श्रीपाद बाबा की 26 पुण्यतिथि को भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजलि दिसंबर 31, 2022

 श्रीपाद बाबा को भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजलि 

31दिसंबर 2022।

भारत और विदेशों में बसे हुए हजारों लोगों के लिए, एक महत्वपूर्ण  घटना के साथ 1996 का वर्ष समाप्त हो गया था जिसकी हम केवल कल्पना कर सकते हैं और जो हमारी यादों और इतिहास में अंकित रहेगा। 1997 की पूर्व संध्या पर, हमारे गुरुदेव, जो एक वीतराग संत व उस समय के सबसे प्रसिद्ध रहस्यवादियों में से एक थे, ने अपने नश्वर देह को छोड़ दिया था। मैं आज 26 वर्षों के बाद भी अपने गुरु श्रीपाद बाबा के शारीरिक अनुपस्थित की भावना गहराई से महसूस कर रहा हूं, क्योंकि कई अन्य लोगों के साथ मैं भी  दिल्ली के आकाश फार्म हाउस में जहां बाबाजी का देहांत हुआ और वृंदावन में उनकी अंतिम यात्रा के समय उपस्थित था। शारिरिक मृत्यु के कई दिनों पहले से उन्होंने बाहरी गतिविधियों को त्याग दिया था; उन्हें आवश्यक निर्देश देने के अलावा दवा खाने, भोजन या संवाद करने में कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं थी। वे सदैव एक मुद्रा में बैठे अपनी दिव्य एकाग्रता में खोए रहते थे। एक शंकालु व्यक्ति 30 दिसंबर की रात को यह सोचकर बाबाजी के पास आया की वह किसी गंभीर बीमारी की वजह से अपनी याददाश्त खो चुके हैं। बाबाजी ने उस व्यक्ति को उसके ही आवास के दो फोन नंबर बताकर आश्चर्यचकित कर दिया।  वह बाबाजी को वृंदावन ले जाना चाहता था। किंतु बाबाजी जैसे ज्ञानी के लिए दिल्ली व वृंदावन में कोई फर्क नहीं था। सभी भूमि गोपाल की उक्ति को चरितार्थ करते हुए बाबाजी अपने अंतिम दिनों में दिल्ली के एक भक्त रमेश जैन के आकाश फार्म हाउस में ही रहे। और 31दिसंबर 1996 के सुबह 11.30 आस पास  वृंदावन और उसके पीठासीन देवता राधा कृष्ण की  सूक्ष्म उपस्थित में अपने कृशकाय शरीर को छोड़कर उनके आनंदमय गोलोक लीला में सम्मिलित हो गए। तत्पश्चात बाबाजी के शरीर को ब्रज अकादमी, वृंदावन ले जाया गया, जिसकी स्थापना उन्होंने 1978 में ब्रज के वैभव के पुनः स्थापना के लिए की थी। उनका शरीर आनंद निवास के प्राकृतिक सौरभ से परिपूर्ण प्रांगण में 2.1.1997 की सुबह तक भक्तों के दर्शन के लिए विराजमान रहा। हजारों लोगों ने उन्हें श्रद्धा सुमन अर्पित किए।  देशी, विदेशी, हिन्दू,सिक्ख, मुसलमान और ईसाई सभी आये।जब बाबाजी की अंतिम यात्रा निकली, तो कुछ ही सूखी आंखें दिखी। वृंदावन के उस धुंध भरे दिन में बाबाजी के अंतिम संस्कार के जुलूस ने राधे कृष्ण, राम राम सत्य है और हरे कृष्ण  महामंत्र का गान किया। शारीरिक बंधन से मुक्ति और परमात्मा से मिलने का जयकारा लगाया। ये शब्द आज और अभी भी मन में गूंज रहा है। यमुना नदी के रास्ते में थोड़े थोड़े समय के लिए रुकते हुए, जुलूस उनकी पसंदीदा संकरी गलियों से गुजरा। भारी मालाओं से लदी पालकी में बैठे बाबाजी के साथ सैकड़ों की संख्या में एक बैंड भक्ति गीत बजा रहा था। पुलिसकर्मियों ने लोगो से विनम्र निवेदन कर  गलियों के भीड़ भरे रास्ते को साफ करने का आग्रह किया। जुलूस बाबाजी के सभी पसंदीदा मंदिरों के सामने रुका। पुजारी और निवासी फूल और कपड़े चढ़ाने के लिए घरों से निकले, उनमें से कई अंतिम तीर्थयात्रा में शामिल हुए। शायद शहर की एक चौथाई आबादी और देश विदेश से आए श्रद्धालु यमुना नदी के दोनों किनारों पर जमा हो गए। बाबाजी के शरीर को एक नाव पर पुण्य यमुना नदी के डाउनस्ट्रीम पर, जहां देवरहा बाबा ने अभी कुछ साल पहले जल समाधि ली थी, ले जाया गया। यह बाबाजी का परिचित जल स्थान भी था  क्योंकि वह सम्भवतह वहां अक्सर सूर्य देवता को  निहारते हुए खड़े होकर ध्यान करते थे। बाबाजी के जलसमाधि के पूर्व पुजारियों के एक समूह ने वैदिक मंत्रों का पाठ किया और देवरहा बाबा के शिष्यों ने अंतिम संस्कार किया। बाबाजी और देवरहा बाबा आत्मा के साथी थे, इसलिए, पवित्र यमुना का इस स्थान ने दोनों को समान रूप से सम्मानित किया। हिंदी अखबारों ने बाबाजी की अंतिम यात्रा का विवरण सुंदर व काव्यात्मक तरीके से प्रकाशित किया। तत्कालीन टेलिविजन चैनलों ने भी यह समाचार अंतिम यात्रा के विजुअल के साथ प्रसारित किया। वृंदावन के जिस पवित्र स्थान में बाबाजी इतने वर्षों तक अपनी गतिविधियों में व्यस्त रहे, वहां से बाबाजी की अंतिम यात्रा उल्लेखनीय और ऐसी महान आत्मा के लिए एक उपयुक्त श्रद्धांजलि से कम नहीं थी। जुलूस के दौरान ही कई भक्तों को बाबाजी के सहज संदेश प्राप्त हुए। एक महान संत के सान्निध्य में इन अंतिम किलोमीटरों को साझा करना एक सम्मान की बात थी, और कई लोगों ने महसूस किया कि बाबाजी अभी भी अपने रहस्यमय तरीके से उनका मार्गदर्शन कर रहे थे। बाबाजी कई लोगों के लिए एक श्रद्धेय शिक्षक, गुरु, संत और योगी थे, और वे निश्चित रूप से उनके असाधारण व्यक्तित्व और आध्यात्मिक मार्गदर्शन को याद करते हैं।

बाबाजी का इरादा लोगो को Clarion Call या दिव्य बांसुरी वादक श्री कृष्ण का बिना शर्त प्यार और समर्पण का संदेश के प्रति  जागृत करना था। बाबाजी ने खुद को सुप्त मन और मस्तिष्क युक्त मानव को इसी संदेश के प्रति जागरूक करने के लिए समर्पित कर दिया। वह लोगो के हृदय में ईश्वर के लिए एक जुनून पैदा करना चाहते थे। बाबाजी उपदेश देने वाले संत नहीं थे, न ही किसी को बेहतर महसूस कराने के लिए मृदुभाषा का इस्तेमाल करते थे। वह एक ऐसे सख्त टास्कमास्टर थे, जो अपने भक्तों व शिष्यों की कमजोरियों व बुराइयों को तब तक उजागर करते रहते थे जब तक वह उनके प्रति सचेत होकर दूर न करें। उन्हें आसान रास्ता अपनाना पसंद नहीं था। उनके साथ या उनके अनुसार कार्य करना अत्यंत कठिन था। क्योंकि वह कार्य को आपकी व्यक्तिगत कमज़ोरी को दूर करने का माध्यम बनाते थे। एक पूर्ण मनुष्य का निर्माण ही उनका मुख्य कार्य था। ऐसा मनुष्य जो ईश्वर और मानवाता के प्रति समर्पित हो जैसे वो खुद थे।

Shri Sripad Baba and Shri Sharir Baba: Brief Life Sketch

1. Introduction

Is it possible by any means to see and feel God in form through our five senses? Yes, it is only through the grace of God. To bless his own children on earth, God intermittently sends greatly evolved souls (saints, yogis, enlightened beings) from His plane of existence. This article attempts to construct a brief life sketch of two God like great saints of 20th century, Sripad Babaji and Sri Sharir Baba. In section 2, I have attempted to construct, the life story of Sripad Baba from two major books[1], reminisces of several people, including the author, who came in his contacts during 1960s -1980s and several publications of Vraja Academy which Sripad Baba founded in 1978. Section 3 presents the life sketch of Shri Sharir Baba. The predominant source of this life sketch is a hand-written manuscript on the spiritual life and journey of Sri Sharir Baba, authored by Sripad Babaji in Hindi language and Transcendental Journey authored by Jnanananda Giri.[2] 

2. Brief Life Sketch and activities of Sripad Baba

Who was Sripad Baba? Frankly speaking, no one knows with certainty, where Sripad was Baba born? Who were his parents? Or who was his Guru? Which spiritual or religious traditions he followed? Information on Sripad Baba’s birth and his early life is thus shrouded in mystery. There are many anecdotes about his birth and early life which may seem unbelievable to a modern mind. Many of devotees living in Vraj regions stated to me that Baba performed Kayakalp and entered into the dead body of the son of Panna Maharaj and Maharani. Some told me that Sripad Baba has been in body since the time of Guru Nanak. According to the story by a lady (herself aged at least 50 years in 1997) devotee of Mehar Baba, Smt. Singh, Sripad Baba Ji was known even to her grandfather living in Badarpur.[3] Moreover, Sripad Baba narrated her when Mehar Baba, with his close group of lady devotees was walking on a street of Vrindavan on May 29, 1923, Sripad Baba, then a boy, danced in front of the group of Mehar Baba. Another Sadhu of a repute living in Giriraj ji told me that Sripad Baba was essentially Neta ji Subhash Chandra Bose who assumed another body by performing Kayakalp and lived for long in Ayodhya too. Another person in Kanpur told me about Babji’s close relationship with a south Indian driver of Netaji who always used to trouble Sripad Baba by writing letters asking for monetary help. Sripad Baba used to oblige him, mostly asking this person to send him money.

