My decision to conduct experiments with Time and Space started in September 2011 after a year long research on topics such as Astral Projection, Space Time continuum, Time Travel and other similar topics that may sound ‘out there’ to an average so-called intellectual. After going through the procedures involved and initial preparation, I conducted my first experiment on the afternoon of 18th September 2011. The day had been slightly warm (temperature was in 80s) but the inside of my apartment was pleasant. The focus of my first experiment was to be able to Astrally Project on a chosen date and place.

Before I proceed ahead – I must disclose the fact that this experiment is ideal for early morning around sun-rise or just prior to sleeping. Just the fact that I conducted this cycle in the middle of afternoon showed that i.) I was not expecting any results and ii.) I may not have been that serious as I would be in my future experiments.

Sitting down/Preparation

After tuning into my consciousness and confirming the set-up, I requested Providence for assisting me to astrally project at Rohtak (India), which is where my parents live. This cycle lasted for about 10 minutes. My initial tuning was not 100% to my satisfaction yet I decided to proceed ahead for the sake of time. I later found out that results may significantly improve if this cycle were to last for 20 minutes. I plan to extend my time-frame in my future experiments. After wrapping up, I sat down on my reclining chair for a period of about 25 minutes. The goal was to relax and clear the mind to arrive at a state of tranquility. In scientific terms, one could say that you are looking to reach somewhere between an Alpha State and Theta State. For those not aware with these terms; here is how it is explained:

• Alpha brainwaves are slower, and higher in amplitude. Their frequency ranges from 8 to 12 Hz (cycles per second). A person who takes time out to reflect or meditate is usually in an alpha state.
• Theta brainwaves are typically of even greater amplitude and slower frequency. This frequency range is normally between 6 and 10 Hz (cycles per second). A person who is driving on a freeway, and discovers that they can’t recall the last five miles, is often in a theta state–induced by the process of freeway driving.

After the relaxation period, I resumed my normal chores, but stayed away from anything too physical. The actual results were to reveal themselves at night.

Astral Projection and OOBE

After a late dinner and reading a book, I went to bed at around 12:30 at night. After saying my nightly prayers, I put myself into a state of conscious sleep where you are aware that you’re sleeping yet your mind is observing (not participating). I must also mention that just when I was about to drift off to sleep, I noticed a strange sensation in my body as if some invisible force was causing me to levitate (as noticed in different body limbs). Now the most interesting part of the night was to happen around 3 AM. I found myself lying on my bed in my room at our house in Rohtak. The room was dark so I assumed it was night-time. What happened next is still hard for me to explain given the surreal nature of the experience. It was almost like watching a movie, BUT where you get to participate instead of simply being an observer.
Even though I was in Rohtak, I was consciously aware of the goings on about 8000 miles away in my apartment in US.

Out of Body Experience

My astral self/soul (or whatever term you wish to use) gradually started to separate from my physical body. It felt as if an elastic was being stretched and then going back to the starting point. I merged back into my physical body after a couple of small jumps, and afterwards a full disjunction was observed. I had now fully left my physical body and was floating above it while observing it consciously. This is very critical as this is one of the things that separates such an experience from a Dream (which is mostly done sub-consciously, hence most of us don’t remember our dreams or forget them soon after waking up).

After floating above my body for a while, I decided to explore further and moved outside the room. I followed the stairs and floated all the way to the ceiling and lingered there for a while. Since this was the first such experience for me, I repeated this process a few times where I went back to my physical body still lying on the bed in my room and floated right back up to where the stairs ended. At this point, I made an attempt to cross through a physical barrier, which in this case was the ceiling itself (made of concrete). To my surprise, I was able to pass through the ceiling and found myself outside in dark on the terrace (still floating). I felt a sensation as one feels while inserting hand within an object made of rubber/gas. While I was out, I noticed the darkness and the quiet of the night when suddenly – a feeling of fear engulfed me for some reason and I decided to drift back inside.

Location Confirmed

Here is where I encountered my mother and for the next bit, things took an unexplained turn. Firstly, she was not surprised to see me floating. Based on what I know, an average physical person can not detect an astral being/soul/spirit with bare eyes. We conversed for a few moments and this is when I consciously remembered (to my surprise and relief) to ask and confirm – What time period I had travelled to.

Going back to the beginning of my experiment, my goal was to astrally travel to Rohtak on 30th December 2010.

I asked, “What date is it today”? My mother then looked at the Calendar hanging on the nearby wall and informed me of the current date; 5th August. I could not confirm the year as I could not retain that information. I do, however, remember staring at the calendar to confirm the date myself, but my clouded vision prevented me from doing so.

Soon after that I merged back with my physical body and got up from my bed (back in my apartment in US). The time was around 4AM and I could recollect every tiny detail of what had happened. I was glad that the Experiment number 1 had shown solid results and paved way for future experiments.

Final Notes

To sum it up, I have had vivid dreams before, but nowhere close to what I experienced this time. It was a mixture of Astral Projection at will – later combined with an OOBE (Out of Body Experience). I am not sure what the Divine will is behind this, but with the grace of Providence, I will soon conduct my second experiment. Some observations and notes for the future are noted below.

I also pray that these experiments do not conflict with my Spiritual Sadhna and I trust the Divine Powers to show me the right path.

Observations/Notes for Future Experiments:

• The tuning requires acute concentration and focus. You must find yourself in a state of meditation and clear your mind of the goings on in your life.
• In my next experiment, I plan to use only Month and Year and drop the date out of my requirements. I also plan to use a different location this time to visit astrally.
• The overall tuning and focus period is advised to be around 20-30 minutes. I plan to implement this. Also the pre-set up stage for tuning needs to be refined.
• The time of running this experiment is most critical. Either Sunrise or just before sleeping are considered to be most apt.
• Mind should be calmed and relaxed as much as possible. Perhaps somewhere between Alpha and Theta state is where I will strive to be.

Gautam Dhar
Documented on: 19th September 2011
Experiment Date: 18th September 2011
Sunnyvale, CA (US)

*EDIT: An updated version of this article is available at india travelogue‘s Travel Section. My thanks to the Editor!*

The month was July and it was the rainy season again. Almost 2 years had passed when I took the Journey to Mahavatar Baba’s Cave in 2009. The journey we took during the course of a week involved mystic experiences with people and places alike. After last year’s torrential floods and landslides in Himalayas and most of Northern part of India, this year in 2011, (despite being the rainy season again!) the weather gods kept the days clear. At times, mist and fog rolled in, clouding our view completely, but it wasn’t too long before the sunlight shone through.

The places we covered during this trip are tucked away quietly amidst the lap of the Himalayas, far from the crowds and rituals of modern day temples. With advancing times, even many Siddha places have not remained untouched by the so-called rituals and tourists, yet some places lie quiet and unnoticed, as destined by Providence. I strongly believe that one can only get to these places when the divine call comes. No map or planning will lead you there. Such has been my experience.  I consider and rightly found myself blessed on visiting these places. For obvious reasons, I will give everyone an idea of the locations, but leave it to the reader to follow their own beckoning and visit the places, if the divine wish be so.

Click Here to see some of the Photos from our Journey

After a long flight from US, I landed in Delhi at about 6.30 in the morning on 19^th July and the very next day we set out for our journey in the Himalayas. But first, Father and I made a night stop in Haridwar to drop my mother off  in Jolly Grant where my Mamaji is a doctor at HIMS (Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences) established by Swami Ram.

