Ravishri's Previous Birth: Guiyan Baba Paramhans

His Previous Birth

Guinya Baba Paramhans

In the Lahar region of Bhind district, a saint who was believed to be in the state of Paramhansa (the highest spiritual state) used to visit frequently, and people knew him as 'Guinya Baba'. When Ravishri came to this area, he gave people several proofs that 'Guinya Baba' was his previous birth.

In Bundeli, 'Guinya' means friend, and the reason behind his being famous by the name Guinya was his association with young children, playing with them, and addressing those childhood friends as Guinya.

Guinya Baba was last authentically seen in this area until May 8, 1967, when he attended a wedding at the Vyas family's house in Tola village. Many people who saw 'Guinya Baba' directly are still alive, who narrate his stories as if they happened yesterday.

Nadigao, Tola, Rawatpura, Mihauni, Salampura, Kakroli – all these villages are within a radius of twenty-five kilometers from the Rawatpura temple, and 'Guinya Baba' used to visit these villages often. 'Guinya Baba' did not have any special attachment to the Rawatpura temple; it was merely a place to stop, where he never performed any rituals or prayers other than offering a prostrated salutation.

Regarding when Guinya Baba started coming to this area, the elders here say that it is very difficult to give an accurate answer regarding his age because these elders' fathers and even their grandfathers used to say that they played with 'Guinya Baba' in their childhood. Guinya Baba was a resident of this region. Shri Laxminarayan ji Mishra, an elder of the family in which he was born, who is about sixty-five years old, says that he is the fifth generation descendant of Guinya Baba. Shri Laxminarayan ji lives with his family in Salampura village. He narrates that their village used to be Mihauni earlier, which was situated about seven kilometers from here on the banks of the Pahuj River.

The information received from Salampura and Mihauni villages is quite interesting. Based on Shri Laxminarayan's account and other combined information, the story of 'Guinya Baba' and his family emerges somewhat like this in legends:

Raja Vrisinh Dev, who was known as the sole king of nine thrones, had several jagirdars (feudal lords), one of whom was the Chaudhary family of Mihauni. When Raja Vrisinh Dev came from Kashi, this family had accompanied him.

Raja Vrisinh Dev had a fort (Garhi) in Mihauni; he later moved from there to live in Datia. After his departure, the jagirdari of this place was given to the Chaudhary family. This jagirdari included 'fifty-six' villages in present-day Madhya Pradesh and sixteen villages in present-day Uttar Pradesh.

This jagirdar family had the authority to impose sentences of up to six months. Additionally, the work of collecting revenue, addressing public grievances, and looking after their interests was their responsibility. This was around V.S. 1650 (Vikram Samvat), approximately four hundred years ago.

It is said that the iron gate installed in the Datia fort was originally located in the Garhi of Mihauni, which was installed in Datia on the orders of Raja Vrisinh Dev.

Raja Vrisinh Dev had nine sons, and each had a throne, which is why Datia was called the 'state of nine thrones'.

Raja Vrisinh Dev once organized a yagya in Mihauni village and asked his sons to bring nine 'man' (an old unit of weight) of gold for the yagya. His intention was just nine 'man', but when all the sons brought 9 'man' of gold each, the yagya was completed with 81 'man' of gold.

That historical yagyashala still exists in Mihauni village. The havan kund (sacrificial fire pit) of this yagyashala is approximately 25 feet square, with steps all around it.

In this yagyashala, an idol of a goddess made of stone lies upside down. It is said that a butcher's cow used to come and stand on that idol every day. This idol was installed near the yagyashala. The cow used to bathe the idol with its milk. Once, the butcher secretly watched all this, and in anger, he cut off the cow's head with a single blow of his sword. Not only was the idol bathed in the cow's blood, but the yagyashala was also stained with blood.

At the same time, this idol uprooted itself from its place and fell into the yagyashala, and the yagyashala filled with water. Even today, when the water dries up in the summer, that idol is seen lying upside down; otherwise, during other seasons, the water level is so high that there is no question of seeing the idol.

Near this yagya kund is a temple of Sheetla Mata (goddess of smallpox). It is difficult to estimate the antiquity of this temple; it is possibly also from the time of Raja Vrisinh Dev. There is an inscription (beejak) on the main gate of this temple, according to which a wealthy person renovated the yagyashala in V.S. 1819. This renovation by this person also happened due to a miraculous reason. The language of this beejak is not understood, but people say that this person's son had died untimely, and shortly before his cremation, he received information that if the deceased was bathed with the water of the yagyashala, he could come back to life. The wealthy person said that if this happened, he would first renovate the place and only then leave. As soon as he bathed his deceased son with the water of the yagya kund and repeated his vow, his son woke up, rubbing his eyes.

The last jagirdar of this family, which was called the jagirdar of Raja Vrisinh Dev, was Shri Mulu Chaudhary. His younger brother's name was Naval Ju Chaudhary, who later became famous as 'Guinya Baba'.

It is said that Naval Ju Chaudhary did not marry and, besides farming at home, also worked as a priest and was a renowned astrologer.

Naval Ju Chaudhary had told everyone at home that he would not eat stale bread, and whoever cooked his food should bathe and then prepare it. Once, there was some 'argument' between the brother-in-law and sister-in-law on this matter, and Naval Ju Chaudhary left forever.

At the time of this incident, Naval Ju's age was about 'seventy years'. Many men were sent to search for him, a lot of money was spent, there was no lack of anything in the family at that time, but to no avail, and as fifteen-twenty years passed, people forgot Naval Ju, assuming that 'he must have passed away by now'.

Mulu Chaudhary's son, Matadin Chaudhary, the elder brother of Naval Ju, also had two brothers. When the elder brother died prematurely, first his elder sister-in-law and then, after about 7-8 years, when the younger brother died, his younger sister-in-law became a Sati (self-immolated herself on the funeral pyre) at the same place. This place is known as 'Sati ki Madiya' (the shrine of the Sati) and even today, this Madiya located in Salampura has great significance.

In V.S. 1886, Matadin Chaudhary left Mihauni with his family and settled in Salampura. The reason for settling in Salampura was that first, an epidemic broke out in Mihauni, and then such a flood came in the 'Pahujanadi' (Pahuj River) that the entire Mihauni village, situated at a considerable height from the river level, was engulfed by the flood. There is a legend in the village behind this flood and epidemic, according to which someone unknowingly tampered with a platform of Hardaul (a local deity) near 'Garhi Mihauni' (Mihauni Fort), which is still standing, as a result of which it broke from one side. Upon breaking, a golden bed was seen spread inside it, and that same night, Matadin had a dream that the village that was Mihauni would now be deserted. In the morning, an epidemic broke out on one side, and the Pahuj River took on a fierce form on the other, and as a result, people had to leave this village. Matadin Chaudhary left Mihauni and settled with his family on his fields; that place is now known as 'Salampura'. It is said that when Mihauni village was deserted, eighty-four new villages were established; it used to be such a large village that it would be appropriate to call it a town.

Salampura is about seven kilometers from Mihauni. These are villages situated in the ravines of Chambal in the district, where contact is lost due to the marshy land as soon as the rains come. The natural beauty of Mihauni village, situated on the riverbank, is worth seeing. Reaching here while passing through the ravines gives a thrilling feeling. Some gang of dacoits or the other always roams here. Only the bricks of those ruins now remain on the hills here, which once had the glory of being forts or houses. A part of the fort's gate still stands as a witness to old stories. A well built at the same time is also present nearby. Looking at the bricks scattered on the hills there sends a shiver down the spine. Buildings once stood here with these very bricks, there was bustle, people lived here; even the 'bricks here tell that the ruins were once grand.' There are dense bushes on these hills, and those bushes contain dangerous poisonous snakes. People say that many come to these hills in the greed of digging for wealth, and many have become victims of untimely death after being bitten by these snakes. Occasionally, one or two gold and silver coins are often found by the farmers here while farming.

