Congratulations echo from all directions

On 20^th September 1911, Shriram was born at nine in the morning at their ancestral house in village Aanwalkheda situated on Agra- Jalesar route. Those were the days of Pitrupaksh. According to Sanatana Dharma, it is considered auspicious to leave one's body or take birth during this period. it is said that those who leave their body in Pitrupaksh need not spend time wandering in the other worlds. There is no desire or want pending in them that they have to stay in a bodiless state waiting for its fulfillment. The soul either directly goes to Pitrulok or assumes a new body immediately. The souls that embody during this time are said to have arrived at the gates of liberation (mukti). They have taken up a body so as to fulfill some remnant desire.

It is also belief that those born in Pitrupaksh are none other than a scholarly ancestor who has come back to restore or increase the glory and fame of their family tradition and to pay back those who have he;ped and assisted him in the past. Based on his birth in pirtupaksh and also bearing in mind the incidents that occurred before his birth, the Pandits of Anwalkheda asserted that a yogi had taken birth in the house of Pandit Roop Kishoreji. At the age of 55, he had obtained this great boon.

The birth of the child brought festivities not only at his home but also in the entire village. There were 30-40 houses in the village. The incidents before his birth ­ cows coming to their houses, bees making their hives in the house, and the experiences narrated by Taiji spread not only in their village but also in neighboring villages. When these events occurred, scholarly and learned elderly people predicted that a soul of a yogi would be born in Panditji's house. When the child was born, wealthy and famous people from various villages in whose house Panditji had done Bhagavat Katha also came to see the child. The inhabitants of Aanwalkheda found their coming to be a natural thing. What appeared special was the sudden influx of Sanyasis and Sadhus to the village. Typically, just a mendicant or two would wander into the village. After the child was born, about 4-5 sadhus began to visit every day. On the day the child was born, a tall well-built and radiant sadhu came and stood at the doorstep of the house. On hearing the cries of the baby, he expressed his desire to see the baby. Taiji was hesitant but agreed on Panditji's intervention. On seeing the child, the sadhu raised both his hands and blessed the child for a long and illustrious life and then left the place.

Congratulations echo from all directions 1

Taiji used to say that on the day Shriram was born. The place started resonating with some sweet and divine music. until the next morning, one could hear the recitation of mantras and Ramayana reverberating in the house. this could have been experienced by Taiji because of the inner tranquility she was experiencing. But she was visibly upset at the visits of Sadhus who stood at the doorstep gazing quietly at the child. When they were offered something, they plainly refused. They just wanted to see the child and once he began to cry, they would leave the place. Even Panditji found it strange that so many Sadhus visited his house, but he was never worried about it. He tried to console Taiji when she worried too much about these happenings.

The child was 16-17 days old when it was arranged to conduct the naming ceremony. A strange incident occured that day which ruffled the calm of Panditji too. The auspicious day of Vijayadashami was chosen for the ceremony. According to the tradition in the village, the day of Vijayadashami was skpent in reciting 'Ramcharit Manas', 'Saptashati' etc. They typically did not conduct Ramlila or burn the effigy of Ravana. Due to the birth of the child, they were observing sutak (state of ritual impurity existing after a birth or a death in one's household) because of which the family members did not conduct any special Navaratri Puja. Only regular rituals of Sandhyavandan were being observed. The sutak was over on the day of Navami and the same day, they started the incessant recitation of Ramacharit Manas (Akhand Parayan). It was planned that on the next day they will have the Purnahuti and yagya followed by naming ceremony.

Almost everyone in the village attended the Purnahuti of Ramcharit manas recitation, Yagna and naming ceremony. People began to gather sinced the early hours of Vijayadashami. Whoever walked in observed a sanyasi standing at the doorstep. After sometime a female mendicant  (sadhvi) came and joined him. They did not converse amongst themselves but continued to stand undisturbed till the naming ceremony commenced. Once the ceremony began, both of them walked into the house and began to gaze at the child lying in Taiji's lap. When Taiji noticed both of them, she was taken aback and tried to cover the child with her Saree. At that, the sadhu said, "O Mother, let us also see the little one. Let us gaze at him to our heart's content. Only God knows whether we will get another chance to see him or not." Taiji interpreted that he was speaking something inauspicious about the child and became angry. She stood up from the dais and started taking both of them to task. Both of them offered their explanation but Taiji got up and said, "Let it be, Shriram's mother. Nothing untoward will happen to your child. Everything will be fine and auspicious." On hearing this the sanyasis left imploring that the child be named as 'Shriram' in accordance to what had come out from his father's mouth involuntarily. He said that it was the desire of the Lord that the child be named thus. Panditji agreed to the suggestion and Taiji did not argue further. The sadhu and Sadhvi stood at the doorstep till the ceremony was completed.

