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Home > Free Online Inspiration > Books Online > Autobiography of a Yogi > Chapter 34 |
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Books Online
by Paramhansa Yogananda CHAPTER 34 Materializing a Palace in the Himalaya |
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"Babaji's first meeting with Lahiri Mahasaya is an enthralling story, and one of the few which gives us a detailed glimpse of the deathless guru." These words were Swami Kebalananda's preamble to a wondrous tale. The first time he recounted it I was literally spellbound. On many other occasions I coaxed my gentle Sanskrit tutor to repeat the story, which was later told me in substantially the same words by Sri Yukteswar. Both these Lahiri Mahasaya disciples had heard the awesome tale direct from the lips of their guru. "My first meeting with Babaji took place in my thirty-third year," Lahiri Mahasaya had said. "In the autumn of 1861 I was stationed in Danapur as a government accountant in the Military Engineering Department. One morning the office manager summoned me. "'Lahiri,' he said, 'a telegram has just come from our main office. You are to be transferred to Ranikhet, where an army post1 is now being established.' "With
one servant, I set out on the 500-mile trip. Traveling by horse and buggy,
we arrived in thirty days at the Himalayan site of Ranikhet.2
"My office duties
were not onerous; I was able to spend many hours roaming in the magnificent
hills. A rumor reached me that great saints blessed the region with their
presence; I felt a strong desire to see them. During a ramble one early
afternoon, I was astounded to hear a distant voice calling my name. I
continued my vigorous upward climb on Drongiri Mountain. A slight uneasiness
beset me at the thought that I might not be able to retrace my steps before
darkness had descended over the jungle.
"I finally reached
a small clearing whose sides were dotted with caves. On one of the rocky
ledges stood a smiling young man, extending his hand in welcome. I noticed
with astonishment that, except for his copper-colored hair, he bore a
remarkable resemblance to myself.
"'Lahiri, you
have come!' The saint addressed me affectionately in Hindi. 'Rest here
in this cave. It was I who called you.'
"I
entered a neat little grotto which contained several woolen blankets and
a few kamandulus (begging bowls).
"'Lahiri, do
you remember that seat?' The yogi pointed to a folded blanket in one corner.
"'No, sir.'
Somewhat dazed at the strangeness of my adventure, I added, 'I must leave
now, before nightfall. I have business in the morning at my office.'
"The mysterious
saint replied in English, 'The office was brought for
you, and not you for the office.'
"I
was dumbfounded that this forest ascetic should not only speak English
but also paraphrase the words of Christ.3
"'I see my telegram
took effect.' The yogi's remark was incomprehensible to me; I inquired
his meaning.
"'I refer to
the telegram that summoned you to these isolated parts. It was I who silently
suggested to the mind of your superior officer that you be transferred
to Ranikhet. When one feels his unity with mankind, all minds become transmitting
stations through which he can work at will.' He added gently, 'Lahiri,
surely this cave seems familiar to you?'
"As I maintained
a bewildered silence, the saint approached and struck me gently on the
forehead. At his magnetic touch, a wondrous current swept through my brain,
releasing the sweet seed-memories of my previous life.
"'I remember!'
My voice was half-choked with joyous sobs. 'You are my guru Babaji, who
has belonged to me always! Scenes of the past arise vividly in my mind;
here in this cave I spent many years of my last incarnation!' As ineffable
recollections overwhelmed me, I tearfully embraced my master's feet.
"'For
more than three decades I have waited for you here-waited for you to return
to me!' Babaji's voice rang with celestial love. 'You slipped away and
vanished into the tumultuous waves of the life beyond death. The magic
wand of your karma touched you, and you were gone! Though you lost sight
of me, never did I lose sight of you! I pursued you over the luminescent
astral sea where the glorious angels sail. Through gloom, storm, upheaval,
and light I followed you, like a mother bird guarding her young. As you
lived out your human term of womb-life, and emerged a babe, my eye was
ever on you. When you covered your tiny form in the lotus posture under
the Nadia sands in your childhood, I was invisibly present! Patiently,
month after month, year after year, I have watched over you, waiting for
this perfect day. Now you are with me! Lo, here is your cave, loved of
yore! I have kept it ever clean and ready for you. Here is your hallowed
asana-blanket, where you daily sat to fill your expanding heart with
God! Behold there your bowl, from which you often drank the nectar prepared
by me! See how I have kept the brass cup brightly polished, that you might
drink again therefrom! My own, do you now understand?'
"'My guru, what
can I say?' I murmured brokenly. 'Where has one ever heard of such deathless
love?' I gazed long and ecstatically on my eternal treasure, my guru in
life and death.