After the death of Matadin Chaudhary, a saint came to Salampura who first became famous among the people for reaching Mauni and staying in a headstand for several hours on the riverbank, then came to Salampura from Mihauni with someone. This saint liked to be with children only, playing with them, talking to them, and the saint's way of talking was just like children. People noticed that several times that saint would disappear while playing with children, and the crying children would keep searching for him. This saint never told anyone anything about himself.

Once it was raining. Seeing the Sati's shrine nearby, some elders stopped under it to wait for the rain to stop. Suddenly, their gaze fell on that saint standing under a tree, shivering while getting wet in the rain. People called out to him to come inside the shrine, but he did not come. When everyone reached the village after the rain stopped, the reason why he did not come inside the shrine became a topic of discussion.

The saintly man was called and asked, but at first, he kept refusing that 'it was nothing', but when the villagers did not agree, the saintly man said to an elder, "Can you put your foot on your daughter-in-law's chest? That shrine belongs to my daughter-in-law; I am Naval Ju Chaudhary of the Chaudhary family of this village."

This incident happened about 50-60 years after Naval Ju Chaudhary left the village. Some elders of the village who were preparing to renounce the world and were previously acquainted with Naval Ju were called and asked to identify the saint.

The upper joint of the thumb of Naval Ju Chaudhary's right hand had been cut by a billhook while making fodder, and this was his mark. The mark was found. After this, the saintly man told about all his other relationships, and a wave of surprise mixed with happiness ran through the people.

By this time, he had come to be known as 'Guinya Baba' because of playing and jumping with children and addressing them as his 'Guinya' (friends). Guinya Baba had no concern for caste or creed, nor was there any religious discrimination within him. There were many unnatural things in his nature, due to which he came to be called Guinya Baba in the form of a child. He would talk like children, get his clothes dirty in the soil while playing with children, and behave like children if someone fed him. On one hand, this was his nature, and on the other hand, he was also an amazing physician. From snake bites and scorpion stings to incurable diseases, they would be cured by his herbs.

Whoever learned saint or scholar saw him would say that he was a Paramhansa.

He would make very few people his disciples. Even if he did, he would teach someone to wield a stick, someone wrestling moves, and someone the herbs for incurable diseases.

'Guinya Baba' used to say that his guru's name was Lal Ji Sarkar, who lived in Nepal. Lal Ji Sarkar, who lived amidst dense forests in Nepal, had made 'Guinya Baba' proficient in every art, then tested him, and when he saw that he had become fully proficient, he gave him permission to travel the country.

This was 'Guinya Baba's' first change of body, as a result of which, after about one hundred and twenty years of age, when he returned, he looked like a young man of 25-30 years. After this first change of body, when he started aging again, his hair turned white, wrinkles appeared on his face, the people who saw him at that age, who were children in their childhood, are still alive. They say that Guinya Baba then disappeared for five-six years, and when he returned, his body had been transformed.

Guinya Baba used to say, 'We have changed our body.' His loose skin had tightened again, a new set of teeth had grown, and his white hair had turned black again. Amazing agility and a bright aura had appeared on his face, his body had become sturdy again, and at this time, when 'Guinya Baba's' age was about two hundred years, he looked only twenty-five to thirty years old.

Now let's meet those children who used to play with this two-hundred-year-old supernatural man, who are now about sixty to seventy-five years old.

Sarnam Singh, who is a resident of Kakroli village and is currently in his seventies, is renowned as a skilled physician. He came into contact with Guinya Baba when he was only twelve or thirteen years old. Sarnam Singh was one of Guinya Baba's favorite disciples. Guinya Baba had made him proficient in wielding a stick, knowledge of herbs, the art of pulse diagnosis, etc. Sarnam Singh is so skilled in pulse diagnosis that he can tell you what disease you have had since when, why it happened, on which side you sleep, what you like to eat, etc., etc.

Regarding how he met Guinya Baba, he says that Rajaram Pujari ji of Nadigao had great respect for Guinya Baba, and Guinya Baba often used to visit his place.

Once, Guinya Baba was sitting at a goldsmith's shop getting amulets etc. made. Meanwhile, Sarnam had come to Nadigao from his village to grind wheat when Sarnam's companion said, 'Perhaps Guinya Baba is at that goldsmith's place.' Reaching the goldsmith's shop, Sarnam touched Guinya Baba's feet, and Guinya Baba asked for his introduction.

After the introduction, Guinya Baba asked, 'What do you want?' Sarnam Singh insisted on him coming to his house, so Guinya Baba immediately agreed. But there was a problem with his belongings; however, Sarnam had an army of his peers with him. Everyone picked up one item each, and Guinya Baba came to Kakroli, which was Sarnam's village.

At this time, Guinya Baba's attire was a long red robe that reached his knees, a stick in his hand, a tobacco pouch, and large pouches hanging on both sides of his neck, tied together, which he called 'Khurji'.

Guinya Baba stayed in Kakroli for a few days and then left, promising to return after rejuvenating his body. About six years later, when Guinya Baba returned as a young man again, Sarnam was 18 years old and had also gotten married.

Guinya Baba then initiated Sarnam, and Sarnam renounced meat and alcohol from that very moment.

On the way from Gwalior to Senvdha, there is a town called 'Mau'. When Guinya Baba came from Nepal for the first time, he stayed at a Devi ji's temple at this place for about forty years and renovated that temple before going to Salampura.

Sarnam Singh narrates that once a wedding procession came from Mau, and Guinya Baba also reached that wedding from Nadigao. He started calling the elders who had come in that procession by their names. Those elders were surprised! Then, upon introduction, it was found that those elders had played with this young saint in their childhood.

All the elders bowed down at Guinya Baba's feet.

Once, Sarnam Singh and Guinya Baba were wandering in the forest when suddenly a camel, belonging to the Banjara (nomadic community), came there. That camel was called 'Katna-Unt' (biting camel), which had spread terror in the surrounding villages and had bitten many men and women. The Banjara also took advantage of its terror and would leave it in the fields; no one dared to chase it away out of fear. Seeing that camel, Sarnam got scared and was about to run, but Guinya Baba stopped him, saying, 'We are two, what can it do to us alone?' Now Guinya Baba stood on one side and Sarnam on the other, with the camel in the middle. Sometimes it would run towards Guinya Baba, and Sarnam would swing his stick from behind; sometimes it would run towards Sarnam, and Guinya Baba's stick would land. In such a situation, Guinya Baba's stick landed so hard on the camel's jaw that the camel forgot to attack and sat down, wandering around. Then, as soon as Guinya Baba placed his hand on it, it started behaving like a pet. In the evening, when the Banjara's camel did not return, they came looking for it and were surprised to see it tied at Sarnam's house. Guinya Baba first scolded the Banjara, then upon their apology, blessed them, saying, "From today, the camel will give up its biting habit," and from that day, that camel truly became extremely gentle. During this incident, Sarnam was learning the art of wielding a stick from Guinya Baba. After the fight with the camel, Guinya Baba said, 'Today you have passed your test; now no one can defeat you.'

Seeing Guinya Baba, animals would surprisingly abandon their violent nature. Once, as Sarnam and Guinya Baba entered a village, people shouted, 'Baba, that dog is dangerous, it bites!' Even as they shouted, before anyone could react, a dog came running fiercely, growling, but the sound of 'Om' came from Guinya Baba's mouth at that very moment, and the dog started clinging to his feet as if it were a pet.

Sarnam says that he would only chant 'Om', and when he bathed, seven or eight people would bathe him together. He would keep chanting 'Om' continuously, and during this time, a stream of water had to be poured over him continuously; the flow of water should not stop until his chanting stopped. Regarding Guinya Baba's sleeping, Sarnam says that he had strict instructions: 'If anyone comes to meet, just say 'Om'. If I call out at that time, understand that I am awake, but if I don't answer, do not touch my body; otherwise, you will only find my dead body.'

