Thus Began the Spiritual Revolution

First Yagya - Rawatpura

December 30, 1990

This time, Ravishri did not go to Lahar but went directly to Suresh Tripathi's house in Rawatpura and informed Suresh of his intention to stay. Suresh considered it his great fortune and immediately had the furniture removed from his house's sitting room, cleaned it, and arranged a cot and seating for Ravishri there. By this time, people had already heard discussions about Ravishri, and as soon as they received news of his return, they immediately started gathering around him. Ravishri first gave a strict instruction: 'I am staying here, but please, none of you will ever discuss any personal disputes inside my room, nor will you ever crowd here with the intention of wasting time.'

After this, Ravishri called the people of Rawatpura and, at Suresh's house itself on January 1, 1991, presented a proposal to everyone in a very firm manner: 'We want to organize a yagya at the temple here, and the support of all of you is necessary for this yagya.'

Tola, Rawatpura, and Bijora are three villages that are separate in name only; here, even the Sarpanch is elected as one from all three villages.

There is absolutely no atmosphere of alcohol or fighting in these villages, but the animal called ego that dwells within the people of not only these villages but the entire Jalaun region has become such a cause of terror and resentment that people have not only made it difficult for each other to live but are themselves badly afflicted by this ego problem. People hesitate to say it, otherwise, the dacoit problem came much later than this problem. Ravishri was perhaps aware of this problem, which is why he himself met with respected individuals in every village and told everyone, "We want to organize a yagya, and we want your cooperation. Without your cooperation, the yagya cannot be successful at all."

The experience of the Dhirpura Yagya was with Ravishri at every step, and the extent to which the Dhirpura Yagya had strengthened Ravishri's willpower can be easily estimated from the fact that during the Bhandara on his first arrival, when Suresh and Shyam told Ravishri that 'not to mention organizing a yagya here involving all three villages, even a Satyanarayan Katha cannot be held,' Ravishri had replied to this with a silent smile and did not discuss the yagya any further. Finally, while taking leave, Ravishri had said that he would come and perform the yagya next time. And this time, he came directly and stayed, and called a meeting regarding the yagya being held. All these things suggest that Ravishri had understood that "if you want success, don't make it your goal; just keep doing what you enjoy and have faith in, success will naturally come to you."

Wherever he felt the need, Ravishri would also display his abilities. The extent to which he would reveal them depended on the person in front of him. Where necessary, he himself would become the humble and helpless 'boy baba'. But one by one, before the announcement of the yagya, he had met with the influential people of all three villages and had 'prepared for the success of the announcement'. If no one opposed the announcement, half the yagya would be successful right there. 'A good beginning is half the battle won.'

Narayan Das Vyas from Tola village says, "When he first came to me, I was teaching at school. He came and introduced himself and expressed his desire to organize a yagya." Vyas ji lives in Tola village and is also the headmaster of the government school located there. Vyas ji assured his cooperation in the yagya but also expressed concern that the 'economy might not be as expected' in the yagya because people were financially broken due to the floods. Ravishri said, "You just give your cooperation; money will come from somewhere." Ravishri's simple words impressed Vyas ji, so he took Ravishri to his house nearby. By this time, Vyas ji was completely unaware of Ravishri's miracles. During a conversation, when Vyas ji mentioned his father's name, Ravishri recounted the names of his previous seven generations one by one. Hearing the names of his ancestors, whom even he did not know, from the mouth of a seventeen-year-old boy, Vyas ji was stunned. He only knew about his past three generations. At this time, his uncle, who was about 100 years old and alive, was immediately consulted, and he too only remembered the names of the past six generations, and those names were exactly the ones that Ravishri had mentioned, meaning the seventh name must also be correct. Vyas ji says, "This incident made me realize his divine powers. I immediately called the people of Tola and said that this boy, who is a direct saint in his childhood, wants to organize a yagya, and all of us have to cooperate in it."

"A yagya is to be held at the Rawatpura temple. Everyone's cooperation is necessary in this. The dates for this yagya have been fixed from April 28th to May 6th."

On January 13, 1991, i.e., one day before the Makar Sankranti festival, this announcement of the yagya was made at the Rawatpura temple in front of all influential, inactive, and active individuals, and immediately, an appeal for donations was made to the gentlemen present so that the initial tasks like printing receipt books, printing pamphlets, etc., could be expedited.

Sarnam Singh narrates an interesting psychological point from this time: as soon as the talk of donations started, 'Who is giving how much donation for the initial tasks?' a very poor laborer came forward and said first, 'Five hundred rupees from my side.' As soon as he said this, due to that personal problem inherent in people, which I mentioned earlier as a more dangerous problem than the dacoit problem, it became extremely necessary to speak up and outdo others, and in no time, a large sum was collected to tackle the initial problems.

Regarding the problem of ego, where there was resentment among people, as soon as this yagya was announced, a mixed form of unity, mutual cooperation, and religious harmony was also seen among the people of all three villages. Ravishri had killed that serious problem with his natural wisdom. Besides this, there was not even a trace of any other malice in these villages. On the day of the yagya announcement, i.e., January 13th, the major problem arose that there was no electricity and water at the temple.

