a litde about them, but I cannot
claim to have a full understanding.
Swamiji M aharaj - T h ese five sheaths and six chakras are the basis
o f the activity o f Shakti, and the activities o f the Shakti manifest on
these.
K alik ish ore - C o u ld you please elab orate on th e five koshas
sheathsjand the six chakras [energy centers] briefly?
Swamiji M aharaj - T h ere is a lo t o f inform ation available in the
scriptures on both the subjects. I will give you a very b rief introduction
to them . T h e five koshas are five sheaths or layers wrapped around the
soul.
( 1 ) T h e ou term ost sheath is the grossest o f all. T h e development,
stability, and m aintenance o f this visible sheath, which is in the form o f
the physical body, are dependent upon anna [food ]. T h is sheath can be
touched and seen. H en ce it is called Annam aya K osha [sheath o f food ].
(2 ), Pranam aya Kosha [sheath m ade o f Prana, the overall vital life
force] - T h is Pranam aya Kosha, a collection o f the five Pranas [vital
energies that com prise the Prana] namely, Prana, Apana, U dana, Vyana
and Samana, provides m ovem ent and activity to the gross physical body
and the sense organs. H ere Prana refers to that level o f life force, which
makes the body capable o f functioning. In the absence o f Prana, the
gross physical body becomes lifeless. All the subtle senses exist in the
pranam aya kosha. Breathing (inhalation and exhalation) is also one o f
its activities. Fu rth erm ore, the miracles perform ed by the yogis are also
the activities o f the Pranam aya Kosha.
Kalikishore - Is Shaktipat also an activity o f the Pranamaya Kosha?
Swamiji M aharaj - N o , Shaktipat is n o t an activity o f the Pranamaya
Kosha. T h is sheath is the regulator o f the physical body and the gross
senses and works during the evolutionary cycle [when Shakti is extro
verted and engaged in creation] o f Shakti. T h e state at which the Prana
vital energy] is working in Shaktipat is n ot even included in the five
pranas. Its activities do n o t even fall in the realm o f the five pranas. It is
n o t the work o f the five pranas to bring the samskaras [accum ulated
impressions] to the fore and transform them into kriyas [autom atic move
ments after the awakening o f Shakti]. T h e level o f Praiia that is activated
by Shaktipat works on the basis o f the chitta but it is independent o f
the chitta. Even though the Prana is working on the basis o f the samskaras.
it is n o t influenced by them ; whereas the five pranas put the body in

nriotion under the con trol o f the mind. In fact, it is very close to pure
consciousness.
( 3 ) M anom aya K osha - T h e mind, intellect, ego and accum u
lated impressions com prise the M anom aya Kosha or the sheath o f the
m ind. It is the regulator o f both the Annamaya Kosha and Pranamaya
Kosha. T h is sheath is the foundation o f both, the conscious and sub
conscious m ind. It is the depository o f good and bad impressions. T h e
extroverted (towârds the w orld) or introverted flow o f intellect is depen
dent on this sheath.
Kalikishore - D oes the Pranam aya Kosha con trol the senses, or is it
M anom aya Kosha?
Swamiji M aharaj - As far as con trol is concerned, the M anom aya
Kosha controls the senses through the m edium o f the Pranam aya Kosha.
As such, the functions o f the m ind and Prana are different. It is the
ftinction o f the Pranam aya Kosha to im part energy, agility and activity
to the senses, but what to do or n o t to do, resolution or indecisiveness, is
the work o f the mind. T h e m ind gives an order and the Prana becomes
active through the m edium o f the senses.
Kalikishore - Is the sharpness or dullness o f intellect dependent
upon the Pranam aya Kosha o r the M anom aya Kosha?
Swamiji M aharaj - T h e sharpness or dullness is the function o f
the Pranam aya Kosha but the decision o f good or bad falls under the
purview o f M anom aya Kosha. Purity o f the intellectual tendencies de
pends on the purity o f the M anom aya Kosha. Resolutions and indeci
sions, and m any oth er outbursts are the functions o f the M anom aya
Kosha.
( 4 ) In the Vijnanamaya Kosha [the sheath o f wisdom ] the intellect
evolves to a p oin t where it can grasp the essence.
( 5 ) Anandam aya Kosha - It sheaths the blissful nature o f the A tm a
the Self, eternal nature o f consciousness], but it is so infinitesimal that
it is unable to cover this A nanda [divine bliss] in its entirety. H en ce this
bliss seeps through it and trickles outside.
“O nly that spiritual practice is supreme in which the power o f the
m ind, body and senses does n o t weaken. Restlessness, uneasiness and

anguish do n o t arise in the chitta. A nd the aspirant continues to progress
effortlessly towards his goal and finally attains Sam adhi [a meditative
state where individual consciousness merges with the infinite conscious
ness]. O n e thing is certain th at all this is possible only after Shakti is
awakened and becom es introverted. W ith the su p p ort o f Shaktipat, all
this becom es very straightforw ard. O nly then is effortless sadhan, self-
proven sadhan or natural sadhan attained and only then does the p ath
way to Sam adhi, the divine union, gets illuminated.”
In this m anner, M aharajshri continued to desrcribed the conversa
tion between Swami G an gad h arT irth M aharaj and Kalikishore at length.
B ut different types o f thoughts were arising in m y m ind. M y state was
far below th at o f Kalikishore.
I said - T h e conversations between Swami G an gad harT irth M aharaj
and Kalikishore that you have narrated m ight be correct in principle. But
it has been alm ost five years since I came here and I have com e in con tact
with many aspirants. Som e aspirants have been initiated for twenty years
and yet I have n o t seen anyone progressing towards Samadhi. Although
everyone talks about lofty things, their behavior and speech reveal their
true inner state.
M aharajshri (laughing loudly) - Y ou consider twenty years to be a
very long time, but the impurities o f the m ind are a result o f hundreds
o f thousands o f lifetimes. In com parison to that, how significant is a
period o f twenty years? Spiritual practice is a very long journey. T h ere
are m any ups and downs on the way. O ne has to have patience and
enthusiasm as one falls and rises while progressing in this journey.
M a h a ra jsh ri reverted back to the d iscu ssion betw een Sw am i
Gangadhar T irth M aharaj and Kalikishore.
Swamiji M aharaj - Anandmaya Kosha is the subtlest sheath whereas
Annam aya Kosha is the m ost corporeal. O nce awakened, the Shakti func
tions on the basis o f all these layers (sheaths). It is clear that the state o f
m ost o f the individual beings is in the Annam aya Kosha (physical body).
Generally a m ajority o f the impressions that get accum ulated are related
to the Annam aya Kosha and hence they have m ore kriyas [autom atic
m ovem ents] related to the Annam aya Kosha. Bouncing, jumping, crying,
shouting, singing, dancing, perspiring, yogic postures and so forth are all
kriyas o f the physical body ( o f the Annam aya Kosha).”
Kalikishore - T h is means that the kriyas o f the physical body are
those o f the lowest grade/
Swamiji M aharaj - T h a t is what it means, but it is also true that
those who have such kriyas m ore need exactly those types o f kriyas.
Kriyas occu r in accordance to the samskaras [accum ulated impressions .
W h e n one type o f samskaras is eroded then kriyas related to them also
disappear. H en ce this path is also known as natural sadlian.
Kalikishore - T h is definitely implies that from a spiritual stand
point, the rank o f physical kriyas is n o t particularly high. T h ere is no
reason to be especially happy about them.
Swamiji M aharaj - It is definitely a m atter o f joy because the p ro
cess o f purification o f samskaras has been initiated. A t the same time, it
is certain th at the basis o f these physical kriyas is the lowest.
Kalikishore - Is there any book where these topics have been ex
plained so that an aspirant can obtain guidance by reading it?
Swamiji M aharaj - So far such a book has n o t hên seen. Generally
this knowledge has been passed down through the guru-shishya tradi
tion [m aster-disciple tradition ], or the knowledge o f this sadhan has
been acquired through sadhan itself. As a result, n o t m uch attention has
been given to creating literature about it. Possibly in the future the atten
tion o f spiritual aspirants m ay be directed towards com piling the litera
ture.
Kalikishore s next question was, “W h a t is the zenith o f jnana [knowl
edge]?”
Swamiji M aharaj - T h e essence o f the m antra that was given to you
is that each and every thing I see, I am that. It is my own power that is
manifest in the form o f this visible world. T h ere is nothing else beside
myself. W^hen this is solidified within you by direct experience, under
stand that to be the zenith o f knowledge.
Kalikishore - T h e n what are these kriyas?
Swamiji M aharaj - W h e n Shakti rises upward it has to clear the
Revival oj Shaktipat Knowledge 83
path as it ascends. It has to remove the obstacles and problem s, accum u

lated im pressions and m ental inclinations. A t that tim e the m odifica
tions o f the chitta also get cleansed. T h is activity o f Shakti is called a
kriya. D o n o t consider these kriyas to be meaningless, but at the same
time your goal is n o t the kriyas. It is the ultim ate state th at will eventu
ally arise as a result o f the kriyas. T h o se who get attached to the kriyas
cannot attain this final frontier o f knowledge.
As soon as Kalikishore heard this, different kriyas and spontaneous
japa began to happen within him. T h e hair on his head stood on their
ends. Strange sounds cam e ou t o f his m outh. H is eyes rolled up and his
hands started to move around in various dance gestures. W h e n the inten
sity o f the kriyas subsided, Kalikishore said, “M aharajji! I did n o t have
any physical kriyas, like bouncing, jumping, leaping around, rolling, cry
ing, laughing, or thum ping o f the hands and feet]’’
Swamiji M aharaj - Okay, sing a bhajan.
Kalikishore started to sing a H ind i bhajan.
O mind! Chant the name of Krishna!
Consider the speech of Guru to be thefinal word, and associate with holy men .
Read and recite devotional texts like the Bhagv^>at, why get involved in other hooks and
conversations?
Without the name of Krishna the next birth is imminent, so why live a wasteful life?
The nectar of Krishna^s name [sflowing, Become thirsty and drink.
Says Surdas, seek refuge at thefeet of H ari (another name of Krishna)
and make your birth worthwhile.
As Kalikishore was singing this bhajan, em otions were also arising
in his heart. As the bhajan came to an end, incessant tears flowed from
his eyes. H is body bounced three to four feet up in the air and crashed
on the floor with a thud. H e began to have extremely intense kriyas. H e
felt as if Shakti was running around as well as up and down in his body
rapidly. Interm ittently he would have a rapid bout o f Bhasrika (a type o f
Pranayam a where one inhales and exhales rapidly). It was becom ing
difficvilt for him to control himself. H aving broken down his wall o f
restraint, the kriyas were dancing freely. T h e intoxication of kriyas con
tinued to grow. T h is state persisted for three to four hours. T h en the
kriyas became silent and he was sprawled on the flo o r as i f unconscious

for two hours.
W h e n he becam e norm al, Kalikishore bowed to Swamiji M aharaj
and asked, “D oes the intensity o f a kriya increase on singing devotional
songs?”
Swamiji M aharaj - Singing devotional songs definitely affects the
m ind, but just now it was n o t due to singing but due to m y grace. A guru
m ust be capable o f both anugraha [showering grace] as well as nigraha
controlling it .
Kalikishore - W h a t is this A nugraha and N igraha?
Swamiji M aharaj - Y ou already know the literal meaning. Anugraha
means grace. T h ro u g h anugraha, Kriya-Shakti [active form o f Shakti] is
activated in the disciple.The m ost com m only accepted meaning o f nigraha
or con trol is that if a guru is displeased with the disciple for some rea
son, then as a punishm ent, he controls his kriyas and stops them. But
even if the guru is displeased, he can never think o f causing harm to the
disciple. T h e guru is benevolence personified. H en ce nigraha or con trol
means th at if the kriyas o f the disciple becom e too intense, it hampers
his d ay-to-day activities, and the need to co n tro l his kriyas becom es
im m inent. T h e n the guru reduces the intensity o f his kriyas through
nigraha. A guru, who can shower grace but is incapable o f controlling it
when necessary, is an incom plete guru. H e him self can get caught in a
difficult situation and can also land his disciple m trouble.
It was gradually becom ing clear and definite to Kalikishore that
Swamiji M aharaj was n o t only an expert in the spiritual practice but
through deep contem plation and th in k in g , he had also acquired a sea
soned in tellect that was based on truth. T h e sense o f surrender towards
his revered m aster was also m aturing in Kalikishore now. H e thought, 'I
have no understanding of right and wrong o r good and bad, but Gurudev
is capable o f everything. Fu rth erm ore he has a benevolent attitude to
ward me. H is every decision will o rJy be for my good. H en ce m y welfare
lies in sincerely surrendering at his holy feet.’ T h e benevolent form o f
G urudev was getting deeply engraved in K alik ish ores h eart. Besides
Gurudev there was no one else to think about his well being. Gurudev
was the sta ff in his hand as well as the lamp. G urudev was the means as
well the goal. Kalikishore started to experience an amazing transform a
tion in his own perspective, m ental tendencies and personality. Also,
Swamiji M aharaj was n o t only giving him inner experiences in his sadhan
to tu rn him inwards towards the Self, but he was also lovingly resolving
his doubts through sound logic.
Expressing his views on this m atter, M aharajshri said, “T h is be
nevolent form o f the revered m aster is his pure form . U n d er no circum
stances can he wish ill for the disciple. Even if a disciple were to insult
his gurudev, he forgives him with m agnanimity. H e prays to G o d to
absolve the disciple o f any offense and forgive him . T h a t is the true
nature o f a guru.
“A ccording to an episode in the Ramacharitmanas, Kak Bhushundi
had insulted his guru in his previous life. T h e gtiru was an em bodim ent
o f forgiveness, but L ord Shankar [Shiva] could n o t tolerate the insiolt,
and he said,
‘O sinner, you remained seated like a python in the presence of your guru!
O scoundrel, your intellect has been clouded with sins, so become a serpent now.
O lowest of low! condmmed to this vik state, go and live in the hollow of a big tree.’
“Listening to the downfall o f the disciple, the guru was deeply

anguished -
‘The Guru raised a piteous wail, as he heard the horrible curse of Shiva.
When he saw me trembling withfear, deep agony possessed his souV
“O n h e a rin g th e h o r r ib le c u rse o f L o rd Shiva and s e e in g K a k

B h u sh u n d i tremble w ith fear, his guru ju m p e d u p scream ing. T h is e p i
so d e gives us a glimpse into the h eart o f a guru. Nôt only d id h e fo rg et
that h e was insulted, but h e sto o d u p s h o u tin g in agony at the possibility
o f his disciple s devastation. H o w then could a guru even think about
stopping the disciple’s kriyas ou t o f anger? T h is nature o f the holy m as
ter was now clear to Kalikishore and he surrendered him self at his guru s
feet."
T h a t evening a few local devotees came to see M aharajshri. O ne o f

them asked, “M aharajji, we have a few elders with us who are eighty to
ninety years old. It has been around sixty years since Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj was here. T h ese elders say th at they have never heard the
name o f such a m ahatm a and you have said th at Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj was a great siddha [perfect being]. I f he was a realized
master, his fame should have spread n o t only in Jagannathpuri but all
over India.”
M aharajshri - T h a t is the quality o f great realized masters. A
serious spiritual aspirant always keeps his spiritual practice hidden too.
T h ey always endeavor to keep their inner state hidden from the eyes o f
the people and wish to remain anonym ous. T h ey wish p ro tect to them
selves from worldly fame because they have no desire for fame. N o t only
did the entire city n o t know but also the renunciates livmg in the neigh
boring cottages did n o t know about Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj.
O ne devotee - But devotees and saints have gained enorm ous
popularity! M any o f them are still rem em bered in society after thou
sands o f years.
M aharajshri - But they personally did n o t have anything to do
with fame or m isfortune. Som e great saints deliberately p erform certain
actions that spread their notoriety and they remain shielded from fame.
O ne p oet has said,
‘How can the illumined soul hide under the gard of worldliness.
Thejragrance offlowers leaps across the garden walls/
“O ne may make his living-style as worldly as possible, but those
whose hearts are illuminated with the flame o f the soul, where can they
hide? Just as one builds a high wall around a garden, yet the fragrance o f
flowers goes beyond the walls and perm eates everywhere, still the flowers
still remain hidden behind the walls. Even those great beings, who at
tained worldwide fame, the world was never able to find out the real state
o f their chitta . It is also true that while many devotees and saints be
com e famous, an even greater num ber o f them rem ained hidden in the
unfathomable depth o f die ocean o f anonymity. Far from the eyes o f
society in the icy caves in the m ountains, they rem ained absorbed in
m editation all the tim e. T h e desire for fame is a huge obstacle in the path
o f a spiritual aspirant.
Sitting far in a corner, I listened to the thoughts o f M aharajshri. It
is true th at the path o f ultim ate truth expects such enorm ous vigilance!
T h ere are thorns, obstacles and difficulties at every step. T h e so-called
class o f spiritual aspirants overcomes so many hardships and spends so
m uch effort to satisfy their desire for fame, but they do n o t derive any
benefit from all this. O n tlie contrary, their m ental state is lowered. D id
any o f the fam ous saints and devotees take any special efforts to becom e
celebrities?"
M aharajshri was saying, “In the scene present before me right now,
Swamiji M aharaj and Kalikishore are sitting on the banks o f Chandan
Lake and experiencing bliss. T h ere is no one else in sight. T h e water o f
the lake is still and calm. T h e lake is so clear that one can even see its
b o tto m .
Swamiji M aharaj - T h e cu rren t state o f this pond here can be
taken as a sym bol o f the purity o f the heart. N o m ud no wave, but
whenever the p ond becom es dirty and is being cleaned, the water gets so
agitated! AU the fdd-i in it becomes visible to the eye. O n ce it is cleaned,
the same stillness, serenity and purity. T h e pond o f the chitta o f the
average being is unstable and wavering. It is filled with the m ud o f
samskaras [accum ulated impressions], vasanas [m ental tendencies or in
clinations] and the waves o f vrittis [m odifications o f the chitta]. W h en
Kriya-Shakti [the dynamic nature o f Shakti] is awakened and starts the
process o f cleansing, the inner activities increase significantly. All the
samskaras imd vasanas take the form o f kriyas and start to manifest right
in the front. T h is is called Sadhan. T h e instability and fickleness o f the
chitta is the world, and serenity is spirituality. T h e experience and per
ception o f reality and diversity in the world is Bhoot-bhava and the
experience o f unity, eternity, omnipresence and om niscience o f the U n i
versal Consciousness is Adhyatma-bhava.
Kalikishore sat spellbound, listening to everything. A t th at m o

m ent, he felt as if the diversity o f the world was disappearing. H is sight
turned towards Swamiji M aharaj and saw that his face was glowing with
divine lum inosity. H e started to experience oneness between Swamiji
M aharaj and himself. Swamiji M aharaj has such profoundness in his
heart! W ords are blossom ing spontaneously, similar to the flow o f water
in a fountain.
Kalikishore thought, ‘Spirituality is n o t a mere exchange o f words.
By talking one sim ply increases his pride. It is the path to attaining
experiential inner state through sadhan and the grace o f the Almighty.
T h e aspirant needs to m aintain such serious dedication, such sacrifice,
such longing and love to attain this state! T h is is truly the hardest path.'
B oth becam e absorbed in sadhan in the cottage like adept yogis.
I expressed m y curiosity before M aharajshri, “T h e com m on masses
have no specific knowledge o f the m eeting between Swami Gangadhar
T irth M aharaj and Kalikishore. People only know th at Kalikishore went
to Jagannathpuri and received initiation from Swamiji M aharaj. So how
can you describe all these events in such great detail?”
M aharajshri - Y ou r question is very im portant. It depends on the
state o f the chitta o f a person whether the knowledge o f events that have
occurred in the past or will happen in the future, manifest visually before
him. Even otherwise when a com m on person get lost in the depths o f
the past, often, past events com e alive before him. But the individual is
attached to those events and their impressions get im printed on his chitta.
T h o se very impressions arise in an intense m anner in the form o f m em o
ries, as a result o f which those events once again appear in the present.
However, the situation here is totally different. T h ere are no impres
sions, no attachm ent, simply an em otion o f love in the mind. W h e n love
arises in the m ind in its highest form , it gets dyed in the m em ory o f its
beloved. T h is m em ory is n o t based on accum ulated impressions. W h en
a lover gets lost in m em ories o f his beloved, events related to the beloved
start to play on the stage o f his h eart and in an extreme state they com e
alive. But for this to occur, purity o f m ind and incessant love are essen
tial. O nly then does the image becom e visible in the m irror o f the heart.
Chaitanya M ahaprabhu was a devotee o f L ord Krishna. H is m ind was

absolutely pure. H is state o f singlepointedness was extreme. Overwhelmed
with love, he used to waUc in Vrindavan singing the glory o f L o rd Krishna.
A group o f devotees would fcUlow him. H e would stop at som e place
and the incidents in the life o f L ord Krishna th at took place there would
manifest inside him. Even those sounds fell on his ears. H e would nar-
'rate th at to his disciples.
“T h e sentim ent o f love is extrem ely im p o rtan t on the path o f
sadhan. T h is very sentim ent is helpful in m aintaining the continuity o f
sadhan. It makes one cry and pine in the m em ory o f the Beloved and
sm older in the fire o f separation. N eith er is sadhan possible w ithout
love n or is purity o f the chitta attained. Kriya-Shakti, the awakened Shakti,
does p erform kriyas in sadhan, but it is love th at provides the inspiration
to sit in sadhan. Love is responsible for adding intensity to the activities
o f Shakti. Love makes one detached from the world and turns the m ind
towards the L ord. T h e spiritual practice o f an aspirant devoid o f love is
like an arid desert. H is h eart remains unem otional and is dom inated by
insensitivity and harshness. O nly love brings singlepointedness in the
chitta and reveals events related to the Beloved.
“A t this tim e the state o f m y m ind is som ew hat similar. I definitely
have immense faith and devotion in Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj
and Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj. I consider both o f them to be
incarnates o f G uru-tattva, the dynamic aspect o f Shakti. T h ey are the
means in the form o f sadhan as well as the goal in the form o f G uru-
tattva. T h e y manifest in every aspirant in the form o f sadhan, take care
o f him, guide him and finally merge him within themselves. Faith in
them is faith in the G uru-tattva. I f an aspirant does n ot progress even
after receiving their grace, he lacks surrender towards them. I can clearly
see everything that took place in their lives here and whatever Kalikishore
did after he departed from here. I can also hear their voices. I am de
scribing it to you as it is. T here is no interference o f my mental imagina
tion or my intellectual discretion. All the narrations are based on direct
experience.”
I said - But when I was writing ^Shri Narcân Upndeshamrit\ which
includes a b r i e f biography o f Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj, and

you were also helping me with that, you did n ot elaborate on all this!
M aharajshri - A t that time the state o f my chitta was different. You
wrote ^Shri Narayari Upadeshamrit^ in Dewas but right now we are sitting in
Jagannathpuri. T h is city holds the same im portance for me as Vrindavan
did for Chaitanya M ahaprabhu. T h is is the city o f L o rd Jagannath, but I
will say that Lord Jagannath appeared as Swami G angadharT irth M aharaj,
holding the Ganga [R iver Ganges] o f sadhan in the form o f Shaktipat
on his head. A benevolent form o f the L ord o f the Universe. Each and
every particle here is saturated with his divine acts during renunciation.^
U n til now, we had look ed upon M aharajshri as an aspirant o f
Shaktipat, but no one had ever imagined that he was nurturing the feel
ing o f love to such an extent in his mind. H e was a living example o f
singlepointedness that arises during the kriyas o f Shakti that are stim u
lated or inspired by the feeling o f love. A fter com ing to Jagannathpuri,
his intense love for Swami G an gad h arT irth M aharaj and Swami Narayan
T irth Dev M aharaj came alive and saturated his chitta with love. Like
Chaitanya M ahaprabhu, he began to experience ‘G angadhar-Lila’, the
divine sp o rt o f Gangadhar, firsthand.
M aharajshri said - As soon as we reached here it felt as if we had
com e to the world o f Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj. T h en , with his
grace alone, the inform ation about his cottage was obtained. U n d er the
influence o f the subtle vibrations (fro m that location ), the state o f the
chitta continued to develop, and I am narrating all these events to you as
I continue to experience them firsthand.
I h ad o n ly read in b o o k s an d h eard in se rm o n s a b o u t the
singlepointedness o f the m ind as an effect o f the sentim ent o f love.
Today I was directly observing the sentim ent o f love in action.
M aharajshri further said, “I am seeing that Swami G an gad harT irth
M aharaj and Kalikishore have concluded their sadhan.''
Kalikishore - Y ou explained the pancha-koshas [the five sheaths in
brief, but did n o t say anything about the six chakras [energy centers].
Swamiji M aharaj - D o you know about Sushumna?
Kalikishore - Yes.
Swamiji M aharaj - D o you also have knowledge ab out the six

chakras?
Kalikishore - I know a little bit.
Swamiji M aharaj - M ooladhar, Swadhisthan, M anipur, Anahath,
Vishuddha and Ajnachakra are chakras o f the Shakti, th at has com plete
knowledge about them . T h a t Shakti can also provide experiential knowl
edge about them and at the appropriate time it will surely provide that
knowledge. W h atev er knowledge you have right now is enough fo r you.
T h ese chakras belong to the Shakti. O n the physical and the visible level,
only the kriyas o f the Shakti are experienced.
Kalikishore changed the subject o f conversation again and asked,
“Are siddhis [m iraculous powers] im pedim ents in the path o f spiritual
pursuit?”
Swamiji M aharaj - Siddliis are a milestone o f sadhan, so how can
they be an im pedim ent. But, yes, display o f siddhis, out o f pride to
impress the com m on masses, is an im pedim ent.
Kalikishore - B ut the scriptures state th at siddhis themselves are
barriers to spiritual progress, nobody has talked about displaying them
ou t o f pride!
Swamiji M aharaj - T h ey have talked about egotistic display and
their intent was also the same. As such, those aspirants who pursue the
m ethod o f deliberate effort on the path o f spiritual practice with the
intent o f acquiring m iraculous powers, once they acquire the kalpita
siddhis [m iraculous powers attained through deliberate effort], they not
only get attached to them bu^ also flaunt them with pride.
Kalikishore - Is there another way to attain siddhis besides deliber
ate effort?
Swamiji M aharaj - Observing the kriyas o f Shakti with the state
o f an observer and total surrender. Slowly with the purification o f the
chitta, the siddhis manifest spontaneously.
Kalikishore - I f siddhis will invariably manifest in sadhan [spiri
tual practice after awakening o f Shakti], what is wrong in doing sadhana
spiritual practice through personal effort] to attain them?
Swamiji M aharaj - T h ere is a big difference in perform ing spiritual