In the villages, for cows or bulls that are aggressive, they would tie three sticks together to form a triangle and put it around their necks, as a result of which they could not run fast and always felt uncomfortable. So that they do not become a problem for others, a problem was put around their necks. Seeing such a triangle around the neck of a bull, Guinya Baba called its owner and scolded him, saying, 'What if this was put around your neck?' The owner stood with folded hands and started telling about the bull's aggressive nature. Guinya Baba said to the bull, "All this is the result of your past lives; mend your ways now." Then he said to the owner, 'It will not trouble you anymore; remove this wood from it.' The wood was removed from that bull, and truly, it became incredibly gentle and calm.

Once, when he was coming from Lahar to Nadigao through the forest, a leopard was seen chasing a mare. The mare's owner was also shouting and lamenting from afar. Guinya Baba uttered the sound of 'Om' so loudly that the mare, which was running away, heard that sound and turned its path towards him and came running and stood behind Guinya Baba. When the pursuing leopard was about to come near him, upon saying 'Om' once again, that leopard ran away from there as if it was now in danger of being preyed upon. People were stunned by this incident.

He would accomplish even the biggest events so peacefully and naturally that people were amazed, and upon asking, he would give childlike answers. On this incident, he said, "What could that little 'Chukhariya' (leopard cub) do to us... we had a stick... we wouldn't let anything happen to our 'Ghuraiya' (mare)."

Learned scholars called him a Paramhansa, villagers considered him an incarnate being, and children saw him as their friend. Regarding money, he used to say, "This Maya (illusion of wealth) is a serpent, it bites," hence he never touched money.

Every eighth day, on Wednesday, a barber would shave his head, beard, and mustache; he would not let any hair remain on his body.

After making Sarnam proficient in the art of medicine, he would have people treated by him. People would come to Sarnam and tell him their problems. As soon as Sarnam would reach Guinya Baba with the problem, he would understand without being told and give the relevant herb. While wandering through the forests, he would keep telling Sarnam the identification of herbs and also the method of their use.

He had a special way of tying his loincloth, called the Nagphani (snake-hood) loincloth, which did not leave marks on the waist! He taught the same to Sarnam. Sarnam's respect for his guru is to such an extent that he even calls the Nagphani style the grace of his guru.

Sarnam still has Guinya Baba's 'lota' (water pot), 'takhat' (wooden platform), 'khadau' (wooden sandals), and 'khurji' (shoulder bag), and also a doll named 'Bhatti'. 'Putariya' refers to dolls made of cloth and rags. Making dolls and gifting them to children was Guinya Baba's special pastime. Once, while making a doll, a needle pierced his finger, and blood came out and soaked into the doll.

Then Guinya Baba left that doll half-finished and said that it was 'Bhatti', it had drunk his blood. Among the items Sarnam has, the 'lota' is made of 'Kaskut' metal, on which 'Mathura Shri Ganga Ji Haridwar' is written, and it can hold about two and a half liters of water. Regarding the 'takhat', Sarnam says that no tantric can sit on it, though ordinary people can sit on it. Besides this, there are 'khadau' made of sheesham wood and a bamboo stick 6 feet 2 inches long, which Guinya Baba always kept with him. The instruction for the 'lota' was to keep using it but not to give it to anyone. Sarnam still worships the 'khadau' regularly.

Once, Guinya Baba went with Sarnam to a village called Baraua, where Sarnam had relatives. As soon as they reached there, the news of Guinya Baba's arrival spread in the village. In this village, a man in his mid-thirties had contracted leprosy; he had a young wife and small children. As soon as the news of Guinya Baba's arrival reached his house, his wife and parents came running. At that time, the custom was that if someone got leprosy, not only would they be expelled from the village, but they would also be buried alive by giving it the name of 'Samadhi' (entombment). As soon as the sound of the wife and mother's pleading reached Guinya Baba, who was sitting inside, he ordered Sarnam to call the patient. He stayed in that village for a month and treated him with herbs. When he became completely healthy, Guinya Baba returned.

Sarnam says that once when he was staying at our house, twelve or thirteen boys decided that today they would all attack him together. Guinya Baba's stick fighting was famous; all the boys were his peers but wanted to see how he fought. The boys decided that they would not tell him; the attack would be sudden.

All the boys came to Sarnam's house together and said, 'Let's go bathe in the river; we'll bathe Guinya Baba too.' Guinya Baba heard the boys' voices and said, 'You all go ahead; I'll come from behind.' After this, Guinya Baba told Sarnam, 'Take out the soot from the bullock cart wheel.' Applying the soot to one end of his stick, Guinya Baba set off towards the river with Sarnam. On the way, those fourteen boys were lying in ambush. Reaching that spot, Guinya Baba stood up himself and said, 'Come on, Guinyas!' All the boys were taken aback, but then what was the point of hiding? Coming out, they all attacked. Guinya Baba wielded his stick so fast that everyone was bewildered, and in the end, Guinya Baba kept disarming everyone one by one. Sarnam says that after disarming them, Guinya Baba told everyone to look at their hands and feet. Everyone had a soot mark somewhere, someone on their elbow, someone on their knee. Guinya Baba said, 'Why? You all came from home determined to fight me; you all became 'Kichch'.' The word 'Kichch' was Guinya Baba's word, just like children speak. Saying, 'All the Guinyas have become Kichch,' Guinya Baba teased those boys for a long time, then everyone bathed Guinya Baba.

Sarnam says, "He often used to meditate at night. At night, there were strict instructions that no one should touch him, and while he slept, we would see that his breathing was almost non-existent, as if he was lying holding his breath. It often happened that he would sleep near us and put me on guard, and upon waking up, he would say that he had gone to such and such a village. At the same time, he would be sleeping near me and also be in another village at the same time. People used to argue about this, saying, 'You are lying; he was here.' Then Guinya Baba would explain to me that he was telling the truth. After this happened many times, I also understood that everything was possible for him."

Guinya Baba often used to visit Tola village, which is located near the Rawatpura temple. Rameshwar Dayal Tripathi, a resident here, had also received initiation from Guinya Baba. According to the information given by Narayan Das Vyas, Baburam Vyas, Mayaram Vyas, and Rameshwar Tripathi, Vishwanath Vyas of this village was paramount in wrestling in the entire Bhind district. He would learn wrestling techniques only from Guinya Baba, and Guinya Baba always blessed him that as long as he was in the arena, no one else could win. Whoever Guinya Baba gave an amulet to, saying, 'Go and take this Kishkindha mountain,' that person would ultimately prove to be the hero of the arena.

Once, there was a Katha (religious discourse) organized at the Vyas family's place in Tola village. Guinya Baba was resting inside. The Katha ended, but Guinya Baba did not wake up for a long time. About two hours later, when he woke up, he immediately said, 'Here, put this loincloth out to dry.' Everyone looked in surprise; Guinya Baba was wearing another dry loincloth. When everyone asked the reason for the wet one, he said, 'Just went to bathe in the Ganges,' but people said that they would only believe it if he brought back sand and shells from the Ganges. The next day, Guinya Baba again slept in the same way, and when he woke up, he had a wet loincloth in one hand and sand and shells etc. in the other.

Guinya Baba used to eat tobacco, and some of his disciples had also picked up this habit and would often take out tobacco from his pouch and eat it. Once, Guinya Baba was resting at Vyas ji's place when his disciple Baburam said that his pouch was empty and he wanted to eat tobacco. Saying this, Baburam came back into the same room and felt that perhaps the pouch was full. He looked and indeed it was full of all the items. He thought that someone must have given it. After eating tobacco, he came outside, and a person from the village who ran a shop in Lahar came to Vyas ji's house for some work. Seeing Guinya Baba on the takhat, he was badly startled and said, 'He was just in Lahar!' Vyas ji said that he had been sleeping here for an hour, but the shopkeeper did not believe it, saying that there was no question of him being mistaken; he had seen his pouch full of betel nut, cloves, and cardamom when he came to the shop. 'Look at his pouch,' he said. Now it was Vyas ji's turn to be surprised.