But before this problem could take a severe form and spread its mouth wide, Shyam Tripathi immediately took this problem into his embrace, saying, 'This is my responsibility.' And in this way, it would not be wrong to say that Ravishri would not have seen such a beautiful start to any program anywhere else. However, the clear hand of Ravishri's vast experience and natural wisdom behind this magnificent beginning cannot be denied.

Shri Narayan Das Vyas was unanimously declared the 'treasurer' of the yagya, and all the committees were formed. Announcement in January and yagya at the end of April?

The reason for this long interval was the recent severe havoc wreaked by the Sonamriga River. Due to this, after deliberation, it was decided that the next crop should come first so that the flood victims could recover and also be able to contribute to the yagya. Only after this would it be appropriate and joyous to hold the yagya.

January 13th to April 28th, 1991

Among the other significant events besides the preparations for the yagya, the prominent one is Ravishri's discussion about his past life. Firstly, he told Suresh and Swamidin ji that he was Guinya Baba in his previous birth and that this was a familiar area for him. Regarding why he started this discussion, Swamidin ji says that during the preparations for the 'yagya', he mentioned the surrounding fields once or twice, saying that this land belonged to such and such a person. The person whose name he would take as if they were present, had already passed away, and their grandsons and great-grandsons currently owned that land. So, even though we had an idea of Ravishri's abilities, we were surprised. Then, several times when we questioned him about his powers, he once said that he was a self-realized saint and had lived in this area in his previous birth as Guinya Baba; this was his second birth.

Swamidin ji knew that some belongings of the saint Guinya Baba were kept at Narayan Das ji Vyas's place. Therefore, he went to Vyas ji and told him that the miraculous saint was calling himself Guinya Baba. Then Narayan Das ji called him and tested him (read further in the chapter titled 'Thrilling Experience'), in which Ravishri came out true. Then the layer of doubt automatically started peeling away from everyone's minds because although Ravishri had given proof of his being a Siddha through his abilities and miracles, it is not so easy to establish spontaneous faith in today's era. Moreover, it would not be wrong to say that the feeling of doubt is naturally a bit more prevalent in the nature of people in this dacoit-affected area. Anyway, as soon as the truth that 'Ravishri is the rebirth of Guinya Baba' was established, faith in this young saint started arising in people's hearts. The definition of faith itself says that 'when your natural intelligence tells you not to trust someone, and you still trust them, then that is 'faith'.'

During this time, after it was established that Ravishri was indeed Guinya Baba, Suresh Tripathi asked Ravishri how many past lives he remembered. Ravishri, in a casual manner, replied that he knew about many of his past lives, but what would you all do knowing them? I have also lived a householder's life, and in the last five births, I have been a Muslim, a Thakur, a Yadav, and after taking birth in a Brahmin family for the second consecutive time, I am in front of you all. Suresh Tripathi says, "We were stunned to hear these things from him. He said that the families of my previous births are still in front of me, growing in a chain. I know all of them. What is the benefit of telling those people? (Several days after this, Ravishri also introduced Suresh to a character from the extended chain of his previous Muslim family; read 'Thrilling Experience')."

During this time, Ravishri kept wandering around appealing to people for cooperation. A child from Khadaua had to say about Ravishri that 'there is no match for him in raising donations. From a person you would never expect anything, Ravishri would get through with the same ease.' It was certainly not just because of miracles that Ravishri was so successful in this. But there was something. Perhaps a person, deep down, feels ashamed by comparing their own religiosity with Ravishri's, or Ravishri somehow makes them aware of the truth that 'if you do not have generosity in your heart, then you have the worst and most serious kind of heart disease.'

During this time, Ravishri not only toured the surrounding area but also kept making people aware of the yagya and continued to use his amazing talent for building personal relationships.

For the support of this yagya, he also toured outside the area several times, visiting Senvdha, Lahar, as well as Datia, Dabra, Gwalior, Sagar, etc. Finally, crossing February and March, April 28th also arrived. The good harvest that people had this time had doubled the enthusiasm for the yagya.

First Yagya - Rawatpura

Let's take a look at the key aspects of this yagya:

• The first announcement of this yagya was made on January 13, 1991, in the Rawatpura temple complex. Besides the people from Tola, Rawatpura, and Bijora, some individuals from nearby villages were also present. The dates for the yagya were set from April 28, 1991, to May 6, 1991.
• After the announcement of the yagya, the bushes etc., around the temple were cleared. Otherwise, there was always a risk of poisonous creatures inhabiting these thickets near the temple.
• The main workers in this yagya were from the villages of Tola, Rawatpura, and Bijora. The unprecedented unity and spirit of cooperation among the three villages were highly appreciated by the people.
• In this yagya, only the havan kund (sacrificial fire pit) of the yagyashala and the boundary wall around it were constructed.
• Apart from other committees, a special advisory committee was also formed in this yagya, which was entrusted with special powers, under which it had the authority to intervene in the work of every committee.
• Donations for this yagya were mainly collected from these three villages. Additionally, support was also received from individuals in Gwalior, Bhind, Etawah, Indergarh, Senvdha, and Lahar.
• Ravishri had started staying in the temple complex about fifteen days before the yagya. After that, his permanent arrangement was made here.
• Before this yagya, on April 27, 1991, Ravishri shaved his head for the first time and wore a loincloth (langot) for the first time.
• It was not at all the case that Ravishri had been able to completely establish his image as trustworthy in front of the villagers by this yagya. Siyaram Shastri of Rawatpura, who is one of Ravishri's ardent devotees today, kept thinking until the very end of this yagya that he might run away with all the money and goods.
• During the yagya, Ravishri had his hut built some distance from the yagyashala, where the main gate of the temple is today.
• Despite the arrangement of water by boring in the well in this yagya, tankers continued to bring water from the Lahar Municipality.
• In this yagya, the fire was kindled by mantras. Interestingly, when the fire did not ignite despite the continuous chanting of the initial pandits, Ravishri said, 'The fire is sleeping at this time; it will ignite exactly at 2:15 PM after the chanting by Ramadhar Pujari of Tola.' Ultimately, when the fire ignited at the time specified by him, the pandits who had considered him a child until then bowed down before him.
• The auspicious beginning of this yagya was marked by a water procession on April 28, 1991, and it concluded with the Bhandara on May 7, 1991, after the Purnahuti (final offering) on May 6, 1991.
• The Parikshit (narrator) in this yagya was Ravishri himself, but he would only come forward for the main tasks. In his place, he had seated Shri Ramashankar ji Tripathi from Bijora village.
• The discourse givers invited for this yagya were Avadhbihari Sharan from Ayodhya and Sitaram Khare 'Chatak' from Bhander.
• Rameshchand Shastri from Samthar was invited as the Yagyacharya (chief priest), Charansevak Shastri from Fatehpur as the Up-Yagyacharya (deputy chief priest), and Hargovind Dixit from Datia as the Bhagavatacharya (reciter of Bhagavat Purana).
• The Raas Mandal (a group performing the traditional dance depicting the life of Krishna) of ChaturBhuj Swami came from Vrindavan for this yagya, which started every night at ten o'clock.
• Special arrangements were made for the stay and meals of Naga Babas and saints in this yagya. Due to this, thousands of sadhus and saints remained present here throughout the yagya. Ravishri remained on a fast for nine consecutive days during this yagya. He said that as soon as he broke his fast, the Bhandara would become empty. The fact that the Bhandara remained full of grain and sacks of sugar until the very end astonished the devotees working there, and the sudden emptying of the Bhandara as soon as Ravishri broke his fast was another astonishing miracle.
• About thirty thousand people were present in the Bhandara that took place after this yagya, including about ten thousand sadhus, saints, and Naga Babas.
• Only sixty sacks of sugar and two quintals of ghee were spent in this yagya.
• According to the treasurer of this yagya, Narayan Dutt Vyas, about five lakh rupees in cash, and wheat, ghee, lentils, and rice separately were collected in donations, and only seventy-two thousand rupees remained after the yagya.
• Ravishri had not given any indication to anyone until the end of this yagya that he would now stay at this place.
• There was no discussion of any kind about 'Deoraha Baba' by Ravishri until this yagya.
• Most of the people who had come from Dabra, Gwalior, Bhind, Datia, Urai, Konch, Jalaun, Indergarh, Senvdha, Lahar, etc., who had become acquainted with Ravishri during the previous yagyas, and almost all the people from Rawatpura, Tola, and Bijora thought that perhaps after the yagya, he would move to a new place. This was because the feeling that people got by observing his way of life, his continuous miracles and extraordinary abilities on one hand, and his carefree, mendicant-like unique and bird-like independent attitude on the other, could perhaps be expressed by this couplet of Mirza Ghalib:
  
  "Badalkar bhes faqiron ka hum Ghalib,
  Tamasha ahle watan dekhte hain ......."
  (Changing the guise of mendicants, O Ghalib,
  We watch the spectacle of our countrymen......)
  

And the Situation Today -

Those who witnessed Ravishri's childhood and adolescence are astonished; that time feels like a gust of wind to them. On one hand, there was playing together, operating the Persian wheel, grazing cows, playing and jumping around, and now, on the other hand...

Phaile toh is tarah ki kaynat pe chha gaye,

Simte toh is tarah ki dil mein sama gaye....!

(He spread in such a way that he covered the universe,

He contracted in such a way that he fit into the heart...!)

Ravishri's father says, "The biggest thing is that there is no attachment in him at all, no attachment of any kind. The more a person is away from attachment, the closer he is to God." When Ravishri's mother was asked what she thinks now that her son has crossed India and is progressing towards the world...

The embodiment of maternal love, with tears filling her eyes, says very emotionally...

"Dev pitar sab tumhi gosain,
Rakhu palak nayan ki nain."
(O Gosain! May all the gods and ancestors protect you in the same way that eyelids protect the eyes.)