The Meditative Divine Chant amidst Nature & Divine Sounds

i had received a small piece of chant of "Om Namo Bhagawathey Nityanandaya" on my phone that was only of a minute or so, but it would teleport me immediately to Ganeshpuri and the divine presence of Bhagwan Nityananda.

Spontaneously, i found myself making a long loop of this chant but with two additional pieces of Tanpura (A sharp) added to it along with the natural stream water flow. A divine meditative chant of 45 minutes. Added a good sequence of video to it also to make it even more powerful so that when you even stare at it in awareness you would go into a different realm and if you close your eyes you are one with the Great One.

i take this as his blessing itself to have guided to make this one for the benefit of one and all. With prayers for your well being and upliftment, i offer this to Bhagwan and His devotees.

Divine Love and Light

Jacob

The Rarely Understood Enlightened Souls

Was about to sleep and this post popped up and was deeply moved.

It reminded me of Babe Baba too. Bhagwan Nityananda had once left his body unhappy that people go to him for all worldly benefits but hardly any who desire for what He certainly wishes to give (liberation). But Babe Baba was sent back and had to return into his body much to the happiness of all His devotees who were sitting shocked at His motionless body not wanting to believe that He has left His body. Then Bade Baba's belly moved and He was still in deep state of consciousness with little consciousness to the questions that people were asking Him as to where he had been for so long. He said in bits and pieces that He had left in dismay but the Gurumandala sent Him back. When asked who in Gurumandala Bade Baba had begun saying, "Vivekananda was there......." By then He regained awareness of his surroundings and immediately stopped saying anything. People continued asking him further but He spoke not after that.

This post of Swami Vivekananda reminded me this incident of Bade Baba and am awed if Swami Vivekananda was in the Gurumandala of Bade Baba, then what to say..... Awed and deeply moved by this post of Swami Vivekananda too 🙏🙏🙏

The below post is from - https://www.facebook.com/knowswamiji

🌺 He was fast losing interest in active work. On April 7, 1900, he wrote to a friend:

“My boat is nearing the calm harbour, from which it is never more to be driven out. Glory, glory unto Mother! (Referring to the Divine Mother of the Universe.) I have no wish, no ambition now. Blessed be Mother! I am the servant of Ramakrishna. I am merely a machine. I know nothing else. Nor do I want to know.”

To another friend he wrote, on April 12, in similar vein:

“Work always brings dirt with it. I paid for the accumulated dirt with bad health. I am glad my mind is all the better for it. There is a mellowness and a calmness in life now, which never was before. I am learning now how to be attached as well as detached — and mentally becoming my own master. ... Mother is doing Her own work. I do not worry much now. Moths like me die by the thousands every minute. Her work goes on all the same. Glory unto Mother! ... For me — alone and drifting about in the will-current of the Mother has been my life. The moment I have tried to break it, that moment I was hurt. Her will be done. ... I am happy, at peace with myself, and more of the sannyasin, than I ever was. The love for my own kith and kin is growing less every day — for Mother, increasing. Memories of long nights of vigil with Sri Ramakrishna, under the Dakshineswar banyan tree, are waking up once more. And work? What is work? Whose work? Whom to work for? I am free. I am Mother's child. She works, She plays. Why should I plan? What shall I plan? Things came and went, just as She liked, without my planning, in spite of my planning. We are Her automata. She is the wire-puller.”

To another friend he wrote, on April 12, in similar vein:

“Work always brings dirt with it. I paid for the accumulated dirt with bad health. I am glad my mind is all the better for it. There is a mellowness and a calmness in life now, which never was before. I am learning now how to be attached as well as detached — and mentally becoming my own master. ... Mother is doing Her own work. I do not worry much now. Moths like me die by the thousands every minute. Her work goes on all the same. Glory unto Mother! ... For me — alone and drifting about in the will-current of the Mother has been my life. The moment I have tried to break it, that moment I was hurt. Her will be done. ... I am happy, at peace with myself, and more of the sannyasin, than I ever was. The love for my own kith and kin is growing less every day — for Mother, increasing. Memories of long nights of vigil with Sri Ramakrishna, under the Dakshineswar banyan tree, are waking up once more. And work? What is work? Whose work? Whom to work for? I am free. I am Mother's child. She works, She plays. Why should I plan? What shall I plan? Things came and went, just as She liked, without my planning, in spite of my planning. We are Her automata. She is the wire-puller.”

(Swami Nikhilananda "Swami Vivekananda - A Biography", Second Visit To The West, p. 167)

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Bhagwan Nityananda sends his disciple away so that He enter Mahasamadhi

Something hardly known by the world...

Today is the Punyathithi of Bhagwan Nityananda, the day he left his mortal self at 10:42 am on August 8, 1961.

Today, i remembered a strange, mystical and vivid incident during one of my travel in September 2017 to Mathura and Vrindavan. i had shared many happy and divine moments at that time but somehow had refrained speaking about a certain incident, which today propels me to be shared on this divine day.

i had just packed my small bagpack one weekend while in Delhi and booked a train to Mathura for God knows reasons that i do not yet know. It was a very strong pull and i hopped into the train in a couple of hours, reached Mathura next morning and booked a hotel and dashed to visit the Krishna temple in Mathura and then to Brindavan. It was a very ecstatic trip as though there was a very divine flow and rhythm in these sacred places and i had jumped into its current, for it took me from places to places without me having to pressure my logic any bit. But there had been one recurrent thought coming to my mind right from the time i heard the word "Gokul" and it haunted me for two days.

Many years back in 2011, i was would frequent the Nitaynanda Ashram in Belgaum because it was close to my home. There Swami Vijayananda gave me a Hindi book that was written on Swam Karunananda who took Samadhi in Gokul. Swamiji asked me to visit, but to my dismay since i am not fluent with Hindi i politely returned the book to him and also had told i havent been ever to North and i highly doubt if i can ever visit the Samadhi.

Swami Karunananda (Mauni Baba)

Now, if you don't know Swami Karunananda was one of Bhagwan's most low profile disciple who always stayed away from limelight and i doubt if there is any information anywhere in detail about his life than this post. i shall mention later as to where this information came from. In very short, i try to compress the whole story and it is huge real story of the Guru Disciple. Swami Karunananda was very close to Bhagwan and lived with him in very close proximity. He chose to take a place far away from the crowds and thus requested Bhagwan one day, who very unexpectedly asked him to go to Gokul. Swami Karunananda had no idea where this was and told Bhagwan of his plight. Bhagwan just said to go and everything will be taken care of. So, when Swami Karunananda arrived in Gokul an old man who saw that Swamiji was looking new, asked him his whereabouts and asked him if it was okay if he could live in an abandoned broken hut in an isolated place. Swami Karunananda immediately obliged because this was exactly what he was looking for. When they reached the hut and Swamiji turned to thank the old man, there was noone! His heart filled in gratitude knowing that it was his Gurudev. He then meditated there in isolation for many years before returning to Ganeshpuri. When he returned to Ganeshpuri, Bhagwan asked a cup of coffee be given to him (he regularly did that with his this disciple) and asked him to rest in the adjacent room where Bhagwan stayed. Bhagwan then unexpectedly asked him to go to Palani and continue his practice there. This time Swamiji was not very keen to stay apart from his Guru, but Bhagwan insisted and he had to leave. So, he left reluctantly. He found a cave for himself on the sacred Palani Hill (where is Swami Bhogarnath Jeeva Samadhi). He 

Bhagwan Nityananda & Swami Shivananda Paramahamsa

meditated for many years along with Swami Shivananda Paramahamsa of Vadagara, the Sage who would catch live electric wires. For those who dont know, Swami Shivananda Paramahamsa was a great ascetic whose photo is famous, where Bhagwan, as an adolescent, is seated in his lap. Swami Shivananda Paramahamsa was a master in hatta yoga and breathwork and his ashram is in Vadagara, Kerala, where not only he but many of his disciples also have taken Samadhi. Again, Vadagara, i used to visit because i used to visit Avdhoot Amma who also resides in Vadagara :) Moreover, i came to know much about Swami Shivanand Paramahamsa's lineage and ashram after my first ever encounter with a monk was my first ever visit and stay with Mohan Swami, a Yogi from the lineage of Swami Shivananda Paramahamsa. Mohan Swami was trained in his ashram. i have written about my detailed stay with Mohan Swami in my travel blog and had learned some key breathwork from him back then. This was much before i had met my Master. The article is here. 

So, Swami Karunananda did his practices with Swami Shivananda Paramahamsa in Palani, and it was on this mountain that Swami Shivananda attained self-realization. During all these life event, Swami Karunananda even attempted suicide once by jumping over a cliff while in Gokarna in Karnataka, but survived with a broken leg and saved by fishermen. At that precise moment Bhagwan exclaimed sitting in Ganeshpuri "Karunananda has jumped into the sea!" which probably must have rarely been understood by the people who heard him say that. So what saved his life was actually Bhagwan. There are lot of stories of the connection between Bhagwan and his disciple Swami Karunanada, but i would not be able to mention them all, for i want the direct source to be contacted for further details (that is, Swami Karunananda ashram in Gokul). 

Holy Palani Hill in Tamil Nadu

But, now, the story turns more intense and deeper. Swami Karunananda had a vision of Bhagwan Nityananda intending to leave his body. Deeply perturbed, he leaves Palani in haste to reach Ganeshpuri. In those days it took days of travel and multiple changes of trains and road transport to reach Ganeshpuri. While sitting in despair in the train he fell into meditation, where he again had the vision of Bhagwan sternly asking him why is he heading to Ganeshpuri and not following instructions. Angrily Bhagwan asks him to return. Deeply shocked, Swami Karunananda alights the train and goes back but remains restless. Soon, the news of Bhagwan Nityananda leaving his body reaches this dear disciple. In utter shock and dismay, Swami Karunananda immediately starts for Ganeshpuri. On reaching Ganeshpuri, he is devastated to see that his Guru's body was given the samadhi, as per the instructions of Bhagwan, that his samadhi should be next to the Bhimeshwar temple. Bhagwan had left his body in the Bangalorewala building upstairs (where his bed is still preserved and arati done everyday). It is just opposite to Shaligram Swami Samadhi. Bangalorewala building was built by the Khoday family, who were the trustees then. Mr and Mrs Khodays were personally attending to Bhagwan's needs here in Bangalorewala building, which was chosen by Bhagwan himself to leave his body.