To Lansdowne…

The next day, we left for Lansdowne located in the Garhwal range of Himalayas. Getting an early start, we left Haridwar at 8.30 after a heavy breakfast of Poori Bhaaji. We encountered Kawariyas during most of our journey through the plains (UP), the scenery started to become hilly as we approached Kotdwar, which is a small and bustling town 130 Kms. from Lansdowne. We arrived at the outskirts of Lansdowne at about 1.30 PM. We decided to stay away from the population and halted at Kasang Regency Hill Resort, 5 KMs outside of Lansdowne. After imbibing a panoramic view of the Himalayan Mountains from our room’s balcony and a decent lunch – we set out for our destination – Tarkeshwar Mahadham.

Tarkeshwar Mahadham

Tarkeshwar Mahadham is a 600-year old sacred shrine located on a hill-top nestled within a deep forest at about 6,800 feet above sea level. The ancient Tarkeshwar Dham in the Himalayas is also where Swami Ram of the Himalayas attained enlightenment. Here is also where Swami Ram and his master would come often for Tapa.
Amazingly, the wild animals ambulating about are quite indifferent to any human inhabitant, as Swami Hari often found out in his encounters with Bears, Tigers and local Cobras (The Laughing Swami).

Around February – April in 2010, while the Kumbh Mela was in progress in Haridwar, I had some strange visions with one of them being of Swami Hari. I had merely read about Tarkeshwar a few times back then, and also in Swami Ram’s book “Living with Himalayan Masters”. It was a surreal dream where Swami Hari and I talked about random things beside a temple in the mountains and then towards the end he invited me to visit Tarkeshwar. Afterwards, the dream remained etched in my memory as if I had met Swamiji in real life. Things became more intense when a friend told me that Swami Hari had left his mortal body in June 2008, which was almost 2 years prior to my dream. I knew right then and there that Tarkeshwar beckoned strong – but it would take 2 trips to Himalayas before my Sankalpa became a reality.

Back to the journey now…
The road to Tarkeshwar was more or less deserted as there is no habitation along the way. We did not encounter any villages, not even a tea shop. It was definitely one of the most desolate roads I’ve seen in Himalayas. We saw barely 3-4 vehicles that passed us in the 1 hour we spent driving. The road itself was narrow, yet maintained, and offered severe landslides at places. It took us little more than an hour to cover 39 Kms. The environment was serene, quiet and filled with a vibrant energy, as if the sages from time immemorial were (and probably are) still engrossed in their Tapasya. The way to the Shrine is narrow yet paved, about a 15 min. walk. Before you arrive at the Shrine, you pass through the Meditation Hall and a Dharamshala on the left, located on a hillock. The entire area is surrounded by thick blue pine forests, oak trees and dense Deodars.

A feeling of rejuvenation enveloped us as we arrived at Tarkeshwar Mahadham. There were a few cows roaming around, but we did not see anyone else. There was no caretaker or even a visitor other than a few lads who left within a few minutes of our arrival. My father breathed in the environment and went his way while I sat in Dhyana at the Yagna  Kund. As I dived deep within my psyche, I imagined Swami Ram and Swami Hari performing a Yagna. After paying silent obeisance to the Siddha Bhoomi and Swamiji, we departed from the sacred shrine after spending an hour or so. We did remember to have a cup of hot and sweet Himalayan tea at the only tea stop located at the entrance of Tarkeshwar. I tried my utmost best to capture the entire journey in my camera lens, but to drink in the vibes – one must visit the place when the beckoning comes.

Siddhashram at Sitalakhet – Hariakhand Baba

There are many places all over India, especially in remote reaches of Himalayas where everyday visitors do not step foot. The sound of constantly ringing bells and arti will be missing. There will be no sign-boards to guide you – nor will the place be listed on any maps. Such places can only be found if the Divine wish guides and beckons you.

Siddhashram is associated with Hariakhand Baba or Hairakhan Baba. There are many names and spellings by which people know the Siddha Yogi. However, such Siddhas are beyond name and identification. As listed in the the book “Sri Babaji: Immortal Yogi of the Himalayas” by Romola Butalia, “Some people refer to him as Mahavatar Babaji, from Lahiri Mahashaya’s meeting in 1861, made popular by Paramhamsa Yogananda-ji’s book, Autobiography of a Yogi. Others have mentioned the legendary Kripacharya, or the Chiranjeevi Ashwatthama from the days of the Mahabharata, when referring to him. He is also known as Kriya Babaji. As a perfect siddha, he has been associated with Guru Gorakhnath, also known as Shiva Goraksha.”

It is best to not get confused in identifying who’s who, but focus on the eternal truth, which is ever present.

Siddhashram at Sitalakhet came to my knowledge after I read a book called “Sri Babaji: Immortal Yogi of the Himalayas”. Going back to my visit to Hariakhand Baba’s Ashram at Chiliyanaula (about 5 Kms. outside of Ranikhet) in 2005, my inner experiences have always kept me within close proximity to Babaji in form of the other. I’m sure there’s a divine wish behind that, which is not always easy to comprehend by our mortal minds.

Back to the journey now…
We left Ranikhet around 9AM on 25^th July for Sitalakhet. Sitalakhet (also known/spelled as Sheetalakhet, Sitlakhet) is a small paradise at a distance of 38 Kms. from Ranikhet. You will not find Sitalakhet on any map or GPS device. Just two kilometers below Sitalakhet there is the village ‘Khoont’, which is the ancestral village of the late Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, the first chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and the famous freedom fighter of India.

Siddashram is not located in Sitalakhet, but one must take a low road before you reach Sitalakhet. I am not drawing an exact map of the place for as stated above – such places can only be visited when the Divine wish beckons you – and that is when the map will automatically unfold in front of you and you will be led by an invisible force. This is what happened in our case and I trust the same for you.

In the Kumaon hills, Baba is popularly known as Hariakhand Babaji and many tales are told about him in these parts dating back to mid 1800s. After wandering around the narrow mountain road back and forth – we discovered a slight climb going up a hill. On the hill-top – Siddhashram stood tall. There was an unmistakable silence all around, yet the echo and unpolluted air reverberated with divinity that surrounded the place. After paying our respects and doing Arti – our host, guide, narrator and the Ashram care-taker Joshiji invited me and my father in his house for a hospitable cup of tea. We sat in silence reflecting up on several artifacts and photos associated with Babaji and several siddha yogis and yoginis while Joshiji attended to his duties. After finishing our tea, we exchanged several incidents and legends with Joshiji associated with Hariakhand Baba, formation of the Ashram, sacred trees Nar and Narayan that stand there (planted by Babaji in early 1900s). There is a sacred water source that flows there ever since the day Babaji requested the mother earth to split open and provide the locals with the nectar like water. Needless to say, the first sip of the water rejuvenated all our senses.

The ancient Kutir where Babaji did Tapasya still stands since the early days though I’m not sure of the exact year. When the ever-moving Yogis and Siddhas descend from higher Himalayas to the area, they invoke the sacred energies present there and conduct Havan etc. We spent around 3 hours at Siddhashram, and in the end conversed with Joshiji as he took us around the ashram and spoke about Babaji. I then informed him of a common acquaintance (also a well-known Author) that both he and I had, which added yet another surprise factor to our visit. An impromptu phone conversation then followed on the phone.

