Haridwar Kumbha Mela ☀*1974☼ Baba Sripadji, Sri Anandamayi Ma, Sadhus and Friends

                                 

                                          .¸¸.•*`*•.✽(¯`••´¯)
                                                           .*•.¸.•*★•.¸¸.•*`*• ☆
                                                   Haridwar Khumbh Mela 1974
                

                                           Maji at Kumbha Mela Haridwar 1974

 

Baba Sripadji

                                                           Babaji with Sant Dasji

L to R:  Vishnu Das, 'Russi Radha' (Prof. Natalya Sazanova), Bhanu Bhai,
Sri Radha Mohan and Asim Krishna Das beside the Ganga at the Kumbha Mela  1974

                                                                   

                                             Swami Vishnu Dasji of Maharashtra

                                            Baba Sripadji with That mystical smile!
                                                     
                                              ☀*Haridwar Kumbha Mela 1974☼

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Sri Radha Dasi's Letter

                                                                                                          Vrindavan,
                                                                                                          15 Dec. 1979
                                                                 "Shri Hari"

My dear Radheshwari,
                                                             Jai Sri Radhey!

            Thank you for your letter which came some days ago now. Ellen continues to be sick - though recovering slowly - and Baba comes and goes with his urgent works. So I am kept busy and don't get round to reply to all the letters that come as soon as I should. No other reason that I didn't write sooner.

            I'm sorry if you misunderstood me and thought that I was testing you in any way. No, I asked you the question seriously- as a serious inquiry from a serious sadhaka. I had been noticing over the last couple of years that so many of those who were with us before also in search of That seem to have thrown away the quest and settled for mediocrity instead. Up to the time I wrote you last I had again heard about another couple of friends falling away. So my mind was very occupied with this situation and I was wanting to understand the reason, to find some explanation why those who had seemed so sincere, so dedicated, could yet change their minds. Perhaps because of my deep feeling, my words might have sounded to direct to you, but believe me, they were as much directed to myself if not more so. In fact when I wrote you, I told Ellen who was sitting here that I had just written a letter to myself.  After that, I even had second thoughts about posting it!

          Anyway, concerning my enquiry which I think was also called for since who knows that the next to go may not be myself, I came to certain conclusions.  Firstly, that it's very hard to give up the desire for sense gratification; in most cases of my friends, I think this has been the basic reason. Secondly, in some who even seemed a little more advanced in their inquiry of Truth and sadhana, it has been due to a basic error in judgement that they have felt the need for no further sadhana.  And that error arises from their having caught a glimpse of the universality of the soul.  However, instead of the jivatma identifying itself with the Paramatma, they have identified with the lower aspect of their nature and thus been deceived into thinking that the free reign of the desires is the highest reality.  that is why I kept thinking about Krishna's dissertation on various aspects of sadhana even after Arjuna had enjoyed the divine vision.  It seemed to me that there is a very important idea behind this; that the vision in itself is not enough unless we can incorporate it in our consciousness in the right way.  Sadhana prepares the mind and intelligence for this.  Again I remember the story of Indra and Virochana ( I think that was the name of the demon chief) who went to Brahma to enquire the highest Truth.  He told them 'Brahmasmi' was the highest. Virochana was content to look in the mirror and to understand that what he found reflected there was the Supreme Brahman; and Indra too would have been content with this answer had his wife not sent him again and again back to Brahma to do sadhana and to learn, after long, long years and repeated failures that Brahman is not the body, not the mind, not the intellect, but something even more than consciousness itself though it may be reflected through the purified consciousness.  It means, as the Sufis say, "Go still further!"

      You said, why should I be worried about falling into a material life?  Now you might understand. Since I have seen it happen so many times in the last year or so, I am always aware that I might be the next to deceive myself if I don't understand the causes clearly. Of course, I always feel there is a certain amount of Grace with me but I believe if I also don't make some effort to deserve this grace, rather to be worthy of it, it might be withdrawn from me any time.  Then certainly, there is no chance of experiencing that Ocean of Bliss.. 

        As far as the ego goes,you said you would, for one, be sorry to see it go.  Actually I don't think it really disintegrates until death and even then, if we look at reality at the perspective of its always manifesting itself, we must accept reincarnation.  This means that even in death the ego does not disintegrate but continues to exist in subtle form until it remanifests itself in an appropriate body.  So there is not much chance of my losing the ego so soon it seems!  Still, from what I have learned through the words of the saints, the ego must be reconstituted.  The ego of a saint is not the same as that of an ordinary man.  And I am sure that until that time when we are truly reborn as devotees through the sacrifices of love, all our worship is not really worth much.  I sincerely feel that it is only when the ego has been totally transformed that true worship begins.  Until then, we are just imitating the outward forms of worship - not altogether useless in itself since it is by this means that we should be purified; but still, not altogether meaningful either.

