"Vasishta Guha - A Heaven on Earth" by Swami Shantananda Puri

(Photograph of Lingam inside Vasistha Guha which has streaks of light emanating from the Lingam though the light patterns are not visible to the eye)

If there is a heaven on earth, it is certainly Vasishta Guha. Guha means a cave. This Vasishta Guha Ashram (referred to as the 'The Guha' in the subsequent paras) is situated at 22 kms. from Rishikesh on the famous Bus route to Badrinath/Kedarnath (6 kms. from Shiv Puri where there are a lot of rafting institutions, and 10kms before reaching Byasi). In the Himalayas, the names of many of the caves are linked with some renowned sage or other of yore e.g. Vyasa Guha, Uddalaka Guha.

Vasishta is one of the Saptarshis (7 sages) and one of the first creations of Lord Brahma (the creator) out of his will power. He was the chief priest (Kula Guru) of the line of kings claiming their descendence from the Sun God (Surya Vansa), the most famous in that line being king Sri Ram (RAMA CHANDRA) - an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Vasishta's one hundred sons were. killed due to the machinations of his competitor Sage Viswamitra through the application of black magic rituals. Though a highly evolved soul well established in the supreme consciousness (Brahman), the tragedy of the death of all his hundred sons was too deep a blow to be borne with equanimity. Vasishta, in frustation decided to end his life by jumping into a river. The River goddess did not want to incur the heinous sin of being the cause of the death of such a holy sage and so just carried him safely unharmed and deposited him on the other bank where Arundhati, the wife of Vasishta, was already waiting for her husband. As Arundhati thought that if they continued to stay in that environment, the memories of their dead children would haunt them, suggested going on a pilgrimage to the southern part of India. En route, presumably, this Vasishta Guha was one of the places where he camped for performance of austerities (Tapas) for a few hundred years (Vasishta was a sage who remained as the chief priest for more than five generations of kings each of whom ruled for several thousands of years). The Guha is situated on the banks of the holy river Ganga about 120 feet below from the main road and it is barely a five minutes walk to Arundhati Guha, access to which is by walking over the Ganga's sand beach.

Similar Vasishta Ashrams exist in various places (i.e. B.R. HILLS in Karnataka, in SRI LANKA etc.) Who knows how many saints, sages and Siddhas have lived in this cave and added to its glory, holiness and spiritual vibrations! Behind the Siva linga at the far end of the cave can be seen a slightly vertically inclined opening into the cave. If you put your hand in it, you will find inside it is closed. It seems the cave used to extend inside for another 20 kms or so till a place called Ghanta Karna Mandir up in the Himalayas. A few years back this passage was closed. It is believed that a number of Himalayan adepts (SIDDHAS) have been doing austerities in their subtle body (not visible to naked eyes of common people) inside the back of the cave for thousands of years.

Besides, our Gurudev Swami Purushottamanandji Maharaj also had done his austerities here since 1928. He was a grand disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa and disciple of Swami Brahmananda. Many visitors, not only Indians but foreigners too, who used to sit inside the cave in meditation in reCent times, claimed to have had varied psychic experiences.

In April 1996, a letter was received in this Ashram from H. H. Swami Dayananda Saraswatiji of international fame, enclosing two copies of a photograph of the cave taken at his behest during his recent visit thereto. It seems that when the photograph of the far end platform containing Siva Linga was taken and got developed it was found that there were two rays of light emanating from the top/side of the Siva Linga and going over the side walls and ceiling till it disappeared into the earth halfway from the cave entrance. It could have represented the ultimate merging of one or more of the unseen Siddhas into the Supreme being. When Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi left his mortal body at Tiruvannamalai, at that very moment many were able to see in different cities a bright star-like flame coursing through the sky and this was reported in some newspapers too. Many have expressed that when once they sit inside the Guha for

meditation, their level of consciousness immediately rises up to such a high level which they were able to reach only occasionally and that too after years of spiritual practice.

