A report provided by a guru
Aghor Ashram, Varanasi
MEANINGFULNESS OF LIFE
What is a meaningful life? How can we live a peaceful life? These are the questions that keep arising in every person. In search of peace, man has sought freedom from anger, sorrow and despair. Some have even sought it in the material realm, but peace always eludes them.
A meaningful life is one in which peace and contentment, growth and harmony are experienced. Human life has its own specialty. It’s main goal is to live an ideal life and to encourage others to live ideally as well. For this reason, there is a great need of cultivating shakti within. A person who is engaged in maintaining the self, who has compassion for the self and who seeks his own protection, is truly engaged in finding the absolute truth. This exploration, recognition, containment and proper utilization of shakti could be termed as Shakti Upasana.
In the Aghor way of life, shakti is recognized as the primal force which causes everything to happen. The word shakti literally means power, strength, energy or capability. Shakti is the life force. All the different names of the Divine Mother — Kali, Durga, Lakshmi, etc. — are just different names of the same life force, personified with different attributes.
Upasana is a very important aspect in the life of a seeker. Baba Avadhuta Sri Bhagvan Ram explained, “the meaning of upasana is to sit near your adored deity and to become permeated with their virtue, behavior and thoughts.” Being engaged in upasana is like being as an empty cup, ready to be filled with the virtues of the adored. Being born a human is most special. We are capable of achieving either divinity or beastliness, depending on our intention. Most of us are totally unaware of our shakti (strength, life force) because of the cravings of our sensory organs. Our preoccupation with satisfying these keeps us ignorant of our shakti. We roam about like lifeless creatures. Once we are aware of our shakti, we can realize our potential and enrich our lives. Therefore, shakti upasana is a must for those who want to live a meaningful life.
Shakti upasana begins with incorporating the virtue of divine beings into our daily lives. There may seem to be many gods and goddesses in different forms, but overall, they are all one. All the gods and goddesses procure their status by their virtue. In order to obtain that, one must have the right viewpoint. There are thousands of people with the name of Rama, Krishna or Jesus, but they differ from the original in that they lack their virtues. Therefore, we are searching for those qualities that enabled Rama or Jesus to be worthy of adoration. With the help of his strong character, Rama was able to embrace victory. The key elements of Rama’s character were his adherence to dharma and his dedication to his wife and his elders.
GOAL OF UPASANA
The main goal of upasana is to enrich ourselves with shakti. From insects to the Trinity, all exist because of shakti. Some have less shakti than others, as different light bulbs have different wattage. There is a great need for shakti in everything that exists. The shakti that we invoke is the same, whether it is the shakti of a human, of a divine messenger, or of a guru. Without this shakti, plants, animals, humans, gods, goddesses, and holy beings, etc., are all powerless. If they lack shakti, they are nothing but a shava.
There has been a tradition of shakti upasana in India from ancient times. Because of that, dharma and faith flourished in the past. Even today, great faith in God and in a humanitarian viewpoint is found in the people of this country. Not only Hindus, but people of other religions also engage in shakti upasana.
The shakti that awakens is not a separate entity from ourselves. People who gain intellectual and moral shakti, together with noble character, become divine beings. One can obtain these different forms of shakti only with the help of faith and devotion. These are needed to quiet the chitta. One can realize peace by quieting the chitta. Through upasana, and keeping the company of evolved beings, a person is able to recognize, contain and utilize his shakti.
HOUSEHOLDER SEEKERS
It is not true that a householder cannot be a true seeker. Householders have often obtained knowledge that is not attained by even the great renunciates. Nanaka, the founding father of Sikh dharma, had two sons, and Mohammad, the founder of Islam, was a family man as well. If one is engaged in the search with dedication, worldly things are never an obstacle.
We engage in upasana for the sake of elevating our being. If we are progressing in our practice, we should also take along our next of kin. While doing this we must be watchful of not getting attached, because attachment causes anxiety, fear and sorrow. Once we become attached, instead of being a comfort to our next of kin, we become weak and unfocused.
NECESSITY OF FOLLOWING ONE SPECIFIC PATH
Everyone does not walk on the same path. There are different paths for different people, yet the goal is often the same. Some people may even have a different goal. It is a matter of great happiness if all arrive at the same place with a disciplined, healthy, and happy heart-mind. With dedication, a disciplined heart-mind flourishes.
According to one’s understanding and condition in any place or circumstance, whatever one knows is right. There are various ways of worshipping, but the end is the same. Although there are various forms of the goddess with different virtues, they are manifestations of the One Goddess with one all-encompassing virtue. There are many people who have experienced many things, yet are at the same place they started. Who are these people who never arrived anywhere? It seems as if the road itself kept moving and they remained standing still. It is the same in upasana. If you then become involved in different practices, it becomes like climbing a sand dune. Everyone learns according to his own samskaras. Whether it is made of clay or gold, a pot’s size determines how much it can hold. If you stay with your one devotional practice, your samskara will also evolve as your shakti increases.
NECESSITY OF STABILITY
A person can attain great heights momentarily, but may be unable to remain there. One may be near God or the guru, which takes very little time, but to remain there takes great stability. This stability can be achieved only by love and affection. Just by seeing something lofty does not elevate the consciousness. Seeing alone is not meaningful, whether it is sadhana (practice), upasana (practice with devotion), dhyana (meditation), or asana (postures). If stability is not there, all these practices are useless.
NECESSITY OF LOVE AND AFFECTION
One needs to cultivate love and affection toward one’s deity. The expression of our love to the Divine should be practical. It can be expressed simply by manasic puja (mental worship). There should be a longing to be near our deity similar to the longing of a drowning person to reach the water’s surface. There should be a constant call for the deity. At such moments, the body is thrilled, hair stands on end, and each pore starts vibrating. The whole body experiences gentle, pleasant pulsation. These occurrences are the indication of the emergence of the goddess shakti within.
The main goal of worship and outer rituals in upasana is to develop love for our deity. This love is the only path to the proximity of our deity. It is the only asset that can be exchanged for the closeness of our beloved. Without the sentiment of master and servant, this kind of love does not arise. At the time of carrying out an action, there are two. Otherwise, both are one. Divine love is a practical aspect of human life that can be practiced by the visualization method of ritual worship.
NECESSITY OF SURRENDER WITH MIND, VOICE AND ACTION
We say Sarveshwari tvam pahimam sharnegatam. Once we have surrendered, and yet still commit evil acts, they are related to an insincere surrender, performed only by our voice and not by our heart-mind and actions. Once we perform our worship, and still harbor expectations, we should know that we have not surrendered totally.
NECESSITY OF DILIGENCE IN UPASANA
In upasana, it is our diligent practice that bears fruit. The element of fire is present in the wood, but it can be produced only by some effort (friction). In the same way, the element of the divine is present in the nature of cosmos, which can be obtained by diligent practice, provided we possess the method of invoking it. We must work hard. One who shuns hard work, being helpless and afraid, is forced to beg. Once we work hard, the same hand that is stretched out for begging, turns into a giving hand. Our hard work is never wasted.
NECESSITY OF FAITH
Faith is one of the greatest virtues. Our austerity, upasana and worship bear fruit only after being nourished by faith. We should inspire faith in others and strive for their trust. In faith, a farmer throws seeds in the ground and later harvests a bumper crop. We perform most of our actions based on faith. Without faith, our mantra, practice and medicine do not work. After receiving our mantra from our guru, we should practice it with utmost faith. It is only then that we are able to understand its power and our life becomes meaningful. Faith is our greatest wealth. Faith is like a new inspiration and a new life.
NECESSITY OF SHEEL (MODESTY)
Together with affection, modesty is a must. We must be modest before our beloved. The restlessness of our sensory organs, mind and limbs must come to rest. Only then will our upasana become fruitful. Engaging in sadhana is like sitting next to our deity. Therefore, we must remain aware of our body posture, behavior and appearance. No matter how much you love a person, if you do not behave properly, you will get deprived of their company.
NECESSITY OF CESSATION OF DOUBT
There is no emergence of shakti within a person who harbors doubt. As long as we are laden with doubt, we keep inviting confusion and trouble in our lives. Even a momentary doubt destroys our life-long earnings, and blunts our vitality. Therefore, we must remain steadfast in our conviction.
NECESSITY OF OUTER AND INNER CLEANLINESS
In our upasana, we must pay attention to our outer and inner cleanliness. Without outer cleanliness we become dull and sluggish, and without inner cleansing, trash accumulates in our conscience.
NECESSITY OF DIRECT GUIDANCE
In our upasana, various things become favorable to us, and others remain unfavorable. There is a reason for this adversity. All the theoretical teachings of religious texts are not worth following. Dharma and behavior should relate to the appropriate time and place in history, abandoning the old conventional ideologies that are no longer practical. If we embrace the practical ideas for our time, we invite peace in our lives. All the Vedas, Puranas, Gita, Quran and Bible are composed by men. These are entitled to be called experiences, or recollections of great beings. These books could give us direction, but cannot make us walk on the path. We need the shakti that enables us to walk on the path.
It is the guru, the administrator or doctor, of our time who can come to our aid. If we sit and wait for the healers mentioned in our history books to come and relieve us of our ailments, we will never get rid of our sickness. It is the guru or guide, who is available to us in our time, who can give us real guidance. By embracing the teachings of the gurus or saints we come in contact with, we can walk on the path of today.
CONCLUSION
By our upasana, instead of obtaining the grace of Maha maya, the Divine Mother, we have to seek our own grace. The favor and obligation of Maha Maya is already with us. The Divine Mother has already given us not only this human body and the company of holy beings, but most of all, has given birth to us on this holy earth. We should be grateful for this understanding, the goal of our lives. Let us practice the righteous way of living.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The Story of Kina Ram
Translation of text from panels
Aghor Ashram, Varanasi
Lord Shiva appeared to Kina Ram’s mother in a dream and said he will be born. When Kina Ram was young, many gurus would come to visit him. Three sadhus came, who were really Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Then a ceremony was performed where the name Kina Ram, which means “one who has been bought” was given to him. He was very fond of gods. He liked to worship. Instead of playing with his friends, he would sing bhajans. When he was going to get his wife for his wedding, he insisted that he should be fed with milk and cooked rice, which has some kind of Tantrik connotation, because when someone dies, they are given milk and rice. So he knew that something was going to happen. When he ate this food, he received news that his wife had died. After his wife’s death he left his village and went to Khajapur, near Benares. Then he lived with a guru who tested him. He was told to fetch water from the Ganga. The guru was convinced that Kina Ram was special.
Once he was visiting a jail and there saw weak people who had to grind flour. So he touched all the grinding stones with a stick and they moved on their own, so the inmates didn’t have to work any longer. When a Muslim King heard about this deed, he came and said, “Forgive me and give me your blessing.” Then Kina Ram went to Karachi and there went to a Devi temple and got blessings from the goddess. Then he went into Afghanistan. The Muslim King of that area, Sha Jah, begged Kina Ram’s forgiveness and blessing. Then he went to the mountains and met the first-ever guru there, who was a form of Brahma, and he gave Kina Ram human flesh to eat so that he could see the world through divine eyes. He got all supernatural and divine powers from this guru. He came to Benares to one of the burning ghats here and met another guru, and the goddess Ganga offered him a gift of fish. One man had died and Baba brought him back to life.
