Meetings with Pujya Shri Manohar Baba
by
Dr Pradeep Kumar Keshari
As far as I could remember, I met Pujya Shri Manohar Baba (1919-2009) for the first time on the behest of Late Shri Anil Bhatanagar (a spiritual warrier) who almost persuaded me to meet him. He told me that it would be difficult to have darshan of such saints in future as few of them who are accessible to us due to our connections with Vrindavan and saints like Sripad Baba and Usaha Bahinji, may not remain in the Body due to their advance age. He also told me about Manohar Baba's close association and friendship with Shri Sripad Baba and Usaha Bahinji; the former is my Guru whom I met in 1984 and was closely associated until he left his body on December 31, 1996. I knew about the greatness of Pujya Shri Balkishan ji Maharaj-the Guru of Manohar Baba and Usha Bahinji and about their strong bond with Shripad Baba but I never had chance to see them in person. I did know and met Vjay Bhai on a few occasions. I also bought most of his published books, which has his blessings and signature.
You may consider it a sheer chance, God's (Bihariji' s) grace or Anil's persuasion that I met Manohar Baba along with my friend Shri Rakesh Sharma on the eve of Gita Jayanti in December 2008 for the first time. It so happened that I got a chance to organize a training programme at IDBI Bank's office at Chandigarh during the first week of December 2008. While returning from Chandigarh to Hyderabad where I live presently, I halted at Vrindavan, met Shri Manohar Baba and attended the Geeta Jayanti Utsav at Tamal Kunj next day. I also easily got one day of leave from my office required for this purpose. I received a copy of the biography of Pujya Shri Balkishan ji Maharaj written by Manaohar Baba with his blessings on the eve of Geeta Jayanti. In first meeting with Shri Manohar Baba, what attracted me most about him were his sweet smile, simplicity, chaste Hindi and capacity to establish instant relationship with the first time visitors.
On the next day-the day of Gita Jayanti- Anil also came with his family to Vrindavan. Incidentally this was my first personal meeting with Anil as well, although we had been in touch with each other through emails. We together went to have Darshan of Manohar Baba and his Guru's Samadhi at Tamal Kunj where the Birthday celebration of the latter was going on with extreme fervour of Bhakti, Shradha and emotions. I also could not control my emotions and wept a lot as if I had lost someone precious. The Kirtan of Mahamantra at the location of Samadhi was so charged that only a few could have been untouched. Afterward, I along with Rakesh Sharma had some snacks and chat with Manohar Baba and left the place for onward journey to Girirajji and Barsana - the respective earthly abode of Shri Girdhariji and Smt Radharaniji. Pujaya Sripad Baba founder of Vraj Academy had a very intimate relationship with Pujya Shri Balkishan ji Maharaj and close friendship with Manohar Baba. One saint told me that he saw Sripad Baba weeping loudly at Barsana when he came to know that Pujya Shri Balkishan ji Maharaj left his body. Later, when I glanced over the biography of pujya Shri Balkishan ji Maharaj, I was surprised to know that his English birth date was same as mine (i.e. November 26). This fact besides his state of madness for God, his relationship with Pujya Sripad Baba intimately linked me to Shri Balkishan ji Maharaj and his entire Parikar.
I again went for Darshan of Manohar Baba when I visited Vrindavan on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiaya in 2009. He told me that he advised Dr. Rakesh of Vraja Academy to bring about a book on Sripad Baba and being a devotee of Baba we should all make sincere effort in this direction. However, I had no inklings at that time that he would pass away so soon. One day Anil told me that Shri Manohar Baba's health was deteriorating fast due to some fatal disease. Therefore, he appealed to everyone connected to him through Internet that we may pray to God for his recovery and also do not try meeting or talking to him even on telephone.
After some time, when I proceeded to visit Vrindavan on another occasion during Solar eclipse this year, Anil rather advised me to see Manohar Baba and have his blessings. He told that this would probably be a last Darshan for us. I along with Dr. Rakesh and Sant Das Baba of Vraja Academy visited to have Darshan of Shri Manohar Baba in the night on the eve of solar eclipse. We found Baba lying on his bed quietly with feeble smile on his face. Baba was visibly happy to see all of us but in particular Shri Sant Das who earlier used to Visit Tamal Kunj frequently for seeing Rasleela performance. Baba told us that he was living on bonus of extended life granted by almighty so he has no regrets if he passes away now. I found no worry of death or sign of any sickness in him; he appeared to me fully satisfied, calm and content as if waiting to meet his beloved death or his Guru. I still wander and ponder if a human being could achieve such a state in this materialistic age. I am reminded however that everybody can become like Shri Manohar Baba by the grace of his Guru, saints and Nam Smaran. Shri Manohar Baba, Usha Bahinji, Shri Balkishan ji Maharaj, Sripad Baba, Banke Bihari and Radhaji are not present now in the form of earthly body. However, these saints and Avatars are always present in subtle body on this earth and may assume a human form if necessary to bring about transformation in us, provided we seek their refuge or even turn our attention towards them.
-------------------------------------------------Hari Om----------------------------------
Dear Dr. Pradeep
ReplyDeleteIt was just great to read your experience with Baba.
I am blessed that i have born in his family. Pujya Manohar Baba was My Mother's Uncle.
We are lucky and blessed to have a shelter like him.
Best Regards
Nalin Zade
Thanks Nalin,
DeleteThrough this blog, I pay tribute to Golokwasi Shri Anil Bhatnagar on his first death anniversary. I came in contact with Anil when I found on the net that he was looking for the addresses and telephone numbers of four devotess of Sripad Baba whome I too knew quite well. In respose, I contacted him through emails and telephone as I used to live in those days at Hyderabad and met him for the first time in 2008 on Gita Jayanti at Vrindavan. When I was transfered later to Gurgaon, my meeting with him in group Kirtans became quite often. However, it was pathetic to see his health getting deteriorated and frequency of his kidney dilysis increasing day by day. Despite all these health problems, he used to infrequently attend Kirtans and also organised Rasleela once in Gurgaon. It was really amazing to see his commitment for this job which was entrusted by pujya Manohar Baba., whome he considered his Guru. In fact passing of Manohar Baba also had great adverse impact on him,as he considerably relied on him for emotional and moral support as well. When talks and efforts for a kidney transplant was going on, he revealed to me that he was not interested in it.He also told me that he was quite at peace inwardly and enjoys the grace of Radha-Krishna much more now than he ever used to be in past. Later I shifted to Dwarka, New Delhi and my contact on physical plane dwindled. One day I was informed that He passed away gracefully remembering Radha-Krishna and advising others to remember there names in any situation without interuptions. Such was this greatman, a worthy desciple of Pujya Manohar Baba, who passed away on June 25, 2012. Vrinda, his courageous daughter, along with other Haribahkata's celebrated his first Punyatithi on the date in 2013, by oragnising Radha-Krishna Kirtan at his residence Hari Vrinda Dham, Kendriya Vihar, Gurgaon.Lets pray to God to keep him in His company and pray to Mr. Bhatnagar to bless us for conducting regular Kirtans and Hari sevas.
Pradeep Keshari