Mahasiddha  Baba Balaknath

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balaknath Maharaj!

Chapter - 4

Baba Balaknath was born to pious Bhramin couple Vishnu Rao and Lakshmi Ben.  This poor Bhramin couple was yearning for a child for long, they were instructed by a divine voice to conduct the Japa of Panchakshara and worship of Lord Shiva.    This couple underwent intense meditation upon the Panchakshari Mantra, Lord Shiva was pleased with the devotion of these couples and offered the boon.  Lakshmi Ben said “ Prabho, we  are yearning for a child who has the divine appearance and effulgence of you.” Lord Shiva blessed the couple and advised them to have patience; they will have a virtuous offspring who would bring fame to his parents.   In due course of time, Lakshmi  Ben gave birth to a child and he was named as “Dev”, the couple was overjoyed at the birth of the child.  Once there arrived a saint in the house of this couple, seeing the child he prophesized that the child is an incarnation of Supreme Lord, he is not an ordinary child and this child was born to remove the sufferings and sorrows of people in this world.   He also predicted that the child would take up spirituality at a young age.  His parents were shocked to hear the prophecy. 

It was after twelve years, his parents revealed their desire to perform Dev’s marriage so that his mother would get some help from the little bride in performing household duties, but child Yogi was not interested in worldly matters and he replied “I am not born to get married, my life is for the service to humanity and worship of Lord Shiva.”  His father was infuriated at the reply of his son, he  decided to perform his marriage at the earliest, he warned the boy to be prepared to get married tomorrow, and his mother also sincerely supported the advice of his father.    It was in the midnight, Balaknath was already prepared his mind to leave his parents forever, he prostrated before them who were fallen asleep and prayed “Kindly forgive me; I could not perform any of the duties as your son.”  He left home seeking the eternal truth.

 Balaknath’s parents conducted a thorough search in the entire village but they could not find their son, they were all tired of mental exhaustion.  This little boy sincerely prayed to Lord “ Bhagavan, kindly give enough strength to my parents to withstand the pain of separation.”  His father felt extremely guilty and asked his wife to forgive him for compelling the child for marriage; he accused himself as the culprit for all the miseries in the family.   

Mahasiddha  Baba Balaknath

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balaknath Maharaj!

Chapter - 3

There was an interesting myth behind Baba Balaknath served Matha Rathna in the Kali era, Baba voluntarily took up the cow-grazing for Matha Rathna.  It was during the Dwapara Yuga, Baba Balaknath took birth as Mahakakula.  Once Mahakaula on his way to Mount Kailash to attain the blessings of Lord Shiva and conduct meditation practices, he met an old lady who asked her “ Child, where are going through these rough roads ?”  Mahakaula said, “ Matha, I want to obtain the blessings from Lord Shiva, therefore I want to conduct Tapasya in Mount Kailash.” The old lady said “Child, it is not easy to please Lord Shiva; hence you take up your Tapasya near Manasarovar where you could meet Matha Parvathi who used to visit this pond for her daily rituals.  You settle down the foot of the mountain and conduct your Tapasya near Manasarovar.  Whenever Matha Parvathi arrives, you approach her with your plea to get the blessings of Lord Mahadeva, definitely, you will achieve the blessings of Lord.  Matha Parvathi may give you several boons, but never forget to ask for what you want.” In this way, Mahakaula stood under the foothill on the river banks of Manasarovar for twelve years and conducted Tapasya, and sincerely followed the advice of old lady.  Finally, he achieved the blessings from Lord to remain eminent Siddha and young always.  The old lady was taken birth as Rathna in Kali era, and Mahakaula as Baba Balaknath who wants to pay off the debts owed to Matha Rathna in his previous birth.

Mahasiddha  Baba Balaknath

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balaknath Maharaj!