A person named Deen Baba, who was very proud of his horsemanship, started urging Guinya Baba to come to his house. His house was about seven or eight kilometers from Tola village. Guinya Baba agreed to go. But 'Deen Baba' was on a mare, and Guinya Baba's principle was that a male would ride a male animal; he would sit on a horse or a camel but never on a mare or a female camel. Finally, he said to Deen Baba, 'You run on the mare, I'll come on foot; let's see who reaches first.' Deen Baba saw no chance of losing in the bet and said, 'Agreed!' and Deen Baba spurred his mare. But when he reached his house after running, Guinya Baba was sitting under a tree, waiting for him at his house.

Narayan Das ji Vyas narrates that Guinya Baba was extremely fond of ghee (clarified butter) in his food; eating about 250 grams of ghee at a time was a normal thing for him. Like Ravishri, Guinya Baba also had long arms reaching his knees (ajaanubhuja). Besides this, he was about five feet six inches tall, had a dusky complexion, a muscular body, a broad chest, strong arms, long palms, a strong grip, broad feet, sharp features, a prominent forehead, and large eyes that appeared half-closed and always engrossed in deep thought.

"We never saw him doing Bhajan-Poojan (devotional singing and worship); he only used to chant 'Om'," Vyas ji says.

Regarding Bhajan-Poojan, Sarnam Singh says that Guinya Baba used to say that 'people only make a show of counting beads etc.' He often recited this couplet:

Mala phairen maskhara, karen Ram se het.

Mala rakh dai mendh pai, lage ukhaadan khet.

(The hypocrite counts beads, pretending love for Ram.

He puts the rosary on the ridge and starts uprooting the field.)

Sarnam says that Guinya Baba used to sing Bhajans; he had a very sweet voice. If he agreed to sing a Bhajan, the whole village would gather to listen to him. He would hold cymbals in his hands, play them, and sing Bhajans.

Mayaram Vyas narrates that he always used to crack betel nuts with his mouth; if someone used a nutcracker, it was fine, otherwise, there was no need.

Guinya Baba used to stay continuously for six months at a stretch even in Tola village. His fame had spread to all the surrounding villages and towns, but he avoided showing miracles.

The miracles he performed were mostly out of compulsion and in front of his acquaintances or solely for the purpose of helping someone; besides this, he did not like crowds and noise.

Rameshwar Dayal Tripathi narrates that Guinya Baba used to receive invitation cards written in Nepali language, with the address written in English on them. Guinya Baba could read that language. Those cards contained information about the festivals held at his guru's place.

At Narayan Das Vyas's place, Guinya Baba's 'marudar' stick, about 6 feet 2 inches long, a yellow cloth called 'Achala', and 'khadau' are still kept. This 'marudar' stick has wooden blocks attached to it, due to which its weight has become about three kilograms. Guinya Baba used to surprisingly rotate this stick from one end using only the strength of his wrist, which seems impossible for an ordinary person. It is said that once, near Gwalior, butchers were herding about two to two and a half hundred cows. Coincidentally, Guinya Baba happened to pass by the same route. As soon as the cows smelled Guinya Baba, they followed him, leaving the road behind. When the butchers saw this sight, they were first astonished, then enraged, and surrounded Guinya Baba. Everyone had swords and axes etc., and Guinya Baba only had this 'marudar' stick. It was a fight of twenty-five against one, but one by one, everyone was defeated. Finally, after getting all of them locked up in the police station and the cows in the cattle pound, Guinya Baba came to Tola. The marks of swords and axes, filled with wax, can still be seen in many places on his 'marudar' stick.

Vyas ji says that no one except Guinya Baba could even lift this stick. When Ravishri came and called himself Guinya Baba, Narayan Das ji had proposed to lift this stick in front of the entire village. Kedar Tripathi of Rawatpura narrates that Guinya Baba used to have a weapon made by joining deer antlers together like a long stick, which he called 'Maru'. He would use the 'Maru' as a shield with one hand and wield the stick with the other.

Guinya Baba often stayed at Pt. Rajaram ji Mishra's place in Nadigao. That was his main abode in this area. Pt. Rajaram ji Mishra was a highly learned and religious man. Pt. Rajaram ji Mishra is no more, but according to the information given by his wife, Smt. Shanti Devi, son Pt. Akhilesh Mishra, and sister Ramkishori Devi about Guinya Baba, he was a yogi with numerous divine powers. Through his divine vision, he could not only accurately predict the future but also describe distant events happening in the present with absolute precision. He possessed an amazing ability not only to read the minds and thoughts of any creature but also to change them. He had a supernatural power to see into the past lives of any person or creature. Numerous Riddhis and Siddhis (spiritual powers) were with him, due to which he was renowned as a Paramhansa saint. Guinya Baba would sit with Pt. Rajaram ji for hours, engaging in spiritual discussions and also helping Rajaram ji in astrology. For example, if someone came to the Pandit ji to match horoscopes for his daughter's marriage with a boy, and Guinya Baba was present at that time, he would tell the Pandit ji that this person's daughter was not destined to marry this boy; her marriage was to happen at a certain place, and he should send her there.

Akhilesh Mishra narrates that Guinya Baba would disappear while playing with me, and I would go to my mother and cry, asking where he had gone. Despite all these strange and extraordinary traits, Guinya Baba's incomprehensible nature was his childlike behavior. Complete naturalness, a child-like nature would arise within him, which would also be stubborn, cry, laugh, and show various expressions just like children. He would cry if he got dirty, saying, 'Chhi chhi, it got dirty,' cry if he ate something spicy, saying, 'Gave me something hot,' and complain in a child's style. Besides all this, Guinya Baba was extremely fond of dressing up. He would get cream and powder applied to his face like a four-five-year-old child, then put on a bindi, keep long nails, apply henna, and after dressing up and looking in the mirror, he would become overwhelmed with emotion seeing his reflection and start crying.

Hariram Adjaria of Nadi-gaon narrates that he would cry looking at his face in the mirror because 'the childlike feeling within him would yearn to hold that reflection, and he would cry at his own helplessness, that why couldn't he touch it.' He had the right to ownership of a strange and wonderful personality. The curiosity of all these people about this strange and peculiar nature of the Paramhansa was satisfied by the then Chairman of the District Board and renowned Pandit Bal Mukund ji Shastri, who is no more. Pt. Akhilesh Mishra says that Shastri ji used to describe this nature of Guinya Baba as the natural state of a Paramhansa. Shastri ji was considered a well-known spiritual Pandit not only in Orai and Jalaun but also in Uttar Pradesh. Sarnam Singh says that both Guinya Baba and Bal Mukund ji Shastri respected each other.

Shastri ji used to say that being a Paramhansa is merely a tendency of the mind. These childlike actions or becoming extremely emotional are all natural; there is not even a trace of artificiality or pretense. His heart has become so pure that upon sitting among children, he himself starts considering himself a child. Upon seeing any woman, he starts looking for his mother in her, and this is the reason why he does not feel the slightest hesitation while eating food sitting in the lap of any woman because these are the feelings within him: 'My mother is feeding me.' When a serious matter comes up for discussion, this childlike feeling disappears from within him.

Smt. Shanti Devi, the wife of the late Shastri Shri Bal Mukund ji, narrates that Guinya Baba often used to come from Nadigao to Orai and get busy playing with my children at home. While playing, when he would disappear, the children would start crying and come to me with complaints. Then, I would first call out to him, and he would then appear from somewhere inside because he never used to appear suddenly in front. Then, he would come to me and scold me like a child, saying, "You don't talk in between us Guinyas!" She says that I would feed him, and if a bird or a mouse happened to be seen in between, feeding him would become a nuisance. He would run to catch it, and if he ever caught a mouse and picked it up, he would say in a childish lisp, "We made it 'Kichch'." Seeing his lisping, his expressions, his fussing over small things, it was hard to believe that this was the same saint who was also famous for defying even twenty-five people at once.

