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.