After a promise of a return visit soon, we took Joshiji’s leave and paid our respects to the sacred place. As a very well known Author, whom I know put it – “The time spent there was in an entirely different realm of timelessness, perfection, and infinite possibilities”.
On our way from Sitalakhet to our next destination, we passed through Kainchi for Tea and paid silent respects to Neem Karoli Baba’s Ashram.

Sombari Baba – Padampuri

Sombari Baba and Hariakhand Baba often travelled and did Tapasya together in early 1900s across Kumaon region of Himalayas. The region still echoes with their stories. Sombari Baba was also one of the teachers of Swami Ram whose master, Bengali Baba had sent him to Sombari Baba during his early days. As stated by Swami Ram, no one knew Sombari Baba’s birthplace or his original name, so people began to call him Sombari Baba because he held a public bhandara (feast) in his ashram every Monday.
Gudari Baba, Sombari Baba, Hariakhand Baba, were all sages of highest state who travelled and did Tapasya in Himalayas. I believe that only by an inner urge to seek them or by divine wish can one come to the point of visiting the places associated with them.

Numerous tales about Sombari Baba have been told over last 90+ years and I will let the reader find their own beckoning to visit the place.  As was the case with Siddhashram – Sombari Baba’s call in fact came to my Father on several occasions and I found divine play behind all of those stories that he told me. And that was what took us to Padampuri, which was a 106 Kms. journey for us from Sitalakhet.

Most people I met along the way had not heard of Padampuri. In fact it is known for being the birth place of veteran Congress Leader, Narayan Dutt Tiwari.

Back to the journey now…

Padampuri is about 30 Kms east of Nainital and you’ll need to leave the Highway 87 to travel for about an hour on narrow mountain roads (be prepared for bad roads and landslides in you travel during Rains). The ever-youthful Parmanand Puriji maharaj (born 1889 AD) was not present at the Padampuri ashram, but was living at the Palra ashram where Sombari Baba’s gufa is also located. Since it was almost twilight when we reached Padampuri – we decided to stop at Padampuri and not proceed to Palra. That would be another trip, if destined. Atal Baba who has stayed at the Padampuri ashram for 15 years sat engrossed in front of a Dhuni. He spoke in intervals about Sombari Baba, but mostly sat engrossed in another world. It seemed as if he was “half here, half there” – which is often said about Siddha Yogis.

The timeless environment in the small room was filled with the warmth and scent of Dhuni and Dhoop (incense). After accepting Prasad – we sat there listening to stories of Sombari Baba (narrated by a local villager who sat there) and Atal Baba’s (often) mystic messages that he spoke with a mysterious twinkle in his eyes. Towards the end of our visit, Atal Baba gave his message in yet more mystic terms, which was further visible in his conversations with my Father. I sat quietly and observed the divine play at large. Towards the end – we accepted his blessings, and went down to pay our respects to Sombari Baba’s Samadhi, where Baba’s presence can still be felt.

After a long, yet mystic day that took us from Ranikhet to Sitalakhet to Padampuri, we left around 6.30 PM for Haldwani when the sun was about to set. The 40 Kms drive back to Haldwani was mostly covered in silence for obvious reasons. There was some exchange of thoughts on what had gone on during the day. Upon our return to Rishikesh the next day – several strange visions followed. But that is best left for another narration…

Wishing you all well,
Gautam Dhar, Anupam Dhar

Distances:

Lansdowne (Kasang Regency) to Tarkeshwar: 39 Kms
Ranikhet to Sitalakhet: 38 Kms
Sitalakhet to Padampuri: 106 Kms
Haldwani to Padampuri: 40 Kms
Almora to Padampuri: 68 Kms

Photos from the Journey

The following is a count of my journey to Mahavatar Babaji’s Cave in Dronagiri area in Himalayas. I took the trek on 29th of July 2009 along with my Father. After several visions and signals from the Masters, I finally made the trek deep into the Mountains at about 9000 feet.

To view photos from my Trek to Babaji’s Cave, please click here.

Leaving Rohtak for Haldwani
After I could not make the trek to Mahavatar Babaji’s Cave in Pandukholi region during my visit to Almora, Himalayas in 2007 – I had accepted the fact that the time had not come yet for me to visit. During my summer 2009 vacation, I was determined to make the trip and after a small hiccup, it materialized into reality. I will try to be as faithful in remembering the little details as possible and provide you with my experiences during this extraordinary journey that I took with my Father.

My Father and I left Rohtak on Sunday, 26th July 2009 at about 10 AM for Haldwani where we would stop for the night. The drive from Rohtak to Haldwani takes about 7 to 8 hours and is about 340 KMs (337 in our case) if there are no traffic problems. The route is:

Rohtak to Delhi to Ghaziabad onwards to NH 24 all the way through Hapur, Muradabad, Rampur, Bilaspur, Rudrapur to Haldwani. We stopped at Haldwani for the night where an old colleague and friend of my Father Mr. Bisht lives. Haldwani is the last stop in the plains on way to Nainital and surrounding areas and is known as the Pravesh-Dwaar (entrance) to the Dev-Bhoomi Uttaranchal (now Uttrakhand). It connects plains to the Kumaon region of the mighty Himalayas. The next morning was rather hot and muggy as we left Haldwani at around 10 AM for Almora. The drive was scenic as it normally is anywhere in Himalayas. By then we had learned that Monsoon rains had mostly evaded the state of Uttaranchal, but as we started ascending the mountains on NH 87, we noticed raindrops on our wind shield. Due to landslides that had occurred earlier, the normal route (via Bhimtal) to Almora had been closed to public and we had to take a detour and go through Ranikhet and enter from the backside of Almora. On our way, 4 ladies asked for lift to Pilot Baba’s Ashram that was on the way. We gladly accommodated them and dropped them at their destination.

Visit to Haidakhan Ashram, Ranikhet
As we reached Ranikhet, my Father and I decided to pay our respects to Haidakhan Baba and visit his Ashram on the outskirts of Ranikhet. To visit the Ashram, one must enter the Ranikhet Cantonment and take the low road from the Main roundabout beyond the Sadar Bazaar. Here we found another older Gentleman who we asked for directions and we ended up offering him a lift into Ranikhet until the point where the 2 KM slip road took us directly to Haidakhan Baba Ashram. Since it was a cloudy day, we could not see any of the peaks Nandadevi, etc.) that are usually visible from the Ashram on a clear day. We spent about 30 minutes at the Ashram and I meditated for about half an hour. After paying our respects, we left the Ashram at 2:05 PM for Almora in hopes of making the trek to Mahavatar Babaji’s Cave the following day. Little did we know that it was not yet to be. We arrived at Almora at 4:03 PM (odometer 474 KMs).

Fury of Rain Gods
Later that night in Almora, my Father and I both woke up to the sound of raindrops. The next morning turned out to be immensely cloudy and carried dense fog. We could barely see the terrace of the floor beneath ours. The clouds were below us and it felt as if we were in heaven for a moment. At times the floating clouds seemed to enter our hotel room and the very next moment the rain would stop giving us a bleak hope of setting out for Pandukholi where Babaji’s cave is located. The day, however, stayed dismal and rainy for most of the time and by 10 AM we had dropped the plan of making the trek. Later that night, the TV news predicted heavy rains during next 48 hours in the state and my father even suggested that we leave the following day if rain gods continued with their fury. To our relief, rains finally gave way to a light drizzle at about 4 PM. We finally left the hotel room to take a walk on Mall Road and also visited the Almora Market. Before retiring for the night, my prayers seemed to be getting answered as I finally saw the mountains in front of us that had stayed hidden behind clouds for most of the day. The heavy cover of clouds seemed to be saying goodbye to the mountains and I thanked Babaji for keeping my hopes alive of making the trek the next day.