The bed where Bhagwan left his body in Bangalorewala Building

The lower part of the building was a stay place for monks and travellers (it still is). Swami Karunananda who is totally devastated and confused as to why his Gurudev did this to him, he does not even go to the Samadhi but locks himself up in one of the room in this lower building. He decides to give up his life. Closing and bolting the door from within, he sits for the process. Now, Swami Karunananda was a very advanced disciple. With firm dedication he sits that way and a night passes. Next morning, Mrs. Khoday arrives right in front of this room with a cup of coffee in her hand and begins banging the door asking the door be opened, but Swami Karunananda is firm. When she finds no response, she bangs hard shouting, "I dont know who is inside, but had a dream last night where Bhagwan instructed me to go to this room and give a cup of coffee to the Yogi inside this particular room. So please open the door or else i will have to break open since it is Bhagwan's instructions." In a big dilemma Swami Karunananda gets up and opens the door. Mrs Khoday is shocked to see Swami Karunananda. She quietly offers the coffee. Requesting a few minutes from Mrs. Khoday, Swami Karunananda dashes to the Samadhi of Bhagwan and bursts out in tears. As he enters into meditation Bhagwan appears to him and scolds him for being this way. He admonishes him stating that at this level he must not be attached to his body. He instructs him to go back to Gokul and help people. Swami Karunananda returns, much relieved and accepts and drinks the cup of coffee that Bhagwan had sent to him as prasad, and he returns to Gokul. Never after that did he ever come to Ganeshpuri. He left his body in Gokul. All these details were confided to his disciple Gopal Swami, who wrote a book on him in Hindi. This was the same book i had politely refused when Swami Vijayananda had given to me while in Belgaum many years ago. So, Gopal Swami, also took samadhi near his Guru in the same ashram in Gokul but it was only due to him such previous details between Bhagwan and his disciple was known or would have been lost with the thousands of other mysteries of Bhagwan and his disciples. But in the book Gopal Swami did mention why Bhagwan Nityananda kept Swami Karunanda away! Bhagwan Nityananda very well knew that Swami Karunananda had the siddhi of parakaya pravesh (leaving one's body and entering into other's) and Bhagwan knew well that only a disciple who had this siddhi could stop his Guru from entering Samadhi! :)

Now, i never knew all these details about Swami Karunananda. I knew of the sadhna spot of Swami Karunananda on top of the Ganeshpuri hill and would quietly visit that place where he had spent many years in tapas. It is located on the highest top of the hill of Ganeshpuri.

So, i knew only that Swami Karunanda's samadhi was in Gokul and from the time i left for Mathura this was haunting me. This thing flashed in my mind and now i was happy since i was in Mathura and visiting Gokul would not be an herculean task. But then, i googled up for the address and in vain. i tried everything but apart from just one website that spoke about him in brief details there was no sign of his Gokul address anywhere. For some reasons i could not reach Swami Vijayananda also to find the details. i was disappointed. More disappointed because the google map was showing me that Gokul was only 8 kms away! But where in Gokul would i search because i knew Swami Karunanda was not that well known on the internet. (he still is not, which is why i make this humble effort with the grace of the Masters). Just after i got out of the Mathura temple, i decided to give one more try on google but again in vain. i just walked down the streets of Mathura thinking of going to Brindavan next. 

As i walked, an auto guy came and stopped right in my way forcing me to stop. He said in Hindi, "Sir, you want to roam the city of Lord Krishna?" I refused and walked away. He kept following me and bargained that he would show me all the places for Rs.300/- I refused and continued walking. And then he said, "Sir, Gokul jayenge?" i stopped and asked what is there in Gokul. He began telling that this was the place that Lord Krishna and Balrama grew up, their school, their playlands, mischiefs, etc. It seemed interesting but then in the back of my mind was, "Gosh, if i only knew the address of Swami Karunananda's samadhi. But then i thought let me anyways visit. i told him that i DO NOT want to visit and hear stories about anything in Gokul or elsewhere. i told him that i would agree for a lesser price because i will not be having darshans or spending time listening to the stories but he would just have to tell me what is that spot significant for and that's it, he has to allow me to spend some time in meditation instead, for i had nothing against the story but i knew it had a lot of masala added with it down the generations. My Master has always taught to meditate in divine locations than doing anything else less useful than that. He agreed for it was a good deal for him as he was not needed to exert talking. i ask him to first take me to the banks of Mother Yamuna.

Gokul on the banks of River Yamuna

He takes me there. After a wash in the holy waters and a little meditation on the banks i return to the auto to see a perplexed him asking, "what were you doing siting there." i told him that he wouldn't understand and asked him where next. He said he would take me to the Balram Temple, which was supposedly the birthplace of Balram ji. i agree. He stops his auto at the entrance and i ask him to give me 15 minutes.

Temple of Balram ji.

i enter this small temple and sit for meditation noticing that the curtains are down for that relaxed afternoon hour. But the priest beckons me and offers to do the arati after opening the curtain behind which was the idol of Balram ji. After that i return to my spot and look around. i spot a big photo of Bhagwan Nityananda! i was astonished as to how on earth did this photo here in this temple? i go and sit at the photo where another pandit is waving arati. Looking at me stare at the photo the pandit asks me, "Do you know him?" I said, "Very intensely." He laughed and said, "Fir toh hum Guru-bhai hue."(then we are the guru brothers. He said that he was Bhagwan's bhakt (devotee) and that he regularly goes to Ganeshpuri. At that very moment i saw a small photo of Swami Karunananda kept at Bhagwan's feet! i exclaimed, "Swami Karunananda!" The pandit said, "Oh, you know him also?" I said, "Yes! i have been searching for his ashram and samadhi." The pandit said, "You could have searched him on the internet." i said i did but i did not find. He asked me what name did i search for? When i told him Swami Karunananda, he laughed and said that he is popularly known as "Mauni Baba" there and had i searched or even asked anyone in Mathura or Brindavan, people would have guided me. i never knew about his this name! The pandit said that Swami Karunananda had spent 8 years in total maun (silence) as a part of his tapas (austerities) and after that became known there as "Mauni Baba". I asked him where was his samadhi. He laughed and said, "Just walking distance behind this temple!" My heart was overjoyed and i profusely thanked the pandit and left. Googling this time, i saw that we were also in the vicinity of the samadhi. It showed just 2 minutes from there. i told the auto guy rest of the plan cancelled and we would only be going to this ashram and spend time there. Soon we reached the ashram and i noticed that the construction work of the Samadhi temple was on.

As i stood gazing, a gentleman from the residence building next to the ashram came and asked what did i want. When i told him, he first asked how did i get this place. When i narrated the whole story, he promptly called me inside his home and made me sit. Offering me water, he asked how did i know about Swami Karunananda. i told him about Swami Vijayananda mentioning about him. He was thrilled to hear about Swami ji and said he knew him well. i asked him who was he and he said, he was the brother of Gopal Swami (disciple of Swami Karunananda). He said that he was one of the trustees and spoke about his brother's samadhi beside his Guru's. He then promptly took me to the ashram and asked me to change my dress and wear a dhoti without shirt. i immediately changed in a small room where i noticed an old man sitting in his own world. i then went out of the room and walked to the temple where the trustee was waiting for me. He opened the temple and then opened a gate which remains closed always and open only for occasions. This gate lead through a narrow cave like stony structure and ended up in a tiny little cave, where was the samadhi of Karunananda! i prostrated there and the gentleman did an arati and then led me back to the temple, closing the gate and locking it back.

(The samadhi is visible in this video)

He said i could meditate wherever i wanted in the temple and that i surely meet him once before i leave. i thanked him for everything and meditated. Then i also visited the samadhi of Gopal Swami, and then went back to that room to change my clothes, where the old man was still seated. He seemed not like an ordinary man, looking at the way he was sitting and engrossed with himself. After changing i sat next to him trying to engage in a talk but he hardly responded. Then i gave up and just sat quietly. Soon a boy came and served him tea and the old man asked the boy to offer me also a cup of tea, to which i thanked, being happy that atleast he was aware i am sitting there :) I asked him who was he. He just said, "I live around here." Then there was a long silence as we sipped tea. Then he asked, "Who id your Guru?" I said, "Avdhoot Shivanand" and he seemed to be trying to grasp. i quickly took out my wallet and showed him my Master's photo. He said, "Hmmmmm. i know him. i have met him long back. Tell him about me and he will remember." I said, "What should i mention you name?" He said, "Show him my picture and he will recognize, as my name he might not remember." Now, that was enough for me to quickly take the much-awaited selfie :))

By this time it had been two hours and the auto guy came in with a weary look. i had forgotten about this guy :)) As i left, the old man as me to hold on and then opened an old squeaky metal suitcase that seemed to be his only possession, and offered me two apples. i thanked him and left, giving one apple to the auto guy who seemed very happy to receive the prasad. i went to the trustee's home to thank him and he asking me to wait, went in and brought out two books and placed them in my hands. i looked at it and it was the same book in Hindi that i had refused along with another Hindi book. i told him how mysterious things are that this book has landed into my hands again. He asked me how i knew Swami Vijayananda to which i told him that i have lived in that Nityananda ashram for 6 months helping Swamiji translate a few of his Kannada books to English. The gentleman had a smile and said, "I knew it! You have been brought here for a reason. I brought these two books hesitantly wanting to ask you the same that would you translate this book to Enlgish?" i was very happy to hear this but at the same time a little taken aback because of my poor Hindi reading skills. But i took the book anyways. 

And all that i mentioned about Swami Karunananda and Bhagwan Nityananda are from the writings of Gopal Swami, to whom Swami Karunananda revealed all details. Gopal Swami had written these books, but not publicised much. They mentioned about their intent to now do so since the world needs to know about it. i later realized i should have clicked many other important photos, but at that time everythng happened at such pace that nothing seemed to make any sense. It took me a few days to even understand the whole thing. And then, later i learnt that the old man sitting in that room was the disciple of Gopal Swami and was around since the Masters lived there!

For some reason, i never wanted to speak about this whole incident, but today being Bhagwan's punyathithi, this whole episode that happened while Bhagwan took Mahasamadhi, came before me and i felt this urge to share, with the blessings of Bhagwan and my Master.

