History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 8, end)

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The mahasamadhi of Sacha Baba Kulanandji
According to a popular saying, all good things must come to an end. Perhaps in this way God wants to incite us to keep on going forward rather that getting attached to a particular situation, however marvellous it may be, as long as we have not yet returned to our Heavenly father’s house. So one September day in 1983, disaster struck his disciples and all those who love true spirituality when just after the Janmasthami festival which celebrates the great avatar Shri Krishna’s anniversary, and which was also Sacha Baba’s, the great saint left our world definitively after a short illness which had not at all seemed serious. Everyone was at first stupefied, then became despondent. Maharajji and the other disciples organized the funeral rites in homage of the incarnation of God who had so brilliantly illuminated our horizons.

He had taken care of the future
He left behind him excellent disciples, certain of whom created ashrams to carry on the teachings and ideals of love, light and universal fbrotherhood of their Master. The torch of the Sacha Mission was taken up by Maharajji so as to continue this work of awakening hearts and consciousness. We have already spoken about his work, and that of those who help him in this formidable task: this is to be found in the very first article of the site and is entitled “Shri Hans Raj Maharajji” which you can find in the topic “Introducing Maharajji”. (End)

History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 7)

Sacha Baba Kulanandaji and his disciples
One of the first things he insisted on was that his disciples should remain in society while carrying out their sadhana. Concerning this he said, “It is the destiny of each individual to work”. He thought it was not honest in a hard-working country like India, to definitively go away to a forest or a cave under the pretext that one was trying to find God. According to him “each of man’s actions should be united to God” and so even in the middle of daily action, in one’s work, one’s family, one progresses spiritually, for then everything is done for God and not out of personal interests. It may be stressed here that the divine Master did not exclude short spiritual retreats form time to time, but he did not want seekers to indefinitely cut themselves off from the world. Quoting the Bhagavad Gita, he often said “Perfection in action is yoga” thus stressing spiritual perfection which is reached through right and entirely selfless action, always dedicated to God. This is the very basis of Karma Yoga. However, his teachings went beyond this particular path, for he was also a being of profound devotion and perfect love for all beings. In fact, like all accomplished Masters, he was at the junction of all paths which he had united within himself through his high spiritual state.

Spiritual faculties belong to God
He also warned the disciple against catering to his ego, in particular when some of his spiritual faculties start working. He reminded him that these faculties belong to God and not to the disciple who only benefits from them. If he thinks that they are his and that he has become an important person, then not only will he lose everything but he will also put an end to his spiritual growth. His fall will be that of one who is unable to resist the temptation of pride.

An alchemist of souls
Sacha Baba Kulananandji had an extraordinary effect on each disciple because he was the living incarnation of God. In a preceding article, we have already spoken about the case of Shri Hans Raj Maharajji who came to him as a simple patient to be healed of a devastating illness which had been sapping his strength for a long time, and who became enlightened on the very next day after coming to the Master. There is also this teacher who was looking for a spiritual Master and who hurried to meet Sacha Baba when he was told about him. When the Master saw him coming, he said, “Close your eyes” and the teacher obeyed. A bright light then appeared to him, lasting for about fifteen minutes. When he opened his eyes at last, important changes had taken place in his consciousness, and he became an ardent disciple of the Master. Sacha Baba was a true divine alchemist who possessed the key to the soul of each living being who came to him. He turned it when he judged the time was right, for he could read each person like an open book.

God's Great Plan
Going beyond his disciples, he saw the great Plan of God which includes the entire humanity and has always brought men towards more perfection in all domains down the ages. He had especially come down from the high planes to participate in a powerful way in the accomplishment of this great Plan. (Continued in Part 8)

History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 6)

In the abode of Yogis
Six months later, his Master appeared to Kulanandji in a vision and recommended that he go and complete his spiritual training in the Himalayas. He obeyed and settled in a cave in Deoprayag on the road to Badrinath, one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in India.
In those mountains, known to be the country of eminent saints, Kulanandji followed very strict spiritual practice, and in less than three years, reached a very high degree of perfection. One must add to this the fact that he incorporated all the powers of his Master and so became the incarnation of Sacha Baba. That was why Swami Kulanandji was later known as “Sacha Baba”, and has been called by that name ever since. However, in order to distinguish him from his Master Sacha Baba Girnari, we will call him Sacha Baba Kulanandji in all our articles.