"'Lahiri, you
need purification. Drink the oil in this bowl and lie down by the river.'
Babaji's practical wisdom, I reflected with a quick, reminiscent smile,
was ever to the fore.
"I obeyed his
directions. Though the icy Himalayan night was descending, a comforting
warmth, an inner radiation, began to pulsate in every cell of my body.
I marveled. Was the unknown oil endued with a cosmical heat?
"Bitter winds
whipped around me in the darkness, shrieking a fierce challenge. The chill
wavelets of the Gogash River lapped now and then over my body, outstretched
on the rocky bank. Tigers howled near-by, but my heart was free of fear;
the radiant force newly generated within me conveyed an assurance of unassailable
protection. Several hours passed swiftly; faded memories of another life
wove themselves into the present brilliant pattern of reunion with my
divine guru.
"My solitary
musings were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. In the
darkness, a man's hand gently helped me to my feet, and gave me some dry
clothing.
"'Come, brother,'
my companion said. 'The master awaits you.'
"He led the way
through the forest. The somber night was suddenly lit by a steady luminosity
in the distance.
"'Can that be
the sunrise?' I inquired. 'Surely the whole night has not passed?'
"'The
hour is midnight.' My guide laughed softly. 'Yonder light is the glow
of a golden palace, materialized here tonight by the peerless Babaji.
In the dim past, you once expressed a desire to enjoy the beauties of
a palace. Our master is now satisfying your wish, thus freeing you from
the bonds of karma.'4
He added, 'The magnificent palace will be the scene of your initiation
tonight into Kriya Yoga. All your brothers here join in a paean
of welcome, rejoicing at the end of your long exile. Behold!'
"A vast palace
of dazzling gold stood before us. Studded with countless jewels, and set
amidst landscaped gardens, it presented a spectacle of unparalleled grandeur.
Saints of angelic countenance were stationed by resplendent gates, half-reddened
by the glitter of rubies. Diamonds, pearls, sapphires, and emeralds of
great size and luster were imbedded in the decorative arches.
"I followed my
companion into a spacious reception hall. The odor of incense and of roses
wafted through the air; dim lamps shed a multicolored glow. Small groups
of devotees, some fair, some dark-skinned, chanted musically, or sat in
the meditative posture, immersed in an inner peace. A vibrant joy pervaded
the atmosphere.
"'Feast your
eyes; enjoy the artistic splendors of this palace, for it has been brought
into being solely in your honor.' My guide smiled sympathetically as I
uttered a few ejaculations of wonderment.
"'Brother,' I
said, 'the beauty of this structure surpasses the bounds of human imagination.
Please tell me the mystery of its origin.'
"'I will gladly
enlighten you.' My companion's dark eyes sparkled with wisdom. 'In reality
there is nothing inexplicable about this materialization. The whole cosmos
is a materialized thought of the Creator. This heavy, earthly clod, floating
in space, is a dream of God. He made all things out of His consciousness,
even as man in his dream consciousness reproduces and vivifies a creation
with its creatures.
"'God first created
the earth as an idea. Then He quickened it; energy atoms came into being.
He coordinated the atoms into this solid sphere. All its molecules are
held together by the will of God. When He withdraws His will, the earth
again will disintegrate into energy. Energy will dissolve into consciousness;
the earth-idea will disappear from objectivity.
"'The substance
of a dream is held in materialization by the subconscious thought of the
dreamer. When that cohesive thought is withdrawn in wakefulness, the dream
and its elements dissolve. A man closes his eyes and erects a dream-creation
which, on awakening, he effortlessly dematerializes. He follows the divine
archetypal pattern. Similarly, when he awakens in cosmic consciousness,
he will effortlessly dematerialize the illusions of the cosmic dream.
"'Being one with
the infinite all-accomplishing Will, Babaji can summon the elemental atoms
to combine and manifest themselves in any form. This golden palace, instantaneously
created, is real, even as this earth is real. Babaji created this palatial
mansion out of his mind and is holding its atoms together by the power
of his will, even as God created this earth and is maintaining it intact.'
He added, 'When this structure has served its purpose, Babaji will dematerialize
it.'
"As
I remained silent in awe, my guide made a sweeping gesture. 'This shimmering
palace, superbly embellished with jewels, has not been built by human
effort or with laboriously mined gold and gems. It stands solidly, a monumental
challenge to man. 5 Whoever realizes
himself as a son of God, even as Babaji has done, can reach any goal by
the infinite powers hidden within him. A common stone locks within itself
the secret of stupendous atomic energy;6
even so, a mortal is yet a powerhouse of divinity.'
