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CHAPTER III
PREDICTIONS AND PREPARATIONS FOR BABAJI'S RETURN:
MAHENDRA MAHARAJ AND VISHNU DUTT MISHRA
Mahendra Baba finds Babaji

During the years of Shri Babaji's physical absence, from 1922 to 1970, a great siddha yogi³⁸ came on the scene to tell people about Babaji and to foretell and prepare for His return.

The man who became known as Mahendra Baba, or Mahendra Maharaj, was born on March 4, 1908, in the home of his maternal grandfather in a village called Manika, near Mithila, Bihar. Mithila is the reputed birthplace of Lord Ram's wife, Sita. His childhood and boyhood were spent in this grandfather's home.

Mahendra's grandfather was a staunch devotee of the Goddess Durga - one of the names and aspects of The Divine Mother, the Creatrix and Nurturer. The family was well-to-do and well-educated. Mahendra attended the local school and when he came home from school he was taught Sanskrit by learned teachers. He also studied several other languages, including English.

The grandfather was learned in Sanskrit, astrology, and the ritualistic worship of God. He had a room separate from the rest of the household where he could do his pujas (ritual worship). He also read Durga Saptshati ("Seventy Verses in Praise of Goddess Durga") in Sanskrit several times a day. Young Mahendra soon learned to read it, too.³⁹

In his childhood and youth, Mahendra had several experiences of Babaji. He said that, as a very young child, he was healed of a near-fatal illness by a vision of Babaji and the Divine Mother, Goddess Durga. On his fifth birthday, Mahendra went to a sweet shop to buy candy and was given sweets by Shri Babaji. A man in Bombay, whom Mahendra Baba insisted on treating as a friend, rather than as a devotee, says that Mahendra Baba told him that when he graduated from high school, Mahendra went to buy sweets to celebrate the event and that, at the sweet shop, he was embarrassed by the stare of a tall, old saint. When Mahendra received his sweets, he offered some to this saint. The saint refused the sweets but said he wanted to go to Mahendra's home. Mahendra led the saint to his home and for the next six days and nights the saint taught Mahendra yogic knowledge. Then the saint walked out of the house and did not return. Mahendra had asked this guru where he came from (he replied that he had come from the Himalayas), but he had not asked his name. It is customary to call religious men "Baba" or "Maharaj," so Mahendra had needed no other name in his conversations with the saint.

Mahendra told other devotees that as soon as he reached boyhood he developed a desire to go to Vrindaban and meditate; he had a great love and respect for Lord Krishna. One day, when still a young boy, he asked his mother's permission to go to Vrindaban and repeat Krishna's name and 'find God.' His mother wept and begged him not to go until he had more education and understood spirituality better.

Mahendra went to college in Patna, Bihar. He told his friend in Bombay that while he was in Patna he saw his saintly teacher again. On a cold December day, Mahendra and a number of other college students saw and were intrigued by a 'mahatma' (great soul) and followed him through the city streets. The mahatma went to the bank of the Ganges River, threw off his outer clothes, waded out to an island in the river, and sat yogi-fashion. As he sat, the whole area around him became warm; the boys on the river bank took off their winter wraps as they stood and watched the saint. The saint shouted out to them, "Do not try to test a yogi's powers!" and the boys quickly left the area.

Mahendra capped his formal education with a Master of Arts degree in philosophy from Bhagalpur University in Bihar. His writings indicate a high degree of learning; they are so full of Sanskrit quotations and allusions to scriptural and literary incidents that they often make heavy reading for educated readers and they are extremely difficult to translate. Mahendra Maharaj told people that after he completed his education, he took part in Mahatma Gandhi's political movement for a while and visited many cities while involved in this work.

Mahendra said he decided to leave his home in 1928. One day, while out for a walk, he decided to go to Benares, so he just kept on walking - a distance of at least two hundred miles from his home. He spent some time in the Vishwanath Temple in Benares and then started a school. After a few days, his grandfather, learning where Mahendra was, sent him some money and said he would come to see Mahendra. On hearing this, Mahendra used the money his grand­father sent to move on to Vrindaban, where he "fell at the feet of Mother Radhaji."⁴⁰

He settled down for a long stay for 'sadhana' (religious practices for spiritual growth) in the village of Lohban, some miles from Vrindaban and close to Mathura, where Lord Krishna was born. His stay there lasted about twenty years, during which time he traveled a good deal and spent much time also in the Datta District of Gujarat, near the town of Ambaji, an area closely associated with the Divine Mother Amba. He never again visited his family in Bihar. While in Lohban, Mahendra Baba organized sessions for japa (repetition of God's names), for singing devotional songs, and for reading of scriptures like the Ramanaya. Many people came to him and were benefited by their association with him.⁴¹ He is still well remembered in Lohban. In 1984, the people of the village gave land and began collecting funds to build a temple and a small ashram in honor of Mahendra Maharaj and Shri Haidakhan Baba.

Though Mahendra Baba went to Vrindaban and Lohban to be with Lord Krishna and Mother Radha, he did not forget his great desire to find his guru. He walked through the Himalayas - in India, Nepal, and Tibet - searching for the guru who had come from the Himalayas to teach him yogic knowledge. It is said of Mahendra Baba that he never begged for food or other things - as most religious wanderers do - and that he often went hungry and in want, though usually people brought him food and gave him things he needed, without his asking. He spent much time in long fasts and meditated for long periods, wearing little, eating little, and speaking little. He was known for his severe penance. His growing number of devotees, including the rajah (king) of the Datta area, used to offer him food and sweets to ease his penance and preserve his health, but he rarely accepted these things.

