Saints alone are the true assets of any nation. Their individual life itself happens to be the ideal guideline for the people of the time in which they incarnate on this earth. A renowned saint has gone to the extent of declaring that it is more beneficial to listen to the life sketch of the Lord than to have His darshan; and it is even more beneficial to read or listen to the life sketch of a saint than that of the Lord. As a matter of fact the Lord incarnates Himself in the forms of saints at different times in order to uphold that special aspect of dharma as is appropriate for a particular time. The most popular among saints who have currently been doing this job on this earth is the Self-realized Pujya Sant Shri Asharamji Bapu, Who is at once a king of Yoga and accomplished in the knowledge of the Vedas. Revered Bapuji is established in such a lofty spiritual state as simply beggars description. Just as the normal human eyes cannot have darshan of the Cosmic Manifestation of the Lord, but the divine vision is required for the purpose, again as a dwarf will find it too difficult to fathom the span of the vast; similarly, writing anything about Pujya Bapuji would only tantamount to showing a dim lamp to the resplendent midday sun. Yet, mustering courage out of our reverential faith and devotional love we are making a humble attempt to present here a brief life sketch of this living personification of esoteric science of Brahman.
Born
Sant Shri Asharamji Bapu was born in VikramSamvat 1998 on the sixth lunar day of the dark fortnight in Chaitra viz. Vaishakha as per ShakaSamvat or Indian national calendar (i.e. 17th April 1941) in the house of Nagar Seth (eminent merchant) Shri Thaumal Sirumalaniji and mother Mahangiba of Berani village located on the bank of Sindhu river in Nawabshah district of Sindh province in the undivided India. He was named as Asumal in the naming ceremony.
Apart from parents, Asumal’s family comprised of an elder brother, three elder sister. Mother Mahangibaji had inculcated Vedic cultural values in Asumal since his very early childhood days. It was a prescript for Him to wake up early in the morning and engage in worship and meditation. Even while staying at home, His devotion only grew with His advancing age.
Childhood
There was a wonderful radiance about His countenance and a marvelous brilliance in the eyes right since His early childhood. Asumal’s Kulguru (family Guru) had enunciated that this child is prodigious, he will become a great saint in future and will emancipate people. And today, that prediction is literally being proved to be true. At a very tender age of eleven, unknowingly, supernatural powers had already manifested in His service.
Education
The revered saint’s initial education began in Sindhi language. Thereafter, at the age of 7, He was admitted to Jai Hind High school, Maninagar (Ahmedabad) for primary education. By virtue of His marvelous retentive memory He could render a song, poem or other component verbatim spontaneously in its entirety as heard from the teacher. In recess, child Asumal didn’t waste time playing or gossiping, instead He used to sit down calmly under some tree in solitude meditating on God.
Owing to His devotion to God since early childhood, He was never inclined towards the worldly education; yet He studied up to third standard. However, at present intellectuals including M.A., Ph.D, IAS officers and even millions of learned leader-politicians, doctors and advocates have become His disciples.
Discernment-Detachment
The highly insightful intellect of Asumal had decisively comprehended vacuity of the world, while the Supreme Being is the only paramount essence worth attaining. The fire of dispassion and yearning for God-realisation had emerged in His heart. Asumal should not turn an ascetic therefore, His family members decided to marry him off. Dispassionate Asumal didn’t want to get entangled in the worldly bondages. Therefore, 8 days prior to the wedding, He quietly left home and only after a great deal of search the family found Him in an ashram at Bharuch.
Marriage
“The betrothal has been fixed; hence, breaking the relation at this juncture would result into blemishing the image of the family.” In this way, owing to repeated insistence of the kith and kin and also driven by an inevitable course of destiny His marriage was finally solemnized. However, He didn’t get enmeshed in that golden bondage either; and convinced His noble and pious wife Lakshmi Devi to resolve that they would lead a life of complete continence until He attains the supreme goal of ‘Self-realization’. Agreeing to her revered Master’s spiritual and dispassionate ideals Lakshmi Devi too decided to lead a life of austerity and sadhana.
