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

Divine land of Ganeshpuri

Note: All views are entirely the personal views of the author and is an open expression of sharing the journey with those who enjoy similar experiences. Reader's discretion is advised. Namah Shivaya.

Ganeshpuri has been and will always be a special place for me for it is from this land i started my spiritual journey. It was to this land that my Bade Baba called me close to about 3 years back. (For more on my first encounter with Bade Baba click here) This is my fourth visit to this divine place and have never preferred writing about the magical visits here. This time i prefer to write because it is more than the routine limited space of Ganeshpuri that we must be knowing. From the very first visit to this place i somehow felt there is an astral world in this place. Over months, i was collecting more information in and around the places of Ganeshpuri and often wondered why Bade Baba after walking a stretch from Kanhangad through the coastal land preferred to arrive at Vajreshwari and settle down at Ganeshpuri and taking samadhi here. i am fully aware that whatever i think or write or perceive is very, very, very limited and tiny to what one can write about a divine incarnation - Bhagwan Nityananda.

Old photo of Karunakar Swami

It all happened pretty quick. As Ganeshpuri was lingering in my mind, Pratap from Goa contacted one evening regarding Kanhangad visit. Quickly he said that he was planning to be in Mumbai soon and we soon fixed up a date one weekend matching his day also informing that Shyam would join. Surprisingly, Sivadas from Chennai contacted for something the next morning and i spoke of this plan and he said he also was planning to be in Mumbai around the same time and said was eager to join. Mumbai seemed to be a common word. Now i could confirm that it was to meet the living Siddha in Mumbai who lives in Mumbai, who is the disciple of Shaligram Swami (close disciple of Nityanand Baba) whom people called Karunakara Swami. Swami Vijayanand of Bevinkoppa ashram often spoke to me about him and his leelas and his experiences with this divine being who  knew everything even before people arrived to meet him. However, he preferred to stay in the same place for 40 plus years after Baba Nityananda instructed him to do so and he stays in one of the biggest slums of Mumbai in a Labour Camp in Matunga, Mumbai. Swami Vijayanand had instructed me to meet Swamiji more than a month back and it was now that i could fructify it with the Ganeshpuri visit.

On 16th November morning, me and Shyam bhai reached Borivilli by an overnight private bus from Belgaum and Pratap and his brother reached the same place by an overnight train from Goa. i called up Manju anna (Manjunath) an ardent disciple of Bade Baba and Swami Vijayananda, who was so very kind to come and pick us up and drop us in a hotel where he had arranged things for us. Giving us some time to freshen up, he left and returned at 9 a.m. and we left towards Matunga. Meanwhile, Sivadas had taken an early morning flight from Chennai and was waiting at the Santa Cruz airport. We picked him up on the way.. was delighted to meet him after our last meet a month back at Bevinkoppa Ashram. Manju anna visits Karaunakara Swami regularly and thus easily took us to this place. The entire area was slum. As i looked around i was lovingly surprised at the areas where Siddhas chose to reside - all for mankind. 

The slums of Mumbai from hotel room

We parked the car and moved through the slum huts and came into a wide-door space surrounded by four walls and a ceiling and in the center of it grew a huge tree that grew out of the ceiling. There were few people sitting and chatting on the floor. There were idols of Lord Ganesha and other dieties at the trunk of the tree and on one wall adorned a huge photo of Nityananda Baba adorned with lit lamps. We offered our sweets and fruits at this place. Only when Manju anna went and prostrated at the feet of one of the men sitting on the floor did i know it was Karunakara Swami! He wore a towel around his waist and there were spectacles on his nose. He worse socks and also had some wounds on his legs, which were liked the wounds i had seen on Jungli Das Maharaj during my Shirdi visit. They did not seem to be 'their' wounds :) He had few grey hair and was speaking to two persons sitting in front of him in Tulu. Manju anna sat in front of him and Swamiji spoke some things to him and looked at us behind Manju anna and signaled us with his hands to sit down. We immediately sat down. Manju anna and Swami Vijayanand has spoken so much about Karunakara swami that i knew there was nothing to expect here as He knew everything. Swamiji speaks  whatever comes to his mind and there may or not be continuity in his speech. He speaks in Tulu and less in other languages. He speaks what he wishes and can be straight and rude at times. He does not have much publicity nor does have people coming to him easily because of his open words. He knows everything about the person in front of him and often opens it up quite openly and hence not everyone prefer to meet him :)

