Mahanirvandin of Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj, who was an Epitome of Priti

Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj was the disciple of His Holiness Anantanand Saish, who transformed Him after keeping Him in a continuous spiritual trance for six months. In this period, when people took Him to be a lunatic and called Him a mad man, His Holiness Anantanand Saish said – He will make the whole world mad – a prophecy that did come true since He did make the world mad with His bhajans (Devotional songs).

His Holiness Anantanand Saish had said that the bhajans are not different from the Ramayan and the Geeta. These bhajans contain His philosophy, message to the world and the depths of His spiritual experiences. These bhajans have proved to be a search light for spiritual aspirants all over the world and a perennial source of rich fragrance for the devotees.

Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj is the Guru of Sachchidananda Parabrahman (Dr) Jayant Balaji Athavale, and with whose blessings the Sanatan Sanstha has been founded. Innumerable seekers and devotees of Saint Bhaktaraj Maharaj (Fondly called H.H. Baba) have had various spiritual experiences just by being in His presence or even thinking about Him.

Here is an invaluable glimpse into the life of H.H. Baba on the occasion of His Mahanirvandin (renouncing His mortal body) – Kartik Krushna 9 (6th December 2023).

1. Significant events in His spiritual life

Birth : 7_th July 1920 at Manasa, Madhya Pradesh, at 7.10 a.m.

First Darshan of His Guru, H.H. Shri Anantanand Saish : 9^th February 1956

Shri Guru giving the Gurumantra : 15^th February 1956

Shri Guru naming H.H. Baba as ‘Bhaktaraj’ : 16^th February 1956

Shri Guru renouncing His body : 12^th December 1957

H.H. Baba renouncing His body : 17^th November 1995 (Kartik Krushna 9)

2. Bhajans (Devotional songs)

Singing bhajans was H.H. Baba’s favourite mode of relaxation. In fact, H.H. Baba and bhajans are as good as synonyms. As a disciple, singing bhajans was His spiritual practice as well as seva. Standing before His Guru, He would sing bhajans for hours together.

After reaching the level of a Guru, His bhajans became a medium of advising the spiritually curious, and by becoming one with Chaitanya (Divine consciousness), preaching to His devotees.

3. Bhraman (Travel)

It is very doubtful if in the modern times there will be any other Saint such as H.H. Baba, who travelled lakhs of kilometres. Every second or third day, H.H. Baba would go to a new village or town. The purpose of His travel was to provide the disciples maximum opportunities to interact with the Guru, if they were to progress spiritually. Due to their worldly responsibilities, disciples could not visit H.H. Baba regularly; hence, He visited them.

Another reason for this travel was that instead of the disciples having to spend their time and money in travelling from Dhule, Jalgaon, Nashik, Pune, Mumbai and other cities to meet H.H. Baba, all of them from a particular city could meet Him when He came to these places. Thus, they would get the benefit of Guru-darshan (Seeing the Guru), Guru-satsang (Guru’s Holy company) and Guru-seva (Serving the Guru).

4. Bhandara (A festival of serving food)

Since donating food is considered a superior donation, H.H. Baba organised bhandaras (Festivals of serving food as a spiritual ritual) at thousands of places. This helped disciples develop closer ties with each other.

To bring consistency in the momentum of any task through bhandaras, he who forgets body-awareness can recognise God’s kriya-shakti (Energy of action) that provides energy to the physical body.

Through the three ‘bha’s – bhajan, bhraman and bhandara, H.H. Baba made an easier path of God-realisation available to the devotees.

5. H.H. Baba : An image of Priti (Spiritual love devoid of expectations)

Just as sweetness is the characteristic of sugar, Priti was the striking feature of H.H. Baba’s personality. His love was devoid of any expectations. Often, He was seen tucking His devotees into blankets or serving food to those visiting Him at odd times.

It was because H.H. Baba had blended with Priti that He liked having people around Him all the time. When there was no one around Him, He used to get restless; for, who would He then shower His love upon ! Devotees too would get attracted towards Him because of this single aspect of Priti.

6. An exceptional Guru

H.H. Baba used two modes of teaching to impart spiritual knowledge to His disciples – verbal as well as non-verbal (meaning, through spiritual experiences).

At times, however, when H.H. Baba spoke, we could not understand what He was teaching because the mind would go blank; we would go into a meditative state. Hence, H.H. Baba did not merely preach Spirituality or ask someone to perform spiritual practice, He in fact went a step ahead and saw to it that the disciples performed spiritual practice and chanted (God’s) Name.

7. Equal love for all disciples

It is natural for the Guru to have more or less love for the disciples depending on their bhav, just like the parents who have more or less love for their children; however, good parents do not show it. Similarly, the Guru also does not show it.

8. Giving to disciples whatever has been received from the Guru

The clouds shower rain uniformly everywhere; but water collects in low lying areas, and the mountain which stands rigidly remains dry. Similarly, Saints do not discriminate. Their compassionate gaze rests uniformly on all; however, only one who has surrendered unto Him with pure inner mind, gets befitting fruit according to his faith.

9. Perspective about the spread of Spirituality

H.H. Baba’s words : You keep walking ahead, the flock will gather behind you. If you look back, you will become a part of the flock.
Implied meaning : ‘You keep walking ahead’ is an advice to keep spreading Spirituality.

‘The flock will gather behind you’ refers to the development of seekers.

‘If you look back’ means if you ponder over how many have begun their spiritual practice, then ‘you will become a part of the flock’, means your progress will stop. Instead of guiding the flock, you will become one of them.

Those who are destined to, will perform spiritual practice. Any thought about whether others are performing spiritual practice or not, means having expectations of the fruit. You must not have that.

10. H.H. Baba answering questions

H.H. Baba would answer each question immediately. He never had to think twice. Each answer would be in minimum words, yet complete.
Many a times it would so happen that a seeker would go to H.H. Baba with a question in his mind and H.H. Baba would answer that question even before the seeker had asked Him.

H.H. Baba on the difference between Sanatan Dharma and other religions

This is a question He replied to instantly !

H.H. Baba : Other religions have neither renunciation nor detachment. In the word ‘Sanatan’, ‘स’ (‘Sa’) represents the essence of the Sun.
Sun symbolises Tej (Absolute Fire Principle). Worship of the Sun is essential for the Liberation of the soul. Some religions worship the Moon, which controls the mind. Just as Rahu and Ketu (Rahu is the ascending point where the Moon’s orbit cuts through the Earth’s orbit. Ketu is the descending point.) pursue the Moon, desires and doubts plague the mind. However, these do not affect the Sun.

(Ref.: Sanatan’s Text : ‘Practical guidance on spiritual practice’)

Through bhajan, bhraman and bhandara, H.H. Baba made an easier path of God-realisation available to the devotees !