Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter – 7

Balanandji was attended by the physician of the village, he responded well to the treatment, he stayed with the gentleman and after that, he left for Narmada Parikrama.  During this Parikrama, he had divine experiences with Matha Narmada, it multiplied the qualities of spiritual life.  One evening Balanandji with many disciples entered the wood located on the river bank Narmada, eventually, the darkness spread all over the wood, all the saints were tired of hunger and thirst.  Balanandji saw an old female cowherd under the tree, he told her that they are going to spend that night under the shelter of this treed and requested her to help him to get some food from the nearby village so that he could serve meals to the saints.  The female cowherd said “Son, you do not worry, your hunger and thirst will get over with the milk of my cows, you all stand with a vessel to hold the milk, and my cow’s milk is abundant to feed you all. I can fill the milk in all your vessels.”  She served all the saints with the milk, and all were satisfied.  Soon the female cowherd with her cow disappeared in the dense wood. All the saints were surprised to find her sudden disappearance from the view, later they have realized that the female cowherd was not an ordinary woman, it was Ma Narmada.

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter -6

Balanandji after staying seven or eight months in the Gangoji Ashram, he started for the auspicious Narmada Parikrama,  during his journey he met with Gaurishanker Maharaj, who takes Narmada Parikrama on every yearly basis, his Yoga Siddhi was well known for all.  They together conducted the Parikrama, he could witness the blessings of  Riddi and Siddhi during this trip.  He had a close association with Bhramanand Maharaj, he took great care of Balanand when he came to know that he is the disciple of Bhramanandji.  He spent nearly seven or eight years with Gaurishankar Maharaj, during this period he learned knowledge in various Shasthras from him.  After this, he conducted a spiritual tour to various sacred places, in the meantime, he makes a regular visit to Bhramandji, and it was continued until the Mahasiddhi of Bhramanand Maharaj.

Once he was taking Parikrama of Narmada, he reached in Mandala, there was a pious saint with him, and they had necessities like one pair of clothes and prayer beads and shoulder bag. During those days there were notorious thieves who lived in this area. Therefore the Police Commissioner took a personal visit to this place and settled in the wood, he saw two saints near his bungalow, he asked his men to catch them and produce before him.  Their shoulder bags were thoroughly checked and found a knife and sword; Police commissioner got angry and assumed them as thieves who were missing so long.  Balanandji said “Sir, We are holy men, we do not stay in a single place for long, and we keep moving place to place and visit sacred lands.   We do not carry any meals or even cook, whatever we get as alms we consume or use these weapons to take out rooted vegetables to prepare meals, and we do not stay in a place for long, this sword we will use for building shelter wherever we feel like to settle for a day or two.” But nothing was gone into the ears of Commissioner; they continued an investigation of these saints. They found some spirituous substances, it annoyed the Commissioner. He blamed the saints are thieves and influences people with these spirituous substances.  Finally, the verdict arrived that the two saints will spend three years in prison.  Balanandji said spirituous substances are not poison, it is an inevitable part in saintly people’s life.  It is used as a medicinal herb as the saints have to travel a long way by foot, it helps them to remove their exhaustion and cure illness.   He asked to show him that it is consumable; Balanandji immediately swallowed the whole spirituous substances.  The two saints came out of the Bungalow of the commissioner, Balanandji was feeling anxious and sick of consuming the whole spirituous substances, he was feeling terribly ill, his eyes were becoming dark, and he realized that his death is nearer.  He requested the fellow saint to leave his mortal coil in the waters of Narmada.  Soon Balanandji felt the presence of Ma Narmada in the ray of light; some miracle happened Balanandji regained his consciousness, at that very moment young son of Commissioner died.   The son of Commissioner was just got back from hunting, while taking a cup of tea he was feeling anxious and vomited, before the arrival of the doctor his death happened.  One respected person in the society arrived after hearing the death of the son of Commissioner, on his way to Bungalow, he saw two saints, one was terribly ill fallen unconscious on the ground, the other saint narrated all that happened and concluded after consuming the spirituous substances at the order of commissioner the saint collapsed.  The gentleman met the commissioner and said “You have not done the right thing, you have unnecessarily punished a renounced soul, therefore bring the doctor to attend him and release them immediately.”