practices to attain them and their spontaneous emergence while doing
sadhan,
( 1 ) By doing spiritual practices for attaining siddhis, the goal o f
the practice gets fixed, whereas a true aspirant believes that doing sadhan
is the duty.
( 2 ) O n ce a goal is set, one becomes attached to the goal.
( 3 } T h e chitta gets polluted with attachm ent.
( 4 ) Even if the siddhis are attained, they m anifest only for a sh ort
time since they are kalpita, a result o f deliberate effort.
( 5 ) I f one is unable to acquire these powers, the m ind is overcome
with dejection.
( 6 ) O nce the siddhis are attained, when they disappear, the mind
becomes unhappy.
( 7 ) W h e n one gets attached to siddhis, they becom e an obstacle to
spiritual advancement.
Kalikishore - T h e fact that one can p erform certain spiritual prac
tices to attain siddhis is comprehensible to me, but the fact that even if
one does n o t perform spiritual practices for attaining these siddhis and
yet they appear, is hard for me to digest.
Swamiji M aharaj - Y ou r d oubt is based on your imagirâtion, but
what I have said is corrob orated n o t only by the scriptures but also by
my own experiences. I have never done any spiritual practice with the
intent o f attaining siddhis, yet many different kinds o f siddhis have
manifested in me.
Kalikishore remained speechless for som e time on hearing this. Ini
tially he could n ot believe that Swamiji M aharaj was also a m aster o f
different types o f siddhis, but after a while he com posed himself. H e
realized that if Gurudev was saying som ething, there m ust definitely be
som e logic to it. H e also thought, ‘what right do I have to doubt w ithout
delving deep into the heart o f the subject ?
Kalikishore - Gurudev! Can I see one o f your siddhis?
Swamiji M aharaj (laughing) - I have n o t displayed my siddhis
before anyone for a long time. N eith er are the siddhis som ething to
flaunt around. But you are an aspirant, you are hungry for knowledge.
T h e display o f siddhis before you is n o t ou t o f pride, but to present the
knowledge before you. It is for your spiritual welfare, hence it is n o t an
action filled with the desire for public fame to impress them . Siddhis
m ust be used only when it is o f u tm ost necessity or to provide an under-
I standing o f the spiritual path to som eone. N o w sit quietly on your seat
and watch.
^ K alikishore rem ained speechless and w atched everything. F irs t
Swamiji M aharaj folded his hands and sought forgiveness from the siddhis
and then he said, “T h is is a display o f my feeling o f well-being towards
Kalikishore, and n o t p rid e."T h en he closed his eyes for a while. W h e n he
opened them, an incom parable light was shining from them.
A fter that white smoke began to com e ou t o f the body o f Swamiji
® M aharaj. Slowly the smoke spread all over the room . W h e n the smoke
^ had cleared away, Swamiji M aharaj had vanished. Kalikishore thought
I maybe G uru M aharaj had stepped outside and as he started to peek
I outside, the voice o f Swamiji M aharaj struck Kalikishores ears, “W^hy
are you looking outside? Even at this very m om ent I am sitting right in
J front o f you on m y seat. I am looking at you. W h e n you stand up on
I your m at, I will tell you that now you are standing.”
Kalikishore - D o you often go into this state?
Swamiji M aharaj - Every night I enter this state and do sadhan.
T h is is the state o f Chaitanya [the conscious-self, pure consciousness] in
which even the physical body o f the aspirant reaches a subde state. Even
the gross world appears subtle in this state. O ne does n o t experience
anything other than bliss.
In a sh o rt while Swamiji M aharaj became visible. Kalikishore got
up, touched his feet and said,” Maharajjif R igh t now even the first mile
stone o f sadhan is very distant. W ill I be able to reach my destination?”
Swamiji M aharaj - Aspirants do n ot w orry about this. T h e y re
main focased on the s a d h ^ . As soon as the attention turns toward the
destination, the goal moves further away.
Kalikishore - Yoga Darshan gives an altogether different m ethod
for becom ing invisible. By exercising control over ones body, the power
o f the physical body to becom e visible is constricted, as a result o f which

the sight o f the viewer does n o t strike the body and passes through and
the viewer remains unaware o f the yogis presence.
Swamiji M aharaj - T h is technique is also co rrect in its own right,
but it is the path o f study and practice and is ideal only for those who
have n o t experienced Chaitanya [the conscious-self, pure consciousness].
A n aspirant im bued with Shakti dissolves him self in the subtle realm o f
the conscious-self. T h e level o f subtlety o f the average people cannot
reach th at state. Even your vision is stuck in the physical realm, hence
you were unable to see me. T h is capability arises spontaneously through
kriyas once the chitta becom es pure. In other words, siddhis that m ani
fest effortlessly are indicative o f the purity o f the chitta o f the aspirant.
T h ese siddhis m anifest in a pure chitta by virtue o f the pure Shakti on
their own accord, w ithout one desiring them . In this state where siddhis
becom e manifest, Shakti comes in co n tact with the chitta and keeps the
chitta active.
Kalikishore - However, it is said that in the state o f Samadhi [p ro
found m editation, super-consciousness], the chitta becomes inactive.Then
how do the siddhis manifest in that state?
Swamiji M aharaj - In the state o f Samadhi only one siddhi o f
becom ing established within the S elf remains, all the rest vanish.
Swamiji M aharaj sat in m editation once again. In a sh ort time his
body began to take an enorm ous form . It became so large that it began
to occupy the entire cottage. Kalikishore began to move towards the wall
to p ro tect himself, but Swamiji M aharaj s body continued to grow so big
that Kalikishore was getting crushed between the body o f Gtirudev and
the wall. Kalikishore screamed, “Gurudev! I am getting crushed."’ Swamiji
M aharaj laughed aloud and his body started to reduce in size. Soon it
was back to its original form .
Kalikishore - T h a t was an expansion o f the physical aspect!
Swamiji M aharaj - Yes, T h is is also a kriya o f the Shakti on the
basis o f the physical body.
Kalikishore - Are you also knowledgeable about par kaya pravesh
transm igration, entering another body] ?
Swamiji M aharaj - C om e with me.

Swamiji M aharaj took Kalikishore to a crem ation ground. T h ey sat
there for a while and soon their sight fell on a dead bird.
Swamiji M aharaj - D o you see the dead sparrow?
Kalikishore - Yes, I can see it.
Swamiji M aharaj - Keep looking at it.
Swamiji M aharaj went into deep meditative state after saying that.
A fter a sh o rt tim e the dead sparrow came back to life once again and
started to fly. I t flew in the sky for som etim e and then suddenly fell on
the ground and died. Swamiji M aharaj had returned to the state o f ex
ternal awareness.
Swamiji M aharaj - W h a t did you see?
Kalikishore - T h e dead sparrow com ing back to life and then dying
again.
Swamiji M aharaj - N eith er did the dead sparrow com e back to life
n or did it die again. It was the wonder o f m y subtle body that entered
the sparrow.
W ide-eyed and amazed, Kalikishore was lost in deep thought.
In the m eantime, som e people came to the crem ation ground with
a bier supporting a dead body. T h ey placed the bier on the ground and
started to prepare the pyre. T h e members o f his family were crying.
Swamiji M aharaj - Kalikishore, keep looking at that dead body on
the bier.-
Swamiji M aharaj sat in m editation once again* Kalikishore was star
ing at the dead body and suddenly the dead man sat up. T h e family
members were overjôyed to see him alive. T h ey all hugged him and he
too bowed to tliem. T h e atmosphere o f sadness was transform ed into
joy. T h en suddenly the person fell to the ground with a thud. T h e family
members started to cry again. Swamiji M aharaj had com e ou t o f his
m editation. H e took Kalikishore back to his cottage.
Kalikishore - You said that this is a miracle o f the subtle body.
W h a t does that mean?
SwaiTiiji M aharaj - It is the subtle bddy that leaves the physical
body and enters another body.
Kalikishore - H o w is it possible that your subtle body enters a bird

and starts to fly, but when it enters a hum an body it behaves like a
human?
Swamiji M aharaj - T h e subtle body becom es active only on the
basis o f the physical body. T h a t is why with the help o f the body o f a
bird it acts like a bird. Birds can’t talk, they can only chirp. H o w then can
the subtle body talk in the body o f a bird? A subtle body o f a hum an can
enter the body o f any animal, but its actions will be based on the physi
cal body it enters.
T h e next question o f Kalikishore was the same question I had asked
M aharajshri som e time ago.
Kalikishore - Can the subtle body enter only a dead body? Can it
n o t enter a live body?
Swamiji M aharaj - It is the job o f ghosts or spirits to enter live
bodies. A fter entering, they take con trol o f the persons mind, and make
it inert. T h e person is n o t aware o f what he is doing. In transm igration,
a body th at is devoid o f the subtle body is given the subtle body as a
loan. T h e physical body becom es active, but these actions are under the
con trol o f the newly entered subtle body.
Kalikishore - Y ou m ust possess many m ore siddhis?
Swamiji M aharaj - Yes indeed! B ut I do n o t use them or use them
infrequently only when necessary. I f som eone uses these siddhis regu
larly, they can give rise to pride in one’s m ind. I f they are displayed, it can
only be in fron t o f the world, m eaning their display is possible only
when one accepts the im portance o f the world. O n the otlier hand, an
aspirant wishes to harbor indifference towards the world. O ne who gets
attached to the encam pm ents on the way; he remains trapped in those
encam pm ents. T h e n he has to retract from them.
“Ju st as the quality o f sadhan can n ot be m easured through the
kriyas o f Shakti, in the same way the greatness o f a M ahapurusha can
n o t be assessed through his siddhis. A ccording to the com m on worldly
perspective, a siddhi is a very advanced state o f sadhan, but from the
viewpoint o f ultim ate knowledge, it is very low. A n aspirant understands
this secret and rem ains engaged in sadhan with a com plete sense o f sur
render.”
M aharajshri - T h u s Jagannathpuri is th at great holy land, where
the process o f m anifestation o f a spiritual knowledge that was hidden
for ages, g ot initiated. Even though this knowledge is very ancient, it had
rem ained d o rm an t in the pages o f scriptures, but it never disappeared
completely. H ere and there a few aspirants m aintained its continuity. But
Swamiji JMaharaj opened its d o o r for everyone by planting its seed in
Kalikishore. Kalikishore also freely offered this elixir o f im m ortality to
w orthy disciples, but also with the help o f great beings, who had re
nounced everything, he arranged for its advancem ent and dissemination.
I said -- In all the spiritual traditions th at have originated in India,
in som e form o r the oth er and through one o r the other name, one
definitely finds references to the awakening o f Shakti, its grace, and its
activities. But it seems that this knowledge was influential even in other
parts o f the world. O ne reads in the Bible th at C hrist goes to John the
Baptist and prays for diksha (baptism ). John says that it is he, who should
be getting initiation from C hrist but instead C hrist is asking him. So
C hrist replies, ‘L et it be so for now. W e want to reaffirm all the good
traditions.' A nd John then accepts it.
T he Bible narrates the event o f initiation in the following words ~
^‘A s soon as Jesus was baptized, Me went up out oj the water. At that moment
heaven opened^ and he saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting
on him. And a voicefrom heaven said^This is my son, whom I love, with him
I am well pleased.’^
T h en in the final chapter o f the Bible, ‘Revelation’ tlie experiences
have been described. T h ere is a m ention o f kriyas in the Bible too. I f one
looks at it from this point o f view, then the tradition o f Shaktipat exists
even in Christianity.
M aharajshri - Y our assessment is correct. It is a clear indication o f
Shaktipat. T h e opening o f the doors to the heavens within the chitta, the
com ing o f Shakti like a flying bird arid illuminating the chitta with the
power o f consciousness, are indications o f Shaktipat. It is also worth
noting that in the Bible, C hrist is called ‘M y son’ only after Shaktipat.
Anyway G od is called the divine father and all living beings are merely
his children. But the com m on masses do n ot experience this. O nly those
people whose Shakti is awakened experience it.
I said - Even in the H o ly Q uran, Allah is called R ahim [the m erci
ful one]. T h e greatest m ercy o f Allah is that he frees his devotees from
bondage. T h e awakening o f Shakti is called ‘H aal’ and the revelation o f
the inner sound is called ‘Ilahaam '. It was Shakti who blessed prophet
M oh am m ed . T h e fundam ental principles o f spirituality are the same in
all religions.
M aharajshri - T h a t is indeed the case. In reality, spirituality has no
tradition, caste, sex, language, place or time. It is followed in a consistent
m anner in all states, circum stances, capabilities and capacities. A lover o f
spirituality does n o t hate anyone, no m atter how m uch others oppose
him . H e wishes for the well being o f the whole world, loves everyone
equally, and is always ready to serve and help anyone. O ne who does n ot
possess these qualities is far fro m spiritiâlity. H en ce the sch ool o f
Shaktipat is n o t against any religion, principle, or spiritual path. A m as
ter who is knowledgeable about Shaktipat can have disciples from any
religion.
I said - But even after being initiated into Shaktipat and having
experienced the activities o f the Shakti within, the hearts o f many people
remain shallow. W h y does this happen?
M aharajshri - D ue to their samskaras [accum ulated impressions].
T h e samskaras are the cause o f vasanas [m ental tendencies and inclina
tions] in the chitta. T h e chitta-vrittis [m odifications in the chitta] arise
in accordance to the samskaras. A fter Shakti is awakened, the task o f
thinning ou t the samskaras is initiated through the m edium o f kriyas.
T h e eradication o f samskaras takes a long time because there are count
less samskaras and their roots are deep. Shakti has to u p root them from
great depths, bring them up in the chitta, and then transform them into
kriyas. Besides, many aspirants are unable to stop the process o f accum u
lation o f new impressions. As a resvilt there is m ore accum ulation than
Revival o f Shaktipat Kno-wledge 99
depletion. U n til then the m ind remains constricted, im pure, worldly and
skeptical. M an y aspirants rem ain in this state for num erous lifetimes
because they are unable to understand the essence o f sadhan. T h e fault
lies with the aspirant, n o t Shakti. T h e ir progress remains stunted.
1 1 « Instructions to Return
Kalikishore had found a spiritual m aster and had received a practical and
experiential spiritual practice. H e also began to have divine experiences,
but his desire to becom e a renunciate was yet to be fulfilled. In the
com pany o f his guru, his tim e was passing on pleasandy, but his yearn
ing was gnawing him internally. T h e thought would arise repeatedly that
why n o t take sanyas [vows o f renunciation]? Sanyas is nothing but a type
o f social death. Sanyas is nothing but singing devotional songs, seeking
alms, bearing the insults and praises o f the world, spending life w ithout
com forts, and giving up the body in anonymity. T h a t is the life o f an
aspirant who has renounced everything. O ne day, finding an opportune
m om ent, Kalikishore presented his desire before Gurudev.
Kalikishore - M aharajji/ W ith your grace I have received the spiri
tual practice. I am also having good experiences. N o w one m ore holy
desire remains in m y heart and th at is to be a renunciate. I f it is fulfilled
with your blessings, no other desire will be left. I pray to you to grace me
with Sanyas D iksha [initiation into the vows o f renunciation].
Swamiji M aharaj rem ained silent, thought for some time and then
asked, " W h o else is there in your family?”
Kalikishore was n ot prepared for this question. H e was taken aback
on hearing the question. H e was unable to utter a single word for a while.
T h e n he said there was no one in his family but himself.
K alik ish ores h esitation cou ld n o t escape the gaze o f Swamiji
M aharaj. H e thought, "There is certainly som ething amiss here, other
wise Kalikishore had no reason to get frightened by this simple question
o f mine.' H e told Kalikishore, “Okay, I shall think about it.”
W h e n Kalikishore left the cottage for his lodging, he was drenched
with perspiration. H e thought on th e way, ‘I lied to Guruji today, but
there was no other way. I was helpless. H ad I told him that there was
Revival o f Shaktipat Knowledge 10 1
everybody in m y family, possibly he would have im mediately said no to

sanyas. Ivly aspiration to becom e a renunciate w'ould rem ain unfulfilled.
So whatever happened was for the good.’
Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj was an enlightened being. Even
if he did n o t use them , he possessed m any types o f akalpita siddhis. It
was n o t an easy task to hide anything from him . H e sat down in m edita
tion. A long with the prana-shakti [power o f life-force] functioning on
the basis o f chitta, his m ind too extended out and entered the chitta o f
Kalikishore, All his feelings, thoughts and m ental vibrations appeared
before him like an open book. H e realized that Kalikishore had lied to
him. N o t only did he have a m other, father, brother and sister, but also
a wife. N o w Swamiji M aharaj understood the reason for Kalikishores
hesitation and fear. H e did n ot feel good after discovering this, and went
into deep thought.
A question arose in m y m ind on this. I asked M aharajshri, ‘A t the
time o f Shaktipat initiation too, it is the C hitta-Shakti [power o f the
chitta] o f the guru that com es in con tact with the C hitta-Shakti o f the
disciple, but, as far as I have understood, at that time the G uru does n o t
have knowledge o f the disciple s m ental state. Is there a difference .be
tween the technique used by Swainiji M aharaj at this time and the p ro
cess that takes place at the time o f Shaktipat initiation?”
M aharajshri - Shaktipat is just an activity o f Shakti. T h e C hitta-
Shakti o f the guru extends further and on establishing con tact with the
C hitta-Shakti o f the disciple, makes it intToverted. T h e m ind o f the
disciple remains untouched. I f there is any effect on the disciple s mind,
it is purely due to the activity o f Shakti. T h e G uru-Shakti [power o f the
guru], through the medium o f Shakti, attacks the accum ulated impres
sions o f the disciple. T h en the accum ulated impressions get converted
into kriyas [autom atic movements after awakening o f Shakti]. T h is gives
rise to a sense o f an observer in the m ind o f the disciple. In the tech
nique used by Swamiji Maharaj here, his m ind also extended along with
his C h itta-S h ak ti.T h e Chitta-Shakti went and stirred up all the thoughts
and feelings in Kalikishores mind. H is m ind established a connection
with Kalikishores m ind and acquired the knowledge about everything.
T h is is a very subtle process perform ed by the adept yogis. F o r this it is

necessary to possess distinct knowledge o f Shakti and the m ind, their
experience, their com ing and going, and the practical and experiential
knowledge to co n tro l them. I t is difficult for an average yogi to reach this
state. It is very easy to give initiation to som eone, but very difficult to
possess the knowledge about such subtleties.
All the facts th at Kalikishore had hidden in his subconscious mind,
were exposed to Swamiji M aharaj. F o r a sh o rt while Kalikishores mind
also cam e under the con trol o f Swamiji M ah arajs m ind. T h a t is the
difference between the process during Shaktipat and the action o f Swamiji
M aharaj at this time.
I dien asked - W h a t is the difference between the action described
in the Vibhuti Pada o f Yoga D arshan [a chapter in the Y oga Aphorism s
o f Patanjali], ‘‘pratyayasya para chitta jnanam^^ an d this action?
M aharajshri - Kalikishore raised a similar top ic earlier. T h e actions
that are being described here are the actions perform ed by a great being
endowed with Shakti. T h ese kriyas o r actions, if one is at th at state, can
be perform ed very easily, but the techniques described in the Vibhuti
Pada are techniques for yogis who are at the lower stages. B ut they are
n o t in correct. T h ere one is first asked to establish con trol over one s own
chitta, then over the chitta o f another. B ut the technique m entioned in
the V ibhuti Pada is n o t that elaborate, th at is, one only gets to know the
feelings, thoughts or resolves at th at time, but with means o f the Shakti,
the knowledge about the com plete state o f the chitta is acquired. Shakti
enters his subconscious m ind and brings to light even the secrets hidden
in the mind.
I was deeply impressed with IMaharajshri s subtle analysis and his
grasp on the subject o f yoga. M any miracxjlous stories were heard about
M aharajshri himself, but M aharajshri personally never talked about them
and neither did he exhibit any o f his siddhis.
M ah arajsh ri co n tin u ed fu rth e r w ith the d iscussion o f Sw am i
G angadhar T irth M aharaj and Kalikishore.
W h e n Kalikishore came to the cottage the next day, he was a bit
nervous. H e had already seen firsthand the display o f the spiritual pow
ers o f Swamiji M aharaj. H en ce he was experiencing som e fear in his

m ind. H e prostrated before him and quietly stood in one corner. Swamiji
M aharaj was sitting in a grave m ood . H is solem nity doubled Kalikishore s
fear.
Swamiji M aharaj - Listen, you lied to m e yesterday. Y ou said you
had nobody, when there is everybody in your hom e, to the extent that
you are also m arried. I was very h u rt when I discovered this.
Kalikishore felt as if the earth was sliding away from under his feet.
N o t a single word could com e ou t o f his m outh. H e looked down and
stood in silence.
Swamiji M aharaj - W h y are you standing? Sit down.
Silently, Kalikishore sat with his head down, eyes closed, m aintain
ing his silence. Suddenly he felt as if som ething was leaving his body.
Soon his subtle body had left his physical body and was standing sepa
rately. T h e subtle body o f Swamiji M aharaj was already standing there
waiting for him. Kalikishore saw both the bodies lying on the ground as
if they were lifeless. N ow , both were on the subde plane.
Swamiji M aharaj signaled for him to follow.
B oth the subtle bodies started to swim in the air. T h e y crossed
rivers, fields, forests, and towns before arriving at Kalikishore's village
and sofdy landed in the courtyard o f his house. Kalikishores wife was
preparing meals. H is m other and father were seated on one side and were
talking to each other.
M o th er - It has been m onths since Kalikishore left. N o one knows
where he m ight be wandering, or where he m ight be eating? W h ere he
m ight be sleeping at night? N o b o d y is there to take care o f him. H ow
m uch we have searched for him? But could n ot find him. H is wife is so
sad. I cannot bear to see her suffering.
H is m oth ers eyes were filled with tears as she said this.
Kalikishore’s heart melted when he saw this scene. H e felt like hug
ging his m other right there, but it was n o t possible in the absence o f his
physical body. W h en Swamiji M aharaj looked at him, he lowered his
eyes.
A fter som etim e they returned to the cottage in Jagannathpuri. T h eir
physical bodies became alive as soon as they entered them.

Swamiji M aharaj ~ Y ou have seen everything with your own eyes.
Saint Tulsidas has w ritten a verse in the Ramacharitmanas-
‘O Lord! The saints speak of this code conduct^ the Vedas, Puranas and sages too
loudly proclaim^
that pure viveka cannot dawn in the hearty should one keep anything concealedfrom
one^s gu ru /
O L o rd lT h e saints speak o f such a code o f con d u ct and the scrip
tures, puranas and sages too say th at by hiding things from one s spiri
tual preceptor, pure knowledge does n o t arise in the heart. Yet, you hid
things from ine. Y ou tried to deceive me. Y ou lied to me to get initiated
into the vows o f renunciation. Y ou cam e to me. Y ou beseeched me ear-
nesdy. I also blessed you. I gave you the initiation to attain the ultim ate
knowledge, but you turned your face from your duties, ran away from
hom e and cam e here, and for this very reason it is now appropriate for
you to return hom e. Fulfill your duties. As long as you are n o t freed
from your responsibilities, the Shakti awakened within you, will wait lor
you. Y our externally visible kriyas will be stopped. First and forem ost
you will have to endure your destiny as you continue to ftilfill your re
sponsibilities. Afterwards, whatever I have given you will take you to the
right destination at the appropriate time.
T h is raised a doubt in my m ind so I asked M aharajshri, “Earlier,
while defining nigraha [con trol or restraint], Swamiji M aharaj had said
that the guru can never even think o f hurting the disciple. H en ce even in
the form o f punishm ent, he does n o t stop the activities o f the awakened
Shakti. But here on becom ing upset with Kalikishore, he is personally
stopping his kriyas, even though temporarily, but for a long time, I
M aharajshri - First o f all you m ust understand that a real guru can
never be annoyed with a disciple. H is goal is to merely bring the disciple
on the right path. F o r th at he som etim es has to act as if he is angry. In
his m ind there can never be bad feelings, anger, or displeasure towards
the disciple. Som etim es the guru even has to bear an insult, yet there is
no hatred in his m ind toward the disciple. H e always wishes for the
welfare o f the disciple. To think that Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj
was upset with Kalikishore would be a grave injustice to him.

“Swam iji M ah araj experienced during his m editative state th at
Kalikishore had neglected his duties and run away from hom e. H is in
difference towards his duties has becom e a big obstacle in the path o f his
spiritual progress. Even though Shakti had been awakened within him,
his path was blocked. Destiny can be ended only by enduring it. T h e rule
is to fulfill one’s responsibilities for enduring one s destiny . I f Kalikishore
becom es engrossed in sadhan at this tim e, his destiny will n o t be borne
and in the future it will con fron t him with even greater force. Therefore,
before getting absorbed in sadhan, one m ust free oneself from the des
tined actions th at have surfaced. A t present this is the only spiritual
p ractice for Kalikishore. T herefore Swamiji M aharaj asked him to go
hom e and first fulfill all his duties.
“It is also true that his duties towards his parents, siblings and wife
were incom plete. T h e ir m ental vibrations will keep com ing and continue
to agitate his chitta and disrupt his sadhan. First and forem ost an ar
rangem ent has to be m ade by fulfilling the duties that these vibrations
do n o t ham per sadhan, albeit they becom e conducive and supportive to
sadhan. T h is is such a mysterious essence th at aspirants often remain
indifferent to it. O perating at a subtle level, these em otional vibrations
ob stru ct the path o f sadhan. H en ce it was best for Kalikishore to return
hom e, fulfill his duties and make the vibrations o f his dear ones condu
cive for his sadhiin.
“N eith er did Swamiji M aharaj stop the activities o f the Shakti in
Kalikishore tem porarily. H e merely stopped their external m anifesta
tion, so that Kalikishore could remain aware o f his duties and fulfill
them. I f the force o f kriyas remained strong the whole time, it could
have gotten in the way o f his worldly activities. By preventing the exter
nal manifestation o f the activities o f Shakti, it was restricted to working
internally. E ith er the aspirant has to keep the force o f the kriyas in check
and maintain com m on worldly awareness, or the guru restricts the activi
ties o f shakti in such a way that it does n o t becom e an im pedim ent in the
fiilfillment o f his worldly duties. However, this is n ot possible for every
guru. O nly an accom plished guru is capable o f perform ing such a kriya.
T h e ideal thing is n o t to undertake the work o f a guru until such com

petence is attained. But the desire to becom e a guru does n o t allow many
aspirants to do their sadhan peacefully. T h e chitta o f many h igh ly ad
vanced aspirants gets unsettled by the desire to becom e a guru. T h eir
own sadhan has barely progressed in a positive way, but they take on the
responsibility o f som ebody elses sadhan.
“Swamiji M aharaj also told Kalikishore th at the awakened Shakti
would wait for him until he was free from his duties, that is, the atten
tion o f the awakened Shakti will continue to be directed at you. It is by
her grace that the attention o f the goddess Kriya-Shakti remains focused
on the aspirant. W h e n you are freed from all your duties, the Shakti will
once again m anifest herself riding on the vehicle o f her visible activities
in full form and full force and take you to the lofty peaks o f spirituality.
Swamiji M aharaj was n o t giving any punishm ent to Kalikishore, he was
blessing him.”
I got the answer to m y question and my doubt was also cleared.
Continuing the same event M aharajshri said -
“Kalikishore had com e before Swamiji M aharaj with a request for
renunciation, and now he had been instructed to return hom e. H e had
never imagined even in his dreams that he would be given such an in
struction. O n hearing this, at first he felt darkness in front o f his eyes.
H e felt as if everything around him was spinning. H e was finding it
difficult to stand on his feet. H is dream to becom e an ascetic was being
shattered. N o w he would have to once again jump into the blazing fire
o f the worldly trap. H e would have to embrace the same illusory world
that he had run away from . H e held Swamiji M aharaj s feet and started
to cry, “Gurudev, please forgive me. I am certainly guilty o f lying to you,
but my intention was absolutely genuine. I wish to immerse myself, m en
tally and physically, into spiritual practice. T h e world is a house o f mis
eries. It is like shackles on the feet. It is a huge swamp. Please have m ercy
on me and do n o t push me back into that.”
Kalikishore kept on crying and holding on to the feet of-Sw am iji
M aharaj, he was repeatedly begging for forgiveness -
“O Lord, please have m ercy on me. D o n o t push m e away from
ITT
i I
your holy feet. I am an ignorant, stupid, fickle-m inded child. I f you do