Chapter - 2

Balaknath arrived in a village seeking for alms, he approached a widow who has no one to take care of her, she was managing her livelihood with a few of her cows, Balaknath said “ Matha, I don’t want any alms from you, let me take the opportunity to serve you, and will remain as a Yogi, you have addressed me as your son, it is my responsibility to take care of your cows and helping you in your chores. You need not pay anything for this service.” The widow said “ Son, I am a childless woman, God has sent you as my son. You can live with me and take care of my cows at one condition; you should not let my cows destroy the agricultural field of the peasants.”  On that day onwards they both started living together, Balaknath take care of the cows and grazing etc.. She will provide regular meals for him.  Balaknath does not require  consuming meal for his survival, he spends hours and hours in meditation, whenever he gets out of the meditation he keeps the meals provided inside the hollow of the tree and the buttermilk pour on the ground,  this widow would bring meals dutifully and keep in front of Balaknath and leaves,  this practice continued for several days.  He wanders fearlessly through the forest of wild animals.  One morning few of the prominent members of the village arrived at the door of the widow and said “ Rathna, your cows made a huge loss to the peasant in our village, your boy will be produced before the village assembly and we will impose punishment upon him. You have to repay all the debts due to the peasants for the loss of  the produce, ”  The villagers blamed Balaknath for his carelessness in his work, Rathna tried her best to protect Balaknath from their harsh words, they said “ A Sanyasin cannot take care of cows, you will lose the possession of your house to repay the debt.” Rathna pleaded the men to go with her to inquire child about this matter.   Rathna said “Child, what did you do? These men putting blame on me for the loss in their fields, I have fed you twelve years, and you have given me the fruit of it. While you were practicing meditation the cows destroyed the agricultural field, now I have to sell my house and repay the debt.”  Balaknath remembered the conditions he put forward while accepting the chores of Rathna that he will leave her work if she put blame on him. Balaknath said “The cow did not destroy the agricultural field, and these people have no right to punish me without committing any crime, I will pay off all your debts if the cows destroyed their field.  Therefore ask them to check their agricultural field and come back to me.”  The peasants poured out harsh words on him and returned to check their field.  Balaknath kept one person with him to clear their suspicion that he would run away from the place.  When the peasants came to check their field, they were amazed at the sight, it was all fresh and green as ever, they got confused, and could not trust their eyes, they believed that something miraculous happened in their field.  The peasants came rushing to Balaknath and fallen at his feet saying “Kindly forgive us, we have made a mistake.  Our agricultural field is fresh and green as ever”.  Rathna was baffled and asked the reason to the peasants; they said that nothing has happened to their agricultural field, it was fresh and green as ever.  Balaknath blessed the peasants of the village, and said to Rathna “ Matha, you have mentioned the food you have fed me on all these days, I will show you the buttermilk and Roti you have given to me.” saying so he thrust his sword on the Earth, soon the buttermilk gushed out like watercourse, he took Rathna to show  the Roti she had given him all these days.  Rathna was shocked to see a heap of Rotis on the hollow of the tree.  Rathna said “Son, kindly forgives me, I could not understand your divinity, I have treated you as an ordinary child and considered myself as a mother of you, Son, I have poured harsh words on you after hearing the complaints of peasants.  You are Baba Balaknath, kindly forgive me.”  Balaknath said “ Matha, do not worry, I shall always remain as your son.  But I cannot serve you anymore. Our relationship will remain as son and mother forever.  Kindly give me permission to precede my spiritual journey.”  Rathna said, “Child, you can do your spiritual practice in this village, kindly do not leave me or my cows, we both cannot live without you.”  Balaknath said “ Then, I shall remain in this village, but do not bring any meals now onwards. I will take care of your cows, I shall take them for grazing in the morning and leave them back at the time of dusk.”

Mahasiddha  Baba Balaknath

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balaknath Maharaj!