        Anyway, perhaps I should not burden you with all these thoughts though it would seem to me that it is the exchange of such views that is the true reason for having any friends on this path.  In a way, I have even come to see that friendship too is a kind of illusion since we all ultimately have to face death alone and even our friends cannot protect us then. Still, it is a sweet illusion and even sometimes too, a great solace, a great awakening, and even the great sacrifice on Love's alter.

        My pranams to Santji and Swamiji if he is there too.
...

                                                                                       With all love in Him as ever,
                                                                                                   Radha Dasi
       

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The Divine 'Hariali Tij' *ღ☆¸.•°*♥

             Sri Shyamsunder and Sri Radhaji seated on the holy swing, 'Jhula'!

    The blissful mysterious, sacred rainy month of Sravan is observed in the incessent pouring forth of nectarean showers, filling the waters of Sri Jamunaji to overflowing ~ like the shower of Divine Grace!
     Ah, the bountiful clouds roaming in the vast heavens murmur their secret rejoicing in the resplendent beauty of the lush green groves amidst which Sri Radha & Sri Krishna are seated in a swing attended by their Sakhis.  The climax of this bhav merges in that occasion called 'Hariali Tij' when everywhere seems clothed in an immense and wonderful green robe, enhancing the enchanting sight of the Divine Couple swinging in the clustered retreats.
    On this day of 'Hariali Tij', Sri Bankey Bihari in the mood of enjoying this blissful month of showers bestows His gracious 'darshan' upon His devotees from His swing in the superbly decorated shrine.  His swinging into the heart of His devotees resembles the infinite eternity, beginningless, endless.  All thoughts leave the mind but that one which seeks to become His playmate on His swing.  In this way He transcends one across the limitations of the phenomenal world perception, beyond the three-fold veil of waking, dreaming and deep sleep states to behold His blissful swing, revolutionizing the life to its complete dedication to His sweet Divine will.
    In these days, the Ras Lila reaches its climax to the accompaniment of the songs composed by the saints and sung in the same harmony of the swing.
    And at present, as the life of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhuji unfolds day by day before the crowd of ardent devotees, the resounding cry of "Hari bol!" is pervading the hearts of all with the sublime ecstasy of Lord Gauranga.  Observing the ecstatic dance showers the fervour of Sri Chaitanya's consciousness, merging one in the bliss of his divine mood. The life of Mahaprabhuji increases the devotion to Sri Krishna who, accompanied by Sri Radha, has incarnated in this form as Sri Chaitanya.  From time to time to establish God-consciousness, He Himself incarnates on this earth, and the perennial inspiration of His Divine incarnations ceaselessly beckons the world unto His eternal Divinity.


From the letters of Baba Sripadji
Vrindavan,
August 1974

 

 

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First Time Seeing Baba Sripadji

    Sripadji had said he would come and there was a lot of anticipation of that
coming. In these days of July 1971 my first visit I would simply sleep on a mat 
and Swamiji would stay upon his wooden bed. There was an Akhanda Jyot,
a small oil lamp, which was always lit inside his kutia. After lying down at
night to sleep the first time I vaguely woke-up, I saw Swamiji in that glowing
light sitting up in blissful meditation. I quickly sat up also to meditate, not to
miss an opportunity in this saint's presence. And it was so good!! When again
I opened my eyes I saw him lying flat on his back. I immediately lied down to
rest. This would happen four or five times a night  and my night sleep became
very subtle. I was extremely happy to have all these moments of silent
meditation with Swamiji. On about the 4th night suddenly Swamiji rose up
and in three steps was out of the kutia chanting Om! Om! I sat up and
waited, in the dim light I saw it was 5:00 am! After 10 mins. or so Swamiji
returned with a very beautiful and radiantly silent young sadhu. Swamiji said
that Balyogiji Sripad had been meditating outside for 2 and a half hours! I
vividly remember first seeing his feet, then he also sat on the floor in an even
more intense, vibrant silence. Yet there was so much communication! I never
had such an experience of energy and light before!! Swamiji was aglow
making tea.  But I was so ecstatic that tears ran down my cheeks! Words
all disappeared from the mind that seemed itself dizzily enchanted. Fully
charmed by the One totally in the Sublime Bhava of Sri Radha Krishna!! 
This state was always the case for me whenever I was in his company!



                                     'Vibhor, Vichitr, Vimohit Sri Krishna!'

                                                         Sri Sripad Babaji
                                                       Mussoorie July1971

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