Swami Sri Bolananda Giri Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Giri Maharaj!

Chapter – 3

Days went on and on, in due course of time Nanda Devi gave birth to a child, and the child was named as Bhola Das, keeping in mind the blessings of Lord Mahadeva.  She gave birth to the third son, and the child was named Shankar Das.  Bhola Das’s sacred thread ceremony was conducted with elaborate rituals, after few days of Upanayana, Bhola Das went missing like his elder brother.  They have conducted a rigorous search but it went in vain.  Once again, the house of Das family went in despair and distress.  After this incident, Nanda Devi gave birth to a fourth child, and the child was named Sundar Das.  Nanda Devi used to recollect the dream in that Lord Mahadeva predicted the future of her children, she was aware of the fact that one day Shankar Das would take up his spiritual journey leaving the family behind and it became true.  Finally, Sundar Das remained at home.  Bhrama Das was quite sure that this child will not leave the family and parents.  They found immense pleasure in the association of Sundar Das, they showered all their love for the three children on him.

Several days passed, Nanda Devi slowly came out of the pain of separation from her three elder sons.  Whenever the thought rushes about the children who left home, she would shed tears in silence.  Sundar Das immersed in the service of elderly parents.  Once Sundar Das and Bhrams Das were out of the house for family work, Nanda Devi was working in the back yard.  She could hear some voice at the door “Jai Shankar” Nanda Devi though it must be some saint begging for alms.  She arrived at the door and saw a saint in a saffron robe.  The saint touched the feet of Nanda Devi, she was shocked and withdrawn herself from the doorsteps, she said in a wavering voice “ You are an ascetic, I am a Grihastha, you are not supposed to touch my feet.  Why did you make me a sinner,” The saint said, “ Ma, I considered you as my mother, that is why I have touched your feet, kindly bless me.”  Nanda Devi said “ You are holy man, you should bless me.  Kindly wait here. I will bring some alms for you.”  Nanda Devi returned with alms, but she could not see the Saint.  She searched for him on the main pathways of the village but she could not find him.  She had various flashing thought, there was no Sanyasin left home without receiving alms, and none tried to touch her feet, “was that my Rathan?” she tried to recollect the facial appearance of the Sannyasin, she realized that it was her son Bhola Das.  She became inconsolable, fallen unconscious at the door.

Swami Sri Bolananda Giri Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Giri Maharaj!

Chapter – 2

One day Nanda Devi was in deep sleep, she saw a dream in that Lord of Lords standing before her and said “Daughter, why are you so distressed? Your son is in search of spirituality, he went to search for the ultimate truth, he will not come back, and he has embraced Sanyasa.  He is conducting Tapasya, it would bring welfare to your family as well. You want a son right? I will give you a boon, you will become the mother of three virtuous offspring, but these three children would become great Yogis.  The youngest one will be with you. You will be respected and honored in the whole world for becoming the mother of great Yogis.  Your children will remove the sufferings and miseries of worldly existence.” Lord Mahadev disappeared from her sight.  Nanda Devi opened her eyes, she was shocked and raised from her bed, and she saw her husband was in deep sleep.  There was the chirping of birds in the early hours of dawn,  Nanda Devi wakes him up and narrated her dream.  He said “dreams in the early hours of dawn would become true, hope we will have the fortune to become parents of virtuous offspring.  You continue your prayers and worship. Lord Mahadeva will not leave us in distress.”

Swami Sri Bolananda Giri Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Giri Maharaj!