n o t give m e the perm ission for sanyas at this time, it is alright. I f I can
serve at your feet, th at is enough for me. O M aster, be m erciful and
overlook m y misdeed. Please do n o t send m e back in the world.'*
Swamiji M aharaj quietly listened to Kalikishore lam enting. H e
knew th at Kalikishore was unable to determ ine what was good or bad
for himself. Like a ripe fruit, he wanted to p ut spirituality in his m outh.
H e was n o t able to understand what all one m ust do for the ultimate
tru th and what one m ust endure. O ne has to go through narrow alleys o f
good fortunes and adversities. A n d how m any times one has to swallow
the sweet and bitter sips o f h o n o r and insult. T h is is n o t a top ic o f
am usem ent, n or is it a child’s play. O ne has step into the battlefield
willing to stake his life.
Swamiji M aharaj thought, ‘H e is overcome with the desire to be
com e an ascetic, but he does n o t understand that pravritti [path o f activ
ity, fulfillment o f social responsibilities] and nivritti [path o f renuncia
tion, inactivity] both hold their own significance. A true ascetic does
n o t wish for renunciation, n or is he afraid o f worldly activity. H e knows
th at his true S elf is beyond nivritti and pravritti. Sometimes he takes on
the nakedness o f inactivity, other times he attires him self in the garb o f
activity. F o r him both, nivritti and pravritti are like external covers to be
thrown o f f with the austerity o f sadhan and the practice o f perfect
action [detached action]. But Kalikishore is attached to renunciation.
T h is very attachm ent is the cause o f bondage for him. T h is attachm ent
has to broken by any possible means and that is the key to his welfare.
‘O th er than the m antra initiation o f Karaali and the Shaktipat ini
tiation to Kalikishore, I have n o t given any other initiation in my life. I
feel th at in the future Kalikishore can becom e a strong medium for advo
cating and spreading Shaktipat am ong the com m on masses. T herefore I
m ust assist him in getting rid o f this attachment.'
Swamiji M aharaj started to talk, “I know that you have a strong
desire to becom e an ascetic a^d it is for this reason that you have given
up your hom e. You have turned your face away from your wife and rela
tives. Y ou have been enduring hardships and wandering here and there,
but also pay attention to the fact that there are many worldly activities
ready to be endured by you and your freedom is impossible unless you
endure them . Just as the m ajority o f the people in the world are unaware
o f their destiny, you also do n o t know your karm a [action as a result o f
destiny]. But, to the guru, the destiny o f the disciple is like an open book
in front o f him. T h e guru who is unaware o f a disciple s destiny is cer
tainly unw orthy o f becom ing a guru. All the actions that you need to
perform are clearly visible to rne. I am totally aware o f the state o f your
chitta. T h a t is the power as a guru.
“As long as the m ental tendencies o f enduring on es destiny are n ot
brought to an end, the chitta does n o t becom e pure and until then there
is no renunciation. R em inciation is n o t just a change o f on es appear
ance. It is a specific state o f the chitta. As long as the p o t o f samskaras
remains filled with accum ulated impressions, the tendency for worldly
objects continues to exist. T h e existence o f this world is based on the
state o f ch itta th at is filled with m ental tendencies. As soon as the
samskaras and vasanas [m ental tendencies] are uprooted, the chitta at
tains the state o f renunciation. T o believe that physical appearance and
external ostentation is sanyas [renunciation], resxalts in pride, due to
which there is every possibility o f the downfall o f the so-called renunciates.
“U nderstand one thing clearly, whether a person is dressed either as
a renunciate or as a householder, if he carries samskaras and vasanas in
his heart, he is a worldly person. H ow did I becom e a sanyasi [one who
has taken the vows o f renunciation]? O nly because worldly tendencies
did n o t persist in my chitta anymore. Tukaram and Swami R am das were
two saints who lived in M aharashtra. O ne was a householder and the
other a renunciate. But both were renunciates at a m ental level. T h e dif
ference between the path o f pravritti [path o f fulfillment o f social re
sponsibilities] and nivritti [path o f renunciation] is from the w orlds
perspective. A t the m ental level both were the same.
“A nd then the countless so-called renunciates you see spread around
the world, m o st are renunciates in name only; the same attachm ents,
aversions and excitability, the same convolutions, agitations and fickle
ness o f the m ind. T h e ir minds are fully im m ersed in the world, there is
no sign o f detachm ent and no hunger for spirituality. T o acquire knowl

edge is n o t at all the goal o f these so-called renunciates. N eith er has
their attachm ent gone, n or have anger, greed and lust left them . T h e y are
stuck even deeper than householders in the quicksand o f the world. Is
sanyas [form al vows o f renunciation] attained merely by reciting m an
tras, going through the rituals, and by taking a dip in the river water! As
long as the m ind is n o t colored, one achieves nothing by simply dyeing
one s clothes. R enunciation is n o t the word for physical action but for a
specific state o f m ind. T h e hymns and rituals are only for guidance and
for pointing ou t the co rrect direction. As one continues to fulfill one s
duties, involves his m ind in sadhan and devotional songs, gradually the
grace o f G o d shines on him and true knowledge begins to ripen by
virtue o f the blessings o f his masters, only then true sanyas takes place.
Any effort and pursuit beyond this is a waste and is a cause o f pride.
“I do n o t wish to make you a renunciate or an ascetic just to put on
a show and neither did I initiate you for that. T h e world is already filled
with these so-called sanyasis. I f I add one m ore to their ranks, I have
done nothing special. I want to see you in as an ascetic, who will shine
brightly in the skies o f sacrifice and sadhan like the Sun. By looking at
him, the world will be inspired to move in the direction o f spirituality.
O ne who will be an epitom e o f sanyas [renunciation]. O ne, who is living
in the world, yet is n o t involved in it.
“Even if there is only one such true ascetic, the world remains stable
with his support. H e keeps the flame o f spirituality burning. D ue to his
inner m otivation waves o f spirituality continue to arise in the hearts o f
people. Such a genuine pilgrim on the path o f ultimate truth is the only
pillar o f light on the path. Even though he has nobody in the world, the
entire world is his. H e does n ot have anything, but he considers the
riches and com forts in the world as worthless as a blade o f grass. H e has
no desire for fame, n or any type o f inclinations. H is senses are like obe
dient servants waiting for his com m and. I have this vision in m y m ind o f
you as a renunciate. N o m atter how m uch time it m ight take, and what
all you m ight have to do to u p root your destiny, you m ight have to go
across the blazing flames o f the world or hold the smoldering fire o f
no T h e Second D awn
sadhan in your heart, but all these paths will pave your way in the direc
tion o f becom ing a renunciate.
“T h ro u g h unbroken surrender, steadfast faith and continuous de
votion toward your family deity, your guru and your sadhan, by enduring
the acts o f destiny, by keeping an open h eart and by instilling the power
o f receptivity in your m ind, you will have to m arch ahead. Y ou will have
to take one step after another. T h e only way is to stay alert and remain
occupied in sadhan and fulfilling duties. A ction is also a p art o f sadhan.
As long as there is destiny, it is essential. Its neglect is con trary to the
duty o f sadhan. W h e n there are no m ore duties before you, action also
moves away from you. T h e n , whatever I have given you, it will slowly,
naturally and step by step take you to your goal. It will establish you on
the peak, wherefrom this world will seem like a game to you. T h e entire
world is tangled in this show.
“I know you are a disciple with a sense o f service. Y ou will serve me
with faith, devotion, sincerity and hard work. In the present age it is
difficult to find a faithful disciple like you with the yearning for the
ultim ate truth. So which guru would want to give up such a disciple? But
a guru is n o t selfish. T h e desire to be served is also selfishness and a real
guru is free from all types o f selfishness. T h e spiritual progress o f the
disciple is p aram ount for him . T h a t is why I cannot keep you with me by
thinking that if you stay with me, you will make me happy. T h a t will be
my selfishness. It will go against what I think will be appropriate for
your welfare. I can see clearly th at the seeds o f vasanas [m ental tenden
cies] are present in the d orm an t form within you and in the circum
stances, which you can n ot see, but are visible to me. It is inappropriate
for me to desire this service. Y ou have already visited your hom e in your
subde body and seen everything with your own eyes. You have ignored
your m other, father and wife, who have many different expectations from
you. D oes that reflect well on you? Is this the path o f righteousness and
spirituality? All these people have gathered around you only due to your
destiny. D utiful action can free you from this destiny. Y ou have got one
opportunity, but you disregarded that op portunity and even ran away
from hom e. W h enever you sit in solitude, you will rem em ber tliem and
Revival o f Shaktipat Know ledge III
w orry about them . T h e ir m ental anguish and subtle vibrations will affect
your m ind, and it will becom e restless. Y ou will feel like rushing hom e.
Y ou will see their form s and will dream only o f them . T h is restlessness
will stand like a big rock and becom e an obstacle in the path o f sadhan.
Y ou r m ind will get diverted from sadhan and tu rn towards hom e. O n
the other hand, when you attain the benefits o f righteous action by ad
hering to your duties and doing your sadhan with a sense o f surrender,
then automatically, w ithout any deliberate effort, everyone will move to
the sidelines and leave your path wide open, otherwise they will never let
you go. T h in k in your m ind that fulfilling one s actions is also a p art o f
sadhan, go hom e and continue to do your sadhan as you bear the fruits
o f your actions with a detached state o f mind.
“Always rem em ber that a woman and gold are the cause o f destruc
tion. T h e meaning o f a woman and gold here is lust and greed. In the
G ita, lust, anger and greed are given the m etaphor o f the three gates to
hell. As. long as there exists even the slightest tendency towards them in
the mind, the d oor to ultim ate truth will never be seen anywhere. You
have a wife and you have a duty towards her. W h e n I look into your mind
I can clearly see that your lust has n ot yet gone away. You indeed talk
about giving up everything and becom ing a renunciate, but you do n ot
see the latent feelings in your mind. W henever this latent em otion awak
ens, your sexual desire will becom e powerful. I also know that right now
you have no desire for wealth or enjoyment with a woman, but when
your d orm an t samskaras wake up, they will create such havoc that it will
be hard for you to con trol yourself. Blinded by your lust, you will look
here and there with greedy eyes. Have you n ot seen great hatha yogis,
scholars, and devotees fall in the mire o f lustful tendencies by remaining
indifferent to their samskaras? A t that time only the wish to fulfill the
desire remains pervasive within. T h en the mind does n ot give an oppor
tunity to con trol oneself. I f an aspirant disregards samskaras, then no
m atter how accom plished he is, once he begins to fall, he continues to
slip further. Any support he tries to grab gets uprooted. H is intellect
gets stifled even before his downfall begins. T h e control over mind and
senses gets weakened. In this situation either it becomes very difficult to
remain in con trol or the realization that one m ust maintain the balance
does n o t even arise. It is m o st appropriate for you to live and associate
with your wife in accordance to the scriptural tenets. In this way, even
though you are perform ing the duties o f a householder, the impressions
th at give rise to lust will n o t be accum ulated. O n the contrary, the
samskaras o f lust accum ulated m the past will slowly get eroded. I f you
do n o t go to your wife now, it is possible that you m ight get involved
somewhere else. T h u s you will go astray from your path. C an a real guru
tolerate such a downfall o f his disciple? N o w th at I see this possibility
very clearly, I am sending you to your wife.’"
I said - H ere Swamiji M aharaj is laying emphasis on adherence to
karm a yoga [dutiful action] along with internal sadhan.
JMaharajshri - T h ere is an intim ate relationship between K arm a-
Yoga [dutiful action] and internal spiritual practice, since K arm a-Y oga
is also based on m ental attitude. K arm a-yoga is very im portan t during
the initial stages. It is the means to eradicating one s destiny and it pre
vents the accum ulation o f new impressions. Aspirants who ignore Karm a-
Yoga remain incapable o f com ing ou t o f the cycle o f action because
neither does their destiny get depleted n o r does the accum ulation o f
new actio n s com es to a h alt. T h a t is why Sw am iji Ivlaharaj asked
Kalikishore to go back hom e. H is destiny was still very powerful and it
was essential to eradicate it dirough detached dutiful action.
“Swamiji M ah arajs decision is equally pertinent for present day
aspirants as well, because even if the aspirants o f today perform internal
sadhan, they remain negligent towards thinning ou t their destiny. In fact,
Swamiji M aharaj ordered Kalikishore, who stood on the doorstep of
renunciation, to go back onto the worldly stage. N o t worldly affairs, but
the attachm ent to worldly affairs is the cause o f bondage. T h e only
solution for freedom from that bondage is detached K arm a-Y oga [duti
ful action]. T h e awakened Shakti undoubtedly thins out the accum u
lated impressions through the m edium o f kriyas, but destiny has to be
ended by enduring it with a sense o f detachm ent. Even great saints and
adepts were n o t able to escape their destiny."’
I said - I f one seeks the su p p ort o f only internal sadhan, then is it

incom plete?
M aharajshri - As long as there is destiny, till then internal sadhan
is n o t enough. As destiny gets eroded, dutiful actions continue to disap
pear on their own.
I asked - W h a t if one were to practice only K arm a-Yoga?
M aharajshri - T h a t too is incom plete. W h ile internal sadhan pulls
the m ind inwards from within, K arm a-Y oga pushes the m ind inward
from the outside. T h e m ind is very powerful. It has to be forced to go
inwards from the outside.
I said - D oes it mean that in your opinion Swamiji M aharaj s deci
sion was appropriate?
M aharajshri - It was appropriate from all the points o f view, intel
lectual as well as experiential. Y ou are also very fond o f renouncing ev
erything and becom ing a m onk and living in solitude. You have also
expressed the desire to run away from the ashram several times, but I
stopped you repeatedly. I wanted to involve you in action along with
sadhan, because I felt that action or fulfillment o f worldly duties was
critical for depleting your action. T h e insight o f a guru is extremely
subde. I t is n o t possible for a disciple to com prehend all his actions.
T h a t is why surrender is the only solution.
I said - Swamiji M aharaj forced Kalikishore to go, but you stopped
me from going. H ow can you establish a com m onality between these
two seemingly con trad ictory situations?
M aharajshri - T h e question here is n ot about asking one to go or
prevent one from leaving. It is the question o f inner spiritual practice
accom panied by the practice o f dutiful action. Kalikishore had forsaken
his duties at hom e and run away for the sake o f total renunciation. By
returning hom e he would get an opportunity to practice detached duti
ful action. O n the other hand, you wanted to abandon the atmosphere
o f selfless service in the ashram and run away from your responsibilities
with the hope o f living in soKtude in the beautiful ranges o f the Himalayas.
In the ashram you have the opportunity to serve. H ence, it was necessary
to send Kalikishore back hom e and to stop you from leaving the ashram.
T h e goal was the same in both the cases. F o r the fulfillment o f this goal
Kalikishore was forced to return and you were stopped from leaving.
“Always rem em ber that the guru does n ot have a craving to receive
service. Any thing th at he sees as beneficial for the disciple, he asks him
to do that. T h a t is the difference between a true guru and a false guru.
F o r a false guru, his selfishness is the m ost im p ortan t. Besides other
factors, the lack o f goodwill on the gurus p art for the disciple is also
one o f the main reasons for the defects that we see today in the relation
ship between a guru and a disciple.
A t the juncture where Kalikishore was sent hom e, M aharajshri re
m em bered an event from his life. H e said -
“T h is happened when I had gone to Rishikesh and received Shaktipat

initiation from Gurudev Yogananda M aharaj. I had rented a room in a
d orm itory where I did my sadhan. I used to go see Gurudev daily. A t
that time one other gentlem an had also com e to Rishikesh to take San
yas D iksha [initiation into the vows o f renunciation, m onastic vows].
Fie would occasionally com e to m eet Gurudev. H e would see me sitting
there every tim e he came. I had becom e som ew hat familiar with him.
“O ne day when he came, his face was gloomy, I enquired why he
looked sad today. I had touched his sensitive nerve. H e started to cry
profusely. H e said, “I had seventy rupees [seventy rupees in those days
were like ten thousand rupees today] and som eone stole them. I have
m ade thousands and spend thousands in my life. M any times I have
endured losses too, but the pain inflicted by the loss o f these seventy
rupees, I have never experienced that in m y life before. I cannot sleep at
night. M y m ind repeatedly gravitates towards that. I did japa, sat in the
com pany o f holy people, and tried to forget that episode, but it does not
leave my mind."
H earing this, I [M aharajshri] said, “Y ou were going to take sanyas,
right? Even otherwise you have to give up everything. So if the rupees are
gone, let them go."
T h e gentlem an said, “T h e n I will have nothing. So what will I
renounce?"
I [M aharajshri] replied, “I f this is the state o f your chitta, how are

you taking sanyas? F irst make your m ind capable o f renunciation and
then renounce everything. M y advice to you is to give up the idea o f
renunciation and go back hom e. R ig h t now you need to work hard on
the path o f worldly action. \Vhen your chitta becom es m ore receptive,
you can com e back anytime.”
“T h e gentlem an understood what I was saying and he agreed to
return hom e. G urudev gave him some m oney for his travel expenses.’’
T on igh t when I sat to m editate with M aharajshri, he started to

hum again. T h e hum m ing started to get louder and louder. T h e differ
ence betw’een the other day and today was that today he sang the co m
plete bhajan.
The one who hasforgotten the beloved Lord, has wasted his priceless life.
Money, wealth, possessions and treasures, all become strangers in the end.
The one who did not think of truth and duty wanders around like a hypnoti^dfool.
In false attractions he immerses the mind and body, never sings the glory of the Lord.
Son, grandson andfamily, no one will accompany him in the end.
There is no fraternal feeling or love, the mind isfilled with shrewdness and deceit.
Having never done a good deed onto others, he sought the company <f had actions.
Your beauty and youth, is slipping away like ice melts into water.
While you sleep soundly with legs outstretched, the birds have devoured your harvest.
You have scatteredfunds of fraud, as you remain engulfed in worldly pleasures.

You stayed alooffrom charity and piety, and abhorred such men.
Everything the Vedas and scriptures praise, thefool thinks contrary to that.
All the Time has been wasted in play, you have stayed alooffrom the company of
saints.
You are proud of such a life. It is like a pile of sand in the middle of a lake.
Why do you not improve your qualities and actions^ this human birth does not come
again and again.
Your actions are like a boatj in which you sit ignorantly.

The river is deep and the shore isfar, you can sink any moment.
Wake up within your own heart, O brother, and earn something good.
Your wife and son will not go with you, true dharma will support you.
N e x t day I said to M aharajshri, “L ast night .you sang the entire

bhajan! Even after so many years you rem em ber it by heart?”
M aharajshri - I do n o t rem em ber any bhajan, but the impressions
o f smging this bhajan m any years ago are accum ulated in the chitta.
N ow when Kriya-Shakti [dynam ic aspect o f Shakti] began to shower her
grace on me, it started to u p root the old samskaras buried deep within,
so through her grace, the samskaras o f past actions began to arise. T h ey
becam e dom inant in the chitta and were transform ed into kriyas. M y
samskaras began to rise in th at order and I began to sing effordessly.
T h a t is why this spiritual practice is called ‘Sahaj Sadhan’ effortless,
spontaneous spiritual practice].
Expressing his thoughts regarding the bhajan, M aharajshri then said,
“T h e em otion o f the p oet is so touching. One, who has forgotten his
beloved L o rd and attached his love to the m om entary and transient ob
jects in this perishable world, it m ust be understood that his life has
indeed been wasted. T h e wealth and possessions, which he chases like a
m adm an, becom e somebody else s as soon as he shuts his eyes. An indi
vidual being does n o t contem plate even for a fraction o f a m om ent on
the true nature o f the Absolute S elf and on his rightful duties. Instead
he has engaged his m ind and body in the false love o f worldly objects.
H e has never sung the name o f the Lord. T h ese sons and grandsons or
any other relatives, are n ot going to accom pany you on your final jour
ney. M utual affection and friendship are totally lacking in you, deceit,
fraud and treachery are stuffed inside you. 'You have never done good to
others or served or obliged anyone. Y ou have merely becom e a m aster o f

sinful actions.
“A hum an being finds the sleep o f M aya [the grand illusion] very
sweet, but when the field is devoured by birds and the dram a of your life
wiE com e to an end, you will go around lamenting. Y ou have spread the
traps o f deception in the world and you remain engrossed in the enjoy
m ent o f worldly pleasures. N eith er pious acts n or charity. Y ou always
stay away from good deeds. Such people, their lives and their actions are
a disgrace. Y ou r m ind is always drawn to the opposite meaning o f the
Vedas, scriptures, words o f holy m en and spiritual teachings- In this way
you have wasted your entire life in the trickery o f M aya [the grand illu
sion], but you distanced yourself from the com pany o f holy men.
“O foolish egoist! Y our life is Tike a m ound o f sand in the middle
o f a river, which is continuously being washed away by the flowing water.
In the same way, time is chipping away your life every m om ent. W h y
don’t you improve your qualities and actions! You will n ot receive this
human birth again and again.
“Y o u r deeds are like a boat and you are sitting in it out o f your own
ignorance, wasting your time. T h is river o f Becom ing [cycle o f birth and
death] is deep and the other shore is very far. Any m om ent the b oat o f
your life can sink in this ocean o f becom ing, meaning, you could die any
m inute.
“T h in k for a m om ent, now give up your sleep and wake up, and at
least earn som e good deeds. Your son, wife, relatives, friends, wealth and
possessions will n o t go with you. O nly the true form o f the Absolute-
S elf and the righteous actions that have been perform ed with a sense o f
duty will accom pany you.
“Saints repeatedly beckon and explain to man, but he has stuffed
co tto n in his ears and is enjoying the sound sleep o f illusion.T he teach
ings strike his ears and com e back. H e continues to invest his mind into
worldly objects. Alas! O M an !”
M aharajshri remained silent for some time and said, “T h e condi
tion o f the com m on worldly people will always remain like this. Any
one who com es, arrives with self-praise and criticism for others. N o one
looks at his own faults, whereas he holds many defects within himself.
O nly a fortunate one pays attention to the teachings o f saints. L et us
talk about the event related to Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj and
Kalikishore, let us try to understand it.
Swamiji M aharaj was explaining to Kalikishore. H e said, “D o you
understands what the true nature o f a brahm achari [celibate] is?
Ômkaar madhye deepavat vedasaar pranavam
Yogihhirdhyaana gamyam H ari Shiva roopam
Sarva Bhootantareykam kshanamapi manushyo asatu
Dhyaayati yaha muktaha sa brahmachari
M eaning : T h a t which appears like the flame o f a lam p in the
m iddle o f O m kaar, the sound o f O m , which is the essence o f the Vedas,
and is seen by yogis during m editation. T h a t, which is the form o f H ari
L ord V ishnu], G uru, and Shiva, if a person can m editate on it for even
a fraction o f a m om ent, that person is free, he alone is a brahmachari.
“In other words, a true brahm achari is only the one who dwells and
wanders in Brahm a [the one self-existent im personal spirit]. O ne m ust
go beyond the physical body to attain this state. T h e vigor flowing to
wards the world through the m edium o f the body m ust be taken from
the body and turned inward towards the soul to reach a state beyond the
world. A great being has said that whether one’s religion or principles
com m and brahm acharya [celibacy] or not, it is w orth practicing for ev
ery spiritual aspirant.”
“However, the rules o f celibacy for ascetics and householders are
different. F o r a householder, celibacy does n o t allow association with
other women. F o r ascetics there is no question o f having a relationship
with a woman at all.”
Swamiji M aharaj further said - “N eith er should they look at a
woman, talk to her in privacy, n or dwell on her thoughts. Even if the
mere thought o f being in the com pany o f a woman arises in the mind,
then consider that one has been with her. I f the feeling o f lust is present
in the m ind, even in a hidden form , that person m ust be considered a
fraudulent celibate. I f the thought o f a wom ans com pany does n ot ever
arise even in your dreams, only then you will becom e a true brahmachari
celibate . T h e n you will becom e Urdhvareta, m eaning your semen will

flow upwards and transform into light. O nly then will the path o f true
brahm acharya get illumined for you.
“Y ou do n ot have to ever give up action on your own. L et the action
give itself up on its own. W h e n the samskaras o f doing action present
within you are exhausted, action will retreat automatically. Abstention
from action dawns ou t o f dutiful action. B ut this will be possible only
when you have reached the ripened state. W henever such a state arises,
your m ind will becom e pure and the bondage o f action will becom e
loose. T h e n you will becom e w orthy o f receiving m e/'
O n this I asked a question - W h a t does Swamiji M aharaj mean
when he says, ‘then you will becom e worthy o f receiving me?’
M aharajshri - Just as L o rd Krishna tells A rjuna to p erform all
actions for him alone, he says so by establishing him self in the cosm ic
consciousness. In the same way, Swamiji M aharaj also establishes his
state in the G uru-tattva [the essential nature o f the guru] when he tells
Kalikishore that then you will becom e worthy o f receiving me, that is,
receive the essential nature o f the guru. F o r that you will first have to
becom e free from action by practicing dutiful action. T h rou gh sadhan
you will have to establish a pure state o f chitta that is devoid o f samskaras.
O nly then you will be able to enter into the essential nature o f the guru.
Swamiji M aharaj further said, “Y ou are being sent back to the world
with another purpose as well. In this Kali Yuga [age o f darkness] the
individual being is extremely afflicted by the force o f M aya [the grand
illusion]. In spite o f their desire and efforts they are unable to stay on
the right path. M any false notions are being propagated in the name o f
religion; many philosophies are being presented, which is confusing the
com m on masses. N o b o d y is able to understand what needs to be done
and how it should be done. T h e sinister cycle o f selfishness, pretension,
ego, attachm ents and aversions is prevalent everywhere. U nder these cir
cum stances, you also bear some o f the responsibility to elevate the real
form o f morality, religion and spiritual practice. I f you become an as
cetic and hide in a cave how wiU you fulfill that responsibility! I have
thrust the rope o f sadhan in your hands. By giving you a direct experi
ence o f the power o f the self and its activities, I have set you on the
spiritual path. I have given you the firsthand experience o f the actual
saguna sadhan [spiritual practice where one has awareness o f the qualir
ties o f G od ]. In this way, I have cleared the path for your self-realization
and realization o f the self-existent, im personal G od and the path to
your liberation. T h e spiritual flame th at I have ignited within you is in a
seed form and is lim ited only to yourself right now. O ne day this flame
will becom e a raging fire and it will spread n o t only in India, but also all
over the world. A com m on m an will experience the heat o f this flame
within him. T h is seemingly difficult task will be accom plished through
you. In India and abroad, men and women who have been blessed with
this spiritual practice will be seen deeply im m ersed in spiritual elixir.
“It is true that I have tied such a fire in your scarf that personalities
illuminated by it will be seen in all corners o f the world. M any gurus
will sacrifice themselves for this noble cause, many centers o f this knowl
edge will be established, extensive literature will be w ritten and different
styles o f this knowledge will be developed, but you are n o t to do your
sadhan to becom e a great m aster or the flag bearer and great leader o f
this knowledge. T h is tendency is responsible for increasing pride. T h e
intent is to lift up and crush it on the ground. T h a t is the way to down
fall and it does n o t benefit anyone. T o do this under the guise o f spiritu
ality is the way to move away from the path o f spirituality. D ue to this
mistake, many aspirants wander away from their path and get engulfed in
the swamp o f M aya where there is nobody to help them. T h ey did n ot
recognize their duties, did n o t realize the essence and succum bed to this
state. H en ce never engage yourself in sadhan with a desire to becom e a
guru. T h e work o f a guru will be initiated through you in a natural way,
you will simply be the instrum ent and you m ust remain an instrument.
T h u s you m ust p erform your sadhan by giving im portance to service,
duty and surrender in your sadhan and by always seeking the shelter o f
G o d s and gurus grace.”
I asked - W ill the fire that was ignited by Swamiji M aharaj through
Kalikishore continue to burn forever?
M aharajshri - T h is question has already com e up earlier. Is there

