Babaji´s yatra ( Spiritual trip ) to Jaddar

November 1983

In November 1983 Babaji went on a yatra ( Spiritual trip ) to Jaddar, a small town near Baroda in Gujarat. During the days when Babaji & devotees were there also a Katha ( holy Book ) reading was going on by a locally, highly respected Shastri which attracted also people from the villages around.

The small town was packed with people. It was a very special moment for Karkhu and myself there as we were sleeping right in front of Babaji's bedroom and were with Him from the first bath, thru Chandan and mostly throughout the day. He made us sing mantra's all day had conversations as a loving father would have with His son's. On this trip He made us chant and repeat Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare and also SitaRam, SitaRam Bole pyare.

During the day Babaji would give darshan on His asana prepared in a school building with 2 Acharya's on each side reciting and explaining the Shrimad Devi Bhagvatam.

Playfully Babaji would throw well aimed oranges at the devotees having darshan and uplift the energy in the long sits which were not so easy without kirtan or English explanations of what was being spoken in Hindi.

We would make trips around in the village visiting private houses followed by a group of 30/40 of us were people would make aarti to the Lord.

This all took place in high speed and Baba would jump of to do the same in the next house, all in a matter of a few minutes. These were fast, hectic and extremely high energetic events where 12/15 houses visited in an hour.

Very crowded and powerful havan's were performed in the courtyard.

Extremely joyful procession through the town with thousands watching was part of the Jaddar experience. Babaji was riding in the ox cart with Muniraj & Shastriji and a couple of devotees from Bombay.

It went on for hours with wild music played at times by the side of the procession. Karkhu and myself riding on camels back and pulling up some kids for the fun.

One day we were told to jump in a car and drove of with 2 cars out of the town. I remember Babaji, Shastriji and Man Singh besides Karkhu & me but we were in 12 or so. After a long ride we arrived in a tiny village were hundreds of people were waiting playing music.

When Babaji stepped out out the car and clicked His fingers the crowd went wild and the drums started beating a heated rhythm. People were dancing in ecstasy. We were trying to protect Babaji from the wild crowd but with movements and commands He swept up the energy wilder and wilder. Two of the man dancing and jumping fell in their ecstasy to the ground but kept dancing somehow. What our eyes saw there was not possible for the mind to phantom. While in horizontal position they were flying thru the air 5/6 meters again and again. Like balls of energy bouncing around the terrace these man were flying thru the air. The ecstasy became so wild we had to leave and protect Babaji from the wildly insane crowd who all wanted to touch Him. We made it to the car completely in a daze of what happened there and how we experienced it. We lost the way back and drove around for hours to find Jaddar town again which may have been necessary for us to calm down again after this mind altering high energetic event.

On one of the last days there we were on a square and people crowded by the hundreds around and kept hanging flower mala's on Babaji and giving Him prasaad. At a certain point Babaji put Karkhu and myself on a small elevation and told everybody to hang the mala's around our neck and told us to bless the people with our hand and gave us a mantra to do and He jumped away.

Babaji was standing on a balcony looking and laughing at us. In the midst of this noisy crowd, concentrated on the words He told us to repeat and somehow "channel" Babaji's blessings we experienced a strange mixture of feeling ridiculous with Babaji laughing at us and a complete harmony with the Divine being aware that we had no blessings to give but something extraordinary was happening anyway. We just did as He told us and it became quite an experience looking into these many eyes who come hungry for blessings in devotion hanging a mala's around your neck and putting prasaad in your mouth and a rupee in your hand. 

I saw there how we all come as beggars to God, asking, asking and asking and hoping to be answered. Here the formula is with mala & sweets, somewhere else, incense and a candle, feathers and sacred tobacco, a butter lamp and khata, a hand of samargree, a donation etc. all in exchange for blessings in the form of health, wealth and progress of some kind and relieve of our suffering. 

We are beggars in Gods presence and have so little to offer in reality. The Lord accept everything what is offered in devotion and automatically gives His blessings.