Chapter – 1

Smt. Nanda Devi and her husband Bhrama Das had no offspring after several years of marriage.  The elderly women of the village advised Nanda Devi to conduct fasting, worship Peepal tree, conduct veneration of Lord Mahadev, and perform charity to saints and holy men.   Nanda Devi sincerely followed the advice of elderly people and conducted the veneration of Lord of Lords Mahadeva.   In due course of time Nandadevi conceived a child and the child was named as Rathan Das, it was the traditional practice in their household to address the firstborn in the name of paternal grandfather.  Rathan Das was brought up in a happy and loving atmosphere.  This child has grown up to an adult, soon the boy went missing.  Nanda Devi and Bhrama Das shattered at the missing of their only child Rathan Das, they were tormented at his separation, and they lost peace and happiness.   They were tortured by his thoughts without knowing the whereabouts of the child.  They were constantly worried at the thought of “Where did he go? How did he manage to get meals? Where did he sleep?”.  When Rathan Das was at home, he never asks for a meal, it was his mother dutifully feed him on time.  The parents were spent their days in tears and distress.   She sincerely prayed to Lord Mahadev to bring her son back to their life otherwise they would give up their life in grief.  The parents were inconsolable at the separation of their son. 

Sant Kabir Das Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Kabir Das Maharaj!

Chapter – 9

Once a twice-born approached Kamali for water to quench his thirst while serving him water they both had the discussion about 'Kumara Sambhava' the great work of poet Kalidasa,  the twice-born felt the girl is highly educated with the knowledge in scriptures, he admired her, she introduced herself as the daughter of Sant Kabir Das but the stranger who belongs to the twice-born family felt that he had committed sin by accepting water from a Muslim girl.   Sant Kabir Das advised the stranger if the heart is pure there is no need for atonement, water has pure nature, and if the mind is impure the water also reflects the same.  The stranger was extremely impressed at the viewpoint of Kabir Das, wanted to prostrate before him.  Kabir Das introduced himself as the father of Kamali.  The twice-born introduced himself as Hardev Bhatt, the son of illustrious preceptor Mahadev Bhatt.   He was anxious that if he did not perform any atonement for his sin, his clan will discard him from their religion.  Sant Kabir Das enlightened him with the knowledge that a sacred thread across the chest will not make a twice-born flawless, an individual who attains the knowledge of Bramham which has the nature of supreme bliss is called Bhramin and described the knowledge of Bramham with the marvelous verses of “ Bhaja Govindam” written by Sri Adhi Shankara Bhagavadpadha.  Hardev Bhatt felt ashamed of his thought, Sant Kabir Das advised him to follow the instructions of his father.  Later, Hardev Bhatt revealed his desire to become a disciple of Kabir Das and started living in the Ashram.

Sant Kabir Das Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Kabir Das Maharaj!

 Chapter – 8

Once, Kabir Das invited holy men for a meal, Loi found there was not enough grains to cook, Kabir Das Maharaj said, “ Do something and prepare the meal for the saints, you can pledge anything you want.”  She went to borrow grains from a merchant, he said he cannot give grains on loan, he had wicked idea to persuade her, she remembered her husband’s order to pledge anything and bring grains, she reluctantly agreed for his wish and brought grains, and a sumptuous meal was served to the holy men.  Loi could not control her tears; she wept bitterly and informed her husband all that happened in the shop.  On that night, the merchant was impatiently waiting for Loi he could see her with her husband in front of his home, suddenly he lost eyesight, and soon he regained the sight and saw Lord Rama in place of Kabir Das.  The merchant fell at the feet of Kabir Das and Loi begging for forgiveness. He revealed his willingness to serve Kabir Das, but he was advised to perform his duty.

Kabir Das had to face the rage of Muslims who blamed them that he is too compassionate towards holy men and Hindus, he clearly mentioned that he never look upon the religion, he always serves people who suffer from hunger and thirst.  Finally, the villagers threatened the couple to leave the village otherwise they have to face serious consequences.  They were not scared of the threat, they amicably left the village and ancestral home.

Kabir Das and family settle out of the village, in a small hermitage surrounded by the rich natural beauty.  Once his son Kamal asked for the necessity   of belief/religion in human life, Sant Kabir Das explained, everyone should have a belief to know the true nature of the self which is none other than supreme spirit, he explained the essentialities of Dharma which is the essence of humanity and religion as well.