Two other incidents which have been included in a book "Fragrant Flowers" are reproduced below to illustrate the glory of the Guha :-

(i) Some time in 1994 or so, a young Dutch woman visited the Guha on a day when I (Swami Shantananda) happened to be there. It was her first visit. She was sitting in meditation inside the cave till lunch time. During lunch she suddenly addressed me and asked "I find that your

Gurudev had left his body in Feb. 1961. Since then, have you met him again at any time?". The question sounded strange and I answered in the negative. After finishing her lunch she followed me to my room and narrated the following unique experience of hers in the Guha :-

"After about two hours of meditation, when I suddenly opened my eyes, I saw a Swamiji with a laughing face standing before me. He was identical with the photograph kept outside the cave in the dais. The only difference was that unlike in the picture he had a long stick in his hand. A thought come to my mind that the vision was some sort of an illusion. The Swamiji smilingly told me 'you are wrong, my dear child. I am as real as you are. I am not an illusion." I was astonished that he could divine my thoughts accurately. He asked me "Aye, what do you want?" I replied 'Swamiji, I want Gyan (True Knowledge)!' He laughed in a wild manner and disappeared.

I believed her because in her narration she has mentioned certain typical characteristics of my Gurudev as follows :-

1. My Gurudev often sported a long stick even though in the picture on the dais it was not there.

2. His typical question to many visitors or disciples was :- "Aye, what do you want?"

3. He always used to be laughing like a child.

(ii) In 1980, when I (Swami Shantananda) had gone to Vasishta Guha to attend my Guru Dev's birthday as also to do Srimad Bhagavata Saptaham, one Mrs P. had also come to the Guha. On the first day of Bhagavata reading in the morning, Mrs P. did not attend the recitation partly perhaps she had no taste for it and could not also understand the sanskrit text. She went and sat inside the cave for meditation. After a while, when she opened her eyes, she saw our Gurudev standing before her with a smile. She would not believe her own eyes. He told her "yes, I am really standing before you but you will not believe. Today one old ex-armyman with a beard will be visiting Guha for the first time but he will refuse to have lunch here in the Ashram and will go back. When this happens, you will believe in this vision. Tomorrow I shall initiate you with a mantra." Mrs P. never disclosed this to anybody. In the evening when I saw her face full of misery, I asked her for the reason. Then she narrated the incident and told me 'Today I have not

seen any such old ex-army man visiting this Guha. Perhaps it was all my imagination." Then I exclaimed "No, it is true. Today one old ex- Army man came and the Swami-in-charge of the ashram took him to the library and was showing him the book "YOGA VASISHTA" in three

volumes. When Swamiji pressed him to stay for lunch, he excused himself and left." Mrs P. was elated at this news. Next morning when she went inside the Guha and sat for meditation, Gurudev again appeared. She was desperately praying in her heart. "I want only a mantra on 'Ram' and not on any other God" Gurudev smiled and said "yes, I shall give you only Ram Mantra. Do not worry. Do you know any hymn on Ram for meditation purposes (Dhyana Sloka); If so, recite it." She recited a hymn. Gurudev gave her a Mantra, bade her go and attend Bhagavatam reading which was going on outside and disappeared. I was the only one to whom Mrs. P confided the full details of her initiation.

Our Gurudev, Swami Purushottamanandji Maharaj left the Ramakrishana Mission and went wandering round the Himalayas in early 1920s, During his wanderings by foot he came across this Guha in 1928. The cave was surrounded by tall trees and it was all a jungle. He lived inside the Guha -doing his meditation/ austerities for more than 25 years till a room was built for him near the Guha. In my assessment, he was a realised soul. It is told that in his earliest years in the Guha, a lion used to come from the other side of the Ganga daily in the dusk and sleep near the nearest end of the Guha while our Gurudev used to sleep at the farthest end of the Guha, where a circular memorial has since been built. After about a year of keeping the nightly companionship with my Gurudev, the lion went away, never to return.

