The walking Lord of Varanasi – Sri Thrailanga Swamiji

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swamiji!

Chapter -VII

 Next day, as usual, he had to follow Swamiji for a bath in Ganga, he had a unique style of bathing, he remains in the water for two hours, sometimes he dives underwater and vanishes for some time, Mukherji has to wait on the shore till Swamiji finishes his bath.  That day after finishing bath Umacharanji dried the body of the Swamiji with a towel and they returned to the hermitage, Swamiji took a seat and asked Umacharanji to sit near him, once the visitor's crowd was over, they have started the process of Dheeksha, Swamiji detailed the procedures to Mukherji and whispered Beejakshara in the ears of Mukherji, Swamiji said ‘ Umacharan, I am going to give you some instructions, you should follow them sincerely, talk only what is required, do not waste time on unnecessary talks, it damages your body, does not hate anyone, respects all the religions, people who believe in different religion will attain Mukti through their beliefs in that religion, the only difference is duration to attain Mukthi, people of all the religion and belief attain Mukthi, whoever worship Lord with intense devotion and faith would definitely achieve the presence of Lord, none of the incidents in our life are surprising, human with intense faith, knowledge, wisdom can perform supernatural activities, the purpose of creation of humans on Earth is not to enjoy sensual pleasure and consuming the meal, we are enriched with supernatural powers of the supreme soul, Lord has given this immense strength to humans to elevate them in a higher  spiritual state, none is aware of utilizing those immense powers or do not know the method, people easily get dejected if they did not get what they want, ultimately becomes a non-believer in God.   This universe and its living beings were created by the Supreme Lord, he is all-pervading.  God-realization should be achieved with supreme intellect and wisdom, search for God required intense faith and belief, He will definitely attainable to the true spiritual seeker and this is the process of the creation of the linage of the disciple.  The preceptor will not search for a disciple, he is brought towards the preceptor with a power of supreme spirit, disciple getting to know the immense powers of preceptor and became a sincere servant of him, it was Preceptor who took hold his disciple at the instruction of supreme spirit, like Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and Swami Vivekananda, Vijayakrishna Goswami and Satheesh Mukherji, Gahaninath and Nivriththinath, Mahathmaji and Vishudhdhanandhji, Maharishi Ramana and Paul Brunton.  If a preceptor committed a fault in choosing his disciple, ultimately all those wrong deeds of a disciple should be borne by the preceptor.

The walking Lord of Varanasi – Sri Thrailanga Swamiji

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swamiji!

Chapter -VI

Umacharanji sincerely agreed to follow whatever his preceptor thinks good for him, he promised to follow his instructions with intense faith and devotion. After silence for a few minutes, Swamiji has given detailed instructions about the process of Deeksha.  The third day of the month Magh, on the star Pushya Lunar eclipse day has chosen as auspicious to get his body purified before receiving Deeksha, Swamiji asked him to donate some ingredients to a twice-born during the hours of eclipse, after that he takes dip in Ganga and seat on the sanctified place, he should recite the Manthraupadhesham given by Swamiji as a part of purification process.  Umacharanji had a doubt that why a noble Brahmin accepts charity during eclipse, normally charity during eclipse was given to Chandala, it is difficult to get a noble Bhramin to receive charity during eclipse, Swamiji smiled at the dilemma of Mukherji, and said ‘During eclipse, one twice-born will come and ask for charity, you give all that I have written and given in advance. ’ Umacharan was too happy to see his problem resolved, no need to search for a noble-Bhramin, Swamiji has already arranged for him.  Umacharanji impatiently waited for the Lunar eclipse day, on that day he arrived with the ingredients for charity, but there was a huge crowd on the river bank, he stared here and there waiting for a Bhramin, soon arrived a Bhramin asked for charity from Mukherji, after receiving the charity he disappeared in the crowd.  Umacharanji took a dip in Ganga, seated on a purified place and started reciting the hymns advised by Swamiji.  The next day he arrived at the hermitage and told Swamiji that he has sincerely followed the advice of him, Swamiji said ‘you are purified,’ after this Swamiji gave lectures on disciple and preceptor for a long time, ‘Tomorrow you will receive Dheeksha followed by customary rite.’  Later Mukherji saw three saints were discussing very important matters with Swamiji, and he was trying to convince these saints, Umacharanji could not understand anything, after some time, the three saints left the Hermitage.  Immediately the downpour started, Umacharanji requested permission to leave to home,  Swamiji said ‘ Not now, sit here in silence,’ downpour followed with thunder and lightning, streets were flooded with water, Mukherji waited for two hours, but there was no end of downpour,  Mukherji thought Swamiji will give shelter in his hermitage today, immediately Swamiji said ‘Now you can go home.” Mukherji was shocked to hear the instruction of Swamiji, the downpour is too heavy and the streets were flooded with water and pitch dark everywhere,  Mukherji kindly said ‘ Baba, let the heavy downpour stops, I will leave immediately.” Swamiji said ‘ Leave right now.” Mukherji could not disrespect the order of Swamiji, so he left the hermitage with intense fear, on the way he met Mangaldas.   Mukherji said ‘ I was thinking of going home once the rain stops, but Swamiji asked me to leave right now, there is heavy water logging and rain continuing, it is too dark outside, don’t know how to go home.” Mangaldas said ‘ Do not worry Bengali Babu, just remember Swamiji’s name and keep walking, If Swamiji advised doing this, there must be some reason behind this too, otherwise he will not say so.”  Once again he came back to Swamiji and touched his feet, immediately he moved towards the dark flooded streets, water reached up to his knees, and all these waters were rushing towards Ganga, it was pitch dark, nothing is visible, he felt something unique, rain is continuing but none of the drops falls on him, he felt the water up to the knee, while moving forward, a man arrived from another street with the lantern, Mukherji felt relieved after seeing a drop of light in the darkness, he wanted the person with lantern stop for him, but nothing is audible to that person due to heavy rain, Umacharanji increased his speed of walking, so that he can be with the person with the lantern, but surprised to see that they maintained the same distance even though he increased his speed of walking, it was impossible to reach close to the person with the lantern, Mukherji felt anyway he is getting enough light from his lantern and ways are clearer now, only there is knee length water is bothering him, finally, Mukherji reached home, but he could not find the person with lantern, he remained shocked for a moment, instantly he remembered the grace of Swamiji.  Once again Mukherji reverentially remembered Swamiji and went inside the house.