Swami Jnanananda Giri (1930-2015), a Swiss Sanayasi and Kriya Yogi, in his autobiography “Transcendent Journey” gave brief sketch of the early life of Sripad Baba whom the former met for the first time in March 1963 in the company of a saint Bhayya ji at Swamy Akhandanad Ashram, Vrindavan.[4] Swami Jnanananda developed immense affection for and friendship with Sripad Baba, who according to his estimate was then 18 years. Believing this estimate to be correct, Sripad Baba was probably born in the year 1945. Swami Jnanananda undertook several journeys with Sripad Baba for visiting various saints and pilgrimage centers. Sripad Baba during his long association with Swami Jnanananda once revealed to him that he was born in Ballia, a small but famous city of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Later he migrated along with his parents to Kolkata. While attending school in Kolkata, Sripad Baba was once disappointed and deeply pained by the rude and shocking behavior of his teacher, who slapped his schoolmate on a trivial issue of attentively watching kite flying during study hours. This incident affected the extremely sensitive 8 year old child Sripad so much that he left the school and did not even return to the family fearing that his parents would force him to rejoin the school.

Ever since leaving his home, the child Sripad Baba depended only on prayer to omnipresent God for getting answer to all his questions and for his survival. He stayed in various Ashrams, temples, forests, hills, lake side and river banks initially in Hazari Bagh (Jharkhand) and later in Chitrakoot for some years. During this period, his Sadhana was mainly prayer driven worship of and meditation on various forms of Gods, especially Shiva Lingam. He also used to offer his manual services to the sadhus and saints living in Ashrams, temples and jungles. In the forest of Chitrkoot, he stayed for a longer period in an Ashram and studied scriptures in a Gurukul run by a spiritually advanced householder Saint. He used to serve Ashrams cows and developed loving relationships with them and other animals and birds of the jungle. During this period, he learned Sanskrit and Hindi and its dialect Avadhi with a view to recite and understand Shri Mad Bhagwat Puran, Bhagwat Gita, Ramcharit Manas and Upnishadas. In those days, his ideal was Shri Hanuman ji who found utmost meaning and satisfaction in serving Lord Ram, His family and devotees. Therefore, he loved to meditate on him and sleep in the proximity of the idol of Hanuman ji in various temples.

Others also found and met Sripad Baba wandering as nomad in various places of central India including Chhatarpur-Panna-Khajuraho-Chitrakoot region; the hills and jungles of Himalayas and pilgrimage centres in Uttarakhand; Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Vraj region, Kanpur, Agra and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh Pune region of Mahrashtra. He occasionally visited pilgrimage centers in South and East India and various metropolises too. In these places, he met innumerable people; a number of them also became his devotees. With the passage of time, an important incident took place in the life of Sripad Baba which shook his identity (aham) completely. He felt that his being was captured by some unknown power and his activities were under its surveillance. This power used to force Sripad to follow its will. This created great inner conflict which ended only when he surrendered to the great power, treating it as the God’s command. This surrender also led to his inner transformation and birth of pure knowledge in him. Sripad Baba once reported to Swami Jnananand that Rajarshi Janak and Sharir Baba often entered into his personality during the midnight and expounded their spiritual knowledge. This was also corroborated by other people who met him during the decade of 1960s.[5] Recognizing Sharir Baba as a rare Yogi, the boy Sripad Baba seemingly stayed in his physical proximity for a little longer period in which he studied him closely through his loving observation and service. The proximity of Sharir Baba influenced the heart of Sripad Baba so much that the latter could not help giving words to the evolution of consciousness of the former in the form of a unique spiritual biography. He thus authored a spiritual biography of Sharir Baba which was hand written by Shri Badari, a devotee and probably a resident of Panna. Having sufficiently lived in the company of Sharir Baba, Sripad Baba attained to the state of complete Vairagya. In Sripad Baba’s own words, “The way Shri Ramkrishna Parmahans received the higher consciousness from Trailang Swami during his visit to Varanasi; he too received the similar consciousness by staying in the proximity of Sharir Baba.

In this state of high consciousness, Sripad Baba also visited various places sanctified by advanced yogis and various religious shrines in Himalayas. It seems that he underwent severe penance for a few years and attained Advaitic (non-dual) consciousness. He came to the realization of oneness between individual soul and universal soul. However, not much is known about the period for which he lived in Himalayas for performing spiritual practices. In the later periods, whenever some group of devotees visited various regions of Himalayas with Sripad Baba, they reported that Baba was quite conversant with the terrain, ordinary people and saints living in the area. Several saints and yogis from Himalayas also visited him when he began to live regularly in Vrindavan. They too reported about Sripad's young age sojourns in Himalayas and his miraculous powers of appearing and disappearing, his courage and adventures, his ascetic life and habits, his love for nature, his meditative trance like states, and his extreme sensitivity towards needy, poor, spiritual seekers and pilgrims. The author has seen a photo of his teen age standing in front of Badrinath Temple covered with snow. It seems Sripad Baba stayed somewhat longer in Gangotri and Badrinath region of Himalayas. Sripad Baba sometimes used to talk about his fond memory of days spent in Himalayas to a group of his close friends, namely, Shri Ambika Khare, Late Shri Mathura Prasad Shukla and Late Swamy Jnanananda Giri. Shri Ambika Khare once told me that Sripad Baba narrated him a strange experience when the latter was staying at Gomukh near Gangotri. Many a times, Sripad Baba while meditating saw good as well as bad spirits who appeared before him in physical bodies resembling saints and sadhus. However, they would soon dissolve their bodies. While good spirits dissolving the body would leave a trail of brightness; the bad ones would leave a trail of black smoke. Baba was also called Swami Ramtirth when he was living in Himalayas and in the forest situated in the vicinity of Ramtirth Asharm. Many people addressed him as Swami Ramtirth in their letters. Swami Govind Prakash, a Mahant (in charge) of Swami Ramtirth Ashram too was quite affectionate towards Sripad Baba.

Apparently, Sripad Baba completed his Vedantic Sadhana by the late 1950s and came down to the planes. Even after coming back to planes, he remained in the state of full advaitic (non-dual) consciousness. In this state, he once visited Varanasi where he went into a state of trance for three months in which a mass of light engulfed him completely. He could see the light inside as well as outside his body during all his activities performed during waking state, and even during state of dreaming or meditation.[6] Shri Badari, a devotee and probably a resident of Panna, recorded his impressions about Sripad Baba as follows, “No one could know and describe the state of God intoxicated “Balak Sant” (a boy saint); one can only say that he was exclusively for God and God belonged to him; Sripad Baba in those days used to wander in a state of Parmahansa and he loved to talk about divinity of Himalayas; whenever Badari met him, he used to feel immense happiness and extreme affection for him”.[7] Badari used to call him “Balak Sant”, as the name Sripad was non-existent then. Sometime Sripad Baba used to visit and stay in Panna for a few days. The king, queen of Panna and their daughter too were quite affectionate towards him, therefore many people used to call him prince of Panna or Chhote Baba (little saint).[8] Sripad Baba had already attained the state of pure vairagya and transcended the body consciousness, thanks to his early age proximity with Sharir Baba and his Spiritual practices, Satsang and Seva. He never rested and quickly attained ultimate realization of Gyan Marg as well as Yaj yoga by meditating on and identifying with absolute while living in Himalayas. Sripad Baba also lived in Ayodhya for sometimes and developed friendly relationship with a young sadhu Shri Lalji Maharaj. In the later years, Shri Lalji came to be known as Tapasvin Maharaj and created a big Ashram in Ayodhya.

Shri Radha-Krishna still wanted to drown him in Ras Yoga of Vraja. Probably from the early 1960, when Sripad Baba was around 15 years old, his attention got diverted towards Leelas of Radha-Krishna. As result, he engaged himself with the esoteric ras-sadhana of Vraja region. Probably around this period, Lal ji Maharaj of Ayodhya designated the multi named Baba as Sripad Baba. The name Sripad became the permanent and manifested his true personality in years to come. His engagement with the saints and sadhaks living and interested in Vraja region increased. Now, he started wandering more in Vraj region than in any other place. His most likable place in Vraja region was gavhar van (jungles surrounding Barsana hill) and Radha ji's temple. Sripad Baba exhibited a number of miracles during his stay in Vraja region which were mainly aimed at incentivizing the efforts of devotees and increasing their devotion towards their Gurus and Radha-Krishna. Sometimes, these miracles were also the outward reflections or manifestations of his inner state of consciousness. He mostly used to dwell in Radha-Krishna bhava during this period. His identification was so intense that he would be often found weeping as Radha for Krishna.