What selfless work do the great Masters and their disciples undertake for the benefit and good of all. What sacrifices! What unconditional love! Om Namo Bhagawathey Nityanandaya!

Address:

Sri Sadguru Sharanam Mauni Baba Ashramam

Gokul Mahaban Bangar, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh 281303

Phone: 089231 55334

HINDI TRANSLATION (By Pratyush Tomar)

आज भगवान नित्यानंद की पुण्यतिथि है, इस दिन उन्होंने 8 अगस्त, 1961 को सुबह 10:42 पर अपने नश्वर स्व को छोड़ दिया था।

आज, मैंने सितंबर 2017 में मथुरा और वृंदावन की अपनी एक यात्रा के दौरान एक  रहस्यमय घटना को याद किया। मैंने उस समय कई  दिव्य क्षणों को साझा किया था, लेकिन किसी तरह एक निश्चित घटना के बारे में बोलने से परहेज किया था, जो आज मुझे इस दिव्य दिन पर साझा करने के लिए प्रेरित करती है।

मैंने दिल्ली में रहते हुए एक सप्ताह के अंत में अपना छोटा बैगपैक पैक किया था और मथुरा के लिए एक ट्रेन बुक की थी क्यों मुझे अभी तक पता नहीं है। यह एक बहुत मजबूत खिचाँव था और मैंने कुछ घंटों में ट्रेन में सफर किया, अगली सुबह मथुरा पहुँच गया और एक होटल बुक किया और मथुरा में कृष्ण मंदिर और फिर बृंदावन जाने के लिए तैयार हो गया। यह एक बहुत ही हर्षजनक यात्रा थी, मैं दिव्य प्रवाह और लय के साथ चलता रहा और मैं इसके प्रवाह में कूद गया , बिना किसी तर्क के भाव के साथ एक स्थान से दूसरे स्थान तक ले गया। लेकिन मेरे दिमाग में ठीक उसी समय से एक बार फिर से विचार आया जब मैंने "गोकुल" शब्द सुना और इसने मुझे दो दिनों तक परेशान किया।

2011 में कई साल पहले, मैं बेलगाम में नित्यानंद आश्रम में अक्सर आता था क्योंकि यह मेरे घर के करीब था। वहाँ स्वामी विजयानंद ने मुझे एक हिंदी पुस्तक दी जो स्वामी करुणानंद पर लिखी गई थी जिन्होंने गोकुल में समाधि ली थी। स्वामी जी ने मुझे वहाँ यात्रा करने के लिए कहा, लेकिन क्योंकि मैं हिंदी के साथ धाराप्रवाह नहीं हूं, तब पुस्तक को विनम्रता से उन्हें लौटा दिया और यह भी बताया कि मैं कभी उत्तर में नही गया था और मुझे संदेह है कि अगर मैं कभी समाधि की यात्रा कर सकता हूं।

स्वामी करुणानंद (मौनी बाबा)

अब, यदि आप नहीं जानते हैं कि स्वामी करुणानंद भगवान के सबसे कम प्रसिद्ध शिष्यों में से एक थे, जो हमेशा जगमगाहट से दूर रहे और मुझे संदेह है कि इस पोस्ट की तुलना में उनके जीवन के बारे में कहीं भी कोई जानकारी नहीं है। मैं बाद में उल्लेख करूंगा कि यह जानकारी कहां से आई है। बहुत संक्षेप में, मैं पूरी कहानी को संक्षिप्त करने की कोशिश करता हूं और यह गुरु शिष्य की बहुत बड़ी वास्तविक कहानी है। स्वामी करुणानंद भगवान के बहुत करीब थे और उनके साथ बहुत निकटता में रहते थे। उन्होंने भीड़ से दूर एक जगह लेने के लिए चुना और इस तरह एक दिन भगवान से अनुरोध किया, जिन्होंने बहुत अप्रत्याशित रूप से उन्हें गोकुल जाने के लिए कहा। स्वामी करुणानंद को इस बात का कोई पता नहीं था कि यह कहां है और उन्होंने भगवान को अपनी यह बात बताई। भगवान ने कहा कि बस जाओ और सब कुछ ध्यान रखा जाएगा। इसलिए, जब स्वामी करुणानंद गोकुल पहुंचे तो एक बूढ़े व्यक्ति ने देखा कि स्वामीजी नए दिख रहे हैं, उनसे उनका पता पूछा और पूछा कि क्या यह ठीक है अगर वह एक अलग जगह पर एक टूटी हुई झोपड़ी में रह सकते हैं। स्वामी करुणानंद ने तुरंत स्विकार किया क्योंकि यह वही था जिसकी उन्हें तलाश थी। जब वे झोंपड़ी पर पहुँचे और स्वामीजी ने वृद्ध को धन्यवाद दिया, तो वहाँ कोई नहीं था! उनका हृदय यह जानकर कृतज्ञता से भर गया कि यह उनके गुरुदेव थे। उन्होंने गणेशपुरी लौटने से पहले कई वर्षों तक वहां ध्यान किया। जब वह गणेशपुरी लौटे, तो भगवान ने उन्हें एक कप कॉफी देने को कहा (वह नियमित रूप से अपने शिष्य के साथ ऐसा करता था) और उन्हें बगल के कमरे में आराम करने के लिए कहा जहां भगवान रुके थे। भगवान ने तब अप्रत्याशित रूप से उन्हें पलनी जाने और वहां अपना अभ्यास जारी रखने के लिए कहा। इस बार स्वामी जी अपने गुरु से अलग रहने के लिए उत्सुक नहीं थे, लेकिन भगवान ने जोर दिया और उन्हें छोड़ना पड़ा। इसलिए, उन्होंने अनिच्छा से गणेशपुरी.छोड़ दिया। उन्होंने पवित्र पलनी हिल (जहां स्वामी भोगरनाथ जी की जीव समाधि है) पर अपने लिए एक गुफा ढूंढी। 

वह वडागरा के स्वामी शिवानंद परमहंस के साथ कई वर्षों तक ध्यान करते रहे, यह वही ऋषि हैं जो जीवित विद्युत तारों को पकड़ते थे। जो लोग नहीं जानते हैं, उनके लिए ।स्वामी शिवानंद परमहंस एक महान तपस्वी थे, जिनकी फोटो प्रसिद्ध है, जहां भगवान, एक किशोर के रूप में, उनकी गोद में बैठे हैं। स्वामी शिवानंद परमहंस हठ योग और प्राणायाम में माहिर थे और उनका आश्रम वडागरा, केरल में है, जहाँ न केवल उन्होंने बल्कि उनके कई शिष्यों ने भी समाधि ली है। पहले  वडागरा, मैं यात्रा करता रहा था क्योंकि मैं अवधूत अम्मा से मिलने जाता था, जो वडगरा में रहती हैं ।इसके अलावा, मुझे स्वामी शिवानंद परमहंस के   आश्रम के बारे में बहुत कुछ पता चला, जब एक भिक्षु मोहन स्वामी  के साथ मेरी पहली मुलाकात हुई थी,  यह मेरा पहला दौरा था स्वामी शिवानंद परमहंस के वंश से एक योगी, मोहन स्वामी के साथ रहा। मोहन स्वामी को उनके आश्रम में प्रशिक्षित किया गया था। मैंने अपने यात्रा ब्लॉग में मोहन स्वामी के साथ अपने विस्तृत प्रवास के बारे में लिखा है और तब तक उनसे कुछ महत्वपूर्ण  प्राणायाम

 सीख लिया था इससे पहले कि मैं अपने मास्टर से मिला था। 

तो, स्वामी करुणानंद ने अपनी साधनाओं को पलानी में स्वामी शिवानंद परमहंस के साथ किया, और यह इस पर्वत पर था कि स्वामी शिवानंद ने आत्म-साक्षात्कार प्राप्त किया था। इन सभी जीवन की घटनाओं के दौरान, स्वामी करुणानंद ने कर्नाटक के गोकर्ण में एक चट्टान पर कूदकर एक बार आत्महत्या करने का भी प्रयास किया, लेकिन टूटे पैर के साथ बच गए और मछुआरों द्वारा बचा लिया गया। उस सटीक क्षण में गणेशपुरी में बैठे भगवान ने कहा "करुणानंद समुद्र में कूद गया है!" जिसे शायद लोग शायद ही कभी समझ पाए होंगे। तो क्या उनके जीवन को बचाया वास्तव में भगवान नित्यानंद थे। भगवान और उनके शिष्य स्वामी करुणानदा के बीच संबंध की बहुत सारी कहानियां हैं, लेकिन मैं उन सभी का उल्लेख नहीं कर पाऊंगा, क्योंकि मैं चाहता हूं कि उसके विवरण के लिए प्रत्यक्ष स्रोत (गोकुल में स्वामी करुणानंद आश्रम) से संपर्क किया जाए।

लेकिन, अब, कहानी और अधिक गहन और गहरी हो जाती है। स्वामी करुणानंद को भगवान नित्यानंद के शरीर को छोड़ने का एहसास था। बुरी तरह परेशान होकर वह पलनी से गणेशपुरी पहुंचने के लिए जल्दबाजी में थे। उन दिनों गणेशपुरी पहुंचने के लिए ट्रेनों और सड़क परिवहन में कई दिनों का समय लगता था। ट्रेन में निराशा में बैठकर वह ध्यान में चले गये, जहाँ उन्हें फिर से भगवान के दर्शन दिये और कड़ाई से पूछा गया कि वह गणेशपुरी की ओर क्यों जा रहा है और निर्देशों का पालन क्यों नहीं कर रहे हैं। गुस्से में भगवान उन्हे लौटने के लिए कहते हैं। गहरे सदमे में, स्वामी करुणानंद ट्रेन से उतरते हैं और वापस चले जाते हैं लेकिन बेचैन रहते हैं। जल्द ही, भगवान नित्यानंद के शरीर छोड़ने की खबर इस प्रिय शिष्य तक पहुँचती है। एकदम सदमे और निराशा में, स्वामी करुणानंद तुरंत गणेशपुरी के लिए जाते हैं। गणेशपुरी पहुंचने पर, वह दुखी हो जाते है और देखते हैं कि भगवान के निर्देशों के अनुसार, उनके के शरीर को समाधि दी गई थी, कि उनकी समाधि भीमेश्वर मंदिर के बगल में होनी चाहिए। भगवान ने अपने शरीर को बंगलौरवाला इमारत में ऊपर की ओर छोड़ दिया था (जहाँ उनका बिस्तर अभी भी संरक्षित है )। यह शालिग्राम स्वामी समाधि के ठीक सामने है। बंगलौरवाला भवन खोडे परिवार द्वारा बनाया गया था, जो उस समय ट्रस्टी थे। श्री और श्रीमती खोडे व्यक्तिगत रूप से यहां बंगालौरवाला भवन में भगवान की जरूरतों में भाग ले रहे थे, जिसे स्वयं भगवान ने अपना शरीर छोड़ने के लिए चुना था।