Congratulations echo from all directions 2

There is another incident in which an old sanyasi stood for one and a half hours at the doorstep. Taiji was worried and walked out of the house and asked the sadhu why he was casting an evil eye on the child and what harm the child had done to him. On hearing this, the sadhu clarified that he had not come to do anything evil to the child and that he had come to just see him. He said that, I got feeling that a great soul from the Himalayas has taken birth in your house. So, I have just come to see the child. Let me just take a short glance at him and I will go away. The mother abided by Sanyasi's wishes and showed him the child. She also clarified that she will not show the child to any Sadhu from then on and that no one should come to their house with such a request.

She then went to her room and sat in front of Lord Krishna and kept crying for a long time. The mother was confused and alarmed at the various terms like Soul from the Himalayas, Siddha Purush etc and was worried if she would be separated from her child in the future and if he would become a mendicant  of some kind. it is possible that the mother would have prayed to her revered deity that she be never separated  from her child and that he always stayed with her. What the devotee asked her Lord is completely a private conversation. But the visible result was that saint and mendicants stopped visiting their house after that day.

The initial 3-4 years were spent with parents enjoying their child learning to walk and utter his first words. Three years after the birth of Shriram, one more girl child entered the family. She was named Kiran Devi. One more sister was born in due course and she was named Ram Devi. After the birth of his sisters, Taiji's attention got divided among her three kids. Until then she used to shoulder the entire responsibility of the house right from cooking food to hosting the guests. While doing all her household work, her eyes were always on Shriram. She rarely left her son under the care of any family members or even his father. The words uttered by mendicants regarding Shriram kept echoing in her mind. She was always tormented by this lurking fear that some sadhu or sanyasi might cast a spell on her son. After the birth of Kiran Devi, Taiji had to leave Shriram under the care of others, mostly under the care of only his father. She tried to take full care of both Shriram and Kiran Devi. When Panditji was not at home, she made Shriram sleep along with the new-born and when his father was at home, she would leave him to his care.

Gayatri is Brahmin's Kamdhenu (heavenly Cow)

Pt. Sriran used to sleep in his own house. He would reach school by seven in the morning and study in school till late in the evening. This routine continued for 5-5-6 years and after that he went on his tour to Kashi with his father. It was decided that during the inaugural ceremony of Kashi Hindu Vishwavidyalaya, Sri Malaviyaji will himself invest Shrira, with the sacred thread. With this pain in mind, Shriram's father had not conducted his "Thread ceremony" even at the age of 8. On reaching Kashi, Shriram was invested with sacred thread in a simple ceremony held at Malaviyaji's residence. During the samskar ceremony, Malaviyaji taught him that Gayatri is the deity of all the Vedas and is the embodiment of Brahma - the supreme spirit. These words kept echoing in the ears of Shriram on his way back from Kashi. for a boy of 10-12 years, these teachings were occult in nature and not easily comprehensible. When comprehended a few years later, they defined and determined the direction for the entire life.

Based on his level of understanding Shriram asked various questions from his father about what Malaviyaji taught him. why is Gayatri called as a Brahmin's Kamadhenu? Who is a Brahmin? Who can realizw Gayatri? If a Brahmin can realize Gayatri, What is the reason for the sad state of affairs of this caste? Who cursed Gayatri? How could one revoke the Course? All sucnh questions were answered in the return journey itself.. Later Gurudev wrote about the answers that he received from his father. They give a clear explanation about the secret of Gayatri Sadhana. Continuing the story, after the Yagyopaveet Samskar, Shriram begin to do Gayatri Jap at dawn and dusk. It was lodged firmly in his mind that not doing sandhyavandan violated Yagyopaveet and led to the downfall of the person; also that the new life that was bestowed during Yagyopaveet would come to a standstill and he would lose the privilege of calling himself a Dwij (Twice born).

Gayatri is Brahmin's Kamdhenu (heavenly Cow) 1

After returning from Baranasi, Shriram selected a room in his residential mansion for doing japa and dhyan. he used to go into the open area for doing sandhyavandan. the venue for that was either the terrace of his house or a holy shrine of Shiva on the outskirts of the village. he also used to do sandhyavandan beneath a banyan tree in their field. His father felt extremely happy on seeing his son engrossed in jap and dhyan. he used to say that Shriram would prove himself to be a true Brahmin and will make his family to be a true Brahmin and will make his family and all Upasaks (worshippers) of Gayatri proud of him. Whenever his father uttered the word Brahmin, he never meant someone born in that caste. In plain words it meant one whose actions were pure. Brahmin is one who fosters an intense desire to know about the Brahma.

He used to wake up at five in the morning and sit for sandhyavandan after completing his morning chores. His Gayatri Japa, Sandhyavandan and meditation on the golden rays of the Savita would continue until the Eastern horizon was lit with the golden rays of the Sun. His morning rituals would conclude with the following words -- Anena sandhyapasanena karmana sri parameswarah preeyataam na mama. Om tat sat Brahmarpanamastu. With these words young Shriram would offer the fruits of his japa and dhyana to the Lord and return home. he would get ready and reach his classroom by 7.00 AM. In addition to regular studies, they were also imbued with noble character and conduct. Evening sandhyavandan would begin just before sunset. By the time stars peeped out of the evening skies, Shriram would finish his prayers. This routine continued for 4-5 years.

