An avatar lives in the omnipresent Spirit; for him there is no distance inverse to the square. Only one reason, therefore, can motivate Babaji in maintaining his physical form from century to century: the desire to furnish humanity with a concrete example of its own possibilities. Were man never vouchsafed a glimpse of Divinity in the flesh, he would remain oppressed by the heavy mayic delusion that he cannot transcend his mortality.
Jesus knew from the beginning the sequence of his life; he pa.s.sed through each event not for himself, not from any karmic compulsion, but solely for the upliftment of reflective human beings. His four reporter-disciples-Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John-recorded the ineffable drama for the benefit of later generations.
For Babaji, also, there is no relativity of past, present, future; from the beginning he has known all phases of his life. Yet, accommodating himself to the limited understanding of men, he has played many acts of his divine life in the presence of one or more witnesses. Thus it came about that a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya was present when Babaji deemed the time to be ripe for him to proclaim the possibility of bodily immortality. He uttered this promise before Ram Gopal Muzumdar, that it might finally become known for the inspiration of other seeking hearts. The great ones speak their words and partic.i.p.ate in the seemingly natural course of events, solely for the good of man, even as Christ said: "Father ... I knew that thou hearest me always: but BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WHICH STAND BY I SAID IT, that they may believe that thou hast sent me."
{FN33-2} During my visit at Ranbajpur with Ram Gopal, "the sleepless saint," {FN33-3} he related the wondrous story of his first meeting with Babaji.
"I sometimes left my isolated cave to sit at Lahiri Mahasaya"s feet in Benares," Ram Gopal told me. "One midnight as I was silently meditating in a group of his disciples, the master made a surprising request.
""Ram Gopal," he said, "go at once to the Dasasamedh bathing GHAT."
"I soon reached the secluded spot. The night was bright with moonlight and the glittering stars. After I had sat in patient silence for awhile, my attention was drawn to a huge stone slab near my feet.
It rose gradually, revealing an underground cave. As the stone remained balanced in some unknown manner, the draped form of a young and surpa.s.singly lovely woman was levitated from the cave high into the air. Surrounded by a soft halo, she slowly descended in front of me and stood motionless, steeped in an inner state of ecstasy. She finally stirred, and spoke gently.
""I am Mataji, {FN33-4} the sister of Babaji. I have asked him and also Lahiri Mahasaya to come to my cave tonight to discuss a matter of great importance."
"A nebulous light was rapidly floating over the Ganges; the strange luminescence was reflected in the opaque waters. It approached nearer and nearer until, with a blinding flash, it appeared by the side of Mataji and condensed itself instantly into the human form of Lahiri Mahasaya. He bowed humbly at the feet of the woman saint.
"Before I had recovered from my bewilderment, I was further wonderstruck to behold a circling ma.s.s of mystical light traveling in the sky. Descending swiftly, the flaming whirlpool neared our group and materialized itself into the body of a beautiful youth who, I understood at once, was Babaji. He looked like Lahiri Mahasaya, the only difference being that Babaji appeared much younger, and had long, bright hair.
"Lahiri Mahasaya, Mataji, and myself knelt at the guru"s feet. An ethereal sensation of beatific glory thrilled every fiber of my being as I touched his divine flesh.
""Blessed sister," Babaji said, "I am intending to shed my form and plunge into the Infinite Current."
""I have already glimpsed your plan, beloved master. I wanted to discuss it with you tonight. Why should you leave your body?" The glorious woman looked at him beseechingly.
""What is the difference if I wear a visible or invisible wave on the ocean of my Spirit?"
"Mataji replied with a quaint flash of wit. "Deathless guru, if it makes no difference, then please do not ever relinquish your form."
{FN33-5}
""Be it so," Babaji said solemnly. "I will never leave my physical body. It will always remain visible to at least a small number of people on this earth. The Lord has spoken His own wish through your lips."
"As I listened in awe to the conversation between these exalted beings, the great guru turned to me with a benign gesture.
""Fear not, Ram Gopal," he said, "you are blessed to be a witness at the scene of this immortal promise."
"As the sweet melody of Babaji"s voice faded away, his form and that of Lahiri Mahasaya slowly levitated and moved backward over the Ganges. An aureole of dazzling light templed their bodies as they vanished into the night sky. Mataji"s form floated to the cave and descended; the stone slab closed of itself, as if working on an invisible leverage.