Shri Krishna embodying sixteen dimensions of personality was the cherished deity (Ishta devata) of Sripad Babaji. He had seen Shri Krishna in form as well as had the realization of formless Shri Krishna as Brahman. His experiences and realizations were similar to those realized and experienced by saint-poets of Vraja such as Surdas, Nand Das, Kumbhan Das, Swami Haridas. He used to experience and participate in Vraja Leela of Shri Krishna. He also imparted some of these divine experiences of leela to a select few. He claimed that art, ras, leelas, literature, music, poetry, philosophy originated in Vraja are the vital essence of Vraja culture. Vraja culture raised the status of immortal Vedic culture to the top of every culture. While living in Vraja, Sripad Babaji fully aligned himself with the spirit and emotional self of many past and contemporary saints of Vraja. They included, among others, Swami Haridas ji Maharaj, Rasikvar Shri Hariram Vyasji Maharaj, Rasik Bhushan Mahaprabhu Shri Harivansh ji Maharaj. He also admired and loved the living saints like Shri Prbhudatta Brahmachari, Shri Deveraha Baba, Shri Bal Mukund ji Maharaj, Bhaktimati Usha Bahan ji for their great sacrifice, hardships, tolerance and emotional upsurge towards Radha-Krishna. He opined that even opulent people respect and regard renunciation. The reason being that the Aryan tradition, that received great distinction in life, started from renunciation and terminated in the fullness of God-realization.

In his high state of spiritual consciousness, Sripad Baba also visited Bhayya ji and many other spiritual aspirants in Bareilly region. Bhayya ji was an advance devotee of Radha-Krisnna and well versed in scripture. Bhayya ji with his highly developed intuition instantly recognized Sripad ji as a great siddha. Bhayya ji narrated many of his devotees about the Sripad ji’s spiritually exalted condition and unique behaviour. Sripad ji then had very long matted hair touching almost to the ground. Besides, his whole body used to emit light and eyes used to blaze like sun. One could not look at his eyes directly even for a few minutes. He always appeared withdrawn from his surroundings. When he wanted to say something he would mostly gesture or speak only few words. Sripad Baba stayed with Bhayya ji for a few months and did not go out of his residence at all during that period. Bhayya ji was too happy to serve such an advance Yogi. He also realized his mystical influences and blessings upon his life and sadhana. Gradually, he introduced Sripad Baba to his circle of devotees and friends who were mostly devoted to Radha-Krishna and Vraja region. Some of these people, whom I know, included saint Shri Ganga Das Mauni, Late (Dr.) Somesh Upadhaya, Late Ganga Bua, Late Master Kanhiya Singh, M/s Satya ji, Baba Laxmi Narayan, Shri Dhaniram, Late Srimati Mati, etc. He also made Bhayya ji his instrument to engage with the sincere devotees of Vraja. Beside this group, Sripad Baba also contributed in the spiritual growth of several others (viz. Shri Umanath Shukla and Prabodh Chaturvedi) living in Bareilly. He helped most of them in their Sadhana without disturbing their natural tendencies or loyalty towards their Gurus and chosen deities.

During the early 1970s, Sripad Baba was painfully moved by the poor condition of Vraja Region. He observed that the physical condition of Vraja itself had become so bad that it was hardly exhibiting any features of Vraja as described in Puranas or as rediscovered by Chaitanya Maha Prabhu during the medieval period of India. The revered Yamuna River was highly polluted due to the neglect of the Government, pilgrims and even people of Vraja. There were hardly any powerful voice to protect cows, heritage buildings, sacred ponds, Parikrama roads and even temple closely associated with the personality of Shri Radh-Krishna’s Godhead. The Bhakti tradition and culture of once prosperous and reverential Brajbhumi was dying. The invaluable texts and manuscripts containing the revelations of saints and poets were scattered and thereby disappearing due to improper care and apathy; want of users and absence of dedicated adequate repository for safekeeping the same. The pride of Vraja was getting lost as a large number of inhabitant of Vraja was seeking fame and accumulating material wealth, even at the cost of selling rare earth (Vrajraj) and stones mined from Barsana and Govardhan hills. Seekers of truth, scholars, devotees and others who cherish the higher values of life were feeling helpless.

Sripad Babaji embodied all the personality traits needed by a person dedicated to the conservation of Vraja culture. He had extreme detachments towards his own bodily needs, pain, and material objects. He was quite compassionate towards poor and needy. He respected all religions and their sects and their messengers, avatars, spiritual masters and saints. He actively offered protection and services to cows. He attempted to conserve temples, tirthas, kundas, rivers, hills, religious, cultural monuments and religious texts and manuscripts of Vraja. He tried to protect the ecology and environment including rivers, flora, fauna and forest of Vraja. He actively participated in and celebrated various utsavas and mahotsavas related to the leelas of Radha-Krishna and various saints of Vraja. He was full of devotion and loyalty towards Radha-Krishna and Gopis. He loved and respected all life forms of inanimate and animate objects existing in Vraja by considering them holy since they imbibe the Radha-Krishna consciousness.

Responding to his inner clarion call and call of people cherishing the higher values of life Sripad Baba started a new phase of his life in the mid-1970s. This phase is similar to the phase of many saints and Avatars who, subsequent to their enlightenment, involved themselves with larger humanity due to their compassion or acted under God’s direction as His instrument. This is clearly visible in the activities of Shri Krishna’s life too. After Shri Krishna left Vraja, he engaged with the major political forces of the time for re-establishing the Dharma of the time and spreading the message of Gita. Shri Gautam Buddha too after the attainment of enlightenment, established/organized Sanghas for dissemination of his spiritual consciousness due to Karuna for the common masses. Babaji decided to create an organization in the name of Vraja Academy which was formally founded on the eve of Deepavali on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti on October 30, 1978. A famous historian and Padmshri awardee, Dr. Ishwari Prasad, presided over the function in which a number of dignitaries (e.g. Shri Purusottam Mantri, Minister of Devesthana, Shri Somthakur, a famous neo-lyricist of Hindi, Dr. Rameshchandra Sharma, Director, Government Museum, Mathura, Shri Prabhdayal Mittal, a famous literateur writing in Vrja language, etc.) were also present. The specific objectives of Vraja academy was set as the following:

• To promote cultural and bhakti tradition of Vraja;
• To study man-environment relationship in spiritual perspective;
• To act as a catalyst for cultural and spiritual growth;
• To develop an education system embodying the principals of ancient Gurukul system of education and ancient Indian ethos
• To foster learning and teaching of Sanskrit language and literature;
• To prepare a curriculum of education for infusing spiritual consciousness into the existing system of education.
• To synthesize the sublime elements of conventional Vedic Upnishadic education system with the modern developments in the field of natural and social sciences.
• To undertake and sponsor research on Vraja (Indian) culture;

To celebrate 500th birthday of poet saint Shri Surdas of Vraj region, Vraja Academy organized a series of programme. In a function held at Vrindavan in 1979, distinguished persons like Dr. Umashankar Joshi, President, Sahitya Academy, Delhi and Dr. N. M. Sajanova participated. Swami Fatehkrishna Sharma staged a lyrical drama on “Surdas Leela” in Rasleela style. For about a year since Vraj Academy was founded, its office had been running from “Rameshwar Sadan” Banke Bihari Colony, Vrindavan. Sripad Baba was looking for a suitable place for housing Vraj Academy. He got attracted to a heritage building Anand Nivas with large open space and its proximity to a famous Jaipur Temple of Radha-Madhav. After convincing some influential people in the state and Central Government and completing a lot of legal and procedural formalities, Sripad Baba acquired this building on nominal rent on long term lease from its owner Rajasthan Devasthan Trust belonging to Government of Rajasthan. In 1980, Vraja Academy shifted to its new premises Anand Nivas. Under the guidance of this great visionary the Academy fast emerged as an upholder of the true cultural traditions of Vraja and a strong repository of the contributions of the saint-poets of Bhakti Movement of 12th-16th century. Nevertheless, Vraja signifies "forward moving", 'Baba' wished that the activities of Vraja Academy should grow worldwide. Since then it scaled up its activities under able leadership and active guidance of Sripad Babaji.

Under the aegis of Sripad Baba, Vraja Academy organized a number of seminars, symposiums, and workshops on various cultural and spiritual themes. These included Maharas and its Spiritual Significance in October 1984, Swami Haridas and His Humanistic Values in March 1985, International Conference on Environment in 1988, International Workshops and Symposium on Pilgrimage Traditions in October 1990 & 1991, Vrindavan Heritage Conservation and Eco-Environment in April 1994. Sripad Babaji also organized several seminars on Education in Kumbh Melas (viz. Education for Future in March 1989, Integral Development of Humans through Education in February 1995). Sripad Baba’s personality and his selfless work attracted the attention of India’s top educationists, bureaucrats, politicians and statesman, artists, saints and selfless workers. Among the top politicians of the country, Shri Chenna Reddy, Shri Narsimha Rao, ex-prime minister of India, Venkatraman, ex-President of India, Shri Karn Singh, Shri Natwar Singh, Ex- Minister of External Affairs, Shri Atal Bihari Bajpayi, Ex-Prime Minister of India contributed greatly to the cause of Sripad Baba. A few months before his death, Sripad Baba ji presided over a meet of some heads of states in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Baba identified four major lacuna in our present education system which are: a) it is devoid of Indian values, ethics and spirit of scientific enquiry and at best based on intellectual knowledge; neglecting acquisition of knowledge through other higher faculties (viz. occult); b) it is mostly driven by acquisition of information but does not emphasise or create ambience for the development or refinement of the instruments (or faculties) of knowledge acquisition; c) it creates a little skill for self-employment or proper employment in jobs; d) lacks even academic rigour and spirit of scientific (intellectual) enquiry as evident in modern western traditions and institutions. To remove these lacunas, Babaji wanted to make accessible to the masses the true import of Vedas and the knowledge, spiritual or material, inscribed therein. As the modern education imparted through contemporary Universities is bereft or devoid of such knowledge, he planned to establish a new University for the purpose. Since the knowledge inherent in Vedas is consciousness-based, he named the proposed University as Shaswat Bharati: An University of (Eastern) Consciousness. Sripad Babaji also wanted to infuse Vraja culture, the epitome of Vedic culture, into the modern Indian education system. He therefore proposed to establish the University at Vrindavan with its several centers of "spiritual and cultural regeneration" located in various parts of the globe. His dream project did not materialize during his lifetime due to his sudden demise on December 31, 1996. As per the vision of Dr. S. K. Dubey, Sripad Babaji is looking for a worthy person to carry out this dream project with his divine blessings and help[9].

