Capt Purshotam Sharma (Retd)
Our sacred land of Bharat has produced many illustrious saints, seers, sages and incarnations who spent their lives in enlightening the generations. They preached that the human heart is the Temple of God and also carved the ideal way of living alife. One such saint was Swami Gaibananda Ji Maharaj.
Surajbali (Surajbalia, childhood name) and Rajbali (Rajbalia) were born to a pious couple Sehdei and Basanta Ram in Village Samaisagram of Jaunpur District in Uttar Pradesh in the second half of second decade of Twentieth Century. The couple with their two young children lived in poverty-stricken dwelling. Forced by the pangs of hunger, one day, the family of four partook of unsavory loaves made of rice husk. The food caused death of the couple in a fortnight’s time leaving behind the two children in the care of Father of fathers. Both the children brimmed with spiritual outlook cherishing for Higher Life. They were truth, love, righteousness and compassion incarnate.By virtue of dispassion and discrimination, both, one with the Divine, showed no signs of inclination for mundane activities. With God’s grace, these orphaned children longing for Holy life were pushed in the fold of their respective Spiritual Masters (Gurus). On their entry into their Guru Ashrams, Sujabalia (the elder) was re-named Gaibananda and Rajabalia (the younger) as Vishudhananda.
Sadguru Ram Prasad Ji Maharaj was delighted to find rare disciple in Gaibananda. Gaibananda served his Master with great devotion. Extra-ordinary in brilliance and a born spiritual genius, he learned the knowledge of all scriptures in a short period. He was initiated into ‘Sannyasa’ at a very young age. He toured all Holy places of pilgrimage empty-handed but in perennial ecstasy. He expounded ‘non-dualism’, the sect of Liberation, “Babri-ka-Panth”. His Sant-Vedant’ (Truth, Love, Righteousness) philosophy is beautifully revealed in one of his many works ‘Anand-Ullas’ which shows one-ness of Atma and Parmaatma. ‘Anand Ullas’ of merely forty-five pages is his most magnificent work. It contains the essence of all the scriptures running into sumptuous volumes.
Swami Gaibananda Ji Maharaj was against any extravagant absurdities in rituals and believed in sincere yearning and inner-vision-oriented approach to achieve salvation. He invariably cautioned his devotees not to transgress the laid down lines of caution for the sake of inner-peace and Ultimate-Liberation. In Anand-Ullas, he speaks of ‘Worthiness of a Seeker’, ‘Pre-requisites of taking to Divinity’, ‘Path towards Realization of the Self’, ‘Surrender’, ‘Courageousness’, “Lead from Ignorance to Discrimination’, ‘the virtues of Men of Achievement’, ‘Dhyanmarg’ (Path of contemplation), ‘Gyanmarg’ (Path of Knowledge), ‘Bhaktimarg’ (Path of Devotion), ‘Apna Parichya’ (Account of His taking to severe austerities) culminating in the Realization of the Truth. ‘Jeevan Darshan’ written by the Saint is another excellent work. It has 12 chapters in verses in a question-answer form and prescribes the ideal way of living life for the aspirant-Truth-Seekers, may be celibates, house-holders, recluses, renunciants. Chapter 12 lays down Dos and Don’ts for his devotees and Ashramites. An ardent admirer of Kabir Saheb, Paltu Saheb and Gandhi Ji, he unfolded and interpreted many invisible meanings of works of Kabir Saheb and Paltu Saheb. Commenting upon, he simplified intricate philosophical problems for his devotees clarifying in a masterly manner.
He called SrimadBhagvad Gita his Soul, Ramayana his Breath, Bhartri Shatak particularly its ‘Vairagya’ part, food of his Soul. He was always found immersed in the Supreme-Self. His fascinating aura, luminous eyes and newly-born-babe-like smile were devotees’ spiritual feast and joy. Strict disciplinarian, he demanded of his devotees to observe grave-yard silence, humbleness, compassion, contentment, forgiveness, fasting once a week, vegetarian food in small quantity and follow proper physical postures in all positions. Preacher of non-violence in letter and spirit, he never used honey and silk in his life. Babri-ka-Panth has 16 saints in lineage, namely, Ramananda Ji Maharaj, Dayananda Ji Maharaj, Mayateetananda Ji Maharaj, Babri Mata Ji, Biru Saheb, Yaari Saheb, Bhulla Saheb, Gulal Saheb, Bhikha Saheb, Govind Saheb, Ramcharan Saheb, Aagyadhar Saheb, Nanku Saheb, Ram Dass Saheb, Ramprasad Saheb and Gaibananda Saheb. Paltu Saheb also belonged to this lineage and is believed to be Kabir Saheb in his previous life. They were all self-realized souls and left behind many works on Divinity which are invaluable treasures. Swami Gaibananda Ji Maharaj’s other works are Dharamyana, Adhatamsudha, Mahamanavdharma, Shri Paltu Geeta Darshan and Srimad Bhagwat Geetha. Swami Gaibananda Ji Maharaj raised ‘Shanthi Sadhak Sangh’ and founded ‘Shanthi Sadhana Ashrams in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra and in Ved Mandir Jammu. He took to Mahanirvana on 20th of July, 1996.
His ‘Chinta Haran Mantra’ is: ‘Seek Delight in the Self. Burn not in the ablaze of worries. Shed lamentation over the irretrievable past. Let the present take its own course. Do not get distressed over the unknown future. The Soul is real and everlasting. Body is mortal and bound to perish. Nourishing the body or its consigning back is at the Lord’s pleasure and moods. Soul is beyond senses, beyond body and beyond mind. The unreal (body) is perishable and can drop any moment. The real (Soul) is beyond unreal and everlasting. Be fearless. By hating someone, you are hating yourself and by adoring, you adore yourself. The fruit of love is joy and that of hatred is pain. Liberate yourself from the bondage of such actions as lead to pleasures and pains. Worldly relations should be assumed as illusions. These occur in ignorance (slumber). Renounce the company of those possessed of ignorance. Awake in the Self and strive to attain the Highest Perfection. Be inspired and endeavor to tread the path shown by the saints, sages and seers like Shukdatta, Sanakadis, Rama, Krishna, Janaka, Gandhi. Why fall prey to sense objects and gratify pleasures which are short-lived? Why follow traits of dog, donkey, monkey and bear? To seek the Truth, lift up! Swami Gaibananda Ji Maharaj wishes that his advice be heeded to, to meditate on the Self.