Offering prasaad (blessed food) as service in His name in a way that feeds the poor, heals the sick and spreads Light where there is darkness seems more an extension of the Divine in action from what I have seen thru the years.

Thinking a bit more about passing His blessings to others rather then asking for ourselves may be the way to go into the new era, the new world Babaji spoke about ?

It may be a way to invite Him to walk amongst us once again……..

Truth, Simplicity and Love

Janki Rani (Founder of Cisternino) experiences with Babaji

Photo of Shri Babaji taken by Janki Rani in Jaipur in 1976.)

My experience with Babaji by Janki Rani (Lisetta Carmi from Cisternino, Italy)

Part I" It is not easy to talk about Babaji - the embodiment of Truth in the world, Divine Love which gives what is necessary to every soul. Simplicity that borders on pure essence.

In 1976, Babaji completely changed my life,He called me to Him. He has been a clear mirror in which I was able to see His true, deepest essence. He asked me to create an ashram in Cisternino, that give meaning to every moment of my life.

Bhole Baba KI JAY!

Before meeting with Babaji, I visited India and Afghanistan. I tried to find a Guru, I was looking for the truth and love of life. I do not feel a connection with the internal desire of most people to the spiritual teachers and traditional faith. I perceive God as Master of my life and believe in cosmic justice that unites all human beings into a single Universal Organism. Perhaps for this very reason that my first meeting with Babaji in Jaipur was absolute: I knew Him, I saw in Him all I've ever looked for. I realized that He had "called" me, because I was inwardly ready for a new life, and my life would have turned into a life-service. All my previous life was a preparation for a meeting with Babaji - Guru of all gurus. And it was a great gift.

I met Babaji 12th March 1976 in Jaipur, in the house of Jane Sahib. I arrived there in the afternoon. There was an atmosphere of incredible devotion. It reminded me of what it may have been like in Jesus' time,when students were preparing to meet the Master: inner peace, filled with pure love and reverence. Babaji came by car. I saw Him coming out of it and going to the house. He walked as if not touching the ground. He sat on the flower-decked place prepared for Him in front of a crowd of devotees, who immediately began to worship at His feet: offering Him gifts and sweets, and asking for His blessings.

I approached Him and said:

-" Babaji, I am Lisetta". He replied "Your name is Janki Rani", then He added:-" You can sit here."
He asked me to bring a chair and told me to sit down next to Him. I was in ecstasy. I looked at Babaji and "saw" Him. I recognized Him. I looked at the devotees and for the happiness they experienced near Babaji, in their simple and touching devotion. Babaji then said "This woman came from Italy," as if this was an important event. He then asked people to touch my feet. This meeting with Babaji was incredible for me ... each touched my feet, and I thought, 'How is it possible to have this treatment, He gave me just five minutes ... "

Ten minutes later, He sent a grey-haired Hindu to me,he said "Babaji says you have to tell me something that will bring me closer to God."
I said the first thing that popped into my head:" God is Love."
The old Indian came back to Babaji and gave Him these words, then again he came up to me and said, "Babaji is happy."
Babaji gave me a piece of fruit, then one of the devotees, Malti, came to me:
"Babaji says you should say something to the people."

I was in ecstasy. I looked at the people who came to Babaji - they were Indians, and they were happy that live in India, because they can speak with Him, without having to travel from Italy like me. I saw Babaji as the true embodiment of the Divine. The atmosphere around Him was especially clean.
I said, "I am ready." I just could not pass on what I feel in my heart: "the joy to be here and to find something that I always wanted."At the end of my speech, Babaji said"I thank you".

The first time I was with Babaji twenty-five days - first in Jaipur, then - in Wari. It was an amazing the period during which Babaji taught me a lot and gave a lot of love. His every gesture has a special meaning. His smile, His eyes penetrated directly to the heart.