Forsaking home and meeting with Satguru
Asumal left home for attaining His ultimate goal on the auspicious 11th lunar day of the bright fortnight of Falguna in VikramSamvat 2020 (23rd February, 1964), without at all caring about the hurdles of attachment or endearment or even any other emergent obstacles whatsoever. Thus, He made His way through caves, caverns, forest covered valleys, snow clad mountain ranges to various places of pilgrimage, braving on the way the sufferings of walking through thorny terrains and sleeping on rocky beds. Continuing His sadhana in the extremely isolated regions where He had to literally struggle for His life and pining for God-realization, He eventually reached the woods of Nainital. After a long wait of about 40 days He could finally meet the self-realised saint Sain Shri Lilashahji Maharaj. He was put to severe tests even at the Guru’s place. However, suffering the pangs of yearning for God-realization, He went on to clear all the tests with elan and thereby became worthy of Satguru’s blessed grace. Thereafter, Sain Shri Lilashahji Maharaj instructed sadhaka Asumal to continue with meditation and worship at home and thus asked Him to go home after 70 days of stay.
Period of Sadhana
After staying at home for 13 days, He reached Moti Koral the banks of river Narmada and resumed His intense sadhana. Here He began a 40 day long anushthana. He would lose Himself so deeply in the love divine that He could neither care for His physical well-being nor remain cautious about His daily diet. He remained ensconced in that engaging state of Samadhi for hours together.
Incredible moments of self-realization
After the anushthan, Asumal left Moti Koral and reached Vajreshwari in Mumbai, where His Satgurudeva Param Pujya Shri Lilashahji Maharaj had arrived for a sojourn in solitude. Seeing the intense dedication of his beloved disciple towards spiritual practice, the compassionate heart of the Sadguru brimmed over. Showering His affection Gurudeva said: “O my dear child! I am extremely happy to see such an ardent aspiration in you for God realization.”
The ambrosial grace overflowing out of Gurudeva’s heart accomplished all sadhanas of the sadhaka. The Absolute Guru established His disciple in the supreme spiritual state of Absolute Gurudom. He attained realization of His True Self and the Supreme Self at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the 2nd lunar day of the bright fortnight of Ashwina month in Samvat 2021 (7th October, 1964); thus leading to emergence of Sant Shri Asharamji Maharaj from Asumal.
In the depths of Yog
For 7 years, in Deesa ashram and Nala cave of Mount Abu, Asharamji delved deeper into the depths of Yoga and scaled ever new heights of spiritual knowledge. On finding His sadhaka in a ripe state, to have attained experiences through various spiritual pathways including dhyana yoga (yoga of meditation), Laya yoga (yoga of dissolving the ego into the Supreme Self), Nadanusandhana yoga (yoga of searching the supreme spiritual state through nada or an elongated resonance), Kundalini yoga (yoga of awakening the Kundalini power lying latent in a serpentine form at the base of the Muladhara plexus), Ahamgrahaupasana (the sadhana of dissolving the ego into one’s True Self) etc., PujyapadLilashahjiBapu, also observing that His disciple, had acquired the complete prowess of elevating others, thus commanded “You have perfectly developed the seed I had given to you into a fully grown tree. Now you stay as a householder & disseminate this spiritual bliss among the people who are blazed by the worldly flames of sins, agony, grief, tension, animosity, rebel, ego, unrest etc. and help them also to get awakened in their own true self.
The supreme luminosity of the enlightened great being
Once in order to check His absolute footing in Brahman Asharamji intentionally went into the settlement inhabited by ferocious drunkards. Two boozers happened to notice Him. One of them asked Him to come near and placing a sword like weapon (used to cut branches of trees while standing on the ground) on His neck, he said: “Should I cut your throat?”
He replied with absolute fearlessness, “Let Your will prevail.” Seeing His courage and spiritual majesty, both of them got fear-stricken and instantaneously fell to His feet asking for mercy. Even during His stay in solitude, He remained engaged in activities for upliftment of people and helped them give up addictions, non-vegetarian food and alcoholism.
Challenge to the Almighty
In the course of that very period, one day Asharamji left Deesa to go towards Nareshwar and ventured into a very dense forest located near Narmada riverbank, where no one traversed. There He sat under a tree and got so deeply engrossed in the meditation of the Self and the Supreme that the entire night passed. At daybreak, He engaged Himself in daily routine. Then He felt the pangs of hunger and thirst. However,
Socha main na kahin jaunga, Yahin baithhkar ab khaunga|
Jisko garaj hogi aayega, Srishti karta khud layega||
(I thought of not going anywhere. Will sit & satiate my hunger here only. He who cares for me will come. The Creator of Cosmos Himself will bring food for me.)
Sant Shri savoured some fruits & milk and left behind that place also to enjoy the incomparable ecstasy of emancipation in the solitary caves of Abu, desolate woods & crevices in the Himalayan region.
Establishment of the Ahmedabad Ashram
In compliance with the ardent insistence of His Param Pujya Satgurudev Swami Shri Lilashahji Maharaj as also to fulfil the promise given to His mother, Pujyashree came back to Ahmedabad after a long gap of about 7 years on the occasion of Guru Purnima in Samvat 2028 (Thursday, 8th July 1971).