भगवान ने अपना शरीर बंगलावोरवाला बिल्डिंग में छोड़ दिया था

इमारत का निचला हिस्सा भिक्षुओं और यात्रियों के लिए ठहरने का स्थान था (यह अभी भी है)। स्वामी करुणानंद जो पूरी तरह से दुखी थे क्योंकि उनके गुरुदेव ने उनके साथ ऐसा क

 किया, वह भी समाधि में नहीं जाते हैं लेकिन इस निचली इमारत के एक कमरे में खुद को बंद कर लेते हैं। वह अपनी जान देने का फैसला करतै है। दरवाजा बंद करना और भीतर से प्राण  बाहर निकालना, वह प्रक्रिया के लिए बैठते हैं। अब, स्वामी करुणानंद एक बहुत ही उन्नत शिष्य थे। दृढ़ समर्पण के साथ वह उस रास्ते पर बैठते है और एक रात बीत जाती है। अगली सुबह, श्रीमती खोडे हाथ में एक कप कॉफी के साथ इस कमरे के ठीक सामने आती हैं और दरवाजा खोलने के लिए कहकर दरवाजा पीटने लगती हैं, लेकिन स्वामी करुणानंद दृढ़ थे। जब उन्हे कोई प्रतिक्रिया नहीं मिली, तो उन्होने जोर से चिल्लाते हुए कहा, "मुझे नहीं पता कि अंदर कौन है, लेकिन कल रात एक सपना देखा था जहां भगवान ने मुझे इस कमरे में जाने और इस विशेष कमरे के अंदर योगी को एक कप कॉफी देने का निर्देश दिया था। दरवाजा खोलो वरना मुझे भागवान के निर्देशों के अनुसार यह तोड़ना पड़ेगा। ” एक बड़ी दुविधा में स्वामी करुणानंद उठकर दरवाजा खोलते हैं। स्वामी करुणानंद को देखकर श्रीमती खोदे हैरान रह जाती हैं। वह चुपचाप कॉफी पेश करती है। श्रीमती खोदे से कुछ ही मिनटों का अनुरोध करते हुए, स्वामी करुणानंद ने भगवान की समाधि की ओर प्रस्थान किया और आंसुओं में बह गए। जैसे ही वह ध्यान में प्रवेश करता है भगवान उन्हे दिखाई देते हैं और डांटते हैं। वह उन्हे बताते हुए कहते है कि इस स्तर पर उन्हें गुरू के शरीर से नहीं जुड़ना चाहिए। वह उन्हे वापस गोकुल जाने और लोगों की मदद करने का निर्देश देते हैं। स्वामी करुणानंद लौटे, बहुत राहत मिली और कॉफी का प्याला जो भगवान ने उन्हें प्रसाद के रूप में भेजा था, पी लिया और वह गोकुल लौट आए। इसके बाद कभी वह गणेशपुरी नहीं आए। उन्होंने गोकुल में अपना शरीर छोड़ दिया। ये सभी विवरण उनके शिष्य गोपाल स्वामी को दिए गए थे, जिन्होंने हिंदी में उन पर एक किताब लिखी थी। यह वही किताब थी जिसे मैंने विनम्रता से मना कर दिया था जब स्वामी विजयानंद ने कई साल पहले बेलगाम में रहते हुए मुझे दिया था। गोपाल स्वामी ने गोकुल में उसी आश्रम में अपने गुरु के पास समाधि भी ली थी । पुस्तक में गोपाल स्वामी ने उल्लेख किया कि भगवान नित्यानंद ने स्वामी करुणानंद को दूर क्यों रखा! भगवान नित्यानंद बहुत अच्छी तरह से जानते थे कि स्वामी करुणानंद के पास परकाया प्रवदेश (किसी के शरीर को छोड़ कर दूसरे में प्रवेश करना) की सिद्धि थी और भगवान अच्छी तरह से जानते थे कि केवल यही शिष्य जिनके पास यह सिद्धि है, वे अपने गुरु को समाधि में जाने से रोक सकते हैं! :)

अब, मुझे स्वामी करुणानंद के बारे में ये सारी जानकारी कभी नहीं पता थी। मुझे गणेशपुरी की पहाड़ी के ऊपर स्वामी करुणानंद की साधना स्थल के बारे में पता था और वह चुपचाप उस स्थान पर जाएंगे जहां उन्होंने तप में कई साल बिताए थे। यह गणेशपुरी की पहाड़ी की सबसे ऊँची चोटी पर स्थित है।

इसलिए, मुझे केवल इतना पता था कि स्वामी करुणानंद की समाधि गोकुल में थी और जब से मैं मथुरा के लिए रवाना हुआ, यह मुझे सता रहा था। यह बात मेरे दिमाग में कौंध गई और अब मैं खुश था क्योंकि मैं मथुरा में था और गोकुल का दौरा करना एक जघन्य कार्य नहीं होगा। ल फिर, मैं पते को ढुंढा मैंने सब कुछ करने की कोशिश की, लेकिन सिर्फ एक वेबसाइट के अलावा, संक्षिप्त विवरण में उनके बारे में बात करने के अलावा कहीं भी उनके गोकुल पते का कोई संकेत नहीं था। कुछ के लिए बेस्वामी विजयानंद तक भी नहीं पहुंच पाया। मैं निराश हो गया था। अधिक निराश क्योंकि गूगल मैप मुझे दिखा रहा था कि गोकुल केवल दो  किलोमीटर दूर था! लेकिन गोकुल में मैं कहां खोजना 

था क्योंकि मुझे पता था की स्वामी करुणनंद को इंटरनेट पर लोग नहीं जानते हैं

। मथुरा मंदिर से बाहर निकलने के ठीक बाद, मैंने गूगल पर एक और कोशिश करने का फैसला किया लेकिन फिर से व्यर्थ हो गया। मैं बस मथुरा की सड़कों पर चलकर अगले ब्रिंदावन जाने की सोच रहा था।

जैसे ही मैं चला, एक ऑटो वाला आया और मुझे रास्ते में रोकने के लिए मजबूर किया। उन्होंने हिंदी में कहा, "सर, आप भगवान कृष्ण की नगरी घूमना चाहते हैं?" मैंने मना कर दिया और चला गया। वह मेरा पीछा करता रहा और उसने यह कह दिया कि वह मुझे 300 / - रु। के लिए सभी जगह दिखाएगा और मैंने चलना जारी रखा। और फिर उसने कहा, "सर, गोकुल जायेंगे?" मैंने रुक कर पूछा कि गोकुल में क्या है। वह बताने लगा कि यह वह जगह थी जहाँ भगवान कृष्ण और बलराम बड़े हुए थे, उनका स्कूल, उनके खेल के मैदान, शरारतें आदि, यह दिलचस्प लग रहा था, लेकिन तब मेरे दिमाग  मैं केवल स्वामी करुणानंद की समाधि थी। लेकिन फिर मैंने सोचा कि मुझे किसी भी तरह से जाने दहै। मैंने उनसे कहा कि मैं गोकुल या किसी अन्य जगह की कहानियों के बारे में नहीं जानना और सुनना चाहता हूं। मैंने उनसे कहा कि मैं कम कीमत के लिए सहमत होऊंगा क्योंकि मेरे पास दर्शन करने या कहानियों को सुनने में समय बिताना नही है, लेकिन उन्हें सिर्फ मुझे बताना होगा कि वह कौन सी जगह है जो महत्वपूर्ण है और यही है, उन्हें मुझे इसके बजाय ध्यान में कुछ समय बिताने की अनुमति देनी होगी, क्योंकि मेरे पास कहानी के खिलाफ कुछ भी नहीं है, लेकिन मुझे पता था कि पीढ़ियों से इसमें बहुत सारा मसाला मिलाया जाता है। मेरे स्वामी ने हमेशा कुछ और उपयोगी करने के बजाय दिव्य स्थानों पर ध्यान करना सिखाया है। वह इसके लिए सहमत थे कि यह उनके लिए एक अच्छा सौदा था क्योंकि उन्हें बात करने की आवश्यकता नहीं थी। 

यमुना नदी के किनारे गोकुल

वह मुझे वहां ले जाता है। पवित्र जल में स्नान करने और बैंकों पर थोड़ा ध्यान करने के बाद मैं ऑटो से लौटते हुए एक हैरान व्यक्ति से पूछता हूं, "आप वहां क्या कर रहे थे।" मैंने उससे कहा कि वह समझ नहीं पाएगे और उससे पूछा कि आगे कहाँ है। उन्होंने कहा कि वह मुझे बलराम मंदिर में ले जाएंगे, जो कि बलराम जी का जन्म स्थान था। मैं सहमत हूँ। वह प्रवेश द्वार पर अपना ऑटो रोकता है और मैं उसे 15 मिनट देने के लिए कहता हूं।