The 15th of March '76, we heard the first indication of the Mahakranti. Babaji smiled, as if to give us a silent understanding: Now I say all this in order that you may be inwardly prepared for it. "You should cleanse yourselves spiritually to meet face to face any adversity and challenges with an open heart and courage."
But each time when Babaji mentioned disasters, I have only heard the word "liberation" as if God had given a chance to remove all negativity, to come to the triumph of love, brotherhood and harmony in the new world of the Age of Aquarius. And now more than ever I feel that all this is Babaji - it is true that we must be prepared for the total transformation, covering the entire Earth. I feel it, that is our first duty; cleaning ourselves. Merger and acquisition with the Divine "humanity" in accordance with the teachings of Babaji.

During the fourteen years Babaji was in a physical body, He showed us the correct way to change our hearts and our minds. He said that He would like to see a world where the lion and the lamb drink from the same source. We know that we are facing enormous difficulties, but no problem is too great, if faith is total.
Twenty days later, Babaji asked me to go with Him on a new pilgrimage, but I told Him " I need to go back to Italy".
" Why" ?asked Babaji.
"Because I have an elderly mother who is waiting for me, and because I have to work".
"Go then . I'll always be with you. I'm going to Italy with you." From then on, Babaji has never left me.

*****


MY EXPERIENCE OF BABAJI, by Janki Rani. Part II
My first visit to Haidakhan was in August 1977. Haidakhan is a sacred place, where in 1970 Babaji appeared in a cave. This new meeting was even deeper than the first meeting with Him. Life with Haidakhan Babaji was a wonderful and unique experience, there are no words to describe it. All the Truth, Simplicity and Love. I trusted Him completely, telling Him in my heart:" Babaji, You see me, I'm not hiding anything from You, I only beg You to help me become more perfect."

Every day I spent many hours with Him, accompanying Him to the river, when He was taking His afternoon bath. Every moment was divine, walking along with Babaji, always singing to Himself.

Babaji once allowed me to wash Him. His body was strong as iron, and soft as a child's body. I felt it was a really special body with the ethereal vibrations. He was on Earth, but came from the heavens, the continuity of the Infinite Presence.Once Babaji took my hand and said:
"Janki, you have a simple nature, I like it". He asked me if I understood and repeated the words as if He were trying to help me understand their deeper meaning."Yes, Babaji", I realized I had to keep my heart simple, which is the greatest wealth, given to me by God. These words have always helped me in seeing things as they really are, instead of being based on inferences, they helped me realize my true nature, and to be happy, living in simplicity. OM NAMAHA SHIVAYA.
In 1977, Mauro joined me in Haidakhan. He was a man with whom I was very deep relationship. Mauro was a highly spiritual person. Together we had a long career with great joys and difficulties. Together, we sought the Truth.
Once we were together in the garden with Babaji and He asked me "What does Mauro mean to you?"
" I've lived with him for ten years, Babaji."
" Do you want My advice?"
" Of course, Babaji."
"You have to marry him."

So, Babaji married us in the Indian tradition. I was dressed in a sky-blue sari, and Mauro was in red robes with a golden turban. This was undoubtedly a karmic wedding which again joined us as in previous lives, we had a deep love and a common destiny. When we left Haidakhan, I returned to Italy, and Mauro continued to stay in India for four years. I've never met him during that period. Every year when I came back in Haidakhan, and did pranam to Babaji, He asked me:
" "Where is your husband?
" I did not see him again, Babaji!"

And He smiled, knowing that Mauro goes his own way, travelling in India. And I follow my Guru in the way that He has prepared for me. But we, Mauro and I, despite this, had a deep bond, like an unbroken thread. Love is stronger than time and space. Mauro left his body 23rd January 1985 in India.

In January 1979, I returned to Haidakhan. It was a year in which Babaji gave me all the most special and amazing year of my relationship with Him. Making pranam, I said in my heart:" Babaji, now I come to you to clean up my heart. That is my only goal."
He gave me everything I needed, with Divine Love, which only He can give. That year Babaji honoured me by making my mundan(head shave) with His own hands.One Saturday morning He told me"Janki, Monday, mundan".

