THE TIGER’S GRAVE

In July 1864 one Englishman out hunting with his 2 dogs, and confronted a tiger in the field bordering the jungle.

No one knows how long they fought, but both died as a result of this encounter.

In the morning, people found the tiger dead whilst the wounded Englishman had crawled home and died there.

The Englishmen constructed 2 graves there, one for the hunter and one for the tiger.

Baba preferred to sit on the grave of the tiger as His resting place during His daily walks in that field. If someone else was sitting there, He would sit on the Englishman’s grave.

While sitting on these graves Baba guided many souls and gave many demonstrations of mystical states, contributing much to the spiritual knowledge of humanity.

Near these graves stand three tall palm trees in a triangle where Baba used sometimes to sit also. Under these palm trees many fortunate brothers got their initiation from Baba.

When Baba would sit on the tiger’s grave the triangle of the palm trees would be behind Him and on his right was a banyan tree.

Baba told us that this the banyan tree was a notorious dacoit in its past life, extremely callous and murderous. He now stands converted into this tree.

KARNA’S KINGDOM OF ANGADESH

One evening, Baba was looking at a distant hill on his right.

“Nagina, look at that distant bill. That was the boundary of Angadesh, the kingdom of Karna 3,500 years ago.

His capital was where Nathnagar in Bihar is situated today. Once the Pandavas attacked Karna in the night taking him completely by surprise.

As it was night-time, by the time Karna recollected his army and wits, the Pandavas had destroyed a big part of his army.

But once Karna came into his own, he fought a terrible battle and pushed the Pandavas back. He continued the battle with the Pandavas as long as he did not drive them out complete from his kingdom”.

After Baba left Jamalpur, Jamalpur is in the same condition as Braj, the childhood home of Krsna, was, after Krsna left it for Mathura. Jamalpur is now giving a deserted look like Braj.

Now we are reminded of that beautiful poem of Surdas where he describes the pangs of separation of the residents of Braj in these immortal lines: “Who can describe the story of Braj? The gopiis and the cows the cowherds, Everyone is lean and sad in the memory of Krsna”

Although Baba has left Jamalpur to fulfill his mission, just as Krishna had left Braj, yet every particle of dust of Jamalpur is vibrating with the contact of his holy feet and is unwilling to forget those happy days. Even today the devotees of Jamalpur although weak in body due to pangs of separation from the lord are keeping his memory fresh.

Not that Jamalpur alone is yearning for Baba. Baba also in his quiet moments must be remembering Jamalpur with love and longing affection. He must also be saying like Krsna in the words of Surdas: -

“Uddhava I am unable to forget Braj.”

I feel satisfied that like this, Baba must be remembering all of us devotees, whenever be must be thinking of Jamalpur.

By His many years in Jamalpur Baba has made it a sacred place not only for Ananda Margiis but for all humanity and posterity.

Therefore it is my earnest plea to Baba that He may fill this sacred place to the brim with overwhelming devotional sentiment so that every sadhaka who visits here may be plunged deep in the ocean of love and spirituality. Let Jamalpur acquire immortality.