3. Biography of Sharir Baba 

In the year 1904, a great soul with extraordinary spiritual features descended in a blessed gross body on earth in the region of Chhatarpur, situated near world famous Khajuraho temples. Chhatarpur is also near to Panna well known for its diamond mines. From the divine existential plane a subtle body carried this soul with its causal body having all ingredients necessary for manifesting in a suitable gross body. The chosen lucky Brahmin parents prepared and gave birth to the gross body of this Jeevan Mukta, untrammeled from the impressions of the worldly life. The baby gradually began to learn the language of this world and skill of performing physical activities. The baby’s close relatives gave him a name matching paternal sacraments. Gradually the baby entered childhood by stripping of the experiences of babyhood with feeling of growing in his body and mind. With growth of baby, his revered mother was perhaps deriving satisfaction from imagining a bright materialistic future for the child. Probably, the deeply attached father of the dignified baby had some inkling of his son’s spiritual inclinations. Neither parent, however, could imagine about the child’s upcoming complete pure spiritual life devoid of any materialistic stain.

It is mentioned in the scriptures that the parents, who give birth to a Jeevan Mukta’s body get blessed; the place where Jeevan Mukta is born and live get sanctified; the places which he visits feel grateful. Plants, animal and birds which come in his contacts immensely benefit and evolve quickly. Indeed, gods also aspire to worship such a great one. Since his childhood, Sharir Baba had full, control over his five senses and body. Therefore, he was a natural Urdhvareta Brahmchari. He had also transcended the sense of identity for giving and accepting in early age. He started seeing God in everyone. People at Chhatarpur used to praise him due to his disciplined nature and behavior. People familiar with him also appreciated his divine qualities and his ideas about spiritualities. He learned gods’ language Sanskrit through the brahminical system of family education. In addition to learning Sanskrit, he might have learned other subjects and languages when he entered in adolescence. But, there is lack of evidence about the same. Seemingly, the divine consciousness began to develop silently in his mind since the very childhood. When an icy river, after encroaching high Himalayan region enters the areas of warm planes, it transform itself into free flowing water for quickly reaching its destination that is the vast sea. In the same way, super consciousness, having descended from the highest existential plane, assumed the form of contemplation and meditation in the adolescence mind of Sharir Baba. Indeed, Sharir Baba was seen since his adolescence involved in the investigation and discovery of the stages of Samadhi (meditative trance). Since his childhood, he preferred worshiping Shiva sitting in meditative posture. His eternal Guru has been Shiva who presides as Matangeshwar in the form of sacred idols and sculptured images in the historical setting of Khajuraho temples. Undeniably, Shiva himself initiated Sharir Baba as his disciple in one of the soundless nights of Shivaratri in Khajuraho temple premises.

Even before attaining youthful age, he left his home and broke all his ties of earthly relations for exploration of the highest reality. Holy city Kashi hosted this nomad for satisfying his inner urge of self-realization. He also accepted Sanyas in Kashi and lived there for some time. In a Sanskrit college of Kashi, he intellectually learned Vedas, Upanishadas, various other scriptures and Purans and compared them with his own experiences, speculations and investigations. Major conclusions of his learning were, “Soul (Atma) is witness of body; mind (man), intellect (buddhi) and life energy (pran) all reside in Soul”. Continuous thinking and reflection on these became so intense that he lost most of his external sense and became half insane. This half insanity acted as a cover that enabled him to acquire the consciousness that the body and soul are separate entities. His involvement with this consciousness also made him self-delighted. Ever since he realized the separateness of body and soul, he gave up his studies. He wandered freely in various places of Kashi without any sense of identity, cleanliness, hygiene and need of clothing. If he was found at Manikarniaka Ghat in the evening, he may be seen at Dashashwamedh Ghat in the next morning or evening in the Vishwanath temple and at a secluded spot in cremation ground at mid night, etc. Since then his language became soul’s language. Outwardly, his careless behaviour was incompatible with normalcy. However, he was experiencing a rare state of trance. In fact since then he started addressing himself as Sharir (body) as if he existed separately from his gross body. There are many such narratives in Upnishadas whose main characters hold the same state of consciousness as that of Sharir Baba. It seems that the spiritual, mental and physical states of consciousness attained in the past by great saint Dattatreya, Astavakra and Shukdeva, as described in the scriptures, have again manifested in Sharir Baba’s holy personality. Out of the seekers born during Vedic period to twentieth century, those who have followed the path of self-reflection or introspection (Gyan Marg), some have been the conscious or unconscious seekers of Samadhi. This powerful stream of seekers of Samadhi and their enlightenment have offered peace, security and nectar of love to the miserable human beings afflicted by physical and mental problems. Sharir Baba assimilated in his life the achievements and experiences of all the previous great seekers of spiritual trance and enlightened beings and manifested the same to the public in the modern scientific age of twentieth century. Proximity and affection of Sharir Baba touched the heart of the biographer with so much intensity that he could not help but to express latter’s spiritual state through this biography.

Path of full spiritual enlightenment consists of seven stages (or Bhumikas) of development of spiritual consciousness (Atmgyan) as per the ancient path of Gyana.[10] Out of these, first three stages in ascending order are Subhechcha (good wish or desire to know unknown); Vicharana (inquiry or investgation); Tanumanasi (threadlike thin mind or continuous concentration). These three stages are devoid of divine light (Bramha Prakash). Yet, a person sequentially growing (or ascending) through these stages reaches near to the perimeter of divine light (Brahma Prakash). The person grown to the fourth stage of Sattvapatti (the attainment of Sattva) and fifth stage of Asansakti (non-attachment) is able to touch the rays of divine light (Brahm Prakash). A person reaching to the sixth stage of Padartha-Bhavani (analysis of objects) consciousness is not only able to touch divine light but also enters to some extent into the same. Turiya or Turyaga is the seventh and final stage. When a person enters and remains in this stage, he is called enlightened (or Brahmasth). However, rarest of the rare person reaches to the final stage (Turyaga). The yogi residing in this state is called Brahm Vidoor. Ever since Sharir Baba began to live in the fifth stage of consciousness, the people started worshiping him. His spiritual journey however continued until he reached to the final stage of Turyaga. This state of consciousness made Sharir Baba half insane and even careless about his basic bodily requirements such as food, shelter, clothing and hygiene. He started living in himself as a witness to the external world. He never fell from this state of consciousness. He was mostly found as an insane person on the road side of Kashi with his body covered in ragged thick bed-sheet.Once, King of Chhatarpur with his courtesans and servants went to Kashi for a pilgrimage. While he was passing through bank of Bhagirathi River, his secretary suddenly saw Sharir Baba in such an abject condition. Thereafter attention of entire group got diverted towards Sharir Baba. They approached him with respect but started thinking about him with empathy and surprise. No one understood the reason behind such a state of his insanity. The king affectionately included Sharir Baba in his group and brought him back to Chhatarpur. The people earlier known to Sharir Baba looked at him with curiosity, amazement, sympathy and some even with contempt with understanding his inner state of sublime consciousness. It was almost impossible for them to know that Sharir Baba had become witness to the external world due to his mind merging into the highest level of consciousness.

In this half-insane state, Sharir Baba also undertook pilgrimages like a Parivrajak. He visited Himalayan region in the Uttarakhand. It is unknown which types of trance he underwent during this visit. But, it is certain that he remained in a pure devotional state during darshan of the daity of Shri Badrinath dham. He also journeyed, through the inaccessible paths, to Shri Kedarnath and Gangotri, which are the holy place for mediation and the place of birth of Jahanvi Bhagirathi River respectively. He also went on to Mansarovar and Yamunotri which are most beautiful places the mother earth on the highest altitude of Himalaya. Having traveled to Uttarakhand, he went to Bhavbhoomi Vraj. There, he also performed internal pilgrimage on the Rasik Path of Vraj-badhuti in the divine association of Shri Krishna. There some mystical dimensions to these journeys as well but they remained invincible and inexplicable. Sharir Baba also travelled to Rajasthan to view various holy places and temples. He went to the temple of Govind Dev ji at Jaipur - the city of grand temples and historical buildings. There, he had darshan of the lively idols of Shri Radha-Krishna who reflect the sentiments of a large number of devotees offering their devotion every day in the mornings and evenings. Thereafter, he travelled to the state of Gujarat for a darshan of Dwarikadhish (Shri Krishana) at Dwarka city. In medieval period, the famous devotional poet and Shri Krishna’s ardent devotee Meera Bai dissolved her body into the idol installed in the temple of Dwarkadhish. In the divine spirit of Shri Krishna, Sharir Baba danced on the beaches of Dwarka. During this period, he was exuberant with joy and sea too exhibited his divine mood with its sound and tides.