For years, Mahendra Baba prayed that he might find his guru from the Himalayas, but he continued to be in ignorance of who he was. We are told that in 1949 Mahendra Baba had a vision at the Ambaji Temple in Datta in which the Goddess Durga came to him and told Mahendra Baba to go to the Almora District of Uttar Pradesh to look for his guru. His search in the Almora District is the first major theme in Mahendra Baba's book, "Anupam Kripa."

Early in the summer of 1949, he went to a temple in the town of Almora and stayed there for three or four days, but since he did not find his guru there he became restless and walked to Kosi, five or six miles away The next day he walked to a Surya Devi temple a mile above Kosi. In the evening, a villager offered to lead Mahendra Baba to another temple farther into the mountains. In the dark of early night, they walked along a path about a foot wide, high above a stream. Tired and hungry though Mahendra Baba was, there was no room to sit on the path and rest. After two hours, the villager pointed out the path to the temple and disappeared into the darkness to go home to his sick son. Mahendra Baba groped his way to a tiny village, but was stopped by barking dogs. He called out names of God and was heard by some women in the village temple, who sent a man to help him. The man offered to feed him, but Mahendra Maharaj asked only that he be led to the Shatrudra temple and, after midnight, they reached the Shiva Bolenath temple at Shatrudra.

As soon as Mahendra Maharaj drank the water of the stream that flows near the temple, his hunger and thirst vanished and he went to sleep on the porch of the temple. Very soon he was awakened by the priest of the temple, who, in great agitation, said, "Maharaj, tell me quickly what food I should bring for you. Tell me quickly, for the Lord Himself has told me sternly that an ascetic is hungry, and I am to feed him. See how, even now, my heart is beating!" Mahendra Baba protested he wanted nothing and he was so obviously tired that the priest told him to go to sleep. As Mahendra Baba settled down to sleep again, the priest went into the temple and stumbled against a bundle in the darkness. It contained flour, so he insisted on making bread and a vegetable in great quantities and fed Mahendra Maharaj well.

From place to place, like this, for eleven days, Mahendra Baba was led across the Almora District to Sheetlakhet where he met Shiromani Pathak, who, after an all-night talk⁴², sent Mahendra Maharaj on to the Siddhashram, just half a mile or so below Sheetlakhet.

"I came to the Ashram with [its] priest. Even a poet would be unable to describe the beauty of the place. In the Ashram is a bungalow type of travelers' rest house, a Laxmi Devi temple, with a stream constantly flowing by, and a hermitage. On the highest point is another hut from which one gets a view of the snow-covered peaks of Nandakot, Badrinarayan, Nilkanth, and many others.

"At some distance from the hut there are two deodar trees known by the names of 'Nar' and 'Narayan.' The priest told me to seat myself there - though neither any sadhu nor pilgrim usually is allowed to stay in this hut. In it are kept only Shri Maharaj's pictures, His mala [rosary], some books on Durga, Vishnu, the Gita, and certain other things pertaining to religious observances. No one has any right to use it. But, by the Lord's Grace, the priest opened the lock as soon as we reached the hut.

"I saluted the pictures and made obeisance [pranam]. My mind became exhilarated at once. What was this? These pictures were of my Gurudev⁴³ who had long ago made me His own when I was a student!"⁴⁴

Immediately, Mahendra Maharaj was overwhelmed with doubt, confusion, and conflict. Joy and the pains of doubt chased each other through his mind. He thought of fasting, but when he slept, the Goddess Mother appeared in his dreams and said, "Brother, I am hungry." He woke up crying and offered food and sweets to the goddess, and then ate from the offerings. He could not concentrate on jap (repetition of God's names) or meditation.

For three days Mahendra Baba lived in this inner confusion.

"I used to ask myself, 'What is the use of passing my time this way? Even after meeting Him, He forgets me; I cannot live without Him. Oh, mind of mine!, either forget Him completely and get immersed in worldly wealth and ease, or, by the might of your soul-force, lay your head at your Beloved's feet.' I made up my mind that I would fast unto death from the following day or until Shri Maharaj would root out this doubt of mine...

"Due to the cold, I had a late bath, and said my prayers, did my meditation and jap, and read a part of the scriptures; then I closed my door carefully from the inside and chained it. There was a small window on one side of the room, but it was closed with an iron grille; even so, I closed the shutters carefully and pushed the bolt shut... Making my obeisance to Shri Maharaj, I intended to sleep, never expecting that His Grace would descend so soon on me.

"In Shri Bhagwat I had read of Dhruva and had also read the lives of modern saints, such as Narasingh Mehta and others. These great rishis had attained salvation after great trials borne with strength and devotion. I was inexperienced, not a devotee, with neither faith nor love, and did not expect to meet the Lord so soon - though I knew His Grace would descend on me, for, if He did not intend to bestow it on me, why should He have called me to His holy temple? I knew for a certainty that He would pour His Grace on me. Such thoughts ran through my mind for some time; then I felt sleepy, for I was not afflicted with such great love for Him as to drive away sleep. I did not want to eat or drink, my mind was not directed toward ceremonies or singing sacred verses, so I decided to pass my time in sleep.

"Unthinkingly, whilst going to sleep, I looked toward the door while stretching out my legs - and I saw Shri Bhagwan standing there! From where He had come, and when, these things are unknown. Due to lack of space, the suddenness of His appearance, overwhelming reverence, and weakness of body and mind, I could not get up, but sat up and put both my weak and sinful hands on His holy feet - speechless; I was struck dumb!

"Even though my eyes were directed at His holy feet, I tried to catch a glimpse of His lotus-like face. For some time, He kept looking at me affectionately, as if making me His own by His Grace. I was oblivious of all external things. I was not aware of anything, except the intoxicating nectar of His Presence. Only that day did I realize my complete merging in Him - a true state of oneness with Lord Shiva Himself.