Chapter - 1

Once, Lord Shiva was narrating glorious myths to Goddess Parvathi while they were having pleasing hours in the cave of Amarnath.  Goddess Parvathi has fallen asleep while listening to the myths, but Lord Shiva could not realize that and he continued, there was someone listening to it in the cave with a ‘hmm’ sound, when Lord Shiva finished describing, he could see Goddess Parvathi was sound asleep and someone in her place was listening to it.  Lord Shiva got very angry and searched for the whole cave for the person who was listening to it. Soon a baby parrot flew away from the cave, and Lord Shiva’s Trident followed the baby parrot to attack.   It took shelter in the mouth of the wife of Maharishi Vyasa who was yawning at that moment.  The Trident of Lord Shiva abruptly stopped following the baby parrot, thus the baby parrot was saved.   Lord Shiva waited for long for the baby parrot to come out of her mouth,  in the meantime, the function of the Universe got disrupted, Maharishi Narada arrived and said “ Mahadev, The whole universe is under trepidation in your absence, the baby parrot listened to the myths became immortal, therefore it is impossible to kill it.”  Lord Shiva ordered the parrot to come out immediately, the baby parrot put forward two conditions,  the first condition was it will assume the form of a human and come out, the second condition was children born at the time of parrot assumes the form of human should get the blessings of Lord, along with the supreme knowledge and wisdom, and they should remain immortal, these were the two conditions.  Lord Shiva agreed to the conditions of the baby parrot.  Immediately a child came out of the mouth of Maharishi Vedavyas, he was famously known as Shukadeva.    The other children who took birth at the same time were Navanatha and  eighty four Chaurasi Siddhas,  and one of the Siddha was Baba Balaknath who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva in the Kali era, he is also known as  Paunahari and Dhudhadhari.  The child Yogi contemplated upon Lord Shiva and got blessings from the Lord to remain youthful always.

Maha Yogi Gorakhnath

Pranams at the lotus feet of Gorakhnath Maharaj!

Chapter -21

Gorakhnathji describes a story from the scripture to his disciple.  Once Maharishi Narada took a journey through the entire Prithvik Lok and returned to the abode of Sri Vaikundam, Maharishi said “ Narayan, Narayan, Oh! Prabhu, why are you alone in Sri Vaikundham?” Mahavishnu said “What happened to these humans? None of them wants to be in the abode of Sri Vaikundam,” Maharishi said “who is that ill-fated creature do not want to be in Sri Vaikundham? Who does not want to live in this superior abode? The pious and Rishis are performing numerous years of Japa, Thapa, Yoga, and Charity to attain this supreme abode where there are no miseries and sorrows.”  Mahavishnu said, “ Narada, in spite of all these comforts and luxuries in this abode, none is willing to come and reside here, I am bored of sitting here alone.”  Narada said “ Narayan, Narayan, if you order me, I will bring lakhs and lakhs of people and fill the whole Vaikundham in a few days.  People of Mrithyuloka would run after me to attain this Vishnu Lok,” Lord Vishnu smiled and said “ Narada, none would follow you, it is not easy to attain the Vishnu Lok.  Maharishi Narad, you go to Prithvi Lok and bring a few humans to keep me engaged.”  Narada left at the command of Lord Vishnu to Prithvi Lok.   He met an old man and said “ Lalaji, kindly come with me to Vaikundham, You can get all the comforts and luxuries over there.” Lalaji said “ Why should I follow you to Vaikundham, I have enough wealth, my dear people and children are here to take good care of me, Vaikundham is the place for homeless people who have nothing in the Prithvi Lok,”  Narada met a Babaji and invited him to Vaikundham, but he refused “ why should I go to Vaikundham, I have hands and legs.  I don’t believe Sanyasins like you,” Narada met a Sethji “ You have lived a rich life here, why do not you come with me to Vaikundham and take pleasure in it.  Anyway, you are interested in Bajans and Keerthans and all.  I can take you to Vaikundham with your mortal coil.”  Sethji said “Even I wish to do the same, I want to be in Vaikundham, I am just waiting for my son to get married and settled in his life so that he will take care of my business and properties.  Therefore you please come some other time with this proposal.” After few years Narada approached Sethji and said “Now your sons have settled in life. So you can come with me to Vaikundham.” Sethji said “My son is married but they do not have any children, I wanted to see my grandchildren and leave this world,” Once again Narada met Sethji after several years “ Sethji, now you have seen your grandchildren and must be happy, shall we go to Vaikundham now.” Sethiji said, “ I wish to see the marriage of my grandchildren and after that, I may follow your proposal.” After several years Naradha went in search of Sethji, unfortunately, he was passed away. The husband and wife have assumed the form of serpent and dog respectively and waiting at the doors of their children for their homage.  Maharishi Narada returned to the abode of Lord Vishnu and narrated all the incidents that happened in Mrithyulok.  Maharishi said, “People of Mrithyulok is completely soaked in worldly bondage and illusion; they do not have the awareness of supreme consciousness or supreme abode.”  Thus Gorakhnathji concludes the story and said: “Son, This is the pathetic state of the people in the Kali era.”  The disciple was pleased with the explanation of his preceptor and prostrated before Gorakhnathji.

