Darshans2021#11

ASHWATTHAMAN AND SHRI KRISHNAS’S CURSE

Q: What is the meaning of Krishna cursing – so-called cursing Ashwatthaman to become immortal? Does this indicate a different yogic process of gaining samadhi?

Guruji: Ashwatthaman was the incarnation of Shiva; his father did very great tapas to please Shiva and when Shiva appeared – he said: ask for a boon! And Dronacharya answered: please, become my son! Shiva agreed and Ashwatthaman was born; he was immortal. Shri Krishna’s curse – if you read Mahabharata – lasted only for 3000 years; Shri Dwaypayana Vyasa stopped this curse in 1 month.

You can find this story in Skanda purana. He is immortal and he is not cursed any more.

He’s going to become the next Vyasa, one of the new team members among the 7 rishis. Along with Kripacharya, his maternal uncle. The story of the curse had been fabricated by so-called devotees; otherwise, if you read the puranas, a different fact emerges. His curse was removed in Rameshwaram; when you reach the temple of Rameshwaram, where Rama installed the Shivalingam (the temple itself was built much later) there, is the stone plate where it is written that the curse of Ashwatthaman was removed here, on this spot,  within 1 month.

Q: Have you gone to this temple and seen that stone?

Guruji: Yes, I have seen it. I discovered that it had happened there – and then I found this story in the Skanda purana as well.

In Vishnu purana I found a list of the new 7 rishis – Ashwatthaman is one of them; and next Vyasa is Ashwattaman himself.

All these incarnations of Shiva are immortal and very powerful. So you need to dig deeper in this story.

Q: From time to time Ashwatthaman actually walks among the mortals; the story you told us happened only a hundred years ago – I forgot the name of the village…?

Guruji: That was a fantastic story, yes. Now it must be a hundred years back, because I heard it in 1990 or 1991. Dwaraka Prasad Shastri went to this village.

Q: What would attract him to walk the Earth again?

Guruji: He might be observing humanity or may be guiding it, behind the scenes, dropping different ideas – and we just follow these ideas. It could be that. Sometimes he lets people know that he’s still here – just to prove he’s still roaming the Earth. That was a fantastic story.

There was a time when Dronacharya was gone and the question arose – who will be the next chief?

Ashwatthaman was sitting somewhere in the Himalayas and Duryodhana went to ask him, as he was the son of the Guru: “Whom can we make a new chief, a leader?”

And there they described his body: as if it was made of gold, absolute black curly hair; his eyes, his voice and his shoulders were resembling the bull Nandi, which Shiva rides; he was a great knower of all 4 Vedas and 5th Veda – Dhanurveda, the Veda of bow and archery – he was a master in it, and he could do anything.

That’s how he’s described there.

Q: Is he also mentioned in the book of that tribe, who keeps the archives of your clan line?

Guruji: Yes, Jaga; our Bhardwaj clan starts from him. Books start from the time when there was nothing; quite a Biblical beginning.

WHEN BHAKTI APPEARS

Q: How does the mechanism of true bhakti accelerate yoga karma towards samadhi and can or does bhakti shortcut this process?

Guruji: Well, Babaji recommended to read Gita one chapter every day; and if you go through Gita, which is a book on yoga, the discussion on bhakti starts from the 12th chapter – after Krishna has spoken about yoga, how to practice yoga, how to achieve samadhi; after knowing that – then after he has shown his universal form; then the discussion on bhakti begins.

If you have not seen anyone or you have not struck up a friendship with someone – then affection will never come. Curiosity will remain, but bhakti can come after knowing, having direct experience, connection – then bhakti will start.

We are readers of Gita; it is part of our Kriya yoga practice. So bhakti comes when you have achieved samadhi, have seen death, have known the secrets of death and have seen the universal form of Time – then it comes.

Some buds of bhakti will start growing in your mind.

Q: Are you talking from personal experience?

Guruji: Personal experience comes from analyzing Gita – step by step, chapter by chapter.

Until then you may like to sing songs, but the real bhakti… When we say «bhakti» that means bhakti in its totality, it will come with direct experience.

Q: And in your case?

Guruji: Yes, many things have happened – after all those samadhis and all these experiences… After writing commentaries on Gita, a different state of mind came. It is only then, in fact, I began to appreciate the simplicity in people. Some of them are born with that level of devotion – you don’t need to tell them about yoga and samadhi. Never ever try to disturb them with higher matters.

Appreciation comes much later. When you overcome the ego (that you’re the greatest one because you’re practicing Kriya yoga) with the grace of the Guru.

ILLUSION OF MATERIAL WORLD PART1

Q: Yesterday we spoke about optic illusion of material world… We talked about appearance and disappearance, about antar Dhyana – when Dhyana comes inside and the mental waves do not disturb people; this material world –  is it truly material, isn’t it an illusion?

Guruji: No, the way we see – the world IS an illusion, because we see just the reflection of light from the objects. It’s the limitation of our vision.

Q: Is it possible to create certain illusion in this world?