A temporary hut was built for the ashram on 29th January, 1972 in the grossly uneven valley on the bank of the Sabarmati river by the devotees. The surrounding area consisted of thorny bushes and dense forest where people remained terrified to tread even during the day for fear of drunkards and robbers. However, after the establishment of the ashram that fearful and vicious atmosphere underwent a complete change.
Today, the branches of this imposing tree of the ashram has spread out not only all over the nation but also to many foreign lands. This cottage, established in Sabarmati, has today burgeoned into a pious place of pilgrimage by the name of ‘Sant Shri Asharamji Ashram’. Today, millions of people belonging to all castes, religions and nations imbibe the ambrosia of meditation and satsang from this lake of knowledge; and feel blessed by having their respective grievances alleviated.
Was it a Helicopter crash or a miracle!
Helicopter crashes do take place and a number of such accidents took place in the past. But never before has it happened that the pilot loses control at a considerable height and the helicopter’s nose hit the ground after the crash landing; yet nobody gets injured. But this was what happened at Godhra (Gujarat) on 29th August and thousands witnessed the scene. Pujya Bapuji was coming to Godhra for Purnima darshan and satsang programme from Morbi by a helicopter. Before landing, the helicopter lost balance, landed with a bang on its nose and crashed.
Scientists know that white petrol that fuels copters is highly inflammable. A little spark touching it is sufficient to produce a devastating fire. Even the nearby trees and plants are burnt down. After the accident, the white petrol flowed like water flows from a tap but no blast took place. The hind part of the helicopter had even caught fire but the fire was extinguished miraculously. The crash produced such a bang that people from surrounding areas came running to the spot. But everybody saw Bapuji come out safe and sound. There was no need to measure His pulse or blood pressure. Soon Bapuji arrived at the satsang site and He was in his usual blissful Self. Such a big thing had happened; yet Bapuji was dispensing joy in his natural style – the same humour, the same joyful dancing, and the same blissfulness. What else can this event be called if not a miracle? It is a tangible proof of the greatness of Self-Realized and Self-Reposed Brahmajnani saint.
Somebody says it is a miracle performed by a Brahmanishtha saint equal to an avatar; another says it is God’s divine lila. Some attribute it to yogic powers or greatness of Indian culture. All these different views point towards but one fact. The God-realized saint Bapuji has proved true his quote, “As China is known for the great wall; Kuwait for petroleum; America for dollar; India is known for saints of the Vedic culture having great divine powers.”
Today, people not only in India but all over the world are wonder struck watching the images and video clips of this accident on Internet and TV Channels.
Former President of India Shrimati Pratibha Patil while enquiring about Bapuji’s well being on phone said that a number of high ranking Air Force Officers; on being asked as to what could have been the reason of Bapuji coming safe and sound out of this terrible accident; had replied unanimously that it must have been a miracle performed by Bapuji otherwise there was no question of people coming unscathed from such a horrible accident.
Immediately after the accident, different TV Channels described all passengers coming unscathed out of the accident as a miracle of Bapuji. Different newspapers described the accident as providential, unprecedented and miraculous.
“In this accident, the helicopter was broken into three pieces but Asharamji is completely safe and sound. This is no less than a miracle.” – TV Channel ‘Zee News’
“Asharamji Bapu is the luckiest man of the century.” – News Channel ‘TV 9’
“Through this helicopter accident, God has displayed His miraculous power.”
– Newspaper ‘Hindustan’
“Everybody coming safe and sound from such an accident is no less than a miracle.” – News Channel ‘ABP’
“Bapu Asharamji has a miraculous escape from a copter crash.”
– Newspaper ‘The Pioneer’
“It was Bapuji’s miracle only, which was seen by the whole world.” – News Channel ‘A2Z’
“The god of death (Kaal) went back after saluting a Brahmajnani (Mahaakaal).” – Newspaper ‘Acharan’
This accident has made all celebrities, intellectuals, religious leaders of other faiths and sects and even atheists acknowledge the caliber of Pujya Bapuji. This accident is powerful enough to open the eyes of Bapuji’s detractors also.
Pujya Bapuji says this is the miraculous power of the science of mantras, “So powerful are the Vedic mantras that one doing japa of them can ward off not only his own untimely death but also that of others with him. A regular reciting of the Guru-Gita saves one from untimely death and other dangers. Describing the glory of Guru-Gita, Lord Shiva says:
अकालमृत्युहंत्रीचसर्वसंकटनाशिनी।
‘It wards off untimely death and all calamities.’”