"Breaking my trance-like condition, Shri Bhagwan asked, 'Baba, what do you want?' That sweet voice of Shri Bhagwan was indescribable. Saints like Shri Valmiki, Vaidvyas, and others, on such occasions, have thought silence the best speech. In His generous and compassionate presence, I became whole. He was as happy to call an orphan under His fearless protection as a nursing cow feels on seeing her weak and wobbly child! The beauty of His revered body, its fragrance, the delicacy of His skin and His gentleness were beyond not only my vision but my knowledge, also. Then, putting His hands on my head, He asked, 'Baba, what do you want?'

"Hearing these words from His lotus-like appearance, and at the sight of His holy feet, I felt in my heart as if a royal father, seeing his son's pitiful condition, was instantly ready to give away everything to relieve him; so also was Shri Bhagwan eager to help me by bestowing on me the boon of all worldly and supernatural powers. Shri Bhagwan, Sambasadashiva, Lord of the Three Worlds and of all living creatures, was bestowing on me the great boon of salvation!

"I was filled with ecstasy! To appear before His child like this! To grant my wish by His Grace! With delight and great happiness, keeping my hands pressed to His holy feet, in a low voice I said, 'Your blessings.' The compassionate Lord's eyes filled with tears; His strong heart melted. Putting both His holy hands again on my head, and saying, 'Baba, this way has been closed: He disappeared from my sight."⁴⁵

It took some time for the overwhelmed Mahendra Baba to calm down. After a while, he unlatched his door and went out onto the verandah, looking everywhere in amazement and happiness, to see if he could see Lord Shiva again. The ashram priest came by and Mahendra Baba asked him to go and ask Shiromani to come to him, and to bring food from the shops in Sheetlakhet. Mahendra Baba stood confused as to whether what he had seen was a reality or a delusion.

"...There were a number of reasons for my doubt. First of all, I have a doubting nature; secondly, Maharaj was not dressed in a cap and kurta [the long shirt] when He appeared to me; a short length of cloth was wrapped around His waist, and half of it was tied lower down. The cloth was very bright and attractive. In a semi-conscious condition, thinking of Shri Prabhu's compassion and power, again and again I was overpowered with the joy of His Presence.

"Meanwhile, [Shiromani] arrived. The priest came a bit later with his purchases. I asked [Shiromani] what sort of clothes Shri Baba wore. In a grave voice, he explained that He had no special type of apparel. We sometimes made Him wear a kurta and cap, he said; sometimes a jacket and turban, and for a short time Shri Prabhu would accept whatever we gave. Generally, He had a dhoti [a long length of cloth], half of which was wrapped round the upper part of His body, and the rest around the lower part.

"As soon as I heard this, my doubts vanished. Then, pointing to the side of the room Shri Bhagwan had glanced at just before He left, I asked him, ' [Shiromani], was there ever a door on this side of the room?' [Shiromani] was greatly astonished at this question. Falling at my feet, he asked, 'Are you deluding me? Are you yourself Shri Haidakhan Wale Baba? He, also, did not have any fixed likeness! The All-powerful Lord, putting on all sorts of forms; He was in the habit of appearing in various forms; He was God!' Saying this, he started weeping.

"Now Shiromanji regained his composure and, holding me by the hand, took me into the room. He pointed out to me certain signs showing where a door-frame had been formerly, in the direction toward which Shri Maharaj had pointed. It was only a mark of where the door had been. I could not fully understand the significance of the door and so I re­quested [Shiromani] to explain it fully to me. He told me that Shri Maharaj's room had a door on that side, but one of the devotees had it blocked and opened another, for his own convenience. This was enough for me; I had been granted what I longed for, and my heart said that even if I died now, I had, by His great blessing, attained peace in this world.

"For the next five or six days there was no will to do anything. Then a strong desire arose that the world should hear the blessed and compassionate message of Lord Shiva. Only He could save humanity in these dark days in the world. I examined and searched my heart minutely to see whether there was any lurking desire hidden in my heart to achieve greatness or fame for myself, which sought to be gratified in this way. But it is useless to write more about that, for by the Lord's blessing, such a motive was not there, and is not now present. The prompting of this wish was for the good of humanity only, and especially for those who believed in me as their spiritual teacher, and wished to attain salvation through my help - though often then, and even now, I explain my inability to give them this aid. I explained to them that this is all Bhagwan's Lila [God's activity or 'play'] and I was a mere messenger of His. But I felt I should give to humanity this blessed message of the Lord. So be it!"⁴⁶

After leaving Siddhashram, Mahendra Maharaj made a visit to Haidakhan - the first of many visits there. He spent about a week in the cave where 'Old Haidakhan Baba' used to sit. During the third or fourth night of his stay, he was awakened by a rattling sound, which was repeated two or three times. When he fell asleep again, the noise woke him again and he jumped up in alarm. He was amazed at his fright; he had slept in fearful forests and on mountains without such fear. Thinking that whatever God sent him was for his good, "not out of faith or fear, but just to pass the time"⁴⁷ he started reciting prayers. He lost consciousness and in this state he composed prayers to Shri Munindra (one of the names of The Divine) through the power of divine Grace. Repeating the verses gave him great joy. But after saying them once, he started to forget them. He thought that if he had a pencil and a light he could have written them down. Then he thought that if they were inspired by God, God would not forget them but would bring them back to Mahendra Baba's memory in the morning, whereas if they were of his own making, there was no harm in forgetting them. So he went peacefully to sleep.

A teacher from the village used to pass by the cave and bring milk to Mahendra Baba. At 8 a.m., the teacher found Mahendra Baba still asleep and awakened him, saying, "I think you are an educated person; take this pencil and paper in case you wish to write something."