Guruji: Of course.

Q: So dvaita-adwaita has nothing to do with that illusion of the world?

Guruji: No, illusion itself is very real.

Q: But the skill of creating electromagnetic currents or trying to subdue them to the point where they are not readable by the others, creating illusion of the absence of the objects or appearance of the objects…?

Guruji: If you’re able to control the reflection of the light from any object somehow – then you can make it appear or disappear. Or maybe, you can create some illusion the way you want it to appear to others – and it will appear –  simply by manipulating the reflection of light.

Q: My question will be about the story when Babaji initiated Lahiri Mahasaya and showed him the golden palace – was he actually playing with the vision, with perception of Lahiri Mahasaya?

Guruji: No, with Babaji’s level or his stature situation is different – such siddhas can create anything. Also, they have reached a certain level of their mind development. Simply by willing something to appear, imagining it in details, they can materialize it.

Q: Is this a re-construction of matter, which they can master to appear at will?

Guruji: Yes, they can do that.

Q: We discussed other cases – are they in control of electromagnetic currents?

Guruji: They are in control of mental waves, yes; and somehow they are able to stop the reflection of light from any object – that will make it disappear. It is a matter of strong will. How it actually happens – I’m still thinking about it. Power of the mind!

Q: Did you demonstrate it to Pankaj, your student?

Guruji: In 1993, when I was in Sarnath, before coming to Govardhan. Anil Sharma from Agra, Pankaj, and several of my nephews and nieces… I disappeared in front of their eyes – and it was like magic for them – they are still impressed. It’s impossible to impress a child!

Q: Were they quite young then?

Guruji: They were children, yes. My niece Neha was maybe 7 or 8 when I showed it to her. I told them to close their eyes and when they opened them – I was not in front of them, I disappeared.

ILLUSION OF MATERIAL WORLD PART2

Q: Was there another incident on a roof when you disappeared?

Guruji: Yes, with Puri, my neighbor. We stayed in a rental house then, Their house was in front of our house at a distance. Many people started to come to me – and the family members wondered: “He’s going nowhere, he has no job or status; why then are so many people coming to see him?”

Sometimes we used to workout together with my neighbor. It was twilight time, I was standing on his roof, and he asked me: “What do You do, sir – are You an astrologer or something?” 

I said “I do this” –  and disappeared in front of him. He could see – which he told me later – the writing on the wall behind me. I thought he would enjoy this joke – but he got scared, he thought that I was a ghost. He disappeared for 20 years, then he came here with his mother…

Q: Was it after you had come from that farm?

Guruji: Yes, that was a place.

Q: Did you become able to stop your pulse around that time?

Guruji: I’m a lucky person; I think on the third month of receiving initiation in Kriya I gained control over my pulse. Before that I could do khechari.

Q: How did these experiments with disappearance start?

Guruji: I don’t know… One time I was visiting my aunt in Mathura; I was sitting there and people were looking at me; it was evening time. Suddenly one of my cousins started to say: “Oh, what happened, I cannot see you!” Then I also thought – what happened? And then I experimented.

Q: Were you successful because your focus and self-awareness were very deep?

Guruji: This understanding came much later. Aura also became big and bright then.

Q: Did your head “burst into fire” – shining, in front of your mother?

Guruji: Yes, and many people have seen my aura, including teens and children. It takes quite a lot of magic to impress a child. They will not be impressed with your knowledge – if you’re a good story-teller, then, maybe…

LAST DAYS OF GURUJI’S GURU

Q: Is there any information about the last days of your teacher?

Guruji: Of course. He wanted to leave his body on the Guru Purnima in 1986 and with that purpose in mind he entered the Shiva temple, where the statues of Lahiri Mahasaya and his father were standing.

But denial came from the other side, from the previous Gurus of the Parampara; and he cried like a baby, who had been denied chocolate or a toy. Then he told us, 2-3 of his disciples, who were closer to him, that he was asked to live for 6 more months, and it actually happened.

After that incident he became very weak physically. It was the last week of January, when the Sun was in the northern hemisphere. There were some family obligations which he had to complete… which he did forget about during the Guru Purnima time.
So he did that, he closed all unfinished business and then he waited.  He died exactly on his birth day and time. His death time, death date and his birth time, birth date were absolutely the same according to Hindu calendar. His son was away, so people brought some ice and his body was put on ice; but there was no rigor mortis after 1 or 2 days after his death. We have seen photographs – he was looking as if he was still alive, just lying there with closed eyes.

Q: Was anybody with him during his actual departure?

Guruji: I think, there was one Bengali disciple, who used to take care of him. There was another disciple, who was just entering the house when the Guru was dying. Only these two people were there.

Q: Is a yogi of such level supposed to be conscious during the time of death?

Guruji: He was conscious till the last moment, absolutely.

Q: Do you think he performed Omkar Kriya?

Guruji: I’m sure about it. I think he was capable of many things.

Q: Somebody asked you would your Guru take another body – and you said “no”?