The two main aspects of Guinya Baba were, firstly, his childlike nature, which would awaken immediately upon seeing children and women, and secondly, the thrilling aspect of his life: his yogic practices. Almost all his acquaintances who are still alive say that he was a great yogi and performed various kinds of practices, seeing which people were not only amazed but also had a thrilling experience. People have seen his practices with their own eyes, but they seem unbelievable to hear. Bhagwandas Pathak of Rawatpura narrates that he would do headstands on the riverbank for hours, and drinking a pot full of water through his nose was a trivial matter for him. He narrates that in his childhood, his stomach used to bloat. Once, when Guinya Baba came, he mentioned it to him. Guinya Baba would take me to the riverbank every morning at four o'clock and make me drink salt-mixed water, so much that it would reach my throat. Initially, he would force me to drink it by scaring me, but later I got used to it. When I felt that the water had filled up to my throat, he would ask me to vomit and forcibly make me vomit.

He would tell various methods for vomiting; ultimately, all the water I drank would come out. After doing this continuously for about a month, I became completely healthy. Then he told my father that this disease would not happen to him again in his life.

Apart from headstands and drinking water through the nose, the most astonishing practice, seeing which people would get scared and weak-hearted people would even faint, due to which he often did it in solitude. In this practice, with the sound of 'Om', he would take out all his intestines, then clean them and put them back inside.

Bhagwandas Pathak says, 'He used to do this practice sitting cross-legged near the flowing water on a stone by the riverbank and always tried to ensure that no one saw him during this practice.'

Sarnam Singh says that when he first saw him doing this practice, he got scared. He would clean his intestines with his hands and keep them in his lap, then put them back inside. Siyaram Shastri of Rawatpura was also associated with Guinya Baba. He narrates that he has directly seen many practices of Guinya Baba. Besides washing his intestines, he would insert a cloth strip about thirty-two meters long, on which wax was rubbed, through his mouth and take it out through his anus. Apart from this, he would keep drinking water and, after drinking five to six liters of water at once, would immediately expel it through his anus. Shastri ji is an eyewitness to all the practices performed by Guinya Baba.

In addition to this, claiming to be eyewitnesses to another astonishing thing, these elders say that Guinya Baba used to consume mercury and get mercury massages. Regarding the consumption of mercury, Shastri ji says that the mercury he consumed orally was purified mercury, which he kept separate, and the mercury used for massage was different. Upon massaging, the mercury would enter the body through the skin.

Sarnam Singh says that before consuming mercury, he would take herbs, and excessive massage was also very necessary; otherwise, all this was extremely dangerous. In his last days, when he left from here, mercury had erupted from his body, and the reason for this was that, firstly, the massage was less after consuming mercury, and secondly, there was some deficiency in the consumption of herbs, due to which there was some disturbance in his digestion.

Regarding the eruption of mercury from Guinya Baba's body, people say that mercury would come out from wherever he made an incision with a blade on his hand. By making incisions in many places, the mercury did come out, but those wounds would not heal at all. During this time, Pt. Rajaram ji Mishra of Nadigao arranged for his treatment in a Punjabi doctor's hospital there. The doctor would wash the wounds and apply ointment daily, but there was no benefit.

Sarnam Singh narrates an incident from this time: once, when the doctor came, he was very sad. Upon Guinya Baba's inquiry, he said that his son and daughter-in-law were to be selected for teaching positions; there were a total of 63 places, and their ranks were 66th and 67th. He had neither the money for bribery nor any strong recommendation. Saying this, the doctor broke down and wept bitterly. Guinya Baba consoled him and said, "You have served me a lot till today; today I will serve you!" And saying this, he strictly instructed not to wake anyone, closed his room, and went to sleep.

About two hours later, when the doctor opened the door upon hearing the sound of 'Om', Guinya Baba said with a smile that the names of his son and daughter-in-law had appeared. The doctor stared at him with astonished eyes, so he said again, "Why are you looking at me? Go and tell your son that Baba has blessed him." Two days later, their names were indeed added to the list.

Finally, even after about ten to fifteen days, when the wounds did not heal, Guinya Baba left the hospital and came to Kakroli with Sarnam. Here, he started treating himself with herbs, and within about a month, the wounds dried up and healed again, but in the meantime, Guinya Baba had become extremely weak.

Everyone says about Guinya Baba that a peacock and a cuckoo would start cooing upon hearing his 'Om' sound. Wild animals like monkeys, deer, nilgai, etc., had no fear in coming and eating bread from his hands; he would call everyone only by uttering 'Om'. Even if dangerous snakes came in his way, he would not kill them; saying 'Om' to the snake, he would ask, 'Why did you do bad deeds? Go.' Many such amazing things are narrated by the people of Rawatpura, Tola, Bijora, and Nadigao, and many people are eyewitnesses to all these things. Sarnam says that even when he was ill, there was no slowness in his 'Om' sound. Many times, he would say 'Om' in such a way that it sounded as if the sound was coming from inside a pot, an extremely long and loud resonant tone, as if many people were taking an extremely long breath together and making the sound of 'Om' in one voice.

For food, Guinya Baba never ate with his own hands. Smt. Shanti Devi Shastri says that if no one fed him, he would remain without eating for days. If there was even a trace of chili in the food, not only would tears flow from his eyes, but he would also cry like a child and complain to the feeding woman's husband, exactly in the manner of a son complaining about his mother to his father.

Regarding when Guinya Baba left this place for the last time, Narayan Das Vyas of Tola says that within a week after attending the wedding at his place on May 8, 1967, the process of mercury erupting from his body had started.

Sarnam Singh says that after staying in the hospital for about fifteen days, he continued to treat himself for about a month before leaving from here. Guinya Baba always used to say that one should not eat food at someone's place during a period of mourning or childbirth (shor sutak). On the night Guinya Baba left my house, my son was born. Then Sarnam says that it occurred to him that Guinya Baba does not eat at anyone's place during 'shor' (for about 15 days after the birth of a child). That's why he left. Anyway, based on the information received so far, one thing is certain: Guinya Baba left this place for the last time in the month of July 1967.

While leaving for the last time, Guinya Baba met all the villagers and told some of his disciples that he would return, that he was going to his guru's place for now, but this time he would not rejuvenate his body but would take Samadhi (a yogic state of consciousness). This saint, boarding a bus going from Nadigao to Konch from Sangrampura, left towards Nepal.

Guinya Baba had become so powerful through mere chanting of 'Om' and yogic practices that his Siddhis (spiritual powers) seem exaggerated to hear. He had an astonishing control over physical objects through his consciousness, and the same being is before us in rebirth as Ravishri. Ravishri's supernatural and extraordinary abilities are also unbelievable. Can any person become so powerful and endowed with divine power, equivalent to a demigod, through mere chanting of 'Om' and yogic discipline, the 'Omkar Sadhana'? The renowned Balayogi Shivanand, famous for his yogic discipline and the Omkar Sadhana of chanting 'Om', has given extensive information on yoga and Omkar Sadhana, citing several books. Let's see how these spiritual disciplines of yoga and Omkar transform a person from human to superhuman.

• Ramakrishna Leelamrita - Part I & II
• Autobiography of a Yogi - Paramhansa Yogananda
• Wad.may - Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya, Akhand Jyoti

'Yoga Sadhana'

Humans have always desired progress in the world. In this progress, the three types of suffering (physical, divine, and material) and five kinds of afflictions – ignorance, ego, attachment, aversion, and clinging to life – have been and continue to be obstacles in their path. The seeker-sages ultimately found that the root cause of all suffering and afflictions is the lack of power within oneself. To overcome this deficiency, wise sages from ancient times devoted all their intellect to finding ways to acquire power, and ultimately, they discovered the astonishing and inherently powerful spiritual discipline of 'Yoga Sadhana', which amazed the world. Referring to this Yoga Sadhana, sages like Yogi Vivekananda and Yogi Aurobindo have said that there is no suffering, disease, affliction, or pain in the world, nor will there ever be, that cannot be destroyed by the Yoga Sadhana method.

This great science of Yoga, which astonished the world, has been divided into four types: Mantra Yoga, Laya Yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Raja Yoga. All these Yogas have eight limbs: Yama (restraints), Niyama (observances), Asana (postures), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (absorption).1 These limbs of Yoga, passing through four stages – introduction, commencement, union, and accomplishment – make the seeker possess divine character and lead them into supreme bliss.