Before drinking the milk, Mahendra Baba sat on a stone near the river, in front of the cave, and, after saying a short prayer, he began writing the verses which had come to him in the night. "Ah! At that time each word of the invocations appeared as if illumined. With extreme joy I wrote down the mantric illuminated words with hands trembling with emotion; then, thanking God for His boundless grace and greatness, I drank the milk."⁴⁸

Mahendra Maharaj stayed in the cave another three or four days and composed poetic invocations and prayers without any effort. Some gave teachings; others gave explanations of beautiful but difficult Sanskrit verses. The thought came to him that since childhood he had prayed that he did not want wealth, acclaim, beautiful women, or poetry, but here, by God's grace, he had acquired this poetic power which he was using with joy. He concluded this gift was an enticement, a test⁴⁹ - and Mahendra Maharaj tore up all his own compositions, saving the divinely given one, and left Haidakhan.

Shri Manherlal K. Vora of Bombay states that soon after the experiences at Siddhashram and Haidakhan, Mahendra Baba came to the Vora home, still pondering his experiences, still wavering between faith and doubt. Mahendra Baba had Mr. Vora take him to Ramana Maharshi's ashram⁵⁰ at Tam Vana Malali near Madras. There Mahendra Maharaj was reassured that Haidakhan Baba was great, and was a reality, and that he (Mahendra Baba) was in good hands.

Mahendra Baba wrote to many friends and acquaintances about his experiences; he began to teach and preach more urgently the Message of God; he assembled the Haidakhan Aarati (the sung worship service), writing parts of it himself and incorporating hymns from other traditional aaratis; he went to the several ashrams established by 'Old Haidakhan Baba' and repaired and maintained those which had decayed, and united the devotees 'Old Haidakhan Baba' had left with those who learned of Him through Mahendra Baba's efforts.

Some Experiences with Babaji

As you may remember, Mahendra Baba went to Vrindaban and its vicinity because of his great devotion to and love for Lord Krishna. One day he was bathing in the Ganges River and thinking of returning to Vrindaban after his bath.

"Reciting the mantra to my Guru whilst bathing, I prayed to the compassionate Lord, Shri Haidakhan:

"Prabhu [God] You are Ishwara, the Refuge of all creation, .the embodied Guardian and ever-existing, compassionate Lord. It has been said, 'O Lord, Your supremely effulgent Form is the complete form of God; O Changeless God, there is none to equal Thee in the universe.' Therefore, I pray for a vision of You at Vrindaban in the form of Shri Krishna.'

"I made this prayer and then forgot it. There is no doubt of the fact that Shri Prabhu, Manmunindra Shri Haidakhan Baba, and the Great Lover, the happy Lord Shyam of Vrindaban, are one and the same."⁵¹

Back in Vrindaban, one morning Mahendra Baba came upon a place associated with Krishna, where a play was being presented under a banyan tree, with Krishna playing His flute to Radha. Mahendra Baba remembered his desire to see Krishna and prayed to Him for a vision. Hardly had he completed the thought than he 'saw' the Yamuna River flowing near a banyan tree. Under the banyan tree, surrounded by growing wild flowers, stood Shri Krishna, as a beautiful young boy, smiling gently, looking at Mahendra Baba from the corners of His eyes, and playing His flute, softly and sweetly, like Pan. "I felt as if my sight - reaching up to glance at His eyes, found their brilliance so great that it forgot its natural function and became a fish, swimming in that ocean of love - became unconscious with joy." After quite some time, he 'awoke' from this vision and saw again the play going on under another banyan tree, with the same actors as before, the same audience; and Mahendra Baba became his old self again. But he was filled with wonder and joy and found himself repeating, "The Great Guru Shri Haidakhandi Himself is Krishna! It is Shri Krishna dressed in a gown and cap appearing as Shri Haidakhan Baba!"⁵²

* * * * * * * *

The year 1957 was a year of great significance for Mahendra Maharaj and Shri Babaji's devotees. Mahendra Maharaj spent a good deal of time at the Kathgharia Ashram, about three miles from Haldwani - a place established by 'Old Haidakhan Baba,' in which He used to stay for fairly long periods of time. A statue (murti) of Shri Babaji was installed at the temple in this ashram on Sunday, February 24, 1957. Prior to the installation, a festival was held for four or five days, which was attended by thousands of people, many of them from distant places. Although neither devotees nor police made any effort to enforce discipline, there was no disorder - and no stealing; in fact, lost items - even items of jewelry - were returned to their owners.

On Saturday night, a large throng of people, including great sages and saints, learned men and philosophers, people from East and West, gathered to hear the Ramayana being read and to sing kirtan (religious songs) through the night prior to the installation on Sunday morning. Mahendra Baba, Vishnu Dutt and Giridhari Lal Mishra, and a tailor named Ram Chandra were locked in a room in the ashram with the murti, to provide space and time to make a kurta for the murti, and they were happily talking about Shri Babaji. At about eleven o'clock, at the height of the celebration, when the compound was filled with happiness, love and worship, some ladies sitting under the banyan tree, singing songs, saw a Divine Light. For a moment or two they did not understand its significance and were frightened. Then, as it moved here and there in human form, they understood it to be the vision of Shri Babaji for which they had been praying. Some of them ran to tell others and hundreds came running to see, amid a great clamor of rejoicing voices. A devotee ran to the room where Mahendra Maharaj and the others worked, and shouted, "Baba, Shri Haidakhan Baba has come!" Instantly, the four dropped their work and ran out and shared in this experience. After a few more minutes, the Light entered the room where the murti was and disappeared.

"This Light was about ten feet away from the gathering and Maharaj walked about there for some time along a straight line of about 125 feet, about two feet above the ground. Everyone saw it merely in the form of Light.