Swami Purushottamanandji went into Maha Samadhi (by leaving the body) on 13 February 1961 on the SHIVARATHRI day. His vibrations are still being felt in the entire area surrounding the Guha by his devotees. The Guha is now being run by Sri Chaitanyanandji, a simple but eminent disciple of Gurudev and the managing trustee. The Trust is also running

an outpatient department in an allopathic Hospital built by the Trust with 16 beds in the Goolar village about a kilometer off. Dry cooking rations are also provided to all the pilgrims going to/returning from Badrinath/Kedarnath etc. This Vasishta Guha is a very valuable spiritual

institution adding to the splendour of Uttaranchal state. Even today, some times at midnight, some people claim to have heard the loud chanting of scriptures like Rudri as also the sounds of Damru, Mridanga and other instuments, coming from the mountain top above the Guha.

One of the popular messages of Gurudev is as follows:-

What are we seeking! Bliss. What we are searching for is within us. Within is a huge roaring ocean of divine and infinite bliss, a single drop of which can completely destroy all our woes forever and transport us to a high state of ecstasy. But foolishly we look for this outside. To imagine that wife, children, wealth, name, fame etc. can bring us happiness is a mere illusion. Our state is like that of a deer which contains the musk in its own navel but in its ignorance seeks this divine scent in its surroundings in trees, creepers, grass etc. The teachings of our great sages alone can therefore give us pure unalloyed and eternal bliss.

Source:Introduction to Vasishta Guha by Swami Sri Shantananda Puri

Reward for a devotee's prayers

Ma Anandamayi was an internationally famous saint of the highest order. Once she went to a city where some rich man had lent his big spacious bungalow in the outskirts of the city for the mother to stay as long as she liked. The mother was accompanied by a number of Sannyasis (her disciples) and Brahmacharinis (female celebates). On the fourth day of arrival, Ma called a Sannyasi disciple early in the morning and told him “For the last three days, in my morning meditation I have been seeing the vision of a young lady of fair complexion (aged about 32 years or so) with bobbed hair and of medium build. She lives somewhere within 20 kms radius from this place but it could be in any direction. I find her in my vision daily going to the third floor of her house at 3 a.m. in the morning, standing before a well-lit wick embedded in a circular plastic ring floating in a transparent jar of oil and mumbling some inaudible prayers for full three hours and then returning to her domestic chores. She has been doing this regularly for the last fifteen years. God has commanded me to take her in my hands and shape her. You have to go out just now, find her out and bring her to me. The only other clue I can give you is that

she drives a small car of blood-red colour. Go and may God be with you.”

The Sannyasi started on this unique errand even though it looked more like a wild goose chase. Till 12 in the noon he was walking looking at the occupants of every blood-red coloured car on the way. He became tired. He stood where he was and prayed to Ma – “Ma, I am sorry, I have not been successful in my errand. Please advise me what to do now.” Pat came a response in his heart – “Come back here by the same way by which you went. But at every step, repeat “Bhagawan”, “Bhagawan”. Lord will do the rest. The monk followed Ma’s advice and was returning. After walking back for half an hour, he was approaching a small nursery school from which a number of small children were coming out. Just at that moment he saw a blood-red car driven by a young lady coming out of the school gate and going ahead in the direction away from him. He ran into the school and asked some of the lady teachers who were standing as to who that lady was, who had just left the school in a red car. They told him that it was Mrs. C, a Parsi lady who was a teacher in that school. They even came out and pointed out her house which was a little ahead at the end of the same street. The monk walked up to that house. As the door opened on his touching it, he went straight inside without even knocking or ringing the bell (In the earlier days most of the monks were simple souls who did not know anything about the etiquettes of social life). The lady was sitting engrossed in the reading of a newspaper and did not notice the arrival of the newcomer.