A landlord who lived in this area offered Baba the land on which this ashram is built. Once Kina Ram went to the Ganga in Bihar and taught the people there that they should eat everything and practice Hinduism, that they shouldn’t consider anything bad to eat. He brought back to life a dead elephant. He fought against the Muslim and other people who were trying to convert Hindus away from Hinduism. He then went to Gujarat and met people who came to drown themselves in the sea. He rescued one woman who was there. A Brahmin came to him who was childless. Baba had a stick in his hand and hit the stick on the ground four times, producing four children. Another woman in Benares, whose son had almost died, asked him to heal her son. He healed him and brought him back to good health. Then he went to Madhya Pradesh, and on the bank of a river, a Muslim King who destroyed many temples in India came to beg forgiveness of Kina Ram. Kina Ram scolded him. As he was about die, he gave his final teachings to the saints and then left his body.
Aghor Ashram, Varanasi
Lord Shiva appeared to Kina Ram’s mother in a dream and said he will be born. When Kina Ram was young, many gurus would come to visit him. Three sadhus came, who were really Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Then a ceremony was performed where the name Kina Ram, which means “one who has been bought” was given to him. He was very fond of gods. He liked to worship. Instead of playing with his friends, he would sing bhajans. When he was going to get his wife for his wedding, he insisted that he should be fed with milk and cooked rice, which has some kind of Tantrik connotation, because when someone dies, they are given milk and rice. So he knew that something was going to happen. When he ate this food, he received news that his wife had died. After his wife’s death he left his village and went to Khajapur, near Benares. Then he lived with a guru who tested him. He was told to fetch water from the Ganga. The guru was convinced that Kina Ram was special.Once he was visiting a jail and there saw weak people who had to grind flour. So he touched all the grinding stones with a stick and they moved on their own, so the inmates didn’t have to work any longer. When a Muslim King heard about this deed, he came and said, “Forgive me and give me your blessing.” Then Kina Ram went to Karachi and there went to a Devi temple and got blessings from the goddess. Then he went into Afghanistan. The Muslim King of that area, Sha Jah, begged Kina Ram’s forgiveness and blessing. Then he went to the mountains and met the first-ever guru there, who was a form of Brahma, and he gave Kina Ram human flesh to eat so that he could see the world through divine eyes. He got all supernatural and divine powers from this guru. He came to Benares to one of the burning ghats here and met another guru, and the goddess Ganga offered him a gift of fish. One man had died and Baba brought him back to life.
A landlord who lived in this area offered Baba the land on which this ashram is built. Once Kina Ram went to the Ganga in Bihar and taught the people there that they should eat everything and practice Hinduism, that they shouldn’t consider anything bad to eat. He brought back to life a dead elephant. He fought against the Muslim and other people who were trying to convert Hindus away from Hinduism. He then went to Gujarat and met people who came to drown themselves in the sea. He rescued one woman who was there. A Brahmin came to him who was childless. Baba had a stick in his hand and hit the stick on the ground four times, producing four children. Another woman in Benares, whose son had almost died, asked him to heal her son. He healed him and brought him back to good health. Then he went to Madhya Pradesh, and on the bank of a river, a Muslim King who destroyed many temples in India came to beg forgiveness of Kina Ram. Kina Ram scolded him. As he was about die, he gave his final teachings to the saints and then left his body.
The Aghor Tradition
Interview with a guru
Aghor ashram, Varanasi
The aghor devotees are followers of a 15th century guru who held to the belief that all things are good to eat. Part of aghor ritual includes those who eat the flesh of human beings. In this particular ashram, we met a large guru clad in a loin cloth who was gracious to grant us an interview. He sat in a large, open-air room with the story of the founding guru painted on the wall encircling the room. The guru had a bowl full of cow dung ash near him. He gave some to us to mark our foreheads. Women and men brought small children before the guru. They all received some of the ash. Women rubbed their children’s faces and stomachs with the ash. Some would even place ashes in their children’s mouths. In the ashram are burial sites for deceased saints. It is believed that where a saint is buried, there is a spirit that dwells there, making it a sacred site. There is also a pool on the property that is full of algae-green water. In the pool is a statue of the founding guru. It is believed that those who bathe in the pool on Sundays or Tuesdays, auspicious days for bathing, will be healed of all diseases. A number of people were bathing at the time of the interview.
We have over 105 ashrams in India. There are also some in America, Italy and Nepal. There is no particular dwelling place for the inmates of this ashram. They can sleep and stay anywhere they want. There are all kinds of places here. So they sleep where they want, and that’s where they get a feeling of joy. If you come here and sleep here, then you will get your joy right here itself. You don’t need to go anywhere else. At this site in the morning, we have arti after which we bathe. People who live here spend the day laboring in the fields, doing agricultural work to meet expenses. In the evening we have arti, and then a message from the Baba, which is read [from the writings of Baba Kina Ram].
The point of having the tombs of the mahants and sadhus here, is that they are a kind of symbol or sign for the people, and by means of them, people’s shraddha will be increased. This is a very ancient place. All the mahants and mudiya sadhus are buried here. The last entombment that occurred here was the twelfth one. These mudiya sadhus were the disciples of the mahants. Baba Kina Ram Ji is buried here, as well as Baba Kalu Ram Ji, and Baba Biya Ram Ji. They are all buried here.
In this tradition, on Sundays and Tuesdays, in accordance with their own wishes, people come and bathe here. They bring a little bit of rice and dal as an offering. Then they apply vivhut. By this, they achieve their own good fortune. From all places, those who have gone through great difficulties and are in deep discouragement, come to this place and have their fortunes reversed by the merciful favor of the malik. These people have shraddha in them.
The point about vivhut is that this material is aishvarya, and by applying it, a person is assured good fortune. So people come here, bathe first, then apply the vivhut. After that, they have a darshan of the deity, and perform three parikramas. Then they leave. The dust of holy spirits is in this place. Therefore, when people come here, if a particle of this dust falls on them, then their bodies of flesh and blood, damaged by alcohol and broken down by abuse, can experience healing and salvation.
Concerning the ashes which are worn here on the forehead, even by children, the story behind this is as follows: during the Baba’s time, a mother took her only son and came here with him to this spot. She had only the one child and she was in great difficulty, because he was dying. When she brought him to this kund and bathed him here, he was cured. It was during that time that she received a blessing. So at this spot, this kund — a pool for ritual bathing — was established by Baba Kina Ram Ji. He consecrated it by the recitation of a mantra. He spoke a blessing over this spot which was that as long as the Ganges flows through here, people will continue to bathe at this spot, and thus their good fortune will be assured.
When people come in to give honor and respect to the guru — in this case, myself — they themselves will end up receiving the same respect and honor. He blesses them and says, “Be happy.” When they do this kind of honor and respect, from the body of the guru good things will emanate, and for sure, the devotee’s life will be blessed with good fortune. If the devotee remembers his guru and avoids bad attitudes, then there will be great joy and blessing.
We worship Devi or Shakti. We worship Durga. We meditate on and care for, and worship them in order to gain four things: wisdom, religion, sensual pleasures, and moksha. By worshipping Vishnu, Shiv, and other deities, we only gain one step of progress upwards. You may get sensual pleasure or moksha, or any one of these things. They can give you only one step forward. The worship of Devi is the only way in which you can achieve a close and timely position. The other gods are there, in all of it. The worshipper of Devi becomes one who finds all four of the things that we desire. From the time of the creation of the human race, human kind has faced adversity and sufferings. Human beings fell from a position of comfort. Without the support of Shakti, no person’s salvation can be achieved. When one goes to Shakti, he develops a sort of mind which enables him to understand subtle and serious things. Bhagauti, or Bhagvati Bhovani Shri Shakti — other names for Durga — we need her spirit in our conduct, our thinking and in our rituals. She dwells in that body and in the heart of that man who calls on her with a pure and undefiled soul. If he calls to her even just once, she will come to him a hundred times. If he takes one step, the goddess helps him take more, and she takes care of him. Anyone who doesn’t want to do anything at all, and he only simply has wishful thinking, hoping that these benefits will be granted to him, that man’s thinking is wrong.
The trident is an object before which puja is definitely performed. The trident belongs to Shiva and by doing puja to it, people receive good fortune. This is a very old symbol which the saints and mahatmas of old had with them. They didn’t have much else. It is an object of shraddha and people do the manauti of it. It helps fulfill human aspirations. I’m not saying everybody does this with the trident. It is only those who have gone to some particular mahatma or guru, and have received specific instructions, that do the manauti of the trident.
[The Guru quotes from a journal entry. The words are those of the disembodied sadhus.] “I am present in hope and in hopelessness, in darkness and in light. I am formless and also manifested in form. I am the one who walks both in the past and in the future. I am known and unknown. And no matter which friend you take with you and roam, I am that friend. I will come to you in that form. No matter which form or attribute you will assume, I will come to you in that very form or attribute. Truth, truth, truth. I am present in the rays of the sun, in the beams of the moon, and in every drop of water. I am existent in the living beings of the earth — in animals, in plants and in vines. I am in the earth and in the sky.”
A disciple went to his guru who was lying dead on his bed. The disciple was trembling and distraught, because his guru was not going to be around any longer. Someone asked this disciple, “Has your love been directed toward your guru in his physical presence or has it been directed toward his spiritual self?” The disciple replied, “I have loved him in his bodily existence.” The man said, “That is wrong. If you had loved him apart from his physical presence, then whether he would be with you physically or not, his presence would be there in all that you do.” Even if one is a guru, if he assumes bodily existence, such an existence will not permit him to cross to ultimate release.
When we put ourselves under the protection of the superhuman powers which exist, and they look at our worthiness, then they take note of us. By making contact with them or receiving a command concerning them, then those who are open to being tested by them and want to be sheltered by them, will receive diksha. And they begin to do their sadhna in alignment with those powers. Gurus are the only ones who can give initiations. This depends on the guru’s personal inclination. Only those who have been given the right to give dikshas to others can do so. This is the guru’s prerogative. I have never given diksha to anybody. Our Sambhav Ram Ji and a couple of others, are authorized to give diksha, but they haven’t started yet at this time. Sambhav Ram Ji has given diksha to hundreds of people.
Worthiness for initiation is gauged by whether you have within you the desire and inquisitiveness to learn. In this way, when you begin to make contact with the guru who has the authority to give diksha, then the mahapurush is able to discern that worthiness is there. He then takes the worthy person into a close relationship with himself, and it is through the guru and the instructions that he gives, that the seeker is cultivated in his spiritual life. The seeker grows in understanding and his guru is able to feel more confident of his worthiness. It is not that gurus don’t give respect to many people — they do. But still, it is only a few that are chosen and initiated. And these initiates do sadhana in line with the instructions of the guru. Going into the wise knowledge of such a great man, where darkness is removed far away and light is received — only by coming under the protection of such a great man are all these things to be achieved. The initiate is able to move forward in this way. Concerning gurus, it has been said that the body is full of poison and the guru is the source of the nectar of life. So even if you lose this body, get a guru.
In terms of a goal, the main thing is this. If your guru gives you any instruction or guidance, then you should pay attention, listen to what he is saying, and meditate upon it. Then you put forth effort to apply those instructions and that guidance to your life. Then you will be able to receive all kinds of delight. And you will owe it all to the guru’s guidance. After all, it is because of the guru that you get to be where you are. And without the guru’s gracious favor, no man is able to reach a high state, even for a moment. One must not go according to one’s own desires if one cares about one’s own welfare and good fortune. It is much, much better to follow what the guru says.