Guruji: There is no need. For us, in our Parampara, Babaji decides such things. It is not affected by karma or by anything else. Guru decides.

Q: Was he cremated?

Guruji: Yes. In Manikarnika ghat – it is supposed to bring liberation. Simply by being cremated there. When the bones were picked – there were very small amounts left. It is another sign that most of the karma is no longer there. Otherwise I’ve seen big canisters, full of bones, of many pieces – that means that karmic duties will continue. Fantastic people, fantastic stories!

Q: Yogananda was not cremated, was he buried?

Guruji: Because he was a sannyasi, and sannyasis are supposed to have already gone through the fire of cremation, burnt in the flames of wisdom when they embraced the initiation. All the sannyasis are buried.

Q: At the same time, some yogis who achieved the highest level in sadhana – are they also not cremated?

Guruji: Only those, who are actually yogis. The householders will be cremated – like Lahiri Mahasaya was.

 

TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE SPIRIT

Q: You became aware of the name of your own spirit. Did it happen when you came back from Sarnath or were you still there then?

Guruji: I was still in Sarnath.

Q: Were you doing exercises that evening?

Guruji: With mudgars. Suddenly I just became aware of the sound and heard the name very clearly. It was like a musical note which lasted for maybe 8-9 minutes. 5-9 minutes – I cannot put an exact time on it. Very distinguishable notes. Then I heard it several times more and realized that it was the name of my spirit.

Q: Who was calling you by this name?

Guruji: Not me – my spirit was called.

Q: Was the spirit announcing its name to you?

Guruji: It could’ve been – but it wasn’t like letting me know it – but I heard it; maybe somebody was trying to call my spirit and I heard its name because I was in a very concentrated state, moving two mudgars simultaneously.

I’ve realized whenever you’re reaching a very refined level of concentration – something always happens. That was that moment – and I’ve heard it many times since then.

Q: Under what circumstances have you heard it later – also in a moment of doing exercises?

Guruji: Not always: it started during the exercises, when I moved mudgars; but then I became aware of it in my regular practice. The first time I heard it – I was not aware of the fact that this sound is the name of my spirit. After 4-5 times I realized that this was its name.

Q: When you are exploring the astral world – does the awareness of certain entities and beings also come, are they naming themselves in the same manner?

Guruji: Most of the initial exposures were connected with the earth-bound spirits: they usually go by their earthly names, it is much simpler that way.

Q: Are there any experiences of encounters with the spirits of the higher  levels, whom have real spirits’ names?

Guruji: There are some, yes.

Q: Are some of these beings coming to the smashan?

Guruji: Some beings are maybe living here. After some time I realized that they are pure spirits – because their names are similar. And most of them are females.

Q: If the earthly name of the person is similar to the name of the spirit – what does that mean?

Guruji: The spirit is beyond these earthy names; the spirit is beyond the five elements, and the most mysterious realms belong to them.

Q: And, perhaps, there is no need to try to pronounce these complicated names – maybe their not meant to be pronounced?

Guruji: I tried that – but maybe only a highly accomplished vocalist could do it – it’s toо difficult to say it physically, with only the help of a human and a limited vocal apparatus.

It doesn’t even register in your mind for the first time; only after you have heard it a few times – then you begin to register it… it’s a fantastic discovery!

 

REAL DEMOCRACY; POWER OF THE MIND AND IMAGINATION

Q: We spoke about democracy coming and establishing itself here, on the earthly level; then it’s becoming refined; but at the same time you are continuously saying that there is no democracy in the astral world.

Guruji: Yes, in a way that everybody is equal. Your existence and respect towards you in the astral world depends on how much power you have: if you’re more powerful – you will be respected more. Only power is recognized there.

Q: Everybody is equal – but some are more equal than others?

Guruji: Yes. Legally and socially we are equal in a democratic society – but the individuality will always remain. An individual power and the different mental levels will continue to exist together – that is the real democracy: to respect another person’s existence and accept it.

Q: What kind of muscles do souls have to exercise to achieve astral power?

Guruji: Only the power of the mind.

Q: What is the power of the mind depending on?

Guruji: When you’re able to develop your imagination beyond the wildest limits and then you learn to control your imagination.

That means you have control over your thought process. If you’re able to control your imagination – then in the astral realm, in the mental world you will be able to create anything, whatever you are able to imagine – simply by imagining it. The power of imagination is the real power there.

Q: Is it a blend of will power and imagination?

Guruji: I think controlled imagination can be called will power.

Q: And if you have a very flowery and colorful imagination…

Guruji: That is not a powerful imagination. A powerful mind can imagine things, which will happen.

Q: Is it a power of intent then? The intent to create something with your mind as well?

Guruji: Of course! Again it will go back to the thought level. If your mind is powerful – your intention will be powerful. You will be able to do anything.

It’s not a poetic ability of imagination: the mind should be powerful enough to be able to materialize whatever you are imagining. That type of imagination. What is imagination? The ability to give a certain image to the Void in a particular way – this can be called imagination. Image, imagination – it’s a beautiful word.

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