The only photo of
Karunakar Swamiji i was
able to get

He did not speak anything to us but spoke a lot to Manju anna and as he did he gave us occasional glances and sometimes stares. i just closed my eyes and meditated there and the energies there could be sensed easily as strong... a very meditative space amidst a slum of so much noise and lower vibrations! As he spoke no one spoke and Swamiji's questions to them were very assertive that was seemingly not able to be answered back to him while some shed tears as he spoke. Some just sat there with eyes closed. 

Swami Vijayanand had once shared many stories of his own with Karunakara Swami. During the time when Swamiji had just set up the ashram, someone with some neck problem had visited Swami Vijayanand and was soon cured, but Swami Vijayanand found it difficult to swallow food. When he met Karunakara Swami, he immediately told him that he had taken the karma of that person and asked him to be given something specific to drink and as soon as Swami Vijayanand did it, he was able to eat after that. Also before Swami Vijayanand had set up the ashram, while he lived near the caves of Sogal and did sadhana someone from the village used to regularly bring Vijayanand Swami tea and biscuits. Once when Vijayanand Swami met Karunakara Swami, he was quickly asked, "So how were the tea and biscuits that came to you?" and that was time Swami Vijayanand realized it was Karunakara Swami who was sitting there and managing things for him here. Swamiji did not like being photographed or recorded. Manju anna told me that his words always make sense and is understood when he is speaking but when he comes out he cannot recollect them. So one day, Manju anna thought of recording what Swamijii says and tried to pulled his cell to record to which Karunaka Swami immediately resorted to put it back stating, "Keep it in, it is not required." Another time when the people of press were there, they asked Karunakara Swami permission to click and Manju anna laughingly said that for one full hour the cameras did not work and later Karunakara Swami teasingly laughed over this matter. We sat there for long that Sunday morning and it couldn't have been more pleasant and divine than this. As he spoke, all eyes were fixed on him. Though not a single word could be understood, there was so much one could receive from him by just 'being there'. Soon, Swamiji signalled to the people in front of him to leave and as they got up Manju anna also got up. Swamiji took the little bags containing fruit and prasad and gave it to each one of us as we touched our heads to his feet. The extremities of his hands and feet were worn out and he wore socks. This was due to the intense years of sadhana he did in Himalayas after Bade Baba had instructed him to do so and after that he has never gone anywhere after he came here to this place. As all left, Swamiji was talking to a person and i went to the altar of Bade Baba and stayed bowed there for a while. As i did, i heard Swamiji stop speaking and i wondered if he was looking at me. As i got up and turned he was. i immediately folded my hands and bowed taking leave and he nodded in agreement. Just that one moment was the most magical time for me in the whole meeting.

Samadhi Shrine at night

Since it was already noon, we had a happy lunch itself. We were planning to go to the ancient Kanheri Caves in Borivilli and then take a train to Vasai and then a bus to Ganeshpuri, but Manju anna was so kind enough that he insisted that he would drive us to Ganeshpuri. As we drove towards Ganeshpuri which was around 80 kms from here, Manju anna shared more stories about Karunakara Swamiji and his mystical ways. After an hour's drive we approached the holy land of Ganeshpuri, another place itself camouflaged on earth :) Driving up the holy hill, we parked in front of the ashram and soon got rooms that was also kindly arranged by Manju anna.