My guru is Baba Bhagvan Ram, who is not physically alive anymore. Even though my guru is not physically here, his spirit is present in every place at every time. If I have any doubts or questions, then he is able to give me a message by dreams or through circumstances and events, saying that this is the correct way to go, or this is the wrong way to go, or this ought not to be.
To go from being a disciple to being a guru is a matter for which the initiative is with the guru, not the disciple. The process continues forward once one has become a disciple, and eventually a time is reached when the disciple becomes a guru. The work of a guru is not to make somebody a disciple, but rather to make him into a guru. The right to be the sort of guru who has his own disciples and is able to initiate others is something that is controlled by the organization or by the path which the guru has chosen as his own. It’s a matter of time. The time comes when the guru is ready to disciple others, it is not a matter of somebody telling him. His worthiness is completed at a certain point in time, but this is not something that he needs to hear from others. There is no such thing as some kind of age limit.
There are some who have no need of doing sadhana. From the point of rebirth itself, such people are qualified. They have an inborn power, and the necessary power has been deposited within them. This is the world, and because of the mind, there is lust, covetousness, anger, geed, and arrogance. These things are not weak powers. In one way or another, they are able to cause us to fall. So, to save one’s self from these things, until we receive the loving favor of God, it is extremely difficult to overcome these things. But on the other hand, when one does overcome these things, then one is a guru or a mahatma, or whatever you want to call him — he is all of those things. These evil desires — it is very difficult to eliminate them completely. The ideal is that we should eliminate them. Such a state would be a great thing for a guru, but it is very difficult. I have not personally received freedom from all these desires. It cannot be. I am a person, am I not? I am a human being — so it is not possible.
[The Guru quotes from Baba Bhagvan Ram.] “Whatever you may think about God, he is whatever you think he is not. A man who wants to attain ultimate bliss, peace and tranquility of mind, he should keep away from anger, desires and other things, and don’t talk ill about others. He must get rid of those things and he will have peace of mind. In him there are no desires. In us there are desires which accumulate night and day. No man’s desires are ever fully satisfied. We end up roaming night and day trying to fulfill those desires. In order to gain peace we have to get rid of these things. If we exercise our wishes by following these desires, then we will see what this life really is and we will achieve the capacity for real knowledge and understanding. If such realization is not happening, then we are, in our ignorance, giving birth to evil thoughts within us, allowing them to linger within us. Then we become slaves of those thoughts. Those thoughts take us wherever they want to. They turn us in whatever direction they want and give birth within us to many, many kinds of evil.
“It is through these ashrams that we are able to obtain knowledge and receive understanding of these dangerous things. If we have even a little strength to understand and to learn, even that is enough. Then we will be able to understand all these matters. Otherwise, these matters will not be understood. Who would not like peace? One who practices silence in a desolate place, he is able to have a long life. That man becomes free of lust, anger and hatred. That individual becomes comparable to a god. Devtas also honor him.” These words are from Baba Bhagvan Ram, the 11th guru of this ashram.
Do something. Sit down. Steady yourself. Only then will you be able to understand anything. If you want to ask questions, even as you are walking along the path, then things will be very difficult. You have to commit yourself to the way if you want to have any understanding. So that vision for which we pray and think and meditate, that is not only for speaking, but also for doing. Only after you do something will you be able to understand what this is all about. If you only simply listen, and you’re hoping that you will receive these things, then it will be very difficult for you. It is difficult to explain simply by talking. One has to experience it to really understand how Shakti comes to dwell in a devotee.
Aghor ashram, Varanasi
The aghor devotees are followers of a 15th century guru who held to the belief that all things are good to eat. Part of aghor ritual includes those who eat the flesh of human beings. In this particular ashram, we met a large guru clad in a loin cloth who was gracious to grant us an interview. He sat in a large, open-air room with the story of the founding guru painted on the wall encircling the room. The guru had a bowl full of cow dung ash near him. He gave some to us to mark our foreheads. Women and men brought small children before the guru. They all received some of the ash. Women rubbed their children’s faces and stomachs with the ash. Some would even place ashes in their children’s mouths. In the ashram are burial sites for deceased saints. It is believed that where a saint is buried, there is a spirit that dwells there, making it a sacred site. There is also a pool on the property that is full of algae-green water. In the pool is a statue of the founding guru. It is believed that those who bathe in the pool on Sundays or Tuesdays, auspicious days for bathing, will be healed of all diseases. A number of people were bathing at the time of the interview.We have over 105 ashrams in India. There are also some in America, Italy and Nepal. There is no particular dwelling place for the inmates of this ashram. They can sleep and stay anywhere they want. There are all kinds of places here. So they sleep where they want, and that’s where they get a feeling of joy. If you come here and sleep here, then you will get your joy right here itself. You don’t need to go anywhere else. At this site in the morning, we have arti after which we bathe. People who live here spend the day laboring in the fields, doing agricultural work to meet expenses. In the evening we have arti, and then a message from the Baba, which is read [from the writings of Baba Kina Ram].
The point of having the tombs of the mahants and sadhus here, is that they are a kind of symbol or sign for the people, and by means of them, people’s shraddha will be increased. This is a very ancient place. All the mahants and mudiya sadhus are buried here. The last entombment that occurred here was the twelfth one. These mudiya sadhus were the disciples of the mahants. Baba Kina Ram Ji is buried here, as well as Baba Kalu Ram Ji, and Baba Biya Ram Ji. They are all buried here.
In this tradition, on Sundays and Tuesdays, in accordance with their own wishes, people come and bathe here. They bring a little bit of rice and dal as an offering. Then they apply vivhut. By this, they achieve their own good fortune. From all places, those who have gone through great difficulties and are in deep discouragement, come to this place and have their fortunes reversed by the merciful favor of the malik. These people have shraddha in them.
The point about vivhut is that this material is aishvarya, and by applying it, a person is assured good fortune. So people come here, bathe first, then apply the vivhut. After that, they have a darshan of the deity, and perform three parikramas. Then they leave. The dust of holy spirits is in this place. Therefore, when people come here, if a particle of this dust falls on them, then their bodies of flesh and blood, damaged by alcohol and broken down by abuse, can experience healing and salvation.
Concerning the ashes which are worn here on the forehead, even by children, the story behind this is as follows: during the Baba’s time, a mother took her only son and came here with him to this spot. She had only the one child and she was in great difficulty, because he was dying. When she brought him to this kund and bathed him here, he was cured. It was during that time that she received a blessing. So at this spot, this kund — a pool for ritual bathing — was established by Baba Kina Ram Ji. He consecrated it by the recitation of a mantra. He spoke a blessing over this spot which was that as long as the Ganges flows through here, people will continue to bathe at this spot, and thus their good fortune will be assured.
When people come in to give honor and respect to the guru — in this case, myself — they themselves will end up receiving the same respect and honor. He blesses them and says, “Be happy.” When they do this kind of honor and respect, from the body of the guru good things will emanate, and for sure, the devotee’s life will be blessed with good fortune. If the devotee remembers his guru and avoids bad attitudes, then there will be great joy and blessing.
We worship Devi or Shakti. We worship Durga. We meditate on and care for, and worship them in order to gain four things: wisdom, religion, sensual pleasures, and moksha. By worshipping Vishnu, Shiv, and other deities, we only gain one step of progress upwards. You may get sensual pleasure or moksha, or any one of these things. They can give you only one step forward. The worship of Devi is the only way in which you can achieve a close and timely position. The other gods are there, in all of it. The worshipper of Devi becomes one who finds all four of the things that we desire. From the time of the creation of the human race, human kind has faced adversity and sufferings. Human beings fell from a position of comfort. Without the support of Shakti, no person’s salvation can be achieved. When one goes to Shakti, he develops a sort of mind which enables him to understand subtle and serious things. Bhagauti, or Bhagvati Bhovani Shri Shakti — other names for Durga — we need her spirit in our conduct, our thinking and in our rituals. She dwells in that body and in the heart of that man who calls on her with a pure and undefiled soul. If he calls to her even just once, she will come to him a hundred times. If he takes one step, the goddess helps him take more, and she takes care of him. Anyone who doesn’t want to do anything at all, and he only simply has wishful thinking, hoping that these benefits will be granted to him, that man’s thinking is wrong.
The trident is an object before which puja is definitely performed. The trident belongs to Shiva and by doing puja to it, people receive good fortune. This is a very old symbol which the saints and mahatmas of old had with them. They didn’t have much else. It is an object of shraddha and people do the manauti of it. It helps fulfill human aspirations. I’m not saying everybody does this with the trident. It is only those who have gone to some particular mahatma or guru, and have received specific instructions, that do the manauti of the trident.
[The Guru quotes from a journal entry. The words are those of the disembodied sadhus.] “I am present in hope and in hopelessness, in darkness and in light. I am formless and also manifested in form. I am the one who walks both in the past and in the future. I am known and unknown. And no matter which friend you take with you and roam, I am that friend. I will come to you in that form. No matter which form or attribute you will assume, I will come to you in that very form or attribute. Truth, truth, truth. I am present in the rays of the sun, in the beams of the moon, and in every drop of water. I am existent in the living beings of the earth — in animals, in plants and in vines. I am in the earth and in the sky.”
A disciple went to his guru who was lying dead on his bed. The disciple was trembling and distraught, because his guru was not going to be around any longer. Someone asked this disciple, “Has your love been directed toward your guru in his physical presence or has it been directed toward his spiritual self?” The disciple replied, “I have loved him in his bodily existence.” The man said, “That is wrong. If you had loved him apart from his physical presence, then whether he would be with you physically or not, his presence would be there in all that you do.” Even if one is a guru, if he assumes bodily existence, such an existence will not permit him to cross to ultimate release.
When we put ourselves under the protection of the superhuman powers which exist, and they look at our worthiness, then they take note of us. By making contact with them or receiving a command concerning them, then those who are open to being tested by them and want to be sheltered by them, will receive diksha. And they begin to do their sadhna in alignment with those powers. Gurus are the only ones who can give initiations. This depends on the guru’s personal inclination. Only those who have been given the right to give dikshas to others can do so. This is the guru’s prerogative. I have never given diksha to anybody. Our Sambhav Ram Ji and a couple of others, are authorized to give diksha, but they haven’t started yet at this time. Sambhav Ram Ji has given diksha to hundreds of people.
Worthiness for initiation is gauged by whether you have within you the desire and inquisitiveness to learn. In this way, when you begin to make contact with the guru who has the authority to give diksha, then the mahapurush is able to discern that worthiness is there. He then takes the worthy person into a close relationship with himself, and it is through the guru and the instructions that he gives, that the seeker is cultivated in his spiritual life. The seeker grows in understanding and his guru is able to feel more confident of his worthiness. It is not that gurus don’t give respect to many people — they do. But still, it is only a few that are chosen and initiated. And these initiates do sadhana in line with the instructions of the guru. Going into the wise knowledge of such a great man, where darkness is removed far away and light is received — only by coming under the protection of such a great man are all these things to be achieved. The initiate is able to move forward in this way. Concerning gurus, it has been said that the body is full of poison and the guru is the source of the nectar of life. So even if you lose this body, get a guru.
