The Path To Truth-Het eerste internationale tijdschrift van IVS

Laatste wens van Bhagavan

Vlak voordat Bhagavan voor de laatste keer werd opgenomen in het ziekenhuis, vroeg Hij Swami Sankaranda om een internationaal tijdschrift uit te gaan geven tijdens Guru Purnima. Niet wetende dat Bhagavan zelf in de vorm er niet meer bij zou zijn, vroeg Swami Sankaranda de internationale devotees om een artikel aan te leveren. Na de Mahasamadhi van Bhagavan op 27 mei jl werd besloten om de eerste editie van het tijdschrift volledig te wijden aan Bhagavan. Hieronder vind je het artikel geschreven door Prem Mallika. Mocht je interesse hebben de andere artikelen ook te lezen, dan kun je het tijdschrift in Nederland verkrijgen.

Bhagavan as I see Him

“Love, Love and only Love!” ~ Sri Bhagavan

The first time I met Bhagavan was in 2014. I travelled to Kolkata in India to visit Bhagavan in Mayer Bari, The Mother’s House. This is the Ashram, or spiritual centre, where Bhagavan lived. It was not the first time traveling to India, but despite my former experiences, Kolkata was quite overwhelming to me. Mayer Bari is situated in a non-touristy area close to the local market where there is so many sounds and visual stimulation all around. The sound of the horns of rickshaws, cars and motorcycles and the large crowds of people. Most shocking to me was the cries of the terrified chickens, who are slaughtered just in front of my eyes. In between this chaos of nature there is The Mother’s House. An oasis of the highest spirituality. I had seen Bhagavan in pictures before, and imagined how it would be to see Him in real life. Nothing, however, can prepare us to meet a spiritual giant of the highest order. Even now, years later, I feel that I still understand so little of the vastness of what Bhagavan truly is.

There was one thing I did realise immediately, while sitting at His feet in those first days; He was capable to Love in a way I never had experienced before. Even my own mother isn’t able to love me like He Loves me, although I know she loves me to her fullest capacity. How is it possible that an Indian man far, far away from the Netherlands is able to love a complete stranger like me, in such an unconditional, grand way? This touched my heart deeply! Bhagavan was able to accept everyone in His heart completely and immediately. This proved to me that He must be the unveiled SATCHITANANDA embodied! God embodied! Love embodied! And this Love is showering on everybody.

During the first visit I was not only deeply touched by Bhagavan, but also by His devotees who surrounded Him. Their unselfish love and service was mind blowing. After some days in India I fell sick with a cough and fever, and they took care of me like their own daughter. I felt so loved, so safe in their care. It moved me to tears, and when one woman saw me crying because of this tremendous love, she said to me, “It is Bhagavan, who transformed us in this way and He will transform you as well.”

These words I will never forget, and I do feel how His Love is transforming me day by day. Little is left of that woman who met Bhagavan the first time, and no doubt this transforming power of true Love will continue to transform me deeper and deeper still.

“Just try to Love Me more.” ~ Sri Bhagavan

Embracing a Master or Guru is truly a Love story of the highest order. It is sweeter than the sweetest honey! I never have experienced anything purer and more authentic than the relationship between a devotee and Guru. It is the only form of relationship based on pure, unconditional Love. Guru doesn’t work with contracts. He is just showering His inexhaustible current of Love and Divinity upon us, without wanting anything in return. In the same way He doesn’t allow us to make a contract with Him. He is free and will not tolerate any claims from our side. Once I asked Bhagavan, “What do you want from me?” He responded, “Nothing! I don’t need anything from you. Just try to Love Me more.” This is the deep secret! The more we can open our hearts to Guru and increase the Love for Him, the more Guru can pour the Love into us. Then miracles will happen and the Ultimate Truth will be revealed.

This unique relationship between devotee and Guru is all about realisation, feeling and experiencing. It is a mysterious interaction from heart to heart. That is why everybody has their own experience with Bhagavan. Bhagavan loved us all equally, but He worked differently through all of us. This is due to our past impressions, conceptions and ideas, which form our character. He once explained that He is like a clear crystal where there is no vibration. As soon as one of us appears in front of Him, vibration or action will happen because of our own reflection in this crystal. The more we become empty, without vibration caused by our own thoughts, the more He can reflect Himself in us. If we are able to surrender to His transformative, divine power, then we will recognise and realise the Guru, Bhagavan, or the Divinity within our own self. This is Self-realisation, which is the highest goal in life.