Bright and Sunny 29th, Trek to Babaji’s Cave
Bright sunshine greeted us the next morning as we woke up to almost clear blue skies. We left soon after our breakfast of Poori Bhaaji at 8:39 AM. Kukuchina was 86 KMs of drive from Hotel Shikhar, Almora. To reach the trekking point, one must leave Almora on NH 87 and pass through Ranikhet and continue towards Dwarahat. From Dwarahat, one must bear right towards Dunagiri Temple and continue towards Pandukholi. We reached Dunagiri Temple at 11:25 AM (odometer 557 KMs) and Pandukholi was still 5 more KMs to go. After driving for a few more minutes we reached Kukuchina, which is the last village before the 2 KM walk to Rathkhaal where the trek begins. We had a cup of hot Himalayan tea at Joshi Tea stall. Mr. Joshi, who runs the shop, carries Himalayan hospitality and a welcoming smile on his face. We were surprised that he remembered us from our brief stop from 2007 when I had failed to make the trek. We discussed the conditions and the weather in the mountains and requested him to arrange a Jeep ride along the 2 KM narrow path to take us to the trekking point. My Father and I decided against taking our own Ford Ikon car considering the extremely narrow and hilly path that, in my opinion, should either be travelled on foot or in a vehicle with 4-wheel drive.

Jeep Ride to Rathkhaal, facts about the Area
On many occasions, I thought the right tire of the Jeep would slide and slip over into the Valley taking all of us along and not to mention, I kept murmuring Babaji’s name all through the nerve-breaking Jeep ride. Once the Jeep dropped us at the point where the YSS (Yogoda Satsang Society) board pointed towards the Cave up in the mountains, we chanted Babaji’s name and began our trek at 12:07 PM (Tuesday, 29th July 2009). Those who wish to get an idea of the geography and the trek must understand a few things. Babaji’s Cave is unlike most of the other sacred places such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, etc. which are visited by thousands of people each year. You will even find people in Almora area that have not heard of Babaji’s cave up in Pandukholi area. The area in particular is 86 KMs. from Almora and the trek requires sincerity, strong will, devotion and intuitiveness on your part. YSS (Yogoda Satsang Society) along with others have done a great job in putting up a few boards and laying out a very basic raw mountain path, but one may still get easily lost if not attentive and intuitive.

Trek begins to Mahavatar Babaji’s Cave
As we started climbing the stony and narrow path along the mountain edge, I felt a surge of strange energy and did not feel any fatigue all through the trek whatsoever. My father took frequent breaks while climbing and I went along capturing the extraordinary Mountains around us through the lens of my camera. Somewhere mid-way during our trek, it started raining heavily and we had to take out our raincoats from my backpack. Climbing a mountain path such as this one could be very dangerous especially when it’s raining. Rain along with pine needles along the path can make the mountain surface very slippery as we discovered during our trek. Interestingly, I slipped more than my father. May be his mountain skills acquired during childhood when he used to climb mountains in Kashmir, helped him along the way. After the rains became too heavy, I said a little prayer to Surya Dev (Sun) and whispered Surya Mantra so the sun would shine and rain would stop. Lo and behold within a minute or so, the rains subsided and sun came out. I was grateful to Babaji as it made the climb a little easier especially for my Father.

Mahavatar Babaji Smriti Bhawan
After an hour or so of climbing through the forest, we came to an ashram, which turned out to be Mahavatar Babaji Smriti Bhawan established on the hilltop by YSS (Yogoda Satsang Society) on 25th July 2002. An elderly couple that met us in front of the Bhawan told us that the Cave was further up, about a couple minutes climb from the Smriti Bhawan. We also ran into a group from Andhra Pradesh that was visiting Babaji’s Cave. Their driver gave us the key to the Cave’s door after I convinced him that we would lock the Cave door and the Smriti Bhawan and hand the key over to a keeper that lived in the village down in the valley. Initially my father suggested that he would rest at the Bhawan and I should continue up to the cave, however, I did not think that he came all the way up here to miss out on visiting the sacred cave. After my suggestion, he accompanied me up.

Arrival at Mahavatar Babaji’s Cave
Finally we saw the steps and the door of the Cave. I asked my Father to do the honors and unlock the door. As soon he opened the door, a sudden rush of energy went through me as I saw the interior of the sacred Cave. On first look, one could say that 4 to 5 people could easily sit next to each other in the Cave. We noticed that drops of water were trickling down from the cave top, which we attributed to the recent rain. Although YSS has put up a marker, gate and the steps, the cave itself is natural and could be thousands of years old. I would like to refrain from making any claim on this, however. Since the plastic spread inside the Cave was wet, we decided to spread our raincoats and sit on them. I sat in the Lotus pose (Padamasana) and was immediately lost in a trance. One does not have to try and meditate as it comes naturally where one almost feels being present on a different plane far away from the mundane world. The silence and the grace that prevailed within the cave were unlike anything I had experienced before in my lifetime.

“It’s time to leave”
Call it the fury of the weather gods or Babaji’s signal to leave – within about 15 to 20 minutes clouds started thundering in the most threatening way and we knew that rains were imminent. I finally opened my eyes and my Father suggested that we get a move on. After taking a few pictures and paying our respects, we locked the door and descended back to the Smriti Bhawan. To our surprise we found that the group of people we had met earlier was still inside the Ashram where we also decided to stay put until the rain ceased. The Smriti Bhawan had 3-4 rooms where one could stay overnight. Since the rains were heavy outside, I decided to sit and meditate inside the Bhawan where a couple of other people from the group were already meditating. Within about 30 minutes, rains gave way to bright sunshine and we decided to leave.

Energy Circles
Later while viewing the photos, I found one photo clicked after another where energy circles could be seen on my right. I discussed this with my Uncle, Dr. Rajeev Kaushik, who is a Sahaj Yogi and has recently published a book with Rupa Publications on Kundalini Yoga describing his experiences and revelations. He explained that such energy circles and usually seen at charged and sacred places where sages have done tapas or establish their presence in astral form.

Losing our way in the forest
In a stroke of wisdom, I suggested to my father that we leave the group behind and be on our way. Little did I realize that the descent back to the village would be even trickier than the climb up. Due the rain, the mountain paths were filled with water and we both slipped at a few places. I tried to be more than alert despite handling my camera and capturing the serenity and beauty of the mountains and trees around us. At a sharp turn, we came to a narrow path off the mountain where despite my strong suggestion; we turned left per my Father’s instinct. It wasn’t too late before we realized that we had not come this way during our climb up. Instead of descending the part of the mountain on our right we had confused the surroundings and were actually heading in a totally strange direction. After ascending the mountain and then descending again, we found ourselves headed straight to the valley into deep forest. At one point we could even see a house in front of us at some distance away, however, it was on the other side of the mountain and it was not possible to reach it unless one crossed the forest that lay at the bottom part of the mountain that we were on.

I then suggested to my Father to bring back his mountain-instincts and guide us out of this predicament. As I mentioned earlier, he had climbed many mountains during his childhood in Kashmir, which at that time was full of wilderness as well as animals. He took a moment to study the surroundings and then eventually with some input from me, we headed to our right and started climbing the part of the mountain that lay ahead of us. It was my understanding that it would bring us back to our original path. At some places, we had some serious hiking on the cliff of the mountains that was also wet from recent rains. I was also worried about my Father and his ability to climb at such rough spots.