Let us now see what the nature of the aforementioned yogic practices is and how the solution to diseases and other problems of the world and the body is possible through yoga.

The human body is composed of numerous cells and blood and flesh, in which air, which science calls oxygen, is said to be the cause of living consciousness because the entire body, limbs, and organs are mobile only through oxygen (air); otherwise, this body becomes unconscious. For Kriya Yoga Sadhana, the seeker first uses yogic postures after purification (shauch shuddhi) to bring strength and flexibility to those parts of the body that have become stiff due to less circulation of Prana energy (i.e., oxygen) or due to the accumulation of unnecessary fat etc. in that particular part, due to which the circulation of oxygen and blood is not proper in that area of the body. Thus, to make the body flexible and powerful, our yoga scriptures have primarily mentioned four Asanas: Simhasana (lion pose), Padmasana (lotus pose), Siddhasana (accomplished pose), and Bhadrasana (gracious pose).

After yogic postures, the seeker practices Pranayama Sadhana. This Pranayama has been described by yoga scriptures as a means to implant youthfulness, divine consciousness, and energetic great power in the body. According to yoga scriptures, oxygen itself is the energy that keeps the body healthy and generates strength.

If a seeker skillfully circulates an abundance of prana vayu (life force/breath) in the body, then great power manifests within them. The flow of energy in the nerves, blood, and nadis (subtle energy channels) within the body is essential. Explaining this very point of the medical world, yoga scriptures say that there are millions of nadis in the body, out of which seventy-two thousand nadis emerge from the kundali kandamuladhara (root chakra) and circulate energy throughout the body. Among these, Ida nadi is said to be on the left side of the back and Pingala nadi on the right side, which provide higher cerebral energy. In the middle of these two, within the spinal cord, is the Sushumna nadi. Within this are seven "nadi plexus centers," known as the nervous system in the medical world and as chakras in yoga. The proper circulation of energy in these centers becomes the reason for health and great power in the body, as all the nadis are controlled by these centers. The seeker, through pranayama, makes these chakras especially conscious and energized.

These pranayamas are successively called Samavedi, Nadi Shodhan (alternate nostril breathing), Surya Bhedi (right nostril breathing), Ujjayi (victorious breath), Shakti Sanchar (energy circulation), Bhastrika (bellows breath), Veerya Raksha Pranayama (semen retention breath), Kundalini Jagran Pranayama (kundalini awakening breath), Kayakalpa Pranayama (body rejuvenation breath), and Kaka Chenchva Pranayama (crow's beak breath). Along with these, the seeker, assuming some easy mudras (hand gestures) and sitting in Shanti Mudra (peace gesture), meditates on the flow of prana in these nadi plexus chakra centers. With this practice, initially some old cells break down, and then their regeneration process proceeds rapidly. Consequently, new cells are formed in the body that are more oxygen-receptive, and these cells, being filled with divine prana, become capable of holding great power in the body. There are many glands in the body that secrete blood. Through these secretions, the body always attains freshness and health. When the increase and speed of prana vayu (oxygen) in the body is high, all the glands start functioning rapidly. At this time, the seeker, through Vajroli Mudra (thunderbolt posture), quickly directs the lower secretions upwards. Simultaneously, through Khechari Mudra (tongue lock), by entering the tongue into the cranial cavity and controlling the master gland in the Ajna Chakra (third eye chakra), the seeker attains permanent health of the body. In the medulla oblongata at the back of our head is the pons (marrow bridge), through which all the body's functions are controlled. The seeker, becoming Urdhvaprana (one whose prana flows upwards), becomes capable of taking this center under their control.

According to yoga scriptures, the seeker, through the spiritual discipline of yoga and meditation, attains such purity and health of the body that the life force, Kundalini, ascends through the Kundalini path, entering the Muladhara (root chakra), Swadhisthana (sacral chakra), Manipura (solar plexus chakra), Anahata (heart chakra), Vishuddha (throat chakra), Ajna (third eye chakra),1 and Sahasrara (crown chakra).2

Humans are able to use a maximum of fifteen to twenty percent of their brain, but through yoga, humans, becoming endowed with new consciousness, find the technique to circulate their prana into the brain's organ centers. According to zoology, the brain receives only two-thirds of the oxygen that enters the body. According to the principle of yoga sadhana and zoology, to increase the activity and consciousness of any organ, it requires a correspondingly greater flow of oxygen. When the seeker, through yogic practices, gains control over their prana movement, they then acquire the ability to store one hundred percent prana consciousness (oxygen) in their brain, becoming capable of utilizing one hundred percent of the brain's capacity.

High-caliber scientists and men of sharp intellect, by using only a maximum of twenty percent of their brain capacity, have brought the world to such a path of progress that people consider themselves indebted to these men. If, through these spiritual yogic disciplines, the hundred percent potential of the brain is activated, then where one's progress and abilities will reach cannot be said.

Among Western writers who have penned well-considered articles on yoga, the name of the renowned Swiss psychiatrist Dr. C. G. Jung is noteworthy.

He writes, "When a religious system describes itself as a 'scientific' system, one can be certain in this regard that it is also acceptable to the people of the West. Yoga fulfills this expectation. Besides the attraction of knowing something new and little known, there are also several strong reasons why yoga has many followers. In yoga, there is a possibility of keeping experiences under control, and in this way, it fulfills the factual scientific need. In addition, due to its comprehensiveness, depth, antiquity, theory, and method, which encompass all aspects of life, unimaginable and dreamlike possibilities are inherent in yoga."

"In every religious or philosophical discipline, there is a kind of psychological discipline or mental hygiene system. The manifold purely physical processes of yoga also mean a physical yoga system, which is far superior to ordinary wrestling and breathing exercises – even though these are not merely mechanical and scientific, but also spiritual. During the practice of different parts of the body, the yoga practitioner completely unifies them with the soul; Pranayama is a direct example of this. In Pranayama Sadhana, Prana is both breath and the universal controlling power of the cosmos."

Dr. Jung further writes that "without following the fundamental concepts of yoga, the practice of yoga remains meaningless. Yoga establishes an extraordinary harmony between physical and spiritual feelings."

"In the East, where these ideas and processes developed and thousands of years of unbroken tradition have prepared the necessary spiritual foundation, yoga is a comprehensive and appropriate method of unifying both body and mind, about which I have no doubt. This unity creates a psychological state through which extrasensory perception becomes possible." Paramhansa Yogananda says, "The day is approaching in the West when the inner science of self-control will be deemed as necessary as the conquest of outer nature. Man can and must create greater powers than those latent in stones and metals, otherwise the newborn physical atom will wreak heedless world destruction." Paramhansa says that an indirect benefit of mankind's concern about the atom bomb may be that people's practical interest in the science of yoga will increase – which is the true refuge from the bomb.

Many uninformed people describe yoga as a condemnable, mysterious practice or magic for gaining miraculous powers. However, when scholars discuss yoga, they invariably refer to the system described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The Yoga Sutras contain such profound philosophical elements that even India's greatest thinkers and sages have been inspired to write on them.

The third chapter (Vibhuti Pada) of the Yoga Sutras mentions the various supernormal powers of yoga. True knowledge is always a power. In each of the four stages of the yogic path, different Vibhutis (powers/accomplishments) are described. Upon attaining a specific power, the yogi knows that they have crossed one of the four stages. The manifestation of specific powers is proof of the scientific nature of the yoga system, in which illusory notions about 'spiritual progress' disappear.

Yoga is entirely the contribution of Indian Rishis (sages) and Munis (seers). Today, the West is leaning towards the science of yoga, and we are turning our faces away from our heritage. If it becomes possible for us too, by controlling the body and breath through yogic practices and pranayama, to completely control the secretions (hormones) of the endocrine glands, then becoming as small as a mosquito in one moment and as large as the hundred-league-mouthed Surasa in the next, like the great Yogi Hanuman, will be a common thing.

"Khudi ko kar buland itna, ki har tadbir se pehle."

