Lahiri Mahasaya represents the power of the Holy Ghost as in Christian tradition, or the Shesh Nag as described in Hindu scriptures. Lahiri Mahasaya is always accompanying Babaji, as an assistant and as a guard of the Great Guru. He is perhaps the only accompanied helper of the Master who toils to carry out the divine will of guiding and helping souls seeking truth and realisation on earth.
Lahiri Baba graces individual souls with visits and divine council so that the seeker could some day be ready to directly commune with Babaji and Mataji. I remember, the very first incident in my life, which was perhaps the most important incident in the course of self- realisation.
Since boyhood days i was attracted to the picture of Lahiri Baba, there was no reason but just a strong sense of attraction from the heart. Many a times i used to wonder the cause of this magnetic pull, but there was no logic that the ego could suggest. Our house was graced by the teachings of Paramhansa Yoganandaji.
Once while meditating in our puja room , i was so much zapped by the image of Lahiri Baba that, my breathing stopped and i entered a region of stillness, that i had not experienced in this life before. This experience lasted for a long period. Later on gaining outer awareness, as i opened my eyes, i was amazed to see the physical form of Lahiri Mahasaya sitting in front of me in the meditative posture. The whole roam was permeated with aura of divine love and radiance. What serenity and glow radiated from Masters ecstatic face. i still cant forget !
No words or signs were exchanged in this early encounter other than just sitting calming in deep mediation along with Lahiri Baba. Why he silently blessed me in this fashion, i didn't know. As years went by i nearly forgot this incident completely. Categorising it as a one off event with no cause or effect.
In the meanwhile i visited various saints and ashrams and got attracted to these paths. I took initiation into the mysteries of sound and light principle through Kabir Das lineage , even before getting initiated into Kriya Yoga.Years flew by and i was convinced that i had found my Guru in Sant Kabir Das and his linage of Sant Sawan Singh.
However, it was not until the age of 26 years, that i suddenly found my self all alone, battling with the low tide of material success. Any thing that i laid my hands on would turn out to be copper. I was feeling all alone, disappointed and desperate for direction. In this desperation, i declared to the Masters that " If i had a guru then he should come now in front of me and answer my questions, other wise i would have to end this life". No sooner had i said these words, that one night , some gracious looking saint appeared to me in a long dream and gave me words of counsel. The counsel had three definitive points for personal spiritual growth, which i find them true even now.
However, i couldn't recognise the saint nor the strange ashram location.Few days later i received an invitation to visit the holy city of Puri in Eastern India along with my parents.I was the most reluctant, "what a utter waist of time, i thought. rather than spending time in religious travel, i should explore opportunities for material success".
Any way i was almost forced by my parents to join them on this journey. We reached the holy town of Puri blessed by the presence of Lord Jagannath by train from Chennai and lodged into the YSS ashram.
Following days were spent in visiting the Lord Jaganath Temple and Sri Yukteswarji Seaside Hermitage and Samadhi Mandir, which is under dispute between two organisations. One afternoon, while walking back from the temple, i banged into a person who used to come to the ashram for satsangs. He was young and bhakti oriented, i asked him if their were any other interesting places to visit in this town other than the temple and Sri Yukteshwarji Ashram. He scratched his heard for a while, and then said " there is the Maa Anandamayi ashram, where Maa spend time, also there is an ashram of a Bengali Baba which is good". I thanked him for his advise and directions,and as we were about to leave, he said " Yes you may also find the Lahiri Mahasaya's temple interesting". That thing struck like a hammer on my heard. Suddenly, all i wanted to do was to visit that shrine. Not seeing the odd hours of the day, i sort to find out the temple. The temple compound was as big and similar to an ashram, but the main doors of the gate were closed for visitors.
Feeling highly rejected ................ ( further part to be published )