In terms of a goal, the main thing is this. If your guru gives you any instruction or guidance, then you should pay attention, listen to what he is saying, and meditate upon it. Then you put forth effort to apply those instructions and that guidance to your life. Then you will be able to receive all kinds of delight. And you will owe it all to the guru’s guidance. After all, it is because of the guru that you get to be where you are. And without the guru’s gracious favor, no man is able to reach a high state, even for a moment. One must not go according to one’s own desires if one cares about one’s own welfare and good fortune. It is much, much better to follow what the guru says.
My guru is Baba Bhagvan Ram, who is not physically alive anymore. Even though my guru is not physically here, his spirit is present in every place at every time. If I have any doubts or questions, then he is able to give me a message by dreams or through circumstances and events, saying that this is the correct way to go, or this is the wrong way to go, or this ought not to be.
To go from being a disciple to being a guru is a matter for which the initiative is with the guru, not the disciple. The process continues forward once one has become a disciple, and eventually a time is reached when the disciple becomes a guru. The work of a guru is not to make somebody a disciple, but rather to make him into a guru. The right to be the sort of guru who has his own disciples and is able to initiate others is something that is controlled by the organization or by the path which the guru has chosen as his own. It’s a matter of time. The time comes when the guru is ready to disciple others, it is not a matter of somebody telling him. His worthiness is completed at a certain point in time, but this is not something that he needs to hear from others. There is no such thing as some kind of age limit.
There are some who have no need of doing sadhana. From the point of rebirth itself, such people are qualified. They have an inborn power, and the necessary power has been deposited within them. This is the world, and because of the mind, there is lust, covetousness, anger, geed, and arrogance. These things are not weak powers. In one way or another, they are able to cause us to fall. So, to save one’s self from these things, until we receive the loving favor of God, it is extremely difficult to overcome these things. But on the other hand, when one does overcome these things, then one is a guru or a mahatma, or whatever you want to call him — he is all of those things. These evil desires — it is very difficult to eliminate them completely. The ideal is that we should eliminate them. Such a state would be a great thing for a guru, but it is very difficult. I have not personally received freedom from all these desires. It cannot be. I am a person, am I not? I am a human being — so it is not possible.
[The Guru quotes from Baba Bhagvan Ram.] “Whatever you may think about God, he is whatever you think he is not. A man who wants to attain ultimate bliss, peace and tranquility of mind, he should keep away from anger, desires and other things, and don’t talk ill about others. He must get rid of those things and he will have peace of mind. In him there are no desires. In us there are desires which accumulate night and day. No man’s desires are ever fully satisfied. We end up roaming night and day trying to fulfill those desires. In order to gain peace we have to get rid of these things. If we exercise our wishes by following these desires, then we will see what this life really is and we will achieve the capacity for real knowledge and understanding. If such realization is not happening, then we are, in our ignorance, giving birth to evil thoughts within us, allowing them to linger within us. Then we become slaves of those thoughts. Those thoughts take us wherever they want to. They turn us in whatever direction they want and give birth within us to many, many kinds of evil.
“It is through these ashrams that we are able to obtain knowledge and receive understanding of these dangerous things. If we have even a little strength to understand and to learn, even that is enough. Then we will be able to understand all these matters. Otherwise, these matters will not be understood. Who would not like peace? One who practices silence in a desolate place, he is able to have a long life. That man becomes free of lust, anger and hatred. That individual becomes comparable to a god. Devtas also honor him.” These words are from Baba Bhagvan Ram, the 11th guru of this ashram.
Do something. Sit down. Steady yourself. Only then will you be able to understand anything. If you want to ask questions, even as you are walking along the path, then things will be very difficult. You have to commit yourself to the way if you want to have any understanding. So that vision for which we pray and think and meditate, that is not only for speaking, but also for doing. Only after you do something will you be able to understand what this is all about. If you only simply listen, and you’re hoping that you will receive these things, then it will be very difficult for you. It is difficult to explain simply by talking. One has to experience it to really understand how Shakti comes to dwell in a devotee.
Poverty and Community
Interview with laborers
Indira Gandhi Camp, New Delhi
[The interview took place in a small community of families living in closely-packed houses in the alleyways of a busy market area in Delhi. The tiny houses, which were not much taller than the people, were surprisingly equipped with electricity, and with several public taps. The roofs were covered with plastic sheets and pieces of metal, held down by rocks. The houses formed a wall of doorways and the lanes between them were quite narrow (5 to 8 feet wide) with a sewage drain running down one side. The two gentlemen we interviewed were seated in a string cot at the juncture of three lanes when we approached them. A small group of people gathered to listen to the following. After the interview, we were served chai and biscuits.]
[“S” begins.] I have lived here for about ten years now. My wife and I have five children. I used to work for an Australian company called SGP, but it closed down two years ago. Now I do odd jobs, such as painting and any type of occasional labor. The people who live here are of all kinds, but there aren’t any people who come and go. Mainly we see only residents. My father used to work in the American Embassy. He retired after 45 years of service. I was born in the city of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. These big boys standing here are my sons. We do all kinds of labor work to support our family. We do cleaning work, painting work, and any other work we can find. My wife and my daughters stay at home. I have a certificate from the company where I worked before, so I go and show this wherever work is available. If they like it, they hire me to do work for them. I hear about the work through others, just through word of mouth.
[“K”, a Nepali gentleman speaks.] There are about 330 families here with a total population of about 2,500.
[S] There is a man who claims to be a leader of our camp and he lives at the corner up the lane. But we don’t pay much attention to him. When we want to make group decisions concerning our camp, it usually happens spontaneously. We all get together to talk and decide. The actual leader of this camp is named Subhash Babu. He is an appointed leader.
[K] He was appointed by a government committee and he is our representative to present any problem or complaint to the government, such as problems with water or electricity. We are poor people, so if we go ourselves, no one is going to listen to us. But when Subhash goes, the government listens and we get some satisfaction. When big, big people give donations for the poor, Subhash has been able to get some of those things for us. So he has been a help to us. When missions donate things for the poor, Subhash has made sure that we are able to get some of that.
[S] He has helped us with our water and electricity problems.
[K] Religion, of course, is something that everybody here follows.
[S] Yes, whatever each person’s religion is, definitely he or she will follow that religion. It’s like this. If you feel like doing it, then you can go and offer some water, or light some incense in the temple. As far as organized religion here, there isn’t very much, though there are some people here who have some connection with more organized religious practices.
[K] But their leaders come from the outside. They don’t live here in our camp. Each person does a little, as and when he can. You see a temple down the lane over there. It was built some time ago. There used to be a pujari there, but he’s gone now. No religious leader is involved when people in our camp get together during religious festivals. For example, during Janmashthami, people got together and collected money to buy flowers and prasad to offer to the gods. There was no pressure to contribute. If one wanted to, that was fine, and if not, that was fine too.
[S] I am a Hindu. That’s my religious background. The whole world follows bhagvan. Some follow Allah, others follow a different bhagvan. There are many different gods, like Shri Krishna, Shri Ram and many others. I follow them all. There’s no special bhagvan for me.
[K] They all follow something. Some follow Shiva, some follow Krishna, and some follow a devi. They all follow some deity. There is a tradition here. Whichever tradition exists, that’s what we follow, whether it has many gods or not. We follow the whole tradition.
[S, concerning poverty.] This country is of course my country. I have to live here and follow the ways of this land. This is part of my life. Poverty is nothing special; it’s everywhere. Every country has poverty.
[K] The poor man dreams and longs to be a prosperous merchant-type person. We all want to be like that, but it never happens, so what can we do? [A few in the crowd responded to this comment with friendly chuckles.] I receive joy when there is good provision in terms of eating, drinking and living. Otherwise, there is sorrow and suffering, both in my body and in my heart. The effect of poverty on a person is that he has to cry. He really has to cry. What else can one do? Even in poverty, when you follow religion, you should do pious things that will bring you rewards. Do you really think that by doing sins we will get help in our poverty? Our whole camp knows that I have been close to death a couple of times in my life. During those times I prayed to some devi and I was able to escape from death. Three children have even been born to my wife and I. The sickness was there in my bones. I was sick for 32 months. I had to take medicines for that long. I prayed to the gods of my ancestral household. It wasn’t puja, it was prayer.
[When asked if they have ambitions of escaping poverty, one man in the crowd replied:] When we don’t get work, and the needs of our children and our families are not met, then how can we make plans? Just living from day to day is what concerns us. We just hope that we’ll be able to get a good job and move forward in that way. We just live and try to provide for our families, and then we die. What else is there?
[K] If your life is full of good luck and provision is made for your needs, then your life’s goal is achieved. There is no other goal for life than that.
[S] Every human being thinks simply this, that “my children and my family should live decently and have their needs met.” There are all kinds of problems we face. And no one is there to solve these problems for us. We have to solve our own problems, as long as we have life in these bodies of ours. We have to depend on ourselves. For example, I may have a problem where I would like to construct a building or make something, or do some other kind of work. And it doesn’t happen. So, there are all kinds of problems in life. Or the problem might be that we have to raise our children, we have to work, we need to build a house for ourselves. So these are the sorts of problems that come up in our daily living. As far as basic facilities, we have no problems. There is electricity and water, and government hospitals have been built for poor people. We don’t have to spend a lot of money when we are sick. The hospital will tell us what medicine to get and we will get it. So, in that way, there aren’t any major problems.
Indira Gandhi Camp, New Delhi
[The interview took place in a small community of families living in closely-packed houses in the alleyways of a busy market area in Delhi. The tiny houses, which were not much taller than the people, were surprisingly equipped with electricity, and with several public taps. The roofs were covered with plastic sheets and pieces of metal, held down by rocks. The houses formed a wall of doorways and the lanes between them were quite narrow (5 to 8 feet wide) with a sewage drain running down one side. The two gentlemen we interviewed were seated in a string cot at the juncture of three lanes when we approached them. A small group of people gathered to listen to the following. After the interview, we were served chai and biscuits.][“S” begins.] I have lived here for about ten years now. My wife and I have five children. I used to work for an Australian company called SGP, but it closed down two years ago. Now I do odd jobs, such as painting and any type of occasional labor. The people who live here are of all kinds, but there aren’t any people who come and go. Mainly we see only residents. My father used to work in the American Embassy. He retired after 45 years of service. I was born in the city of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. These big boys standing here are my sons. We do all kinds of labor work to support our family. We do cleaning work, painting work, and any other work we can find. My wife and my daughters stay at home. I have a certificate from the company where I worked before, so I go and show this wherever work is available. If they like it, they hire me to do work for them. I hear about the work through others, just through word of mouth.
[“K”, a Nepali gentleman speaks.] There are about 330 families here with a total population of about 2,500.
[S] There is a man who claims to be a leader of our camp and he lives at the corner up the lane. But we don’t pay much attention to him. When we want to make group decisions concerning our camp, it usually happens spontaneously. We all get together to talk and decide. The actual leader of this camp is named Subhash Babu. He is an appointed leader.
[K] He was appointed by a government committee and he is our representative to present any problem or complaint to the government, such as problems with water or electricity. We are poor people, so if we go ourselves, no one is going to listen to us. But when Subhash goes, the government listens and we get some satisfaction. When big, big people give donations for the poor, Subhash has been able to get some of those things for us. So he has been a help to us. When missions donate things for the poor, Subhash has made sure that we are able to get some of that.
[S] He has helped us with our water and electricity problems.
[K] Religion, of course, is something that everybody here follows.
[S] Yes, whatever each person’s religion is, definitely he or she will follow that religion. It’s like this. If you feel like doing it, then you can go and offer some water, or light some incense in the temple. As far as organized religion here, there isn’t very much, though there are some people here who have some connection with more organized religious practices.