Having finished these journeys, Sharir Baba came back to Chhatarpur due to his inner prompting. Like a Muni living in his soul, he wandered in various streets and lanes, halting for a while on holy spots in Chhatarpur and its surrounding areas. Once, he dwelled for six months in silence and inert state in a temple of Mote (fat) Hanuman ji situated in the outskirt of Chatarapur. If someone puts food or water in his mouth he would gulp, otherwise remained inactive. Sometimes, he would appear lifeless or unconscious. Hearing this from others, the king of Chhatarpur visited to see him. He arranged to respectfully place Sharir Baba in the picturesque atmosphere of Narayan Garden situated in the premises of his own beautiful palace. Living in room in Narayan Garden, Sharir Baba would be found sometimes conscious, sometimes unconscious and other times half insane or crazy. During this period, some devotees and curious persons began to visit him. Surprisingly, he could understand instantaneously the desires, intentions and feelings of these people without them expressing the same. Sharir Baba would respond to these people in his own mystical verbal language or body language. However, very few could understand his language. Most of the people would interpret his response as per their faith and feelings and marvel at the capability of Sharir Baba.

The devotees and watchmen living nearby Sharir Baba saw him in miraculous conditions. Watchmen of the palace working in night shifts saw many times glittering subtle beings entering in the room of Sharir Baba and latter conversing with them in unfamiliar languages. People often heard bizarre sounds, including mixer of various ragas, in his room, mostly during late night to early morning and sometimes even afterwards. These occurrences and experiences of various devotees are the evidence of the ancient science of Nada yoga as described in the scriptures which manifested through Sharir Baba. In his silent half insane state, it seems, he used to travel in astral planes of the creation. Sometimes devotees observed Sharir Baba in various types of bodies.

As people started recognizing and getting benefitted from the divinity of Sharir Baba, vast masses from different locations and cities began to visit him since morning till night. From the richest to rank poor with their silent desires and worries would visit Sharir Baba for his blessings and fulfillments of their desire. They would feel secure and obliged after approaching him. Baba could read and express the devotee’s mental states and offered appropriate solutions to their problems in his mystic language. Gradually, Sharir Baba became more expressive and talkative. As a witness and guardian of soul, what he used to discuss about internal and external matters, it was beyond the understanding of ordinary mind and intellect. When he used to become mute and remain silent for weeks, his body and his behavior used to express his internal emotions regarding external creations. The author, Sripad Baba, closely witnessed and benefitted from this state of Sharir Baba. Gradually, Sharir Baba became more uninhibited. He showed no aversion towards rotten materials, urine and stools lying strewed around him on the floor of his room. Sometimes, Sharir Baba would even paste these rotten objects on his body and not be bothered about people’s opinion about himself. In this state of consciousness, Sharir Baba started calling himself a body. This is indeed 6th stage (bhumika) of Gnan Marg which is called Padarthbhavani and the person reaching to this stage is called Brahmviduriyan.

Seeing Sharir Baba in such a state, the people visiting him for the first time got confused many times thinking whether they were viewing a saint or a madman. The logical prejudiced mind tried to judge a person with the help of its past memories and experiences. Therefore, it can never understand a spiritually evolved person residing in higher states of consciousness. To understand and benefit from such a person, one has to approach him without one’s ego centric perceptions and prejudices. Once a person decides to dissolve his opinionated mind and intellect into the higher consciousness of the great one, he becomes eligible for seeking a new life based spiritual principles. When time arrives, the seeker gets fulfilled in the protection of such a great man. A seeker cannot imagine how much satisfaction and happiness he can derive by merging his streams of water like frivolous mind into the sea of consciousness of the great man. The seekers who are able to adopt this holy method are really blessed. Their one pointed attention and loyalty are indeed appreciable. The proximity of Sharir Baba was really holy. However, people used to get scared seeing his unholy state of being. They often questioned to themselves “why such a holy person surrounds himself with unholy dirty objects?” Some people with extreme devotional temperament always found proximity of Sharir Baba to be always divine and blissful. For them, all the foul smell emanating from the rotten objects transformed into fragrance.

Proximity of Sharir Baba, like a Kalptaru (desire fulfilling tree) used to fulfill the desires of people instantaneously. He used to react even to the slightest desires of persons approaching him as the way body reacts to the touch of electric current. The people having his darshan experienced bliss and peace of mind. To his devotes, Sharir Baba used to communicate his love and blissful state through his silence and unfettered smile. He would sometimes remove the obstacles of a person by hurling a word of abuse, showing his anger or hearting him physically. His heart was so pure that even the dirtiest heart connecting him would get purified. His nature was such that if someone offered him a gift with a reverence, he would keep that with heartfelt emotion and enthusiasm. He used to keep all the gifts including perishable food and clothing under his exclusive control. He would allow abundant food items offered by devotees to perish but not distribute to anyone. Off course, when he was in super conscious state without any awareness of physical world, the rats and dogs would feast on the food items. Even snakes have been seen slithering on his body but he did not bother to remove them. Sometimes, he would converse with birds, rats and cats. His body occasionally suffered from severe fever and great pains and contacted disease but he refused to take any medicine or treatment. He always remained in the state of equanimity and treated everyone including animals and birds with undifferentiated love and care.

The Mother Nature with its three qualities (tamas, rajas, and satva) used to look after Sharir Baba and act according to his wish. As per the scriptures, “Nature herself takes care of the gross body, energy and subtle body and their corresponding activities of Jivan Mukta established in state of Turia Samadhi”. In Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, Shri Krishna described this as “Guna Gunevu Vartante”. He was seen limited by his body to the ordinary mind. Yet, due to his consciousness identified with the body of entire cosmos, he acted in realty as witness, maintainer, and sustainer of all the bodies. At the same time, he also consumed through all the bodies. The consciousness of ordinary individual soul (Jiva) is shackled in eight bondages. These bondages are Ghrina (Hate), Lajjaa (Shame), Bhaya (Fear), Shanka (Doubt), Jugupsaa (censure/reproach), Kula (family tree or class), Jaati (cast, creed, nationality, religion) and Sheela (Modesty). When Jiva is freed from these chains, he is called Sadashiva (Universal consciousness - Free soul/God). Sharir Baba was free from all the bondages which bind the individual soul (Jiva) to the Maya. He had no attachment to his body and would be mostly unaware of people present in his surroundings due to his blissful state. In such situations, clothes covering his body would frequently slip of. Despite this, Sharir Baba would not feel awkward in the presence a large number of visitors and devotees. Even girls, young women and cultured families would not hesitate or feel shy in approaching him in this naked or half naked condition. For them, the body of Shari Baba was and temple of their chosen deity. He was so holy that it could make others holy by his touch or compassionate glance. They always found Sharir Baba absorbed in universal soul. Therefore, there was no place for any personal thought in his mind.

Having lived for 8-9 years in the room of Narayan Bagh, where he was installed like God by the king of Chhatarpur and his associates, Sharir Baba one day left the palace premises. He sat under a tree for a day and thereafter stayed in a house of Mohammadan following the religion of Islam. Mohammadan’s home became the house of Khuda for nine months period during which Sharir Baba stayed and a large number of devotees from all walks of life visited for his blessings. Thereafter, Sharir Baba stayed for two and half to three years in a vacant lonely place away from the market. Finally, he got shifted to the premises of a Shiva temple adjacent to a pond situated in the outskirt of Chhatarpur. How his body shifted to this place remains an enigma as his bodily and external activities had ceased in those days. He was living in the earthly body yet he was sojourning in astral planes. He used to display his inner experiences or mood through his facial expressions or movements of fingers. These expressions also used to convey the meanings of his profound mystical experiences. Due to the gradual manifestation of Turia stage, he frequently gave impression to ordinary people that he was senseless or dead. As a result, several people mistook Sharir Baba as dead or almost dead in the absence of any bodily activity. However, they were pleased to find him surprisingly alive in their next visit. This was in fact the characteristic feature of Turia state of consciousness in which Sharir Baba was dwelling those days. A yogi who could identify himself with his consciousness would know the meaning of his expressions. His heightened consciousness also contributed in spiritualizing the astral world.

By eradicating the impressions of the memories of earthly life, Sharir Baba had reached to the shore of Sta-Chit-Anand. Whatever was remaining in the form of body was waiting for the ordained time of his departure from the physical world. It is mentioned in the scriptures that “Jeevan Mukta after attaining Brahmvidvaristh Turyaga can remain alive only for 17 days or 19 days or maximum 21 days”. Reason is that his Prarabdh becomes quite weak, accumulated impressions of Karma does not remain and Kriyaman stops creating impressions. Hence in the absence of any ego created by the reactions of Karma, the body too stops functioning. A few months before his Mahasamadhi, he lived for 90 days only by drinking milk and water. His body had become so weak that pain was clearly visible in his body. Sometimes, his relatives and friends belonging to his early days got worried seeing painful state of his weak body. However, he remained unaffected by the pain and remained in the blissful state of Samadhi. Sripad Baba visited him on July 12, 1965 one day before the auspicious day of Gurupurnima. Despite his painful physical state of body, Sripad Baba found him as blissful and agile as he had found him in a previous visit when he worshipped and performed his arati. Sharir Baba in his unclear language indicated to Sripad Baba that former would shortly give up his body.