"The sage picked
up from a near-by table a graceful vase whose handle was blazing with
diamonds. 'Our great guru created this palace by solidifying myriads of
free cosmic rays,' he went on. 'Touch this vase and its diamonds; they
will satisfy all the tests of sensory experience.'
"I examined the
vase, and passed my hand over the smooth room-walls, thick with glistening
gold. Each of the jewels scattered lavishly about was worthy of a king's
collection. Deep satisfaction spread over my mind. A submerged desire,
hidden in my subconsciousness from lives now gone, seemed simultaneously
gratified and extinguished.
"My stately companion
led me through ornate arches and corridors into a series of chambers richly
furnished in the style of an emperor's palace. We entered an immense hall.
In the center stood a golden throne, encrusted with jewels shedding a
dazzling medley of colors. There, in lotus posture, sat the supreme Babaji.
I knelt on the shining floor at his feet.
"'Lahiri,
are you still feasting on your dream desires for a golden palace?' My
guru's eyes were twinkling like his own sapphires. 'Wake! All your earthly
thirsts are about to be quenched forever.' He murmured some mystic words
of blessing. 'My son, arise. Receive your initiation into the kingdom
of God through Kriya Yoga.'
"Babaji
stretched out his hand; a homa (sacrificial) fire appeared, surrounded
by fruits and flowers. I received the liberating yogic technique before
this flaming altar.
"The
rites were completed in the early dawn. I felt no need for sleep in my
ecstatic state, and wandered around the palace, filled on all sides with
treasures and priceless objets d'art. Descending to the gorgeous
gardens, I noticed, near-by, the same caves and barren mountain ledges
which yesterday had boasted no adjacency to palace or flowered terrace.
"Reentering the
palace, fabulously glistening in the cold Himalayan sunlight, I sought
the presence of my master. He was still enthroned, surrounded by many
quiet disciples.
"'Lahiri, you
are hungry.' Babaji added, 'Close your eyes.'
"When I reopened
them, the enchanting palace and its picturesque gardens had disappeared.
My own body and the forms of Babaji and the cluster of chelas were all
now seated on the bare ground at the exact site of the vanished palace,
not far from the sunlit entrances of the rocky grottos. I recalled that
my guide had remarked that the palace would be dematerialized, its captive
atoms released into the thought-essence from which it had sprung. Although
stunned, I looked trustingly at my guru. I knew not what to expect next
on this day of miracles.
"'The purpose
for which the palace was created has now been served,' Babaji explained.
He lifted an earthen vessel from the ground. 'Put your hand there and
receive whatever food you desire.'
"As
soon as I touched the broad, empty bowl, it became heaped with hot butter-fried
luchis, curry, and rare sweetmeats. I helped myself, observing that
the vessel was ever-filled. At the end of my meal I looked around for
water. My guru pointed to the bowl before me. Lo! the food had vanished;
in its place was water, clear as from a mountain stream.
"'Few mortals
know that the kingdom of God includes the kingdom of mundane fulfillments,'
Babaji observed. 'The divine realm extends to the earthly, but the latter,
being illusory, cannot include the essence of reality.'
"'Beloved guru,
last night you demonstrated for me the link of beauty in heaven and earth!'
I smiled at memories of the vanished palace; surely no simple yogi had
ever received initiation into the august mysteries of Spirit amidst surroundings
of more impressive luxury! I gazed tranquilly at the stark contrast of
the present scene. The gaunt ground, the skyey roof, the caves offering
primitive shelter-all seemed a gracious natural setting for the seraphic
saints around me.
"I
sat that afternoon on my blanket, hallowed by associations of past-life
realizations. My divine guru approached and passed his hand over my head.
I entered the nirbikalpa samadhi state, remaining unbrokenly in
its bliss for seven days. Crossing the successive strata of self-knowledge,
I penetrated the deathless realms of reality. All delusive limitations
dropped away; my soul was fully established on the eternal altar of the
Cosmic Spirit. On the eighth day I fell at my guru's feet and implored
him to keep me always near him in this sacred wilderness.
"'My son,' Babaji
said, embracing me, 'your role in this incarnation must be played on an
outward stage. Prenatally blessed by many lives of lonely meditation,
you must now mingle in the world of men.
"'A deep purpose
underlay the fact that you did not meet me this time until you were already
a married man, with modest business responsibilities. You must put aside
your thoughts of joining our secret band in the Himalayas; your life lies
in the crowded marts, serving as an example of the ideal yogi-householder.
"'The
cries of many bewildered worldly men and women have not fallen unheard
on the ears of the Great Ones,' he went on. 'You have been chosen to bring
spiritual solace through Kriya Yoga to numerous earnest seekers.
