HUMAN AND DIVINE ASPECTS OF

BABUJIS PERSONALIT Y
S.A. Sarnad

abuji was one of the greatest saints of our times, if not the
greatest. His life and work are beyond the understanding of

ordinary human beings. He possessed enormous selfless love for

the whole of humanity, prayed for the well-being of others, guided
them mercifully on the virtuous path, and trained them in the art of
leading a beautiful and divine life. His instincts were seen at an unimaginable height of sublimation and his emotions were regulated
to the highest level of perfection. He had such a wonderful mastery
over them that they would automatically come into play at the
appropriate occasion and vanish in a twinkling after their purpose
was over. He was very much in the world but not of the world.
He had deep sympathy for suffering humanity, suffered much
for its sake and yet rose far above his own sufferings. He stated
convincingly that the only solution to put an end to all suffering is
to take refuge in the Divine or in the Divine Personality, who alone
can bestow inner strength to take miseries as divine blessing and
remain happy under all circumstances.
Babuji was utterly simple. One could never imagine that a
person with all the wisdom on the earth could ever be so simple.
In fact, his simplicity itself was a veil to know and understand
him. Innocence crowned his simplicity. Once, in his reply to a

letter he wrote that his knowledge of English was poor and that
by Lalajis grace he was fortunate to have people with very high
educational qualifications as his associates. Before such scholarly
associates, he further wrote, he could somehow manage to affix
his signature! In the very next sentence, contradicting the previous
one, he wrote: However, if you need any idea or thought regarding
Sahaj Marg sadhana, you can refer to me. What humility, and what
tremendous self-confidence in his knowledge of spiritual matters!
Babuji was a perfect householder. In the early years following
the establishment of the Mission, the number of abhyasis visiting
Shahjahanpur being small, all of them were lodged and fed in
Babujis house only. As a host, he would serve the abhyasis
to the extent of drawing water from the tube-well, putting the
bucket in the bathroom, and fanning them while they took their
lunch. Sometimes he would have the food prepared to the taste
of the South Indian abhyasis, and knowing that the South Indian
meal would not be complete without a dish of rice and curd, he
would invariably provide them with curd. Later on, when overseas
abhyasis began to visit Shahjahanpur, he provided them with bread,
butter, cheese and vegetables without spices. Where can we find
such a host and such hospitality?
On one occasion, a small group of four or five abhyasis was
sitting in his presence. During the conversation, Babuji in his
benedictive mood, asked us whether we would like to experience
the condition prevailing at the time of mahapralaya (total
dissolution). Who would not be eager to see or taste it? Instantly
without a second thought, we requested him to show it. He asked
us to sit in meditation and made a menacing Hum sound. We saw
ourselves rotating with great speed and then a great void, which
was very fearful. We couldnt bear that terrific condition though it
lasted only for a few seconds. Then he asked us to open our eyes
and describe the condition.
We were in Dharwad sometime in 1961 or so. A generous couple
hosted us without any issues. One day, the mistress of the house
came to Babuji and told that she and her husband had decided to

donate their house to the Mission and that Babuji should accept the
gift which they would get registered in the name of the Mission.
Babuji said unconcernedly that he accepted their gift with thanks
and added that there was no need for registration. The lady then
requested Babuji to treat her as his daughter and put his hand on
her head. Babuji said that he would, by all means, consider her as
his daughter but not put his hand on her head. The hostess was
quite displeased and moved slowly away from Masters presence.
After she had gone, Babuji said to us who were sitting in his front,
Look, all my bonds are cut off. I have no tie of relationship with
anybody, even my children. I am always in my original condition
and I have to step down from that condition to recognise people.
Such being the state, how can I put my hand on her head treating
her as my daughter? It means taking up another new bondage for
me. We were dumbfounded to hear this. Till then we had not come
across any saint who could say that all his bonds had been broken
and that he had to descend a step down to recognise people. That
is why Babuji used to say that he did not belong to India alone but
to the entire humanity.
A proverb says, To err is human and forgive is divine. Babuji
has forgiven countless errors, blunders and even offences of
innumerable persons and exhibited his divine virtue. It is impossible
to enumerate all the divine qualities that he possessed. Even if
we could enumerate them, it would only be suggestive and not
exhaustive.
It was in the year 1963 that we four or five abhyasis were
travelling by passenger train from Raichur to Bellary with
Babuji and the late Ishwar Sahaiji. We were seated in a small
compartment with accommodation for fifteen to twenty persons.
When the train left Raichur, in a jovial mood Babuji began to
narrate some of his deeds, which he said were confidential. They
were concerning World War II, Indias independence, liberating the
Hyderabad State from the Nizams tyrannical rule, and so on. The
narration continued for quite a few hours and at each station people
would approach our compartment, peep into it through the windows

and none would enter, even after finding a lot of empty space. We
could not understand the reason till we brooded over it for a long
time. When a saint of high calibre or a Special Personality wills a
certain event to happen, he creates circumstances favourable for
that event to take place. In this case, Babuji wanted that no-one
else except ourselves should listen and know his work which he had
kept confidential till that time. That was how it materialised.
Thus we see that both human and divine qualities had
beautifully mingled in Babujis personality so as to make it unique in
all respects.

Pearls of Wisdom from Dear Babuji

Pranahuti (transmission) means incubating man with Divine

power, to infuse the prana of prana (pranasya pranaha) into
the abhyasi.

Absolute God can be said to be the prana of the God of religion.

Generally we visit temples to have the darshana of God. This is

a limitation which encloses both the devotee and God. Of course
we go to temples, but while returning we leave Him behind.