When Sripad Baba next time visited Sharir Baba, he found latter’s body quite sick. Seeing this, he became quite sad and sat in his close proximity. He felt that Sharir Baba would soon depart this earthly plane by giving up his body that had been temple of God for long. This feeling made Sripad Baba quite worried and sad despite knowing that Sharir Baba would now live in the eternal divine word. As expected, Sharir Baba, while sitting in lotus posture, attained Mahasamadhi on August 2, 1965 during the golden hours (2.5 to 3.5 AM) of night. He broke away his relation with earthly body and merged in the supreme consciousness. Sharir Baba is immortal, ever lives in immortal soul. He came from immortal, lived in immortal and passed on immortal after living for a brief period in the gross body subject to decay and death.

[1] These books are Transcendental Journey and Four Saints: An Introduction (Hindi),

[2] Chapter 4 of this book

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] Refer to the reminiscences of Swami Hitadas in this book, p.  

[6] Swamy Jnananand once proposed SB to visit Varanasi with him. SB however politely refused to visit Varanashi since he was scared of being taken over by this state of trance again.

[7] Shri Badari wrote author’s introduction in the Sharir Baba’s biographical manuscript authored by Sripad Baba

[8] Incidentally a saint and Bhajan singer, Mukund Hari Maharaj ji, of Vrindavan used to call him “Little Khuda or God”.

[9] Dr. S. K. Dubey (2001), Kumbh City Prayag, Prelude, Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, New Delhi

^[10] A Sanskrit scripture Varaha Upanishad, Chapter 4, explains in detail all the seven stages of consciousness.

Sripad Baba's 19th punya tithi-December 31, 2015

Today December 31, 2015 is the 19th punyatithi of  my Guru Pujya Sripad Baba's Golok gaman (He left his mortal coil at around 11.30 AM and merged in the infinity of  the blissful abode of of Radha-Krishna on December 31, 1996). I pray to my beloved Guru for the continuation of his blessing  and grace till I live on this earth. I also thank him for initiating me to true spirituality and safely carrying me through the ups and downs of life; never allowing me to fall from his grace. In his remembrance Pradeep Kumar Keshari

Pujya Sripad Baba at the main entrance of Vraj Academy Building

Bhakti Sadhana Sutra - Pujya Sripad Baba

श्री कृष्ण शरणम मम

शब्द सीमा से परे चैतन्य का अखण्ड स्मरण चल रहा है।

अपने अहंकारों को गलाओ और जीवन मे समर्पित दैन्य भाव का उदय करो। कृपा का अनुसंधान वस्तुतः तभी होगा।

परम जीवन प्राण श्री कृष्ण की शरणागति जीवन के शाश्वत अनुभूतियों के वृन्दावन से जागृत होती है।

नाम स्मरण की गति श्वास है और श्वासों की गति ध्यान है।

दीपावली की परम ज्योति जीवन को देदीप्यमान करने को निरंतर आतुर रहती है। अपने मानस में ऐसी ज्योति को प्रकाशित करना, वृन्दावन मे रहना है।

जीवन चेतना की परम चैतन्य भाव परिधि में सदैव कृपा की अनुभूति के लिये व्याकुल हो।

आनंदानुभूति की चेतना जीवन के उषाकाल की अनुभूति है। इस चेतना के वृन्दावन मे जीवन सहज विराम है। इसीसे भावित होकर जीवन को कृपा का द्वार प्राप्त होता है।

मनस मे ध्यान की वृति सदा बनाये रहो। इसके लिये निरंतर जप की अति अवश्यकता है। ध्यान के लिये श्री कृष्ण को हृदय में विराजमान करो।

जीवन को दिव्यता से अनुप्राणित करना है।

अपने गुरु को हृदय से प्रज्ञा से जीवन की आंतरिक चेतना हिमालय जैसी दिव्य आस्था की अनुभूति में सादर देखो।

होली महोत्सव की बेला में कृपा की दिव्यता जीवन में प्रिय चिन्मय वृन्दावन को साकार कर देती है। होली जीवन में भावात्मक रंगोत्सव है। चिन्तन में श्री जी – लाल जी के भावमय अनुभव स्मरण की जीवंत बेला, इस महोत्सव को साकार करने में सक्षम होती है।

श्री कृष्ण जीवनधन प्राण स्पंदन होकर जीवंत वृन्दावन में अवतरित होते हैं।

मानस वृन्दावन कृपा के अनुभव में जिस शाश्वत क्षण से स्पंदन होता है वह है जीवन में कृपा का आंदोलन।

भक्तिपूरित व्याकुलता से श्री कृष्ण विह्वल होना है।

जीवन में आध्यात्मिक वृत्ति का अन्वेषण भावना का विकास संपादित करता है। इस सत्य का भावात्मक दृष्टि से एकात्मबोध करना है।

संवेदना से युक्त जीवन की गहराइयों को चिन्मय वृन्दावन के निवासी श्री जी – श्री ठाकुर जी की लीलानुभूति से सदैव अनुप्राणित करते रहो।

अंतस वृन्दावन के पटल पर हो रही भावमय लीलाये नित्य हैं। इसका साक्षात्कार करने के लिए अपने अहम केन्द्रित वृत्तियों को देश-काल से मुक्त करके नाम स्मरण व लीला चिन्तन के माध्यम से वृन्दावन के मानस में केन्द्रित करना है।

श्री कृष्ण कृपा से हमारे जीवन में उनके नित्य वियोग का अनुभव जागृत हो जाये, जिससे हृदय निहित वृन्दावन जीवन में उद्भासित हो उठे।

जीवन चेतना के सृजन की अमर अनुभूति का उद्बोधन है।

जीवन में आध्यात्मिक बोध की अनुभूति के प्रति जागृत रहने की सतत इच्छा जीव को श्री कृष्ण कृपा की आसक्ति से बांधती है। इस कृपा के लिये व्याकुलता को जागृत करना ही एकमात्र साधना है।

शब्द, मन एवम देशकाल से परे बुद्धि का जहां प्रयोग नहीं हो सकता है एक ऐसी अभिव्यक्ति होती है जो नित्य चिंतन जीवन का वृन्दावन है।

नाम, रूप, लीला, धाम की भावना से मन प्राण को नित्य वृन्दावन के निकट लाने का प्रयत्न करो। व्यक्ति से बड़ा उद्देश्य है। वह उद्देश्य है श्री कृष्ण और उनकी प्राण आल्हादिनी श्री राधा सन्निधि। ये नित्य हैं। इनमें ही अपनी श्रद्धा केन्द्रित करो। व्यक्ति तो देश, काल और पंचभौतिक आवरण से बंधा होने के कारण अनित्य है।

इसीलिए नित्य वृन्दावन की उपासना मे यह मानसिक भावना करनी पड़ती है कि मैं तो उनकी हूँ। वे हमारे प्राणाराध्य हैं। यह चिंतन ही जीवन की आध्यात्मिक चेतना से अनुप्राणित जीवंत वृन्दावन है।

जीवन को निरंतर श्री कृष्ण विरह में संपादित करने पर श्वांस नाम के स्पंदन से जागृत हो उठेगा।

हो क्षण से अक्षुण्ण नवोदित प्रति क्षण जीवन। कालजयी चेतना की साधना हो। आगे बढ़ो जागृति मे चेतना में। स्पंदन प्राणो मे हो शाश्वत की स्मृति। साधना दे कृपा दे।

श्री गंगा का प्रवाह आगे बढ़ने को प्रेरित कर रहा है। हिमालय अपने हिमाच्छादित सृजन में दिव्यता का स्वरूप लेकर स्थिरता की ओर बढ़ने की प्रेरणा दे रहा है। तभी तो श्री गीताकार ने “स्थाविरांतम हिमालया” (स्थावरो में मै हिमालय हूँ।) कहा है।

हिमालय के नैसार्गिक तपोभूमि ने मानव को सदा से वृन्दावन चेतना प्रदान की है।

जीवन में शाश्वत रक्षा के बंधन को बांधने के लिये प्रेम कृपा की परम अनुभूति जागृत करना उस परम अभय को प्राप्त कार लेना है।

सांसारिक बंधनों को खोलने के लिये जीवन मे जब जागृति हो जाय तब हृदय उस अपार प्रेम मे बंधने मे समर्थ होगा।

कृपा के स्वभाव की तरह प्रेम अभी और सदैव है। अतः कृपा की चिरंतन धारा के प्रति जागृति होना ही जीवन का उद्देश्य है।

तुम्हें समस्त आध्यात्मिक चेतना की अखण्ड दिव्यता जीवन में सदैव मिलती रहे।

Gracious Gurudeva: Memories of Maharaj Sripad ji

Gracious Gurudev

(Memories of Maharaj Sripad ji)
Late Prof. N. M. Sazanovoy

Talking about spiritual teachers and gurus are always difficult. Until the end of my life, I will be grateful to my fate for arranging a meeting with a mystic saint Sripad ji Maharaj in India. It happened in 1968 in Agra, where I was at internship at K. M. Institute, Agra University. I studied medieval language Braj to understand the creative writings of Mahtama Surdas, a great 16th century Indian saint-poet who was visually challenged from his birth. My job led me to the director Dr. Mata Prasad Gupta of K M Institute. I spent much time in a section of the institute, which had collections of photocopies of manuscripts of the writings of the saint-poet. However, the most recognized forms of these manuscripts were available only in the private collections of the Maharaja of Jaipur and in the temple of Sri Nath ji, Nathdwara (Near Udaipur) both situated in the state of Rajasthan. As these manuscripts are revered and rare, access to the same was limited only to a small number of trusted persons.