The millions who are encumbered by family ties and heavy worldly duties
will take new heart from you, a householder like themselves. You must
guide them to see that the highest yogic attainments are not barred to
the family man. Even in the world, the yogi who faithfully discharges
his responsibilities, without personal motive or attachment, treads the
sure path of enlightenment.
"'No necessity
compels you to leave the world, for inwardly you have already sundered
its every karmic tie. Not of this world, you must yet be in it. Many years
still remain during which you must conscientiously fulfill your family,
business, civic, and spiritual duties. A sweet new breath of divine hope
will penetrate the arid hearts of worldly men. From your balanced life,
they will understand that liberation is dependent on inner, rather than
outer, renunciations.'
"How remote seemed
my family, the office, the world, as I listened to my guru in the high
Himalayan solitudes. Yet adamantine truth rang in his words; I submissively
agreed to leave this blessed haven of peace. Babaji instructed me in the
ancient rigid rules which govern the transmission of the yogic art from
guru to disciple.
"'Bestow
the Kriya key only on qualified chelas,' Babaji said. 'He who vows
to sacrifice all in the quest of the Divine is fit to unravel the final
mysteries of life through the science of meditation.'
"'Angelic
guru, as you have already favored mankind by resurrecting the lost
Kriya art, will you not increase that benefit by relaxing the strict
requirements for discipleship?' I gazed beseechingly at Babaji. 'I pray
that you permit me to communicate Kriya to all seekers, even though
at first they cannot vow themselves to complete inner renunciation. The
tortured men and women of the world, pursued by the threefold suffering,7
need special encouragement. They may never attempt the road to freedom
if Kriya initiation be withheld from them.'
"'Be
it so. The divine wish has been expressed through you.' With these simple
words, the merciful guru banished the rigorous safeguards that for ages
had hidden Kriya from the world. 'Give Kriya freely to all
who humbly ask for help.'
"After
a silence, Babaji added, 'Repeat to each of your disciples this majestic
promise from the Bhagavad Gita: "Swalpamasya dharmasya,
trayata mahato bhoyat"-"Even a little bit of the practice
of this religion will save you from dire fears and colossal sufferings."'8
"As I knelt the
next morning at my guru's feet for his farewell blessing, he sensed my
deep reluctance to leave him.
"'There is no
separation for us, my beloved child.' He touched my shoulder affectionately.
'Wherever you are, whenever you call me, I shall be with you instantly.'
"Consoled
by his wondrous promise, and rich with the newly found gold of God-wisdom,
I wended my way down the mountain. At the office I was welcomed by my
fellow employees, who for ten days had thought me lost in the Himalayan
jungles. A letter soon arrived from the head office.
"'Lahiri should
return to the Danapur9
office,' it read. 'His transfer to Ranikhet occurred by error. Another
man should have been sent to assume the Ranikhet duties.'
"I smiled, reflecting
on the hidden crosscurrents in the events which had led me to this furthermost
spot of India.
"Before
returning to Danapur, I spent a few days with a Bengali family at Moradabad.
A party of six friends gathered to greet me. As I turned the conversation
to spiritual subjects, my host observed gloomily:
"'Oh, in these
days India is destitute of saints!'
"'Babu,' I protested
warmly, 'of course there are still great masters in this land!'
"In a mood of
exalted fervor, I felt impelled to relate my miraculous experiences in
the Himalayas. The little company was politely incredulous.
"'Lahiri,' one
man said soothingly, 'your mind has been under a strain in those rarefied
mountain airs. This is some daydream you have recounted.'
"Burning with
the enthusiasm of truth, I spoke without due thought. 'If I call him,
my guru will appear right in this house.'
"Interest gleamed
in every eye; it was no wonder that the group was eager to behold a saint
materialized in such a strange way. Half-reluctantly, I asked for a quiet
room and two new woolen blankets.
"'The master
will materialize from the ether,' I said. 'Remain silently outside the
door; I shall soon call you.'
"I sank into
the meditative state, humbly summoning my guru. The darkened room soon
filled with a dim aural moonlight; the luminous figure of Babaji emerged.
"'Lahiri, do
you call me for a trifle?' The master's gaze was stern. 'Truth is for
earnest seekers, not for those of idle curiosity. It is easy to believe
when one sees; there is nothing then to deny. Supersensual truth is deserved
and discovered by those who overcome their natural materialistic skepticism.'
He added gravely, 'Let me go!'
"I fell entreatingly
at his feet. 'Holy guru, I realize my serious error; I humbly ask pardon.