Himalayan Hospitality
By Babaji’s grace, we went through the rough path and also crossed a small waterfall hidden deep within the mountains and eventually ended up in a small field of Turnips. In front of us – lay a villager’s hut who, to our good fortune, was inside the hut and having his lunch at the time. My father told them that we were coming back from Babaji’s Cave and had lost our way in the mountains and requested him to show us the correct way to reach Rathkhaal and then Kukuchina. Before he showed us the correct way, he stressed more than once that we join him for lunch or tea at the least. We politely thanked him for his generosity and went our way after getting directions. This along with other minor incidents strengthened our faith that people in the mountains were still filled with the hospitality, trust and kindness that has almost disappeared from the plains.

After descending through another rough spot that was filled with water and stones, we reached the 2 KM stretch (Rathkhaal) that would take us to Kukuchina where our car stood parked near Joshi Tea Stop. Earlier we had taken a jeep ride to save time and avoid any fatigue before beginning the trek; however, we decided that it was best to walk back to Kukuchina so we could cherish the beauty and serenity of the sacred mountain.

Guide welcomes us!
On a lighter note, I later pointed to my Father a little incident that had happened earlier while were inside the Smriti Bhawan up in the mountains after our visit to the Cave.
Father had mentioned about the challenges involved in our trek (from the heavy rains to the difficult trek) and I had casually remarked back (almost boasting) “what more challenge can Babaji present us with?” We chuckled later that Babaji indeed gave us another small challenge by making us take the wrong route and getting us lost in the forest. Lord works in mysterious ways to teach us lessons, both big and small in life.
Our trek back became very tiring due to the extra fatigue we had to undergo after losing way up in the mountains. We took frequent breaks and just sat in silence to breathe in the mountain air. At one spot, we came across a Black Dog who was waiting on the edge of the mountain by a boulder and came running towards us as we approached that spot. Since I have never been close to dogs (that’s another story), my father cajoled him into making him go away. On a very interesting note, the dog stayed ahead of us all the way to Kukuchina and even stopped and waited for us as we took breaks during our trek back on the stony Himalayan path. We both had our own ideas about the dog, which would be later revealed to us by Sh. Netraballabh Joshi at Joshi Tea Stall.

Arrival back at Kukuchina
After about 55 minutes, we arrived at Kukuchina at 3:30 PM and Mr. Joshi greeted us with a smile. My father was quick to request 2 hot cups of Himalayan tea and a couple pieces of bread to chase away the fatigue of the trek. We also met Shri Netra Ballabh Joshi with whom we held discussion on Mahavatar Baba, Mahabharata, Ashwatthama, and other related topics. Some excerpts from our conversation can be viewed on Youtube in form of Part 1 and Part 2 . He also told us about the dog that had been guiding visitors on the 2 KM stretch back to Kukuchina for a few years now. I silently bowed down to the humble creature for his generous services and we later fed him with Biscuits and Bread as a small token of our gratitude.

The extraordinary day ended when we finally took leave of Joshis, bowed down to the Dronagiri Mountain and Mahavatar Baba in reverence for making this trek possible. It was once in a lifetime experience and one must physically go there to feel the energy, aura and blessings of the Dronachal Valley and Mahavatar Baba.

Arrival back at Almora
We left Joshi tea stall at 3:55 PM (odometer 562 KMs) and arrived back at Almora Hotel at 6:44 PM (odometer 648 KMs). If anyone has any questions about the trip or our trek, feel free to contact me through this website. May Babaji guide us and bless us.

Important pointers/interesting observations about/during the Journey

• Before you begin the trek, I highly recommend that you stop at Joshi Tea Stop at Kukuchina. Mr. Joshi can provide you with any guidance needed for the trek.
• Be prepared to face Kaanwariyas on NH 24 if you travel during the month of July. They can cause serious traffic problems and 1-lane is usually reserved and shut down for them. This is the period during which Kaanwariyas celebrate their Shivratri.
• Do NOT make Almora your base camp like we did. Best place to stay is Ranikhet. Pandukholi is only about 55 KMs (as compared to 86 from Almora).
• People in the mountains may frequently ask you for lift. This might be considered out of question in the Northern Plains. We were surprised when an elderly mother asked lift for her newly wed daughter!
• Even the simplest and financially challenged person may turn out to be the most hospitable and courteous. Such is the culture in Himalayas!
• It is best advised to not undertake the trek during Rainy season, but if you are as daring as us, do not forget to pack raincoats!
• Lastly, I would quote what I once read in an article. “Leave your cold intellect behind before approaching the sacred and serene mountains.”

Om Namah Shivay.

Gautam Dhar/Anupam Dhar
8th August 2009, Rohtak, INDIA
Trek date: 29th July 2009

Links:

In Search of Mahavatar Babaji’s Cave: Photos

Videos of my conversation with (now Late) Shri Netra Ballabh Joshi: Part 1, Part 2

The following audio clips are taken from Swami Vivekananda’s speech that he delieverd in Chicago, USA during the World Parliament of Religions on 11th Sept. 1893. I don’t think anyone knows the true source of this Audio recording, which is now more than 115 years old. It is amazing to listen to hear the great sage’s own voice. Please allow time to buffer for slow connections.You can also download the MP3 (Right click on Clip 1/2 > Save target as) both for Clip 1 and Clip 2.

Clip 1:

Clip 2:

WELCOME ADDRESS – Chicago, Sept 11, 1893

Sisters and Brothers of America,

It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: “As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.”

The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: “Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me.” Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

CONCLUDING ADDRESS – Chicago, Sept 27, 1893

The World’s Parliament of Religions has become an accomplished fact, and the merciful Father has helped those who laboured to bring it into existence, and crowned with success their most unselfish labour.

My thanks to those noble souls whose large hearts and love of truth first dreamed this wonderful dream and then realized it. My thanks to the shower of liberal sentiments that has overflowed this platform. My thanks to this enlightened audience for their uniform kindness to me and for their appreciation of every thought that tends to smooth the friction of religions. A few jarring notes were heard from time to time in this harmony. My special thanks to them, for they have, by their striking contrast, made general harmony the sweeter.

Much has been said of the common ground of religious unity. I am not going just now to venture my own theory. But if any one here hopes that this unity will come by the triumph of any one of the religions and the destruction of the others, to him I say, “Brother, yours is an impossible hope.” Do I wish that the Christian would become Hindu? God forbid. Do I wish that the Hindu or Buddhist would become Christian? God forbid.

The seed is put in the ground, and earth and air and water are placed around it. Does the seed become the earth, or the air, or the water? No. It becomes a plant. It develops after the law of its own growth, assimilates the air, the earth, and the water, converts them into plant substance, and grows into a plant.

Similar is the case with religion. The Christian is not to become a Hindu or a Buddhist, nor a Hindu or a Buddhist to become a Christian. But each must assimilate the spirit of the others and yet preserve his individuality and grow according to his own law of growth.

If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world, it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written in spite of resistance: “Help and not fight,” “Assimilation and not Destruction,” “Harmony and Peace and not Dissension.”

Speech Text Courtesy: About.com

I am reading a book on the Himalayan Sages these days called The Himalayan Masters by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait. The book is an short overview on the tradition and teachings of the Himalayan Masters. In a chapter on Sage Dattatreya, the great master talks about his 24 Gurus to a king. Highly inspirational. Take a few minutes and go through it. The following paragraph is taken from the book.