"Khuda bande se khud puche, bata teri raza kya hai." - Iqbal

"Omkar Sadhana"

In the third anuvaka (section) of the Taittiriya Upanishad, the Rishi (sage) writes that speech is filled with the power to bring about both physical and spiritual progress. One who knows this secret, having attained the power of speech, becomes successful in achieving the desired fruits through it.

The power emanating from the sound of Om, which is called Omkar, is described by our yoga scriptures as so potent and omnipotent that it does not allow any particle in creation to remain static. From churning the oceans to creating fierce storms and volcanoes, from the system of mutual exchange of thoughts to capturing the subtle vibrations of planets and constellations, a vast science was prevalent in India at one time. As a result of the practice of this Omkar, yogi men tasted the infinite bliss beyond the senses, and having attained its power, they could manifest desired objects wherever they wished.

Curing a patient with their blessing, making a poor person wealthy, providing physical ability to a disabled person, etc., were all parts of this science. In all these, miraculous-seeming works could be accomplished by attracting the subtle particles of cosmic powers through a definite thought system and transplanting them at the desired place.

Sound waves that we cannot hear are today revolutionizing scientific research and the business world. Tasks such as cutting, melting, and joining metals, which large machines take a long time to do, are now being accomplished in a short time with the help of these sound waves. The whole world is astonished by this power capacity of sound, how such heavy tasks are accomplished by such subtle activity. Scientists are very diligently researching the inaudible sound power, which is sharper, faster, and more pervasive than electricity.

Inaudible means that sound which our ears cannot perceive or hear. Our ears have the capacity to hear sound with a frequency ranging from twenty vibrations per second to twenty thousand vibrations per second. Sounds with a frequency higher than this are called inaudible sounds. As the frequency of sound increases, it becomes sharper, thinner, and shriller, like the sound of a whistle. The seeker focuses their attention on these inaudible sounds, trying to capture the subtle vibrations. The more subtle sounds one can hear, the more quickly and clearly they can grasp the thoughts of others and knowledge of the future.

The sound that we can easily hear is called gross sound. Its power is so low that if this sound is produced continuously for two hundred years, it will generate only enough energy to heat a glass of milk. But the mental explosion of sound in the form of breath or thought waves is very powerful. Although that sound is not audible, the energy produced by it can break down atoms and can even cause earthquakes in any part of the world, even on the moon. This power is known as the science of mantra and has been established as Brahma Shakti or Kundalini Shakti.

The foremost commentator on yoga, the ancient sage Patanjali, has written that body discipline, mental detachment, and 'Dhyan Kriya Yoga' (meditation action yoga) is Om. Patanjali has described the "universal sound" Om, heard in meditation, as the indicator of Ishvara (God).

Paramhansa Yogananda says that "Om is the Word-Brahma, the creator of creation." It is the hum of the vibrating cosmic engine and the witness of God's existence. Even a new seeker hears the wondrous sound of Om within. From this blissful spiritual encouragement, the seeker becomes convinced that their connection with the subtle world is being established.

Paramhansa Yogananda ji says that the various sensory stimuli that react and express themselves on humans – sound, touch, form, taste, and smell – are produced by the rhythmic vibrations of electrons and protons. These vibrational waves are controlled by Prana, that is, Lifetrons. This Lifetron or subtle life force is even subtler than atomic power.

The seeker, by controlling the rhythmic vibrations produced by the Omkar sound through Prana, that is, Lifetrons, and making it enter the Muladhara Chakra, pierces that chakra, and then, through gradual practice, piercing all the chakras through the Kundalini path, becomes capable of piercing even the Sahasrara Chakra and realizes the supreme truth of Nada Brahma (the cosmic sound). In fact, this is a sadhana (spiritual practice) for awakening the Kundalini, in which the seeker becomes capable of using the vibrational power of Om as desired. This Om of the Vedas is the Tibetan mantra 'Hum', the Muslim 'Ameen', and the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Christian 'Amen'. In Hebrew, its meaning is 'fixed', certain, trustworthy.

Yoga Sutra 1:27 states - "Tasya vachakah pranavah" - meaning Om is the indicative name of Ishvara (God). The vibrational power of the sound of Om, that is, Omkar, has a penetrating ability faster than any other word. It is through this very penetrating ability that yogi men, through their practice, succeed in piercing the six chakras (energy centers) of their body, which are known as the stages of Kundalini awakening. Due to the infinite power inherent in this penetrating ability, every mantra of ours begins with Om. In the Upanishads, the Rishis have said, "'Pranava-roopi-Om' is the arrow for piercing the target in Sadhana (spiritual practice), and this body, knowing the Self to be the bow, and for the attainment of the target, which is Brahma-jnana (knowledge of the Absolute), the seeker gradually crosses the five koshas (sheaths) of anna (food), prana (life-force), mano (mind), jnana-vijnana (intellect-wisdom), and ananda-maya (blissful), and succeeds in attaining the goal of the flow of bliss in the world through the search for the supreme-subtle-truth-Brahma."

Therefore, Yogiraj Krishna said, "Om iti ekaksharam Brahma" - meaning this one syllable 'Om' itself is the complete Brahma.

Ultimately, the goal of Omkar and yoga practices is Kundalini awakening itself, but what is this 'Kundalini awakening'?

The purpose of spiritual practices is to develop the greatness hidden within oneself. Divine powers have the task of looking after the entire universe. Therefore, their very parts, which exist in seed form within every person, fulfill the task of producing reactions, success, and blessings according to the role of the human being. The spiritual discipline through which one can awaken them, connect with the outwardly pervading universal divine elements, attract them, and receive their cooperation and grace is called Kundalini awakening. From Kundalini awakening, a power manifests in the body through which the consciousness of a person increases greatly, and whenever they wish, they can experience the state of the subtle world in comparison to the gross world and begin to see the activities of the universe instead of being confined to a limited area. The awakened Kundalini is the means by which a person attains all kinds of powers, knowledge, and ultimately, liberation.

In reality, Kundalini is the manifest and intense pulsation of self-power. It is the fundamental power given by God to every human being, which has also been called Para-Prakriti (supreme nature). This great power exists in the bodies of all creatures. But other creatures cannot benefit from it and, based on natural instincts, fill their stomachs, procreate, and perish. However, humans have received intellect and wisdom as gifts from nature, with the help of which they can develop their divine qualities. In a normal state, the Kundalini lies dormant like a dead entity in the Muladhara (root chakra). In such a state, it is not possible to derive any benefit from it. Although that power lies hidden within oneself, which has been called Kamadhenu (the wish-fulfilling cow). If knowledge of this great power can be attained and its dormancy can be changed into awakening, then a human being can become superhuman and Nara (man) can become Narayana (divine being).

What is Kundalini? Regarding this, scriptures and philosophers have expressed their opinions based on their experiences.

In the Gyanarnava Tantra, Kundalini has been called the universal mother and the power that governs creation. In spiritual texts, especially the Upanishads, there has been a discussion of Kundalini Shakti (power). In the language of science, Kundalini is called life force or magnetic electricity. Its center is considered to be the brain. According to yoga scriptures, the brain's capacity to conduct its own activities is the energy produced by sexual energy.

This very sexual energy provides the necessary inspiration for the various activities of Kama-Tantra (the science of desire). It is this magnetic crystal that sets up the base that drives the transistors of the body.

The description of the great power of Kundalini is found differently in different fields. Spiritual science calls it Brahmagni (the fire of Brahman) and considers its root center to be the Brahmarandhra (crown chakra).

Kundalini is also called the public life-element. Within it, both currents of attraction and repulsion exist. From the perspective of physical science, those flows are called bioelectricity and magnetism. According to the philosopher Herbert Spencer, it can be called the essence of life. According to the Bible, this very element is the great serpent. The renowned sage Prof. Hutson says that due to not knowing the importance of this great power, the life-element, people often continue to use it only for bodily pursuits and thus end their lives in vain. If its bright aspects can be understood and the dormant awakened, and that awakening can be applied to important spiritual purposes, then miraculous Siddhis (powers) and energies of the consciousness field can be attained.

