Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter – 12

Thapovanparvath is the divine land of spirituality, here is Balanandji got the Dharshan of his mother Narmada Bai.  After the death of Ramcharan, his wife established an Ashram, Balanandji lived in this Ashram and guided several people through the divine path of spirituality, he elevated many souls from sufferings and miseries of worldly existence.  The two disciple Magadhi and Poornanandswami lived with Balanand Bhramachari, soon many disciples like Krishna Bandhopadhyay,  Prangopal Mukhopadhyay was joined with them.  Balanandji used to say “when a person passes in four tests like ego, pride, jealousy and desire, then he will qualify to stay as a disciple.”  Balanandji carefully chose his disciples, like the gold is put in the blazing fire to create an exquisite piece of jewels, before accepting them as a disciple, he had to go through many tests which requires mental strength as well as spiritual knowledge, he was treated the people of different Ashrama Dharma with great love and care, a Bhramachari needs to undertake intense religious and spiritual practices, strict celibacy, Yogic practices, sense of selflessness, simplicity, humanity, etc.. A Grahasthi needs to follow all the Dharmic rights, morality, discipline, etc..  He always worked for the welfare of his disciples and his devotees.

Balanandji lived in Baranagar, Kolkata for a few days.  This place was always crowded with devotees and disciples.  One day Yatheendhra Mohan Thakur sends a messenger to invite Balanandji to his home, those days it was a practice to invite holy men to home and get their blessings for the welfare of the family.  Balanandji sarcastically said, “ Yatheendhra Mohan is a nobleman, I have heard of him, people here call me the same, if two noble men meet together what is the harm in it, I was expecting him here.”  Balanandji narrated a story to the people assembled there.  Once a saint was settled on the entry point of the Kingdom, he was seated in the middle of the pathways, the King was supposed to arrive on the pathway that day to make country visit and its subjects, the King’s men and people warned the Sanyasin to move away from the pathway, respectable personalities compelled Sanyasin to move away from the place, Sanyasin said “Tell your King that one Maharaj is sitting in the middle of the pathway.” People were alarmed at the answer of the saint and conveyed the message to the King.  The King got out of the palanquin and rushed to the saint, he prostrated before the saint and said “I have heard you are Maharaj, where is your army?” Sannyasin said “ Why should I need army men? I have no enemies in this world.”King laughed and asked, “Where is your wealth?” Sannyasin smiled and said “ Why should I need to keep wealth? I have no expenses, I do not need meals to survive, I do not need expensive shelter to live, I take shelter under trees, I eat root vegetables and on alms, I do not even need clothes, so I do not need any wealth.” King reverentially prostrated before Sannyasin, and silently moved through the other side of the pathway.  The messenger of the Yatheendhra Mohan Thakur conveyed all the messages to his Master.  He felt so embarrassed at his act; soon he arrived to meet Balanandji and reverentially greeted each other.  

Yatheendhra Mohan Thakur asked Balanandha Bhramachari “What are the duties of a Samsari/Grihastha,? He is already attached to the worldly bondage, how can he achieve the highest of the piousness in spirituality?”  Balanandji said “ all that wealth and material possessions remain with the Grihastha can be utilized for taking minimal pleasures in it, but a Grihastha should always concentrate on spending a major part of the wealth for performing charity, spending the wealth on religious and spiritual rites.   All that you need to bring some changes in perception and attitude.  You have to turn all your thoughts towards the supreme spirit, not on to you and one should stop keep feeding the senses.  It will remove ego, it will give you a new insight that soul is none other than supreme spirit.”