any fire th at was ignited and with time did n o t get extinguished? W h e n
the sto rm o f worldly pleasures, selfishness, excitem ent, defects and fick
leness starts to blow, it extinguishes the fire.
I said - Som etim es the sto rm m ay extinguish the fire and at times
it m ay make it m ore intense and spread it further.
M aharajshri - I f the fire is intensified by the sto rm o f worldly
objects, then it definitely cools down eventually.
Swamiji M aharaj further said - As long as you are n o t freed from
all duties and have n o t attained the state th at is filled with spiritual bliss,
until then do n o t put on the royal robes [saffron robes o f a renunciate].
T o wear the royal robes in the absence o f Shakti and strength is skillful
speech and ostentation. A m ajestic ashram and a group o f disciples soon
becom es a subject o f laughter. As long as you do n o t attain this state,
even when you are harboring the tendencies o f a renunciate in your mind,
dress only in com m on clothes. I f a beggar sitting on the roadside calls
him self a king and talks and behaves like a king, people will certainly
laugh at him. T h e inner royal wealth, steadiness o f the chitta and the
path to peace and right to a fearless kingdom has been given to you, so
one day you will definitely becom e a king. As I see from the window into
the future, even if you do n o t wish it, people will accept you as a king.
T h is kingdom will n ot be a physical kingdom , but you will rule over the
hearts o f the com m on masses. T h is kingdom will be far superior to the
physical and false kingdom in the world. Y ou will be the king, the great
est o f kings, king o f all, and the best o f all kings. T h en you will say, ‘It
is me, it is m e’, and this m antra o f yours will echo throughout the world,
all the four directions will reverberate with the sound o f your victory;
your suprem acy will pervade land, water, everything. You will feel that
the entire world is a form o f your own self. You will see yourself in each
and every creature."
I said - Swamiji Maharaj gave a huge blessing!
M aharajshri - Every true guru has the same wish for his disciple.
Every guru wants to see his disciple greater and higher than himself, but
when the disciple acts according to his own wish, ignores the teachings
and instructions o f the guru and turns away from sadhan and duties, the
guru gets extremely disappointed.
I said - T h ere m ust hardly be any true guru like this, otherwise
norm ally the guru begins to dislike even the disciple too.
M aharajshri - N orm ally even a disciple is unable to surrender to
the guru. H e plays his own separate beat, and at times he even revolts
against the guru. T h e same solem nity does n o t exist in the guru-shishya
m aster-disciple] relationship anymore.
Kalikishore had nothing to say after listening to such a clear and
profound serm on. H e rem ained seated for a while with his head down.
H e thought, ‘Swamiji M aharaj has said the right thing. A guru always
does what is best for the disciple. I was unable to grasp the facts and
ad am an tly insisted on b ecom in g an ascetic. O n e can n o t b ecom e a
renunciate, at the appropriate m om ent, when that state o f m ind arises,
that form manifests on its own accord. I f Gurudev is a renunciate, his
state o f m ind is also as per that. A nd to acquire such a state, how much
effort he m ust have taken, how many hardships he m ust have endured,
what kinds o f duties he m ust have fulfilled, and what intense spiritual
practices he m ust have done. O nly after doing all that, his current state
m ust have arisen. W h o knows since how many lifetimes he has been
endeavoring in this direction. I was thinking o f becom ing a renunciate in
a single leap.
‘H ow subtle is the subject o f spirituality! M any great scholars have
faded to understand the essence due to their pride. It is n ot a child’s play
to grasp the essence o f the scriptures. It is like finding a diam ond in a
heap o f garbage. O nly if a saint showers his grace can the meanings
becom e clear.
All the teachings o f the saints and scriptures are based on the state
o f the chitta. I f som ething is appropriate in a particular situation, die
same thing is inappropriate in another. Som etim es dutiful action is ap
propriate and on certain occasions abstention. I did the mistake o f not
being able to pay attention to the state o f my chitta and lied to Gurudev.
Swamiji M aharaj is so com passionate that n ot only did he forgive me
with a generous heart, but also bestowed me with such a great blessing.
N o w m y only duty is to follow his instruction/
Kalikishore told Swamiji M aharaj, “All th at you have said with my
well-being in m ind, I will follow it unconditionally. It was the stupidity
and ignorance o f m y m ind th at I left my hom e and was adam ant about
b ecom in g a renunciate, b ut often tim es good com es out o f the bad.
U n d er this pretext I g ot the op p ortu n ity to see you and receive your
grace. I am happy th at I am n o t going hom e em pty-handed from your
door. I am returning with a sacred gift in the form o f awakened Shakti
and a blessing o f spiritual advancement. M y hom e is very far from here,
in E ast Bengal. Because I am poor, I do n ot have the means o f com ing
here, so I do n o t know if I will ever be able to com e here again. But I am
going with your image engraved in my heart. Please bless me that I shall
always rem em ber you with every breath.”
Swamiji M aharaj - I am pleased that you have honored whatever I
said. Y ou have been involved in the path o f spirituality for many life
times and for som e reason strayed from the path, but now you have
returned to the holy path. I f you continue to m arch properly, you will
soon reach your spiritual goal. A fter reaching hom e, serve your m other
and father, love your younger brother and sister like a father, and make
efforts to keep your wife happy. Convey my blessings to everyone.
“Perform all the household activities treating them as your duty.
C onsider them to be a service to me too. W h e n a disciple is earnestly
engaged in fulfilling his duties, he receives the blessings o f the Divine
Power o f the guru. Y our physical, external kriyas will remain halted, but
you m ust pay special attention to japa [repetition o f a mantra, chanting
and studying the scriptures. A t the right time you will have various expe
riences. D o n o t give up patience. H o ld on. G od is attentive towards
everyone. H e is especially merciful to his devotees. M ay G od keep you
healthy and happy.”
I said - A t the time o f bidding farewell to Kalikishore, Swamiji
M aharaj’s mind m ust definitely have been affected?
M aharajshri - M inds o f worldly people get affected, n ot the minds
o f the jnanis[those who possess true knowledge]. Disciples com e and
go, but the m ind o f the guru remains steadfast.

I said - A guru who has many disciples, their arrival and departure
will definitely continue. H ow ever som eone who has only one disciple
and he goes away, the m ind o f the guru m ust surely be getting affected?
M aharajshri - T h e issue is n o t o f one disciple or many, but the
state o f the chitta o f the guru. W h e n the chitta is steadfast, the instabil
ity o f the world does n ot have any effect.
A fter the departure o f Kalikishore, Swamiji M aharaj got absorbed
in his sadhan. E very m orning he would go to Chandan Lake for a bath.
H is sadhan continued at an unstoppable pace in the cottage. Also n o
body visited o r passed from there. Sadhan was his only com panion.
12. Returning Home
I asked - T h e n what happened to Kalikishore?

M aharajshri - A fter taking leave from Swamiji M aharaj, Kalikishore
proceeded in the direction o f his village. T h e journey had to be com
pleted on foot. It would take about a m on th to reach home. H is heart
was overcom e with em otions as he embarked on his journey. H is feet did
n o t want to move in the direction o f his hom e. H e felt as if he was
leaving behind his very life here. T h e image o f Swamiji M aharaj was in
front o f his eyes, and his h eart was filled with love for him. As he walked
along the road, he felt as if Swamiji M aharaj was walking in front o f him
and guiding him. N o w Swamiji M aharaj would behis only guide through
ou t his life.
O n the one hand Kalikishore was sad about his ignorance, and on
the other, his h eart was filled with enthusiasm and hope at receiving the
grace o f Swamiji M aharaj. H e mentally prostrated at the holy feet o f his
guru again and again.
N u rtu rin g the sweet m em ories o f Swamiji Maharaj in his heart,
Kalikishore halted in a village. A fter pacifying his hunger with alms, he
went to a dharamshala [a place o f lodging for pilgrims and travelers] to
stay the night. H e saw that Swamiji M aharaj was already resting there.
H is heart was filled with joy on seeing him. H e rushed and prostrated
before him. W h e n he arose after prostrating, Swamiji M aharaj was not
to be seen anywhere. H e looked around, but could n ot see him. Such was
the intensity o f his devotion that it manifested in the form o f Swamiji
M aharaj. H e started to cry loudly. “O Gurudev! W h ere have you gone
leaving m e behind? I am a p o o r child totally d ependent on you.”
Kalikishore went on crying and reeling on the ground.
In this way, Kalikishore’s entire journey was taking place with him
totally immersed in Gurudev. Sometimes he saw him in a dream, som e
times walking in front o f him. H e asked for cilms at a hom e and he saw
Gurudev in the person giving alms. Kalikishore instantly touched his
feet. T h e m an pulled h im self back and said, “Revered Sir, what are you
doing?” O nly then Kalikishore came to his senses.
Similarly once he was going somewhere and at a distance he saw
Gurudev strolling. H e ran and crashed into a tree. Gurudev was nowhere
in sight but he was injured on the forehead.
Kalikishores journey was progressing only with the m em ories o f
Swamiji M aharaj in his heart.
H e arrived at a village named Kanthelu on the banks o f the M ahanadi
River. H e asked for alms at a hom e there. T h e m aster o f the house told
him “Revered Sir, if you want to stay, there is a religious shelter here. I
can com e and show it to you.”
Kalikishore said, “I do n o t need a rest house. O n m y way I saw a
cave on the banks o f the M ahanadi River. I will stay there.” O n hearing
that the owner stood with a gaping m outh. H e asked with surprise, “W h a t
did you say? Y ou will stay in the cave? Revered Sir, do n o t stay there. It
IS a very frightening cave.”
Kalikishore - AVhy is it frightening?
O w ner o f the house - It is a haunted house. W e never go there at
night ou t o f fear. O n a new m oon night, there is a lo t o f com m otion
there. M any torches are seen burning. T h ere is a lot o f crying, singing,
scream ing and dancing there. W e sit far away in the village and hear all
that.
Kalikishore thought for som etim e and then he rem embered Swamiji
M aharaj and became very enthusiastic. H e said, “It does n o t m atter. I
will stay there.”
O w ner o f the house - Please take som e food for dinner with you.
W e will n o t com e there in the night. Also carry a lamp with you. M ay
G od p rotect you.
Kalikishore and two other villagers went to the cave. O n reaching
the cave, both the villagers said, “Please listen to u s.T h is place is haunted.
D ifferent types o f sounds can be heard in the night. Please give up your
resolve to stay here.”
Kalikishore - D o n o t w orry about me. N o th in g will happen to me.

B oth o f them went back. Kalikishore wandered on the riverbank
for som e time. T h e n he returned to the cave, spread his asana [woolen
m at] and sat down for m editation. H e felt as if Gurudev was sitting next
to him and assuring him n o t be afraid as he was with him.
It was evening. Kalikishore lit the lamp. As he just sat down for
dinner he saw two m en seated in the corn er o f the cave.
Kalikishore - W h o are you?
O ne m an - W e live here,
Kalikishore - I have been here since afternoon. I did n o t notice you
until now!
O ne m an - But we saw you. W e also heard your conversation with
the villagers.
Kalikishore - B ut the villagers say that... [Kalikishore stopped in
the middle o f the sentence].
O ne m an - T h e villagers are correct! W e are ghosts.
Kalikishore - W h a t if I wish to stay here for a few days?
O ne ghost - Very good, it will be delightful.
Kalikishore - But I am n o t alone, T h ere is one m ore person with
me.
O ne ghost - W h o is it?
Kalikishore - M y Gurudev.
O ne ghost - W e cannot see him anywhere.
Kalikishore - Yes, but I can see him.
O ne ghost - Is the state o f your Gurudev so subtle that he is not
visible even to the ghosts?
Kalikishore - H is subtleness is far beyond anybody’s imagination.
I f I stay here what if you harass me!
O ne ghost - So far we have n o t troubled anyone.
Kalikishore - T h e n why are the villagers afraid o f you?
O ne ghost - It is n ot us, but the ghosts in their mind that the
villagers are afraid of.
Kalikishore - But you cry and scream. T h e villagers hear that and
do n ot com e here at night.
O ne ghost - A fter all we are ghosts. I f we do n o t even cry and

scream, what else can we do? W e also need to remain engaged in some
activity.
Kalikishore - I can stay here then?
O ne ghost - W e have no problem . W e will n ot trouble you, and you
will n o t harass us. W e can see th at you are a religious person, so we will
definitely accrue som e benefit from your devotion.
Kalikishore sat for m editation. B oth the ghosts watched from a
distance. Suddenly Kalikishore heard a voice in his ears, “Revered Sir!”
Kalikishore opened his eyes and found both the ghosts standing in front
o f him. But what was this! H is heart was thum ping heavily at the sight.
Both the ghosts did n o t have feet.
Kalikishore - W^hat happened to your feet?
O ne ghost - Y ou forget that we are ghosts. W^hy do we need feet? I f
we need to go somewhere, we fly. I f we have to walk, we do so w ithout
the feet. Okay, now we are going out. You can continue with your spiri
tual practice.
T h e night was getting darker. Kalikishore was im mersed in m edita
tion. Suddenly he heard sounds o f crying and shouting. Interm ittently
the sound o f laughter could also be heard and it would reverberate all
around. Kalikishore’s m editation was disturbed. H e went ou t and saw
that the two ghosts were jumping and bouncing on die tree in the front.
W h e n they saw Kalikishore they became quiet.
Kalikishore - Y ou need to rem em ber that your screams disturb my
m editation. C om e down and go in the cave and sit peacefully.
B oth the ghosts followed Kalikishore into the cave.
In the m orning, two people cam e from the village with milk for
Kalikishore. O n their way they were wondering, what m ight have hap
pened to the holy m an at night. Kalikishore was returning after taking a
bath in the river. Both the villagers were pleaded as well as surprised to
see him safe.
O ne man asked - H ow was the night, Punditji?
Kalikishore - As you had m entioned, there are ghosts here, but
there is no reason to be afraid. T h e two ghosts who live here are very
civilized gentlem en. T h e y said that they have never harm ed the villagers
or anyone else and that the villagers w'ere frightened by their ow'n m ental
ghosts.
Both the m en wêre engrossed in th ought on hearing this. W h e n the
villagers heard that Kalikishore was safe in the cave and that he had
conversed with the ghosts at night, they developed faith in him. N ow the
sounds o f crying iind shouting from the cave had also stopped. Even if
it did happen, it would happen farther away. N ow the villagers started to
visit the cave w ithout hesitation. N o t only did som eone or the other
bring him meals twice a day and also milk in the m orning, but some
people had also begun to com e at oth er times to pay their respects.
Kalikishore s fame as a great soul was spreading in the nearby villages.
B oth the ghosts were very cordial with Kalikishore. H e had the
luxury o f doing his m editation w ithout any disturbance. O ne day, both
the ghosts came to Kalikishore and said, ‘'Revered Sir, tonight is the
night o f new m oon. G hosts living in the nearby areas com e together
here. Eating, drinking, singing, dancing, crying and screaming will take
place. W ill it disturb your sadhan?”
Kalikishore - Can I also sit outside and watch your gathering? It
will be a strange experience for me.
O ne ghost - W e have no problem with that. In fact we will be
pleased.
A t night Kalikishore was made to sit on one side. Ghosts o f differ
ent shapes were present. Som e were enorm ous, while others very thin;
some had crooked bodies, while others were long like straws. First they
ate and then they cried, sang and danced late into the night. A fter all the
ghosts had departed, both the ghosts came to Kalikishore. T h ey both
looked very well mannered that day.
O ne ghost - W e are ghosts so we cannot perform any spiritual
practices. But we are happy to see you engrossed in sadhan all the time. Is
your revered guru [m aster] also there with you here?
Kalikishore - Guruji is there with me at every m om ent. It is all his
grace.
O ne ghost - Is he a highly advanced spiritual being?
Kalikishore - A ccording to m y belief and experience he is defi

nitely an enlightened soul.
O n e ghost - Can he free us from this form o f existence?
Kalikishore deliberated on this for a while and then he said, “I do
n o t know about that, but I will definitely pray to him for you. Gurudev
is very com passionate.”
Fifteen to twenty days had passed since Kalikishore had com e to
Kanthelu village and stayed in the cave. T h e people there were highly-
impressed with Kalikishore s asceticism and spiritual practice. T h ey had
also seen hm i living in the com pany o f ghosts. W h e n he engaged in
intelligent conversation with people, even that seemed to be steeped in
his love for G od and his sense o f duty. Even Kalikishores m ind was
getting used to the place. H e had also developed som e attachm ent for
the ghosts. H e to o felt that it would be good if these ghosts were liber
ated from their cu rren t form o f existence.
H e prayed to Gurudev at the time o f sadJian, “O Lord! T o bring
about the welfare o f living beings is your nature itself. T h ere are two
ghosts here, hopeful o f receiving your grace. Som etim es it seems as if
they are two distressed souls existing in the form o f ghosts. Y ou are the
benefactor o f the dow ntrodden, O L ord, please shower your grace on
these ghosts and free them.”
T h e next evening the two ghosts came to Kalikishore in haste and
said, “Revered Sir, we are extremely grateful to you. You have helped us
to becom e free from this ghostly form . W e saw your Gurudev today.
Fair-skinned, his upper torso uncovered, holding a wooden sta ff and a
water p ot, he said, “Y our revered sir, ‘Kalikishore’ prayed earnestly for
you. I too felt sorry for your state. Y ou have been wandering for a very
long time. O n the day o f the full m oon you will be freed from this state
o f existence.” A fter telling Kalikishore about this both the ghosts danced
happily.
Kalikishore mentally thanked Gurudev. H e was happier than the
ghosts. Soon after this, som e devotees o f Kalikishore came to see him.
H e also told them this incident. Everybody s minds were overwhelmed
with respect and love for Kalikishore and his Gurudev.
It had been alm ost eight m onths since Kalikishore had left his hom e.
H is m ind had becom e com fortable with his devotees in Kanthelu village.
It was already a m on th since he had com e here. Suddenly the m em ories
o f his village began to trouble him . A t the same tim e he also felt ashamed
to show his face at hom e. O n the oth er hand as soon as he would re
m em ber the teachings and instruction o f Gurudev and the prom ise he
had m ade to him , Kalikishore's state o f m ind would change. H e thought,
‘what is the problem? A fter all it is my family. T h e will only scold me for
a little while. Parents are very soft-hearted.'
It is n o t difficult to imagine the em otional state o f Kalikishores
parents. T h e ir young m arried son had gone somewhere w ithout inform
ing anyone. T h e atm osphere in the house was very grave. T h e y searched
for him in m any places but w ithout success. It was eight m onths since he
had left and suddenly they heard that Kalikishore was in the village o f
Kanthelu. N o one at hom e had com plete confidence in this news. T h e
financial condition o f the family was dire. It was difficult to manage the
funds for the journey, hence Kalikishores m other sent a letter through
the postm aster o f Kanthelu -
D ear Kalikishore,
Blessings.
W h a t happened that you decided to go away from h om e?T h e house
is lonely w ithout you. Y ou can understand the g rief in a m other s heart.
W e do n o t feel like doing anything, even eating our meals. T h e only
thing I feel like doing is crying in your m em ory. I f you are indeed in
Kanthelu village and this letter reaches you, com e hom e immediately.
Y ou r wife weeps all the time from being separated from you. You
have some responsibilities towards her too, but you have becom e so heart
less that you broke all relations and left. N ow it is too much. Eight
m onths have passed. C om e back now.
Your M other,
Navdurga Devi.
Kalikishore read the letter and the obsession to become a renunciate
disappeared altogether. H e had already seen the condition o f his m other
in his subtle body. H e had also seen his wife shedding tears. T h a t scene
came alive before his eyes. H is h eart was filled with anguish. H e quickly i
started for his village. O ne who was desirous o f becom ing a renunciate |
was now returning hom e to jum p into the blazing fire o f worldly en
tanglem ents, but his h eart was filled with love for Gurudev. H e was
returning hom e as per his com m and. Kalikishore had stayed in Kanthelu
for one m on th . H is austerity and spiritual p ractice had becom e well
known, and he even had a few devotees. But as soon as he reinembered
Gurudev, all this seemed to be a cause o f bondage. T h en he also rem em
bered the words o f G urudev that, ‘In due course o f time you will be
com e a king in a natural way. As long as that condition o f the chitta does
n o t arise, to declare yourself to be a king will only result in m ockery by
all the people.’ H e thought, ‘T h a t state has n o t yet dawned. Gurudev
sent me back hom e and instead I g o t involved in Kanthelu. It is n ot
appropriate to involve m yself with devotees yet. Also now I have received
the letter from m other.' A shopkeeper from Kanthelu offered a gift o f
ten rupees to Kalikishore for his travel expenses.
E igh t m onths ago Kalikishore had abandoned his fxmily and run
away, but now he wanted to reach the same fainily m em bers as quickly as
possible. Repeatedly his m o th ers face came alive in his heart. Sometimes
his grieving wife would appear before his eves. H is legs were tired from
walking, yet he continued. In this way he finally reached his village.
As soon as the news o f Kalikishores arrival spread, the entire vil
lage gathered in fron t o f his house. Som e taunted him and others coun
seled him . Everyone in the family was jubilant. In response to the com
m ents m ade by everyone, Kalikishore said, “It was my foolishness that I
decided to becom e a renunciate and ran away from hom e. It was my
good fortune that I m et a true m aster. M y eyes are opened with his
blessings. I have realized my mistake. A t this p oin t I am embarrassed at
my folly.” H e bowed down and touched the feet o f his m other and father
and sought their blessings.
As soon as he came home, a m ountain o f problems stood before
Kalikishore. T h e family was already very p oor and poverty gives rise to
num erous other difficulties. Since he was the eldest son his responsibili
ties were also big. Besides he was also m arried. H e m editated on Gurudev
and prayed, “O Lord ! I have returned hom e as per your com m and, but
here I am surrounded by scarcity, responsibilities, worries and many other
hardships. But you have sent m e back to face these very difficulties with
a sense o f duty. A fter com ing here I actually feel as if I have jum ped into
a blazing fire. Please shower your grace on me. Please bless me and give
me strength so th at I can successfully fulfill m y duties and do my sadhan
and clear this test successfully. M y only prayer is diat I m ay rem em ber
you all the time.’’
Kalikishore had a feeling th at Swamiji M aharaj was saying, “Great
beings are created only through dire circum stances. I f scarcity gives rise
to difficulties, then it is these difficulties that add luster to life. Absence
o f adversity makes a person aimless, lazy and indulgent. Scarcity is the
greatest wealth. A lotus bloom s only in the swamp, so have patience. All
this is the m anifestation o f your destiny. L et your destiny get erased. D o
n o t forsake your duties and continue your sadhan. Y our worldly life is
also a form o f your sadhan.
“All the great beings have risen above this level and attained saint
hood. All o f them had to struggle with penury, difficulties, problems
and adversities. Everyone has had to endure a lot. T h e depletion o f des
tiny is undoubtedly the establishment o f detachm ent, and destiny can be
wiped ou t only by enduring it with a sense o f duty. F o r this very reason
I inspired you to jump into this blazing fire. Only this blazing fire can
reduce your destiny to ashes. T h a t is the way o f saints. N o b o d y can
becom e a saint w ithout burning destiny to ashes. O nly then are the inner
layers removed and the path to inner progress illuminated,”
I asked a question about this - W as it an experience based on
Kalikishore’s imagination or did Swamiji M aharaj actually hear his prayer
at such a great distance and was consoling and encouraging him?
Miiharajshri - G uru-tattva [the essential nature o f a guru] is an
om nipresent essence and is present in everyone. O n praying, it manifests
within die chitta from the chitta itself and listens to the prayer o f the
devotee. T h is experience is in accordance with one’s faith which means
that based on one’s faith, one experiences an image within.
I said - So that was the reason why Kalikishore saw the form of
Swamiji M aharaj and heard his voice widiinl