The walking Lord of Varanasi – Sri Thrailanga Swamiji

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swamiji!

Chapter -V

Umacharan Mukherji remembered the nectar like the advice of Swamiji, there is no piousness higher than Mukthi, there is no knowledge that is higher than knowledge of self.  In order to attain these two, there is no alternative other than blessings of the preceptor, if there is no knowledge of self, a person has to suffer from miseries and grief constantly.  The whole Universe is an illusion; none of the creatures in the Universe has the right to live in happiness alone.  One day Swamiji asked Umacharan to bring some papers so that he could dictate something,  Swamiji said, ‘I  want you to write down information about twelve subjects, I will keep instructing and you can note it down, our subjects are supreme spirit, preceptor and disciple, worldly existence, pure intellect, righteousness, Upasana/practice of spirituality, previous birth, self-realization, realization of Bramham and union with it, knowledge about philosophy, creation and a few important things and whoever read these would acquire knowledge.’ The next day Umacharanji brought some papers from the market,  Swamiji continued to pronounce like Maharishi Vedavyasa, and Mukherji was noting them down like Ganesha.  He wrote down in several papers, Umacharanji was moving too close to Swamiji.   One day Mangaldas told Mukherji that soon he will be a disciple of Swamiji because Swamiji keeps praising Mukherji for his perseverance saying that ‘Bengali Babu is a good soul’, Umacharanji’s joy has no bound and became too emotional.  One day Swamiji was sitting and Umacharanji was massaging the feet of Swamiji, ‘Oh! Bengali babu, want to get Deeksha from me’, Umacharanji just closed his eyes and prayed for the mercy of Swamiji, Umacharanji said ‘Baba, your compassionate grace on me always, other than this what else I need in this life.’ Swamiji said ‘We will discuss on this matter tonight. You are free from bondage now, once you receive Deeksha you will be bound by responsibilities, now you go home, we will talk about it in the evening.’  Umacharanji came in the evening, Swamiji took him to a small room adjacent to the main hall, he sat on the floor and started to speak ‘ You want to learn Yoga, but you are not qualified to undertake Yoga which is too tough deed to practice, it is described in Katopanishadh, five sense organs, reasoning ability, knowledge, wisdom,  mind, and intellect, turns out motionless/stop functioning, that state is called transcendental state/ Yoga, one need to have extreme courage to perform this, you do not have that.  Hence, you are not capable to take up Yoga practice. You are good to adopt Upasana techniques; therefore you take lessons on Upasana”. 

The walking Lord of Varanasi – Sri Thrailanga Swamiji

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swamiji!