Sacha Baba Kulanandji leaves the Himalayas
In 1947, Sacha Baba Kulanandji was divinely instructed to carry on the spiritual transformation of the world that his Master had started. He therefore came down from the Himalayas and travelled all over India for seven years to see and understand how people actually lived. He saw how they suffered from so many hardships. He was so touched that as soon as he arrived at Jagannath temple in Puri, which was the end of his journey, from his soul spontaneously sprang a song which he sang:

Prabhu Aap Jago, Paramatma Jago,
Mere Sarva Jago, Saravatra Jago,
Dukhaantak Khel Kaa Ant Karo.
Sukantak khel prakash karo.

Wake up Blessed One ! Beloved One wake up
Wake up my very own, wake up my all,
Wake up in the whole world, Wake up in every heart,
End this era of pain and sorrow,
Light up the era of joy and bliss.

It was Sacha Baba’s soul invoking God. Then he went to the seaside nearby. There he saw a scene of unbelievable beauty, for Lord Vishnu was there in all His glory, in radiant light which covered the whole world.

The marvellous work promised
In 1953, Sacha Baba Kulanandji founded an ashram in Allahabad called Sacha ashram, near Triveni Sangham, a confluence of three of the most sacred rivers in India: the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Indeed, in a vision, his Master had told him to found an ashram in Allahabad and have the mantra Prabhu Aap Jago chanted there, for, as his Master explained, this song which he had chanted for the first time at the Jagnnath temple in Puri was in fact a very powerful mantra which was to be used for the spiritual awakening of the entire humanity. After the foundation of the ashram, when everything was ready in 1960, the mantra was indeed sung for twelve years straight. This cycle ended in 1972 and was marked by a great religious festival during which one of the most sacred and powerful fire ceremonies, the lakschandi Mahayagna was organized. The aim of this ceremony was to awaken humanity and contribute to bringing peace and harmony in the world during that period of cold war and very dangerous international tension.

An instrument for all
However, the Prabhu Aap Jago mantra is still sung daily in all the ashrams of the Sacha lineage during religious ceremonies and by disciples in their daily sadhana, for it is an excellent means of contributing to the awakening of humanity. All people of goodwill everywhere in the world can use it to participate in this magnificent undertaking. In this way, one can work towards the awakening of all beings as well as one’s own at the same time.

Some aspects of Sacha Baba Kulanandji’s work
The work that Sacha Baba Kulanandji carried out during his whole life was gigantic, and it went from the training of excellent disciples to the raising of the consciousness of humanity through work on the spiritual planes. It is not known either by the general public how much he did to eradicate famine in India. There is an instructive story about this, and we may tell it later on, but for the moment let us get back to his work as a whole. In a way, he also reduced the distance between man and God by special work on the inner planes.
In fact, not only had Sacha Baba been a great avatar in a past life, but was also one in this life, and time will bear witness to the immense work he accomplished. (Continued in Part 7)

History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 5)

The promising young man
In 1936, a young man named Kulanandji who had just finished school, came to ask him to help him find a job. He came with his uncle Shrikant, a disciple who had been with Sacha Baba Girnari for a long time. To the young man’s request, the Master replied that if he stayed with him he would have a marvellous job. He therefore stayed and soon became an excellent disciple. It is said that his spiritual progress was rapid. He was so loving and helpful to everyone that he was highly appreciated by Sacha Baba Girnari and his fellow disciples. When his parents asked him to go back home to get married and live a non-religious life, he answered that he had decided to become a brahmachari [1] and that his whole life would be dedicated to God and all men. He had to face many trials, but he overcame all of them.

Very curious disciples
Something surprising happened the same day Kulanandji went to meet Sacha Baba Girnari for the first time. The Master, seeing the young man coming towards him, got up and embraced him. This was unusual, for in general a Master never gets up to go and meet a visitor. Something happened later on one day, which could give some indication as why the Master had done so. While the Master was with his disciples that day, one after the other they asked him questions about what they had been in last life. The Master, from whom nothing is hidden, answered each one. But only one disciple had not asked anything, and that was Kulanandji. When the Master mentioned that to him, Kulanandji replied that this question had never crossed his mind. Then the Master let him know that he had been a great avatar [2] in his past life...