M aharajshri - T h a t is the divine sp o rt o f G uru-tattva. It gives the
devotee a vision and experience in accordance to his faith. A devotee o f
A sees the form o f A and a devotee o f B sees the form o f B. Kalikishore
had faith and tru st in Swamiji M aharaj so he experienced it in the form
o f Swamiji M aharaj.
“O n the oth er hand, no m atter how far the true m aster m ight be
from the disciple, he hears the appeal o f a true disciple and also satisfies
him . O ver and above the other qualities o f a S at-guru [a true m aster],
the fact th at they can hear the call o f a true disciple is also one o f their
qualities. O nly that disciple is a true disciple who can receive the words
o f his true m aster within himself. T h e exchange o f words between a true
m aster and a true disciple takes place in this manner. T h e G uru-tattva is
active in the guru as well as the disciple. T h e m ore they are established in
the G uru -tattva and the deeper their relationship is with the G uru-tattva,
the closer they will be to each other within, no m atter how far they are
from each other at a physical level.
“Swami R am das had n o t seen his disciple U tta m for many years,
but they would m eet everyday on a subtle level. Swami R am das would
give instructions and U tta m would get answers to his questions and
doubts. B ut this conversation was always hidden from the sight o f the
world.
‘T h e r e is a story about sage Agastya and his disciple Sutikshna in
the Ram ayana. L o rd R am a expressed a desire to see sage Agastya and
asked Sutikshna the way to his ashram. Sutikshna con tacted sage Agastya
through m editation and sage Agastya asked him to bring L ord R am a
with him.”
“T h is com m unication at the subde level indicates that if the guru
and disciple are capable and deserving, they can receive the messages
from each other also and respond to them.”
I said - Swamiji M aharaj was a capable guru but Kalikishore was a
brand new disciple. From where did this capability arise in him?
M aharajshri - O h! W h a t have you said! Kalikishore was a yogi
from many lifetimes. H is chitta was totally pure, and the only thing that
blocked his way was som e destiny o f his, as a result o f which he had to
return hom e. H e was n o t a novice on the spiritual path.
“Even though Kalikishore had gone away, Swamiji M aharaj had
n o t forgotten his disciple and kept a watchful eye on his every move. As
and when needed, he also guided him. I f som e calam ity arose, he also
p rotected his disciple. M erely giving initiation to a disciple is n o t the
sign o f a true guru. T h e divine power o f the guru has to be with the
disciple like his shadow. T h e task o f a guru is so difficult!"
?l| I said - T h ere m u st hardly be anybody in the world today who is
I such a guru!
! M aharajshri - T h e earth is never devoid o f true masters. T h o se
gurus who give Anvi D iksha [initiation into a spiritual practice requiring
personal effort], it can never be expected from them. T h is fact is appli
cable only to Shaktipat. However, even in Shaktipat today only the pre
liminary level o f Shaktopaaya is the one that is com m only observed. A
: relationship o f a guru and disciple at the subtle level and the continuous
vigilance o f the disciples activities by the guru is n o t a task for every
;! guru. N onetheless such masters do exist in this world.
I I said - D o you know at least one such master?
M aharajshri - Keep this question aside for now. Y ou are n ot at the
level where you can ask such a question. A t the appropriate m om ent you
I will get an answer to this question on your own.
13. Karma and Sadhana
Nlaharajshn continued with the episode o f Kalikishore - T h e greatest

problem facing Kalikishore in running the household was the lack o f
money. H e took up a job with a landlord for a m onthly salary o f eight
rupees. But for a family o f six people, even with the inexpensive times
and the village life, how far can eight rupees go? Som e big landlords
provided help in the form o f food grains. Since they were Brahmins
there was a tendency to seek alms. In this m anner they somehow m an
aged to run the household with eight rupees.
Kalikishore would get up in the m orning. C om plete his m orning
routine and do some sadhan. T hen he would do some japa [chantingjand
read the Gita. H e would sing devotional songs com posed by saints. M ostly
o f the devotional songs he rem em bered were in the Bengali language. H e
had also m em orized a few bhajans in H in d i.T h e n he would m editate on
his Gurudev and pray, “O GurudevI Please be m ercilul to me at all times
in the saine way you are now. L et no inauspicious act occu r by my hands.
L et there always be love and goodw ill for everyone. M ay I serve the
dow ntrodden and uphold my duty. M ay anger, hatred and pride always
remain far away from m y mind. M ay I see only you in every living being."
A fter offering this prayer Kalikishore would present him self at the
landlords place for work.
Kalikishore started to live his life like an ordinary person. H e had
the duty o f his job as well as the life o f a householder. Yet he was con
trolling the blazing fire o f spirituality within him. But now he had ob
tained the grace o f a Guru, guidance and divine power o f a Guru. W h e n
ever he was faced with som e difficulty, he would sit in solitude and
receive guidance from his revered master. H is was extremely softhearted
and possessed limitless love for his Guru. H e did everything under the
influence o f G uru-Shakti [the divine power o f the guru].
T h ere were six m em bers in Kalikishore s family, which included his

parents, brother, sister, wife and himself. I t was hard to sustain a house
h old with only eight rupees even though the times were inexpensive. Y et
his m ind was peaceful. Even otherwise peace o f m ind is n o t a worldly
m atter; it is m ental thing. A lthough the world was full o f conflict, his
m ind was free from it.
T h ere was a small tem ple o f m oth er Kali in the village. O n the way
to the landlord’s place Kalikishore would go to the temple to pay his
respects. T h is was his daily routine. O ne day when he went and bowed to
Bhagwati, he felt as if m other Kali was speaking to him, “Kalikishore!
Y ou still have n ot understood your Gurudev. Y ou think him to be a mere
hum an being but he is Shiva personified, who does n o t have any samskaras
o f karm a [action ] or the fruits o f action, and there are no layers o f
afflictions on his chitta. H e is free from action despite being engaged in
action. It is your great fortune that you have received his grace. Surren
der your entire life, every good and bad action o f your life, each and
every sentim ent and thought in the chitta and each and every m om ent o f
your life at your Giiru s feet. O nly then at the right time you will receive
the knowledge o f his true form .”
Kalikishore started to cry profusely in the temple o f m other Kali.
H e wrapped his hands around the feet o f the statue and kept sobbing.
People gathered around, but Kalikishore was n ot attentive towards his
surroundings. H e continued to weep. A fter som etim e when he had com
posed himself, he got up and walked away.
H e worked as an obedient servant at the landlords place. O ne day
while he was ploughing the field he h u rt his foot. T h e pain was intoler
able. H e remained in bed for a few days. In that state he had a vision o f
Gurudev. Today his body was pure light and it was raised four to five feet
above ground. H is face shone with a divine radiance. W h en Kalikishore
bowed to him, Gurudev said, “ Look! I am with you all the time. W h en
you had that experience in the temple o f Kali I was also present because
my chetana [consciousness] has given up its sense o f separate identity
and merged in the universiil consciousness. H ence omnipresence is my
nature now. I can do whatever I wish. I can make the mountains disap-
pear and sink them in the deep ocean and I can raise the depths o f the
ocean and transform them into lofty m ountain peaks. An ordinary indi
vidual being has ego, but I have none. X h is is merely a glimpse o f my
dynamic conscious power. A t the appropriate m om ent you will be able
to see my true form ." G urudevs form disappeared after saying this.
Kalikishore was overjoyed to receive a vision o f Gurudev. But then
he began to think, ‘'1 stayed close to Gurudev for so long. But I could
n o t recognize him. I rem ained confused. A nd that was natural, as the
confusion does n o t exist outside, it is in the m ind o f the individual being
and as a result one experiences the confusion externally. T h is m isconcep
tion stood as a wall between the true nature o f Gurudev and myself. T his
m isconcep tion can be cleared only with the grace o f Gurudev. H ow
could we deluded beings know the real form o f Gurudev/ It is Gurudev
who manifests his real self ou t o f com passion.
Kalikishore, although lacking in riches from the worldly perspec
tive, was progressing rapidly towards spiritual wealth. Even in the m idst
o f difficulties and scarcity, his m ind was steady and peacefiil.
O ne day Swamiji M aharaj again appeared before him . H e said, “A t
your level, perform ing actions with a sense o f duty is also sadhan. Only
by rising above action does one enter inaction, and it also happens for
the eradication o f destiny. T h e awakened Shakti clears the accum ulated
impressions through her activities; but one m ust seek the help o f dutiful
action to clear ones destiny.
Kalikishore - H o w can I thank you for taking the trouble o f
com ing and giving m e guidance so frequendy?
Swamiji M aharaj - W h a t are you grateful for? T h a t is m y duty. A
guru knows that his disciple needs guidance. H e is always watching his
disciple.
I asked - In what m anner did this manifestation o f Swamiji M aharaj
take placie?
M aharajshri - T h e body o f conscious power manifests ou t o f air
and also dissolves in the air.
I asked - W h « n Sw am iji M ah araj was p resen t in fro n t o f
Kalikishore, was he n o t in his cottage in Jagannathpuri?
Revival o f Shaktipat Knowfledge 139
M aharajshri - T h e physical body o f Swamiji M aharaj was in the

cottage. O nly his subtle body rode on the conscious-self, the dynamic
aspect o f consciousness, and appeared in fron t o f Kalikishore. Som e
times when Swamiji M aharaj was aware o f his external surroundings, the
G u ru -tattva would fulfill his duty by taking on his form . Since the G uru-
tattva, the essential nature o f the guru, is om nipresent, it can manifest
anywhere, anytime, and in any fo rm o r shape.
I said - Speech and sight are functions o f the physical senses,
whereas Swamiji M aharaj would appear in a state devoid o f any physical
senses. T h e n how did he see and talk?
M aharajshri - T h e fact that nothing can be done w ithout the
physical senses is true only for the gross physical world. But all the activi
ties o f the subtle world are carried ou t w ithout the su pp ort o f the physi
cal senses.
I asked - D o you also see Swami Gangadhar T irth M aharaj som e
times?
M aharajshri ~ T h is entire divine sp o rt seems to be happening in
fron t o f m y eyes. T h a t is why I am able to narrate it to you. Just as Saint
Tulsidas experienced the Ram ayana taking place within him, and wrote
it down.
I said - T h a t is a great blessing o f Swamiji M aharaj upon you.
M aharajshri - It is only due to his blessing that I am having this
experience. Both, you and I, are benefiting from the profound teachings
im parted to Kalikishore. A t the same time, I am able to see him.
I asked - H o w does he look?
M aharajshri - H e has a strong body, long white beard, and long
hair. H e .is unclothed below the neck, a loin-cloth is draped from his
waist to his knees, and fair com plexioned holding a wooden staff and a
water p o t in his hands.
I asked - D oes th at mean he was a dandi swami [bearer o f the holy
staff]?
M aharajshri - Yes, he was a dandi swami. H is two predecessors
were also dandi swamis.
I asked - D id you ever ask him who he was and what his past was?
M aharajshri - H e said that the question was irrelevant. Renunciates

do n o t answer such questions.
Even though Kalikishore was faced with difficulties, his enthusi
asm in work, his eagerness for sadhan and the steadiness o f intellect
remained constant. Even though he was engaged in worldly affairs his
detachm ent to the world was increasing. It was during these days that he
had visions o f divine lights. H is entry into the subtle world was p ro
gressing. A t the same time he had also begun to hear various inner sounds.
D ay by day his introversion was increasing.
Kalikishores worldly activities were somehow dragging along. H e
was having blissful experiences within him, but external kriyas had stopped.
H e was aware that for inner spiritual progress both internal and external
kriyas were necessary, but his external kriyas had been stopped so that he
could fulfill his duties. As such he was eagerly waiting for them to start
again.
Kalikishore s father, Tarinicharan Gangopadhyaya passed away in
1 8 9 7 . Two years later his m oth er also departed to heaven. N o w the
entire responsibility o f the fainiJy rested on his shoulders alone. H e took
up a job with the landlord in Vinatiya village, which was under the juris
diction o f Giisai H a t in Faridpur district. H e left his birthplace and
m oved to Vinatiya with his wife, brother and sister. T h e landlord was a
very pious and religious person and helpful to others. T h o u g h Kalikishore
appeared to be an ordinary person, a spiritual nature cannot remain hid
den even i f one tries to hide it. T h e landlord was im pressed w ith
Kalikishores spiritual tendencies, but he did n ot recognize Krilikishores
inner state.
T h e residence in Vinatiya w'as totally isolated on all sides. It was
favorable for all types o f spiritual practices. N o t only did Kalikishore do
his job with diligence, but also at the same time he derived great pleasure
in sadhan and in singing devotional songs. A small room was designated
as a temple in the house. A picture o f m other Kali was placed there.
Kalikishore would sit in that room and do japa [chanting], meditate,
pray, and study the scriptures.
O ne day Gurudev appeared in that room . H e said, “I am very-

pleased and satisfied with the way you are progressing. I f dedication is
persistent in on es heart, then the individual continues to advance to
wards his goal. Y ou are also slowly progressing towards your destination.
N ow I will n o t visit you as frequently because I am convinced that you
do n o t need any guidance from me at this time. M y next visit will be
only when you have crossed a m ajor m ilestone/’
Kalikishore - W h a t if I need you before then?
Swamiji M aharaj - T h e n I will definitely com e.
Gurudev disappeared after saying this.
Kalikishore was very happy, because even after returning hom e he
still had the com pany o f Gurudev. H e recited the G ita and D urga-
Saptshati num erous times. H e deeply contem plated on the Yoga Darshan,
Yoga Vashistha and many other tantric and spiritual texts. H e spent his
life with special emphasis on chanting internally, praying to m other Kali
externally as well as mentally, doing guru seva [service to the guru] all the
time at a m ental level and living the life o f a householder in a disciplined
m anner in accordance with the scriptures. As a result o f these individual
and deliberate spiritual practices his solem nity and highly refined subtle
intellect increased radically. Even the people working with him had no
idea o f his uninterrupted chanting. T h ey believed that Kalikishore was
an ordinary religious man. H e received total support from his wife Sarojini
Devi in leading a disciplined life in accordance with the scriptures with
out which it would have been impossible to fill his life with spirituality.
H er interest in religion increased tremendously along with the constant
service to her husband.
A few people from Vinatiya village went on a pilgrimage o f Baidnath,
Gaya, Varanasi, Allahabad, and Jagannathpuri. It was a three-m onth pil
grimage. Kalikishore gave them the address o f Swamiji Maharaj and
said, “M y revered master, Swami Gangadhar T irth Maharaj lives here.
Y ou all m ust definitely go and pay your respects to him. H e is like a holy
place o f pilgrimage too. Also offer my salutations to him and tell him I
am doing fine. Bring back the good news o f his well being." Kalikishore
also gave them a letter for him.

W h e n they returned from the pilgrimage they brought the sad news
that Swamiji M aharaj was no longer in this m o rtal world. O n hearing
this darkness spread in front o f Kalikishore’s eyes and a loud scream
burst from his m ou th . H e started to cry bitterly and said, “O GurudevI
W h ere have you gone leaving me an orphan? Y ou prom ised th at you
would com e again but you have closed your eyes forever. N o w I do n ot
have any other support. I have no interest in anything in this world. All
my attachm ent was in your holy feet and G od has snatched away those
feet from m e too.” Kalikishore lam ented and banged his head in sorrow.
Lam enting, Kalikishore g o t up and walked towards the river. N o w
the whole world appeared like a crem ation ground to him. Everything in
the world was giving up its name, form and qualities and dying. T h e
whole world seemed to be going where Swamiji M aharaj had gone. H e
kept thinking, ‘W h e n Swamiji M aharaj was present in his physical body
there was a ray o f hope, but now that ray has vanished. N o w what is the
p oin t o f keeping this body? W^hy n o t follow Guruji?” H e decided to
jump in the river and com m it suicide.
O n reaching the riverbank, he saw Swamiji M aharaj standing there.
H e rubbed his eyes, and then he rubbed them again and looked carefully.
It was indeed Swamiji M aharaj. T h e same divine radiance, the same long
beard, bearing the w ooden sta ff and water p o t in his hands. Kalikishore
exclaimed, “Y our H oliness?”
Swamiji M aharaj - Yes, it is I.
Kalikishore - But I had heard that ....
Swamiji M aharaj - Y ou heard right. I have given up my m ortal
body, but it is only the physical body that encounters death, n ot me.
Birth and death is a sp o rt o f M aya [the grand illusion] in which she
makes this entire circuit o f transm igration dance and go around in circles.
Even when I was in the physical body, I was separated from her. N ow I
have taken o f f the physical body and discarded it like a cover. W h a t I
always am, I am th at at this m om ent too.
Kalikishore [overjoyed] - T h e n I wiU continue to receive your
blessings as I did in the pasti
Swamiji M aharaj - Y ou will definitely receive it, in fact m uch m ore

so than before. Earlier there was som e lim itation due to the physical
body, now th at has been destroyed. N o w m y power has becom e lim it
less. In com parison to the past, I will now be able to pay m ore attention
towards you, provide m ore guidance and also satisfy your doubts, hard
ships and difficulties. Y ou should n o t harbor any type o f doubt in your
m ind.
T h e n Swamiji Maharaj further said, “W h a t stupidity were you about
to com m it! Life is priceless. It is the sacred sanctuary o f spiritual prac
tice. It is the greatest fortune to attain a human life and you were about
to destroy it.”
Kalikishore's head dropped in embarrassment. H e said, “Gurudev!
T h is was yet another act o f m y foolishness. Please forgive me one m ore
time with the generosity o f your heart." T h en he asked, “W h a t is the
difference between you and a ghost?”
Swamiji M aharaj - A ghost is a life form , and I am pure conscious
ness. I can m anifest in the world at will and also give up the physical
body and take this form at will.
Kalikishore - But this wooden staff and this water p o t were ac
com panying the physical body and when you gave up the m ortal form ,
these too m ust have been left behind. T h e n how is it that they are seen
with you now?
Swamiji M aharaj - Y ou are used to seeing me in this form , hence
I have appeared in front o f you according to your faith, otherwise there
is no other m ark on my body. L o o k at me.
Kalikishore looked at Swamiji M aharaj carefully. T h e wooden staff
and the water p o t had disappeared. T h e body had also become more
subtle. T h e body was endowed with some divine light. Kalikishore pros
trated before him.
In a litde while the wooden staff and water p ot reappeared. Swamiji
M aharaj said, “I was n ot planning to com e at this time but your thought
to com m it suicide forced me to. N ow I will com e on the occasion o f
your ascension to the throne.
Kalikishore - GurudevI H ow much longer will I have to wait? I am
n o t in a h urry as such. I am happy at your holy feet.

Swamiji M aharaj - T h e time is about to com e. B ut it is n o t good
for a spiritual aspirant to be im patient.
14. The Auspicious Moment
M o re than nineteen years passed by in japa, austerities, sadhan, and study

ing the scriptures. Slowly the sense o f detachm ent from the world con
tinued to increase in Kalikishore. H is interest and enthusiasm narrowed
down to japa, m editation and other similar activities. In 1 9 0 8 , Kalikishore
voluntarily retired from all activities and dedicated him self to spiritual
practices. T h is state o f his chitta persisted for about a m onth. T h e time
had com e for which Kalikishore had been waiting for the past nineteen
years. It was for this m om en t th at he had read the G ita and D urga-
Saptshati num erous times, chanted, m editated and perform ed other spiri
tual practices, and had rem ained conscientious towards his duties. E x
actly nineteen years, six m onths and thirteen days after being initiated by
Swamiji M aharaj, he experienced the divine bliss o f Absolute N irvikalpa
Kaivalya Sam adhi and considered h im self blessed. T h e Divine Power
rose in its entirety and the spontaneous, benevolent, hidden knowledge
that is within and is known only through experience, namely Siddhopaya
was revealed. T h e words spoken by Swamiji M aharaj nineteen years ago.
had com e true. T h e time had com e for Kalikishore to be enthroned.
As m entioned earlier, Kalikishore had retired from everything a
m on th before this auspicious day. H e had quit his job and had also
becom e indifferent to household work. H e had completely immersed
him self in sadhan. M o st o f his time was spent in the room where the
statue o f m other Kali had been placed. Japa, m editation and pranayama,
everything was perform ed in the same room . Sometimes he would begin
to sing a devotional song and at times he would engage in japa or sit
quietly as if lost. T h e surge o f Shakti continued to increase. His food
intake also reduced drastically. A strange kind o f divine intoxication was
present all the time. As a resvilt o f all this, his body became very thin and
feeble. H is mind was overwhelmed with separation from God, restless
ness for attainm ent and a hunger for spirituality. H e becam e com pletely
indifferent toward the world, careless towards himself, and rem ained com
pletely im m ersed in sadhan. Everyone in the family was w orried and
hoped th at his life was n o t in danger.
It was in the evening th at day. Kalikishore was fully intoxicated
with sadhan. H e was experiencing the flow o f Shakti all over his body.
Even in this state he started to do pranayama, accom panied by a m antra.
H is body started to shake vigorously. In a sh o rt while, he lost external
awareness and his body fell to the ground. Even in this condition he
experienced an indescribable and divine bliss, and a strange joy from the
experience o f shaking. AVhen he returned to his senses after som etim e,
there was a sense o f disregard, indifference and regret toward his body,
but his m ind was filled with waves o f happiness, joy and bliss. H is m ind
was chirping happily in the sky o f bliss like unrestrained birds. W h e n he
com posed himself, he noticed th at he was in the lap o f his sister. As he
lay unconscious, her entire body was trem bling with the fear o f her
broth ers death. She was frightened and was trying to care for her brother.
All the other m em bers o f the family were w orried and were standing
around him. Kalikishore also began to think why he was in this condi
tion. W as it due to som e physical disease or was it the result o f sadhan?
H e concluded that it was the result o f pranayama, perform ed as per the
scriptures along with the m antra. So he sat up and again started to do
pranayama as he mentally chanted the m antra.
Kalikishore was pressed a lo t to eat som e food, but he was unable
to eat anything. T h e m ind was continuously being pulled inwards. H e
only uttered M o th e r-M o th e r repeatedly through his lips. H e would cry,
bang his head and repeatedly call out at the feet o f the M other. A t the
same time different types o f kriyas were taking place in his body. H e
would scream repeatedly, “M oth er, W^here am I m other? W^here are you?
I am wandering in pitch darkness. I do n ot know what my path is. W h ere
do I have to go? In what lies my prosperity? O M other! Show me the
path. Please fold your maya. P ro tect mel P ro tect me! I have surrendered
at your feet."
O vercom e by such kriyas, Kalikishore was taken over by a deep
slumber. In this condition, he had a clear vision o f the ever luminous,

m oth er Kali, who is beyond tim e; consciousness personified and bestows
well being. G oddess Bhagwati said, “Be free from fear and doubts. D ark
ness is merely a m isconcep tion . It is simply m y maya. Individual beings
are wandering in it but your spiritual path is now illuminated. All will be
well with you.” W h e n Kalikishore aros« in the m orning, he was com
posed, relieved, fearless, enthusiastic and euphoric. All the sadness in his
m ind had vanished, but his m ind was still filled with the joy o f sadhan.
T h u s the inner state o f Kalikishore was scaling higher peaks o f
spirituality. H is m ind was always filled with blissful experiences o f the
infinite sovereignty. D ou b t, grief, attachm ent, fear, anger and other bad
feelings and tendencies were deserting his chitta. H e was already having
visions o f Gurudev, but now he felt that Gurudev was constandy around
him. Frequently he would be directed to the northeast direction (L o rd
Shiva is believed to reside in that direction), where he saw the luminous
form o f G oddess Jagadamba. Kalikishore ran in that direction shouting,
“M oth er, M other,” and drank milk from the breast o f the divine m other.
N o w Kalikishore’s fear o f death was vanished totally and the sense o f
im m ortality was fully established.
T h e greatest fear o f a human being is th at o f death, which is known
as Abhinivesh. T h is death is nothing but a play o f time, a process o f
changing the physical body, a sequence o f taking o f f one costum e and
wearing another one. T o the intelligent, it is a boon, but the com m on
people are afraid o f this process o f changing the garb. T h ey are attached
to their bodies. Even when the body is old and decayed, they do not
want to give it up and take on a new beautiful body. T h e body is a means
to experience worldly pleasures, the basis o f life, the hom e o f ego and
the shelter for hope and aspirations. It is natural for a human being to
get attached to it, so how can he forsake it? T h a t is the difference be
tween the com m on masses and the jhanis [those having true knowledge].
Swamiji M aharaj had initiated Kalikishore into Shaktipat to free
him o f this very fear. C om e to think o f it, that is the sole purpose o f all
initiations, but as long as the guru him self is not fearless, how can he
im part fearlessness to the disciple? Swamiji Maharaj himself was free
from this fear. H e considered the physical body a garb that he had no
hesitation or fear to take o f f and throw away. H e wished to see Kalikishore
in the same state. Wîth this goal in m ind, he had showered his grace on
him and th at auspicious m om en t had now arrived.
T o drink the milk from the breast o f goddess Bhagwati is to drink
the n ectar o f im m ortality, to dissolve the individual conscious-self and
merge into the universal consciousness. It means to destroy forever the
pain and suffering arising from on es separated identity. Kalikishores
efforts had borne fruit by his consum ing this nectar. N o w the world
seemed like the divine sp o rt o f maya and appeared to him like ocean
waves, which change their form every m om ent. H is position was now
established on the solid foundation o f higher planes. T h e world below,
far below, now appeared very tiny and insignificant.
I said - Kalikishore attained this state very rapidly, in only twenty
years. M ajority o f the aspirants rem ain at the same place even after being
absorbed in sadhan for a m uch longer duration.
M aharajshri - D o you know for how many lifetimes Kalikishore
was traveling on the spiritual path? Y ou only know th at process o f his
sadhan that has unfolded before you. But the process o f sadhan is n ot
merely w hat is visible. N o one knows how many times Kalikishore m ust
have fallen down, com posed him self and tried to advance further. H ow
many times the stones m ust have slid from under his feet, he m ust have
stumbled, arisen and clim bed again num erous times. A fter all that, he
had now reached the sum m it. T o arrive at a decision about som ething in
haste can lead to m isunderstanding, doubts and false conclusions. A nd
such a false judgm ent can affect your patience and shatter it to pieces.
I said - T h e reason for his success m ust definitely have been his
firm resolve!
M aharajshri - T h e pride o f a firm resolve can also becom e an
obstacle. Besides, the capability o f a firm resolve also does n o t arise in a
single day. N eith er is a firm resolve the only reason for progress. F o r this,
the grace o f goddess Kriya-Shakti is essential. H e r grace can also give
rise to firm resolve. Leaping over the high and low peaks and valleys o f
success and failures, she takes one to the divine destination. Divine grace
alone breaks down all the barriers o f the m ind and im parts infinite vast
ness, limitlessness and om niscience. I t is divine grace th at holds the hand
o f an aspirant like a child and protects and cares for him . H idden within
a firm resolve is the pride o f a strong, intelligent and wealthy person,
whereas, in surrender there is the tru st o f an innocent child in his affec
tionate m other. It is pride th at incites a firm resolve.
M aharajshri paused for som etim e after saying this and then came
back to the episode o f Kalikishore.
N o w Kalikishore continuously rem ained engaged in sadhan and he
was having higher and higher experiences one after the other. H e felt
th at he was being nurtured and nourished by the Divine M o th er all the
time. T h e H o ly M o th er would engage him in different types o f games.
Som etim es she would make him spin like a top and at other times lift
him like, a rock and throw him on the floor. Sounds like the speech o f
birds, the roaring o f lions, the hum m ing o f bees and so forth would
com e autom atically from his m outh. H e would som etim es hear clouds
thunder and lightning, sounds o f m usical instrum ents, the uproar o f
ocean waves, or the sound o f a m antra. A t times H ath a Yoga postures,
mudras and Pranayam a would occu r spontaneously. Som etim es he would
see lights and som etim es deities. It took no time for Kalikishore to real
ize th at his personal effort had com e to an end. N o w total surrender was
the only personal endeavor. W h atever needs to happen will now happen
autom atically by the grace o f Bhagwati. T h ere is no need for any physical
effort or a m ental resolve on my p art. N o w there is no need for intellect
as well as thought. W h atever Shakti determines as beneficial for me she
makes those kriyas happen. O ften either his heart would get filled with
devotional sentiments and tears would stream down his eyes or the win
dow o f knowledge would open within him or at times external aware
ness would be lost and he would dwell within the Self. Sometimes he
experienced that the Shakti was spreading everywhere and at times he
felt it contracting. Som etim es Shakti seemed to take him inside som e
thing and at times return inside him. A t times he saw the physical ele
ments arising from the vibrations o f Shakti, and at other times he saw
these physical elements merging back into Shakti.
O ne day the darkness o f the night was all around. Kalikishore s

eyes were open. T h e surge o f Shakti was at its highest peak. C om pelled
by this force, Kalikishore got up and in his kriya, began to polish the idol
o f Kali that was consecrated in that ro o m with his hands. T h e idol began
to shine miraculously. T h e room was lighted by its brilliance. N o t just
Kalikishore, but others also saw the radiance o f the idol.
A fter a while Kalikishore stepped ou t in deep thought and sat down
in solitude, when Gurudev Swami G an g ad h arT irth M aharaj appeared in
front o f him and said, “T h e illum ination o f the statue is evidence that
now you have attained the capability to give Shaktipat initiation. T h is
statue has now been initiated. It is such a nice coincidence that in the
revival o f Shaktipat, it is Shakti herself who is the beneficiary o f Shaktis
grace! Such an idol endowed with Shakti is called an awakened idol. T h is
event shows that the cause o f your bondage have loosened. Y ou have
experienced the expansion and transm ission o f Shakti and have gained
con trol over her activities. Y ou have the com petence to awaken Shakti in
the chitta o f other people. Even when all this is attained, it is appropri
ate for the disciple to p erform Shaktipat on others only after he receives
such instruction from the guru. T h e absence o f a guru’s order can give
rise to pride. T h e main goal o f a disciple m ust always be his own spiri
tual progress. T h e progress o f the world is based on his own progress.
H en ce I com m and you to give Shaktipat to others and set them on the
spiritual path and along with your own spiritual strength, my blessings
will also be at work. H e alone is a guru who makes the disciple equal to
his own self. N o w you have also becom e just like me.”
Kalikishore was dazed on hearing this. Swamiji M aharaj further
said, “T h is is the very throne on which I wanted to see you crowned.
T h e thrones o f kings are perishable but the state that you have attained
is indestructible. Everyone in this world is stuck in the quicksand o f
M aya, but you have com e ou t o f it. N o w you have to help other human
beings to com e ou t o f this quicksand. Such a person is called a guru.”
Kalikishore - But how can I give initiation? I have no knowledge
o f that science.
Swamiji M aharaj - T h o se who do n o t have experience, they need
to have the intellectual knowledge. Y ou have the experience o f the com

ing and going o f Shakti, w'hich is the first requirem ent to perform the
task o f a guru. Y ou also have the know'ledge o f Shakti entering another’s
chitta. N o w you will start to get con trol over this power. T h e other rules
and experiences o f this science, I will reveal them to you during your
sadhan in the fo rm o f kriyas. But you should also think about the sci
ence with which you m ade the idol lummous?
Kalikishore - I do n o t know how that happened!
Swamiji M aharaj - In the same way, others will get initiated by you
and begin their spiritual trek. T h e power o f your chitta will be inspired
by your m ental resolve and it wiK extend, com e in con tact with the chitta
o f your disciple and p erform this task. D o n o t w orry about anything.
Slowly your capabilities will increase.
Kalikishore - B ut I am happy to just remain your disciple.
Swamiji M aharaj - I f you do that, it will be a sign o f your pride
and selfishness. It is true th at to becom e a guru is like jumping in fire,
but a disciple does n o t hesitate to jump in any fire once the guru in
structs him to do so. T h a t is in the interest o f both the guru and the
disciple. O ne p oet has sung it beautifully -
Y ou should jump in the burning fire, and obey the guru’s order.
T h e guru knows all the secrets o f sadhan, so the sages proclaim
“I f the guru orders you £o jump in burning fire, then you m ust
jump, because the guru knows all the secrets, difficulties, supporting
limbs, milestones, rules o f the path o f sadhan and also the state o f the
disciple’s chitta. H e gives only those orders, that he knows are for the
disciple’s benefit.
A t this time the knowledge o f Shaktipat is in a hidden state. I wish
to reveal it and make it accessible for the com m on masses and I autho
rize you for this work.
Kalikishore was absorbed in deep thought. H e did n ot know what
to say. In the meanwhile Swamiji M aharaj said, “I f you have surrendered
to me, then do as I say. R em em ber that this knowledge is like playing
with fire. M any times the guru has to endure the destiny o f the disciple.
W ith great caution and by protecting yourself, you have to help the
152 ^HE Second D awn
disciple. Selfish, greedy and pretentious m asters drown diemselves and

also drown the disciple.
“D o n o t initiate anyone ou t o f greed o r a ttra ctio n .X h e guru should
have no other sentim ent besides the spiritual attainm ent o f the disciple.”
Kalikishore - Please give me som e time to think.
Swamiji Ivlaharaj - A disciple who is ambivalent even when the
instruction o f the guru is clear is n o t a true disciple. Before initiating
you I had told you that if you were asked to jump into fire and you were
prepared to do that, only then should you go ahead. First you were asked
to jum p in the fire o f worldly life and you did. N o w you are being asked
to jump in the fire o f doing a guru’s task. I know you do n o t have the
desire to becom e a guru, and you should n o t have that desire too. But
you will have to do this too as per m y com m and.
W h a t could Kalikishore say? H e rem ained silent. Swamiji M aharaj
said, “It has been twenty years since I have heard you sing a devotional
song, so sing one today.”
Kalikishore started to sing M eera’s bhajan -
All thefo u r streets have closed^ how can I go to meet H ari nowP
The path is rough with ups and downs, my feet cannot hold on.
Carefully^ cautiously I take a step, hut my feet tremble again and again.
The palace of my beloved is uneven, and I am unable to climb.
, My beloved isf a r away, the path is narrow and my attention wavers
There are sentries at every mile, robbers stand at every street corner
O goddess of destiny how did your arrange all this, my village is settled sofar.
O Giridhar, mountain bearer, Lord of Meera, my master has shown me the way.
Meera was separatedfo r ages, he brought her home.
By the time the bhajan was com plete, Kalikishores eyes were tightly
shut in his love for G od. W h e n he opened his eyes, Gurudev had disap
peared.
T h ese words o f Gurudev uttered in Jagannathpuri kept com ing to
Kalikishores m ind repeatedly, “W h a t I gave you will take you to the
final destination at the right time.” H e also rem em bered the following,
“T h ere is one other purpose in sending you back to the world. You also
share the responsibility o f the advancem ent o f D h arm a to som e degree.”
Kalikishore began to contem plate on these words very seriously.