According to Swami Vivekananda, the center where all residual sensations are accumulated and stored is called the Muladhara Chakra (root chakra). The coiled active power there is called Kundalini. The Western scholar Arthur Avalon has also described Kundalini as stored power. He says that the great Brahma-consciousness that creates and sustains the universe, its unorganized representative power in the individual body is called Kundalini Shakti. The practice of this Kundalini Shakti has to be done in one's inner realm, and when its success rains down like clouds, countless divine Vibhutis (manifestations) and Siddhis spontaneously blossom and flourish.

Different scholars have given different names to Kundalini Shakti. In the Chinese Yoga Pradipika, it is called 'Spirit-Fire'.

The renowned Tantra expert John Woodroffe has named it Serpent Power and says that one who awakens it can become exceptionally capable. Madame Blavatsky, the founder of the Theosophical Society, named Kundalini the universal electric power, Cosmic Electricity. In her book Voice of the Silence, she said that it is called Kundalini because of its serpent-like spiral motion. The yoga practitioner makes this normal motion circular in their body. This practice increases its power. Physiologists have called it the Nervous Force originating from the nervous system. This is explained in the scriptures in this way: just as the earth has two poles, north and south, similarly the human body has two poles. The north pole is compared to the center of the human brain, and the south pole to the base of the genitals. The center of the human brain is called Brahmarandhra or Sahasrara (crown chakra), and the base of the genitals is called Muladhara (root chakra).

Kundalini is that power, if a more powerful flow occurs between the north and south poles of a human being, that is, between the Muladhara and Sahasrara, then the great possibilities that can arise from the unity of the individual soul and the universal soul begin to appear. But generally, this flow remains very low; both ends remain engaged in their limited local functions. The process of exchange between them is almost non-existent.

The capacity of the Muladhara remains engaged in gathering enthusiasm and strength for reproduction and can fulfill itself within this flow. The capacity of the Sahasrara also exhausts its power in earning, consuming, and managing behavior. Very often, both centers start to feel fatigued even in handling the work assigned to them; this is the normal state. The special efforts that have to be made to change this situation and generate abundant high-level power in their centers are called Kundalini awakening. If it becomes possible to awaken and elevate the hidden seed power in these centers through spiritual practice and worship, then an ordinary-looking person can become extraordinary. The abode of Kundalini is considered to be the Muladhara Chakra. It can be understood as life energy, vitality, creative inspiration, the will to live, enthusiasm, etc. Its continuous effort remains engaged in generating the necessary strength and inspiration in all the physical purposes of the body.

Indeed, Kundalini Shakti is extremely vast. Its electricity sometimes flashes in the sky, creating a dazzling effect. Sexual urges make a person restless and disturbed. If the dissipation of this great power can be stopped, its production increased, and it can be applied to important purposes in the field of life, the result will be like developing the small capacity of a small generator to be able to supply electricity to a vast area.

One use of life energy is procreation. But there are countless more joyful and important tasks to be done in the field of life. The desired amount of energy production to accomplish them is possible only through Kundalini awakening.

This was about the south pole of the body. Now, the north pole of Kundalini, that is, the Sahasrara, that is, the middle part of the human brain which is the center of consciousness and knowledge retention, is usually developed through education and experience, and the more it develops, the more understanding increases. In the same proportion, a person is able to earn more livelihood and prestige. The mysterious layers of this center can be brought out and strengthened by the practice of Kundalini awakening. This acquisition is called divine knowledge or divine vision. The intriguing wonders of extrasensory perception like telepathy and clairaudience, and the astonishing details of the remarkable mental प्रतिभा of exceptionally intelligent people, are not the result of schooling or practical experience. Behind this works the blossoming of some mysterious layer of consciousness.

Through foresight and insight, people make such successful plans that no obstacle or difficulty comes in their way of completion; this can also be called mental distinctiveness, which is not found in the common person. In such achievements too, the emergence of those deep layers works, which are not achieved by ordinary efforts but only by spiritual efforts like Kundalini awakening. If someone has spontaneously received some additional mental capacity, then it may be the result of their accumulated earnings from previous births. The high-level success of conscious evolution is seen in four forms: self-knowledge, Brahma-knowledge, Tattva-knowledge (knowledge of reality), and Sad-jnana (true knowledge). Whoever receives even a fraction of any of these, their intellectual प्रतिभा begins to rise extraordinarily.

Philosopher-sages and Brahma-knowing souls know how to use their divine abilities for high-level purposes. As a result, they continue to play roles like Mahatma (great soul), Devatma (divine soul), and Brahmatma (Brahma-soul) even while wearing an ordinary body. They have knowledge of the internal conditions of the inert world, and they also possess the abilities to manipulate it; therefore, they are called Siddha Purushas (accomplished beings).

The awakening of Kundalini has been compared to the churning of the ocean. According to the Puranas, once the gods and demons joined together to churn the ocean on the orders of Prajapati (the lord of creation). The demons pulled it towards themselves, and the gods towards themselves, like the process of extracting butter from milk. God himself became a tortoise and provided the base; Mount Sumeru was situated on his back in place of the churning rod. Three and a half rounds of Sheshnaga (the cosmic serpent) were wrapped around that mountain, and as a result, 14 gems appeared. In fact, this entire depiction is metaphorically about the purpose and application of Kundalini Shakti. Our urinary system is the ocean filled with salty water. It can be called a storehouse of countless gems.

The treasure trove of gross and subtle powers lies hidden in its root center. The demonic power, that is, lust, pulls it towards itself, and divinity pulls it towards itself to engage it in creative works.

The Kachhap (tortoise) and Sumeru (mountain) are those power seeds located in the Muladhara Chakra, which, unlike other particles, are flat and whose back, instead of being round above the navel, is flat. Around it, the Kundalini lies coiled in three and a half turns in the form of the great serpent, the Mahashakti (great power).

The work of awakening it is the episode of churning – the surge and suppression of intense desire. Both the gods and demons are within you, with their own kinds of thoughts; they exert their force, and the churning begins.

Yogiraj Krishna says:

Through Kundalini awakening, a person can attain 8 Siddhis (powers): (1) Anima – that is, becoming as minute as an atom and entering even stone, etc.

(2) Mahima – becoming extremely large.

(3) Laghima – becoming extremely light.

(4) Prapti – the power to reach anywhere.

(5) Prakamya – the ability to know desires and wishes.

(6) Ishitva – the power of control and creation.

(7) Vashitva – the ability to rule over all substances. (8) Garima – becoming dense.

Before and in between these Siddhis, other Siddhis are progressively attained by the yogi as a result of gradual practice. The yogi man has to prevent himself from getting lost after attaining these Siddhis. Otherwise, being engrossed in the supernatural aspects of these Siddhis, he avoids the attainment of the aforementioned Siddhis that are to be attained later.

These Siddhis are as follows: clairaudience (distant hearing), clairvoyance (distant seeing), manojaya (knowing the thoughts of anyone), parakaya pravesh (entering another's body), ajeya (invincibility), etc. etc.

The ancient sage Patanjali, whose yoga system is famous as Ashtanga Yoga, has warned the seeker that "unity with the Self should be the only goal, not the Siddhis, which are like spontaneously available flowers on the spiritual path. Our aim should be to attain the giver of those Siddhis, not to attain the Siddhis themselves. God does not appear to those seekers who are satisfied with any small achievement. Therefore, true yogis are cautious about displaying their supernatural powers before reaching the ultimate state, because they create false ego and only divert them from the ultimate state of attainment."

When yogis achieve the ultimate goal, they display Vibhutis if they so desire, or they abstain from them. Then all their actions, whether supernatural or ordinary, remain free from karmic bondage. Perhaps it is this very attainment of power through Kundalini awakening via spiritual practices that the poet has expressed in the couplet:

Jab nasamajh tha toh khwahish thi ki samajhun tujhe…

Jab samajh aayi toh samjha ki ab samajh nahin....'

(When I was ignorant, I wished to understand you…

When understanding dawned, I understood that now I cannot understand...)