Ma Bhadrakali

We visited first the Samadhi Mandir of Bade Baba and the Maa Bhadrakali Temple Manju anna preferred to leave. i cannot thank him enough for him leaving his busy meetings and business behind and making time for us and all his great help. We then went to our rooms and freshened up. Then, we went around every place of importance. i could not wait to rush to my most favorite spot, the huge chair of Bade Baba, where he would often be sitting, in Kailash Nivas. Moving into the huge hall of Kailash Nivas, the abode of Bhagwan Nityananda, is enough to bring one to another dimension. One has to be only be present and aware of this place where Baba spent more than 25 years where thousands from all over flocked to have a darshan and where Baba did so many leelas.

Stopping at all places at the places Baba often sat or laid down, we then moved to the Swami Shaligram Samadhi Temple, my favorite place after the Kailash Nivas and Nityananda Samadhi Temple. i have had beautiful experiences here in my previous visits and this is a very powerful place. i love the atmosphere here during the arati time here. Swami Shaligram's cot, asana and padukas are kept here close to his samadhi that faces the South. Swami Shaligram, a very close disciple of Baba had taken Jeeva Samadhi (leaving body at will) at a very young age, just three months before Bade Baba took samadhi after taking permission from Bade Baba.

Shaligram Swami's Samadhi

In 1961, Bade Baba instructed, "Shaligram is mahayogi. He wishes Jeeva Samadhi. Construct a good tomb.  Place his body facing south. He is Agni, the Fire God. Do not break open his head for He shall be at the service of devotees for the next 500 years." Shaligram Swami's has a fascinating and powerful look that connected one very easily. We did not want to miss the evening 7 p.m. arati here and since there was time, we went to the Bangalorewala building. This place was built by Baba's disciples few weeks before Bade Baba's Samadhi and this building has many dormitories and rooms that houses large number of pilgrims. On one floor is a huge hall which has a bed, on which Bade Baba left his body on August 8, 1961 at 10:42 a.m. This hall has a provisions for sitting and meditating. Through the window can be seen the Tansa river. After a while here, we attended the arati at Shaligram Swami's Samadhi.

Bed on which Bade Baba left his body in Bangalorewala Building

While we strolled through the stalls, we were told by one person there about the places around, something that i was very keen visiting this time. He spoke about Lord Parashuram spending most of his childhood days there at the Holy Mandakini Mountain where he had also performed a yagna. We were interested to go and told him clearly that we were not going for visit and we would be meditating on those locations and that it could take time. He said that we could book a taxi and one of them agreed to join us.

The 3 hot water kund (springs)
Photo source: Internet 

We then had dinner and went early to bed and got up next morning at 3 a.m. and went straight to the hot kunds (hot natural springs) and took bath. Bade Baba often sent people to bathe here as cure to ailments. This spring has healing powers and these three springs are next to the Samadhi temple of Bade Baba in front of the Bhimeshwar Temple. All three kunds have different temperature ranging from mild to hot. Bade Baba himself told many devotees that many divine beings come here for bath at the Brahmamuhutra and some devotees even had the fortune of witnessing these. One night Mrs. Muktabai who went  for a bath in the hot kund, saw some handsome youths who rushed from the spring tanks and disappeared inside the temple. When she told Bade Baba about this, Baba said that they were the Sanatkumars (the four sons of Brahma born of his mind alone-Sanakan, Sanadan, Sanatan, and Sanatkumaran). i was once told that these three kunds represent the three granthis - Bramha granthi (warmest kund), Vishnu granthi (warmer kund), Rudra granthi (warm kund).

Shivalinga in Bhimeshwar temple
Photo source: Internet 

After a bath here, we meditated in the Bhimeshwar temple, the oldest Shiva temple in this area built during the 6th century. When Bade Baba arrived in Ganeshpuri in 1936, he lived behind this temple that had an ancient Shivalinga. At that time, the entire Ganeshpuri and adjourning areas was a dense jungle with wild animals. Meditating here is possible only during early hours of the morning in 'off-season' time as otherwise there are devotees walking in for worship. After this we moved into the Samadhi Temple for the early morning 4 a.m. kakad arati. 