[K] But their leaders come from the outside. They don’t live here in our camp. Each person does a little, as and when he can. You see a temple down the lane over there. It was built some time ago. There used to be a pujari there, but he’s gone now. No religious leader is involved when people in our camp get together during religious festivals. For example, during Janmashthami, people got together and collected money to buy flowers and prasad to offer to the gods. There was no pressure to contribute. If one wanted to, that was fine, and if not, that was fine too.
[S] I am a Hindu. That’s my religious background. The whole world follows bhagvan. Some follow Allah, others follow a different bhagvan. There are many different gods, like Shri Krishna, Shri Ram and many others. I follow them all. There’s no special bhagvan for me.
[K] They all follow something. Some follow Shiva, some follow Krishna, and some follow a devi. They all follow some deity. There is a tradition here. Whichever tradition exists, that’s what we follow, whether it has many gods or not. We follow the whole tradition.
[S, concerning poverty.] This country is of course my country. I have to live here and follow the ways of this land. This is part of my life. Poverty is nothing special; it’s everywhere. Every country has poverty.
[K] The poor man dreams and longs to be a prosperous merchant-type person. We all want to be like that, but it never happens, so what can we do? [A few in the crowd responded to this comment with friendly chuckles.] I receive joy when there is good provision in terms of eating, drinking and living. Otherwise, there is sorrow and suffering, both in my body and in my heart. The effect of poverty on a person is that he has to cry. He really has to cry. What else can one do? Even in poverty, when you follow religion, you should do pious things that will bring you rewards. Do you really think that by doing sins we will get help in our poverty? Our whole camp knows that I have been close to death a couple of times in my life. During those times I prayed to some devi and I was able to escape from death. Three children have even been born to my wife and I. The sickness was there in my bones. I was sick for 32 months. I had to take medicines for that long. I prayed to the gods of my ancestral household. It wasn’t puja, it was prayer.
[When asked if they have ambitions of escaping poverty, one man in the crowd replied:] When we don’t get work, and the needs of our children and our families are not met, then how can we make plans? Just living from day to day is what concerns us. We just hope that we’ll be able to get a good job and move forward in that way. We just live and try to provide for our families, and then we die. What else is there?
[K] If your life is full of good luck and provision is made for your needs, then your life’s goal is achieved. There is no other goal for life than that.
[S] Every human being thinks simply this, that “my children and my family should live decently and have their needs met.” There are all kinds of problems we face. And no one is there to solve these problems for us. We have to solve our own problems, as long as we have life in these bodies of ours. We have to depend on ourselves. For example, I may have a problem where I would like to construct a building or make something, or do some other kind of work. And it doesn’t happen. So, there are all kinds of problems in life. Or the problem might be that we have to raise our children, we have to work, we need to build a house for ourselves. So these are the sorts of problems that come up in our daily living. As far as basic facilities, we have no problems. There is electricity and water, and government hospitals have been built for poor people. We don’t have to spend a lot of money when we are sick. The hospital will tell us what medicine to get and we will get it. So, in that way, there aren’t any major problems.
Astrology and Vaishnavism
Interview with a Vaishnavite priest
New Delhi
I have earned the Shastri title from Rashan University. After [my predecessor’s] death, I took over the work of pujari. The Shastri title is earned through studying astrology, Sanskrit literature and grammar, and karma kand. My older brother is the head pujari here, and I am his assistant. My brother and I are here to perform religious duties. We have various assistants who help us by keeping things clean and working as security guards, and other practical duties. My brother and I are the only specialists in performing religious ceremonies and astrology.
In our Hindu religion, people accept one of two basic viewpoints — the Vaishnavite or the Smarta. Among the latter are tapasvis, who may also be called sanyasis or sadhus. While keeping their senses under control, they live a life of begging and ascetic practices, renouncing the world, and they work toward achieving spiritual progress and power. Vaishnavite people are those who perform the worship of bhagvan. We do this by building on a particular foundation in relation to a particular isht-dev or kul-dev. In terms of our works of discipleship, our isht-dev can be Ram, Krishna, Shiva, or various devis. So we perform the worship of all of these deities.
In addition to these, we have the sun, the moon and the heavenly bodies. From these we are able to receive knowledge, and because of their unity in giving us this knowledge, we consider them as deities and we worship them. Even in our shastras it is written that these heavenly bodies are gods and should be worshipped as such, because they give us light. Just as a person has movements, development and progress, so do these heavenly bodies. That’s why we consider them to be gods. Because within them, there are mariyadas. Those which have become purushottams have become our bhagvans. It is by following the mariyadas of these bhagvans that we have ended up worshipping them. So in the same way, we worship the heavenly bodies. They have the attributes of being protectors as well as descendants of the deities. Therefore, we worship them.
Our astrologers have taken the akhants of the sun and the moon and have used them to make the panchank. In this work, ank-ganit is used. The major basis of calculation in our astrology is the number system, zero to nine, by which time periods are calculated. By the mathematical methods known to them, our astrologers fix the dates of the panchank. The days on which we have to do gyat are determined by these methods. Each date is looked at in terms of how it relates to the stages of the moon and what sorts of advantages and disadvantages it has. Then on the basis of mathematical rules, we convert the days into hours and minutes. We divide every hour into 60 minutes, and every minute into 60 seconds. So this is the main point about our astrological system.
The next thing we do is we look at what star or planet appears on each particular day. This is ascertained by means of our panchank. There are 30 days in our month, and we divide this into two 15-day periods. The first of these is called krishna-paksh. The second period is called shukra-paksh. In the light half, we count the days from one to 15. In the dark half, in the same way, we count from one to the night of the full moon. So, we look at these dates in terms of stars and planets, and we will find only one verification of this in our astrological holy books. It isn’t changed in any place or in any way, but is definitely fixed. There isn’t a need to appeal to any rule about this. These things have been fixed in all ages — in the Sat Yug, in the present and also in the future.
After we find out what the star or planet is, then we want to know about the carn and yog of heavenly bodies. Then we take this juncture and this date and determine what has been ordained to happen on it. From this we have the rules of astrology by which we tell people what they need to know. If we make sure that we avoid those days which are inauspicious, then we are free to work to do anything we need to do on the other days. If we have to get something done, especially something important, on a particular day, then we go through the process of asking what the date is, and what the stage of the moon is (for you see, the moon changes every day).
When a person comes to us, we use his name and on the basis of that, we begin our calculations. Our astrologers have said that we should avoid the second, sixth, eighth and twelfth days of the lunar month. The other days are auspicious for us. So this is how we fix our auspicious times.
We are able to cast the horoscope of any particular time, place or person, by means of a panchank. This particular panchank [he brought one before the interviewers] was issued by one of our pandits in Jaipur, Rajasthan. From this we get our foundation for constructing a horoscope, and every year a new panchank is issued. In each issue, there is a detailed description and explanation of the whole year. If we look at each table in here, it is for a single month. There are twelve months in our calendar. Each month’s table has rows for every day of the month. The date is given in each row, and the first column shows the day of the week. After that we have every hour, every minute of every hour, and every second of every minute. Then we have the planet or star given and the precise time of its appearance, down to the minute and the second. After that is given the conjunction of planets and constellations. Again, the precise time of appearance is given. Last of all, the incline is given along with its time of appearance. Then the Western and Muslim dates are given for each day. Panchanks are issued from many different centers in India, but they are all the same, because the root of them all is mathematical calculation. And the root of the calculations themselves is found in the sun and the moon.
Let me give you an example. If we take a circle of paper, place it in the sun, and place an upright stick in the center of it, then the shadow of that stick will fall on the paper and will move in accordance with the way in which the sun keeps changing its pattern of movement. And the watches we have, which have been constructed in accordance with scientific principles, can be matched up with these movements of the sun. So our astrologers have studied these solar movements and have captured the mathematical description of them. So that is why the basis of our mathematical calculation really is the sun, and along with that, the moon.
When people come to us, they ask questions about their family problems or appointment difficulties, or other such problems of life, requesting guidance and help from us. We, in turn, do not ask any information from them other than their name. From the name, we determine the sign of the zodiac and we use that to make some astrological calculations. We look at the phase of the moon and we look at our sacred astrological books, as well as charts given to us by various gurus and sants. The verifications given to us by these spiritual leaders or books help us to give clear directions to the seeker. We can give them information about the past, the present and the future. Due to the blessing of bhagvan, truth comes out from our lips and we are able to give the seeker the right procedure to follow in solving his problems. For example, we could tell a seeker who has committed a particular sin what sort of procedure he could follow to gain merit and thus be freed from the penalty of that sin. If someone is going somewhere to get something done, we can show him the best procedure to follow, or the best time to follow, so that his work will be successful. Any and all sanctifying or purifying rites from birth to death, are covered by this system of astrology. All circumstances of life are covered. If one is seeking prosperity and progress in life, such as in a business, for example, or if someone is getting married or buying a vehicle, then we show him the best time to get these things done.
Astrology has various inputs into it, such as mathematical calculations and verses from the holy books. Along with this, it is important to worship some deity in order to gain siddhi from that deity. For that deity, we are supposed to do something very difficult, something that involves a lot of labor. Family worship and the singing of bhajans are also required. The effect of all this will be that we begin to build an attachment to that particular deity. We receive siddhi from that deity, and somehow we are able to receive words of truth as a result of that. We proclaim those words to the seeker. We receive powers to do special things, such as to bring healing to people who are physically sick, and we are able to solve many kinds of problems in life. But to receive such powers, one has to make all kinds of sacrifices. Not everyone can do this. So the special powers that we have are related to the system of astrology and astrological writings. There is no question of some spiritual beings coming or not coming. That has nothing to do with this system.
When we look at natural things such as being born and living a short or long life, this is ultimately not a matter of science. When we look at plants and trees, and we say that we have a seed, we are going to sow that seed, fertilize it and water it, and then we will have a plant or tree. This is not just a matter of science, because where did these things first begin? Where did trees come from? Where did man come from? When we begin to think about these things, then we come to infer that there is some power behind all of it, and it is through that power that all these things are happening. There is definitely a creator behind everything, and that creator is dev. Those devtas who were there during Sat Yug are also here in the present time, in Kal Yug. The brahmins of former times are the brahmins of today. The kshatriyas of former times are the kshatriyas of today. The vaisyas of former times are the vaisyas of today. And the shudras of former times are the shudras of today. It is through their works that they have all become what they are. And through their works we have been able to discern in the Vedas certain mantras by means of which we can produce fire. We are able to do that today, even as we have done it in former times. In the olden days, there used to be wars in which people would shoot arrows from bows. In the same way today, we have mantras, religious rituals and worship rituals, by means of which we can finish off an enemy, even if he is about two hundred miles away from us. But in order to gain these powers, we have to do rituals and we have to work hard. So when we look at the creation, we realize that there must be somebody behind it all and that’s why, when we do the worship of some particular dev, our requests are granted. Then why won’t we follow that dev and consider that dev to be our own? That’s why these statements are all true.
[Concerning the Vaishnavite branch of Hinduism] The Hindu religion is one. But we have divisions within it. Just like Buddhism and Jainism developed in many directions, so it is with Hinduism. But these divisions didn’t come by some act of splitting us up into many factions. There are four life stages in the life of a pious Hindu, and our holy men have followed this since ancient times. We Vaishnavites believe in all four of these life stages and we practice them. From the ages of one to 25, we have what is called the bal ashram. From 25 to 50 years of age, we have the grihast ashram. From 50 to 75, we have the vanprast ashram. And the final life stage is the sanyas ashram, which is from the ages of 75 to 100.