I probably learned most from Bhagavan by simply observing Him. He was always calm and composed, and there was a continuous Silence emanating from Him. Everything He did comes forth out of this ultimate Silence. Whether He was eating, talking or moving, He was not acting out of fixed patterns or thoughts. He was acting straight out of the SATCHIDANANDA – the unlimited, ever-free consciousness or Brahman, the original source we all originate from. And this made Him irresistible! At least to me, and I could see the same kind of reaction in others. He had become like a magnet because He gave us the taste of freedom, love and peace, which is also present within ourselves. He acted like a mirror where we can see our true Self reflected. Aware or unaware of this fact, we deeply desire to melt again within that Self, to be united, to be Home.

“No matter what happens, be with God. He will lead you to the Light.” ~ Sri Bhagavan

Each time I visited Bhagavan in India it felt like a tsunami of spirituality was completely taking me over. The little ‘I’ which I think myself to be was completely washed away. The foundation of my worldly reality was shattered under my feet, and I had to surrender to this immense wave of Love and Oneness. The mind was not able to function in a normal, efficient way. If something practical had to be done it felt like I first had to come down from a very high, expanded state and pull myself in the body to regain my individuality. Day after day I was sitting at His feet to absorb the immense energy of Oneness. It was the most beautiful thing, to immerse myself in That as much as I could.

Over the years, I started to recognise a pattern within myself. The first days after my arrival at Mayer Bari, when the spiritual tsunami is full on; I was so happy again to be there and to get dragged away by this strong power. At some point there was resistance, the mind got uneasy about something and started struggling to regain control. This was hopeless however, because the tsunami was too strong. At some point I had to let go and got immersed more into the state of Oneness. Bhagavan once told me: “I am like a fisherman, who hooked you, and now I am slowly taking you in, but if you start struggling too much I will just stop and give some space. When the struggling stops, I start taking you in until you are with Me.”

Inevitably we get closer to the Divine, to Oneness when we have embraced Guru. First, we take His hand and ask for help. After some time however, He will grasp our hand and won’t ever let go. Maybe there are times when we want to let go of His grip, but it is not possible anymore. It might sound scary! However, it only gets scary when seen from an ego perspective. The more we understand – that only complete surrender to Guru or the Divine, makes us free and enlightened – the more we wish our limited egos’ to be conquered.

The last days of my stay with Bhagavan, I always felt that something is changing. As if Bhagavan was preparing me to be able to travel home safely with a composed, efficient mind once again. It felt as if He was putting me back on the ground, completely transformed. The foundation of my old conceptions, ideas and convictions, was completely destroyed. The body and mind felt strangely light and empty. As if I was a new fresh person. I felt immensely inspired as if I could change the whole world. Filled up to the brim with Divine strength and love, I returned to The Netherlands continuing the spiritual work with renewed enthusiasm.

Slowly but steady I feel how the Light of Who I really am is taking over, and transforming this life from human to Divine. The choices I am making are more based on spiritual and universal needs, instead of my personal needs. In the first years I was impressed by Bhagavan’s unconditional Love and how He is serving mankind. I was deeply touched by it, but couldn’t understand where it came from. Now I start realising more and more where these Divine tendencies are emerging from. It is a natural thing – the more we stop identifying ourselves with the limited body, mind and emotions, and realise the Oneness existing beyond all manifestations – we will realise we are all one and the same!

Guru- the highest Love

According to the Vedanta, Guru is essential on our path to Self-realisation. Most people in the Western world are reluctant to accept this, and stories of corrupted Gurus are everywhere to be found. There is little understanding about what Guru really implies and how joyful and sweet life with Guru can be.

In my own experience I can see how Guru showed me things that I could never have seen without His light and guidance. It would have taken me years or maybe lifetimes more to find the proper direction through the dense, dark field of my stubborn ego. Why not take the outreaching hand of Guru, the one who guides us from the darkness of ignorance to the Light of Knowledge?

Write your text here...Guru is not limited to form; Guru is the Divine wisdom or knowledge that leads us from the darkness to the light. Guru is hidden within us, and to start recognising it we need a human form in front of us who can mirror Guru within ourselves. The mind cannot grasp this concept otherwise. The only thing Guru does in form, is to show us the way to this Divine wisdom within ourselves. I and Guru are one and the same! As soon as that is realised we are able to merge with Guru or the Divinity within us.

I can only conclude by expressing my deepest gratitude to Guru – my beloved Guru Sri Bhagavan – by Whom I am able to experience this unique Love story in this life! I sincerely pray that many more lives may be touched by Guru and see the Light!