Samadhi place of Bade Baba
Photo source: Internet 

Everyone meditated in the places they preferred until the 6 am arati. i spent my time in Kailash Nivas at Bade Baba's bed and chair. One cannot deny his eternal presence in these locations. At 6 came to the Samadhi Temple and this arati is very divinely experience for me. i have seen shaktipath happening to people (especially westerners) during this arati. It is extremely powerful if one is connected at this moment. The beautifully lit large hall in which rests the mortal remains of Bade Baba above which is placed his beautiful life-size, real-looking Panchaloha idol to which the arati is done in all glory of many lit lamps in the hands of the priest. What adds to the heavenly experience is the splendid majestic rhythmic beats of the drum (they indeed awaken your kundalini) and the bells ringing in rhythm and pace of the arati lamps in the hands of the priest. The whole hall vibrates divinely and one has the best opportunity to remain in heavenly bliss.

After this, we quickly had our breakfast and were ready to go by 8 a.m. The taxi (Sumo) arrived. It is surprising that we always have to have an uncle or aunty in every trip of ours. This time we were also joined by Uncle Subhash Amin, a follower of Swami Vijayananda; uncle was already in Ganeshpuri for a one-week visit. We told him that it could be hectic and time-consuming and moreover we would prefer to be much in silence and he seemed to be okay with it. The trip began towards the Mandakini Mountain. Bade Baba mentioned that many famous Siddhas lived in the mountain. The great Sage Vasishta performed a yagna here at Ganehspuri. The hot kunds (more than 360 of them) in this area were created by Sage Vasishta the comfort of the sages who had come for the yagna. In very ancient times many famous Siddhas have done tapas in this region. During one of the yagna, Sage Vasishta installed the idol of Lord Ganesh in a temple and thus the name 'Ganeshpuri'. There are two temples near the mountain ranges; One of the temples belongs to Shiva and the other to Renukamata, who was Parashuram’s mother.

On our way to Mandakini Mountain (seen in the distance)

The Mandakini Mountain

We reached the foothill of the Mandakini Mountain, which is on the border of Wada and Bhiwandi talukas. First we stopped at Amba temple at Gunj-Kati. This is actually the original place of Vajreshwari Maa. This is the place where Sage Vasishta prayed to the Mother and he got darshan of the Goddesses. Only later was the shift made from here to the famous Vajreshwari Temple near Ganeshpuri. This temple is closed, but the person who assisted us had got the keys on the way from one of the houses in the village.

The temple was powerful and we sat in meditation for a while. Right outside the temple is the Bhagirathi Tirtha (kund).

As the others were still meditating, i came out and went into the trees behind the temple and sat besides a stream of water. Just sitting here was meditative enough. This entire place emitted high vibes. After a while i came back and joined others back to the taxi and we moved a little further about a kilometer reaching the foothill of Bhaargavaraam Hill. The person took us to a location nearby a lake and pointed out that a Siddha had taken samadhi in the lake. i presume it would be a jal samadhi.

He then pointing to huge black stones that looked as old as creation and mentioned that this was the place where Bala Parshuram lived. It was unbelievable that we were standing on such places. We spent some moments in silent contemplation there. 

Then he pointed out to a temple hidden among the trees on the hill, which was an old temple of Lord Parashurama. We then began climbing the hill. The sun was blazing but the sense of being in this awareness of divine energies made it just easy :) As we walked, he told us that Sri Adi Shakaracharya also has visited this area.

The Parashuram Temple seen from a distance

Parashuran Temple

This temple is beliieved to have been built by Bhima (pandava) and he shared that this temple was worshiped by many and many sages including tantriks came for sadhana. We were told there are some mysteries to this temple. On entering the temple it was enchantingly beautiful and we got into a deeper enclosure where the idol of Lord Parshurama stood. He had brought water from the kund and did abhishekam and collected the water back. By now it was quite evident that he was a staunch follower of Lord Parshurama and not just he but the villages around here also were. 

