Death Demonstration

The next Sunday, 21 November 1954 I again reached Jamalpur in the hope of seeing more demonstrations.

On this third Sunday, Baba was gracious enough to demonstrate death and revival of life in the body of another senior disciple brother. That day the number of disciples was so great that the room was full to capacity. This was the same room where on the previous Sunday Baba had been kind enough to demonstrate savikalpa samadhi.

On this day also all those sadhakas were present who had been there on the previous Sunday. Besides them, some more sadhakas had come to see the demonstration with Baba’s permission. There was a wooden cot in the room on whichBaba was to sit and in front of this there was a narrow passage up to the door. Apart from this, there was no space even to set foot on the floor amongst the spectators, and those seated there were scarcely able to move.

Anticipation grew as everyone waited for Baba to arrive.

Hands folded and wearing a smile that was at once gentle, appealing and mischieveous, Baba entered the room. He spoke briefly with a few devotees and then asked Shri Kishto Pal to come forward.

The disciple obeyed and sat in front of Baba in the lotus position, with his eyes closed. The onlookers waited expectantly.

Baba spoke in Bengali throughout the demonstration. Speaking in firm and solemn tones, but without undue seremoniousness, Baba uttered a command:

Baba was commanding the vital air or energy of the subject. At once the subject began gasping for air. He appeared quite uneasy. The onlookers glanced at one another in surprise.

Baba further directed the vital energy of the sadhaka:

Now the subject appeared very distressed. In a frenzy he started gasping for breath. His breathing was deep and heavy.

A murmur of alarm went through the onlookers, but no-one dared to interfere. Everyone’s attention was riveted on the drama unfolding before us.

Baba raised His voice a degree:

Crash! The sadhaka fell on his back on the floor. The assembled people gasped and a reflex tremor passed through the crowd. From the throat of the sadhaka emerged a bubbling, gargling sound, and saliva foamed on his lips.

Baba’s voice rose another level:

Soon the bubbling sound stopped. The subject’s neck muscles started to relax and his head fell to the right.

In the horrified silence that followed, Baba spoke calmly, almost conversationally. Addressing a physician disciple who was in the crowd, Baba said:

The doctor came forward and examined the subject thoroughly. He looked up perplexed, and his normally crisp, professional tone faltered slightly as he reported his finding.

Our eyes fastened on Baba. Was everything under control? Did we hope He might show some concern? But if He did, wouldn’t that mean something had gone wrong? Nothing had gone wrong, everything was as He wished it to be.

Only the sadhaka was lying lifeless before us. What were we supposed to think? We trusted Baba – but we wondered.

Baba smiled and said:

Then Baba cast His gaze around the room, taking us all in:

A murmur of confusion arose. Would the subject himself not know what had happened to him?

Why would Baba give us such instructions? If the subject was still alive, why would Baba call it death?

If the subject were dead, why would Baba caution us not to tell him afterwards – unless He was going to be restored to life?

Fear mingles with amazement as we struggled to comprehend what we were seeing.

Looking at the inert body of the subject, we wondered what would happen next.

Excitement and suspense mounted as we waited for Baba’s next move. The sadhaka lay still on the floor. Seemingly interminable seconds passed.

Then, above the muttering of voices, Baba spoke once:

A pall of silence fell over the room. The subject’s head, unsupported, lolled sickeningly to the right. In the ghastly stillness, Baba said quietly:

Then He rose and left the room. We followed Him to the next room. Baba sat on the floor and instructed:

• that someone close the door to the room where the dead sadhaka lay.
• Shri P. K. Chatterjee to massage His hands and fingers

This seemed like and extraordinary request given the time and place. I wondered about the reason for it, for surely Baba must have had some purpose other than relaxation.

For some He chatted with us, and then He lay down on the blanket and asked all of us to massage His hands and feet vigorously.

We complied, but I was confused.

Baba asked Shri Chatterjee:

When Shri Chatterjee returned, he reported that the head of the body was in the same position as before. Baba closed His eyes for a moment. His body then became entirely still and remained so for half an hour.

During all this time, of course, we continued to massage Him.