बलराम जी का मंदिर।

मैं इस छोटे से मंदिर में प्रवेश करता हूं और ध्यान के लिए बैठ जाता हूं कि दोपहर के आराम के लिए पर्दे नीचे हैं। लेकिन पुजारी ने मुझे देखा और उसके पीछे का पर्दा खोलने के लिए आरती करने की पेशकश की, जो बलराम जी की मूर्ति थी। उसके बाद मैं अपने स्थान पर लौट आया और चारों ओर देखा। मैं भगवान नित्यानंद की एक बड़ी तस्वीर देखता हूं ! मुझे इस बात पर आश्चर्य हुआ कि इस मंदिर में इस तस्वीर को यहाँ कैसे लगाया गया? मैं जाता हूं और उस तस्वीर पर बैठता हूं जहां एक और पंडित आरती लहरा रहा है। फोटो को घूरते हुए देखकर पंडित मुझसे पूछता है, "क्या तुम उसे जानते हो?" मैंने कहा, "बहुत तीव्रता से।" उन्होंने हँसते हुए कहा, "फिर तो हम गुरु-भाई बोल रहे हैं।" (तब हम गुरु भाई हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि वह भगवान के भक्त थे और भक्त थे और वह नियमित रूप से गणेशपुरी जाते हैं। उसी क्षण मैंने एक छोटा सा फोटो देखा) स्वामी करुणानंद भगवान के चरणों में रहे हैं! मैंने कहा, "स्वामी करुणानंद!" पंडित ने कहा, "ओह, तुम उसे भी जानते हो?" मैंने कहा, "हाँ! मैं उनके आश्रम और समाधि की खोज कर रहा हूँ।" पंडित ने कहा। "आप उसे इंटरनेट पर खोज सकते थे।" मैंने कहा कि मैंने किया लेकिन मुझे नहीं मिला। उसने मुझसे पूछा कि मैंने किस नाम की खोज की? जब मैंने उसे स्वामी करुणानंद को बताया, तो वह हंसी और कहा कि वह "मौनी  बाबा " के नाम से लोकप्रिय है। बाबा " के नाम पे वहाँ और मैंने मथुरा या बृंदावन में किसी को भी खोजा था या उनसे होता  तब लोगों ने मेरा मार्गदर्शन किया होता। मुझे उनके इस नाम के बारे में कभी नहीं पता था! पंडित ने कहा कि स्वामी करुणानंद ने कुल मौन (मौन) में 8 साल बिताए हैं! उनके तप (तपस्या) और उसके बाद "मौनी बाबा" के रूप में जाना जाने लगा। मैंने उनसे पूछा कि उनकी समाधि कहां है। उन्होंने हंसते हुए कहा, "बस चलिए।" इस मंदिर के पीछे की दूरी! "मेरा दिल बहुत खुश हुआ और मैंने पंडित को धन्यवाद दिया और चला गया। इस बार गुगल.करते हुए, मैंने देखा कि हम भी समाधि के आसपास थे। यह वहाँ से सिर्फ 2 मिनट दिखा। मैंने ऑटो वाले से कहा कि बाकी योजना रद्द कर दी जाए और हम केवल इस आश्रम में जाएंगे और वहां समय बिताएंगे। जल्द ही हम आश्रम पहुंचे और मैंने देखा कि समाधि मंदिर का निर्माण कार्य जारी था।

जैसा कि मैंने टकटकी लगाकर देखा, आश्रम के बगल में निवास भवन के एक सज्जन आए और पूछा कि मुझे क्या चाहिए। जब मैंने उससे कहा, तो उसने पहले पूछा कि मुझे यह जगह कैसे मिली। जब मैंने पूरी कहानी सुनाई, तो उसने तुरंत मुझे अपने घर के अंदर बुलाया और मुझे बैठाया। मुझे जल अर्पित करते हुए उन्होंने पूछा कि मुझे स्वामी करुणानंद के बारे में कैसे पता चला। मैंने उन्हें स्वामी विजयानंद के बारे में बताते हुए उनके बारे में बताया। वह स्वामी जी के बारे में सुनकर रोमांचित हो गए और कहा कि वह उन्हें अच्छी तरह से जानते हैं। मैंने उससे पूछा कि वह कौन है और उसने कहा, वह गोपाल स्वामी (स्वामी करुणानंद के शिष्य) का भाई था। उन्होंने कहा कि वह ट्रस्टियों में से एक थे

और अपने गुरु के पास अपने भाई की समाधि के बारे में बात की। फिर वह तुरंत मुझे आश्रम में ले गया और मुझे अपनी ड्रेस बदलने और बिना शर्ट के धोती पहनने को कहा। मैं तुरंत एक छोटे से कमरे में बदल गया जहाँ मैंने एक बूढ़े व्यक्ति को अपनी दुनिया में बैठा देखा। मैं फिर कमरे से बाहर चला गया और मंदिर में चला गया जहाँ ट्रस्टी मेरा इंतजार कर रहा था। उन्होंने मंदिर खोला और फिर एक द्वार खोला जो हमेशा बंद रहता है और केवल अवसरों के लिए खुला रहता है। यह द्वार पथरीली संरचना जैसी संकरी गुफा से होकर निकलता है और एक छोटी छोटी गुफा में समाप्त होता है, जहाँ करुणानंद की समाधि थी! मैं वहाँ पहुँचा और सज्जन ने एक आरती की और फिर मुझे वापस मंदिर में ले जाकर फाटक बंद करके वापस ताला लगा दिया।

(इस वीडियो में समाधि दिखाई दे रही है)

उन्होंने कहा कि मैं मंदिर में जहां भी चाहता हूं ध्यान कर सकता हूं और मुझे जाने से पहले एक बार उनसे जरूर मिलूंगा। मैंने उन्हे  हर चीज के लिए धन्यवाद दिया और ध्यान लगाया। फिर मैंने गोपाल स्वामी की समाधि के भी दर्शन किए, और फिर अपने कपड़े बदलने के लिए उस कमरे में वापस चला गया, जहाँ बूढ़ा अभी भी बैठा था। वह एक साधारण आदमी की तरह नहीं लग रहा था, जिस तरह से वह बैठा था और खुद से तल्लीन था। बदलने के बाद मैं उसके बगल में बैठ कर बात करने की कोशिश करने लगा लेकिन उसने बड़ी मुश्किल से जवाब दिया। फिर मैंने हार मान ली और बस चुपचाप बैठ गया। जल्द ही एक लड़का आया और उसने उसे चाय परोसी और बूढ़े ने लड़के से कहा कि वह मुझे एक कप चाय भी दे, जिसके लिए मैंने धन्यवाद दिया, खुश होने के साथ-साथ वह जानता था कि मैं वहाँ बैठा हूँ :) मैंने उससे पूछा कि वह कौन है। उन्होंने बस इतना कहा, "मैं यहां आसपास रहता हूं।" चाय पीते ही एक लंबी खामोशी छा गई। फिर उसने पूछा, "आपके गुरु कौन है?" मैंने कहा, "अवधूत शिवानंद" और वह समझ गया। मैंने जल्दी से अपना बटुआ निकाला और उसे अपने मास्टर की फोटो दिखाई। उन्होंने कहा, "हम्म्म्म। मैं उसे जानता हूं। मैं उससे बहुत पहले मिल चुका हूं। उसे मेरे बारे में बताएं और वह याद रखेगा।" मैंने कहा, "मुझे आपके नाम का क्या उल्लेख करना चाहिए?" उन्होंने कहा, "उसे मेरी तस्वीर दिखाओ और वह पहचान लेगा, क्योंकि मेरा नाम उसे याद नहीं होगा।" अब, यह मेरे लिए पर्याप्त रूप से बहुप्रतीक्षित सेल्फी लेने के लिए पर्याप्त था :))

इस समय तक दो घंटे हो चुके थे और ऑटो वाला थके हुए नज़र आया। मैं इस आदमी के बारे में भूल गया था :)) जैसे ही मैं गया, बूढ़े आदमी ने.एक पुरानी चीख़ी धातु सूटकेस खोला जो उसकी थी , और मुझे दो सेब की पेशकश की। मैंने उसे धन्यवाद दिया और ऑटो वाले को एक सेब दिया, जो प्रसाद पाकर बहुत खुश लग रहा था। मैं उसे धन्यवाद देने के लिए ट्रस्टी के घर गया और उसने मुझे प्रतीक्षा करने के लिए कहा, अंदर गया और दो किताबें निकाली और उन्हें मेरे हाथों में दे दिया। मैंने इसे देखा और यह हिंदी में एक ही किताब थी जिसे मैंने एक और हिंदी पुस्तक के साथ मना कर दिया था। मैंने उससे कहा कि कितनी रहस्यमय बातें हैं कि यह पुस्तक फिर से मेरे हाथों में आ गई है। उन्होंने मुझसे पूछा कि मैं स्वामी विजयानंद को कैसे जानता हूं, जिसके बारे में मैंने उनसे कहा कि मैं 6 महीने तक उस नित्यानंद आश्रम में रहा हूं, जिससे स्वामीजी ने अपनी कुछ कन्नड़ पुस्तकों को अंग्रेजी में अनुवाद करने में मदद की। सज्जन ने मुस्कुराते हुए कहा, "मुझे पता था! आप इसे एक कारण के लिए यहाँ लाए हैं। मैं इन दो किताबों को संकोच के साथ आपसे पूछना चाहता हूं कि क्या आप इस किताब का अनुवाद इंगलिश में करेंगे?" यह सुनकर मैं बहुत खुश हुआ, लेकिन साथ ही साथ मेरे खराब हिंदी पढ़ने के कौशल के कारण थोड़ा सा परेशान हो गया। लेकिन मैंने किताब को वैसे भी ले लिया।

और स्वामी करुणानंद और भगवान नित्यानंद के बारे में जो कुछ भी मैंने उल्लेख किया है, वे गोपाल स्वामी के लेखन से हैं, जिनके बारे में स्वामी करुणानंद ने बताया। गोपाल स्वामी ने इन पुस्तकों को लिखा था, लेकिन ज्यादा प्रचारित नहीं किया। उन्होंने दुनिया के बारे में जानने की जरूरत के बाद से अपने इरादे का जिक्र किया। मुझे बाद में एहसास हुआ कि मुझे कई अन्य महत्वपूर्ण तस्वीरों को क्लिक करना चाहिए था, लेकिन उस समय हर गति इतनी तेज थी कि कुछ भी समझ में नहीं आ रहा था। पूरी बात समझने में भी मुझे कुछ दिन लग गए। और फिर, बाद में मुझे पता चला कि उस कमरे में बैठा बूढ़ा व्यक्ति गोपाल स्वामी का शिष्य था और जब मास्टर्स रहते थे तब से वह आसपास ही था!

किसी कारण से, मैं इस पूरी घटना के बारे में कभी नहीं बोलना चाहता था, लेकिन आज भगवान की पुण्यतिथि होने के नाते, यह पूरा प्रकरण जो भगवान महासमधी को ले जाने के दौरान हुआ था, मेरे सामने आया और मैंने भगवान और मेरे गुरु के आशीर्वाद के साथ साझा करने का आग्रह किया।

महान स्वामी और उनके शिष्य सभी के हित और भलाई के लिए क्या निस्वार्थ कार्य करते हैं। क्या बलिदान! क्या बिना शर्त प्यार! ओम नमो भगवते नित्यनंदाय!