He spoke about many legendary stories and also shared that he visited these places alone quite often and has even stayed overnight on the Mandakini Mountain. It was quite obvious with the way he navigated through this place and had so much of information. i could see that he was continuously pouring out information and could see that he was happy to share it because it must be rare for him to get someone who are interested in these things :) Behind the temple was a path to climb through the rocks and he guided us up there and showed us a spot where a much-feared tiger used to live. There were tigers and wild animals spotted beyond the Mandakini Mountain even these days. He told us that none till date succeeded in living in this temple or around this temple. If anyone attempted some weird things happened to make one run out of there. Anyone with ill-motives is believed to get 'driven' out from here. Lord Parshuram is believed to walk these hills even today and many claim to have seen him.

Deeper into the forest

Then after snacking over biscuits and water, we moved further into the forest guided by him. He seemed to know every piece of land in that area for he very casually walked through the trees and shrubs, talking all the while and stopping at regular intervals to tell us the significance of those spots or information about the area, which quite surprised me on his abundant knowledge about the historical events and the awareness of current mysteries that happen there.

He seemed to be happy emptying all that he knew for he must have found it worthwhile after a long time because our hunger for it increased as he revealed things one by one. We sometimes stopped at places just to feel that place and to do some energy work. All the while i was walking in awareness of the total area and surroundings. Mystical things happen when one does this. 

After descending down the hill through the greens, we came to a small hut that seemed to be the only huts in those mountains. As we entered, i switch on my cam in the video mode and was wondering what it could be. As i was shooting, i followed him, who entered the hut and outside in the verandah of the hut was a cot and someone sleeping with a bedsheet covered over the face. He gently touched him and as the sheet uncovered, a surprised face of a thin old bearded man came out of the sheet. He looked very happy and surprised to see him, and i kept shooting with the cam. Then he revealed that this hut was the samadhi of Siddha Shankar Swami and this yogi was living here at this samadhi since 40 years! We all fell at his feet and he blessed us laughing happily and was only saying "Baba, Baba" loving to all. He seemed to know only Telugu fluently but then was managing to speak Hindi in bits. 



Swamiji then asked everyone to visit the samadhi inside. There was only one room inside and in the center of this room was a huge samadhi built. It looked very obvious that Swamiji was living outside this hut in the verandah because inside apart from the Samadhi only a few things were hung to the wall and other materials were a few vessels and the very few of his possessions. Behind the samadhi was a photo of Baba Nityananda. 

The Jeeva Samadhi of Swami Shankar

After we visited the samadhi we came out. Swamiji then sent us down below a few meters from there to a stream and asked us to wash ourselves there. This was the stream where the Siddha used to bathe and drink water. This Siddha lived on one spoon of soaked grams for all the years he lived there. 
I was very surprised to know that Siddha Shankar Swami was sent by Nityanand Baba here to do tapas and he followed the instructions of his master. He is said to have demonstrated leaving his body for a few times before he actually took samadhi. We then went to the crystal clear pool and washed ourselves in the enclosure where he used to take bath and on one end of the stream was another man-made enclosure made for drinking water and he used to drink water here. i found this water crystal clear with small fishes in it. We drank water from here and also re-filled our bottles here.