Sant Kabir Das Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Kabir Das Maharaj!

Chapter – 7

Sant Kabir Das gives lectures to villagers on the highest philosophies and Upanishads in a most simple manner, he insists the soul is the dwelling place of Paramathma, therefore it should be kept pure, and any Dharmic rite without the purity of the heart will not earn piousness, he was strictly disapproved the idol worship and emphasized the Namasmaran.  He firmly exposed his ideas against the cruelties to animals, all the religions and their beliefs have good as well as the bad in it.  Though he had taken all efforts to bring communal harmony, Hindus and Muslims have disliked his ideas, therefore he had huge enemies in the village.  Once the Hindus and Muslims joined together in search of Kabir to teach him a lesson preaching against their beliefs, they attacked him in the forest and left him alone.  He was all wounded managed to sit under a tree, there he met a beautiful woman Loi who was in search of Kabir.  She has remembered her father’s predictions before leaving the village,  about the person who will be her groom in the future, she found all those symbols in Kabir, he was uttering Ram Nama, and his turban was decorated with the feather of a peacock.  They had conversations, Kabir Said “ My life is dedicated to Lord Rama, and my way of life is filled with thorns,  Loi said “ My life is dedicated to Kabir Das, it’s my pleasure to be with you in the path filled with the thorns” she pleaded him to accept her as wedded wife. 

Kabir Das and Loi got married, Loi was taught weaving, together they started weaving work to earn livelihood.  In due course of time these the couple had two children, the living condition at home was getting worse day by day, Loi found it difficult to meet both the ends, she expressed her displeasure in feeding the saints while they are struggling for a meal, but Kabir Das did not like the idea of his wife.   Loi found it difficult to put off the hunger of her children Kamal and Kamali.  It brought troubles in their relationship, Kabir Das taught the significance of attainment of wisdom and knowledge, which could restrict the senses and achieve unison with the Bramham, Kabir was against the wealthy who spends money on the worship of Lord instead of feeding the hungry, and he disapproved sons who does not take care of their elderly parents while they are alive and performs ancestral rites in an elaborate manner after their death.

Sant Kabir Das Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Kabir Das Maharaj!

Chapter – 6

Once the King of Kashi had a severe infection, a messenger was sent to inform Swamiji seeking for help.  The low cast man who was with Kabir in the chamber of Swamiji recommended Kabir's name before him.   Swamiji said, “If you know the cure for an illness, you should not keep quiet.”  Kabir replied that the knowledge he got to know from his father who was a sincere follower of Navanath and Swami Gorakhnath.  Swamiji asked Kabir to accompany him to the Kingdom of Kashi for the treatment of the King.   After inspecting the wound of the King, Kabir went to collect a rare herb from the forest, once it was applied on his wound, King got relieved from the troubles of pain, and gradually the wound started healing.  King was pleased with the service of Kabir and offered half of the Kingdom as a gift,  which was amiably refused by Kabir.  At home his father’s illness has become critical; they waited for the arrival of Kabir.  He returned home and found his father’s time has arrived to leave this world, he described the reason for his missing from the village, and his father was extremely pleased to know that his son had saved the life of King of Kashi and left his mortal coil in extreme peace.

  Kabir Das took up weaving job after the death of his father and took great care of his mother.  In leisure hours he gives lectures on spirituality  “ Ram resides as a soul in a living being, he is all-pervading, he is the supreme spirit, he is omnipresent,  he has neither beginning nor end, he is void of impurities, he is eternal, he is pure and flawless,” he earned great respect among the people of his village with his commendable virtues.  On the other side, the Muslims felt Kabir growing too lenient towards Hinduism.  Once, wife of a merchant who received clothes for sale from Kabir asked, “Why you need money if you are a great truth-seeker?” He said “I have a mother to take care of, my house is the shelter place for holy men and saints, I have to serve them with the meals. Therefore I need to earn money.”