We get married around the age of 23 to 25. Prior to that is the age of playing and eating, enjoying life and gaining knowledge. And our astrologers have said from the very beginning that a man becomes mature at the age of 25. Only after getting married will he be considered a householder and a grown-up citizen of the community. When his householder stage has been completed and he reaches the age of 50, he will be considered as a great person in the community, worthy of respect. His role in the community will be to care, not only for his family, but for the whole community, and to be a person who gives guidance and advice concerning how to live a virtuous and wise life. And beyond that age, his duty is to leave the illusions of family and worldly life and commit himself to a life of bhakti to bhagvan. For his own good, he would need to follow certain practices in order to gain moksha from bhagvan. Those who follow these four life stages include not only Hindus, but Muslims and even Christians.
The unique thing about Vaishnavites is that we also consider fire, the sun, and the meek acceptance of life as having special significance during the sanyas stage. Doing tapasya while sitting in the sun is an example of this. That’s why we become smarta. They have become holy in themselves and are considered pure even if they do not bathe. Now there’s a basis for becoming a Vaishnavite. That basis is the foundational principle of worshipping Vishnu. This means that we worship only those deities which are considered to be avatars of Vishnu. Actually, all the devtas are avatars of Vishnu. This means that all of us Vaishnavites have chosen an isht-dev for ourselves, and that isht dev is an incarnation of Vishnu. That’s how we have gotten our name as Vaishnavites. Some follow Ram, some Krishna, some Hanuman, some Durga, and so on.
In every religion, the biggest thing is shraddha. Whether we are talking about shraddha in a person, or in a dev, or in a vraksh-dev — whatever it may be. The point is that shraddha is something very special and necessary. We find it written in the Vedas also, and we see that even concerning shraddha toward our parents, that is also enjoined in the holy books. So, shraddha is the biggest thing. When Ram won the victory over Ravan in the great war, and when he went through great sufferings, and in the end became Mariyada Purushottam Ram, then we realize that shraddha is the most important thing.
If I were to give you a definition of the reliability of Hinduism as given to us by the leaders of our Hindu society, then the first thing we see is that there are certain very special places around the country. For example, in Jaipur, there is the mandir of Shri Govind Ji. If any person goes to this mandir 100 times, then any difficult request he may have will be granted. I can tell you about the situation in Delhi. There is a mandir of Hanuman in Jamuna Bazaar. I can tell you that if any person goes to that mandir 40 times, then he can receive anything that he desires.
There is a small village in Rajasthan called Lilka. There is a very great temple in that village, and the sants of that village are very great. This is a true story. There is a tantrik who is still alive today and from whom we can get direct knowledge about this. The story is about one of the sailors in our navy who went abroad to fight a war. In the war, his ship began to sink. So, he began to chant the name of a particular guru. He began to say “Jay to Mangaldas Ji Maharaj.” By the power of that name, the boat stopped sinking and rose back up to the surface of the water. The people of that area witnessed to the truth of this story. It is true. I myself can give you a testimony about this when I went to that area eight years ago, along with my guru ji. One of the great gurus of that area had just died. And as you know, the custom is that 13 or 14 days after such a man passes away, many sants and gurus gather together and a large meeting is held. At that time, food was being prepared for those who had gathered, and there was a shortage of food. They had quite a shortage of oil to do the cooking and frying, so some of the sadhus and mahatmas gave orders that water should be taken from a small cement reservoir nearby. They said that the water should be poured into the large vessel that was used for deep-frying food, and that in this way, the food should be fried. So, that water actually worked just like oil, and the cooking was completed. There are reports about Badrinat. There are several bathing places there, at which if a sick person takes a bath, he will be healed. And so, in these ways, there are natural phenomena which have been reported. They constitute a kind of tangible sign of the fact that there is actual power behind our religious system.
In terms of my personal experience, I am a follower of Hanuman. He is my isht-dev. I have also received instruction from my guru, Pandit Shri Shankar Das Shastri, and my father is Pandit Shri Harilal, who was a teacher of the holy books. I have received training from both of these men. I am a brahmin and I am a performer of religious rites in the prescribed manner. I began this training at eight years of age, receiving sanskar at that age. Then I took great interest in learning the ancient Sanskrit literature. I studied about performing rituals properly and I also studied astrology. I perform religious rites daily, and follow the instructions given to me by my guru. And my isht-dev fulfills all my desires, even as I perform puja to him. Once my younger brother needed an operation and I was in great distress about it, looking for a place to get it done. I went all the way to Puna and back to Delhi, but nothing was working out. So I put my request before Hanuman and he gave me darshan of himself. He appeared to me in a dream and told me to get the operation done in Rajasthan. So, I took my brother there and got him admitted. The doctors had said to me that it would take ten to 15 days before the operation could be done, but actually without us doing anything, they changed their minds and the operation was done immediately. It was very successful and even today, my brother’s health is fine.
Predictions that I have made concerning things in the lives of various seekers have come true. I have never given predictions or guidance in a flippant manner to cause harm to anybody. When we astrologers make predictions and give guidance, we have to do it according to the circumstances of the seeker, even if our predictions are based on mathematical calculation. Calculation is not enough, we also have to discern the circumstances of the seeker and adjust our predictions accordingly. We look at the circumstances, at the environmental factors and the condition of the person, and this helps us make more accurate predictions.
New Delhi
I have earned the Shastri title from Rashan University. After [my predecessor’s] death, I took over the work of pujari. The Shastri title is earned through studying astrology, Sanskrit literature and grammar, and karma kand. My older brother is the head pujari here, and I am his assistant. My brother and I are here to perform religious duties. We have various assistants who help us by keeping things clean and working as security guards, and other practical duties. My brother and I are the only specialists in performing religious ceremonies and astrology.In our Hindu religion, people accept one of two basic viewpoints — the Vaishnavite or the Smarta. Among the latter are tapasvis, who may also be called sanyasis or sadhus. While keeping their senses under control, they live a life of begging and ascetic practices, renouncing the world, and they work toward achieving spiritual progress and power. Vaishnavite people are those who perform the worship of bhagvan. We do this by building on a particular foundation in relation to a particular isht-dev or kul-dev. In terms of our works of discipleship, our isht-dev can be Ram, Krishna, Shiva, or various devis. So we perform the worship of all of these deities.
In addition to these, we have the sun, the moon and the heavenly bodies. From these we are able to receive knowledge, and because of their unity in giving us this knowledge, we consider them as deities and we worship them. Even in our shastras it is written that these heavenly bodies are gods and should be worshipped as such, because they give us light. Just as a person has movements, development and progress, so do these heavenly bodies. That’s why we consider them to be gods. Because within them, there are mariyadas. Those which have become purushottams have become our bhagvans. It is by following the mariyadas of these bhagvans that we have ended up worshipping them. So in the same way, we worship the heavenly bodies. They have the attributes of being protectors as well as descendants of the deities. Therefore, we worship them.
Our astrologers have taken the akhants of the sun and the moon and have used them to make the panchank. In this work, ank-ganit is used. The major basis of calculation in our astrology is the number system, zero to nine, by which time periods are calculated. By the mathematical methods known to them, our astrologers fix the dates of the panchank. The days on which we have to do gyat are determined by these methods. Each date is looked at in terms of how it relates to the stages of the moon and what sorts of advantages and disadvantages it has. Then on the basis of mathematical rules, we convert the days into hours and minutes. We divide every hour into 60 minutes, and every minute into 60 seconds. So this is the main point about our astrological system.
The next thing we do is we look at what star or planet appears on each particular day. This is ascertained by means of our panchank. There are 30 days in our month, and we divide this into two 15-day periods. The first of these is called krishna-paksh. The second period is called shukra-paksh. In the light half, we count the days from one to 15. In the dark half, in the same way, we count from one to the night of the full moon. So, we look at these dates in terms of stars and planets, and we will find only one verification of this in our astrological holy books. It isn’t changed in any place or in any way, but is definitely fixed. There isn’t a need to appeal to any rule about this. These things have been fixed in all ages — in the Sat Yug, in the present and also in the future.
After we find out what the star or planet is, then we want to know about the carn and yog of heavenly bodies. Then we take this juncture and this date and determine what has been ordained to happen on it. From this we have the rules of astrology by which we tell people what they need to know. If we make sure that we avoid those days which are inauspicious, then we are free to work to do anything we need to do on the other days. If we have to get something done, especially something important, on a particular day, then we go through the process of asking what the date is, and what the stage of the moon is (for you see, the moon changes every day).
When a person comes to us, we use his name and on the basis of that, we begin our calculations. Our astrologers have said that we should avoid the second, sixth, eighth and twelfth days of the lunar month. The other days are auspicious for us. So this is how we fix our auspicious times.
We are able to cast the horoscope of any particular time, place or person, by means of a panchank. This particular panchank [he brought one before the interviewers] was issued by one of our pandits in Jaipur, Rajasthan. From this we get our foundation for constructing a horoscope, and every year a new panchank is issued. In each issue, there is a detailed description and explanation of the whole year. If we look at each table in here, it is for a single month. There are twelve months in our calendar. Each month’s table has rows for every day of the month. The date is given in each row, and the first column shows the day of the week. After that we have every hour, every minute of every hour, and every second of every minute. Then we have the planet or star given and the precise time of its appearance, down to the minute and the second. After that is given the conjunction of planets and constellations. Again, the precise time of appearance is given. Last of all, the incline is given along with its time of appearance. Then the Western and Muslim dates are given for each day. Panchanks are issued from many different centers in India, but they are all the same, because the root of them all is mathematical calculation. And the root of the calculations themselves is found in the sun and the moon.
Let me give you an example. If we take a circle of paper, place it in the sun, and place an upright stick in the center of it, then the shadow of that stick will fall on the paper and will move in accordance with the way in which the sun keeps changing its pattern of movement. And the watches we have, which have been constructed in accordance with scientific principles, can be matched up with these movements of the sun. So our astrologers have studied these solar movements and have captured the mathematical description of them. So that is why the basis of our mathematical calculation really is the sun, and along with that, the moon.
When people come to us, they ask questions about their family problems or appointment difficulties, or other such problems of life, requesting guidance and help from us. We, in turn, do not ask any information from them other than their name. From the name, we determine the sign of the zodiac and we use that to make some astrological calculations. We look at the phase of the moon and we look at our sacred astrological books, as well as charts given to us by various gurus and sants. The verifications given to us by these spiritual leaders or books help us to give clear directions to the seeker. We can give them information about the past, the present and the future. Due to the blessing of bhagvan, truth comes out from our lips and we are able to give the seeker the right procedure to follow in solving his problems. For example, we could tell a seeker who has committed a particular sin what sort of procedure he could follow to gain merit and thus be freed from the penalty of that sin. If someone is going somewhere to get something done, we can show him the best procedure to follow, or the best time to follow, so that his work will be successful. Any and all sanctifying or purifying rites from birth to death, are covered by this system of astrology. All circumstances of life are covered. If one is seeking prosperity and progress in life, such as in a business, for example, or if someone is getting married or buying a vehicle, then we show him the best time to get these things done.