Many a time in the course of his satsang discourses, Bapuji has told that with japa of mantra so many times so and so house of one’s horoscope gets purified. With 80 million japa of the mantra, the house of death is purified. Such a person will not meet an untimely death.
Today this accident is being discussed not only in India but all over the world and whoever comes to know of it becomes
wonder-struck to see Sant Sri AsharamjiBapu’s yogic powers and greatness.
It is only due to AsharamjiBapu’s miraculous powers that we are safe and sound.
– The pilot of the crashed helicopter
“What was the reason behind the crash landing of the helicopter will be known after the probe is completed. It is only because of Asharamji Bapu’s miraculous powers that we are safe and sound even after meeting such a terrible accident. With Bapuji’s blessings, nobody received even a bruise.”
We came out of the jaws of death hale and hearty due to the protective divine aura of Bapuji
– Ashwin Yadav, a passenger of the helicopter, Rajkot
“In the past I met with motor-bike accidents two-three times. But at that time I was not as fearless as I was with Bapuji at this time meeting with a copter crash. It was such a terrible accident yet thanks to Bapuji’s divine aura, we came out of the jaws of death hale and hearty. I was not the least afraid.
Earlier, I worshipped Bapuji’s physical form as my Guru but now I know that he is the Protector, and Preserver. He is the omnipresent Lord about whom
Lord Krishna says in the Gita:
वासुदेवःसर्वमितिसमहात्मासुदुर्लभः ।
‘Realizing that all this is Vasudeva (the innermost Self); such a great soul (Mahatma) is very hard to find.’
For me, it was coming face to face with God.
– Naresh Manganaani, an eye witness
“For me, everybody coming out unscathed from such a terrible accident is not less than seeing God in person.”
Science Concedes the Power of Shaktipaat
I started to study the science of analyzing aura in 1962AD. It took me six years to complete the study of this science. Thereafter I carried out research on this subject for several years. I am the first person in the world to receive ISO 9001: 2000 Certification. I have delivered lectures to students at Moscow Medical University six times. A person’s aura extends to an area of 3 inches to 30-40 metres around him. Even insentient objects have aura. I have so far studied the aura of about seven lakh people including some one thousand distinguished persons – like saints, VIPs etc.
As I studied the aura of Sant Shri Asharamji Bapu, I found it so powerful that anybody coming near him would be overwhelmed by his luminous aura and would always remain under its compelling influence. One of the colours of Bapuji’s aura is violet, which shows that Bapuji is at the acme of spirituality. This type of aura is found only in Rishis, in perfected Masters. The red in the aura indicates that Bapuji transmits spiritual energy into others (Shaktipaat); takes away their negativities, weaknesses and replaces them with his divine energy. The sky blue colour in Bapuji’s aura indicates the high celestial regions to which Bapuji’s aura extends.
When I went to Bapuji’s satsang, I found that Bapuji’s aura gets stretched like latex and envelops the entire gathering.
The study of a person’s aura reveals his previous births as well. A research on Bapuji’s aura revealed that for the last ten births at a stretch, Bapuji has been doing the pious work of serving the masses – like inclining them towards spirituality by transmitting divine energy to them through Shaktipaat, ridding them of addictions, making them healthy, purging the society of evil practices, distributing the Prasad of Knowledge and Self-bliss etc. I could read only last ten of Bapuji’s births. The machine didn’t have the capacity to read further.
Bapuji’s SahasrÍra chakra and ÀjnÍ chakra are so highly developed that the machine could not record them fully. He has reached the zenith of perfection. None of the auras I have studied so far was found to be so highly developed as Bapuji’s.
I hope and wish that I will get another opportunity of studying Bapuji’s aura. I would like to study such highly developed aura again and again.
– Dr. Hira Taparia Aura expert
Pujya Bapuji is a master of infinite potencies. The above information is based only on what the machine could read. As a TV antenna with its limited capacity can receive waves only within its range not beyond it, the machine could study Bapuji’s aura to the extent of its capacity. It is not possible to gauge the aura and the divine powers of Self-realized saints in full.
‘Who can estimate the knower of Brahman? Only a Brahmajnani can know the divine spiritual state of the Brahmajnani.’
Even Vasishthaji, Lord Rama’s Guru, says, “The glory of Self-realized saints cannot be described in full.” The sage Ashtavakra says to King Janaka,
तस्य तुलना केन जायते ?
–‘Whom can the Self-realized saints be compared to?’ *