The ashram of Sage Dattatreya’s parents, known as Ansuya in Chitrakut, is still nestled in the beautiful Vindhya Range of the central Indian mountains. A steep mountain towers over the back of the ashram, and the serene streams of the Mandakini River issue from a nearby cave. In the air is a pervasive sense of fearlessness and tranquility.
The fish leap from the water to take puffed rice from the hands of pilgrims. Monkeys come from the forest, greet visitors, and share their food like old friends. Your intellect may insist that they do it out of habit or to get food. But listen to nature and you will hear a silent voice: “Do not pollute the spirit cultivated by sages with your cold intellectualism.”

24 Gurus of Sage Dattatreya

Once King Yadu saw Lord Dattatreya (Avadhoot) in a forest and addressed him “Sir, you are indeed quite capable, energetic and wise. Such as you are, why do you live in the forest, free from all desires? Even though you have neither kith and kin nor even a family, how could you be so blissful and self-contented?”

The Avadhoot (one who has shaken off all worldly desires) replied, “My bliss and contentment are the fruits of self-realization. I have gained the necessary wisdom from the whole creation, through 24 Gurus. I shall elaborate the same for you”.

1. Earth: All creatures, in accordance with their previous store of karma (action) assume different physical forms and live on earth. People plough, dig and tread the earth. They light fires on it. Still, the earth does not swerve from its course even by a hair’s breadth. On the other hand, it feeds and houses all creatures. Seeing this, I learned that the wise one should never swerve from his vow of patience, love and righteousness under any circumstances and one should dedicate his life for the welfare of living beings. The earth along with its mountains and rivers is my first guru.

2. Air: I observed that air is pure and odorless in itself. And it blows on both sweet and foul-smelling things without any discrimination or preference. Though it momentarily seems to take on the smell of its surroundings, in a short while, it reveals its pristine quality. From this I learned that a spiritual aspirant should live in the world, unaffected by the dualities of life like joy and sorrow and by the objects of the senses. He should keep his heart’s feeling and his speech unpolluted by vain objects. As I have learned all this by observing it, air is my second guru.

3. Sky: The soul is also like the sky, which is omnipresent. I have noticed that sometimes the sky (or space) gets thickly overcast, or filled with dust or smoke. At sunrise and during night, it apparently takes on different colors. But in fact, it ever retains its colorless self, and it is never touched or stained by any thing. From this I learned that a true sage should remain ever pure like the sky or space, untouched or unaffected by anything in the phenomenal universe in time, including his own physical processes. His inner being is totally free from emotional reaction to things and events even like the space. Thus I accepted the sky or space as my third guru.

4. Fire: My fourth teacher is the element of fire. Sometimes, it manifests itself as blazing flames; sometimes as smoldering embers, covered by ash. But it is always present in all objects as latent heat. The god of fire accepts the offering of everyone, irrespective of his moral worth and burns down his sins; and it still remains the ever-pure divinity as the fire-god; he is untainted by the sins of such devotees. So too, a sage of perfect realization should accept food of everyone, burn down his sins and bless the giver. Though fire has no specific form of its own, when it is associated with fuel that burns, it assumes such apparent forms. So too, the true Self, though formless in itself, appears in the forms of deities, human beings, animals and trees when it is associated with the respective physical structures. The source of all forms in the universe, as also their end, remains ever mysterious. All the things are manifest only in between their origin and their end. Their source and end is the true Self, which is eternal, unchanging, unmanifest and omnipresent. The nature of the element of fire is such. The manifest fire transforms the various things it consumes into the same ash. So too, the wisdom of self-realization rejects the manifest forms and properties of things as illusion and realizes their one original essence as itself. Thus the element of fire is my fourth guru.

5. Sun: My fifth guru is sun. Though the sun we see in our daily life is one, it appears as many when reflected by water in different vessels. Similarly, the one real Self manifests itself as many selves of living creatures when reflected by their physical structures. As Sun illuminates the many forms in nature to our visions, the sage too illuminates the true nature of all things to his devotees.

6. Pigeon: I have gained wisdom from a pigeon too. Once a pair of pigeons lived together on a tree. They bred their young and were bringing them up with deep affection and love. One day, a hunter caught the young fledglings in a snare. The ladybird, which returned from the forest with food for its young ones, saw their plight and, unable to leave them, she leapt in the snare to share their fate. Shortly after, the male pigeon turned up and, unable to bear the separation from its sweetheart, it too jumped in the snare and met its end. Reflecting on this, I realized how, even after being born as an intelligent human being, man is caught in the coils of possessiveness and brings about his own spiritual destruction. The self, which is originally free, when associated with the body sense, gets identified with it, and thus gets caught in the endless cycle of birth, death and misery. Thus the pigeon was my sixth guru.

7. Python: The python is a sluggard, unwilling to move out briskly for its prey. It lies in its lurch and devours whatever creature it comes across, be it sufficient to appease its hunger. From this I learnt that the man in search of wisdom should refrain from running after pleasures, and accept whatever he gets spontaneously with contentment. Like the python, he should shake off sleep and wakefulness and abide in a state of incessant meditation on the Self. Thus the python was my seventh teacher of wisdom.

8. Sea: Contemplating the marvelous nature of the ocean, I have gained much wisdom. Any number of overflowing rivers may join it, yet the sea maintains its level. Nor does its level fall even by a hair’s breadth in summer, when all the rivers dry up. So too, the joys of life do not elate the sage of wisdom, nor do its sorrows depress him. Just as the sea never crosses its threshold on the beach, the wise one never transgresses the highest standards of morality under the pull of passions. Like the sea, he is unconquerable and cannot be troubled by anything. Like the unfathomable ocean, his true nature and the depths of his wisdom cannot be easily comprehended by anyone. The ocean, which has taught me thus, is my eighth guru.

9. Moth: I often observed that the moth (or, more precisely, a grasshopper) is tempted by fire to jump in it and get burnt down. So too, the unthinking man is enticed by the illusory pleasures of the senses and thus gets caught in the ceaseless cycles of birth and death. On the other hand, the wise one, when he catches even a glimpse of the fire of wisdom, leaves everything aside, leaps in it and burns down the illusion of being a limited self. Thus the moth was my ninth guru.

10. Elephant: The elephant was my tenth guru. The human beings raise a stuffed cow-elephant in the forest. The wild tusker mistakes it for a mate, approaches it and then skillfully bound in fetters by the cunning human beings. So too, the unregenerate man is tempted by the opposite sex and gets bound by the fetters of infatuation. The seekers after liberation should learn to be free from lust. The elephant was thus one of my teachers.

11. Ant: The ant stores up lots of food materials which it neither eats nor gives away in charity to any other creature. In consequence, other more powerful creatures are tempted to plunder the ants. So too, the man who lays by treasures of merely material things becomes a victim of robbery and murder. But the ant has something positive to teach us, too. It is a tireless worker and is never discouraged by any number of obstacles and setbacks in its efforts to gather its treasure. So too, a seeker after wisdom should be tireless in his efforts for Self-Realization. This noble truth has the little ant taught me and became my eleventh guru.

12. Fish: The fish greedily swallows bait and is at once caught by the angle-hook. From this, I realized how man meets his destruction by his craving for delicious food. When the palate is conquered, all else is conquered. Besides, there is a positive feature in the fish. It never leaves its home, i.e. water. So too, man should never loose sight of his true Self, but should ever have his being in it. Thus the fish became my twelfth guru.

