Interview with the Risis

The first day was spent in having a glimpse of the Supreme Spirit in the natural beauty of Nandanvan. I did not know when the Sun set and the night approached. I was directed to go to a nearby specific cave to sleep. It seemed as if the main purpose was not and much of sleep as of protection of my unacclimatised physique from the intense cold of the region. There was a possibility of a meeting with Gurudev again in the night.

Gurudev suddenly appeared that night in the cave. It was a full-moon night of Purnima. Bright golden light of the moon was scattered all over the Himalayas. There was drizzling of golden particles of snow and it appeared as if drops of gold were raining far and wide. With the appearance of Gurudev a circle of warmth was formed, otherwise in that terrific stormy cold night, it would have been difficult to stir out.

I did not enquire about the purpose of his visit at this odd time because I understood that Gurudev had been showering his grace on me for some specific purposes. I followed him outside the cave. My feet were moving above the surface. I realized that day why there was the necessity to acquire siddhis (supernatural powers) of flying in the air, walking in the space. It was more difficult to walk on a rough and rugged glacial snowy surface than to walk on the surface of water. Now-a-days, one may not feel the necessity of such siddhis, but they were definitely needed in those days for movement in those inhospitable regions.

I came out of the cave trembling with bitter cold and started moving behind Gurudev like his tail in mid-air over the golden Himalayas. The purpose of that day's pilgrimage was to introduce me to the tapasthali (place of worship) of ancient Risis. They had all cast off their physical bodies but most of them had retained their astral bodies. Causal bodies of some of them could also be glimpsed through their astral bodies. I suddenly found myself in a posture of folded hands with my head bowed down in deferential salutation. I was being introduced today to Risis living in their astral and causal bodies in the Himalayas. That night was extremely important and fortunate for me.

Earlier, I had seen only those caves of Uttrakhand during my journey which was easily approachable. I realized today that there was far more unseen compared to what I had seen so far. Small caves were being used by wild animals but bigger ones were orderly, neat and clean and were meant for Risis who were living in their astral bodies. They still lived there occasionally on account of their past association. All those Risis were in dhyan-mudra (meditative posture). Gurudev told me that they often lived in that state. They did not interrupt their meditation without some valid reason. Their astral bodies along with their names were introduced to me. This spiritual treasure is the specialty and uniqueness of this region.