"The description of this Light is given in almost all religious books. Wherever there is a description of Him, it is always in the form of Light. In the great Vedic Gayatri Mantra, the word 'Bharg' has this significance. In the New Testament, the Light mentioned is in no way different from that written of in Hindu scriptures. In the Buddhist, Jain, Islamic - in fact, in all religions - there is this written reference to 'the Light.' But in such a collective form, during a sacrificial ceremony, for such a long time, walking about before all, showing His Glorious Image to all - such an event is almost unheard of in history."⁵³

Some people reported that they saw, in the Light, the form of 'Old Haidakhan Baba,' clad in kurta (long shirt) and cap; Vishnu Dutt Shastriji says that he saw in the Light, which passed him at a distance of about ten feet, the young form of Shri Babaji. Shri Laxmi Narayan Mittal of Gwalior told me that the Light was so bright and pulsating that it was impossible to distinguish the features of the Form within the Light.

Later in the year 1957, Mahendra Maharaj wrote the book "Anupam Kripa," to share with others the experiences of Shri Babaji's Grace in the form of these appearances to him and others. The next year, Mahendra Baba wrote "Divya Kathamrit," which, like the Hindu Puranic texts, relates discussions among the gods, with guidance for humankind, and foretells the coming of Shri Babaji and activities which He would undertake.

In 1958, Mahendra Baba, who had been spending more and more time in Vrindaban, living with devotees on his visits there, persuaded his devotees to acquire property in Vrindaban to build an ashram. Devotees (mostly from Bombay) raised about 55,000 rupees and bought land and built the first rooms of the present ashram. Although Mahendra Baba had precise ideas for a fitting marble temple to Babaji on this site, it was not built in his lifetime. However, in 1958, when the first rooms were inaugurated, Mahendra Baba brought the murti of 'Old Haidakhan Baba' that was installed at Kathgharia in 1957, to this new ashram, where it remains today.

Mahendra Baba's Teachings

Mahendra Baba's teachings anticipated Shri Babaji's message in many respects; he communed deeply and often with Shri Babaji. He wrote of the essential unity of all of Creation and the necessity of harmony among all the elements of Creation. In a pamphlet entitled "Blessings and Precepts,"⁵⁴ Mahendra Baba had this to say on these concepts:

"The human body and the infinite Brahman are similar in their creational structure. The materials for formation of both are the same. The resemblance is not in the physical body of the five elements only, but also in the subtle and causal bodies...

"If any part of the body is broken, one feels pain and consequential want. So also it is an indubitable fact that if there be any injury in any part of the universe, its effect - whether we know it or not - is sure to fall on the entire Brahman, in the natural course of events. [Italics mine.] Just as our affairs in our short lives are to some extent hereditary, in the same way actions in the vast universe are also determined and well organized. In the activity of our bodies, the cooperation of the sense organs is necessary; it is the same in the operation of the cosmos through the basic elements of Creation."⁵⁵

Mahendra Baba wrote about the 'Jivatma' (the individual soul, or atma) and the 'Parmatma' (the universal Soul, or Brahman), noting that "the nature of both Jivatma and Parmatma is wholly identical. They are the manifested states of the same Being, just as the limited intelligence of childhood and the experience of old age are of the same person."

"Whether separately or unitedly - that is, individually or in association - a harmonious and genial cordiality is beneficial for all. If the literary man assigns to harmony a proper place in his realm; the administrator and politician conform to a harmonious way of thinking; the religious preceptor - keeping in view one truth in all religions - on seeing the same ideal in the infinite number of practices, preaches a religion of harmony to mankind throughout the entire world; then, surely, all demoniac and evil propensities, like man­made worries, envy, and vindictiveness, will very soon be banished from our society.

"We should begin this harmonious practice of general usefulness in our homes. We should regard all members of our family as parts of our body. We should entertain the same pure feeling of affinity toward our families as we have toward the organs of our bodies. Just as our pleasure and pain affect our minds and we feel worried and uneasy under those circumstances, we should be moved similarly in their weal and woe.

"From this stage, we shall learn to do service to the whole universal brotherhood. Mean selfishness has kept us dissociated from the universal fraternity: in reality, we are children of the same parents. Our wants are the same; we are inhabitants of the same earth; and the same God is the object of worship by us all."⁵⁶ [Italics mine.]

Mahendra Maharaj, following Lord Shiva's counsel, urged people to follow the path of Truth, Simplicity and Love (Satya, Saralta, and Prem). Mahendra Baba described Truth as "Whatever the mind thinks, the voice should tell and the organs should do." In "Blessings and Precepts," he stated it this way:

"In all the religious books of the world, Truth has been given the highest veneration for the reason that there is most excellent harmony in it. Whatever the mind thinks, the eye should see the same, the ear should hear the same, speech should speak the same; in other words, perfect harmony and cooperation are necessary in mind, speech and action. That all these should remain in their proper place as complementary to each other is conducive to good."

Leading a simple, natural life develops the 'simplicity' that is helpful to walking this Path. To be 'simple', in this context, requires a clear conscience and detachment toward (not rejection of) the materialistic world. The practice of Truth, as defined above, helps in the development of Simplicity. Greed and lust and resultant anger, hostility, sorrow, and the strengthening of feelings of separateness are not compatible with Simplicity. To lead a simple life, one should consider practicing voluntary poverty. This is not a directive to renounce activity or wealth (which often comes to those who practice Truth, Simplicity and Love), but a standard against which to consider one's personal demands or one's criteria for personal "needs" in life.

Love is the basis of devotion. According to the Hindu scriptures, physical or sexual love does not lead beyond itself; but when the same love, or passionate desire, is directed toward God alone, it becomes devotion.