Astrology has various inputs into it, such as mathematical calculations and verses from the holy books. Along with this, it is important to worship some deity in order to gain siddhi from that deity. For that deity, we are supposed to do something very difficult, something that involves a lot of labor. Family worship and the singing of bhajans are also required. The effect of all this will be that we begin to build an attachment to that particular deity. We receive siddhi from that deity, and somehow we are able to receive words of truth as a result of that. We proclaim those words to the seeker. We receive powers to do special things, such as to bring healing to people who are physically sick, and we are able to solve many kinds of problems in life. But to receive such powers, one has to make all kinds of sacrifices. Not everyone can do this. So the special powers that we have are related to the system of astrology and astrological writings. There is no question of some spiritual beings coming or not coming. That has nothing to do with this system.
When we look at natural things such as being born and living a short or long life, this is ultimately not a matter of science. When we look at plants and trees, and we say that we have a seed, we are going to sow that seed, fertilize it and water it, and then we will have a plant or tree. This is not just a matter of science, because where did these things first begin? Where did trees come from? Where did man come from? When we begin to think about these things, then we come to infer that there is some power behind all of it, and it is through that power that all these things are happening. There is definitely a creator behind everything, and that creator is dev. Those devtas who were there during Sat Yug are also here in the present time, in Kal Yug. The brahmins of former times are the brahmins of today. The kshatriyas of former times are the kshatriyas of today. The vaisyas of former times are the vaisyas of today. And the shudras of former times are the shudras of today. It is through their works that they have all become what they are. And through their works we have been able to discern in the Vedas certain mantras by means of which we can produce fire. We are able to do that today, even as we have done it in former times. In the olden days, there used to be wars in which people would shoot arrows from bows. In the same way today, we have mantras, religious rituals and worship rituals, by means of which we can finish off an enemy, even if he is about two hundred miles away from us. But in order to gain these powers, we have to do rituals and we have to work hard. So when we look at the creation, we realize that there must be somebody behind it all and that’s why, when we do the worship of some particular dev, our requests are granted. Then why won’t we follow that dev and consider that dev to be our own? That’s why these statements are all true.
[Concerning the Vaishnavite branch of Hinduism] The Hindu religion is one. But we have divisions within it. Just like Buddhism and Jainism developed in many directions, so it is with Hinduism. But these divisions didn’t come by some act of splitting us up into many factions. There are four life stages in the life of a pious Hindu, and our holy men have followed this since ancient times. We Vaishnavites believe in all four of these life stages and we practice them. From the ages of one to 25, we have what is called the bal ashram. From 25 to 50 years of age, we have the grihast ashram. From 50 to 75, we have the vanprast ashram. And the final life stage is the sanyas ashram, which is from the ages of 75 to 100.
We get married around the age of 23 to 25. Prior to that is the age of playing and eating, enjoying life and gaining knowledge. And our astrologers have said from the very beginning that a man becomes mature at the age of 25. Only after getting married will he be considered a householder and a grown-up citizen of the community. When his householder stage has been completed and he reaches the age of 50, he will be considered as a great person in the community, worthy of respect. His role in the community will be to care, not only for his family, but for the whole community, and to be a person who gives guidance and advice concerning how to live a virtuous and wise life. And beyond that age, his duty is to leave the illusions of family and worldly life and commit himself to a life of bhakti to bhagvan. For his own good, he would need to follow certain practices in order to gain moksha from bhagvan. Those who follow these four life stages include not only Hindus, but Muslims and even Christians.
The unique thing about Vaishnavites is that we also consider fire, the sun, and the meek acceptance of life as having special significance during the sanyas stage. Doing tapasya while sitting in the sun is an example of this. That’s why we become smarta. They have become holy in themselves and are considered pure even if they do not bathe. Now there’s a basis for becoming a Vaishnavite. That basis is the foundational principle of worshipping Vishnu. This means that we worship only those deities which are considered to be avatars of Vishnu. Actually, all the devtas are avatars of Vishnu. This means that all of us Vaishnavites have chosen an isht-dev for ourselves, and that isht dev is an incarnation of Vishnu. That’s how we have gotten our name as Vaishnavites. Some follow Ram, some Krishna, some Hanuman, some Durga, and so on.
In every religion, the biggest thing is shraddha. Whether we are talking about shraddha in a person, or in a dev, or in a vraksh-dev — whatever it may be. The point is that shraddha is something very special and necessary. We find it written in the Vedas also, and we see that even concerning shraddha toward our parents, that is also enjoined in the holy books. So, shraddha is the biggest thing. When Ram won the victory over Ravan in the great war, and when he went through great sufferings, and in the end became Mariyada Purushottam Ram, then we realize that shraddha is the most important thing.
If I were to give you a definition of the reliability of Hinduism as given to us by the leaders of our Hindu society, then the first thing we see is that there are certain very special places around the country. For example, in Jaipur, there is the mandir of Shri Govind Ji. If any person goes to this mandir 100 times, then any difficult request he may have will be granted. I can tell you about the situation in Delhi. There is a mandir of Hanuman in Jamuna Bazaar. I can tell you that if any person goes to that mandir 40 times, then he can receive anything that he desires.
There is a small village in Rajasthan called Lilka. There is a very great temple in that village, and the sants of that village are very great. This is a true story. There is a tantrik who is still alive today and from whom we can get direct knowledge about this. The story is about one of the sailors in our navy who went abroad to fight a war. In the war, his ship began to sink. So, he began to chant the name of a particular guru. He began to say “Jay to Mangaldas Ji Maharaj.” By the power of that name, the boat stopped sinking and rose back up to the surface of the water. The people of that area witnessed to the truth of this story. It is true. I myself can give you a testimony about this when I went to that area eight years ago, along with my guru ji. One of the great gurus of that area had just died. And as you know, the custom is that 13 or 14 days after such a man passes away, many sants and gurus gather together and a large meeting is held. At that time, food was being prepared for those who had gathered, and there was a shortage of food. They had quite a shortage of oil to do the cooking and frying, so some of the sadhus and mahatmas gave orders that water should be taken from a small cement reservoir nearby. They said that the water should be poured into the large vessel that was used for deep-frying food, and that in this way, the food should be fried. So, that water actually worked just like oil, and the cooking was completed. There are reports about Badrinat. There are several bathing places there, at which if a sick person takes a bath, he will be healed. And so, in these ways, there are natural phenomena which have been reported. They constitute a kind of tangible sign of the fact that there is actual power behind our religious system.
In terms of my personal experience, I am a follower of Hanuman. He is my isht-dev. I have also received instruction from my guru, Pandit Shri Shankar Das Shastri, and my father is Pandit Shri Harilal, who was a teacher of the holy books. I have received training from both of these men. I am a brahmin and I am a performer of religious rites in the prescribed manner. I began this training at eight years of age, receiving sanskar at that age. Then I took great interest in learning the ancient Sanskrit literature. I studied about performing rituals properly and I also studied astrology. I perform religious rites daily, and follow the instructions given to me by my guru. And my isht-dev fulfills all my desires, even as I perform puja to him. Once my younger brother needed an operation and I was in great distress about it, looking for a place to get it done. I went all the way to Puna and back to Delhi, but nothing was working out. So I put my request before Hanuman and he gave me darshan of himself. He appeared to me in a dream and told me to get the operation done in Rajasthan. So, I took my brother there and got him admitted. The doctors had said to me that it would take ten to 15 days before the operation could be done, but actually without us doing anything, they changed their minds and the operation was done immediately. It was very successful and even today, my brother’s health is fine.
Predictions that I have made concerning things in the lives of various seekers have come true. I have never given predictions or guidance in a flippant manner to cause harm to anybody. When we astrologers make predictions and give guidance, we have to do it according to the circumstances of the seeker, even if our predictions are based on mathematical calculation. Calculation is not enough, we also have to discern the circumstances of the seeker and adjust our predictions accordingly. We look at the circumstances, at the environmental factors and the condition of the person, and this helps us make more accurate predictions.
The Significance of the Ganga
Interview with a Brahmin river guide
at the sangam, Allahabad
This fort [ancient fort by the sangam] was built by Akbar, one of the Mughal emperors. It was built here because of the beautiful view. During Akbar’s time, he had an army here, and also servants. It is now in the hands of the Indian army. There’s an ancient banyan tree growing over the wall of the fort, and we can see roots coming down over the outside of the wall. This tree is as old as the fort.
The river is holy because it came here through the thapasya of the rishis. Thapasya is when people put forth effort. For example, Muslims remember the name of Allah, remembering him for one year, ten years, or whatever. [You do this] until you get peace in your mind, once you get the darshan. This present age is the Kali Yug. The thapasya [which brought the river to Allahabad] took place in another age, the Satya Yug. The name of the rishi was Bhagirathi.
Anyone who bathes in the river, and has a sickness, will be cured. Where the river originates in the mountains there are medicinal roots and herbs which give the river healing properties. The water is good for skin diseases too. This is why our people do puja to the river. If you get up before sunrise, bathe in this river and drink its water, your mind will be cleansed and your body will be healed of all disease. I have not personally experienced healing from the river because I have not had any sickness, but I have seen with my own eyes, those who have been healed by this river. It is not just hearsay. If you take the water of any ordinary river and store it in a container, within a week or a month, it will go bad. There will be organisms in it. You keep this water for 100 years, or 50 years, and it will not go bad or have a bad smell.
[A question asked by the interviewers, who had witnessed on two occasions the partially-burned remains of dead bodies in the river: “Why are dead bodies thrown in the river?”] Dead bodies are not put in here. You don’t see any, do you? They don’t put dead bodies in the river. They bring only the bones, and they have a puja done. One of the pujas done at the river is for departed loved ones, parents in particular. This puja is called pind dan, offered to spirits of ancestors by their nearest surviving relatives. This pind dan is done for people who have died sometime back, but can also be done for people who have just died, and whose bones are now being brought to the river. They will do it for the father, then for the grandfather, several generations. In that way, they feel they are covering their whole family. This puja gives peace to the soul of the departed relative.
Another puja that happens here is the worship of the river itself. For the puja of the river, the Ganga puja, the offering is a mixture of milk, flour and coconut. This mixture of three items corresponds to the three rivers which meet at this point — two real, and one mystical, the Sarasvati. Two rivers come from the Himalayas. The Ganga comes from Haridwar via Kanpur. The Yamuna comes from Delhi, Agra, and Mathura. The Sarasvati runs underground, it comes from here only. It starts here and ends here.
The worship ceremony has to be done by a Brahmin priest who is given a donation for his services. It involves chanting some words from the Vedas before putting the offering into the river. The ritual has to be performed by a Brahmin priest, because others don’t have knowledge and experience of the Vedas. Sadhus do not do pujas. Sadhus are simply people who ask for things — “give me gold, give me silver.”
[We asked the Brahmin to tell us about the Kumbh Mela, and he said, “I’ll be glad to do it, for a donation.”] Allahabad is one of the four sites of the Kumbh Mela, the greatest bathing festival of the Hindu religion. The story behind this festival is that one day, the devtas and the rakshas were churning the sea. This produced 14 different types of nectars. The best out of all these was the nectar called amrith, because drinking it would confer immortality. The devtas and rakshas began to fight with one another over the amrith, of which only one vessel-full was available. Finally, they reached a compromise.