It was now apparent to Kalikishore th at the illum ination o f the
statue th at day was a clear indication th at he should start the work o f
Shaktipat. It was also the com m an d o f Gurudev. H en ce it was his duty
to uphold this com m an d and indication.
In ad h eren ce to th e in s tru c tio n o f G urudev, he co m m e n ce d
Shaktipat by initiating his brother, sister and wife. All three started to
have strong kriyas im m ediately after receiving initiation.
In 1 9 1 0 , inspired by inner feelings, Kalikishore built a small temple

with his own hands at the site o f his m o th ers crem ation. H e installed a
statue o f m oth er Kali there. Kalikishore began to live there and always
rem ained under the influence o f sadhan. D uring those times his condi
tion was like that o f an A vadhoot [an ascetic who has given up all con
ventional notions o f life and religion]. Bare body, ruffled hair, unbounded
spirit, no awareness o f food and water and a divine intoxication in his
eyes. Kalikishore would frequently scream, ‘M other, M oth er'. One day
Gurudev appeared and said,
“Kalikishore, now the time has com e for you to put on the royal
attire. I did n o t wish to make you a renunciate merely for the sake o f
display. N o w your state o f m ind is fully conducive to renunciation, hence
you are worthy o f sanyas [form al vows o f renunciation]. Go to the Pokhar
River and take a bath.”
W h e n Kalikishore returned, G urudev tore ou t his lock o f hair,
broke his sacred thread and offered both these things at the feet o f
m other Kali. Giving him a m antra, he m ade Kalikishore wear the saffron
robes and gave him a new name (a yogi s stature), Swami Narayan T irth
Dev M ah araj.T h en Swamiji M aharaj said, “N ow you are established in
sanyas ashram [the stage o f renunciation]. T h en Swamiji Maharaj pros
trated before Swami N arayan T irth Dev M aharaj along with his wooden
staff. A fter giving him the serm on o f the four Mahavakyas [the four
great pronouncem ents] he said, “N ow n ot only you have to march for-
ward on the spiritual path but also take others on this holy path with
you. N o one is yours in this world but the whole world is yours. Y ou have
to live in the world, yet remain untouched by it. You have to live your life
with virtues like forbearance, generosity and forgiveness. Sanyas [renun
ciation] means a social death. Y ou have already begun the work o f initia
tion. N o w you have to reveal secrets o f this spiritual practice to the
deserving and capable, pious disciples you m eet and establish them in
the field o f spirituality. It is m y wish th at m ay the knowledge o f Shaktipat
spread am ongst the people through your m edium . N o w dedicate your
self to this spiritual work along with your own spiritual practice. A long
with your Shakti, m y blessings are also with you.”
“N ever entertain the pride o f being a guru. In reality, you are n o t a
guru at all; you are only a m edium through which the divine power o f
the L o rd is accom plishing this benevolent goal. I f you develop pride,
you will fall from this holy and reputable state o f renunciation. So p ro
ceed with caution. Always be aware that I am watching each and every
move o f yours every second. N o t a single sentim ent in your h eart can
remain hidden from me. I will always be present and awake in your heart.
It will be to your benefit that your relation with me is maintained. You
will merely be fulfilling your duties in the world. M y blessings are with
you,
Swam .1 N a ra y a n X irth Dev M aharaj prostrated before Gurudev. H e
touched G urudevs feet. C onsidering h im self to be blessed, he said,
“Gurudev! I will be able to make m y life worthwhile only with your
blessings and the power o f your grace. I am still an ignorant child, so I
will need your protection all the time.”
A fter saying this, Swami N arayan X irth Dev M aharaj once again
bowed to him. Gurudev said, “I will keep my eye on you while remaining
invisible. However, when your final m om ent is near, I will reappear to
take you to m y world. But you will always experience my presence around
you.
Swamiji M aharaj disappeared.
15. Baba
T h e time for the germ ination and flourishing o f the seed that was planted
in Jagannathpuri for the revival o f S haktipat knowledge by Swamiji
jVIaharaj, had dawned. T h e sun o f Shaktipat was ready to pierce the
h eart o f the darkness o f illusion and shine everywhere. T h e pious senti
m en t for the spiritual upliftm ent o f the masses, which had been nur
tured in Swamiji’s inner m ind, was soon to be fulfilled.
Swami N a ra y a n T irth Dev M aharaj will now be addresses as ‘Baba
because after he to o k sanyas, all his disciples and devotees called him by
this name. Baba th ought to himself, ‘It is possible to carry out the work
o f G urudev only with his blessings and his power. I am merely a too l in
his hands. T h e ego th at m ust be destroyed for spiritual progress, that ego
is strengthened by pride; hence, I m ust p ro tect m yself from it in all
possible ways and means. It is true that I am about to start the work o f
a guru, but I am also fully aware that I am n ot the guru. T h e guru and
guru o f all gurus is none other than the divine Shakti, goddess Jagadamba.
T h a t power in the form o f the guru is already present within the dis
ciple. I f the gurus worship and.m editate on Bhagwati in their heart, then
the disciples also m editate on her within. D uring this m editation o f the
disciple, whoever is accepted as the guru, is merely a support. T h e sense
o f a guru and a disciple is present only at the lower levels. T h e ultimate
knowledge is to destroy the discrim ination between a guru and a disciple
and experience the same essence in both o f them. As long as the guru
and disciple are distinct from each other, it is still the state o f spiritual
practice; when this distinction ceases to exist and they become one, it is
the state o f perfection. A t a fundam ental level they are not separate from
each other, but from a worldly perspective they are distinct from eaclj
other. Possibly for this very reason the scriptures have said that from a
spiritual standpoint, the guru-disciple relationship is just a m isconcep
tion.
‘H ow ever all the people who will com e to m e with the request for
initiation at this tim e will be individual beings bounded by illusion, who
see nothing but darkness within. N eith er are their minds at peace nor
can they experience the Shakti active within. F o r this very reason, these
wandering souls feel the need to com e to me. A nd through the benevo
lence o f Gurudev, my internal state has evolved so that I. can help and
guide them and can becom e instrum ental in providing them an inner
experience. H en ce at this level their sentim ent towards me as their gtiru
is beneficial for them and as long as the sense o f individuality is strong,
I to o m ust act like a G uru in their presence.'
Now, the whole picture was clear in Babas mind. H e, therefore, had
no difficulty in determ ining his own duty and plan o f action. H e had to
advance him self as well as give the lam p to others and guide them. It is
evident that the inner guru is the true guru, but as long as the relation
ship between the inner guru and the disciple is n o t established, until
then there is a need for guidance from an external guru. Swamiji M aharaj s
inner sentiments towards those trapped in the grand illusion had be
com e dom inant in Babas m ind. H is heart would also get agonized for
the distressed beings in the world. H e felt that Gurudev was giving rise
to this sentim ent in his h eart and by staying in his heart he was also
keeping a watch on it. N o w Baba had taken charge o f the responsibility
o f reviving Shaktipat.
In 1 9 1 3 , the tem ple and the small place erected on the crem ation
site o f his m other, was nam ed ‘]nai\a. Sadhan M ath ', which implied that
the spiritual practice o f Shaktipat is the only instrum ent to real knowl
edge. Shakti awakens within and by destroying the accum ulated impres
sions and m ental tendencies, gives rise to true and experiential knowl
edge. Knowledge o f the scriptures is simply an intellectual indulgence,
which does n ot possess any experience.
D uring his stay at this location, Baba had ntimerous divine experi
ences and initiated many disciples into Shaktipat. H is con trol over Shakti
and his grasp o f the science o f Shaktipat became stronger with time.
Shaktipat initiation became very effortless for him. H e m ostly remained
in a high spiritual state. Slowly his fame began to spread to the nearby
villages and people desirous to m eet him flocked to him. U n til this point
the prevalent belief am ongst the masses was that only worship, rituals,
chanting and others were spiritual practice. N o one had any idea about
inner divine experiences. A t the m ost, people would talk about the miracle
p erform ed by great m en and satisfy themselves. T h e y had no idea about
the different types o f experiences that were given by the inner Shakti
once it was awakened. W h e n people began to have experiences after re
ceiving initiation from Baba, a different kind o f excitem ent reverberated
through society. H indus and M uslim s came in flocks to m eet Baba. F o r
Baba, there was no segregation o f caste, religion, sex, wealth or poverty.
H is doors were open to everyone. In a sense, the name o f the divine Lord
was being plundered freely. Divine nectar was showering all around. Any
one who came, one or the other drop would fall on him. Baba would also
give discourses and also bless worthy disciples with Shaktipat.
People had begun to realize that the visible world was n ot every
thing. T h ere is a controlling power beyond it. T h is visible world is the
m anifested expanse o f th at divine power. It creates the world at will and
folds it whenever it wishes. People take birth and die, and the world still
goes on. Y et people remain deluded, attached to the world and finally
one day they leave everything here and go away. T h e goal o f a human is
to experience this supreme power in his lifetime, but man has forgotten
th at goal. H e remains happily engrossed in wealth, com forts and his
family. N o b o d y is concerned about attaining the ultimate goal. N ow the
d oor to this experience had been opened with the grace o f Baba. Shaktipat
was no longer locked up in the pages o f scriptures. Similar to a fruit held
in the palm, Baba would provide a direct experience o f the divine con
sciousness.
It has already been m entioned that both, H indus and Muslims were
impressed by Baba personality and were attracted to him. Baba gave H indu
m antras to H indus and R ahim , Karim and others to M uslims. Baba
knew that no m atter what the m antra was, the Shakti being awakened
was one and the same. H ence, he never got involved in the debate o f
name. H e believed that every man belongs to the same race. Religion is
the first ladder o f spirituality. O ne, who gets entangled in religion, can
never enter spirituality. Baba believed that whatever he possessed, all the
living beings had the right to benefit from it. Baba would preach the
message o f uniform goodwill and love to everyone. T h e crowd around
him kept growing and the disciples started to feel a shortage o f space.
Gurudev Swami G an gad h arT irth M aharaj was keeping a close watch
on the ways in which Baba conducted his tasks as well as his inner senti
ments. Even if the slightest pride were about to sprout in Baba, Gurudev
would give rise to the vibrations o f discernm ent in his m ind. Baba was
also holding a tight rein over himself. H is style o f working included
generosity accom panied by strict discipline, forgiveness accom panied by
punishm ent, and a display o f anger while being free from anger. Self-
con trol was imperative for all this.
A sh o rt distance fro m Jnana Sadhan M ath , a devotee from the
same village built a slightly larger place and Jnana Sadhan M ath was
relocated there. In that place there was one room for sadhan and one
ro o m for discourses and an open courtyard. Baba gave eloquent dis
courses in the Bengali language. It was his belief th at Gurudev Swami
G angadhar T irth M aharaj was present in his subtle fo rm during the
discourses and fu rth erm ore th at G urudev h im self gave the serm ons
through the m edium o f Baba. D uring the serm ons, many things wotild
escape from Babas lips about which Baba personally had no knowledge.
A woolen m at was always spread ou t for Gurudev.
I said - T h e devotees o f R am ayana also believe that wherever there
is a recitation o f the Ram ayana, L o rd H anum an com es to listen and a
seat is placed for him.
M ahafajshri - A ccording to the belief. L o rd H antim an com es to
listen to Ram ayana with sincere devotion, but Swamiji M aharaj would
com e to the discourse to keep an eye on Baba.
A fter moving to the new location many devotees got the o p p o rtu
nity to do sadhan in the presence o f Baba and spend time in his holy
company. T h e num ber o f disciples and devotees continued to grow. In a
span o f two to four years, even the new place was n ot enough. T h e same
problem had arisen again and once again a quest for a new place.
T h is tim e one o f Babas disciples m ade arrangem ents for a signifi

cantly larger place in M adaripur. Like the previous places, this place was
also n o t fully developed, but it was enough. T h ere was a huge banyan tree
in the m iddle. Baba had a small tem ple built under it and installed a
statue o f L o rd Shiva there. A garden o f Tulsi [Indian basil] was also
planted there. T h e place was on the banks o f the M eghana River. In this
way, the riverbank, banyan tree, Tulsi garden, a temple o f L o rd Shiva, a
meditative environment, and the presence o f a great holy being like Baba
tran sform ed this lo cation into a place o f pilgrim age. A long with an
increase in the num ber o f visitors, the ashram also continued to develop.
G urudev Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj was happy to see the ashram
and its activities. T h e disciples who sat in m editation with Baba also
received the benefit o f the invisible com pany o f Swami Gangadhar T irth
M ^ a r a j. T h is secret was known only to Baba. Everyone else believed it
to be the effect o f Babas personality.
It was n o t easy to receive initiation from Baba. Although Baba had
the means to use yogic techniques to determ ine the worthiness before
initiation, he woiold still scrutinize the disciples closely. P rior to giving
Shaktipat initiation, he m ade them p erform spiritual practices such as
chanting which require personal endeavor. I f he deemed som eone un
worthy, he did n o t say no direcdy, but neither would he make haste to
give initiation. H e was always very cautious in giving initiation to we^thy
people. I t is said that a particular king came to him several times with a
request for initiation but he always avoided the request. H e said, “These
people have too m uch pride about their power and wealth. H ow can they
walk on the spiritual path under these circumstances? It is not a bad
tiling to be wealthy, but to have pride about one s wealth is very bad.''
H en ce he would examine wealthy people m ore thoroughly in contrast to
p o o r people. H e never gave any im portance to whether people were learned
or illiterate, wealthy or poor, or belonging to a certain caste or creed. H e
would look only at the state o f the chitta, the thirst for God, and the
pure and h arm onious qualities o f the m ind. H e accepted very little
m onetary donations from his disciples.
Since the ashram was filled with p o o r people and donations from
the rich were rarely accepted, there was a con stan t shortage o f money.
T h e ashram depended m ostly on alms. Baba considered this very im por
tan t for spiritual advancement. A fter moving to M adaripur, there was a
significant increase in the num ber o f visitors and it becam e difficult for
Baba to find time to go ou t and seek alms. As a result, the burden o f
seeking alms rested with one or the other brahm achari. F o r many years
this responsibility was handled by A tm aprakash Brahm achari [who later
went to Kashi and established the S id d h aY oga A shram and became well
known as Swami Shankar P u ru sh ottam T irth Tvlaharaj].
Baba laid special emphasis on m inim al wastage . O n ce the visitors
to the ashram were having lunch. W h e n salt was offered, one person
to o k som e extra salt and after his m eal was over he left the extra salt
behind on his plate. Baba scolded him severely, “I f you were going to
waste so m uch salt, why did you take it in the first place? I f you leave this
m uch salt everyday on your plate, how m uch salt will be wasted in a
m onth?” T h e n he said loudly, “E a t th at said”, and the person did so
quickly.
O ne day Baba was strolling in the ashram. W h e n he passed by in
fron t o f a dwelling, an earthen p o t filled with water was kept there.
W^hen he returned to the same sp ot during his stroll, the p o t was em pty
and turned upside down. H e asked one o f the brahmacharis what had
happened to the water.
T h e brahm achari - I washed my hands and face.
Baba - O ne full p o t o f water for washing your hands and face?
Brahm achari - Baba, do we have a shortage o f water? T h e ponds
are filled to the brim.
Baba severely reproached the brahm achari - “I f nature gives you
som ething in abundance, it is n o t to waste. G o to Rajasthan and see the
water situation there! E xpen d only what is needed.”
O ne day a learned brahmin who perform ed rituals prayed to him
for initiation, but Baba ignored him. T h e learned brahmin was still sit
ting there when a M uslim came and prayed to him for initiation. Baba
immediately granted his request and also scheduled the date for it right
there. T h e brahm in was very angry. A fter the M uslim departed from
there, he said, “ Babal I am a brahmin well versed in the rituals. H ow
com e you have kept me waiting and accepted that M uslim immediately
and also scheduled a time for his initiation? C an you tell me why?”
Baba - O ne whose house has been com pletely wired electrically, he
alone will be given the electrical connection. T h e m atter here is not o f
being a brahm in o r a M uslim . Y o u r ego o f being a scholarly brahmin
well versed in the rituals is killing you. H ow can you be given initiation?
Baba m aintained strict discipline in his ashram. H e never became
indifferent towards the disciple after . giving initiation. W as the disciple
doing his sadhana regularly? Is he inclined toward good and pious acts?
D oe he waste his time unnecessarily? Baba him self would wake up at
three o ’clock in the m orning. All the residents o f the ashram and visitors
would also be awakened. A fter finishing the m orning routine, sadhan
was a m ust for everyone. D uring the day chanting, studying o f scrip
tures, and service had to be done. C onstim ption o f tea was n ot prevalent
in those days. Irrelevant conversations and gossip was prohibited in the
ashram.
Baba used to say, “I have learnt from my Gurudev that do not
neglect your social con d u ct even during the time o f sadhan. T h e reason
for the sense o f individuality in a hum an being is his sinful actions. It is
the influence o f this individuality that has resulted in the accumulation
o f impressions, which has transform ed into destiny. Destiny is very pow
erful. It brings the downfall o f many great men. It breaks the resolute
ness o f knowledgeable beings, those adept in yoga and devotees. Intelli
gent, strong, learned and artistic, all o f them are helpless in front o f
destiny. It makes big kings lick the ground and shatters the pride o f
conceited people. NIo one can escape w ithout enduring destiny. Finish
o f f your destiny by enduring it, but do n ot create new destiny.”
“A nother big adversary of man is pride, which brings along with it
lust, anger, greed and many such enemies in its support. It is pride that
sometimes becom es lustful and perform s various tricks and at other times
takes the form o f anger :md burns the body and mind o f a person. A t
times it displays the miscliief o f greed and at other times it becomes
destitute and supplicates in front o f people. Pride makes a person dance,

wander, suffer, burn, or becom e pom pous. T h e higher the head rises
with pride, in the same p rop ortion , the state o f the chitta sinks lower .
Pride has wrapped the whole world in its influence. W ealth, scholarship,
strength, art, beauty, race, nationality, and language and others are the
basis o f pride.
“First and foreinost an aspirant m ust keep the goal o f freedom
from pride and destiny in fron t o f him. T h ere is only one means to get
liberated from these two inner adversaries, which is called the yoga o f
dutiful action. By walking on this path, an aspirant can becom e free
from the bondage o f destiny on one hand, and on the other, he can also
be spared from the accum ulation o f new impressions and creation o f
new destiny. T he sense o f doership can be eliminated by observing the
activities o f the awakened Shakti because awakening o f the Shakti en
dows the aspirant with the sense o f a witness. In other words, sadhan is
nothing but the union o f inner sadhan and purification o f conduct.
“H en ce never try to run away from karm a action ; let action for
sake you and run away. As long as there is destiny, action will never let go
o f you. I f you run away somewhere, you will create your own new world
there and again start to spin in the cycle o f karm a w ithout even realizing
it. O nly by carrying ou t your actions can destiny be cleared. T o attain
freedom from action, the practice o f carrying ou t the action is essential;
detached action, harboring detachm ent in the m ind while perform ing
the action externally.”
T h e n Baba said, “T h e first objective o f Shaktipat is to give m an a
direct experience that the Shakti, who is the creator and preserver o f the
universe and the cause o f each and every activity, is distinct and indepen
dent from him and is beyond the senses. In the absence o f Shakti, a
person is lifeless. O th er than remaining a m ute witness he cannot do
anything else, but the ego o f an individual being has transform ed him
into an illusory and phony doer. Even though he is nothing, he has
becom e everything. Sacrificing the state o f a witness is the- prim ary rea
son for all his sins.
“W h e n a person falls down, he does n o t have to expend any effort
or energy, but everything changes at the tim e o f climbing upwards. It

requires a lo t o f time, continuous effort and infinite energy. N oth in g
com es in the way at the time o f the fall, but at the time o f climbing,
obstacles, tem ptation, slipperiness, difficulties and adversities block each
and every step. T h o se people who expect com forts in life are incapable
o f scaling the difficult spiritual heights.
“T h e false pride o f doership is the main cause in the creation o f
destiny, whereas dutiful action with a sense o f surrender is the main
cause o f wiping ou t destiny. T h e inner awakening o f Shakti uproots the
accum ulated impressions. Any serious aspirant has to seek the support
o f all these to m arch forward in his sadhan and spiritual advancement.
T h a t is the essence o f sadhan.”
Baba used to say -
( 1 ) N ever turn away from good actions. Even in that, keep your
self detached. It is n o t necessary that the fruits o f good actions will
always be according to your wishes. Favorable or unfavorable, whatever
the result m ight me, consider it to be the grace o f G od, otherwise, with
the expectation o f a favorable restilt, an aspirant gets attached [to it]. N o
m atter how pious your attachm ent is, it is fixially a cause o f bondage and
the genesis for the creation o f new jdestiny .
( 2 ) G od gives the fruits o f actions according to destiny. W h en the
result o f an action is endured with a sense o f detachment, it results in
clearing destiny, but fulfillment o f one s duty is essential for an aspirant.
T o carry ou t on es action by giving up the sentiment o f a favorable or
unfavorable outcom e o f an action, by accepting it as a service to God, by
always m aintaining a blissful and content chitta and remaining inactive
even while perform ing the action, is K arm a yoga [yoga o f dutiftil ac
tion].
( 3 ) O nly destiny is the cause o f joys and sorrows a person encoun
ters in life. All other beings, objects and circumstances are merely the
props for the manifestation o f destiny and n ot the cause. H ence never
despise anyone and also do not allow any room for likes and dislikes in
your m ind. An aspirant m ust be thankful to them for becom ing the
instrum ents and providing an opportunity for the fruits o f his actions
to m anifest themselves.
( 4 } I f you keep your ego aside, establish yourself in the state o f a
witness and lo o k w ithin, you will get a firsthand experience o f the
Chaitanya-Shakti [dynam ic power o f consciousness], which is the cause
for each and every activity and the basis o f each and every sentim ent that
arises in the heart. Surrender to this very power is beneficial to the aspir
ant. T h is power nourishes, p rotects and guides the aspirant like a m other.
Subm it yourself into her lap.
( 5 ) T h e state o f an observer is n o t just a feeling, in fact it is an
experience, it is a specific state o f the chitta, which arises after Shakti has
been awakened internally and the activities o f Shakti have becom e evi
dent. T h a t state can not be attained by reading and reciting the scrip
tures, through con tem p lation iind reflection or by ritualistic worship
and repetition o f m antras. F o r this, the internal awakening and activa
tion o f Shakti is essential. As long as Shakti does n o t reveal her identity
to the aspirant on her own, until then no one can know her.
( 6 ) H e alone is a guru who is well acquainted with Shakti, is
perpetually under her shelter, has con trol over the activities o f Shakti,
can directly see the com ing and going o f Shakti and one whose entire
life is perm eated with Shakti. H e is the one who holds the power o f
introducing Shakti to a disciple as well.
( 7 ) A true disciple is the one, who does n o t stop by accepting the
physical form o f the guru, but looks inside the physical body o f the
guru and is able to see the real guru within. T h a t is possible only when
the disciple has a direct, personal and definite relationship with the G uru-
tattva [essential nature o f the guru] within his own self. O nly then, can
the qualities o f a true disciple manifest in the disciple.
( 8 ) T h e Lord, the power o f the m antra, and guru are the different
levels and workings o f the same essence, which for the purpose o f sadlian,
are im agined as d istin ct elements. W ith the spiritual progress o f the
disciple their oneness gets revealed.
( 9 ) T h e m ore m agnanim ity a disciple possesses, the defects such as
attachm ent, aversion, hatred, anger and anim osity start reducing and for
bearance and forgiveness continue to increase. M agnanim ity is spiritual
ity and intolerance is the world.