Chapter -IV

 Swamiji narrated in detail about Umacharan’s current birth, his name is  Umacharan Mukherji, he told his  father’s name, name of the village, the number of  rooms in his house, and there is a pond on the northern side of his home, there are several trees, named the trees near the ponds, like this Swamiji, described everything about Mukherji.  He was stunned, Swamiji described all that as if he was witnessing all those in a screen, surprisingly Umacharan was not mentioned anything about him all these days after arriving in Kashi.  Swamiji explained about his previous birth too, he was a twice-born belonged to a village/named the village, he was a Zamindar, he was disciplined and righteous, he has a lot of respect for the family and all,  the room he had lived in those days was facing south, on the top of the entry of the room he has written three words in Sanskrit that is still there, that was when death takes place humans leaves this body and adopt a new body, the second one was all the rivers and its tributaries finally merge in the ocean, in the same manner every human should practice spirituality to attain union with Bramham, it should be the ultimate objective of a human,  the third one Bramham is pure and free from impurities,  it has no specific form, still, it assumes any form at the wish of Mahasiddhapurusha.  Umacharan felt his life is fruitful for the first time if he did not make a visit to Swamiji, all those doubts were remained un-cleared, it is good that he did not leave halfway while Swamiji was putting him into various tests, he constantly engaged in the service of Swamiji, his hard work paid its fruits,  Swamiji said that he will narrate some surprising news too,  and continued “ There is a person living in a village/named it and he loves you so much, you too have a lot of respect for him, the reason is that he was your father in the previous birth, because of this relationship in previous birth you both have a love for each other, but  both have changed bodies in this birth”.   Swamiji described his relatives, in this way soul never changes but the bodies keep changing in every birth.  Later, Umacharan found all those predicted by Swamiji was true. 

The walking Lord of Varanasi – Sri Thrailanga Swamiji

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swamiji!

Chapter -III

Swamiji asked Umacharan to leave the Mutt after the incident of Bengali Babu, he was so disappointed and left the Mutt.  But he continued the practice of visiting mutt and leaving at the instruction of Swamiji, one day he could not control his tears, he started weeping like a child, finally Swamiji asked him to stay in the hermitage, he was so delighted at the instruction of Swamiji and tears of joy rolling down from his cheeks. He bows down before Swamiji and kept weeping for long, Swamiji asked Mangaldas in gestures ‘Ask him to leave now, and come tomorrow.’  Umacharan was extremely happy, for the first time he had the Dharshan of the feet of Swamiji, he came back home and impatiently waited for the next morning, after coming to Kashi, that night he slept peacefully. Next day he had dip in Ganga and hurried to Mutt, Swamiji gave instruction to Mangaldas, he handed grinding stone and some wheat to Umacharan and asked him to perform a task of grinding the wheat, afternoon he send him off and asked to return in the evening, and the same practice was repeated in the evening and the next few days too. The grinding process continued for several days,   hands that were holding the pen in the office has no choice other than following the instructions of Swamiji.  Umacharan felt the grinding task is too painful and gradually his speed has reduced, Swamiji told him to do it quickly, this practice continued for another fifteen days.  Umacharan felt he had unnecessarily put him into trouble, hands were aching, and he was not even consuming meal properly.  One day Swamiji asked to translate a few Hindi words in Bengali, Umacharan felt relieved from the task of grinding grains, he felt so happy to do this work; he completed the translation work in a few days.   In this way, Umacharan was moving too close to Swamiji.  One day he visited mutt as usual Swamiji received him with great love and took him to another room; he showed gesture to Mangaldas that do not let anyone inside the room.   In that room there were two idols, one is Lord Mahadeva and another one is Goddess Kali, there was an earthen lamp lightened before the idols.  As soon as they entered the room Swamiji broke the silence, all these days he was eagerly waiting to hear from Swamiji, all these days he had seen few gestures or writings on the wall, Swamiji seated in one place and asked Umacharan to sit opposite, Swamiji asked ‘ Why did you come here  with  a doubt of re-birth?’ Rishis, Siddha Purusha, Thrikalajjyanis, noble-souls, and ascetics have confirmed the truth with their continuous spiritual practices, there should not be any disbelief on this subject, we should not be skeptical about their predictions, we have born here to consume the fruit of happiness and sorrow, if humans constantly engage in the practice of spirituality, he could attain the information about the past present, and future, unfortunately, none are interested to know any of these.  Swamiji kept silence for some time, and continued ‘You have come all the way to know the truth, it is my responsibility to describe them, I can show you with your divine sight, when human born on Earth, eventually his past Karmas follows him if he is a scholar in this birth, definitely, he must have been a scholar in previous birth too. If he is too Dharmic this life, same with the previous birth too, if he is a thief in this birth then definitely he is not a good person in previous birth too, if we have no previous birth how could we believe Lord as a supreme spirit?  Now think of your intellect, appearance and behavior in this birth, then you must have understood by now who were you in previous birth, you must have realized the truth that if we do good, we will get back goodness, otherwise evilness, you have performed pious deeds in previous birth, that is why you have taken birth in Bhramin family.  In this life, if you follow all the Brahmanic rites your life will attain the highest of piousness if you take up the wicked deed, definitely, you will be born as Chandala in your next birth, I am not dragging this subject too long, I will tell you about your previous birth.” After saying these, Swamiji continued the previous birth of Umacharan.