And I realized that this mundan, made on the day of Shiva, is a true blessing.
On Monday morning, He called me, asked me to bring scissors and started to cut my hair. I felt that what He gave me, was sublime and special. When my hair was the mostly cut off, He sent me to the river, to finally shave off the rest of my hair, giving up all my hair to the holy river Gautami Ganga. When I came back to Him, He asked me to bring a brush and gold paint. He then drew a gold swastika on my head, from the back to the forehead and the right ear to the left.Then He said to me "Starting today, energy will come to you from heaven".This is a blessing accompanies and supports me in every moment of my life. It gives me the strength and energy, it leads and inspires me. Thank you, Babaji, I'll never be able to thank You enough for what You have given me, for the way You changed my life.

OM Namaha Shivaya.

MY EXPERIENCE OF BABAJI. By Janki Rani (Lisetta Carmi) Part III.
One time when we were on His terrace, I was writing a letter to my mother. Babaji took my letter and He sketched a small bunch of flowers and wrote OM NAMAH SHIVAYA. He then gave me back the letter, saying " Your mother should have died in the last year according to her karma, but I blessed her and extended her life for a few years, because she is a great mother."
From that day, my mother, who was already 93 years of age, became stronger and more vigorous. She had great faith in Babaji.

In 1980, Babaji told me to move her to Cisternino and I settled near the ashram. The last years of her life she was happy to live next to an ashram in a religious atmosphere and in harmony with the Divine. Her presence was a great gift for me and the ashram, it was an example of spiritual strength, faith and goodness. My mother used to say I was an Indian woman in my previous life. And of course, I was a great devotee of Babaji. She left the the body in February 1986 in full accordance with the divine promise of peace.



In 1979, Babaji spoke of Jesus Christ with great love. He said that Jesus was the most advanced of His disciples and that Jesus lived with Him in India and Tibet for 9 years. That year Christmas in Haidakhan was a great holiday. When we asked Babaji why He celebrated Christmas in India, in the Himalayas, He replied " To emphasize the importance of Christianity for all mankind."

In the same year, Babaji gave me a remarkable teaching about money: how to use it carefully, without waste that Divine energy is present in every cent spent with generosity and without attachment. Babaji taught me that money does not belong to us, but God gave it to us for the benefit of everyone. Babaji said to me " Janki take 100 rupees, go to Swami FakirAnand and exchange it for coins. So the 100 rupee note was exchanged into a heavy bag full of coins. Every morning I carried this heavy bag on my shoulder as I accompanied Babaji. He blessed the devotees and Indians working in the garden of the ashram, those who built temples, carried stones (how many stones in Haidakhan!) and those who did other karma yoga. Babaji used to tell me "Janki, money!" I opened the bag, He took the coins and counted them. Each received a different amount according to need and merit. Thirty paise, fifty paise. There was no difference between the rich and the poor.A week later, when my bag was empty Babaji said "Janki, take a 100 rupee and to exchange it. So, the game continued. It was for me an invaluable learning. It was useful for the ashram management - to manage prudently each rupee without unnecessary spending. Only significantly later on I realized why Babaji played this great game, showing me the importance of money, which we need to use and to give appropriately.

That year, saying goodbye, Babaji gave me two sticks: one - smooth and gold - for the house, the other was a large, gnarled, with many sharp burrs. He said "These will help you take care of people."
I left Haidakhan bald and cheerful, with two sticks, with a heart of the peaceful blessings of Babaji, in the knowledge of the deep transformation of my being. Babaji said goodbye and gave me small sandal for my mother, a precious gift, that it always to be used with mantra OM NAMAH SHIVAYA. This gift gave her the strength and courage to the end of her life.Two days after returning to Genoa, when I went to buy milk, an unknown Priest greeted me with the words "Shalom, may I greet you in this way?" I happily returned his greeting, and then he added "Do you know that you are a bearer of light?" "Yes, I know" I said "because God is with me." "That's right" - the Priest said.

I told him about Babaji,His ashram in the Himalayas, and what Babaji said about Jesus. The Priest with burning eyes told me, "You're talking about the new gospel." We parted with gratitude on mutual understanding, and I realized that the divine light that passes through me from Babaji can be seen by those few.

