Sri Shivabalayogi's Mahasamadhi Celebration

On the 28th of March 2008, the 14th anniversary of the Mahasamadhi of the great Saint and Yogi Sri Shivabalayogi Maharaj was celebrated worldwide.

In the Dehradun Ashram, from a day before devotees from all over the country started pouring in for the celebrations. After the meditation, bhajans and arati, Devotees got together to arrange the alter and hall, and decorate it with flower garlands. Lots of younger generation youth and children have recently gathered from the locality attracted by Babajis teachings and compassion. They too enthusiastically took part in the preparations. The night ended with all the devotees parting of blessed food.

Early next morning the other preparations started and by eight the morning worship was performed. This was followed by Hawan (fire ceremony) purpose of which Babaji has always explained is to help control the wavering mind and make it single pointed. The sweetly chanted mantras echoed through the Ashram. At the end Babaji was escorted to the area and He offered the final offering into the fire to bless the occasion before all devotees came forward to receive blessings.

After this devotees gathered in the main hall to sing bhajans in glory of their beloved Swamiji and Babaji. Some of the children had practiced hard to offer tributes to their Guru on this auspicious occasion and the gathering really appreciated their devotion.

Finally before the arati Babaji was brought out of Samadhi. After He had regained proper external consciousness, Babaji paid rich tributes to His beloved Swamiji. He then reminded us that though Swamiji had established such a vast Mission and so many ashrams it was only His tapas that He took with Him when He left the physical body. No materialistic things went with Him. That is why for a Yogi the term Mahasamdhi is used when the physical body is dropped to denote the final merger of the mind into the Divine or Self.

He then continued that it was important for each of us to understand the status of our own minds. Is it absorbed in that Supreme Peace or is it holding the world and with all its importance, fear and tension. Is it a victim of the six enemies that the ancient sages had warned us about, like lust and greed?

No body need give us a certificate we just need to ponder over this ourselves. We need to motivate ourselves to do the sadhana and achieve this Peace and Happiness which our very birth right.

Swamiji had always taught the Highest things and asked everyone to meditate and purify the mind. The Guru always wants to give everyone the Truth. Unfortunately, a person takes only that thing that he or she imagines and desires and limits the Truth in that way. To really take the teachings we have to surrender the ego and then only sadhana can bear fruits.

After this most beautiful message Babaji sang a Bhajan in tribute of His Master who has become One with the all pervading Self and then the arati was sung and performed to both Swamiji and Babaji by the devotees. Finally a mass feeding was carried out to end the day’s celebrations and everyone took home that feeling of pure joy with them.