In Agra, I was staying in Imperial Hotel, built in the Victorian style, where I had a huge room with a very tall ceiling but a small window. After returning from the university, I usually preferred to work using my personal table and chair in hotel’s overgrown lawn having palm trees and flowers. Occasionally, my Indian friends from the university also visited me in the lawn. One afternoon, Mr. K. visited and asked me if I knew the meaning of Mahatma and would like to meet a one. I was surprised with the question, but replied that I know and I would very much like to see an Indian Mahatma. Mr. K. said smilingly that your desire was fulfilled instantaneously. Our Sripad Baba ji, a great Mahatma, has expressed his desire to have meeting with you. I was overjoyed to know this and enquired when and where it may occur. "Now and here in the lawn” said Mr. K. As soon as Mr. K finished his sentence, the Mahatma- a young man of medium height, with long curly hair, wearing a yellow dhoti- arrived in the lawn. Mr. K. prostrated at the feet of Mahatma, sprinkling the dust of his feet on his head. I stood up embarrassingly and bowed in the usual manner of greeting. Mahatma smiled. Then, I looked at his eyes. They were unusually large and brown with a frown, penetrating into the very heart of mine. I understood that Mahatma could see through me. Therefore, it was useless to hide anything from him and to be hypocritical. By gesture he ordered someone to bring another chair for himself and sat down smilingly in the lotus posture. Chief and all the servants of the hotel prostrated at his feet and ran to receive his orders. After prostrations, they stood at a distance and looked at him with indescribable awe. Sripad ji told me in Hindi that I read your interview in a local newspaper, The Hindustan Times where you were in a conversation with a well-known journalist Haridatta Sharma.[1] It seems that you mainly desire to follow the footsteps of Surdas and want to peruse the manuscript of "Sursagar”[2] at the earliest.

I confirmed adding that it is even difficult for me to understand bhakti (devotional) poems of Surdas about Sri Krishna, which inspired my camping here. Sripad ji paused and asked what I know of bhakti - the religion of love. I then knew little about bhakti. However, I knew that it is useless to engage in medieval Indian literature without knowing the bhakti. Sripad ji Maharaj said that Haridatta Sharma you have acquired too many qualifications and titles. But, Russsian Radha (Krishna's beloved) wants to learn bhakti. Sripad ji asked me “Are you ready for bhakti”? I rose from the chair and answered in affirmative. Well then follow me now for a tour and replace your western clothes with a sari. In the confusion, I said, I do not know how to put on a saree, nor do I have one. "No problem it is easy and fixable” said Mahatma. In the meantime, collect all your belongings from the hotel”. Looking into the eyes of Sripad ji, I realized that I would go anywhere with Mahatma and requested Mr. K. to inform Dr. Mataprasad Gupta everything. I had no idea at that moment that how my embassy would react to my extraordinary act.

I collected dictionaries and books from the room hurriedly and at the same time was very afraid that everything was happening like a mirage. I was led through the hotel lawn to a car parked at the gate, in which I was seated in the front seat along with Sripad ji next to the driver. Five persons were accommodated in the back seat of which I knew Mr. K. and graduate student R. Nobody told me about our destination. On my question about where we were going, Sripad ji only smiled. How did I then explain to myself? All races say that you cannot ask questions to a mahatma himself; if he thinks fit he will explain. The Indian etiquette should therefore not be curious, particularly in a relationship with a well respected overshadowing Mahatma.[3] We stopped at two-storey mansion in a locality of Agra where we were offered snacks upstairs on the roof, which often replaces Indian home living. There, we waited for the home owners who, with the extraordinary reverence, greeted Sripad ji and me. All of us sat down on mats on the floor, where we were offered lovely meals. Sripad ji was served first, but he ate little. Sripad ji made it sure that I was given satwik khana i.e. food without pepper and hot spices. After eating, we rinsed our mouth and washed our hands according to the Indian custom. Thereafter, we sat down again on the roof on mats. 



Sripad ji picked up a big bundle kept there from which he picked up a lovely antique miniature image of Sri Krishna. Showing Him, he explained to me that this particular image of Sri Krishna was called Srinath ji which was sacred to the sect of "Pushti” marg (tradition). Saint Surdas also belonged to  Pushti” marg and was one of the eight main poets of the sect. Such miniatures are now drawn in Nathdwara at Hare Krishna center of miniature art.[4] While all were admiring Sri Nath ji, the deity of Nathdwara, the landlord brought a camera and photographed our congregation on the roof of the house with the permission of Sripada ji. Thereafter, everyone left for resting. I was left in the company of Mrs. Shanta Khandelval- a beautiful stately woman with huge black eyes and a friendly smile. Mrs Shanta immediately became my choicest friend and remained since then a closest one in my life. She helped me put on a sari brought with her. She facilitated my comfortable stay and conversations with others. No matter wherever I traveled, pretty Shanta has always been next to me. It turned out that among those present at the dinner one of the men was her husband, Banarsidas Khandelval, a businessman owning a shop of modern sanitary equipment in Agra. Khandelval family, with their children and relatives, followed the sect of "Pushti Marg" in which Surdas is revered as one of its eight great saint poets. In the Samaj (congregations of singers) in Krishna temples dedicated to "Pushti” marg, singing of padas (lyrics) of the saint Surdas are sung with music routinely and regularly. Shanta too adored Surdas and sang his padas, while playing tanpura- an important musical instrument.

By evening, we again started our travel. An hour later when it got dark and night sky was lit with bright stars and the moon, the car reached to a forest clearing on the bank of Yamuna River. The place was called Gaughat situated at Runakta village where saint Surdas met his mentor Swami Vallabhacharya and used compose and sing his poetries.[5] The place looked wiled, only an old abandoned water well testified that some people once inhabited it. At the direction of Sripad Maharaja ji we carefully spread mats on the ground and sat down to listen Shanta’s beautiful singing of the poetries of Surdas. My knowledge of the Vraj language in which the poetry of Surdas is written was meager, but I could distinctly hear the final strokes concluding each hymn: "Surdas sang." Time slipped by unnoticed. Sripad ji went into deep meditation. Coming out from it, he advised everybody to take rest or go for sleep. Most of the people began to settle down to sleep in the car itself and some near to the car on the ground. I was struck by the ability of Indians to sleep anywhere and in any position. Because I was extremely sensitive and lacked habit of sleeping on the ground, that too under the open sky, I rejected a proposal to sleep in the jam-packed car. Instead, I resolutely sat on the ground to enjoy the full moon view.

I was told that nobody had ever seen Sripad ji sleeping. But, he could meditate at any hour of day or night, at any place and under any circumstance. Noticing me sitting lonely with my head raised to the sky, Sripad ji called me saying "if want to meditate, you can do it now? I replied “I do not know how to mediate, although I theoretically know what it is." Sripad ji, judging by my voice in dark, said: "Sit down next to me. Look at the moon, concentrate on and chant the name of Krishna." I followed his instructions in toto. I suddenly felt an aura of light behind me which was surely not the moon light. Gradually light globules filled the space between the ground and the sky. At the same time, I felt weightlessness, as if law of gravity was broken, launching me into the shining sky. On the one hand, there was a growing desire in me to fly in the shining sky, on the other, a voice inside me whispered, "But you cannot return." Sanity had reached its limit; I was scared and said to myself, "I must come back to earth; I am not ready to go to the shining stars". This idea immediately materialized in action. I came back from this experience of Nela galaxy. Distant sky was still strewn with bright stars and the moon but magic light disappeared. I stirred stretching my legs which got stiffed due to sitting for a long duration in the unaccustomed sitting posture. I looked at Sripad ji sitting next to me; he shuddered as if he was slowly recovering from the meditation. In the moonlight, his appeared fine. He said "you did not trust me and were afraid to enter into the domain of divine light; you need to know that I could always bring you back to the earth." Subsequently, many Bhaktas enquired me about this esoteric experience and were jealous of his favours to me. I must admit that I was not disposed to yoga practices. Somehow I am convinced with the writings in the olden Indian books of respected Maharishis that women should not practice rajyoga, leading to the state of samadhi (trance). Particularly, hath yoga never attracted me. In spite of this, Sripad ji Maharaj tried several times to attach me to yogic meditation. He granted me devotional meditation later after noticing my indifference and lackluster efforts towards yoga meditation.

It was in Agra as well as in the wild forest that I heard for the first time the live singing performances of the verses (padas) of the poems of Surdas being sung in the tradition of the "Pushti Marg." In the future, during my more serious engagement with Krishna bhakti and creative writings of Surdas, Sripad ji repeatedly sent me to various live programmes where I listen to the beautiful lyrics of Suradas in the Samaj singing style. Later, I too learned to sing many of my favourite padas of "Sursagar".  After spending whole night in the wild forest, we started next morning for ​​a detour to various places associated with saint Surdas. Sripad ji told everyone to enter into a hut called surkuti wherein he gave me flowers for laying to the images of Krishna, Surdas and his teacher Vallabhacarya. Each one of us, except me, sang a pad of Surdas glorifying Krishna. It was evident that they sang from the heart their favorite and familiar verses. Shanta began to teach me how to sing the pads of surdas and play tanpura. Thereafter, we all went to bathe in the Jumna. After bathing, we proceed to a famous lake, through the forest thicket. Since time immemorial, this place is considered sacred. Bringing me to lakeside, Sripad ji showed me the tree that Krishna used for jumping into the lake. At that moment, I was astonished to clearly see in the body of the tree boy Krishna figuring. When I reported this to Sripad ji, he laughed. When I narrated this incident to Shanta and Gopal, they unanimously declared that Sripad ji granted me a "darshan" (vision) of Sri Krishna and felt terribly jealous of me.

