KUMBHA MELA WORK

 
On the afternoon of March 9th, Baba, accompanied by Eruch, Gustadji, Pendu and Baidul, went by bus to Rishikesh dressed incognito, which He always did when searching for sadhus, saints and mahatmas.

In Rishikesh, He found large numbers of these souls in the Kailash (Hindu) and Mangal (Buddhist) Ashrams. Baba contacted each one, touched their feet with His hands and sometimes He placed His head on their feet or bowed His head in salutation to them.

In the Old Life, He asked His disciples to keep at a distance when He made these contacts, but in the New Life everything was done in the presence of the companions.

On the way back to Rishikesh, they witnessed a yogi prostrating himself at every step as he inched his way toward a nearby shrine. Although his naked body was filthy and covered with bleeding sores, Baba approached him and placed His head at the yogi's feet.

On this first day, Baba made 91 contacts in five hours. Pendu was in charge of recording how many contacts Baba made....

Later, referring to His work at the Mela, Baba explained that He was "contacting each holy man only once, not twice, and with this one physical contact, I will bestow such a gift unto them, which they would not have gained after centuries of penance and austerities."

At 7:00 a.m. the next day, Baba and the four men again took the bus the Rishikesh. From there, they went on foot for miles through the mountainous region, where Baba, over the next five hours, contacted 135 saints, sadhus and mahatmas. By early that Afternoon, the companions were back in Motichur....

On March 15th at 5:00 a.m., despite the incessant rain, lightning and thunder, Baba decided to walk to the places detailed in the report. For the next eight hours without break, trudging along muddy roads, Baba and the companions combed every hut, Ashram and secluded spot in the mountainous areas of Kankhal and Hardwar in search of sadhus, saints and mahatmas.

When they arrived back in Motichur in the late afternoon, they were exhausted and hungry. They had not eaten nor had anything to drink except for a cup of tea before they set out.

At 10:00 a.m. the next day, Baba, Eruch, Pendu, Baidul and Gustadji went to Saat Sarovar (Seven Lakes). In this region, the river passed through a heavily forested area, and along its banks were many huts and hermitages inhabited by sadhus, saints and mahatmas of the Dandi and Viraki sects.

At one hermitage, while waiting for another acetic to finish meditating in his hut, Baba sat under a tree and shared the following:

"During the Old Life, I used to contact masts, saints, walis and sadhus for two reasons: The first was to take their darshan, and the second was in regard to my special work with the — and that I do not want to reveal, for it is a mystery. I was very particular then to keep an accurate record of my contacts with big important masts, saints and walis, and I would contact them again and again to the full extent until I was completely satisfied with the work done.

"But now, in the New Life, there will be no distinction between big or small masts, saints, walis and sadhus, nor is there any special work left to be done with them. I go to them only for their darshan, and keep records for my personal satisfaction. Nevertheless, I must emphasize that this work is not just a pastime; it has definite significance for me and a reason behind it."