"Infinitely inspired, I wended my way back to Lahiri Mahasaya"s place. As I bowed before him in the early dawn, my guru smiled at me understandingly.
""I am happy for you, Ram Gopal," he said. "The desire of meeting Babaji and Mataji, which you have often expressed to me, has found at last a sacred fulfillment."
"My fellow disciples informed me that Lahiri Mahasaya had not moved from his dais since early the preceding evening.
""He gave a wonderful discourse on immortality after you had left for the Dasasamedh GHAT," one of the chelas told me. For the first time I fully realized the truth in the scriptural verses which state that a man of self-realization can appear at different places in two or more bodies at the same time.
"Lahiri Mahasaya later explained to me many metaphysical points concerning the hidden divine plan for this earth," Ram Gopal concluded. "Babaji has been chosen by G.o.d to remain in his body for the duration of this particular world cycle. Ages shall come and go--still the deathless master, {FN33-6} beholding the drama of the centuries, shall be present on this stage terrestrial."
Chapter 33 Footnotes
{FN33-1} MATTHEW 8:19-20.
{FN33-2} JOHN 11:41-42.
{FN33-3} The omnipresent yogi who observed that I failed to bow before the Tarakeswar shrine (../chapter 13).
{FN33-4} "Holy Mother." Mataji also has lived through the centuries; she is almost as far advanced spiritually as her brother. She remains in ecstasy in a hidden underground cave near the Dasasamedh GHAT.
{FN33-5} This incident reminds one of Thales. The great Greek philosopher taught that there was no difference between life and death. "Why, then," inquired a critic, "do you not die?" "Because,"
answered Thales, "it makes no difference."
{FN33-6} "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying (remain unbrokenly in the Christ Consciousness), he shall never see death."-JOHN 8:51.
CHAPTER: 34
MATERIALIZING A PALACE IN THE HIMALAYAS
"Babaji"s first meeting with Lahiri Mahasaya is an enthralling story, and one of the few which gives us a detailed glimpse of the deathless guru."
These words were Swami Kebalananda"s preamble to a wondrous tale.
The first time he recounted it I was literally spellbound. On many other occasions I coaxed my gentle Sanskrit tutor to repeat the story, which was later told me in substantially the same words by Sri Yukteswar. Both these Lahiri Mahasaya disciples had heard the awesome tale direct from the lips of their guru.
"My first meeting with Babaji took place in my thirty-third year,"
Lahiri Mahasaya had said. "In the autumn of 1861 I was stationed in Danapur as a government accountant in the Military Engineering Department. One morning the office manager summoned me.
""Lahiri," he said, "a telegram has just come from our main office.
You are to be transferred to Ranikhet, where an army post {FN34-1} is now being established."
"With one servant, I set out on the 500-mile trip. Traveling by horse and buggy, we arrived in thirty days at the Himalayan site of Ranikhet. {FN34-2}
"My office duties were not onerous; I was able to spend many hours roaming in the magnificent hills. A rumor reached me that great saints blessed the region with their presence; I felt a strong desire to see them. During a ramble one early afternoon, I was astounded to hear a distant voice calling my name. I continued my vigorous upward climb on Drongiri Mountain. A slight uneasiness beset me at the thought that I might not be able to retrace my steps before darkness had descended over the jungle.
"I finally reached a small clearing whose sides were dotted with caves. On one of the rocky ledges stood a smiling young man, extending his hand in welcome. I noticed with astonishment that, except for his copper-colored hair, he bore a remarkable resemblance to myself.
""Lahiri, you have come!" The saint addressed me affectionately in Hindi. "Rest here in this cave. It was I who called you."
"I entered a neat little grotto which contained several woolen blankets and a few KAMANDULUS (begging bowls).
""Lahiri, do you remember that seat?" The yogi pointed to a folded blanket in one corner.
""No, sir." Somewhat dazed at the strangeness of my adventure, I added, "I must leave now, before nightfall. I have business in the morning at my office."
"The mysterious saint replied in English, "The office was brought for you, and not you for the office."
"I was dumbfounded that this forest ascetic should not only speak English but also paraphrase the words of Christ. {FN34-3}
""I see my telegram took effect." The yogi"s remark was incomprehensible to me; I inquired his meaning.