On another occasion, while taking bath in Chandra Sarovar, a pond at Parasauli- the place where saint surdas performed his sadhana. I lost my amber necklace and was a little upset. When this news spread, the people gathered around the pond to try to find out my necklace. However, they could not succeed. Suddenly, a five year old little boy with curly hair ran up to me and handed over the necklace. I tried to hug the boy in feeling of love and gratitude, but he ducked away and disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared. Shanta and other bhaktas froze in amazemen and began to say: "It's been very Krishna! You're greatly blessed to receive his favour with His darshan”. Of course, this is all due to the grace of Sri Maharaj ji Pad. Permeated with this consciousness, I offered my thanks to the altar of Shri Krishna at a temple. I must say that Sripad ji granted me repeatedly such experiences and "darshan". Gopal Pandey and other bhaktas confidently told me several times that since Sripad ji is an avatar of Shri Krishna, he can do wonders. However, such experiences are given only to those who seek to realize God through bhakti. I soon realized that without an understanding of bhakti one cannot understand the creative writings of Surdas. There are many important books in Sanskrit (e.g. Narad Bhakti Sutra) and Tamil (Tamil Prabandhas), but all require knowledge of these languages. Surdas is accepted in the first place as a great devotional poet, therefore, it is absolutely necessary to immerse in the world of bhakti to understand and follow his writings. Without this, in my view, any study or research on the writings of Surdas would be reduced to the "Europeanized formalized scheme" by which one cannot appreciate and understand the creativity of Surdas. I must say that Sripad ji Maharaj helped me tremendously and inducted me into Bhakti by granting several personal and spiritual experiences.

Sripad ji Maharaj was also a "learned" mahatma, who read and collected manuscripts on bhakti literature in Braj, Awadhi and Sanskrit languages and had great interest in Indian classical music. No wonder he founded "Vraja Academy” during the mid 1970s for the promotion of Vraj culture and bhakti. Thanks to Sripad ji, I was now better equipped to capture the spiritual essence in the poetic writings of Saint Poets of Vraja. Soon I together with Sripad ji boarded into a bus with pilgrims of Rajasthan. First of all, I wanted to peruse, the famous manuscript of Sursagar. However, I became acquainted with a number of medieval manuscripts containing the padas of Surdas. In addition to a rare opportunity to see the manuscripts in the temple libraries of Rajasthan including Sri Nathdwara I also met the Maharaja of Jaipur. Later, I also visited Vrindavan and other places of Vraj region including Parasouli, the sadhana sthali of Surdas. Rare manuscript of Surdas is a collection of pads on the life Krishna in Braja which are sung and performed by the artists and even visitors in Radhe-Krishna temples in Rajasthan. Well versed in reading of these manuscripts Sripad ji helped me not only in reading these manuscripts but more importantly to understand the content and esoteric meanings of these verses. 

Sripad ji was not only well versed with the bhakti tradition of the olden days, but also had keen interest in all modern achievements of civilization. Therefore, "Vraj Academy" was one of the first institutions in Vraj region to acquire a computer. Sripad ji very quickly mastered all kinds of computer related wisdom. In his direction, Vraja Academy extensively used computer for preparing materials for organizing its conferences and seminars at Vrindavan. Vraja Academy also has a large collection of rare manuscripts, books, miniatures and artifacts of medieval bhakti period. In my later visits to Vraja Academy, I was pleasantly surprised to watch Swami ji at the computer or phone or reading English newspapers. Imagine a typical Indian Sanyasi in a loincloth with long hairs upto waist holding up an antique white phone. However, all the movements of Sripada ji were so natural that it fitted into any environment, whether Himalayan Cave, the presidential palace, a peasant hut or a palace of the king. Sripad ji’s eyes, shaded by thick, curved lashes were full of light sparkle. He had wonderful thin, flexible fingers of a musician! He even taught me how carefully one should unroll a manuscript. He instructed me not to breathe directly on such a sacred manuscript as the breathing could "desecrate" it. Once in the temple of "Banke Bihari", a goswami (the priest) in the presence of Sripad ji showed me the glass jar with the vials of liquid perfumes meant for the service of Shri Krishna. I leaned over and began sniffing one of viles. Pujari grabbed the bottle out of my hands, uttering something in annoyance. Sripad ji explained to me that I had profaned the perfume by inhaling through my breath. Now this cannot be used for the purposes of puja and for decoration (sringar) of Shri Krishna. He took from Pujari the dinky little bottle with a dark brown oily liquid and gave it to me for the service of my Krishna idol at home. On another occasion, Sripad ji gave me a bronze idol of Gopal Krishna (baby Krishna) with butter in his right hand, along with the items needed for his decoration - his clothing, jewelry and a collection of perfume bottles. Later in 1974, I was presented with bronze idols of Krishna and Radha along with skillfully made silk and brocade skirts, saris, blouses, dhoti, scarves, blankets colored beads, gold thread, pearls, hats, and crowns for decorations of the idols. Once Sripad ji maharaja explained to me that sringara or decoration of the deity Krishna in the temple combined with his adoration, arati with lights and singing kirtan increases the intensity of bhakti. That is why the most famous Krishna temple in Vrindavan, such as "Banke Bihari" and "Radha Vallabha" decorate the deities and perform araties and offer tasty foods to them several times in a day. This is also called astyam seva (eight times service) to God including "Mangala Arati", "Dhup Arati", "Sringara Arati", "Rajbhoga Arati", "Sandhya Arati”, "Bhoga Arati" at dinner time and last "Shayan Arati" when Shri Krishna is laid to sleep at around 9 PM.

Sripad ji had no permanent place of residence and regular times for meeting people. He used to disappear or appear suddenly whenever and wherever he wanted it to be necessary. Thus, no one could tell exactly where he was and when he could be seen. Sripad ji Maharaj more often chose to visit the temple of "Banke Bihari" at the time of "sringar arati”. I remember that many Bhaktas (devotees), including those from afar, came to the temple of "Bank Bihari" looking for Sripad ji but not all succeeded in seeing him. Sometimes some people were fortunate to catch him searching his tracks. I remember one of the cases of such "disappearances". Bhakti Group comprising five people, including Shyam and me, was traveling together with Sripad ji in the foothills of the Himalayas. At some point of time, however, Sripad ji disappeared. Several hours passed but no one of us could find him. We began to panic as none of us had any idea where we were. Adults with honorable positions in society suddenly became helpless children. I too decided to look for Sripad ji. Knowing his habit of hiding in the most uncomfortable places for a man, I suggested that we should look for Sripad ji in nearby thorny bushes. However, I did not find anyone there. I told Shyam that, as per Bhagavata Puran, Shri Krishna disappeared even from his beloved gopis in the forest. Shyama corrected me saying that Sri Krishna went “antardhyana" i.e. He assumed the state of non-survival or un-manifestation. I recalled that once Sripad ji told me that Bhagavan can be in the state of non-survival or manifestation or Nirguna or Saguna. Sri Krishna - manifested as saguna (with qualities and form) but his everlasting state is nirguna (without form and qualities). In the meanwhile Shyama while photographing me found Sripad ji sitting in meditation under a large tree in the bushes. I still have that photograph. Ready to leave, I looked back and saw just a scratch away Sripada ji sitting in meditation. Shyama, frozen in amazement, automatically pulled the trigger. At the same time, Sripad ji straightened and stood up. I exclaimed "This is You Gurudeva, not a mirage, but a while ago you were not there”. All of us have been looking for you. Nobody knew what to do, where to go. Sripad ji grinned and replied that he was sitting in meditation among these bushes under the tree, but you could not see me. As your appearance and photographing distracted me, therefore, I broke my meditation. Bowing her head low Shyama begged forgiveness with folded hand from Gurudeva for photographing him without his consent. "I know, dear Gurudeva, without your consent we cannot do anything! But, kindly leave the testimony of your antardhyana imprinted on the pictures.” I said joining Shyam’s requests. Sripad ji agreed. Thus, I have two significant pictures of that event. In on one of them in the bush under the tree no one is visible, in the other one Sripad ji visibly exist. I still cherish the memory of this photographic event.




(Source: Photographs and Excerpts from a translation of an essay published in Aryavarta Herald, 2008 (10) in Russian language by Late Prof. N. M. Sazanovoy)

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[1] It was revealed to me later that Sripad ji visited the home of Shri Banarsidas and Smt. Shanta Khandelwal before my first meeting with him and showed them the Haridatt Sharma’s newspaper article with my prominent portrait and a title "Russian Radha". After reading the article, Sripad ji expressed his desire for a meeting with me which was arranged with the help of professors of Agra University.

[2] A major book of poems of Saint Surdas.

[3] Sripad Maharaj ji by that time was widely known as a mahatma and mystic saint in Agra, Delhi, Prayag (Allahabad), Varanasi (Benares), Haridwar, several places in Rajasthan and North and Central India. After Sripad ji’s pilgrimage to South India in the early 1970s, he was also known to various people and places in South India. Ten years after the first meeting with Sripad in Agra, we were again together in Hyderabad at the invitation of Hon’ble Chenna Reddy, then Governor of Andhra Pradesh.

[4] Thanks to liberal gifts of Sripad ji, I have now several collections of similar miniatures.

[5] Many years later Dr. Srivastava created "Memorial Society of Surdas" at Runkta in honor of the poet, Shri Surdas.