The god Vishnu came and said, “Why are you fighting over this? We have worked together to get this amrith out of the sea. Both devtas and rakshas have equal authority over it. Vishnu made the rakshas and the devtas sit in separate rows, saying that he was going to divide the amrith among them equally. He gave amrith to the devtas and he gave an intoxicating drink to the rakshas. Two rakshas, Rahu and Ketu, didn’t drink it. Vishnu took the amrith and began to run away, with Rahu and Ketu chasing him in order to get some of the nectar. While he was running, some of the nectar spilled at Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh, some at Nasik in Maharashtra, and some at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. The remaining nectar, Vishnu brought to Prayag and dumped it here. At these four places, the Kumbh Mela takes place. The Kumbh Mela takes place only once every 12 years, with the four sites taking turns at hosting it. The last one was held in 1989 in Allahabad. The next one will be held in Ujjain in the year 2001.
There are 2,000 Brahmin priest families that live by the river here in Allahabad.
[At the sangam itself we can see the swiftly flowing Yamuna joining the more sluggish Ganga. During the rainy season, the waters of both rivers look somewhat muddy, but in other seasons, the rivers are of different colors — the Yamuna green and the Ganga a pale, whitish hue. In the middle of the Ganga side of the sangam stands a large statue of Shiva coming out of the water.]
at the sangam, Allahabad
This fort [ancient fort by the sangam] was built by Akbar, one of the Mughal emperors. It was built here because of the beautiful view. During Akbar’s time, he had an army here, and also servants. It is now in the hands of the Indian army. There’s an ancient banyan tree growing over the wall of the fort, and we can see roots coming down over the outside of the wall. This tree is as old as the fort.The river is holy because it came here through the thapasya of the rishis. Thapasya is when people put forth effort. For example, Muslims remember the name of Allah, remembering him for one year, ten years, or whatever. [You do this] until you get peace in your mind, once you get the darshan. This present age is the Kali Yug. The thapasya [which brought the river to Allahabad] took place in another age, the Satya Yug. The name of the rishi was Bhagirathi.
Anyone who bathes in the river, and has a sickness, will be cured. Where the river originates in the mountains there are medicinal roots and herbs which give the river healing properties. The water is good for skin diseases too. This is why our people do puja to the river. If you get up before sunrise, bathe in this river and drink its water, your mind will be cleansed and your body will be healed of all disease. I have not personally experienced healing from the river because I have not had any sickness, but I have seen with my own eyes, those who have been healed by this river. It is not just hearsay. If you take the water of any ordinary river and store it in a container, within a week or a month, it will go bad. There will be organisms in it. You keep this water for 100 years, or 50 years, and it will not go bad or have a bad smell.
[A question asked by the interviewers, who had witnessed on two occasions the partially-burned remains of dead bodies in the river: “Why are dead bodies thrown in the river?”] Dead bodies are not put in here. You don’t see any, do you? They don’t put dead bodies in the river. They bring only the bones, and they have a puja done. One of the pujas done at the river is for departed loved ones, parents in particular. This puja is called pind dan, offered to spirits of ancestors by their nearest surviving relatives. This pind dan is done for people who have died sometime back, but can also be done for people who have just died, and whose bones are now being brought to the river. They will do it for the father, then for the grandfather, several generations. In that way, they feel they are covering their whole family. This puja gives peace to the soul of the departed relative.
Another puja that happens here is the worship of the river itself. For the puja of the river, the Ganga puja, the offering is a mixture of milk, flour and coconut. This mixture of three items corresponds to the three rivers which meet at this point — two real, and one mystical, the Sarasvati. Two rivers come from the Himalayas. The Ganga comes from Haridwar via Kanpur. The Yamuna comes from Delhi, Agra, and Mathura. The Sarasvati runs underground, it comes from here only. It starts here and ends here.
The worship ceremony has to be done by a Brahmin priest who is given a donation for his services. It involves chanting some words from the Vedas before putting the offering into the river. The ritual has to be performed by a Brahmin priest, because others don’t have knowledge and experience of the Vedas. Sadhus do not do pujas. Sadhus are simply people who ask for things — “give me gold, give me silver.”
[We asked the Brahmin to tell us about the Kumbh Mela, and he said, “I’ll be glad to do it, for a donation.”] Allahabad is one of the four sites of the Kumbh Mela, the greatest bathing festival of the Hindu religion. The story behind this festival is that one day, the devtas and the rakshas were churning the sea. This produced 14 different types of nectars. The best out of all these was the nectar called amrith, because drinking it would confer immortality. The devtas and rakshas began to fight with one another over the amrith, of which only one vessel-full was available. Finally, they reached a compromise.
The god Vishnu came and said, “Why are you fighting over this? We have worked together to get this amrith out of the sea. Both devtas and rakshas have equal authority over it. Vishnu made the rakshas and the devtas sit in separate rows, saying that he was going to divide the amrith among them equally. He gave amrith to the devtas and he gave an intoxicating drink to the rakshas. Two rakshas, Rahu and Ketu, didn’t drink it. Vishnu took the amrith and began to run away, with Rahu and Ketu chasing him in order to get some of the nectar. While he was running, some of the nectar spilled at Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh, some at Nasik in Maharashtra, and some at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. The remaining nectar, Vishnu brought to Prayag and dumped it here. At these four places, the Kumbh Mela takes place. The Kumbh Mela takes place only once every 12 years, with the four sites taking turns at hosting it. The last one was held in 1989 in Allahabad. The next one will be held in Ujjain in the year 2001.
There are 2,000 Brahmin priest families that live by the river here in Allahabad.
[At the sangam itself we can see the swiftly flowing Yamuna joining the more sluggish Ganga. During the rainy season, the waters of both rivers look somewhat muddy, but in other seasons, the rivers are of different colors — the Yamuna green and the Ganga a pale, whitish hue. In the middle of the Ganga side of the sangam stands a large statue of Shiva coming out of the water.]
Items Used in Ritual and Worship
Interview with shopkeepers
near the sangam, Allahabad
I live here at the sangam. I belong to the Nishad caste. We are boat people. We are also called kevats.
We use chandan to mark our foreheads and also in temples. It comes from the sandalwood tree. Pilgrims as well as holy men have their foreheads marked with it. The chandan comes in the form of a lump. You take the rodi and make a mark. If a person is poor and he doesn’t have this, he will mark his forehead with kevad. But if God has given him more, then this is a rodi of chandan, and he will use this to mark his forehead.
This colored powder [red or orange] is for putting a mark in the part of a woman’s hair to indicate that she is married. It is used only by Hindu women. The difference between red and orange is a matter of taste or style. The orange is also considered as the special color of Hanuman. The orange is used in temples, but the red is not. The red is used only for the marking of married women’s hair. But the orange is used also for that, as well as for pujas.
The colorfulness represents joy or celebration, whereas only a widow would wear white, the color of mourning.
There are 16 signs of the married woman in Hinduism. One is the mark on the forehead. Among the other 15 signs are a toe ring, anklet, bangles, a sari, blouse, a piece of jewelry in the nose, ear rings, and a necklace. If a girl is unmarried, she will not have a toe ring, a mark on her forehead, or a mark in her hair. But she can wear the bangles.
This is a form of prasad [shopkeepers point to white sugar balls sold in plastic bags]. These are offerings made to the gods, used by pilgrims. This is bought by people from all over the country who come here. It is considered very holy prasad, because it belongs to the sangam here, to prayagraj. A small amount of the prasad is placed before the idol, and the remainder is distributed among worshippers to be eaten.
These [strings of orange and yellow cotton strands, similar to a mop-head] are tied to the wrist or around the neck of devotees as they sit and listen to the telling of the myth of a deity named Shri Satyanarayan. While the story is being told, which takes a whole day to tell, the listeners have to fast.
[The story, in brief, as told by Sanjay, a high school student:] The story of Satyanarayan is historical. The basic idea in the story is that someone went to another person and made a special request for his life, and that person made the request come true. The one who made the request worships the grantor of the request. Satyanarayan is a devta. There is no idol of this god. He is God, up in the sky. I cannot tell you the story, only a pandit can. [“But we want to hear your idea.”] Oh no, we all have the same idea. We think exactly alike. We understand the story, but we are not able to tell it. If I tell you the story, I’ll become a pandit and I’m not supposed to do that. Out of respect for my religion, I will not do something that I’m not supposed to do — even though it wouldn’t be a sin.
In the Hindu religion, the devtas have made four caste groupings: the Brahmin, the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas, and the Shudras.
[The shopkeepers point out shiny gold threads with pink cotton balls on either end.] They are worn on the wrist or the neck of a devotee. The benefit one gets from it is raksha. In terms of wearing a thread on your wrist or neck, it is considered more auspicious to wear the kalai dhaga. They are more favored by the religious leaders than the chamki dhaga.
near the sangam, Allahabad
I live here at the sangam. I belong to the Nishad caste. We are boat people. We are also called kevats.We use chandan to mark our foreheads and also in temples. It comes from the sandalwood tree. Pilgrims as well as holy men have their foreheads marked with it. The chandan comes in the form of a lump. You take the rodi and make a mark. If a person is poor and he doesn’t have this, he will mark his forehead with kevad. But if God has given him more, then this is a rodi of chandan, and he will use this to mark his forehead.
This colored powder [red or orange] is for putting a mark in the part of a woman’s hair to indicate that she is married. It is used only by Hindu women. The difference between red and orange is a matter of taste or style. The orange is also considered as the special color of Hanuman. The orange is used in temples, but the red is not. The red is used only for the marking of married women’s hair. But the orange is used also for that, as well as for pujas.
The colorfulness represents joy or celebration, whereas only a widow would wear white, the color of mourning.
There are 16 signs of the married woman in Hinduism. One is the mark on the forehead. Among the other 15 signs are a toe ring, anklet, bangles, a sari, blouse, a piece of jewelry in the nose, ear rings, and a necklace. If a girl is unmarried, she will not have a toe ring, a mark on her forehead, or a mark in her hair. But she can wear the bangles.
This is a form of prasad [shopkeepers point to white sugar balls sold in plastic bags]. These are offerings made to the gods, used by pilgrims. This is bought by people from all over the country who come here. It is considered very holy prasad, because it belongs to the sangam here, to prayagraj. A small amount of the prasad is placed before the idol, and the remainder is distributed among worshippers to be eaten.
These [strings of orange and yellow cotton strands, similar to a mop-head] are tied to the wrist or around the neck of devotees as they sit and listen to the telling of the myth of a deity named Shri Satyanarayan. While the story is being told, which takes a whole day to tell, the listeners have to fast.
[The story, in brief, as told by Sanjay, a high school student:] The story of Satyanarayan is historical. The basic idea in the story is that someone went to another person and made a special request for his life, and that person made the request come true. The one who made the request worships the grantor of the request. Satyanarayan is a devta. There is no idol of this god. He is God, up in the sky. I cannot tell you the story, only a pandit can. [“But we want to hear your idea.”] Oh no, we all have the same idea. We think exactly alike. We understand the story, but we are not able to tell it. If I tell you the story, I’ll become a pandit and I’m not supposed to do that. Out of respect for my religion, I will not do something that I’m not supposed to do — even though it wouldn’t be a sin.
In the Hindu religion, the devtas have made four caste groupings: the Brahmin, the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas, and the Shudras.
[The shopkeepers point out shiny gold threads with pink cotton balls on either end.] They are worn on the wrist or the neck of a devotee. The benefit one gets from it is raksha. In terms of wearing a thread on your wrist or neck, it is considered more auspicious to wear the kalai dhaga. They are more favored by the religious leaders than the chamki dhaga.
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