Then, we came back to the hut where Swamiji was waiting for us. i could not understand what he was doing but only later we could know. Like, he started sweeping the floor and i thought it was his regular work, but later i understood he did that to spread out the mats so that we could sit and meditate there :) He then asked us to come into the samadhi and he did arati and asked us to to do parikrama of the samadhi. At one point, he even sternly told us how to do the parikrama correctly by himself demonstrating it. He seemed to be speaking whatever came to his mind and that sometimes was laughter, love, sternness and even sometimes things blunt and straight to the point. After the arati, we sang "Jai Jai Arati Nityananda" which the Swami sang in his own way holding the two bells standing on one leg. Swamiji seemingly in his 80s, missed a few words of the arati here and there but sang it loud and from his heart. He then went out as we sat there for sometime. When we came out he was insisting that we have food and that he would cook for us. He finally convinced him only for black tea which he got working over very lovingly. While that happened he asked us to sit and meditate over the mats he had spread out lovingly for us. As we sat he brought even a deer skin asana and asked us to use it but we didn't. He then threw rudraksha and sphatik malas into our hands asking us to wear those. Just to keep his loving gesture we wore them and sat and meditated there along with his cat that came and sat besides with us playing and purring. As we ended our meditation, i overheard that Swamiji was speaking to some villager who had come there to meet him. He was telling him angrily that the villager is not following what he was asked to do. In the same line i heard him tell the village not to smoke there as people are meditating. When we came to Swamiji the villager was none other than the person who owned all the land there including the land on which the hut was. We spoke to him for a while in Marathi who had reverence for Swamiji. He told us that Swamiji was a grihast who had entered into Sanyas and had come here more than 40 years before and lived here alone. Some villagers built a small hut over the samadhi and have been providing few things required for Swamiji's food there. The villager had brought along two of his small grandchildren whom i saw Swamiji offering handful of sugar. We gave the kids chocolates and spoke to Swamiji for a while. His words were not clear to understand due to heavy language accent and old age but the essence of the messages were clear. As we were planning to leave, i fell at his feet again and thanked him profusely for his love and everything to which he laughed loudly. As i folded my hands and looked into his eyes, he told me few things and in that flow of words he mentioned something alarming in total simplicity. He said Lord Parashuram came few times at night and asked him 'Why have you come here?' and that Swamiji told him 'I came here for you!' and then Lord Parashuram would walk away. Swamiji told me that he came here years back and pointing his hand up towards the sky said that he was living on his support and for him. All the while he kept praising Baba Nityananda for everything. Then, pointing out into the forest, he showed me the way Lord Parshuram came and the way he left. As we all took his leave, Swamiji insisted to him that we take that path only back, the path which he said Lord Parashuram came and went frequently. Though this path was little deviated from the path we had come here, he took us through that path. Without any question we went that way knowing there must have been some reason why he asked us to do so. We bid goodbye to the villager also and left back towards our taxi parked on the other side of the hill. After walking under the hot sun and missing our way for a while, we later walked through fields, rocky elevations, water bodies and finally spotted the taxi. Near the taxi there were children playing around and it seemed the school had just left them. We brought them all sweets and then headed back towards Vajreshwari. (All this is covered in the end of this article)



As we were on the outskirts of the village, he asked the driver to stop and ran into a hut to enquire something and signalled us to come. As we went, he introduced us to the priest there, who was responsible for renovating the old temple and starting puja there up the hill in the Parashuram temple. He invited us for prasad and took us into his hut where there were idols of Maa Vajreshwari and Lord Parashuram. He did arati and prayed for us alland gave us all prasad after we took his blessings. He was a loving person and so erre all of his family members who treated us all with so much of love. We then bid the priest and his family goodbye.

Then we headed towards Vajreshwari stopping at one restaurant on the highway for lunch. From there we went to Akloli near Vajreshwari, where Bade Baba lived for 8 years first place after entering Vajreshwari before he went to Ganeshpuri and cleaned up the area and made an ashram. We visited the temples and all the possible hot water kunds in front of the Vajreshwari temple. Here is worshiped the padukas of Bade Baba.


Vajreshwari is also famous for its hot-water sulphur springs, which are supposed to be medically good for the skin and bones. These kunds were where the river Tansa flowed and far behind the river was still visible the Mandakini Mountain. It was a beautiful view. Then coming back to the taxi and keeping our footwear in the vehicle itself, we moved towards the Vajreshwari temple.

Hot Kunds near the river Tansa just opposite to Vajreshwari Temple

The Mandakini Mountain holding it's strong presence in Vajreswari

The Vajreshwari temple is perched at the foothill of a hill. On the top of this hill is a Samadhi of a Siddha. The path to this Samadhi is led by stone steps.