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The Divine Leela of Karunakar Swami ji

Karunakar Swamiji was the direct disciple of Shaligram Swami and Bhagwan Nityananda. 

i was introduced to this great mystic by Swami Vijayananda, who was his disciple. Karunakar Swamiji is no more in his body but i had the priviledge of meeting him twice while he was in the body. I have written about my first experience with him (click to read) 

After the first visit i was acquainted with him and there were many incidents that i cherish about him and me. One of the most divine one was this divine play of his, which happened when i was once meditating at the Nityananda Ashram of Bevinkoppa, run by Swami Vijayananda. The whole narration with a few images and videos i was blessed to be able to share on a video, which i share below here.

After his samadhi, i was able to visit once to his samadhi shrine in Matunga, the video of which i was able to shoot and share it here with you.

Moments with Swami Vidyananda ji of Guruvan

From the time i have been visiting Kanhangad, about four years back, i must have been there close to about 25 times. Everytime i visit i try to make it to Guruvan, which is hardly 7-8 kms from Nityananda Ashram, Kanhangad.

Guruvan is the place where Bhagwan Nityananda spent His time in the sacred cave that is believed to be the astral opening to the astral dimensions where Siddhas are in deep contemplation in their subtle bodies. This is the place where Baba once struck a stone and water started gushing out which flows even today and is known as the Paapanashini Ganga, the water that cleanses one of negative karma. The water flows from near the holy cave which is on the top of the Guruvan hill. This hill is surrounded by thick green trees and plantation, untouched by humans except for the top of the hill, where is now built the temple for Baba and also a house consisting of many rooms, one of the rooms in which lives Swami Vidyananda, who has been the caretaker of this place from His childhood and was assigned this task by Swami Janananda, the direct disciple of Bade Baba, in whose hands Bade Baba gave the responsibility of the the Kanhangad ashram before leaving to Ganeshpuri. Guruvan is infested with snakes and is a vortex of high energies, involving many subtle activities unknown and unseen to the human kind. Swami Vidyananda, lived here almost all his life seeing and knowing many mystical things, which he never ever spoke of until now.

Swami Vidyananda, whom i began admiring from my first visit itself for his dedication and surrender to Bhagwan, is a short, dark, handsome man that he is, in single long cloth robe that covers his body, he has been living in this jungle since about half a century, yes, about 49 years. He came to Kanhangad when he was only 9 years old. 

Everytime i met him, he never spoke much and was to the point in every conversation, not a bit extra, not less. He lives a very simple life, far far away from the hustle-bustle of materialistic life, and deep in trust and faith in Bhagwan. People have not realized his greatness due to his very lowly lifestyle. There is no doubt that he is a fond child of Bhagwan, otherwise, why would he reach here 49 years back, and then spend all his life serving the only temple of Bhagwan at the Holy caves of Guruvan, from a time when there was no electricity, in this place full of snakes. It has never been easy for people to halt for nights here, but he is the only one to have lived for decades totally alone.

Swami Vidyanand used to talk to us very lovingly but never ever mentioned anything about himself, even though people asked him. But suddenly, one day, in January 2014, when i visited him in Guruvan, he suddenly began talking about his multiple mystical experiences, which i wanted to note down but did not have a pen or paper. That day he answered every question of mine and spoke in brief. He told me that he could elaborate and i told him that i would come just for that very soon. Soon, after few weeks we could again meet and this time i typed everything into my laptop directly from his words, as he put it. The very reason he never spoke about it till now was because he always credited Bhagwan for those actions. Never till date he allows me to even touch his feet, and picks me up before i bend and points me towards Bhagwan's temple in Guruvan. That modestly and humility kept him from wanting to say anything, but this time he wished to, after years.

When he told me how he arrived there at the age of barely 9, i could make out the play of the work of Bhagwan to put him at that divine place. Swamiji arrived from Siddharooda ashram in Hubli, under strange circumstances, which is revealed below in the first point amongst the 22 other experiences that he shared.

As Swamiji shared:

1. In 1978, I was around 9 or 10 years while I left Siddharooda Swami Mutt, in Hubli, which is my native. I had gotten familiar with a wandering swami there, and he had left somewhere. When I went to Dharmasthala once, we saw each other there and he walked to me and talked. He aksed me why I was standing there and I told him there the ashram rules are that room would be given only for two people and I was alone. He said he would join me and we got a room together. Next morning 3 a.m. we took darshan and after having our lunch, he told me that he was off to Rameshwaram and asked where I was off to. I said that I din’t know. He asked me to join him to Rameshwaram and I agreed. We left by bus to Mangalore. Those days, after 10 p.m. there were no trains towards Chennai. At 4:30 a.m. there was a train - Parshuram Express that went down South. We got into that train. The train halted at Kasargod when the TTE asked the Swami with me for tickets and the Swami cooly said we had no tickets. We were asked to get down but by the time we could the train moved. The TTE asked us to get down at the next station and ensured that we got down. Soon, we discovered the place was named Kanhangad and the swami said that there was a Nityananda ashram there beside the railway track. We walked together for a kilometer on the tracks and it was around 6 am when we reached the ashram. I saw Swami Janananda sitting. We took his darshan and Janananda Swamiji asked that a room be given to us. Next day, the swami who was with me said that we would meet Jananand Swami and continue towards Rameshwaram. After breakfast and tea, we went to take Janananda Swamiji's leave. Swamiji asked the Swami to proceed, but surprisingly asked me to stay. He wanted to know where I was from and when I told him I was coming from Siddharooda Swami Mutt, Swamiji was aware of the ashram. He asked me where next and I told him that I was going with the swami to Rameshwaram. Janananda Swami said let him go and asked why do I need to go to any ashram. He asked, "Is this not an ashram?" He asked me to stay back stating that it is the same stone and mud there and here also. I agreed. Then, I wanted to meet the swami who was with me and just few minutes back had left while I was talking to Janananda Swami. I looked for him but he was nowhere. I searched him everywhere but no trace. I asked the watchman who was clear that nobody went out from there. I went back to the room but his belongings were not there. After that I remained in Kanhangad and Guruvan till date.
2. In 2006, one night at midnight during deep sleep, I heard the sound of group clatter of military or police shoes marching. It kept on increasing. I got up and wondered what the police group could be here for. Opening the window I could not see anything but the sound passed from downhill to uphill towards the caves and faded away.
3. Few days later, there were sounds of two sticks striking each other coming from downhill and the sound neared the my room and it passed and moved towards the caves and faded away.
4. In 2007, there came a swami named Hanuman Swami who said he had the powers of Lord Hanuman.  He stayed in Guruvan for two months.  He said Bhagwan had given him darshan in Gokarna and that he was asked to go to Guruvan.  I thought he was a powerful man with Siddhis.  Few days after food after 8 pm he would sit with me.  Suddenly one day, he picked up his torch and said that few people are scaring him. But I could not see anything. This went on for some days. He used to say that snakes love him and while in Bhagwan's cave, he said that snakes would sit next to him. One night there was no electricity. After food we got went down the room to wash our plates. Near the room, he saw something black lying. He asked me to get torch. We discovered that it was a venomous snake that could kill instantly. He boasted at the snake, "Oh, so you are lying here" and made some noise with his feet. It moved ahead and went half into the burrow.  He continued, "I have seen a lot like you" and saying so stamped its tail. The snake rushed out and was about to strike back with his hood when I pulled him away. Upset over the snakes retaliation, he angrily went behind it and again it hissed and attacked and that moment I pulled him away again. Next day, he packed up his bags and said that snakes were troubling him and so were people, both of which I could not see, even when he ran behind the invisible people to hit them. He left the place soon; he often visits now but never stays back for the night.
5. After he went in 2007, Vijayan Swami arrived. He was a teacher. He had left everything and had come to the ashram wishing to stay in Guruvan. He lived with me for three months. People call me for bhajans in the nearby village and I used to go there with my harmonium, sometimes carrying a small torch with me. Once after such a bhajan evening, people dropped me back and it was almost midnight then. The auto dropped me at the gate of Guruvan, which is still about 300 meters to my room. I searched for my torch and did not get it and realized that I had forgotten to carry it that day. The auto guy had left by now and I was left in pitch dark. Absolutely nothing could be seen. I took a small stick and making noise walked uphill. I had almost alighted half the steps to my room when a snake bit my second toe. In pain, I sped went into my room and brought my torch and saw a snake sliding away. I immediately pressed the blood out and tied many rubber bands around that toe to stop its venomous flow to the heart. It was about 1:30 a.m. The pain was increasing. Swami Vijayan was sleeping in the next room but even if I call him there was no vehicle to move out from there. Moreover, the rules in Kerala hospitals is that the person accompanying the patient must also stay back. I thought I have to do abhishekan at 4:30 and if I go to hospital even he would have to come. So I sat there in pain. I saw the venom increasing and could sense it rising up my left leg. I tried calling the ashram in Kahnagad, but there was no response. Then I thought that probably this was the end of the days with Bhagwan and rest is Baba's wish. By then I was feeling sleepy and then a thought came to my mind that if I die this person would never even know, so I lied down with room door open. By then the the pain had reached the waist level. I touched my feet and it was totally numb. I could not sleep due to the pain. I got up and thought "Let me have a last dip in the Papanashini waters". I got up and limping and reached the waters. When the water touched my leg i found the pain electrifying. Still, I struggled and had bath. Suddenly, I got a thought, "Let me die taking pradakshina around Bhagwan's temple" (those days it was a small temple). By now the pain had reached the arms. I started limping and taking rounds of the temple chanting His name. Then something miraculous happened. By the time I ad completed 50 pradiskhsinas, the pain had dropped back to the knees. It kept going down. By the time I completed 108 pradakshina, the entire pain had vanished. I fell down on the ground and offered my saasthang pranam to Bhagwan and came to my room, opened the temple and did regular abhishekham at the right time. After puja, the Swami had worken up and noticed the greenish color near my bitten toe. I told him the entire incident. He reprimanded me that I should have told and what if I had died, he would also have been put at stake. He left the place the next day.
6. In 2007 I left for two months on pilgrimage. There was another sanyasi with me, Swami Purnananda, who was to stay back. I told him all the activities and left. I visited Kanyakumai, Rameshwaram, Madurai, etc. By then I got a call from the swami that he was seriously sick, but he insisted that I finish my yatra. He had extreme fear and could not eat anything. He called Kanhangad ashram and told that somebody be sent there to replace him as he cold not continue due to fear. Then the sanyasi left and got admitted in a hospital. He never came back. Baba Giri then came there. He also got the fear and had great fever and could not eat. He also left for treatment. A third swami came. At that time, I casually called up the ashram while I was in Badrinath and I was told that everyday they had to call and adjust someone or the other and that no one willing to stay. I was asked to come immediately. I left for Kerala immediately. While I arrived, the swami was doing mangalarati and the moment he saw me, he stopped the arati and fell at my feet begging to relieve him. He wanted to leave but I asked him to wait, but he refused stating that he was getting very strange visions there and left hurriedly.
7. Then in 2008, around 8 Bengali workers came for some bathroom fitting work. They were given two rooms, four stayed in each and they slept every night at around 11 pm on the floor. On fourth night at around 11 pm there was knocking on both doors. Both rooms inmates thought the other people from the other room were knocking and sometimes ignored and sometimes blamed each other. In the morning both of the room people discussed this confusing episode. Next night they waited and when the knock happened they both immediately opened doors but nothing in sight. They searched all around but saw no one. Then the windows banged and they once again rushed out to see but no one in sight. Then they saw the lights switching on and off. They were all scarred and they all locked themselves up holding each other and they were so scared that they passed urine inside the room itself unable to go out. At around 4 am I woke and went about with my regular activities. Till 7 am when the room doors did not open, I went and knocked at their door. They were shouting from inside as to who was it outside? When I told them it was me, they were relieved and opened the doors and narrated all that happened and also apologized for having passed urine inside the rooms. They refused to continue work at night and said that they would only work in the day and rest at night in Kanhangad ashram.
8. Similarly, this episode repeated when around the same time, some workers of Mr. Khoday came from Bangalore. Five of them were sent to Guruvan. I didn’t tell them anything worried that they would run away. But at night, the same incident happened again with doors and windows banging and the lights going on and off. They were scared and in the morning revealed all that happened and they also wished to wok only during day there and stayed in Kanhangad ashram at night.
9. In November 2009, Guruvan new temple was to be built and the old temple was pulled down. Large stone slabs were to be used for the new temple. Sculptors came and were chipping the pillars and the work was almost half way through. Our kitchen grinder that was given for repair could not be repaired and I was asked to buy a new one. Same day I went for kerosene card renewal and came by 4 pm for the evening puja. Suddenly, I felt fatigued and sweated profusely and soon there was high fever. But I had my regular bath and opened the temple. Work in temple was going on day and night.  I could barely walk. After 6 p.m. I lit the lamps for mangalarati and suddenly fell down. I tried to wave my hand for help and shout but no voice came out. I could see the people but they were busy and work and did not look at me. I fell unconscious probably for 30 minutes. I woke up but was like a dead body. Then I saw that the fire from the lamps had lit up my clothes and I realized that I had woken by the heat of the fire. I tried to get up twice but fell down. I tried for the third time and could get up and put off the fire. I did the mangalarati. After that I could move around and people asked me why I was staggering but I tried to tell them about the episode but could not answer anything. After coming back into the temple, again I fell and lost consciousness. Not even my breath I could feel. I touched my entire body but could not feel anything. I had fallen because I could not grasp anything for support. After some time, slowly everything back to normal.  Suddenly I felt a gush of breath and then I was fully soaked in sweat. Then, I regained consciousness and I wondered why was I lying there. I came out and sat and out of balance, and then slowly regained memory of everything. I somehow knew from within that this was my second life. After this many incidents began happening and I witnessed Baba’s powers and protection all the time.
10. Just a month later, Mr. Srinivas came and stayed for making the mold for the new vigrah (idol). One morning as I was sitting with him, a worker came at around 9 am. As the way to temple was blocked by the JCB machine, I took another path. Then I felt a small tingling on my leg and which was followed by pain. It then felt like I was pricked by thorns and soon turned unbearable. Mr. Srinivas said that he would call the doctor but I refused thinking it would go on its own. By noon, the pain had expanded into my whole body and I began crying in pain. Whenever Mr. Srinivas touched any part of my body to help me, my entire body pained and I thus requested him not to touch. I asked him to keep the Naivedyam for the puja in the temple. He said he would keep it but refused to enter the temple garbagraha. He kept everything ready but I was not able to even get up. He then helped me up and bit by bit I staggered in pain to the temple and it took 45 minutes to walk the less-than-50 meters from my room to the temple. All were surprised to see me this way because just a few hours back I was so fine. After the puja, all sat down for food and so did I but refused to have food. My plate was already served but the pain was so high that I could not do anything and soon fever and chills set in. in that hot season I remember using three blankets to cover myself but the fever never came down. All native villagers came and one of them tried to apply oil but it pained even worse. I was asked to be taken to hospital. The thought of hospital shook me further because I remembered how patients were treated on hospital beds. I simply refused. As an emergency, Mr. Srinivas called up the ashram to arrange someone for the puja. Noone was available. Even Mr. Ganapathy had gone to Mangalore for some work. Never had I experienced such a terrible condition in life. It was 3 p.m. and I had still not had anything for food. I went to lie down on the bed but could not lie due to pain. Even to move my leg there was intense pain as though my life was going. I was crying. Ambulance was to be called and I told them how I could not even move an inch with pain and any effort to move me was going to give me only more pain. By 4 p.m. Mr. Srinivas said noone could be arranged for the puja and I thought to myself that Nityananda may be not wanting puja and that is why no one could be arranged. I then asked the workers to heat some water.  I told Nityananda that if He wanted puja he has to heal me or no puja for him. Sitting on the chair, I then started pushing it backwards so that I could move to the bathroom and soon was moving inch by inch. With great pain I raised myself and put my body into the bathroom and the moment I put the first tumbler of water on my head the pain relieved. By the time I finished my bath, the pain was gone! I had gone into the bathroom pushing and dragging myself on the chair and I walked out of the room to an astonished Mr. Srinivas. An auto had come to pick me and all stood speechless there. All the drama that began at 10 a.m. suddenly dropped in seconds at around 5 p.m. and I was perfectly normal as though nothing had happened.