13. Pingala: The thirteenth guru that has awakened my spirit is a dancing girl named Pingala. One day, she eagerly awaited a particular client in the hope that he would pay her amply. She waited and waited till late in the night. When he did not turn up, she was at last disillusioned and reflected thus: “Alas! How stupid I am! Neglecting the divine spirit within, who is of the nature of bliss eternal, I foolishly awaited a debauchee (sensualist) who inspires my lust and greed. Henceforth, I shall expend myself on the Self, unite with Him and win eternal joy. Through such repentance, she attained blessedness. Besides, reflecting on its obvious purport, I also realized that a spiritual aspirant should likewise reject the lure of lesser spiritual powers, which are mere by-products of sadhana (spiritual practice). I learned that the temptation to secure things from other’s hands are the seeds of misery; that renunciation of these is the sole means of realizing infinite joy.

14. Arrow-maker: Once I observed an arrow-maker who was totally absorbed in molding a sharp arrow. He grew so oblivious of all else that he did not even notice a royal pageant that passed by. This sight awakened me to the truth that such single-minded, all-absorbing contemplation of the Self spontaneously eliminates all temptation for the trivial interests of the world. It is the sole secret of success in spiritual discipline. Thus the arrow-maker is my fourteenth guru.

15. Playful Boy: Little boys and girls know neither honor nor dishonor. They do not nurse a grudge or a prejudice against anyone. They do not know what is their own, or what belongs to others. Their happiness springs from their own selves, their innate creativity and they do not need any external objects or conditions to be happy. I realized that the sage of perfect enlightenment is also such. A playful boy thus happened to be my fifteenth guru.

16. Moon: Of all things in nature, the moon is unique. It appears to wax and wane during the bright and dark fortnights. In fact, the lunar globe ever remains the same. In this, it is like the self of the man. While a man appears to pass through the stages of infancy, boyhood, youth, maturity and old age, his real self remains unchanged. All changes pertain only to body and not to the self. Again, the moon only reflects the light of the sun, but has no such of its own. So too, the soul or mind of man is only a reflection of the light of awareness of the real Self. Having taught this truth, the moon became my sixteenth guru.

17. Honeybee: Honeybee wanders from flower to flower and, without hurting them in the least, draws honey. So too, a spiritual seeker should study all the Holy Scriptures but retain in his heart, only that which is essential for his spiritual practice. Such is the teaching I imbibed from my seventeenth guru, the honeybee.

18. Deer: It is said that deers are very fond of music and that poachers employ it to lure them before hunting them. From this, I learned that passions and sensual desires will soon bog down a spiritual aspirant who has a weakness for merely secular music, till he ultimately loses whatever spiritual progress he has achieved earlier. The deer that taught me this truth is my eighteenth guru.

19. Bird of prey: A bird of prey is my nineteenth guru. One day, I saw one such carrying away a dead rat. Many other birds like crows and eagles attacked it, now kicking on its head and again pecking on its sides in their endeavor to knock off the prey. The poor bird was thus very much pestered. At last, it wisely let its prey fall and all the other birds rushed after it. Thus freeing itself from so much botheration, it sighed in relief. From this, I learned that a man who runs after worldly pleasures will soon come into clash with his fellow-beings who too run for the same, and has to face much strife and antagonism. If he learns to conquer his craving for worldly things, he can spare himself much unhappiness. I realized that this is the only way to the peace in the world.

20. Maiden: Once, I observed a family visit a maiden’s house, seeking her hand in marriage for their son. At that time, her mother was away from home. So the maiden herself had to entertain the guests with refreshments. She at once started pounding food-grains with a pestle. The bangles on her hand started knocking against each other, pounding sound. She was afraid that the guests might hear the sound and be unhappy for having caused her so much of trouble. As a Hindu maiden, she is not expected to remove all the bangles on her hand at any time. So she kept two on each hand and removed all the rest. Even then, they were knocking against each other and were making noise. So she kept only one bangle on each hand this time and she could finish her task in quiet. Reflecting on this, I realized that when a number of spiritual seekers live together, a lot of unwanted gossip ensues and no spiritual practice can be pursued with a single-minded effort. Only in solitude, a spiritual aspirant can carry his task. Knowing this truth, I henceforth resorted to solitude. Thus, a maiden happened to be my twentieth guru.

21. Serpent: I observed that a serpent never builds a dwelling for itself. When white ants have raised an anthill for themselves, the serpent eventually come to inhabit it. Similarly, worldly people have to endure many hardships in raising houses for themselves, while a recluse monk does no such thing. Worldly men raise the monasteries and the monk lives in them; or, he leaves in old dilapidated temples, or underneath shady trees. The serpent moults, leaving off its old skin. So too at the end of his life Yogi leaves his body deliberately and in full awareness of his own true self and is not frightened by the phenomenon of death. On the other hand, he casts off his old body as happily as he does his worn out clothes and dons new ones. Thus has my twenty first guru taught me.

22. Spider: The spider is my twenty second guru. It weaves its web from the thread in the form of a fluid. After sometime, it gathers up the web into itself. The supreme projects the whole creation out of itself and after sometime, withdraws it into itself at the time of dissolution. The individual soul too, bears the senses and the mind within itself and, at its birth as a human being or any other living creature, it projects them out as the sense organs, organs of action and the whole body. In accordance with its latent tendencies, the creature thus born, gathers up all the means and objects needed for its living. At the end of its life’s duration, the soul again withdraws the senses, mind and acquired tendencies at the hour of death. Thus have I learned from the spider.

23. Caterpillar: The caterpillar is also one of my teachers of wisdom. The wasp carries its caterpillar to a safe corner and closes it up in its nest and goes on buzzing about it. The young caterpillar is so frightened by the incessant buzzing, that it cannot think of anything else than the buzzing wasp. Through such unintermittent contemplation of its mother, the caterpillar too, soon grows up into a wasp! In a like fashion, a true disciple is so charmed and over-awed by the spiritual eminence of his own guru that he cannot think of any one other than him. Through such contemplation, he soon blossoms into a great spiritual master himself. The caterpillar is thus my twenty third Guru.

24. Water: Water is my twenty fourth Guru. It quenches the thirst of every creature, sustains innumerable trees and all creatures. While it thus serves all living beings, it is never proud of itself. On the other hand, it humbly seeks the lowliest of places. The sage too should likewise bestow health, peace and joy to every creature that resorts to him. Yet he should ever live as the humblest of God’s creation.

For those who do not know, Manasarovar is a lake known for its high spiritual values in both Hinduism and Buddhism, in Tibetan region of Himalayas. It lies at 14,940 feet above sea level and is the highest fresh water lake in the world. Manasarovar was supposedly created by the Hindu God, Brahma in his mind (manas for mind, sarovar for lake), hence the name. It is also believed the Devas (Gods) descend to bathe in the lake between 3 and 5 am the time of the day known as Brahma Muhurta. Kailash (Mount Kailash; abode of Hindu God Shiva) and Manasarovar Yatra is known to all pilgrims for its spiritual value. I have always wanted to visit Manasarovar, and someday may be the wish will materialize.

I was watching a Documentary on Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra a few days ago, and the Divine Himalayas inspired me to pick up my Guitar and I ended up recording this tune. It’s more of an improv work based around Classical Indian Raagas. Just a random musing. Here is the MP3 link. May peace be on you in the new year and years to come!