Last time i had come to the temple, i had an excellent time with Sri Vidya sadhana here and we all had decided to do the same here. Never did i know there was a Siddha samadhi above the temple. We went into the temple and had darshan of the three main goddesses here - Vajreshwari, Kalika, and Renuka Devi. 



I had never noticed who the three goddesses were until this time and it was only now it was evident to me how this place was connected to the Anand Ashram in North Karnataka including the places i traveled from there. Anand Ashram is the place where Lord Parashuram was there because his mother (Renuka Devi) had lived there in Saundatti, which is around 35 kms from the ashram and and only further 25 kms is Kalika Devi's home at Sirsangi. So, after our travel to these places and meditating there, we were able to come this time to the hills near Mandakini that was the original place of Vajreshwari Maa and Lord Parashuram's birth place. Lord Parashuram was imparted with the knowledge of advaita by Lord Dattatreya near Saundatti and the conversations that took place between them was written as "Tripura Rahasya" by Lord Parashuram's disciple - Maharishi Sumedha who was also initiated into Sri Vidya by Lord Parshuram. The samadhi of Maharishi Sumedha is where Anand Ashram (read) is built in Bevinkoppa. i am amazed at these chain links.


After darshan and being in this highly energetic space in front of the idols, we decided to first go up the hill and visit the Siddha Samadhi first before settling down for Sri Vidya sadhana in front of the Mother. As we tread on the stony path, a much more clearer view of Ganeshpuri and surrounding areas became evident. This place is not much known but can be a treat to sadhaks on the Siddha marg. We spent some moments here. Photographs are not allowed here.  As i came out and caught an enchanting view of the entire area from top of this divine hill, i could see the Mandakini Mountain standing in its glory; it actually never left our sight from the time we came back from there and was visible at every point till here and is also visible from Ganeshpuri. We then moved down the hill back to Vajreshwari Temple and did our Sri Vidya sadhana there. By the time we finished it was dark.

View from top of the hill is seen Tansa River and Mandakini Mountain

We then had some tea and snacks in a hotel and went to the place where Bade Baba used to sit near the samadhis of many saints. 

Paduka of Goraknathji

Two of these were told by Baba to be the samadhis of Mahasiddha Machendranath and his disciple  Mahasiddha Gorakshanath of the Natha Sampradaya (lineage) and one of the 84 Mahasiddhas. There is a reference in the Navnath Granth of Machendranath meeting the Vajreshwari Maa, who was then blessed with many spiritual powers.  

Paduka of Machendranathji

The Nath lineage are considered to be the initiators of Hatha-Vidya, Laya-Yoga, Nada-Yoga and Kundalini-Yoga. Gorakshanathjiis also the founder of yoga orders of Kanphatas, Nathas, Gorakhanathas and Kaulas, comprising of the Tantra Yoga tradition. 


We went into this place that was also the house of Swami Shankar Tirth, who was directed by Baba Nityananda to stay here. He did so but the next morning returned to Baba visibly shaken after being troubled the frightening nightmares cobras attacking him and asking him to leave the place. 

Samadhi of Shankar Swami

But Baba Nityananda sent him back and announce on whose orders he was there. Swamiji returned back the next morning with the same complaint and this time again Baba asked him to go back and announce on the threatening forces who had sent him and this time there was peace restored and Swamiji lived there. Swamiji's samadhi is here and so are the padukas of Machendranathji and Gorakshanathji. After speaking to the loving and smiling person who now lives there, we left towards Ganeshpuri 

Photo of Nityanand Baba and Shankar Swami

The last moment before just reaching the ashram we decided to pay a visit to the Govind Swami's Samadhi at Bhiwali, at the outskirts of Ganeshpuri. He was a close disciple of Baba Nityananda, who was a strict Brahmin and had pride on the caste system. To break the ego, Bade Baba sent him to work in a slaughter house and Swamiji did go there, thus having speedy spiritual progress. This house has very good vibrations but since we were getting late, we could not spend much time here. But this is one place one must sit and meditate. We would surely next time :)  

After paying respects to the Samadhi place and the small Shivalinga temple, we left back to Ganeshpuri ashram. We had food and we back in our rooms. Soon we were all sound asleep.