Mahendra Baba taught that will power supports Truth; physical power is involved in the control of Simplicity; the power of the heart controls Love and devotion. By practicing Truth, Simplicity and Love, one can gain control over mind, body and the feelings of the heart. By the harmonious use of these 'controls' and by practicing tolerance and the remembrance of God's name, one can reach God. Walking this Path leads to a happy, useful, and contented life in the material world in which we live, based on realization of what life is all about.⁵⁷

Vishnu Dutt and Giridhari Lal Mishra

Vishnu Dutt Mishra -"Shastriji"

Vishnu Dutt Mishra and Giridhari Lal Mishra were two brothers from the present Indian state of Rajasthan. Their father and father's fathers before them were the raj gurus (gurus of the kings) of the Alwar state, and Vishnu Dutt has also held this title. Vishnu Dutt is a "shastri" - a scholar with an "acharya" degree in Sanskrit from Benares University (the equivalent of a Ph. D.) - who taught Hindi and Sanskrit in the secondary school at Rajgarh, District Alwar, in Rajasthan. His younger brother, Giridhari Lal, was a highly respected judge in the Rajasthan Judicial Service.

In 1951 or 1952, when Vishnu Dutt was about 43 and Giridhari Lal was about 37 years old, and when Giridhari Lal was performing his duties and living in Bandikui (not far from Rajgarh), Mahendra Baba visited Bandikui. Giridhari Lal met Mahendra Baba during that visit. On the same day, Vishnu Dutt felt called to go to Bandikui and he also met Mahendra Baba, through Giridhari Lal, at the railroad station, as Mahendra Baba was leaving Bandikui. As the train was about to move, Mahendra Baba told Vishnu Dutt that when the two brothers lived in the same town, he would come to them. After about one month, Giridhari Lal was transferred from Bandikui to Rajgarh, and Mahendra Baba started visiting them frequently.

Vishnu Dutt (known as "Shastriji") had a remarkable memory for the scriptures, in both Sanskrit and Hindi, and could recite long passages from memory. Mahendra Maharaj used to ask Shastriji to recite various scriptures to him. One day, in 1954, Mahendra Baba remarked, "You recite so well; why can't you write some literature?"

The next day, Mahendra Baba had Giridhari Lal take him to a place outside of Rajgarh for his bath. When Shastriji, at home, took his bath, as he poured the first pitcher of water, an original sloka (a religious verse of praise) came into his mind, and he spoke it as he bathed. He wrote it down and when Mahendra Baba returned, Shastriji showed him the sloka. Mahendra Baba was delighted and said that a gift of 10,000 rupees could not make him so happy. He told Shastriji the sloka - and the ability to compose it - was the blessing of the Divine Mother and that he now had Her full blessings.

The next day, when Shastriji went to school, in a free period he started writing slokas - and they flowed easily, almost automatically. When he showed them to Mahendra Maharaj that evening, Mahendra Maharaj was so excited that he literally jumped for joy, and then put his hand on Shastriji's head in blessing. Ever since this time, Shastriji has been able to compose easily whatever he wishes. He had never written anything for publication before, nor had any thought of doing so.

The following day Mahendra Maharaj left for Vrindaban. As he was sitting in the bus, he blessed Shastriji again and assured him that he could write whatever he wanted. This started Shastriji on his first book, "Sadguru Stuti Kusmanjali," a book of prayers to and verses about Shri Babaji. The whole book was written in seven or eight days. It was written in Sanskrit verse and translated into Hindi, also in verse form. When it was completed, Giridhari Lal read it and became very excited, asking how such an excellent book could be written in such a short time. He insisted that he and Shastriji take the manuscript to Mahendra Maharaj, so they went to Vrindaban the next day.

They found Mahendra Maharaj sitting by a small pond, in meditation. They sat down before him and after two or three minutes he opened his eyes. Immediately, he asked what they had brought, and Shastriji handed the manuscript to Mahendra Baba. Mahendra Baba had Shastriji read the book to him as they sat there. Shastriji read until about 3 p.m., when Mahendra Baba interrupted and apologized for not having given them tea, even yet, but this day was closing day for shops in this part of Vrindaban and what could he do? "Well," he said, "you go on reciting and we'll see about food later." Shastriji continued to read. About twenty minutes later, a young girl, carrying a tray of sweets and tea, came up and put the tray before them and went away.

After he heard the whole book read to him, Mahendra Maharaj commented that Shastriji wrote excellent Sanskrit verse, but that his Hindi verse should equal that of Tulsidas, Kabir, and other great poets. That time will come, he said; but, until then, you should write only in Sanskrit.

About six weeks after this, Mahendra Baba sent word to Shastriji that he should take leave from his teaching duties and come to Vrindaban immediately. Shastriji found Mahendra Baba in a small room at Shyamji s house, above a sweet shop. Mahendra Baba was sitting in front of a photograph of 'Old Haidakhan Baba.' Shastriji made a pranam to the photograph and told Mahendra Baba that he had never before seen a photograph of Haidakhan Baba but that he had seen that form in his dreams. In 1940, in the temple to Laxman in his home in Rajgarh, Shri Laxmanji had given Shastriji a vision, or dream, of Babaji in the same form as he now saw in the photograph, and told Shastriji that "He [Babaji] can give you everything."

Mahendra Maharaj then told Shastriji that the time had come when he could write such beautiful compositions that they would excel those of Tulsidas, Kabir, and everyone. Shastriji made a pranam to Mahendra Baba and asked him how to proceed with the writing. Mahendra Baba protested, "How can I give these blessings?" He removed the jasmine garland that was hung on Babaji's photograph. He gave the garland to Shastriji, saying, "Your daughter is the incarnation of Saraswati [the Goddess of Knowledge and artistic inspiration]. You give this mala to her and she will give you the outline of what has to be written." (At that time, Shastriji's daughter was four years old.)

When Shastriji returned home from Vrindaban, the whole family came to greet him and to inquire what Mahendra Maharaj had wanted. The four-year-old daughter came, too, so Shastriji took the garland and put it on her, as directed by Mahendra Maharaj. The girl took the pen from Shastriji's pocket, found a piece of paper and started scribbling on the paper. Each day, the little girl scribbled on a number of pages, and each day Shastriji wrote exactly the same number of pages of poetry (slokas). If she scribbled on ten pages, he wrote ten pages of slokas; if she scribbled on twenty-five pages, he wrote twenty-five pages of slokas. Occasionally, she would return for a second session of scribbling and Shastriji wrote more pages of poetry.