The walking Lord of Varanasi – Sri Thrailanga Swamiji

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swamiji!

Chapter - II

The moment Umacharan Mukherji entered the hermitage, there were two Bengali Babu came from Kolkata to visit Swamiji, they prostrate before Swamiji and stood there silently, Swamiji told them to go out of the Mutt with gestures, one person was intelligent so he went out of the Mutt without creating an embarrassing situation, another person was little adamant, he went to argue with the servants of Swamiji, he said ‘ We came all the way from Kolkata to meet Swamiji, we are not going to stay here forever, we want to get some guidance from Swamiji, after that, we will leave to home.’ Seeing this person attitude, Swamiji informed the servants with gestures to move the person out of the hermitage immediately, those were the days Swamiji was observing the vow of silence, he writes on the wall to communicate with people, servants of Swamiji took Bengali Babu in their hands and advised to go out of the mutt, otherwise they have to remove him forcefully, but Bengali Babu was in a rage, ‘I will not go out like this after getting enough mistreatment, is that your culture?’ Swamiji asked Bengali babu to wait, he asked Mangaldas to read the verse he had written on the wall, ‘You have kept eighteen rupees worth footwear outside, if somebody has stolen your sandals, you have to walk back barefoot, because your the mind is still with the sandal wear you have left outside, Is that right or not? You need not tell any lies, you can go now and wear sandals and go back home. Your footwear is still outside.” People surrounded were stunned at this, how did Swamiji read the mind of Bengali Babu.   Umacharan asked Bengali babu ‘All that told were correct?’  Bengalibabu was ashamed of himself, he said ‘Yes, yesterday only I have bought it, it is eighteen rupees worth.’  Bengali babu said ‘ I will not leave this place, it is fortunate to have a Dharshan and adore my head with the dust particles of the feet of a Thrikalajjyani like Swamiji’, he was feeling terribly guilty for his foolishness, he had committed sin how can he get rid of the sin,  finally, Swamiji advised both the Bengali babu to go out of the Mutt, and  they  had to follow the instruction silently.

The walking Lord of Varanasi – Sri Thrailanga Swamiji

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swamiji!

Chapter - I

Umacharan Mukherji visited Kashi after hearing about Thrailanga Swamiji, he had no intention to become a disciple of Swamiji, he wanted to know what is a rebirth, he was a twice-born had intense devotion and faith, he had deep faith in Dharma and scriptures.   He had the confidence that Swamiji like Siddhapurusha with the divine energy could describe well about his queries.  He took a holy dip in Ganga, he got the information about Thrailangaswamiji’s hermitage and visited Swamiji.  He sat in a corner; he did not go near Swamiji, after sometime Swamiji’s eyes fell on him.  Swamiji was observing the vow of silence, therefore with gestures, Swamiji asked Umacharan to go out of the hermitage, though Umacharan wanted to stay there for some time watching at the saints.  Mangaldas one of the servants of Swamiji informed Umacharan to stay out of the hermitage, this incident kept repeated for another few days, every day Umacharan arrived in the hermitage and seated in a corner, Mangaldas again asked him to go out of the Hermitage.  Umacharan was so disappointed and came out of the hermitage, this time another servant of Swamiji came and took Umacharan out of the Hermitage.  Umacharan came home and wept miserably, he had various thoughts in mind ‘How a noble-saint could throw his devotee out of the hermitage? Why did Swamiji insult me?’ he never imagined harsh treatment like this.  Umacharan was not disturbing anyone in the hermitage; he was just watching the saints and holy men. After all these, Umacharan was not willing to accept his failure.  He thought if he pays some money to his servants, it would be easy to get inside the hermitage, he paid money to Swamiji’s servants and revealed his intention to visit Swamiji, two of the servants happily received the money, but Mangaldas flatly refused and said if Swamiji does not want to see you, then that is final.  Umacharan was confident this time and firm too, two of the servants are on his side, he wanted to get his answer from Swamiji, he went inside the Mutt.