Next morning we woke up at 4 a.m. and took bath in the hot water kund and as usual meditated for a while in the Bhimeshwar temple and then after the Kakad arati, i went to my favorite spots at Kailash Nivas and returned for the main arati at 6 a.m. After breakfast, we decided to go up this Ganeshpuri Hill to meet Swami Vishweshwarananda Saraswati where he had his own ashram. i had met Swamiji during one of my travel who had invited me to his ashram at Ganeshpuri. More than anything, i was keen to go here because this was a divine spot having samadhi of Siddha Sankara Swami and also the spot where Karunananda Swami of Gokul had done tapas. Karunananda Swami was a disciple of Baba Nityananand who on instructions of Baba spent the rest of his time in Gokul till his samadhi. Also, i wanted to visit the At the same time, Balu Maharaj, one of the chief priests of Baba's Samadhi temple, had been inviting me for lunch but due to time constraints had promised him we would come for tea and thus we decided to go there first and then up the hill.


Balu Maharaj's house, whose house is at a walkable distance, been doing arati at Bade Baba's samadhi since 1978. Sitting there, he shared a lot of stories of Bade Baba's leelas. After being here for about an hour and taking prasad, we took leave of him.

Then, we went up the hill to an ashram on the hilltop named Bramhapuri. Swamiji was out of town and so we could not meet him, but the man in the ashram took us around and showed the prominent spots. We meditated at the Samadhi of Siddha Sankar Swami (in the video below) A little distance further was a small Dattatrey temple below a pipal tree, which was the spot where the Siddha used to meditate.

View from top of the Ganeshpuri Hill

Below is seen the bridge over Tansa river

Then coming down the hill, we attended the arati at the Samadhi temple and had lunch. Then returning to our rooms, we took a brief power nap and soon were packing up our bags. We met an elderly lady who had a beautiful voice; she had sung a beautiful song at the Bhadrakali temple the previous morning and we requested her to sing. She and her husband readily came into our room and sang Mahishasurmardini and we accompanied her.  


Thanking her after she left we made our way to Siddha peetha to visit Baba Muktananda's samadhi place. Since it is not open the whole day, we waited for it to be 4 p.m. and then took an auto there. The vibrations here were splendid and we meditated here for a while after having darshan of the Shakti temple here, which is also a powerful place. It was beautiful to connect with Baba Muktananda, whose book i had read and that had brought me to Ganespuri 3 years back (read). It was time to leave. Then we took the auto back and picked up our bags and walked to the Ganeshpuri bus stand and in few minutes got the bus to Vasai. i had my train back home from Vasai, whereas others took a local train from here to Dadar. After they left, i spend few hours on the platform after dinner, reading a book and listening to music. Boarding the train, i reached back home the next day by noon.


Lastly, as we left the accommodation at Shaligram Nivas, i could not miss to admire and adore a few pictures of Shaligram Swami in the hall. Every picture of them both fails to hide the silence in the photos and just bursts our with their energy exchanges. Two pictures caught my eyes and i stared and stared at the love exchange between Bade Baba and Shaligram Swami. They spoke volumes of their closeness. When Bade Baba looks away, Shaligram Swami stares at Bade Baba with so much of love and when Shaligram Swami looks away, Bade Baba stares at him with so much of affection. It's like how two close people when look at each other the other pretends not to know that the other is looking :) :) :) . i captured those two pics on the cam, which are below.

A splendid journey with so much of encounters with the world of the physical and nonphysical realms. Three days but the activities seemed to be of three weeks!

An everlasting gratitude to Bade Baba and all holy Siddhas.

Namo Namah! 


Video coverage of the entire trip

To read Kanhangad experiences click here.