The book Shastriji was beginning to write was "Shrisadashiv Charitamrit," the book which chronicles the "Babaji leela" from discussions among the gods, through His manifestations in the eras of Lord Ram and Lord Krishna, and on up through that of 'Old Haidakhan Baba' (and now - as of December 1983 - the latest manifestation of Shri Babaji). While Shastriji was writing this book, Mahendra Maharaj used to come to Shastriji's home every week or ten days to check on the progress of the writing.

One evening, as Shastriji was reciting to Mahendra Baba what had been written recently, he came to a description of the Divine Mother. As Shastriji recited this, he saw Mahendra Maharaj's body turn into that form of the Divine Mother that his slokas described. Suddenly, there was 'Ma,' wearing a red sari, with a big red spot of kum-kum in the middle of her forehead, wearing a jeweled nose-ring - altogether a beautiful form beautifully adorned. Shastriji was greatly frightened, but he could not stop his recitation. This experience continued for a full twenty-five minutes, while Shastriji recited, by the end of which he was drenched in sweat from his nervousness. When the recitation ceased, the familiar form of Mahendra Maharaj was straightening out his beard and mustache; he slapped his right thigh and said to Shastriji, "You got scared by just this much?"

The following day Mahendra Maharaj enriched Shastriji's powerful spiritual experience by directing the family to a Hanuman temple some miles outside of Rajgarh where Mahendra Maharaj sat, with Shastriji at his side, and sang a religious song to Lord Hanuman three times. By the time Mahendra Maharaj had repeated the song the third time, Shastriji saw the statue of Hanuman come alive and begin to expand immensely. Shastriji was so frightened that he fainted. When Mahendra Baba brought Shastriji out of his faint, Mahendra took the family on to an ancient and particularly holy Shiva temple. There, both Mahendra Baba and Shastriji took ritual baths and then Mahendra Baba directed Shastriji in giving the Shiva lingam at the temple a ritual bath.

The result of this series of powerful experiences was to put Shastriji into such a trance that for a full six months thereafter he had no feelings: he did not experience hunger or thirst; he did not feel like temple worship because if he went to a temple or to a Shivalingam he saw only Babaji standing there blinking His eyes.

Shastriji had no desire to speak and he remained silent. His wife became quite worried about Shastriji and called some doctors to examine him; they reported that he was perfectly all right, he was just not speaking.

Throughout this six months, Shastriji 'saw things' - "like a whole show, going on and on." He watched these 'visions' and wrote what he saw - whatever passed before his eyes. He had never gone to Haldwani or been in that area, but, during this period, he had visions of how Haidakhan started (early in Creation), how it changed and grew. He saw the Haidakhan Cave formed, saw the trees as they grew. He saw the similar growth of each of Shri Babaji's ashrams. He 'saw' Lord Shiva and other gods and 'listened' to their conversations; he saw Shiva/Babaji play His role in Lord Ram's time and in Krishna's time. And what he saw, he wrote - in Sanskrit verse, in the same meter in which the Ramayana was written. And when, years later, he went to Haidakhan, Siddhashram, Kathgharia, and other Babaji ashrams, he saw that his descriptions were accurate.⁵⁸

The visions were received by Vishnu Dutt Mishra in 1954 and 1955, and he wrote then the Sanskrit slokas which describe what he saw. In the following two years, Shastriji composed Hindi verse translations of the Sanskrit slokas and added commentary in Hindi. The book, with eight chapters, was published in 1959, and the Rajah of Alwar had a limited edition printed in gold leaf.

The second chapter of "Shrisadashiv Charitamrit" relates a number of conversations between Lord Shiva and other gods and goddesses. One of these conversations, between Lord Shiva and His Shakti (called Jagadamba, the Universal Mother, in this instance) contains the following statements.

Jagadamba requested Lord Shiva to go to the world to help mankind, and Shiva replied:

"To make You happy, I will go to the world as Sadguru Mahavatar Shri Haidakhandi Baba."

Jagadamba responded:

"As I am the other half of Your body, I should be Your first disciple. I would like to precede You in the world and tell Your world about Your Glory. I will be instrumental in bringing all the people of the world to You. As Your disciple, I want always to remain with You. My name should be Shri Charanashrit Shri Paramguru Mahendra Maharaj."⁵⁹

Lord Shiva granted Jagadamba's request and continued:

"When I come to the world, I will first go to the Kumaon and appear in a cave at the base of Mount Kailash. Although I will go around the world as an immortal saint, I will come for some time to the caves of Kumaon.

"In that place there is an herb called 'Haira'; the Gautam Ganga flows there twenty-four hours a day; nearby there is a beautiful cave. This place will become famous in the world as 'Haidakhan Vishwa Mahadham.'⁶⁰ This place I love. I will become known as 'Haidakhan Baba.' People of the area will have My first darshan in the form of a divine, pure, peaceful sadhu."

"Whoever reaches this place will not be touched by the evils of the Kali Yuga. I shall grant the wishes of all who come. I shall perform great yagyas [fire ceremonies] there and people from all over the world can have My darshan there. I Myself shall tell people how they are to worship Lord Shiva. I will give the greatest mantra to the people - Om Namah Shivaya - and I will go from house to house, telling them to repeat this mantra."⁶¹

The fourth chapter of "Shrisadashiv Charitamrit" records, among other things, teachings of Shri Babaji as He spoke (in Shastriji's visions) to saints and siddhas who came to Him and asked Him to teach them. One of the basic teachings of Shri Babaji in these visions centered on the repetition of God's Names. Babaji is quoted as saying:

"To realize the Universal Soul - the Soul of men and of Nature - only the Name of the Lord can help. There is no difference between Name and Form. By practicing the repetition of the Lord's Name, the devotee becomes the Name Itself - the Name of the Lord. His Form and the one reciting the Name unite: the Name is the Lord. To reach the Ultimate, the practice of the repetition of the Lord's Name is the best practice."