Photo taken from Wufgaeng’s Flickr collection.

I wish everyone a Christmas that will bestow divine blessings and peace. Here is a very informative excerpt as Swami Rama, the Himalayan Sage talks about Guidance and Practice of Yoga Meditation. Click on the play button to hear it in his voice. Here is the MP3 of the recording. Right click and then click on “save as..”

“Sometimes, guidance helps. That’s for sure.

“When you are not successful, in completing, accomplishing what you want, after making efforts, then somebody whom you trust, who really is selfless, who doesn’t charge fee all these, for these things,

…you should sit and say, ‘This is my problem–can you help me?’

“If he is a good teacher, he’ll say well, if it’s within my field, I will. If it is not within my field, I am sorry, you should find out somewhere, or you go to such and such person. It becomes easy.

“I give you practices–you never come and see me, never tell me, what the problem is. I ask you ‘How are you doing?’ ‘Fine.’ Even you are sick, you call ‘Fine,’ you see.

“Now, perhaps I can help you, serve you. ‘I help you’ means serve you. It benefits me instead of benefiting you, you see.

“My master always used to say, ‘Highest of culture, peak of the culture of human civilization is that, when every human being likes to work for others, then the whole world will have a society of joyous people.’

“Unfortunate thing is everyone, all of us, are selfish. A teacher is selfish. He wants something from the students. He looks at the pockets of the students.

“And the students look at the teacher to know, but never practice. Sheer curiosity, ‘I want to know more.’

“‘You want to know more, but how about practicing?’

“That guarantee I cannot give, sir.”

BY Arundhati Bhanot

Once in a while, one comes across a soul who has let go of the world. And when such a deep meditative being speaks its truth, one can but listen in silence.

There are places that bring out the meditative spirit in you. There are places where you meet those who are in the meditative spirit. Rishikesh combines both. Located on the banks of the river Ganga (Ganges), this quaint and bustling town sees religious seekers from all over the world congregating at its doorstep in search of the meaning of life—and sometimes, just sometimes, some even seem to find it.

This is where my journey leads me when I decide to seek out sages who wander in the Himalayan wilderness and rarely come down amongst mere mortals.

Meeting a true sadhu (ascetic), seekers believe, is like opening the doors of perception. It is like being in the presence of an inexplicable power that defies the laws of this world.

After a day’s search amidst the narrow by-lanes and the bustling spiritual fervour, I chance upon one such sadhu, Baba Mahesh Das, on the Rishikesh-Dehradun highway—walking by himself, bare-feet, knotted hair, a single saffron cloth wrapped around his waist. He walks so fast that he disappears as quickly as he had appeared. Then I see him again at a distance and run towards him.

“What do you want?” he says curtly. “I want to speak to a holy man,” I insist, referring to his garb of a sadhu. He is quick to respond: “This is just a persona. What you see is not the truth but an illusion.”

For the past five years Baba has lived in a jungle near Rishikesh, in the company of wild elephants. So, I feel that at a time when Meditation is becoming a household word, a recluse such as he might have a different perspective on the subject. “What is sadhana (meditation)?” I ask. He closes his eyes and speaks with urgency: “Can a deaf person describe sound? Can you define the taste of sweetness or happiness? Name and form are the illusions of God. Both are beyond expression. The only self-existence of the supreme sovereign is atma (Self). This is the only reality.”

But how does one realise the existence of the supreme sovereign? “It can be realised by going beyond the non-conscious realm,” Baba continues. “There are four non-conscious realms—sthula (gross, the everyday experience), sukshma (subtle, astral plane), karana (causal) and mahakarana (supra-causal). It is important to gain control over our five senses and desires, intellect, emotions and our ego to attain perfect knowledge of the self.”

Baba believes in the tradition of Guru bhakti (devotion towards the teacher) and avers that only a sadguru (true master) can show the way. “Your destiny and previous karmas bring you to this path of self-discovery,” he explains. For beginners, he suggests mantra jap (recital of mantras). The mantra should be short and simple. He describes three stages in japa—vachik, speaking it aloud; upanshu, to speak and hear oneself; and manasa, that which you recite mentally.

The recitation of mantras allows for concentration of the heart and mind and leads to the first stage called dhyana (contemplation). A prolonged state of internal focus is called samadhi (complete concentration of mind). “At this point you may see the image of a God or a Guru smiling at you. Your strength lies in maintaining internal focus till you see the emergence of a bindu (dot). One attains one-pointedness by uniting the rays of both eyes on the locus and gazing on it with a steady mind. Your vision begins to precede your mind till there is a pervading sense of calm. This is the starting point of your journey.”

“When all devotional practices are completed, only then does one reach the nameless state and attain moksha,” he says. While I close my eyes to contemplate on the subject, Baba departs for Tapovan in the Himalayas for his final quest. “It does not matter what happens to my body, it’s knowledge of the ultimate truth that I seek,” he states.

As the sun departs and the moon makes an appearance amidst the beautifully lit night sky, I meet a beaming Bodhi Chitananda strolling leisurely in the market area. His orange dhoti-kurta and shawl defy the darkness. When I stop him in his tracks and ask him about his life, he smiles and tells me that he left the USA about 25 years ago to lead an ascetic life. I ask him about his past—his earlier name and profession. “An ascetic must leave his past behind to make a fresh start,” he explains. He has spent many years understanding the spiritual texts and will be residing in a hut in a forest sometime soon.

We sit in a small, extended verandah of a temple in Rishikesh on the roadside with the moon shining above. There begins the discourse. He says: “Mind is supported by prana (vital air), pranas control the mind.” He prescribes internal prana yoga, withdrawing the consciousness up the spine into higher centres, purifying the nadis (nerves). “We need to go beyond the states of mind and direct our energy within into the stillness of the self. There will be brief moments when the breath and mind stop altogether. Make the space between the thoughts longer. Stay in that silence. Identify who you are, reside in yourself,” he adds.

“God can be realised only by leading a simple life, hence the need to take the retreat”, Chitananda clarifies. “One may use any of the yoga techniques or a combination of all, depending on your temperament—be it karma yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga or jnana yoga, it is the intention which has to be pure.”

Swami Hariharan shoulders his wisdom like a child, unaware. He has done penance for 15 years in the forests of Tarkeshwar. I meet him at one of the ashrams where he has taken abode. I ask him about the correct meditation technique. He merely laughs and says: “What you ‘do’ is work, not dhyana. Thoughtlessness and full consciousness is meditation. He who has attained shanti (peace of mind) is a saint.”

“What made you renounce the world and live in the jungles?” I ask. “Your destiny, your circumstances lead you to search for peace, but there is no technique to get there,” he believes.

“What is meditation? Desireless desire is dhyana, complete knowledge of oneself and the supreme external force is dhyana,” he simplifies. “We meditate every day, but are simply not aware of it. You sleep well but do you watch yourself sleep? When you begin to perceive that you were asleep and someone was watching you go to sleep, you will have reached a state of contemplation,” he says.

Perhaps that’s where the truth lies. To know that you don’t know. Because, it is only when you are aware of your slumber that you can wake up. I leave with a sense of wonder. All journeys begin with an element of exploration and end with a destination. I pack my bags for another cycle of departure and arrival.

-Arundhati Bhanot

Original article at: http://www.lifepositive.com/spirit/meditation/Free_Spirits.asp