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter - 5

Balanand after receiving Dheeksha from Bhramanand Maharaj asked his preceptor “What should I give you in return for the Dheeksha.” Bhramanand Maharaj said “ Child, preceptors are beyond desire or expectations, you could not please them with the material things, Guru Dhakshina should not be given in Riddhi, it should be given with Siddhi.  I have advised you the sacred syllables, keep contemplating upon it, you will attain various Siddhi when you attain all those Siddhi surrender them to me.  I will safeguard them, that would be your real Guru Dakshina. I would be highly pleased with this Dhakshina.”  Balanand sincerely started practicing meditation from that day onwards.  Gangonath Ashram was relentlessly served the holy men and saints with meals, and they conduct all the religious and spiritual rites meticulously.  The Ashram’s door was always kept open for the holy men and saints.

Once there were busy hours of serving meals and it was about to close, there were a few people arrived, there was not much meal was left to serve, Balanand Bhramachari did not like this, he shouted at the kitchen people, never serve little or calculated to people who come with hunger, in this way Balanandji appeased the hunger of the people.  During the time of famine, he carries his shoulder bag and goes for begging alms.  The shoulder bag of Maharaj was the dwelling place of Matha Annapurna.  People who lived in these areas partake meals in the Ashram, he performs various pastimes to cheer the people.   Bhramanandji had a close association with Gayakwad Shivaji Rao.  Once Bhramanandji was invited by Queen Yamunabai of Baroda, he arrived with Balanandji, while travelling one his devotee took Bhramanandaji to his home and received with great honor, before leaving his home he filled the shoulder bag of Bhramanandji with vegetables and grains, when Bhrmanandji arrived in the fortress Queen Yamunabai teased at him, “Today we will get whatever we want to eat,” Bhramanandji said “Maharani, kindly tell me what you want to eat?”  She said “ Maharaj, kindly give me grapes” in fact that was not the season of grapes.  Soon Bhramanandji took a bunch of grapes from his shoulder bag and handed to Maharani, then said: “ Mother, there are few grapes for you.”  The people assembled were amazed.  Maharani had a great devotion to Bhramanandji, the whole city was discussing the supernatural powers of Bhramanandji. 

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter - 4

In the year 1920  Peethambar was initiated to Sanyasa and came to know as Balanand Bhramachari. At the age of nine, he discarded the material world and freed from illusions and conducted the search for the eternal truth.  He was not aware of the fact that how did he going to accomplish his desire, he was too gloomy those days, on his way he met a person,  he was watching Peethambar who was adorned with golden earrings, bangles, for the Upanayana ceremony and his mother felt it is auspicious on his body.  The person who has an eye on the jewels adorned by Peethambar, he approached Peethambar and said “ Son, if you wear these precious ornaments on your body, thieves may follow you and harm you, therefore it is not advisable to walk alone wearing these ornaments, keep these things in my custody, I will give you back when you ask for it.” The child immediately removed all the ornaments and gave to that person, on the way he met a saint and kept talking with him, the saint was performing Narmada Parikrama, he was walking with the saint on the river bank of Narmada and arrived at the hermitage of Bhramananda Bhramachari, there was a shrine of Gangonathji installed in a tall Linga, close to this Linga a hermitage was built by Bhramanand Maharaj, there was an earthen lamp keeps burning all the time.  Peethambar sat close to Bhramanand Maharaj, it stirred his divinity, he requested Bhramanandaji “ Maharaj, kindly accept me as your disciple, I shall take refuge at your feet.”  Yogeeshvar Bhramanand Maharaj could read his past and present of Peethambar. 

On the day of Shravani Purnima, Peethambar attained Dheeksha from Yogeeshvar Bhramanand Maharaj.  During this period of time, Peethambar used to go for begging alms in the nearby villages, on the day of his Sanyasa Dheeksha a grand meal was served to all the holy men and saints who take Narmada Parikrama on that day.  Peethambar was anxious to feed numerous saints because he had not enough grains to serve all the saints.  Bhramanand Maharaj realized the qualms of Peethambar, and said with a smile “ Son, please check my shoulder bag, you know something, it is the dwelling place of Riddhi and Siddhi in my shoulder bag.” It was true that his shoulder bag had tremendous divine power.  Everyone believed that it was the miracle performed by this shoulder bag of Bhramanandji, he could serve numerous saints and holy men in all his life.  Peethambar had great charisma; he had great effulgence which easily attracts the holy men.  He was a humble and noble soul, this divine child has become renowned Yogi Balanand Bhramachari.