Thank you, Babaji, for the gift sent to all of us, that we really cannot fully understand. But the seed that you placed in my heart sprouted, making Your message of Truth, Simplicity and Love even more prosperous.

In 1980 and 1981, I was again with Babaji, each time for three months. Again, the joy was total. Babaji was so good to me. He let me stay at His side. He would not let me do any physical work. I had to learn to work with people. Life with Babaji was a continuous teaching. His smile, His simplicity, His giving of Himself without any restrictions (total surrender) - all this is unconditional Divine Love.

When my mother came to Cisternino, I could not go to India, my responsibilities included Cisternino and care of her, but as Babaji had promised, He was always with me.

In October 1983, Babaji called me to Haidakhan. It was His last great gift to call me before He left His body in February 1984. I spent a month with Him, during which He filled me with love and happiness, and gave me the last instructions that could make my life strong and courageous.
I asked Him what He really would like to see at the ashram in Cisternino, and He replied " Cisternino is a place for transformation, purifying the mind, meditation and karma yoga - and nothing more."
One day He was lying near His kutir, looking very tired. I was next to Him, and He said to me to pull a white hair from His head. He seemed half-asleep. I touched His head in awe, shy and reserved. Was it really for me, to pull out a white hair from Babaji's head? It was like a divine dream, not reality. Then He asked me to stop, and we were close to each other for half an hour, I felt a unity of infinite love. Then He suddenly got up, put a white shawl on my shoulders, and left. This was the last farewell I realized later.

When I was about to leave Haidakhan on horseback crossing the river, Babaji placed His hand on my head and looked into my eyes with infinite love and told me with a beaming glance:
" Be happy in the Name of Hanuman!" And then quickly "Go!"

*(End of Story from Janki Rani, Lisetta)

GURUPURNIMA 2015 31 of July

GURUPURNIMA - The day we celebrate the Guru  ( 31-7-2015 )

Gurupurnima is celebrated on The Full Moon Day in the month of Ashadha (July- August). This day also signifies the very first transmission of the Science of Yoga by 'Shiva' , the Adiyogi or the First Yogi, to the Saptarishis, (the seven celebrated sages).

'Guru' in Sanskrit is translated as 'dispeller of darkness'. Guru dispels the darkness of ignorance of his disciple and leads him on the path of enlightenment. Gurupurnima is the day when the disciple offers his gratitude to the guru and receives his blessings.

This year (2015 it is celebrated 31 of July

The mantra of Guru:
Tvameva Mata Cha Pita Tvameva    
Tvameva Bandhu Cha Sakha Tvameva
Tvameva Vidya Cha Dravidam Tvamev
Tvameva Sarvam Mam Deva Deva

Meaning
“You alone are my mother, you alone my father;
You alone are my relative, you alone my friend;
You alone are my knowledge, you alone my wealth;
You are everything to me, Oh Lord of Lords, you alone!”

Wish you all a very blessed Gurupurnima 2015.

Lokha samashta sukino bavantu -May all beings everywhere be happy!

My beloved Haidakhan Bhole baba lives always in my heart and always protects me and guides my way.

Om Asato Maa Sad-Gamaya |
Tamaso Maa Jyotir-Gamaya |
Mrtyor-Maa Amrtam Gamaya
On Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

O Lord of my heart
From Untruth lead me to Truth
From Darkness lead me  to Light
From Death lead me to Immortality
On peace, peace, peace

May Shree Babaji lead all beings from darkness to light.

Bhole Baba ki Jai!
Bholo Sri Haidakhandeswari mata ki jai!

Attachment to the body - Teachings of Babaji

2 FEBRUARY 1983

During His Evening Bath :

All my body is meant to dry up one day, so don't care to put too much oil on it. 

This body is here only to serve people.

All the living beings, animals, flowers, plants, and stones have been given a form by God 

and this body has been given by God to perform a duty in this world. 

So even my own body has come only to perform a duty and to serve all human and living beings.

But when human beings come in this world, they forget their duty.

