After Neeb Karori

After having left the village Neeb Karori, Maharajji's travels and the field of his welfare activities became widespread in 1934-1935. By visiting the thousands of people in various cities and provinces, Babaji carried on his activities of Compassion and Grace.

The poor, aggrieved, afflicted, needy, and accursed, were the recipients of his Grace. Although Babaji did everything with his super natural powers, following his policy of keeping his identity concealed, he created varied circumstances (which took a turn according to his wish) and made them or the prosperous, socially, politically, economically sound people, or the government officials, the medium for removing their sufferings. In some cases, he openly indicated that he was the doer and confused the person concerned saying "God does everything, pray to Him (or Hanumanji). I know nothing".

But the very close devotees knew who that God or Hanuman was, and secretly took delight in these lila.

It is rather impossible to give an account of the widespread events of his Grace in one book. Therefore, a few lila and instances of Uttarakhand and incidentally of some other places are given here in adoration of Babaji Maharaj.

Maharajji had arrived in Uttarakhand in the third decade but his peculiar lila had begun since 1942-43. Prior to it, Maharajji's lila of Grace were seen in Uttar Pradesh particularly in Bareilly, Kanpur, Lucknow, Etah, Mathura, Mainpuri, Shikohabad, Aligarh, Allahabad, etc., and in other towns, regions and Provinces. Drawn by his activities of Grace, people in thousands came to him. But Baba was not attached to a place or a person, nor did he stay at a place for long. It was altogether different that certain people or places were inadvertently got associated with his name.

Roaming about all over in Uttarakhand, Babaji liked particularly Nainital-Haldwani region for his special lila. People here always waited for him (there was no certain time or day of his coming; his appearance was sudden), talked about his fila, Grace and miracles. The news of his unexpected appearance spread like wild fire and the devotees soaked in love for him came running to have his darshan and to prostrate at his feet. They asked each and everyone - where is Baba? Did you see him? Infused with Vedic Sanskaras, the worshipper of Shiva and the goddess Shakti, these innocent hill people usually had great esteem and reverence for the sadhus, ascetics, yogis and attended on them reverently. It was a different matter here. A personage like Maharajji himself transmitted his ever- flowing love for them, which completely overwhelmed them. So, on his arrival, men, women, children, aged, youth and girls came running in hundreds to have his darshan.

Maharajji also had a large gathering of simple, respectful, devoted and religious-minded devotees to shower his Grace. Before this, Maharaji's collective lila were seen only at Neebkarori, otherwise they were limited to certain householders. It is Nainital that marks the beginning of his collective lila.

Whenever Babaji Maharaj was invited to partake Prasad in his house by a devotee, a large crowd of devotees followed him. Then, a bhandara was arranged and the miracles of Baba were seen. The Prasad prepared in small quantity so much increased that it was more than sufficient for the group of devotees there. Bhandaras like this were arranged in many in a day. And in how many bhandaras, Babaji partook Prasad is beyond imagination. Each house-holder took it for granted that Babaji relished partaking Prasad in his house. Noon or midnight, there was no time set for such bhandaras.

Oblivious of themselves, these devotees followed Baba crazily to each and every house and the atmosphere there reverberated with chanting of devotional songs, and it was followed by Bhandara. The devotees unmindful of their family, jobs, occupation and business were lost in the celestial bliss. Someone went into Bhakti-bhav (super-conscious state of a devotee) or the other into Jada Samadhi (inert state in Hath yoga). The atmosphere was surcharged with a great variety of emotions. Someone danced with the intensity of emotion, the other lost consciousness; someone silently shed tears, or sat non-plussed. Babaji Maharaj's divine presence had peculiar impact on people - no memory of physical body, no awareness in mind, or no awareness of disheveleed clothes. A great majority of devotees was crazy; the others sat amazed or mute. It was the state of Maharaas (a circular dance performance associated with Krishna) - the same joy, the same emotions. And Babaji - dark complexion, bulky body, semi-bald head, partially toothless face, stubbles on chin, dhoti drawn to knees, and covering himself with a blanket - charmed each and everyone like Shyamsunder (Krishna) of Maharaas.

Babaji Maharaj made everyone dance to his tune and he himself remaining non-attached, passionless, and unwavering controlled movements. When he perceived that the intensity of emotions was crossing the limit of tolerance of some devotees, he brought them back to normal.

Sometimes moved by the purity of heart of a devotee, listening to the chanting of ordinary devotional songs or the recitation of touching verses of Ramayana by him, Babaji himself became restless and so overwhelmed with emotions that tears rolled down his eyes; he sobbed, his throat was choked, and a divine change was seen in his mien. As a reaction to it, the devotees also felt vibrations and became very much emotional. People in a state of unconsciousness, semi-consciousness or fully awake observed it silently. When this state became unbearable for Babaji himself, he cried out "stop it, stop it" and getting up went to another room and shut himself in or there itself covered himself with his blanket and non-stop hiccupping continued for some time.

Whatever took place was due to Babaji's supernatural power. A person who was not particularly inclined towards Babaji, mutely and motionlessly looked at his face and his lila. The others experienced inexplicable bliss and felt delighted and elated.

Thus, the number of devotees and of those seeking his audience increased on his each and every visit. The delay in his coming was a cause of anxiety. His darshan, fun and humor, satirical speech, sweet charming smile, feigned anger, fascinating glance, affection, affinity, all imbued with spirituality charmed each and everyone. Before him the worldly existence disappeared; the agony of mind, physical ailments, worldly afflictions all were eliminated; mind stopped working, the innate force of self merged into him. He kept the memories and lapses of each and everyone with him and left them with an impression of Love the essence Of the teachings of the Vedas, the Upnishads, the Puranas, Ramayana, Gita, and others. Before the impression waned, Baba himself came and re-kindled it. This was the way the Maharaas was conducted in Uttarakhand.