"The Lord Himself resides in the heart of him who recites His Name."

"The mixing of Truth, Simplicity, and Love with the Lord's Name gives 'tasty food'; then the Lord is happy. The best and easiest religious practice (sadhana) in the world is nama japa [repetition of the Name]. Its recitation with faith leads to the ultimate happiness. To recite the Lord's Name with every breath is the way to work properly; it creates a divine atmosphere.

"All material wealth, all attachments will pass; the one thing that is permanent is the Word of the Lord. Awake, and forget your worries!"

Shri Sambasadashiv is quoted in this Chapter as saying:

"I Myself always recite the Name of the Lord; that is why I am happy. Only those reciting the Name of the Lord with every breath are true karma yogis.⁶² There is no knowledge without the Name of the Lord. You speak so many words, but not the Name of the Lord."

"Have faith! Reciting the Name of the Lord is not the first, but the last stage of spiritual practice."

"When lions enter the forest, the other animals run away. Likewise, all evil thoughts will vanish with the recitation of the Lord's Name. Reciting the Name of the Lord will bring you the company of good people and you will be near saints. Blessed are the few who will discard the kingdom of the world for the Lord's Name. Such a devotee always resides in My heart;"

Chapter Four also contains these comments about human activity and aspirations for those who seek God-realization:

"Without knowledge, karma [activity or work] is useless. Without love and devotion, karma is useless. Plain karmas bring miseries. Karma, japa, and knowledge together bring happiness and simplicity. Good character and detachment are necessary for the realization of the Lord.

"In the womb, you take a vow not to get attached; but as soon as you come out, you get entangled. Abandon attachment! Your mind plays tricks on you! That is why you are after pleasures! All worldly things - including the desire for liberation - are obstacles to which you are attached. If you want divine peace, leave behind ignorant karmas."

Mahendra Baba Leaves

While Vishnu Dutt Mishra was working on "Shrisadashiv Charitamrit," his brother Giridhari Lal - having had visions of and 'talks' with 'Old Haidakhan Baba' - gathered stories of 'Old Haidakhan Baba' and published them in a book called "Bhagwan Shri Haidakhan Wale Baba." Mahendra Baba, Giridhari Lal and Vishnu Dutt Mishra all came to the conclusion, on the basis of their research, visions, and spiritual insight, that 'Old Haidakhan Baba,' the Babaji of whom Shri Yogananda and Shri Yukteswar wrote, and the (then - coming, or foretold) Haidakhan Babaji of recent manifestation are all manifestations of Lord Shiva and all are the same Entity.

Mahendra Maharaj spent twenty years after his experience of Shri Babaji at Siddhashram telling people of this Babaji, developing a degree of unity among them, caring for the ashrams, creating and teaching people a sung service of worship of Babaji as the manifestation of Lord Shiva, and telling people that Shri Babaji would re-a­pear, and that they could hasten that appearance with their prayers. Many miracles are attributed to Mahendra Maharaj, which he always insisted were the blessings of Haidakhan Baba - not his. Illiterate people, with his blessing, became learned scholars or composers; the literate Vishnu Dutt Mishra became a powerful and widely recognized religious poet and prophet; dying devotees were restored to health; poor people attained riches; childless couples had children. And he continued to predict Shri Babaji's return in physical form; in 1968 or 1969, he is said to have told some people that Babaji would come in 1970; others say he told a few people Babaji would come "soon."

In the summer of 1969, Mahendra Maharaj felt somewhat unwell and decided to go to hill stations (the 5000 -7000-foot, cool resorts in the foothills of the Himalayas) for his health. He left Vrindaban with two devotees and went to Haldwani, then on to Almora for about twelve days. There was nothing particularly wrong with him and the cooler weather restored his good feelings. He came back to warmer Haldwani, on the plains, and stayed at the home of his devotee Mistrilal.

Giridhari Lal Mishra died, in Rajgarh, unexpectedly, of a heart attack, on June 11, 1969. Shastriji wrote a letter to Mahendra Maharaj telling him of Giridhari Lal's death. The letter took twelve days to catch up with Mahendra Maharaj. When he received it, in Haldwani, Mahendra Maharaj commented to disciples around him that when his best disciple has departed, "What is the point in my staying here?" Mahendra Baba then sent one of his devotees to deliver his condolences to Vishnu Dutt. That evening, at about 8 p.m., Mahendra Ma-haraj became very sick. Doctors were called to Mistrilal's house, but they could do nothing; at 8:30 Mahendra Maharaj had left his body.

A decision was made to take his body to Vrindaban for cremation, and telegrams were sent to devotees in Bombay, Gwalior, and Gujarat. A wooden carrier was made; Mahendra Maharaj's body was given its ritual bath and dressed, and chandan (sandalwood paste) was applied to his forehead. The body was put on blocks of ice and covered with flower garlands and driven off to Vrindaban in a truck.

When the truck and the devotees reached Vrindaban, they drove all around the town so that all who knew him could have Mahendra Maharaj's last darshan and pay their respects. At about twelve noon, the body of Mahendra Maharaj was cremated on the banks of the Yamuna River in the town that he had loved all his life. With hundreds of weeping devotees gathered, soon after the fire was lit, Mahendra Maharaj's hand lifted up and gave his final blessing to his mourning friends and devotees.

"Hail, hail to Lord Haidakhan, Who incarnated for the liberation the world!" From the Haidakhan Aarati.