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter - 3

Ma Narmada Bai spend her days in the worship of Lord Shiva and meditation, one day mother realized that her final moments are arriving, there is not much time left for her. She sincerely desired to meet her son.  One day she cried falling at the feet of Lord Shiva and sincerely prayed to fulfill her desire to meet her son for the final time.  Lord appeared in the form of brilliant light and addressed “Daughter, your prayers are going to be fruitful soon,  your son Peethambar is undertaking severe Tapasya on the Thapovan hill of Baidhyanath Dham, now he is known as Balanand Bhramachari, you go and meet him immediately, you will get back your son.”  She sold her piece of land and joined with a group of people who were undertaking a pilgrimage to Baidhyanath Dham.  She was overjoyed meeting her son Balanand.  She had promised that if she could meet her son again, she would worship Lord Shiva with hundred and twenty-five thousands of bale leaves.   Finally, she met Balanand at the hills of Tapovan, mother and son spend their time  in the company of each other, she told her son about her vow to perform veneration of Lord Shiva with bale leaves, soon he arranged all that required for the veneration of Lord Shiva, before finishing the rites Narmada Bai attained Moksha. 

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter - 2

One day Narmada Bai said “ If you cannot do any of the household duties, what is your plan with your life?  Are you going to be a saint?” Peethambar silently moved away from her, he kept thinking about his mother’s cynical comment, it keeps echoing in his mind, it stirred the real form of his inner mind,   instantly he felt he found his long lost path, piousness of his previous birth were awakened, soon he disappeared from the sight of his mother Narmada Bai.

One day Peethabar burnt all his clothes, he was adorned in sacred ashes all over the body and attired in loin cloth appeared before his mother.  He said “ Mother, I have become a  real saint,” his mother laughed at him, but this was not a fun costume for Peethambar, he was already made up his mind to become Sanyasin the day his mother has questioned him whether he is going to be responsible or become saint, though it was not an uncalculated comment from her, it came out as the slip of the tongue.  After this the incident, Peethambar’s  Upanayana Samskara was performed at the age of nine, three or four days after he left the home forever.  His mother’s love could not stop him.  Narmada Bai lost all her hopes, Peethambar was the only solace and future for her, that too gone.

Ma Narmada Bai arrived at the shrine of Lord Mahakal, one of the famous Jyothirlinga Kshethra and shed tears of separation from her only son Peethambar.  Narmada Bai continued meditation for forty years, her prayers and tears did not go waste.  It was a few miles away from Deoghar, there was Mount Thapovan, she stood up the hill and called out for her son till the arrival of dusk, listening to her call one Sanyasin arrived and stood close to her. His face has great effulgence, he had an unshaven face and heavy matted hair locks.  Sannyasin prostrated at the feet of  Narmada Bai,  and the Sannyasin uttered “ Ma”, she embraced the Sanyasin, “ This is my Peethambar,” mothers eyes overfilled with tears of joy.  This is the story of the child Peethambar who left his mother and accepted Sanyasa and became one of the famous Yogi Balananda Bhramachari.

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter - 1

Sri Balanand Bhramachari was born to a pious Brahmin couple in Ujjain, his childhood name was Peethambar.  He was born in a family that strictly follows disciplines, conducts spiritual rites; they take up the position of priest in the shrine, read scriptures and perform all the religious rites.  He got admission in a  school close to his home, but his mind was not in studies, he was too naughty and engages in various amusements.  Peethambar was not like ordinary children, he had a great interest in spirituality and meditation.  He always roams around the beautiful river banks of Kshipra, he spends a lot of time  contemplating in the cave of Mahayogi Gorakhnath, he will be roaming in Mahakal Kund or Sandheepani Maharishi hermitage located in the middle of the woods, he is fearless to explore any isolated places where people scared to visit during day time, he spends several nights in the isolated places without any fear.  His mother Narmada Bai was too anxious about the behavior of this child. She was taking good care of Peethambar after the death of her husband that was happened while the child was too young.  The financial condition of the family was too grim, they had a small piece of land, but Peethambar was not aware of agriculture and has no interest in learning to do any agricultural activities.  Narmada Bai was worried about the future of Peethambar who has no interest in studies, he is not even capable of taking care of the piece of land got it as father’s property.  She had deep concern about his future and used to argue with Peethambar about all these things and often ends up in fights.