( 1 0 ) H en ce do n o t get afflicted by defects and waste your time.
C arry ou t actions with a sense o f service and do your sadhan with a
sense o f surrender. T h e life o f an aspirant m ust be filled with service and
spirituality. A n aspirant does n o t perform any actions; he simply serves.
Even his sadhan is a service to G od.
( 1 1 ) D o n o t give rise to pride in your m ind that ‘I serve and do
spiritual practices', when you see those who do n o t do sadhan or service.
T h is pride is the ro o t o f hundreds o f bad qualities. Pride lifts one from
the pinnacle and smashes one on the ground in such a m anner diat the
person has nothing to fall back upon.
( 1 2 ) I f thoughts com e in sadhan, let them. I f defects arise, let
them . Just keep on watching. D uring the process o f purification, the
impurities within invariably com e to the forefront. I f you get frightened,
the process o f purification will stop. T h e impurities within will remain
inside. It will cause m ore trouble in the future.
( 1 3 ) Penance is nothing but observing the kriyas [autom atic move
m ents after awakening o f ShaktiJ because by doing so the accumulated
impressions in the chitta are burned to ashes in the blazing fire o f sadhan.
T h a t, which scorches the samskaras [accum ulated impressions] and burns
them, is indeed a penance.
( 1 4 ) O n ce Shakti is awakened, she perform s the kriyas [autom atic
m ovem ents], as she continues to destroy the samskaras [accum ulated
im pressions], she invites the aspirant to watch. O n the other hand, the
samskaras make the m ind resdess and do n ot allow one to witness the
kriyas. T h e sense o f an observer is rendered useless. Kriyas continue to
happen and the mind keeps wandering. T h e actual result o f sadhan is
n ot achieved. It is the aspirant’s responsibility to steady his mind on the
kriyas.
( 1 5 ) Any thing that arises, any thing that remains steady before the
eyes, any thing that changes form and color, all that is maya [the grand
illusion]. It is M aya diat makes an individual being delusional. M aya
makes him laugh and cry and also beckons him. All this is the delusion
o f M aya. As long as there is a m isconception within, till then Maya will
continue to pervade the entire world. T h e instant the inner m isconcep

tion is cleared, M aya, the external illusion will com e to an end.
( 1 6 ) C arry out your actions, but do n o t harbor the pride o f per-
form m g that action. As soon as pride arises in the m m d; the nature o f
action gets corrup ted . W h e n you see others perform ing their actions, do
n o t detest them. T h in k that you are n o t detesting som ebody else, but
your own sell.
( 1 7 ) O ne does n o t accûire true knowledge by applying logic. True
knowledge com es from withm when the chitta becom es pure. I f true
knowledge could be acquired by reading the scriptures, then all those
who read them, would know Brahm a [the cosm ic truth, the one self-
existent Spirit, the A bsolute].
( 1 8 ) W h y do you go so far to see the defects in others? Is there a
dearth o f defects within your own se lf? Even though you are a store
house o f defects yourself, v/hy do you wander around other homes beg
ging for defects?
( 1 9 ) W h erever a hum an m ind goes, it gets involved in that, just
like wet soil that gets stuck wherever you throw it. But if you engage your
mind in som ething, it will run away from that. W h a t a strange predica
m ent! I f you apply your mind somewhere, it does n ot stay there; you
remove it from some place and it repeatedly goes there.
( 2 0 ) It is M aya that creates this web o f illusion and only M aya can
withdraw itself. Entire spirituality is based on M aya. I f M aya can be
from the middle, then there is no need for any scripture or spiritual
practice.
Baba was such a Guru who, along with verbal teachings, also pre
sented his transparent personality and pure conduct in front o f his dis
ciples and devotees, as an example. Baba was the personification of de
tachm ent, sacrifice, love and austerity. H is presence would influence the
chitta and on sitting in his proxunity, the mind would get drawn inwards.
H e followed each and every com inand and teaching o f his Gurudev lit
erally word by word. A t the signal from Gurudev, he jum ped in the
blazing fire of worldly life and passed the test.
16. Maha Nirvana:

Supreme Liberation
I said - Baba’s life was full o f sacrifices and w orth emulating by spiritual
aspirants.
M aharajshri - Yes, T h a t is indeed the case. Baba wore the garb o f
the physical body w ithout staining it till the end and finally dissolved it
in the five elements. H is entire life was spent keeping the fire o f separa
tion from G od ablaze in his heart. H is patience had developed to the
highest extent. H e spent his life in relentless sadhan and bhajan. H e
upheld good con du ct and punctuality. H e paid special attention to japa.
Surrender and service rem ained the cornerstones o f his sadhan.
Swami G angadhar T irth M aharaj had blessed Baba that through
him the science and practice o f Shaktipat would spread and disseminate
all over'Îndia. T h e result o f that blessing was apparent even during Baba s
lifetime. Gradually his fame was n o t limited only to E ast Bengal, but it
was spreading to all the corners o f India. O th er great masters in his
lineage also co n trib u ted to the d evelop m en t and d issem ination o f
Shaktipat and by initiating w orthy disciples they advanced the cause
further. Som e research was also conducted as a p art o f this effort and
some literature was also written.
A fter taking the vows o f renunciation, Baba ran the ashram as a
service to his revered m aster for around twenty-five years. T h ose he con
sidered deserving, he initiated them. T h ere was no greed o f any kind and
no desire for fame, only one goal o f serving his revered m aster and a
sentim ent o f public welfare. Baba did n ot see G uru Maharaj even once
during this period o f twenty-five years, however he nurtured the m em o
ries o f G urudev in his h eart at all times. Babas ashram was a living
example o f penury. T h ere were a couple o f foyers built from dried grass
and reeds and a tiny grass hut under the banyan tree in the form o f a
tem ple. T h ere were two room s and a kitchen, which too were built with
m ud and clay. A m ajority o f his disciples were p o o r and he accepted
m inim um financial help from the wealthy. W h e n the meals were cooked,
the visitors to the ashram were served first. T h e residents o f the ashram
ate whatever was left. Baba s own meals were very simple, just rice and
squash.
H aving spent twenty-five years like this, Babas final m om ent was
near. T h a t time in 1 9 3 5 , Baba was around 6 5 years old. H e was certainly
a com passionate G uru, but besides that it was his nature to take on the
diseases o f his disciples and to endure them and free the disciples from
their sufferings. H e accepted the problem o f chronic appendicitis from
one o f his discipies. T h e disciple was cured o f that disease but Baba was
afflicted by it.
I said - But the gurus are aware o f the onslaught o f the bad samskaras
o f the disciples and they are also capable o f protecting themselves from
it, then why did Baba n o t save him self from the oncom ing samskaras o f
the disease o f the discip>le?
M aharajshri - Y our question is very im portant. T h o se masters who
do n o t foresee the onslaught o f tlie inauspicious samskaras o f a disciple
at the time o f initiation, they can encounter diffictdties at any time. F o r
this very reason, it is said that Shaktipat is like p>laying with fire. But
Baba was a very capable guru. T h e science of Shaktipat was well known
to him. H e was fully cognizant o f the onslaught o f the inauspicious
samskaras o f disciples. H e was also fully capable o f protecting himself.
H e did p rotect him self on a num ber o f occasions, but because he was
extremely com passionate he would often take on the samskaras o f dis
eases and get personally afflicted by the disease. T h u s he would endure
the destiny o f the disciple and end it. A nother fact to be noted is that
Baba had the knowledge o f all the three times, the past, the present and
the future. H e already had an inkling that the time o f his death was near.
T h a t is validated by a following Bengali poem com posed by him in his
own handwriting, which was found in his cottage after his demise.
Today is that auspicious day

In the hope of which I have waited all these days
Having created this gross body
Living in it with the hopefo r happiness
But it was wasted and brought me a lot of sorrow in this world
Material pleasure is just another name fo r sorrow
The knowledgeable ones know that and do not revere it
The ignorantfolks remain immersed in it all the time
Day and night they experience only suffering
Today I will give up that body
I will go to the abode of eternal bliss
From there one never comes back into this world
There has never been a day like this
That is why my mind is experiencing an immense joy today
What people call death, and are frightened in their minds
To me it is not death, but the nectar of immortality
And in this nectar of immortality, I shall merge.
T h e discovery o f this poem in the cottage clearly indicates that

Baba was aware o f his approaching demise. It also demonstrates that he
was n o t afraid o f death, on the contrary his m ind was joyous. H e had
n ot com e into this world to indulge in pleasures. H e had com e to fulfill
his duties, to purify his chitta and to perform the sadhan given to him,
Gurudev had given him the responsibility o f disseminating the knowl
edge o f Shaktipat and he had fulfilled that too. A fter his death, he was
definitely n o t going go to a lower life form ; he was in fact going to
proceed to the realm o f bliss, the world o f his Gurudev. H ence there was
no need for him to p rotect him self from the inauspicious samskaras o f
his disciple. O n the contrary, his heart was dancing with joy. Baba took
help o f that disease, and presented him self at the door o f blissful death.
But the state o f m ind o f Babas disciples, was completely different
from his. T h ey had just tasted the first drop o f the nectar o f im m ortal
ity. T h e y had just taken the first step on the path o f spirituality. T h ey
were still com pletely afflicted by attachm ent. T h e long journey o f spiri
tuality still rem ained in fron t o f them . As o f now, they had n o t been able
to really look inside the body o f Baba and establish a bond with the
G u ru-tattva [the essential nature o f the guru]. Since they considered the
physical body o f Baba to be their guru, they were attached to the physi
cal body o f Baba. Surrounding Baba on all sides, they were distraught
and were crying. In their very presence, their Baba was preparing to leave
them .
O ne D isciple - Babal Y ou are leaving us behind and going away,
who will look after us and guide us? W e are still like toddlers who cannot
walk on their own feet. Y ou are our m other who takes care o f us. W ith
ou t you, we will be in com plete darkness.
Baba - All this is your attachm ent to my body. O n e.d oes n o t get
attached only to wealth, property, family and hom e, but also to the body
o f the guru. T h e su pp ort for sadhan is n o t the physical body o f the guru
but the G^^ru-tattva and that G u ru -tattva is awakened within you and
can be experienced. It is with you every m om ent. It takes care o f you and
gtiides you. It has been your habit to keep looking at my body, but the
physical body o f a guru can never remain in fron t o f the disciple forever.
Everyone has to go one day, so do n ot make your sadhan dependent on
anyone, n o t even on the physical form o f the G uru. T h e spiritual prac
tice o f Shaktipat sadhan is called an independent spiritual practice. By
getting attached to my body, do n o t hinder the independence o f your
sadhan.
“I f you are frightened or grief-stricken on my giving up this body,
that is inappropriate. O ne day or the other, all o f us have to leave this
world. T h e one who has arrived will also depart. Anything that is built,
it will be destroyed one day. O ne who has risen, will also fall one day.
Such is the sequence o f this world. C om ing and going continues inces
santly. T h e n why be sad and attached to som ething that is bound to
happen with everyone? T o lam ent is the job o f the ignorant. You are
intelligent aspirants.
“Have faith in your mind that after being released from the lim ita-
tions o f this m o rtal body, and after taking on a lum inous form and
being endowed with infinite power, I will be equipped to provide you
even m ore guidance. T h e physical body o f a guru dies, n ot the G uru-
tattva. It is the G uru-tattva th at has been taking care o f the welfare o f
the disciples for eons. It existed before me, and will exist even after I am
gone. Even during my lifetime, it was the G uru-tattva, who was your
guide through the m edium o f this body. Y ou will experience the G uru-
tattva and also continue to receive its guidance in accordance to your
faith and sentim ent.
“M y ultim ate goal is the state beyond the physical body. Ultim ate
bliss resides only in that state. I f I am moving forward in that direction,
it is n o t a m atter o f grief or despair. Y our mind should start to dance
with joy in this state. So far the basis o f my relationship with you was
this body. N o w this body is about to disappear from the middle. T h en a
much deeper and inner relationship will be established between you and
m e. T h e n the basis o f the relationship will be the G uru-tattva.
“Y ou should have an auspicious desire and should pray to G od that
I attain the state o f divine consciousness. T herein lies your welfare as
well as mine. I bless you that may you also rise above the inertness o f the
world, and may the divine consciousness directly manifest before you
and m ay you also get established in that divine consciousness.”
Listening to Baba’s words all the disciples began to cry loudly. A
strange kind o f desolation filled the room . Som e grabbed Baba’s feet and
began to weep.
O ne disciple - Baba! Such talk is appropriate for great spiritual
beings like you. T h e only thing we know is that our Guru is our God.
After you depart how will we see our revered master?
Baba - W h y do you talk like ignorant people? T h e G uru-tattva is
awakened and active within all o f you, and you have a firsthiind experi
ence o f that. T h a t is your guru. I am n ot talking o f any imaginative
things. T h a t G uru-tattva is present within me and it is also present within
you. T h a t is the universal guru. T h a t will take care o f you.
Baba became silent after saying that. H e started rep>eating the ch;mt.
“G o d is everything, G od is everything." A t tliat tim e Baba saw that his

G urudev Swami G angadhar T irth JMaharaj had m anifested in the air.
H o w couJd the people know what Baba was seeing! T h e y only saw Baba
bowing to som eone. A t that tim e there was a group o f wailing disciples
in front o f Baba on one side, and on the other his benevolent Gurudev.
Swamiji M aharaj said, “Y ou r disciples are crying as they are afflicted by
their attachm ent. Even though they have the direct experience o f the
workings o f inner spiritual power greed, anger, infatuation and the rest
do n o t give up so quickly. I am pleased that you spent your entire in
absolute purity. Now , I have com e to take you to m y realm. T h ere you
will stay in m y company.”
Baba closed his eyes forever.
In this way, the story o f all-powerful Gurudev and the supremely
worthy disciple came to an end. In this way, the seed o f Shaktipat knowl
edge was planted in Jagannathpuri, and in this m anner I witnessed an
oth er episode o f the divine power o f G urudev Swami Vishnu T irth
M aharaj.
Today, when I turn around and look in all the directions, I am
unable to find even a single person similar to these great beings walking
by. W h e n I look within myself, I can n ot find even a single virtue o f
theirs in me. Everyone is entangled in pride, ostentation and fame.
T h e p erio d o f o u r stay in Jagan n ath p u ri cam e to an end, so
M aharajshri and I left for C alctitta by train.
Appendix
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i
Planting the Seed
In the region of Utkal lies the holy city of Puri^

Tirth Cangadhar was seated there.
The day of Akshay Trittiya was just beginning,
There the seed was being planted.
The fu tu re of that youth was illuminated,

As the grace of Gurudev was bestowed on him at that moment.
Then it spread throughout India,
What was just a spark there.
This spark transformed into afire,

A n d theflames continued to spread everywhere.
Many attained master hood.
Such was thefr u it of the grace showered there.
Qangadhar was a great ascetic and jnani,

Sadhan was his only activity all the time.
H e did not go anywhere or visit anyone,
Neither did anyone come to visit him.
When he bestowed his grace, he declared,

I have tied the fire to your cloak.
One day it will envelope the entire country in its flames.
A nd this fire will spread everywhere.
This youth did sadhan day and night.

H e fulfilled all his dutiful actions.
For nineteen and a half years he did sadhana.
Then he attained the state of a guru at his residence.
N ow he had become the king of kings,

There was no desire or pride in his mind.
H e adorned the name of Narayan,
Having become pure, he became a Tirth (sacred).
Built an ashram in East Bengal,

Which was merely a couple of grass sheds.
Strict discipline was maintained there,
The food was cooked by seeking alms there.
The fir e continued to spread day by day,

There were thousands who came and were blessed.
Some even attained the position of a guru,
The branches ( f the tree were spreading there.
Today is also the day of Akshay Trittiya,

Today was the day when the seed was planted.
Today is indeed an auspiciotis day f o r us,
Today all of us have gathered here.
What was the sentiment in the heart of Gurudev,

When he showered his grace out of compassion.
Today in this age of darkness, spiritual practice is difficult.
So let me simplfy it here.
Gangadhar was Shakti-personified,

Narayan Tirth too, was atr accomplished disciple.
That union was singular, incomparable,
The disciple was like the master there.
We must contemplate on hov^ serious 'we are,

H ow fre e are we fro m attachment.
What has happened to our power of forbearance,
D o we sit in love and harmony here.
Spiritual practice is to tranôrm our lives,

^ there is no change, then what kind of practice is it.
Then it is mere ostentation and hypocrisy.
For what purpose did we receive grace here.
Spiritual practice with the state of an observer is our duty,

Shakti petforms all the practices on her own.
She draws out the karma accumulated within,
A n d takes one to the place we are supposed to go.
Surrender is the essence of spiritual practice,

Kriyas are indeed the blessing of Shakti.
The power of tolerance is progress in spiritual practice,
W have to purify our minds here.
Spiritual practice is the result of a guru^s grace,

Purification of the mind is also the grace of guru.
A vision of the Divine Lord is also the guru^s grace.
We have to destroy our mind here.
You should be prepared to endure hardships.

Be prepared to love your enemies.
Be prepared to keep your mind happy.
Even i f the world troubles you here.
What comes hejore us, is our ov^n doing,

Right or wrong, it is our doing.
The world is merely a stagef o r that,
We have to wipe out our actions here.
It is the demand of Gurudev Qangadhar,

Support y o u r mind with spiritual practice and service.
The only demand is do not drown in this world.
Live in this world, hut remain detachedfro m it here.
Come here transformed neoct year.

Transformed that you are fre e fro m worries.
Tran form ed that you are engaged in spiritual practice,
All we have to do here is spiritual practice and service.
O! Gurudev bless this Shivom tirth,

May your compassionate glance be over Shivom.
May your love always shower on Shivom,
A ll that needs to be done here is to surrender at yo ur holy feet.
Revival o f Shaktipat Knoy^ledge 179
Sw am i G angadhar X ir th M aharaj
Gangadhar Swami is like the Ganges, purifying the wretched ones.

A symbol of sacrifice^ incessant sadhan, he is most revered by the devotees.
Sadhan that is difficult in this age of darknes^s, he made it easy and approachable.
With the blessing of universal presence, he showed the path to devotees.
With just one act of compassion, he gifted the world a great master.
By creating a saint like Narayan, he passed on theflam e to the masses.
H e remained aloof all the time, f a r fro m the world, f a r fro m society.
Doing sadhan all the time, he awakened hope in devotees.
O Lord and master of Shivom Tirth, you are the epitome of devotion.
I plead at your holyfeet. May I always remain in your service.
Swami Narayan T irth Dev Maharaj
Tirth Narayan , the ocean of bliss^ is the hestower of all good qualities.
M y master you are the cause of all vêll being, the creator^ provider o f everything.
You awakened thefir e c f Shaktipat, showed the path to devotees.

All sins and pain disappearfro m the mind, O ! Benefactor of the auspicious dawn.
A lifefilled with discipline, you embraced a simple and loving nature.

The Ganges flow ing on the path of devotion, O ! Giver of knowledge and devotion.
You did sadhan and made disciples do it, You revealed the path to the ultimate truth.
One who made his life blessed. H e is the provider of divine love.
O revered G uru of Shivom, I am yo u r ignorant child.

Keep me involved in service, surrendering at yo ur holy feet bestows good qualities.
Swaixii Vishnu T irth Maharaj
M y revered master is a perfect beings

One who is victorious over the demons^ that being is my Qurudeva.
H e is like an impregnable fortress against lust and defects,
Bestows auspiciousness, he is my Qurudeva.
H e took on the name of Vishnu Tirth,

H e taught the path of love.
Showing the path of ultimate truth,
j' M y Gumdeva frees fro m the cycle of birth and death.
t
'I The ocean of his heart is boundkss,
H e is very benevolent to the wretched masses.
The protector of the spiritual path,
M y Qurudeva can destroy and scare away the lord of death.
Wretched and sad beaten by this world,

are lost in worldly pleasures.
Worries and sins burn the heart.
You are the only shelter, Qurudeva.
O revered Lord and master of Shivom Tirth,

Anyone who surrenders at your feet receives the gift.
You are the captain of this sinking ship,
I plead at your holyfeet, Qurudeva.
....
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Glossary o f Terms
A di S h a n k a ra ch a ry a — A di (" f ir s t” ) (defilement producing afflictions), capable o f

Shankaracharya ( 6 8 6 - 7 1 8 A .D .) coordinated producing further kleshas, and and aklishta
the vedic spiritual tradition in India at a time vrittis, those which are devoid o f defilement,
o f turmoil and dispersion. H e gave enormous being neutral (aklishta) and which will not
inspiration, insight and understanding o f the create further kleshas.
underlying truth o f life and living, relevant A nahath — ‘T h e unstruck note’ , the fourth
to this day. H e is considered the greatest spiri chakra is said to have twelve petals o f a red
tu a l s a in t in th e h i s to r y o f A d v a ita . or white hue while the central part is a smokey
Shankaracharya is considered to be an incar color. It is associated with the element o f air,
nation o f Lord Shiva. and is the seat o f the Divine Soul.
Advaita — Literally, "non-dualism ," advaita Anandam aya Kosha — T his fifth sheath is
is the name o f the oldest extant school o f the sheath o f blissfulness and is the subtlest
v ed an ta. A d vaita bases its e lf u p o n the o f all the koshas.
U p an ish ad s, the B rah m a-su tras and the
A nnam aya Kosha — T h e sheath made o f
Bhag\vat G ita. Advaita asserts that the real,
food. It is the physical body o f a living be
essential identity o f the jiva, the individual
ing, the outerm ost grossest o f all the sheaths
self, is nothing other than brahman Itself.
that are layered upon the Atm a, the Self.
Sage A gastya----A great sage and rishi (seer).
A nubhuti — Knowledge gained by means
H e is reputed to have traveled to south India
o f the four Pramanas-(jperccption by the senses,
and taught Vedic philosophy there. H e was a
inference, com parison, and verbal authority).
great devotee o f Lord Shiva, and after pray
ing to L ord Shiva, L ord Shiva personally A nvopaaya ---- Anvopaaya is that means
taught him the language o f Tamil. During which is concerned with ‘anu’ a limited be
the churning o f the ocean, he consumed the ing, signifying his mental effort to get rid o f
entire ocean until the asuras were destroyed the ignorance o f his true nature.
by the gods. A rju n a ——T h e third o f the Pandava clan was
Abhinivesh — Love o f life, fear o f death. the m ost proficient, accurate and unbeatable
archer o f his time. H is refusal and reluctance
Ajna C h akra ---- T h is is the sixth chakra
to fig h t w ith his peers in the battle o f
and is located in the mid eye brow region.
Kurukshetra brought about the famous and
A k a sh a ---- Literally “luminous” ; Ether. still relevant message o f the Bhagwat Gita by
A klishta and K lishta vrittis —Patanjali clas Lord Krishna.
sified the vrittis (tendencies or modifications A sam prajnat S a m a d h i----Seedless M edita
o f the m ind) into five categories. H e further tion.
classified them under two types, viz. Klishta
Asuras ---- opponents of gods. Asuras are
vrittis, those which are imbued with klesha
regarded as the children o f D iti by sage
Kashyap, as such they are demons o f the first Paramhansa.