It was to create faith in these spiritually blinded minds that I ventured
to call you. Because you have graciously appeared at my prayer, please
do not depart without bestowing a blessing on my friends. Unbelievers
though they be, at least they were willing to investigate the truth of
my strange assertions.'
"'Very well; I will stay awhile.
I do not wish your word discredited before your friends.' Babaji's face
had softened, but he added gently, 'Henceforth, my son, I shall come when
you need me, and not always when you call me.10
'
"Tense silence
reigned in the little group when I opened the door. As if mistrusting
their senses, my friends stared at the lustrous figure on the blanket
seat.
"'This is mass-hypnotism!'
One man laughed blatantly. 'No one could possibly have entered this room
without our knowledge!'
"Babaji
advanced smilingly and motioned to each one to touch the warm, solid flesh
of his body. Doubts dispelled, my friends prostrated themselves on the
floor in awed repentance.
"'Let halua11 be prepared.' Babaji made this request, I knew, to further assure the group of his physical reality. While the porridge was boiling, the divine guru chatted affably. Great was the metamorphosis of these doubting Thomases into devout St. Pauls. After we had eaten, Babaji blessed each of us in turn. There was a sudden flash; we witnessed the instantaneous dechemicalization of the electronic elements of Babaji's body into a spreading vaporous light. The God-tuned will power of the master had loosened its grasp of the ether atoms held together as his body; forthwith the trillions of tiny lifetronic sparks faded into the infinite reservoir. "'With
my own eyes I have seen the conqueror of death.' Maitra,12
one of the group, spoke reverently. His face was transfigured with the
joy of his recent awakening. 'The supreme guru played with time and space,
as a child plays with bubbles. I have beheld one with the keys of heaven
and earth.'
"I soon returned
to Danapur. Firmly anchored in the Spirit, again I assumed the manifold
business and family obligations of a householder."
Lahiri Mahasaya also
related to Swami Kebalananda and Sri Yukteswar the story of another meeting
with Babaji, under circumstances which recalled the guru's promise: "I
shall come whenever you need me."
"The
scene was a Kumbha Mela at Allahabad," Lahiri Mahasaya told
his disciples. "I had gone there during a short vacation from my
office duties. As I wandered amidst the throng of monks and sadhus who
had come from great distances to attend the holy festival, I noticed an
ash-smeared ascetic who was holding a begging bowl. The thought arose
in my mind that the man was hypocritical, wearing the outward symbols
of renunciation without a corresponding inward grace.
"No sooner had
I passed the ascetic than my astounded eye fell on Babaji. He was kneeling
in front of a matted-haired anchorite.
"'Guruji!' I
hastened to his side. 'Sir, what are you doing here?'
"'I am washing
the feet of this renunciate, and then I shall clean his cooking utensils.'
Babaji smiled at me like a little child; I knew he was intimating that
he wanted me to criticize no one, but to see the Lord as residing equally
in all body-temples, whether of superior or inferior men. The great guru
added, 'By serving wise and ignorant sadhus, I am learning the greatest
of virtues, pleasing to God above all others-humility.'"
1 Now a military sanatorium. By 1861
the British Government had already established certain telegraphic communciations. 2
Ranikhet, in the Almora district of United Provinces, is situated at the
foot of Nanda Devi, the highest Himalayan peak (25,661 feet) in British
India. 3
"The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."-Mark
2:27. 4
The karmic law requires that every human wish find ultimate fulfillment.
Desire is thus the chain which binds man to the reincarnational wheel. 5
"What is a miracle?-'Tis a reproach, 6
The theory of the atomic structure of matter was expounded in the ancient
Indian Vaisesika and Nyaya treatises. "There are vast worlds all
placed away within the hollows of each atom, multifarious as the motes
in a sunbeam." -Yoga Vasishtha. 7
Physical, mental, and spiritual suffering; manifested, respectively, in
disease, in psychological inadequacies or "complexes," and in
soul-ignorance. 8
Chapter II:40. 9
A town near Benares. 10
In the path to the Infinite, even illumined masters like Lahiri Mahasaya
may suffer from an excess of zeal, and be subject to discipline. In the
Bhagavad Gita, we read many passages where the divine guru Krishna gives
chastisement to the prince of devotees, Arjuna. 11
A porridge made of cream of wheat fried in butter, and boiled with milk. 12
The man, Maitra, to whom Lahiri Mahasaya is here referring, afterward
became highly advanced in self-realization. I met Maitra shortly after
my graduation from high school; he visited the Mahamandal hermitage in
Benares while I was a resident. He told me then of Babaji's materialization
before the group in Moradabad. "As a result of the miracle,"
Maitra explained to me, "I became a lifelong disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya." |
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Autobiography
of a Yogi