They fall into the attachment of maya and into the concepts of "me" and "mine" and so they forget God.

JAI MAHA MAYA KI JAI

Teachings of Babaji

Fire of Transformation (my life with Babaji…) by Gaura Devi.

Fire of Transformation (my life with Babaji…) by Gaura Devi.

15 June 1978

I am enchanted by Babaji’s flexibility and His ability to adjust to each person and every situation.

When dealing with the local village people He can be extremely down-to-earth, becoming one of them, a poor mountain person, talking about stones and potatoes, sharing their simple problems and most of all teaching them about honesty. Then when He is relating to the sophisticated people who arrive from the big cities, Delhi or Bombay, He transforms Himself into an oriental prince, beautiful and worldly.

With women He plays the seductive man, with us Westerners He is the severe Master yet full of love, with children He is youthful, tender, an ineffable mother/father figure.

His endless play and kaleidoscopic ability, His magical transformations, it all continually fascinates me; it’s as if He constantly adopts many different forms in order to help us, coming down to our level of understanding in order to take our hand and lift us one step higher, towards Him.

An ancient Sanskrit prayer says: ‘Oh Lord, Your play in human form is most strange and mysterious.’

The bridge that exists between Him and ourselves is His continuous, infinite love.

30 January 1979

The Indian devotees adore Him, contemplating the Divine in Him, touch Him, prepare special food for Him; Indian women spoil Him in a tender motherly way and He allows them to play with His body as if He were a doll, dressing it up and adorning it.

Through adoring Him, we are adoring a symbol of ourselves, something which each of us would like to be, our own divine Self.

Babaji is a skillful Master working on our projections like an accomplished psychologist.

He allows us to play for a while, indulge ourselves in our attachments or desires a little, but sooner or later they are denied us, refused and He forces us back again onto ourselves, even rejecting us.

It is not uncommon to see Him suddenly tell somebody to leave, sometimes quite harshly, unexpectedly, without any apparent reason.

I feel He is particularly hard with the people from the West, not allowing them to remain here for a long period of time.

Also the game He plays out with the women is another teaching.

He always mirrors the feelings we have right there in front of Him, what we really are, although we don’t always recognize it immediately ourselves; and yet in a moment or two He can transform and elevate us.  

 He gives of Himself unconditionally.

EXPERIENCES WITH BABAJI AFTER 1970

Babaji meditating

EXPERIENCES WITH BABAJI AFTER 1970

Whenever Baba sat in meditation in the cave, a brilliant beam of light would issue forth from the temple high on the hill and shine down over Baba´s head. At other times, such rays would also shoot out of Baba´s eyes and strike the Shivalingam inside the cave. These phenomena , incidentally, were not witnessed by me alone.

There are a number of people still alive today in the village who also saw them and can testify to the truth of these experiences.

On the cold and dark winter mornings in December (1970) Baba would bathe at about 4 am and stay an hour in the water. A ray of light, which had to be supernatural, would appear and shine its reflection on the water. I know because I used to sit nearby at the river´s edge and watch it every morning.

Once I accompanied Babaji on a climb up mount Siddeshwar, which is about four and a half kilometers east of Haidakhan and we spent the night on the mountain.

Mount Siddeshwar

Soon Baba became absorbed in dhyan (meditation) and seemed to go deeper and deeper (samadhi). The most exquisite light began to effuse from his body and caused it to glow. The sight of divine effulgence struck me so deeply, that I trembled with awe and wonder.

When I first met Baba, he called me by my name which took me by complete surprise. I asked him: "Lord, how is it you know my name?"

And he replied: "Your father was a great devotee of mine; you were not even born then." He went on to describe our house, the kinds of trees surrounding it, the types of crops growing in the field, as it was when my father was still alive. I later told my mother about all this and she confirmed everything he had said, down to the smallest detail. She too is alive today and can verify the truth of this incident.

 BABAJI, Message from the Himalayas

Gertraud Reichel

 

Verdad, Simplicidad, Amor
 

 Truth, Simplicity. Love

Αλήθεια,Απλότητα, Αγάπη