“Lahiri, you have come!”
Told by Lahiri Mahasaya in Autobiography of a Yogi.
“My first meeting with Babaji took place in my thirty-third year,” Lahiri Mahasaya had said. “In the autumn of 1861 I was stationed in Danapur as a government accountant in the Military Engineering Department. One morning the office manager summoned me.‘Lahiri,’ he said, ‘a telegram has just come from our main office. You are to be transferred to Ranikhet, where an army post is now being established.’
“With one servant, I set out on the 500-mile trip. Traveling by horse and buggy, we arrived in thirty days at the Himalayan site of Ranikhet.“My office duties were not onerous; I was able to spend many hours roaming in the magnificent hills. A rumor reached me that great saints blessed the region with their presence; I felt a strong desire to see them. During a ramble one early afternoon,I was astounded to hear a distant voice calling my name.I continued my vigorous upward climb on Drongiri Mountain.A slight uneasiness beset me at the thought that I might not be able to retrace my steps before darkness had descended over the jungle.“I finally reached a small clearing whose sides were dotted with caves.On one of the rocky ledges stood a smiling young man, extending his hand in welcome.I noticed with astonishment that, except for his copper-colored hair, he bore a remarkable resemblance to myself.‘Lahiri,you have come!’ The saint addressed me affectionately in Hindi.‘Rest here in this cave.It was I who called you.“I entered a neat little grotto which contained several woolen blankets and afew kamandulus(begging bowls).‘Lahiri, do you remember that seat?’The yogi pointed to a folded blanket in one corner.
“No, sir.’Somewhat dazed at the strangeness of my adventure,I added,‘I must leave now, before nightfall.I have business in the morning at my office."The mysterious saint replied in English, ‘The office was brought for you,and not you for the office “I was dumbfounded that this forest ascetic should not only speak English but also paraphrase the words of Christ.‘I see my telegram took effect.’The yogi’s remark was incomprehensible to me,I inquired his meaning.‘I refer to the telegram that summoned you to these isolated parts. It was I who silently suggested to the mind of your superior officer that you be transferred to Ranikhet.When one feels his unity with mankind, all minds become transmitting stations through which he can work at will.’He added gently, ‘Lahiri, surely this cave seems familiar to you?’As I maintained a bewildered silence, the saint approached and struck me gently on the forehead. At his magnetic touch, a wondrous current swept through my brain,releasing the sweet seed memories of my previous life.‘I remember!’ My voice was half-choked with joyous sobs. ‘You are my guru Babaji, who has belonged to me always! Scenes of the past arise vividly in my mind,here in this cave I spent many years of my last incarnation!’As ineffable recollections overwhelmed me, I tearfully embraced my master’s feet. ‘For more than three decades I have waited for you here—waited for you to return to me!’ Babaji’s voice rang with celestial love. ‘You slipped away and vanished into the tumultuous waves of the life beyond death.The magic wand of your karma touched you, and you were gone! Though you lost sight of me, never did I lose sight of you! I pursued you over the luminescent astral sea where the glorious angels sail. Through gloom, storm,upheaval and light I followed you, like a mother bird guarding her young. As you lived out your human term of womb-life,and emerged a babe,my eye was ever on you. When you covered your tiny form in the lotus posture under the Nadia sands in your childhood,I was invisibly present! Patiently, month after month,year after year,I have watched over you, waiting for this perfect day.Now you are with me! Lo, here is your cave, loved of yore! I have kept it ever clean and ready for you.Here is your hallowed asana-blanket,where you daily sat to fill your expanding heart with God! Behold there your bowl, from which you often drank the nectar prepared by me! See how I have kept the brass cup brightly polished, that you might drink again therefrom! My own, do you now understand?’‘My guru, what can I say?’I murmured brokenly.‘Where has one ever heard of such deathless love?’I gazed long and ecstatically on my eternal treasure, my guru in life and death.
Told by Lahiri Mahasaya in Autobiography of a Yogi.
“My first meeting with Babaji took place in my thirty-third year,” Lahiri Mahasaya had said. “In the autumn of 1861 I was stationed in Danapur as a government accountant in the Military Engineering Department. One morning the office manager summoned me.‘Lahiri,’ he said, ‘a telegram has just come from our main office. You are to be transferred to Ranikhet, where an army post is now being established.’
“With one servant, I set out on the 500-mile trip. Traveling by horse and buggy, we arrived in thirty days at the Himalayan site of Ranikhet.“My office duties were not onerous; I was able to spend many hours roaming in the magnificent hills. A rumor reached me that great saints blessed the region with their presence; I felt a strong desire to see them. During a ramble one early afternoon,I was astounded to hear a distant voice calling my name.I continued my vigorous upward climb on Drongiri Mountain.A slight uneasiness beset me at the thought that I might not be able to retrace my steps before darkness had descended over the jungle.“I finally reached a small clearing whose sides were dotted with caves.On one of the rocky ledges stood a smiling young man, extending his hand in welcome.I noticed with astonishment that, except for his copper-colored hair, he bore a remarkable resemblance to myself.‘Lahiri,you have come!’ The saint addressed me affectionately in Hindi.‘Rest here in this cave.It was I who called you.“I entered a neat little grotto which contained several woolen blankets and afew kamandulus(begging bowls).‘Lahiri, do you remember that seat?’The yogi pointed to a folded blanket in one corner.
“No, sir.’Somewhat dazed at the strangeness of my adventure,I added,‘I must leave now, before nightfall.I have business in the morning at my office."The mysterious saint replied in English, ‘The office was brought for you,and not you for the office “I was dumbfounded that this forest ascetic should not only speak English but also paraphrase the words of Christ.‘I see my telegram took effect.’The yogi’s remark was incomprehensible to me,I inquired his meaning.‘I refer to the telegram that summoned you to these isolated parts. It was I who silently suggested to the mind of your superior officer that you be transferred to Ranikhet.When one feels his unity with mankind, all minds become transmitting stations through which he can work at will.’He added gently, ‘Lahiri, surely this cave seems familiar to you?’As I maintained a bewildered silence, the saint approached and struck me gently on the forehead. At his magnetic touch, a wondrous current swept through my brain,releasing the sweet seed memories of my previous life.‘I remember!’ My voice was half-choked with joyous sobs. ‘You are my guru Babaji, who has belonged to me always! Scenes of the past arise vividly in my mind,here in this cave I spent many years of my last incarnation!’As ineffable recollections overwhelmed me, I tearfully embraced my master’s feet. ‘For more than three decades I have waited for you here—waited for you to return to me!’ Babaji’s voice rang with celestial love. ‘You slipped away and vanished into the tumultuous waves of the life beyond death.The magic wand of your karma touched you, and you were gone! Though you lost sight of me, never did I lose sight of you! I pursued you over the luminescent astral sea where the glorious angels sail. Through gloom, storm,upheaval and light I followed you, like a mother bird guarding her young. As you lived out your human term of womb-life,and emerged a babe,my eye was ever on you. When you covered your tiny form in the lotus posture under the Nadia sands in your childhood,I was invisibly present! Patiently, month after month,year after year,I have watched over you, waiting for this perfect day.Now you are with me! Lo, here is your cave, loved of yore! I have kept it ever clean and ready for you.Here is your hallowed asana-blanket,where you daily sat to fill your expanding heart with God! Behold there your bowl, from which you often drank the nectar prepared by me! See how I have kept the brass cup brightly polished, that you might drink again therefrom! My own, do you now understand?’‘My guru, what can I say?’I murmured brokenly.‘Where has one ever heard of such deathless love?’I gazed long and ecstatically on my eternal treasure, my guru in life and death.