order in perpetual hostility with the gods and
B h agw ati ---- An incarn ation o f goddess
m u s t n o t be c o n f o u n d e d w ith the Durga, con sort o f Shiva. She also represents
Rakshashas.
Shakti, the dynamic aspect o f Lord Shiva.
A tm a — Soul, the Self.
Bhakti ---- D evotion.
A tm a-tattv a the essential nature o f the Bhasrika — A Yogic breathing technique. It
Self.
is the rapid breathing in through one nostril
A v id y a---- False knowledge o r ignorance. and exhaling slowly through the other in rapid
Ayodhya ---- H o ly town in U tta r Pradesh succession. Also called ‘bellows-breathing’.
province in N o rth India and birthplace o f B hav-sagar---- T h e ocean o f becoming. Cycle
Lord R am a, also referred to as Saket. T h e o f transm igration.
ancient city of Ayodhya, according to the Bodh Gaya ----- It is the place o f Buddhas
Ramayana, was founded by M anu, the law attainm ent o f enlightenment. It is located in
giver o f the H indus. F o r centuries it was the
the state o f Bihar in India.
capital of the descendants o f the Ikshvakus
o f Surya Vansh (the Sun dynasty) o f which Body, C au sal---- Karan Sharir, The causal body
Lord R am a was the m ost celebrated king. is the storehouse o f all impressions and la
Ayodhya during ancient times was known as tent energies, all the vasanas. It is so called
the land o f Koshala. T h e Atharvaveda de because o f its potential for making the im
scribes it as "a city built by gods and being as pressions o f past lives bear fruit, weaving
prosperous as paradise itself.” around itself a fresh body, and then evolving
in the next life mental and physical powers in
B a d rin a th o r B ad rin aray an ---- Literally
furth eran ce o f the developm ent achieved
means “Abode o f the Lord." Cradled in the
through previous births. T h e substratum o f
twin m ontain ranges o f N ar and Narayan
your causal, subtle and gross bodies is your
(Him alayan range), Badrinath is along the left real Self.
bank o f the river Alaknanda. Legend has it
when Ganga was requested to descend to earth Body, G ro ss---- Sthula sharir.'The physical body
to help suffering humanity, the earth was o f blood and flesh. It represents the physical
unable to withstand the force o f its descent, consciousness.
therefore the mighty Ganga was split into Body, Subtle ---- Sustikshma sharir. W h en this
twelve holy channels. Alaknanda was the hidden material in the causal body expresses
channel o f L o rd V ishnu (also known as itself as feelings and thoughts it takes the
Badrinath). T h e temple o f Badrinath on the form o f your subtle body. T h e same material
bank o f the Alaknanda river dates back to works out as perceptions and actions in the
the vedic tim es.The present temple is believed gross body.
to have been built by Adi Shankaracharya. B rah m a ----T h e one, self-existent, impersonal
Belur M ath ---- a place in W est Bengal, In spirit, the one Universal soul; the divine es
dia. It is the headquarters o f the Ramakrishna sence and source from which all created things
M is s io n . I t was fo u n d e d by S w am i emanate, with which they are identified, and
Vivikananda after the passing away o f his to which they return; the Absolute; the E ter
s p iritu a l m a s te r , S w am i R a m a k ris h n a nal.
Brahm ach.'Jti---- A spiritual aspirant who has fact, a procedure o f bestowing the divine
taken the vow o f celibacy and devoted his powers o f a G uru upon a disciple, by which
hfe to the practice o f spiritual discipline for he progresses continuously on the path o f
attaining self-realization. divinity.
B ra h m a ch a ry a ---- T h e practice o f celibacy. Divya D ik sh a ---- A divine initiation wherein
B uddha ---- A perfectly enlightened soul; the Divine Power blesses the aspirant in a
Generally refers to G autam a Buddha, ( 5 6 0 - physical o r invisible form , giving him the ex
perience o f the awakening o f Shakti.
4 8 0 B .C .) B o rn as p rin ce S id d h arth a to
Suddhodana, king o f the Sakhyas, his family G ita — T h e Bhagw ad G ita, also called
name was Gautama. A t the age o f twenty nine, Shreemad Bhagwat G ita, usually considered
Siddhartha Gautam a suddenly abandoned his part o f the sixth book o f the Mahabharata
hom e to devote him self entirely to spiritual is a central text o f Hinduism , a philosphical
pursuits and yogic practices and to attain su dialogue between Lord Krishna and the war
preme peace. rior Arjuna. T h is is one o f the m ost popular
and accessible o f all Hiftdu scriptures, re
B u d d h i---- Intellect, the power o f discern
quired reading for anyone interested in H in
m ent.
duism. T h e Gita discusses selflessness, duty,
C h a ita n y a ----T h e conscious-self. devotion, and meditation, integrating many
C h aitan ya M ah ap rab h u — ( I 4 8 6 - I 5 3 3 ) different threads o f Hindu philosophy.
Saint, visionary and poet who revived and Gopis ---- T h e cowherd girls o f Vrindavan.
form alized the worship o f Lord Krishna. who were the ardent devotees and playmates
Identified with the Bhakti Yoga movement in o f Lord Krishna. T h e gopis symbolize the
Indian history. highest o f devotion to the Lord.
Chaitanya S h a k ti---- T h e power o f the con G uru N anak — ( 1 4 6 9 - 15 3 9 ) T h e founder
scious-self. o f the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak was born
Chinm aya — Pure knowledge. on April 15, 1 4 6 9 , atTalwandi, 4 0 miles from
Lahore. As a tribute to him, diis place is now
C h itr a k o o t---- I t is a religious town in the
called N anaka Sahib and is in present Paki
Bundelkhand region in central India. Lord
stan.
Ram a stayed here for sometime during the
period o f his exile. G u r u ---- Spiritual M aster, preceptor. Literal
meaning is the one who dispels the darkness
C h i t t a ---- M ind-Stuff; Chitta is a com pre
o f ignorance with the light o f true knowl
hensive term used by Indian psychologists
edge.
which includes impressions o f perceptions,
inferences, passions, em otions, sentiments, G u ru -T attva — T h e elemental power, the
and other aspects o f mental functions. essential nature o f the Guru. T h e dynamic
aspect o f the Supreme Being, its first creative
D h a rm a ---- C ode o f righteousness, pre
principle.
scribed conduct.
H anum an ---- O ne o f the seven immortals
D h y a n a ---- M editation.
in Indian mythology, Hanuman is the m on
D ik s h a ---- T h e process o f spiritualizing an key prince who aideded Lord Ram a in rescu
individual. A ceremony o f initiation. It is, in ing Sita from King Ravana. H e symbolizes
the pinnacle o f Bhakti, devotion. Also well- thousand verses o f his poetic com m entary
known as the son o f the W in d G od. on the Bhagavad Gita; Jnaneshvari.
H ath a Yoga ---- H athayoga pertains to the Kaal — Tim e, Death.
evolutionary manifestation o f Kundalini on Kaal C h a k r a ----T h e W h eel o f Tim e.
the physical plane. T h e term H atha is a word
Kaivalya ---- Absolute U nity, perfect isola
o f two sanskrit letters, ‘ha' and ‘tha’. ‘H a ’ de
tion, detachment o f the soul from m atter or
notes the sun and ‘tha’ denotes the m oon;
further transmigrations, eternal happiness.
and therefore the term H atha yoga means a
union o f the sun and the m oon. H ence all Kak B h u sh u n d i---- An im m ortal being liv
practices o f the body that bring about the ing in the form o f a crow, desbribed in the
union o f the Ida and Pingala, prana and apana Ramayana.
and the merger o f the mind in Prana form Kali Y u g a ---- T h e present Dark Age. In this
the subject o f H atha Yoga. era there is an abundance o f strife, ignorance,
Jagad am b a----M oth er o f the world; one o f vice and irreligion, true virtue being practi
the names o f Lord Shiv'a’s consort. cally non-existent.
Jagannath ---- Lord o f the Universe, C re K a rm a ----Litetrally it means a ‘deed’ or ‘a ct’.
ation. A nother name for Lord Vishnu and more broadly the universal principle o f
cause and effect, action and reaction that
Ja in is m ----Also known as Jain D harm a. An
governs all life. It is the sum o f a person’s
ancient religion based on the teaching o f
actions, regarded as creating that person’s
Mahavira ( 5 9 9 - 5 2 7 B C ), A ccording to be
present and future state o f existence. T h e law
lief, Jain philosophy is an understanding and
o f K arm a originated from the Vedas.
codification o f the eternal universal truths.
A ccording to Jain belief, the universe was K arm a-Y oga ---- dutiful, unattached action.
never created, nor will it ever cease to exist. It By perform ing ones actions with a sense o f
is eternal but not unchangeable. detachment enables one to not accumulate
the impressions as a result o f that action.
J iv a ---- T h e individualized soul or being.
Karma Yoga is the path to free oneself from
J a p a ---- Chancing a M antra. destiny through unattached action.
J n a n a ---- Knowledge. K i r t a n ---- Devotional songs and chants.
Jnana Y o g a T h e science o f knowledge for
K lesh as---- mental afflictions.
attaining self-realization.
K lis h ta ---- (F ro m the Patanjali Yoga Sutras)
Jnana Y o g i O ne who practices Jnana Yoga.
painful, causing sorrows.
Jn a n e sh w a r ---- Jnaneshw ar was a great
K rish n a ----Lord Krishna is one o f the m ost
s id d h a , m y s tic an d p o e tic gen iu s o f
com m only worshipped deities in the Hindu
M aharashtra, India who gave up his m ortal
faith. H e is considered to be the eighth ava
form at the age o f 2 1 . H is spiritual roots
tar (in c a rn a tio n ) o f L o rd V ishnu. L o rd
were in both the nath and bhakti traditions,
Krishna delivered the Bhagwad Gita to Arjuna
and his lineage is listed as: Shiva, Shakti,
on the battlefield o f Kurukshetra.
M a ts y e n d r a , G o r a k h n a th , G a h in i and
Nivritti. A t the age o f fifteen ( 1 2 9 0 C.E.) he Kriyas ---- A utom atic movements that' are
is said to have delivered cx tempore the nine- observed by an individual after his Kundalini
has been awakened. N arayan K uti — Narayan Kuti is the ashram

K riya-Shakti — T h e awakened power, that established by Swami Vishnu T irth Maharaj
power o f Shakti, which on awakening is re at the foothill o f the mountain in Dewas.
sponsible fo r the kriyas o r autom atic m o (R efer to Churning o f the Heart, Vbl. 1, Chapter
ments. 2 7 , page 1 7 7 for m ore details)
N ir g u n a ---- Attributeless.
K riy av ati---- Nlanifestation o f the awakened
K undalini on the plane o f H ath ayoga is N irvikalpa S a m a d h i---- Is a state on enter
known as Kriyawati. ing which the m ind can meditate upon its
vacant m ood leaving all external supports.
L i l a ---- Divine Sport.
T h is is the extreme limit o f concentration
M a d a r ip u r ---- place where Swami Narayan for self-realization.
T irth Dev Maharaj setup up his larger ashram.
N iv ritti — Inward path by abstention from
A town in East Bengal (now in Bangladesh).
all acts. T h e path o f sanyas is known as
M a h a p u ru sh a ---- H ighly advanced spiritual “N ivritti M arg”.
being. An Ascended M aster.
ijJiyama and Yam a -— Principles o f spiri
M anom aya Kosha -— It is the third sheath tual morality as per the ancient scriptures.The
consisting o f mental powers. five principles o f yama (co n tro l) deal with
M an ip u r C h a k ra ---- T h is is the third chakra external behavior and conduct. T h e principles
o r energy center and is described as having o f yama are — ahitnsa (non-violence and com
ten petals, red in color, with a downward passion), satya (truthfulness), asteya (non-steal-
pointing triangle, representing the element o f ing and honesty), aparigraha (modesty, non
fire It is located at the navel. greed) and brahtnacarya.(spirkual pursuit, celi
bacy) T h e principles o f Niyam a are funda
M aya ^— T h e Grand Illusion.
mentally internal, as they deal with the inner
M eerabai — ( 1 5 0 4 - 1 5 5 0 ) M eerabai was a world o f the individual. T h e five rules o f
p rincess fro m R ajash th an , India who is Niyama. are saucha (purity), santosha (content
known for her steadfast devotion o f Lord m ent), tapas (discipline), svadhyc^ (self-exami
Krishna. nation) and Ishvarapranidhana (surrender to
M oksha — Liberation, freedom from the G od ).
cycle o f birth and death. O rissa — Orissa is a state located on the
M oolad h ar C h akra — T h e first Chakra, it east coast o f India. Puri, one o f the four cel
is situated below the sacrum bone, the base ebrated spiritual centers o f India and the Sun
o f the spinal column and is the seat o f the Temple at Konark are in Orissa.
dorm ant Kundalini. Panchabhauta ---- Ancient Indian philoso
M tutiukshutva — Desire o f liberation or phy is o f the opinion that all materials, liv
final emancipation. ing or non-living, are made o f five funda
m e n ta l p rin c ip le s o r elem en ts called
N aad Yoga — N aad = sound; T h e yoga or
Panchamahabhutas, representing five funda
science o f sound waves and vibrational fre
mental categories o f m atter.These are----( I )
quencies for stimulating the chakras.
Akasha (ether), ( 2 ) Vayu (air), (3 )T e ja (fire),
Lord N a ra y a n ---- Lord Vishnu. ( 4 ) Jala (w ater), and ( 5 ) Prithvi (earth).
188 T me S econd D awn
Panchagni-V idya---- T h e science o f five-fold R avid as---- A 1 4 * Century Indian-poct saint.

sacrifice, it is dexcribed in detail in the Saint Ravidas is also known as Raidas. A
Chhandogya Upanishad. contem porary o f Saint Kabir, a disciple o f
Param artha---- T h e highest o r whole truth. Saint Ram ananda and the spiritual master o f
M eerabai, he represents the culmination o f
P ra ra b d h a ---- Destiny.
the Bhakti M ovem ent. A cobbler by profes
P r a v r itti---- Active participation in life and sion, he was a strict m onotheist and preached
due discharge o f one’s duties and obligations that G od was accessible to all.
to society.
S a d h u ---- A holy man, saint, seer. O ne who
P r a n a ---- Life-force, the vital force o f life. is completely dedicated to the pursuit o f Self-
Pranam aya K e s h a ---- T h e body form ed o f realization.
astral fluids. Tt is the second sheath and is S a g tm a ---- Possessing qualities o r attributes;
the covering form ed o f Prana. a belief system wherein the Supreme Being
P r e y a ----W orldly happiness. possesses attributes.
P u ra n a s ---- T h e Puranas are a class o f liter S a d h a k ----Spiritual aspirant.

ary texts, all written in Sanskrit verse, whose S a d h a n ----Autom atic spiritual practices, as
co m p o sitio n dates from the 4 th cen tu ry in the case o f Shaktipat.
B.C .E. to about 1 ,0 0 0 A.D. S a d h a n a ----Spiritual practices involving ef
P u ru sh arth a ---- Self-effort towards attain fort.
ing Self-realization. Sam prajnat S am ad h i---- Conscious concen
Q u r a n ---- T h e holy scripture o f Islam. tration. Samadhi with intellectual conscious
ness; Samadhi with seed.
Rajas (R a jo G u n a ) ---- T h e quality o f activ
ity. Sam adhi ---- Profound or abstract medita
tion; this is considered the eighth and last
L o rd R am a An in carn ation o f L ord
stage o f Yoga.
Vishnu; one o f the m ost com m only adored
gods o f H indus, known as the ideal man and S am sara ----W orldly illusion, circuit o f m un
hero o f the epic poem Ramayana. dane existence, transmigration.
R am akrishna Paranxhansa---- ( 1 8 3 6 - 18 8 6 ) S a n k a lp ---- M ental resolve.

A renowned spiritual personality from the Sanyas D iksha ---- Initiation into the m o
eastern part o f India (Dakshineshwar). H e nastic order.
was a great devotee o f goddess Kali and the
S an y asi---- A renunciate.
p r e c e p to r o f Sw am i V iv e k a n a n d a . H e
preached unity am ongst all religions. S a ts a n g ----T h e com pany o f good men.
Ram das---- ( 1 6 0 8 - 16 8 1 ) Saint Ram das is S a n s k rit---- (Sanskrit santskrta: prepared, cul
considered one o f the greatest H indu saints tivated, purified, refined) O ld Indo-A ryan
o f In d ian h is to ry . A c o n te m p a r a ry o f language, the classical literary language o f the
Tukaram, he was a ardent devotee o f Lord Hindus o f India. Vedic Sanskrit, based on a
Hanuman and Lord Ram a. H e is best remem dialect o f northwestern India, dates from as
bered for his work, ‘Dasbodh\ early as 1 8 0 0 BC and appears in the text o f
the Rigveda; It was described and standard-
tzed in an im p o rta n t gram m ar book by Swadhisthan Chakra ---- meaning “Self or

Panini, dating from about the 5th century own abode”, the second Chakra is situated
BC. just above the sacrum bone. It is figured as
Sattva G u n a ---- H arm onious quality. showing six petals, white in color, and a cres
cent in the center.
S h a k tip a t---- D escent o f Spiritual energy.
T h e transmission o f Shakti (Divine Power, S w am i G a n g a d h a r T i r t h M a h a ra j
Founder o f Shaktipat system of Yoga, he lived
spiritual power) from the guru to a disciple.
in Puri, a town in eastern India. Although
S h ak top aaya ---- It is a yogic practice o f this system is quite old, it has existed secretly
thought only. In this the seeker has to de like an undercurrent in H indu society and
velop concentration upon God-consciousness has been known to a few spiritual aspirants
by means o f a special initiating thought un in different places from time immemorial.
folded by the master. H e does not have to T h e end o f the nineteenth century witnessed
practice pranayaam o r any other practice on the revival o f this trad ition with Swami
his own. H e experiences that Shakti is doing Gangadhar T irth Maharaj.
everything and he is a mere spectator.
Swami N arayan T ir th D ev M aharaj — T h e
Sham bhavopaaya---- A state wherein the as only disciple o f Swami G angadhar T irth
pirant is free from all mental and physical Maliaraj, the founder o f Shivom Tirth’s spiri
boundaries and experiences the entire creation tual lineage, who was given the power to ini
as his body. T h ere are three means for enter tiate other disciples and spread Shaktipat.
ing into Universal G od Consciousness ----
S w am i S h a n k a r P u r u s h o t t a m T i r t h
S h am b h a.vop aaya, th e su p rem e m ean s;
M a h a ra j — Sw am i P u ru sh o tta m T ir th
S h a k to p a a y a , the m ed iu m m ean s; and
M aharaj was the Sanyas G uru o f Swami
Anavopaaya, the inferior means.
Vishnu T ir th M aharaj, and a disciple o f
Lord S h a n k a r---- Dispeller o f doubts. Lord Swami Narayan T irth Dev Maharaj.
Shiva.
Swami V ishnu T ir th M aharaj — A precep
S h re y a ----Spiritual welfare. tor in the Shaktipat order, he was initiated
Shushuum a - Subtle central current running into Shaktipat by Swami Yoganandji Maharaj
through the spinal column. and was the G uru o f the author.
S id d h a ---- A perfect being, A fully realized Swami Yogaiianda M aharaj — H e was the
being.One who has achieved mastery over the S h ak tip at guru o f Swami V ishnu T ir th
senses and his experience o f the Supreme Self Maharaj and a disciple o f Swami Narayan
is continuous. T irth Dev Maharaj.
Siddhavasta---- State o f spiritual perfection. T am o G una (T am as) — Guna or Quality

o f rest, passivity, inertia.
S u rd a s----( I 4 7 8 - I 5 8 I ) T h e medieval poet-
singer o f Braj (Vrindavan); H e was blind and Tukaram — ( 1 6 0 8 - 16 4 9 ) Great seventeenth
was beyond parochial religious beliefs. H is century saint from Maharashtra. Spread the
loving description o f Krishna’s life in a folk bhakti movement in India. Tukaram was a
language, known as Brajbhasa (the language vaishnava bhakta, a true man o f God.
o f Vrindavan), is still today a treasury o f T u ls id a s — ( I 4 8 7 - I 6 2 3 ) A u th o r o f
Krishna’s bhajans.
Ramcuharitainanas, is a highly revered and widely H indu religion. H e was the chief disciple o f
read poet-saint o f N o rth India who lived for S w am i R a m a k r is h n a P a ra m h a n s a and
1 3 6 years from about 1 4 8 7 to 1 6 2 3 A.D. founded the Sri R am akrishna M ath and
T h e Ranicaritmanas is the greatest achievement M ission in the fond m em ory o f his master.
o f medieval H indi literature and has exercised H e is best remembered for his famous words,
an abiding influence on the H indu culture “Sisters and Brothers o f A m erica”, at the
o f northern India. 1 8 9 3 W orld Parliament o f Religions in Chi
T u r iy a ---- T h e fo u rth state o f the spirit; pure cago.
impersonal Spirit o r Brahma, the state o f ul L ord V ish n u ----Lord Vishnu is the Preserver
timate harmony.Turiya must not be confused God, the protector o f dharma (righteousness)
with any passing state o f samadhi, no m atter and the guardian o f humanity. H is particu
how high-flown o r highly prized. Turiya is lar task is the conservation or preservation
not a passing state, instead, it is the change o f the Divine O rder in the world.
less non-duality that underlies all states.
Vijnanam aya K osha ---- T h e fourth sheath,
U panishads---- T h e sacred books o f the East; it is the layer o f wisdom, intellect.
Upanishad means the inner or mystic teaching.
V rin d avan ---- A town in N orth ern India that
T h e term U panishad is derived from upa
is another m ajor place o f pilgrimage. It is the
(near), ni (dow n) and sad (to sit), i.e., sitting sacred abode o f Lord Krishna.
down near. G roups of pupils sit near the
teacher to learn from him the secret doctrine. V ritti ---- M ental pattern o r fluctuation; It
In the quietude o f the forest hermitages the is that fluctuation o f the chitta which inspires
Upanishad thinkers pondered on the prob the m ind to make a resolve.
lems o f deepest concern and com m unicated Y a m a ---- See Niyam a.
their knowledge to fit pupils near them .
L ord Yam a ---- G od who presides over the
Shankaracharya derives the word Upanishad
departed fathers and rules the spirits o f the
as a substitute from the ro o t sad, ‘to loosen,’
dead.
‘to reach’ or ‘to destroy’ with U p a and ni as
prefixes and kvip as term ination. I f this de Yoga D a rs h a n ---- W ritten by Sage Patanjali,
term ination is accepted, upanishad means this is the basic treatise on the philosophy o f
brahm a-know ledge by which ignorance is Yoga. Considered the m ost authoritative text
loosened or destroyed. T h e treatises that deal on the school o f Yoga.
w ith b ra h m a -k n o w le d g e are ca lle d the
Upanishads and so pass for the Vfedanta.
Vasana ---- M ental tendency form ed from
past experience.
Vishuddlia C h a k r a ---- It is the fifth chakra

and is represented as having sixteen petals. It
is located in the throat region.
Swami V ivekanada----( 1 8 6 3 - 19 0 2 ) Swami
Vivekananda is considered as one o f the m o st
faiTious and influential spiritual leaders o f the
About the Author
Swami Shivom T irth was born in 1 9 2 4 , in a village in Punjab, with the

name O m Prakash. H e pursued university studies in Lahore, but was
com pelled by the partition o f India to return to Punjab with his family.
T h ere, as a householder, he aspired to an ideal way o f life, devoted to the
pursuit o f higher objectives. A fter com ing to know about the spiritual
attainm ents o f Swami Vishnu T irth ji M aharaj, he sought permission to
join him . H e bid farewell to his family and was initiated in 1 9 5 9 .
Swami Vishnu T irth ji arranged for his disciple to be in the com
pany o f many distinguished spiritual personalities and to visit im portant
religious centers. A fter receiving initiation into the order o f renuncia
tion (Sanyas), which he took in 1 9 6 5 , he was given the name o f Swami
S hivom T irth. Swami V ishnuT irthji afterwards authorized Swami Shivom
T irth to succeed him and propagate the system o f Shaktipat for the
welfare o f all people. Since then, Swami Shivom Tirth has traveled to
many countries o f the world, including the U nited States. H is works
published in English are: A Guide to Shaktipat; Rays of Ancient Wisdom; Sadhan
Path, Trek of Spirituality; Shivoin Vani, The Songs of Shivojn, and the three-volume
Churning of the Heart.
F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t S w a m i S h iv o m T i r t h and
S h ak tip at, read ers are in v ited to c o n ta c t ;
IDevatrna Shakti S o ciety

9 2 - 9 6 N a w a li, P ost : D ahisar,
M u m b r a - Panvel R o ad ,
D i s t r ic t : T h a n e
M a h a ra sh tra State, P in - 4 0 0 6 12.
India
S a in ts, a k i n to a la m p , b u r n t h e ir e g o s a n d illu m in a te th e
w orld w ith t h e ir d iv in e s p ir it u a l r a d ia n c e . T h e i r m e n t a l t e n d e n c ie s
a r e h id d e n fro m t h e c o m m o n m a s s e s . W ith b e n ig n s e n t i m e n t s ,
t h e y r e m a i n e n g r o s s e d in s p ir it u a l p r a c t i c e a n d t h e w e lfa re o f th e
w o rld w ith n o d e s ir e for fa m e a n d g re e d o f w e a lth , fo r tu n e , n o r a n y
e x p e c t a t i o n o f h o n o r . S u c h h o ly m e n g a in t h e r e s p e c t o f th e
S u p r e m e L ord.
™ ™ S w am i G a n g a d h a r T irth M a h a ra j w a s on e s u c h
s a in t. H e a p p e a re d in M a th u r a a t the
I t - b e g in n in g o f th e n in e te e n th c e n tu r y a n d he
^ ^ " \ X d isso lv ed h is m o rta l form in th e S u p re m e
^ F B e in g to w a rd th e en d o f th e c e n tu r y in
i J a g a n n a t h p u r i . He w a s fa r from so ciety ,
e n g ro s s e d in s p iritu a l p r a c tic e in a q u iet,
^ s e c lu d e d p la c e a n d seatted on th e h ig h e s t p eak
^ m % o f sp iritu a lity , y e t h e n u r tu r e d a s e n tim e n t for
# th e well b ein g o f th e c o m m o n m a s s e s . The
* m is e ry a n d th e w re tc h e d s t a t e o f worldly
SWAMI SHIVOMTIRTH
b le s s e d S w am i N a ra y a n T irth D ev M a h a ra j o f E a s t B e n g a l by
giving h im th e o n e a n d on ly S h a k tip a t in itia tio n o f h is e n tire life
a n d o p e n e d th e g a te s o f S h a k tip a t to th e w orld . S w a m i N aray an
T irth D ev M a h a ra j to o p ro v ed h im s e lf to be th e p e rfe c t d iscip le of
S w am iji M a h a ra j a n d s c a lin g th e h e ig h ts o f s a c rific e , d e ta c h m e n t,
th e p o w er o f S h a k ti, c o m p a s s io n a n d a d h e r e n c e to d iscip lin e, he
b en efited th e c o m m o n folks w ith th e k n o w led g e o f S h a k tip a t. The
q u ie t s a d h a n o f th e s e tw o g r e a t m e n is th e fo u n d a tio n a n d th e
m a in c a u s e b e h in d th e s p re a d a n d p re v a le n c e o f S h a lctip a t th a t we
s e e in In d ia to d a y . T h is b o o k is a co m p ila tio n o f th e ir sp iritu a l
a c tiv itie s.
D E V A T M A S H A K T I S O C IE T Y
92-96, Nawali Village, P.O. Dahisar (Via Mumbra),
Dist. Thane, Maharashtra, Pin - 400 612.
R s. 100/-

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The Second Dawn

Revival o f Shakipat Knowledge

Devatma Shakti Society

First Indian Edition : 5 0 0 0 copies

To the one who loved absolute solitude

Who was the incarnation (^absolute involution

Who knew the highest state o f consciousness

Proponent Shaktipat knowledge

.......... at the holyfeet o f

Swami Gan^adhar Tirth Maharaj

This narration his divine play

Churning of the Heart: Volume One

Churning oj the Heart: Volume Two

Churning of the Heart: Illume Three

Sadhanpath : Trek O f Spirituality

■. ^ ^ Vr- '■ ■■-; K-'.

-. ■ ■■ ■ 1^ •■'■-jA M - ' - . - ^ ^ ' r •• ;L'=*-: =7- •

'L la ', '■■a it ■•-:■=;' .;=. i £

l l ‘^ July 2006 A t his lotus feet

In 1 9 6 5 , p rior to taking Sanyas D iksha [vows o f renunciation], I had

W h atever M aharajshri experienced, he narrated it to me verbatim. T here

T h e b ook has been titled ‘T h e Second D aw n/ m eaning th at Swami

I, The Second Dawn

T h e house in Jagannathpuri was only a sh o rt distance from Swarg Dwar,

ties. Surrender to G od can be achieved by studying one or m ore o f the

temples. G o to any Church, Buddhist or Jain temple, or gurudwara, and

M aharajshri was engrossed in reading som e scripture, I do n o t recollect

subtlety is attracted toward subtlety. T h e d orm an t chitta remains en­

reciting scriptxires and with contem plation and introspection?

th at n o t everyone would be able to experience it. O ne m ust advance to

I was reading the biography o f Adi Shankaracharya M aharaj. T h ere I

O n reading this episode, m any questions arose in m y m ind. W h e n

Q uestion - W h e n the dead body com es alive after transm igration,

possibility o f his returning to his body would cease to exist. H e would

MaKarajshri - Anything can be accepted for the sake o f accep­

spiritual journey! Even courage gives up hope as one advances towards

O ne evening I was sitting with M aharajshri on the seashore at Swarg-

I said - Please forgive me. I asked som ething I should n o t have. A

hum an body is increased, then it could also rise up in the sky.

is extremely predom inant, b oth in the m ind and physical body.

beyond the three gunas occurs at two levels:

attained this state exhibit it to you merely to satisfy your curiosity? N e i­

5, Judging the Level o f Saints

It was evening. I sat close to M aharajshri near Swarg Dwar. T h e ocean

to recognize a saint? As his perception could be flawed too.

the invisible Divine Power. H en ce it is extremely difficult to understand,

M aharajshri - T h e kriyas will occu r based on where your attention

T h e next m orning after bathing in the sea, M aharajshri said he

is possible th at you have n o t experienced these vibrations. W ith your

“A guru-brother o f mine nam ed Swami Pranavananda M aharaj used

M aharajshri - T h e germ ination, grow th and drying up o f trees

7* The Search for a Guru

T h e next day while discussing M aharajshri said -

like lineage, but now the building has started to crumble.

T h e situation here was no different from Baidnath D h am . H is m ind was

sad?"’ H is com passionate words touched Kalikishores heart. H is simple,

8. Meeting a True Master

have seen many m ahatm as but I have n o t been satisfied anywhere. F i­

Q u estion - W ere all these great m en aspirants fon d o f solitude?

Swamiji M aharaj - W h a t do you desire?

T h e n Swamiji MaKaraj asked, “H ave you accepted anybody as a

Shaktipat in H in d i or Bengali (the language spoken in E ast Pakistan,

‘Earlier m y m ind was never interested in japa! H ow I had to struggle

9. The Benefit o f Grace

subtlety is attracted toward subtlety. T h e d orm an t chitta remains en

MaKarajshri - Anything can be accepted for the sake o f accep

attained this state exhibit it to you merely to satisfy your curiosity? N e i

have seen many m ahatm as but I have n o t been satisfied anywhere. F i

T h e disciple has to p erform the spiritual practice through personal ef

path as it ascends. It has to remove the obstacles and problem s, accum u

Kalikishore sat spellbound, listening to everything. A t th at m o

T h e ideal thing is n o t to undertake the work o f a guru until such com

no sign o f detachm ent and no hunger for spirituality. T o acquire knowl

Kalikishore - A ccording to m y belief and experience he is defi

M o re than nineteen years passed by in japa, austerities, sadhan, and study

to have the intellectual knowledge. Y ou have the experience o f the com

T h is tim e one o f Babas disciples m ade arrangem ents for a signifi