The mahasamadhi of Sacha Baba Girnari
Later on, he became the Master’s personal attendant. Consequently, he was with him all the time and accompanied him on his many trips around the country. It is said that his confidence in the Master and his devotion were unequalled. However, on 16th June 1944, while they were both in Varanasi (Benares), Girnari Baba left his body, for he considered that his role in the mission he had started on the Earth was finished, and he knew this mission would soon be in good hands.

I will be with you for ever!
This was a great loss for all his disciples, and especially for Kulanandji whose heart was broken by this event. But Kulanandji had seen all the miracles his Master had worked and was hoping so much he would come back to life that he did not want him to be buried right away. As he did not stop crying over the loss of his Master, the latter appeared to him and told him that he was always with him and that he was indeed the Atma of his beloved disciple. It was true that he had left his physical body, but he would continue to teach and guide him, and also watch over him. Kulanandji therefore found peace of mind once more. (Continued in Part 6)

[1] He had taken a vow of chastity for life.

[2] Descent of God among men, generally in the body of a great saint or a great initiate, and having special powers to accomplish a particular mission.

History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 4)

The well-being of the people

Girnari Baba also cared a lot about poor people, and so he enjoined Maharajas and those who had any power at all to see to the well-being of the people they were in charge of. He was goodness itself. For example, during the Ardh-Khumba Mela in 1936 and the Maha-Khumbha Mela in 1942 in Allahabad which gathered millions of pilgrims as it usually did, there were crowds which came everyday to Girnari’s temporary camp. They came for the free meals, and among this large number of people, some asked for blankets, since the Khumba Mela is usually held in January or February when it is very cold in Allahabad. What is strange is that the divine Master managed to feed all those people and give out blankets to all those who asked for them, while no one knew where he got the money from to buy those things. The story is also told how he went to a a region in India which had been suffering from drought for a very long time, causing devastating famine. Girnari Baba spoke to the people there, gave specific advice and made it rain regularly so that this region became prosperous.

A great Siddha

Eminent saints in India acknowledged that he was a great Rishi and Siddha. That is perhaps one of the reasons why he was chosen to be president of the Fakiri Parliament, which was an assembly of Hindu and Muslim saints whose aim was to instil spiritual values into the society. He presided over the destiny of this prestigious assembly for about twenty-five years until he left this world. Having foreseen the Second World War which was about to start off, he tried to shorten the period it would last for, and lessen its effects on the whole world. (Continued in Part 5)

History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 3)

Girnari Baba and the transformation of men

After Girnari Baba had received Kacha Baba’s powers, he continued his spiritual work all over India where he constantly travelled. Not only did he work for the spiritual upliftment of the people, but also for the improvement of living conditions in India and in the whole world. Many years before the Second World War, Girnari Baba told certain political leaders that a great spiritual transformation was about to begin and that it was necessary for men as well as nations to turn to God. He explained to them that life in our physical world was only the shadow of life in the spiritual world. Consequently, if men did not follow spiritual truth, there would be no harmony between these two worlds, and this would result in ignorance concerning divine wisdom with its consequences such as disorder, wars, illnesses, poverty and the whole range of suffering which unfortunately afflict man here below. Unfortunately, what he said was not taken seriously enough.

Invisible work

It must be stressed here that a Master does not need to travel physically from country to country to touch the entire humanity. He does this quite simply from the high spiritual planes on which humanity is one being. This is done through instant inner harmonisation with these planes, and consequently, it will never be a spectacular thing which disciples or the average man can see.

The Gayatri Mantra

It is said that Girnari Baba used the Gayatri Mantra a great deal for the training of his disciples. It dates from the times of the Veda and possesses great transforming powers. But one cannot reduce the spiritual food a true Master gives his disciples to just one instrument, important though it may be. Indeed, in a way the Master is like a mother who brings up her child; there is, of course, the basic food for the family, but depending on the child’s health or his period of growth, she also gives him many other types of specific food which play an important preventive and curative role in his health and growth.

Tilling the soil
Let us remember that most of what a Master does for his disciple is not known by the latter, for the Master always works for the welfare of his student on high planes. The only thing he notices from time to time, provided that he follows his sadhana correctly, is that added to the usual slow progress, there is some unexpected progress. Naturally, the student should not think that only his sadhana brings about this result. His sadhana does indeed help him to make progress, but it is not the most important factor for enlightenment.