Without any preliminaries, the monk addressed her – “Madam, my Guru Dev and a saint of great repute, Ma Anandamayi who is camping in this city desires to meet you. Will you please come along with me?” Mrs. C was righteously indignant and asked him “Who are you and how dare you come inside without knocking even. I know that you thieves just enter into big houses under some pretext with evil intentions at a time when the male members are likely to have gone out.” She began to ring up the police. The monk fell at her feet and began to tell her how Ma had seen her in a vision, going up to the third floor and praying before a light for three hours daily for the last fifteen years. Mrs. C abandoned the telephone as she was impressed by

the sincerity and accuracy behind the monk’s narration. Except for her husband nobody knew about her daily prayers on the third floor. She asked him for some more details about Ma

whose name she had never heard earlier. She kept a note for her husband who had gone to his office asking him to come to Ma’s place in the evening in case she was delayed and went along

with the monk in her car. When they entered she saw Ma and her companions sitting on a platform and singing Bhajans (musical compositions on God) while a huge audience was sitting in her front facing her. She found herself on the backside of the platform, facing the back of Ma, where a number of Brahmacharinis of the Ashram were sitting. The inmates of the Ashram forbade her from going to the front and informed her that Ma’s Bhajan programme would last for one or two hours more. Mrs. C was vexed at the thought of waiting for an hour or so longer and was thinking of leaving for home immediately. At that moment Ma stopped her own singing, ordered her companions to carry on the singing, got down from the platform, came straight to Mrs.

C who was still standing undecided and hugged her. She took Mrs. C to her own room and conversed with her with all love. In answer to her inquiry Mrs. C told Ma that she was very happy with her life and that she used to pray to the Fire God to keep her in the same state of happiness forever. In her childhood and youth she was brought up by the Parsi priests and so she used to worship only the Fire God. Mrs. C was completely won over by the explicit and boundless love and kindness of Ma, which transcended the barriers of religion and caste. That day, both Mrs. C and her husband were initiated into meditation and they remained to be fervent admirers and followers of Ma. If only one performs some worship or prayer or chanting

of a name or japa or other spiritual practices (anushthan) regularly without fail for a few years, the Lord Himself provides a good guide in order to speed him in his quest.

Source: Stories for Meditation by Swami Sri Shantananda Puri of Vasistha Guha

T.R.Kannakammal

A blessed soul was absorbed in the Master in the same manner she had lived her eighty-eight years: totally surrendered and prostrate at His feet.

T.R.Kanakammal was perhaps the last living devotee who left all worldly attractions behind to reside in the holy presence of Sri Bhagavan before his mahasamadhi in 1950. She first remembered seeing His beatific smile on a visit to him when she was eight. From that time onwards she was completely captured in the net of His grace. At the age of 13 she declared to her parents that she would never have any interest in family life and pleaded with them not to get her married. Her pleading failed and she was married the same year, but before the event she extracted a promise from her father that if at the time she came of age and was expected to join her husband, he would not force her to do so if she wished otherwise. And she had the same vairagya a few years later when the time arrived.

Her parents were very pious people and eventually allowed her to go and live by the side of Sri Ramanasramam in the year 1946 when she was in her early 20s. Since then Tiruvannamalai has been her residence and Bhagavan Ramana her sole anchor and support.

On Jayanti morning, January 1, 2010, Kanakammal circumambulated the Matribhuteswara Shrine and then entered Bhagavan's Samadhi Hall. Walking around the Samadhi she stopped on the north side to gaze at the Lingam of the Maharshi, while it was washed in preparation for the grand puja that was about to take place, commemorating the 130th birth anniversary of Sri Ramana. Right at that place she collapsed and was absorbed into her Master and Lord. How fitting an end for one who knew no other in her long life than Bhagavan Sri Ramana.

Kanakammal was an inestimable source of inspiration to the legions of devotees who sought her presence. She left us her reminiscences (Cherished Memories, in English) and several other books which shed light on the teachings of Bhagavan.

What follows are some transcribed reminiscences from a videotaped interview taken in 1999.

Source - Maharishi Newsletter Jan / Feb 2010 Vol.20 No.1