THE DEMONSTRATIONS IN THE JAMALPUR ASHRAM

In November 1954, Baba started giving demonstrations about the different stages and utilities of sadhana such as:

• the awakening of the kundalinii
• its upward surge
• the position of various cakras
• qualified and unqualified samadhi

The demonstrations would take place in one of the railway colony quarters that Baba later declared an ashram.

THE FIRST SUNDAY

On the first Sunday, 7th November 1954, Baba introduced his disciples to one another for the first time.

Unfortunately I could not be present that Sunday, but I later learned that Baba had demonstrated savikalpa and nirvikalpa samadhis using Shri Pranay Kumar Chatterjee as His subject.

A fellow disciple told me that Baba would also give similar demonstrations the following Sunday. I therefore decided to go to Baba the following week.

I started from Begusarai in time, yet due to the belated start of the steamer, I reached Monghyr Ghat rather late, and by then it was already evening. I thought that a bus or cycle rickshaw would not be able to take me to Jamalpur in time.

The fear of missing Baba’s darshan and the demonstrations that Sunday began to arise in my mind.

I remembered Baba and earnestly requested Him mentally that somehow I should be enabled to see the demonstrations that I was so keen to see though time and circumstances were not working favourably.

Baba heard my prayer and immediately a taxi came and stopped in front of me.

I asked the taxi driver whether he would go to Jamalpur and he readily agreed.

I got in and asked the driver to go fast as I was to reach Jamalpur early. On the way I again asked him to go faster, and he sped up even further.

I did not know the address of the quarter where the gathering was to take place and amongst the thousands of quarters it would be most difficult to locate the correct quarter, and so I was also requesting Baba internally to leave His quarter only after I arrive at His house so that I could accompany Him to the railway quarter where He was to speak.

As I reached Jamalpur station, I got a strange feeling that Baba was leaving His quarter.

I began to jump up in the running taxi thinking I was already too late. The taxi driver was amazed to see my anxiety. I thought of running to catch Baba, but it dawned on me that I would not run faster than the taxi, so I requested the driver to drive even faster, quivering with impatience on the edge of my seat as if moving my body a few inches nearer to Baba would make a critical difference.

The driver was amazed at my anxiety and said, “Sir I am already driving at 50 to 60 miles an hour inside the town and you are asking me to go faster! It would be dangerous to do so”.

By now we had reached the road to Baba’s house. I was very alert and watching both sides for some brother sadhakas so that I could accompany them. We had driven some distance down the road when I saw Baba walking with a few disciples.

I stopped the taxi, paid the driver, got down and touched Baba’s feet and did my pranam. I was filled with joy and followed the group.

I knew one of the brother disciples who later said to me, “Baba purposely delayed His departure from His quarter today. He left His residence only when He was certain that you could meet us on the way”.

I felt that this was the time when I had frantically got up from my seat in the running taxi. I arrived at the quarter along with Baba and He introduced me to all the other disciples gathered there. I was extremely grateful for His grace.

This was my first time to see the demonstrations, which took place every Sunday in November 1954. Baba gave a spectacular demonstration that I will never forget.

THE SECOND SUNDAY

Baba gave the demonstration that day again making a senior sadhaka, Shri P. K. Chatterjee as the subject.

He asked him to sit in the lotus pose and to concentrate his mind on his iista cakra, his point of concentration for meditation.

Baba ordered the man’s kundalinii, in Bengali language, and I am quoting His very words:

“Kulakundalinii, I Yogeshvara Anandamurti order you to leave the muladhara cakra and reach svadhisthana.”

As soon as the kundalinii left the muladhara cakra there was a vibration in Shri Chatterjee’s body and this vibration increased a lot when the kundalinii crossed the svadhisthana and proceeded towards the manipura cakra.

When the kundalinii reached the manipura cakra, he became peaceful for a very short while and began to lean backwards while still seated in the lotus pose.

As long as the kundalinii did not reach the ajina plexus, such directions to the kundalinii were repeated to move from one lower plexus to the higher one. I saw that at each order the kundalinii would rise immediately.

As I was a novice in the world of mysticism, I could not understand whether the kundalinii was following the orders after they were given or as the thought arose in His mind she would start trembling and move in the direction of the order.

It looked as if she was moving by the sheer thought of Baba and was being controlled by His will.

Now Baba ordered the subject’s kundalinii to proceed towards the anahata cakra.

As the kundalinii left manipura, the subject fell on his back whilst still in the lotus pose.

The ‘humkara’ sound, ‘hum, hum’ was also emerging from him as a deep sonorous sound.

Then Baba ordered the kundalinii to go to the vishuddha cakra and he became very peaceful as the kundalinii entered the cakra.

Now there was neither a vibration in his body nor the sound of ‘hum’ from his mouth any more.

There was a special kind of halo and shine around his face.

Then Baba ordered the kundalinii to reach the ajina cakra and when the kundalinii reached there Baba looked at that sadhaka and told him to enjoy the bliss of that state for some time.

Baba smiled at us and informed us, “This is the much-coveted state of savikalpa samadhi. There is a feeling of intense bliss in this condition and this is also called mukti. By regular practice of sadhana, with diligence and concentration, you too can reach this state”.

During this time, Shri Chaterjee had remained absorbed as if in ecstasy for the entire time.

Baba turned him, saying, “You have been very fortunate to enjoy this. Now kundalinii, return to vishuddha cakra”.

At these words Shri Chatterjee began to weep and cry bitterly like a child.

Compassionate Baba said, “Very well, very well. Enjoy for some more time”.

Thus said Baba and remained quiet for some time. Then he ordered the kundalinii to leave the ajina cakra and return to muladhara. The kundalinii obeyed Baba’s orders instantly and the subject unwillingly came out of that blissful state and returned to the awareness of the temporal.

Laying his face in Baba’s lap he wept bitterly for quite some time and most kind-hearted Baba caressed and patted him, rubbed his back and continued to pacify and soothe him until he became calm and peaceful. Baba also continued to reassure him that he would be given this kind of samadhi again.

Shri Chatterjee was thus doubly blessed! He had first remained in savikalpa samadhi for such a long time and then received the love and caressing from Baba in His lap. Loved and caressed like an infant by Baba while he was lying in Baba’s lap, he also received the assurance of another taste of ananda in the future.

It is my prayer that Baba may bless all His disciples in this manner.

When Shri Chatterjee became normal again Baba departed. For some distance we followed Baba and when Baba took a turn to go to his residence, we left for our own destinations.

Later on I asked my senior brother disciples, “Only two Yogeshvaras (masters of yoga) have appeared on the earth so far, one of them was Shiva and the other Krsna. Baba also called himself ‘Yogeshvara’ while he was ordering kulakundalinii.

Is He also the same?” But no one could reply satisfactorily.