11. In 2008 Laxman Sir called me for bhajan at the Kanhangad ashram on the new year eve. When I came to ashram Swami Sudarshan from Kurukshetra had come. I had met him before and knew that he wished to see Guruvan. I brought him to Guruvan and asked him if he could stay here at night because I had to be in Kanhagad ashram for the bhajan. He said, "Oh yes, I have stayed in jungles before." I showed him all that had to be done. So, the new year eve, I was in ashram and came back on 2^nd January. Everything was fine with him. He said he had done the morning puja and asked me to continue with the evening puja as he wished to rest. Evening puja I did. At night we had food and retired to our rooms at around 9 pm. At around 1 a.m. at night, he came out of his room to attend to nature's call. Just as he was near the steps, something hit him hard on his head and he shouted loudly. I was hearing everything in sleep but was unable to open my eyes due to the deep sleep induced by waking up the previous nights. Then, suddenly, he mysteriously thrown down by some force from top and he fell to the ground. All bruised, he tried to get up and climbed up the stairs to reach his room, but again he was thrown loudly with a bang in front of my door. This time, I got up and rushed to him with my torch and saw that his whole body was bruised and even his foot slippers were broken. It was around 2 a.m. He held me in fear and I helped him come up the stairs back to his room. He said he wanted to leave immediately in the night itself. He blamed Nityananda for everything and insisted angrily that he be helped to the railway station atleast. I asked him not to blame Bhagwan for it and told him that by the time I could take him to the station by walk it would be 5 or 6 a.m. and I had to be here for the puja. I then nursed him with oil. He did not want me to leave him alone even for a while insisting that he would die if I leave him alone. As he lay down in his room, I sat there at his door. By 4 a.m. he was deeply asleep. I went away for my bath and puja and came to him by 6 a.m. by when he had woken up and insisted to that he must leave. I gave him my new footwear and took him down the hill. Getting into an auto, he promised never to come there again and soon disappeared.
12. Two weeks later, there was very low voltage current, so low that only the filament of the bulb barely illuminated. I woke at 4 a.m. and had my bath and did abhishekam. I came to my room to change my clothes. When I opened my room and I had stepped on something rubbery and there was a loud hiss. I thought it was a frog and it must have died. I put on the light and saw it was a snake. It crawled towards the bed but I pulled it with a stick and left it out into the woods. It was a Mandali snake – very poisonous ones, but thankfully it did not bite me even though I stepped on it.
13. There are lot of rats always running around on the roof of my room chased by snakes. Losing grip, sometimes snakes fall down in the room. Few days after the previous episode, one morning after abhishekam as I came into the room that was in low visibility due to low voltage, I again stepped on a venomous stripped snake known as Valiappan. Thankfully, it did not bite me and I left it out.
14. A snake known as Churtan is known to wrap around it's prey and bite. Few days later after the previous episode, after attending to nature's call at night, I stepped in my room and closed the door. Suddenly, I felt something slap at my feet and there was pain. I put on the light thinking something had fallen on my feet and saw this snake hastily sliding away. It had wrapped around my feet and had tried to strike but missed and slapped my feet instead. There was a kind of stripe that remained on my feet but went on its own.
15. In 2011, Karyekur Suresh from Hasan Mataji's ashram came to Guruvan upon to stay a few days upon the instructions by Swami Vijayananda of Anandashram, Bevinkoppa.  He arrived and told me that he was on fast.  Next night, he mentioned that he would have only a little food. I made  a little for him too. There were workers around also who were also cooking with us. That night, a cat came and we kept some food for it too. It ate the food and went. Again, the next day same time the cat arrived again and we kept some food for it in a plate. Next morning after puja, after tea, I went to take away the cat’s plate and found that it had not eaten the food and moreover, the food had turned blue. I did not tell the person anything feeling that the rice must have been spoilt. Next night, the same way food was left for cat and it had the food. Fourth day, same thing, but this time the cat did not have the food and the food was again blue. I found this was happening on alternate days. One day, the cat ate and the other day it did not.  It was observed that the person with me was getting boils over his body. I observed that the cat did not eat food whenever it was blue and soon understood that the blue was poisoned food. Next night we both checked and the food was fine and the cat ate and next day it was blue where the cat did not eat. By this time his boils increased. I asked him to see doctor. In one week he left the place. Later things got clear that the day the workers assisted in cooking, this was happening. Now I realized that these workers who were angered towards me due to my strictness in getting work done, were trying to do this to get rid of me. But out of His grace, the cat mysteriously came to show us this because otherwise we would have quietly eaten our food in the dark but the cat's food made us see the colour change and understand things out. But strangely, it affected the person who was with me who developed boils.
16. In 2011, during the new idol pranpratishta in Guruvan, the new idol had already arrived. There was a huge slab of stone that weighed close to half a tonne that had to be picked from outside and installed into the garbha graha inside the temple. Around 25-30 labourers got together to get this job done. They pushed the stone up the stairs that would move a stair upward and then slide down due to the heavy weight. After lot of trials the labourers gave up one by one and only 8-10 of them were left. Mr. Srivinas wondered at this rate how were we to get this stone up and installed as the next day was pranapratishta. Finally, giving up on all efforts, he asked me to do the mangalarti and request Bhagwan only to get this work done. We both went in and prayed to Baba and did mangalarti to the temple and also arati to the stone. Then, something amazing happened as with just with these 8-10 people the stone began moving very easily upwards and was soon moved into the garbha graha and the next day, at the said muhurat time, the new idol that was brought from Ganeshpuri in all pomp and glory was installed on this stone during the event.
17. After the pranaprathista of the new idol, it was soon decided by the ashram that only a brahmagyani swami or a Brahmin priest was to he deputed in the temple as per the advice of astrologers and scholars. They mentioned that it was only then that Baba would accept the naivaidyam (divine offering).  A devotee met Swami Karunakar (one of the direct descendant of Bhagwan Nityananda) who still lives in the slums of Matunga in Mumbai. Swamiji was asked for his advice on this. Swamiji raged in anger asking who had said so.  He said apart from Vidyananda no one can do puja there and that if anyone was to be replaced then it would only be temporary and eventually Vidyananda only would have to be called.  He continued stating that Swami Nityananda had put him there because he wants him there and apart from him no other can replace. Thus, this idea of having a Brahmin priest here was discarded.
18. In 2011, there was this annual festival in Nityananda Ashram at Udupi. Mr. Srinivas asked me to go and attend festival there. At that time Kadri Swami was in the ashram and I requested him to be in Guruvan for few days while I would be in Udupi. The swami had earlier also once stayed there.  So, with him at Guruvan, on December 23 I went to Udupi for the festival. On the festival night on December 24, after doing the puja at Guruvan, the swami was asleep. At around midnight, he heard the sound of a snake. He woke up to hear lot of snakes hissing. The sound only increased after his waking up. Then the doors banged. He opened the door and found no one. Keeping the door open, he laid down but then the windows began beating. Then the lights switched on and off outside. He narrated this incident when I returned only to add into my memory another such mysterious repeated episode that had happened twice earlier in the similar manner. I still have no clue about it.
19. In 2012 a regular Keralite who visits Guruvan, wished to teach me to ride his bike. Though I refused, he insistingly took me once to the school ground. While learning to take turns, the bike skip and ended up falling on me with the bike's leg-rest piercing my right feet and bruising it badly. I heard a crack sound. He immediately dropped me back. I said it could be a fracture but he consoled that nothing has happened. I noticed a swelling in the leg and applied heat to it. Three days later the swelling had increased too much. I went to the ashram homeopathy hospital and the doctor inspecting the leg asked for an x-ray.  I did not want to go for all those procedures. He gave me some pills but insisted to get an x-ray done if the swelling and pain persisted. I came back. Next day, the person with the bike came and was surprised to see the swelling and insisted that the we should go to hospital fearing he would be blamed for it. Insistingly, he took me to the doctor and we got an x-ray done that confirmed broken toe bones. He said that a cast and complete bed rest for three months would be required in the hospital. I told him that leave aside three weeks I could not be staying away from there even for three hours as there was no one to do the puja. Plaster was applied. Another person could not be arranged for the puja and that day Mr. Srinivas stayed with me. Mr. Ganapathy, again, was not available this time also. During these days, a teenager was staying with me for about a week. I requested the boy to help with the puja but he refused saying he was ready to anything but puja. With the plaster on my foot, now I had to wake up at 1 a.m. daily instead of 3 a.m. because it took me 2-3 hours to get ready for puja and reach the temple. To avoid the plaster getting wet, as per doctor's instruction, I wrapped it with plastic sheets. But somehow walking on the stones, the plastic tore and while during abhishekam water entered the plastered leg. I felt warmth in the feet as the plaster was sticking to feet now. Doc had instructed that feet had to be kept elevated at all times for next three months and movement be restricted to only the bathroom. He warned that any movement could dislocate the bones further and prolong healing to more months. Three days later, while the doctor inspected at the next checkup, he was furious at the pathetic state of the plaster and held his head. On telling him what had happened, scolded saying that this would create more problems. He removed the plaster to find that the skin had become smothered and wet.  He said angrily that at this state the leg would not heal completely and I would have to bear the pain and disability all my life. When I told him about my puja, the doctor who was a muslim, retorted saying puja would be only possible if I had good health otherwise how would I be able to do it. He insisted this time for complete rest and put a bandage and asked me to see him three days later. After three days, the entire plaster and leg was in the same state because I had tied plastic around the feet and again it all got wet while carrying 5-6 pots of water for abhishekam. This time the doctor was very upset looking at my soaked plaster, stating that the situation had worsened. I told him about my problem and told him that at any cost I could not stop my work of puja. But then, when he removed the bandage, there was no swelling at all! The doctor was shocked as he said it takes 2-3 weeks only for swelling to subside and he asked how was this possible. I told him it was Nityananda Swami. The doctor was perplexed saying that he had worked on thousands of such cases but this was the very first case that he saw just in 6 days, the swelling and pain had subsided that too without proper care. He gave some medication and asked to meet him after five days for an x-ray. On taking it, the x-ray confirmed that the bones had healed completely. The doctor remained taken aback asking how the healing had taken place so mysteriously with so much of movement and lack of attention to it. This is the time he believed Swami Nityananda's powers.  He still though wrapped bandage and requested to keep it for three weeks, but on reaching Kanhangad ashram, when Laxman Sir asked about my leg, I unwrapped it and threw the bandage away and was able to perfectly walk.
20. After this, I continued my work and then one day while while carrying pots of water to the temple for abhishekam the same leg struck on the step and head a crack again and there was intense pain. I shouted the name of Nityananda Swami and sat down in intense pain. After that, while I was moving around the Ashta Siddhi Lingas pouring water on them, the lights went off and in the dark struck my same leg again and again there was a crack sound and intense pain. This time I thought the leg was gone and I cried in pain for this was the third time now. I wondered if Swami Nityananda wanted me to bear this for life. But I continued with my work with the pain. In a week everything was resolved and I was back to normal. After that I never went to the doctor but never again did that happen and the leg was completely healed.
21. in 2013, during one rainy season I was standing in my room after the puja at night. An auto driver was trying to call me and I noticed this from the calls on my cellphone. He had brought a new auto and wanted to do puja for it. That night lights had gone out. I picked the land phone and called his number. No sooner I uttered "hello" there was loud bang and immediately I felt a current passing through my right ear and right face. Suddenly the whole room was lit up in fire. I realized that a lightning had struck. I thought this was my end. My hand was still holding the phone and I was looking at everything and at the same time fading in consciousness. I fell unconscious. After about 15 minutes I woke up to feel heat on my feet. When I woke, I did not remember anything and was wondering what the heat was and looking around saw that phone, fallen a few feet away from me on the ground, was on fire and touching my feet. I saw that the solar unit outside also was on fire. That moment I recollected that lightning had struck me. I tried to remove the phone unit but it was on fire. I realized that there was no current. The right side of my face and ear was numb and my right ear was painful and I could not hear anything except through my left ear. Next day I did my puja in the morning and the auto person came. I told him about all that happened. He told me my right side of head and face had become reddish and asked to go to doctor but I refused.  In four days everything faded away on my face and I was back to normal. I took the phone to the telephone exchange for replacement and they were surprised looking at the phone split and burnt in two pieces, said that such incidents have happened and never has anyone survived and the lightning intensity burns up everything killing instantly. It was only Bhagwan's grace that saved me.
22. In 2013, one rainy day, there was a slight drizzle. There was no thunder or lightning. It was around 2 a.m. I heard something like gun shots and woke up. There was no festivals or occasions for fireworks in rainy seasons. I wondered what it was and opened the window and then again heard heard huge bomb like explosive sounds and the entire Guruvan was shaking and rumbling. This went on for about 5 minutes. I went around with the torch, but there was no light or anything, just the huge explosive sounds. I found that even I shaking with the sound and it was like an earthquake. It stopped after about 10 minutes. I found that this sound was coming from the center of Guruvan. Next day after abhishekam I searched around at the spot from where the sound was coming but found nothing.

Likewise many small incidents have happened and keep happening but I don’t feel it is worth mentioning also. It is all His leelas. Saying this, he ended his narrations as I put aside my laptop overwhelmed with it all and even more overwhelmed with the humility and simplicity with which he shared it all.

Swami Vidyananda has never ever shared these incidents with anyone before nor he liked his photos being clicked, but on a Bhagwan's devotee’s request to share the glory of Bhagwan to the world, he agreed and thus his photos and all his experiences are shared here. Swamiji still though continues to be ever lost in His world with Bhagwan in His service to Him in Guruvan and at times speaks of His greatness. Previously, he was very reserved and hardly even spoke but these days, he speaks eagerly, especially when he joyously sees devotees of Bhagwan, who come there seeking for nothing but Bhagwan's divine company. Even in today's world, Bhagwan's grace and mysteries shine forth through his true devotees as testimonies to His divine presence and watchfulness at all times, thus helping devotees to endure through the tough times and good times alike. And what more than to have such divine noble souls of Bhagwan amongst us in the most simplest forms.

Om Namo Bhagawathey Nityanandaya