However, if this sadhana had not existed, there would have been no progress at all, for its purpose is essentially to prepare the student by raising his consciousness to the minimum required, and by purifying his subtle bodies so as to receive safely , the powerful energy which his Master will pour upon him when the “soil” is ready. One could therefore say, like mathematicians, that a sadhana followed carefully is a necessary condition, but is not enough where the essential stages of spiritual progress are concerned. Maharajji has declared several times that in order to attain realization, the student must do his sadhana perfectly and at the same time have a deep inner connection with his Master. This sadhana and heart to heart connection with the Master is like, in a way, the work of farmers who till the soil before planting ... (Continued in Part 4.)

History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 2)

Kacha Baba, a life dedicated to serving men

Kacha Baba was an extraordinary saint. Although he deplored the degenerate state of humanity, he had profound love for all beings. He had an ashram in Jalhupur and was surrounded by disciples. All his life, he worked ardently to raise the consciousness of the entire humanity. His work concerned both the material and spiritual well-being of men, for like all true saints, he knew that one had to live a balanced life by giving each thing the right importance. He was blind but people say that he moved around like everybody else, as if he did not have that disability. He had no need at all for for a guide or a walking stick to find his way.

He was given the name Kacha Baba because he ate only raw food. The story is told that one day he asked a man to bring him some food. This man went home and asked his wife to quickly prepare some delicious food for the great saint. After some time, as the food took a long time to come, Kacha Baba went to the man’s home and the man then understood, but a bit too late, that Kacha Baba only wanted uncooked food. He therefore gave him the food he wanted. A few moments later, the man’s wife discovered that her kitchen was filled with many delicious dishes which had appeared out of nowhere ! (Continued in Part 3)

History of the Sacha Lineage (Part 1)

The saint who was a few centuries old

From a historical point of view, the story of the Sacha lineage starts at the beginning of the 20th century. At that time, there lived a great saint whose origin and name were unknown. He was so old that some people that he was 250 years old, while others thought he was more than 400 years old. He had no ashram, for he constantly travelled around India, and his disciples were to be found all over the country. However, he frequently went to stay on the Girnar mountain in Gujarat, and that is why he became known as “Sacha Baba Girnari”, i.e. “the Father of Truth from the Girnar Mountain,” or the “great saint from the Girnar mountain”. He was also more simply called “Grinari Baba”. It was said that he was the incarnation of Devarishi Narada. His spiritual stature and powers were so great that he drew huge crowds and inspired great devotion. His disciples came from all levels of the society, from the humblest to Maharajahs, from illiterate people to intellectuals, from the poorest to the richest. And all these men and women gathered at his feet wherever he stayed temporarily.

Why start afresh?

One day, while he was on the Girnar mountain, he wondered who the greatest saint in the world was. The answer to this question came as a vision where he saw that it was a saint who was living in Jalhupur near Benares. He immediately set off to find him. He did indeed find him. According to tradition, this meeting took place in 1906.However Girnari Baba was intrigued to see that the great saint was reciting a mantra for the purpose of dissolving the world. The destruction of the world! So Girnari Baba asked him why he, his illustrious host was doing that. Kacha Baba replied that humanity had completely degenerated, and was now only a shadow of itself, so deeply it had fallen into ignorance of divine wisdom while only spending its time enjoying worldly pleasures, which inevitably caused great suffering in the form of diverse illnesses and problems. So, out of compassion, to avoid man’s falling more deeply into such a negative and painful situation, he wanted to dissolve the world, after which a new one would appear, and in which true virtue and love would rule the life of each human being.

But Girnari Baba did not see things that way. He knew that Kacha Baba possessed immense powers which could progressively transform men and bring them to live according to virtue and love as Kacha Baba desired. He therefore told the latter,“If you transfer your power to me, then I will transform humanity little by little and bring men to God without it being necessary to destroy the world.”

Everything in life must be merited

Kacha Baba did not give an answer this request right away, but submitted Girnari Baba to a series of trials which lasted several years, to see if he had the necessary qualities to lead such a mission. When, after these long years, Kacha Baba saw that Girnari Baba had succeeded in all the tests, he told him that after few days, he Kacha Baba would die, and on that occasion he would transfer his powers to him. What he said did indeed happen, and his powers were transmitted to Girnari Baba. He was thus ready to carry out the gigantic task which he intended to do – that of bringing humanity to God.But who was Kacha Baba, to be given such vast powers which allowed one to destroy the world, or transform it? It is said that he was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu Himself. He won great fame at the time and is still well-known today. (Continued in Part 2)