Maha Yogi Gorakhnath

Pranams at the lotus feet of Gorakhnath Maharaj!

Chapter -20

One of the disciples asked Gorakhnathji “ Guruji,  I have a qualm in my mind, kindly clear it.  Are we human superior to all the creatures on the Earth?  Seeing the atrocities of the people on the Earth I feel the Supreme Lord had made a mistake by giving intellect to the human who had become a curse to all other living creatures.  Human beings are selfish, cruel, wicked, and ruthless; the whole world has become a field of their atrocities.  Humans have proved themselves that they are not deserved to be called human.  They are supplemented with pride, jealousy, cruelty, lust, desire, wickedness and ego which is difficult to witness in other creatures on the planet, a human can only be deceitful to his blood relations and parents.  Humans do not think twice to kill human, therefore he is not deserved to be addressed as human, he is a burden on the Earth, and he is a dishonest, selfish, and most intolerable creature on the planet. ” Gorakhnathji said “Son, this Kali era has possessed all the evilness, twice-born will sell their knowledge in order to fill their stomach, they will become selfish, dull, and dishonest.  In fact, this is the appropriate time they have to use their intellect to elevate their soul; even the Supreme Lord must have shedding tears on the wickedness of his creatures, just like parents who shed tears of shame and guilt on immoral children.”    The disciple said “ Guruji, supreme Lord has given intellect to human,  he is engaging in various malpractice and vicious acts, he exhibits himself  as a thief and murderer, he performs shameless deeds, it is rare to find pious people in this Kali era, there are a very few could be called honest and righteous.  If he had supreme consciousness, he would have followed disciplines, right conduct, spiritual and religious rites, Varna and Ashrama Dharma, strict celibacy and he would have control over body and mind which could help him win over senses and death as well, then he would be deserved to be called honorable and intellectual.”  Gorakhnathji said, “ Son, it is the beginning of the Kali era, much more atrocities are waiting to pop up,  whatever unpleasant deeds you are witnessing are nothing,  Son, a human should act  dreadful like demons otherwise the hell  will remain empty.”  Disciple asked, “ Gurudev, You mean to say humans are going to  turn more vicious in the coming ages?”  Gorakhnathji describes the evil effects of Kali era on human, “They keep accumulating sins and  perform all the immoral acts, they  harass women, they sell sisters and mothers, they kill their parents mercilessly, they perform every wicked deeds with swollen pride and arrogance, they act shamelessly, they kill their sisters and take a dip in Ganga, they eat the meat of cow, they follow lies and produce false witnesses to protect them, they disgrace their mothers, they steal the possessions of others without any guilt, they do not follow any Dharmic, Varna or Ashrama rites, they  not even follow the basic manners, they disgrace the worship places and destroy its sanctity.”

Maha Yogi Gorakhnath

Pranams at the lotus feet of Gorakhnath Maharaj!

Chapter -19

Gorakhnathji with his preceptor Mathsyendhranath and with his disciples conducted their spiritual journey through Prayag Raj, they arrived in a wood where they could hear the sounds of Panchakshara Mantra was reverberating in the whole wood, and soon they found a boy who was reciting the Manthra requested Mathsyendhranathji to accept him as his disciple.  He was accepted as a disciple to the lineage of Nath and he learned knowledge of scriptures from Gorakhnathji.  He joined with the saints; they have decided to return to Prayagraj after twelve years.

Lord Indra decided to conduct Somayaga, he discussed with Devaguru Brihaspati and revealed his desire to include the powerful saints of  Nath traditions to attain an abundance of the meritorious reward of the performance of Yaga.  Indra was advised by Rishi Brihaspati to appeal to Maharishi Narada about the method to invite the Nath saints to participate in the Somayaga.  Narada described that Yogi Mathsyendhranath is a prominent disciple of Lord Dhaththathreya, therefore UparikshaVasu is appropriate to invite Mathsyendhranath if he accepts the invitation of Vasu, all the Nathpankthi saints would take part in the Somayaga, and thus he can accomplish the Yaga fruitfully.   Lord Indra went to meet Upariksha Vasu.