Scriptures proclaim that those who do regular Gayatri Japa in the prescribed manner, with unwavering faith, will scale great spiritual heights. It has been said that Gayatri is Kamadhenu; hence it should be taken as the truth and followed in thought, word and deed. Faith in scriptures, teacher and Sadhana safely leads the seeker on the path of spiritual attainment.

The Game of Sadhana

Young Shriram used to practice meditation during the day, in addition to his regular sandhyavandan at dawn and dusk. Meditation was his favorite play at school. Whenever there was a short break from class-work, he would sit for japa and meditation while other students went to paly. Some of his friends showed an inclination for his unique play. These 3-4 children designed a new game and named it Sadhana. In this game, the player sits with closed eyes. he is asked to visualize the resplendent sun amidst the eyebrows. It is not sure how many students understood this game; nevertheless they sat quietly and replied that they were enjoying the game. In the next phase of the game there would surface discussions about Gayatri, Himalayas, Ganga, Yamuna, Sarasvati, sages and other great people. There would be no arguments during these discussions. They would speak about 8-10 sentences and continue the game for half an hour or so and then disperse. After a few days, Shriram began to go to a nearby forest along with 3-4 friends. The game used to be conducted there under the shade of a huge tree.

One day, Sgriram went to the forest along and came back in the afternoon. The teacher assumed that he must have gone home owing to some work while Shriram's family thought that he was at school. hence no one went in search for him. When Shriram appeared in the afternoon, they questioned him as to where he had been. Shriram replied that he had found a solitary cave in the forest and that they could meditate undisturbed in that caves. The next day, he went to the cave along with his friends. His friends had somehow managed to accompany him upto the entrance to the cave, but no one had the courage to enter it. they were afraid and stayed out while Shriram entered it. His friends were in a dilemma. They neither had the courage to go inside nor to go back to school. They waited for their leader to come back and stood outside the cave.

Shriram came out after an hour and his friends told him that they would not join in his game thenceforth. Shriram was not affected by his friends' refusal. He continued to mediate in the cave whenever he found time from school-work. When he began to frequently miss his classes, the teacher questioned the students about missing Shriram. One of the boy named Gopaldas told the whole story. then the teacher asked him to go and tell these things to Shriram's parents. In this way Taiji got to know about his meditation sessions in the cave. She summoned Shriram and scolded him. She told that there are wild animals in the jungle that will not spare him. Shriram gave his silent consent that he would never go to the cave. His mother immediately hugged him and pulled him close to her heart..

The Gateway of Bliss

Meditation is the highest spiritual technique that needs to be practiced diligently and devotedly by qualified practitioners. The essential prerequisite is a calm mind. A mind burdened with desires and attachments is unable to take off into subtler realms of concentration and meditation. Entitled: “The Yoga of Meditation, chapter 6 of the Bhagavad Gita elucidates meditation as the final gateway to self-realization.

Krishna begins with the definition of a sannyasi a renounced person. Renunciation is not giving up enjoyments, abandoning one’s duties and escaping to a safe sanctuary. It is this misunderstanding that has turned away genuine seekers and prevented them from accessing the benefits of renunciation. Krishna describes  a sannyasi as one who does what one ought to do, fulfills one’s duties and responsibilities fully, without depending on the fruit of action.

A Sannyasi is not one without a higher ideal, nor is he an inactive person. Krishna describes the three stages of spiritual evolution, from an active yogi to a meditative sannyasi and, finally to the exalted state of a janani, the enlightened one.

A sannyasi has offloaded the bulk of his desires and is in contemplation of the higher. He is fit for meditation and embarks on the path of deep reflection and focus on reality. A janani has reached the exalted state of enlightenment. Krishna describes the three stages in terms of mental states rather than external appearances.

Step by step, Krishna takes us through the preparatory disciplines as well as disqualifications for meditation. One must have a balanced contact with the world – neither too much nor too little. Every activity must be carefully supervised by the intellect so that no desire interrupts the subtle practice of meditation.

Krishna then gives the test of enlightenment. A realized soul is one who feels one with everyone. He sees his self as the self in all beings. In the end he worships God not in a temple, church or mosque, but in every living being. Therefore, he lives in Atman whatever his lifestyle. It is pointless to declare love for God when you cannot connect with His images everywhere.

Arjuna, like us, is afraid of leaving the safe confines of his present existence to discover the unknown realm of the infinite. He asks Krishna what the fate is of those who commit themselves to a spiritual life but die before realization. Krishna gives a fitting reply to reveal one of the most insightful laws of life. He says, “One who is righteous will never come to grief – either now or in the future.” Your efforts will not go in vain. You will carry forward the credits to your future life.

A spirituality evolved person who falls short of realization will either be born in the home of the happy and wealthy or in a family of wise yogis. There, endowed with the wisdom acquired in previous lives, he will strive even more to attain enlightenment. Thus the diligent seeker effortlessly reaches Brahman. The key words are vairagya, dispassion and adhyasa, practice. One must be convinced of the futility of worldly passions and pursue the necessary spiritual practice consistently.