My journey moved in many directions in the beginning like many I had travelled and met many people on the way, many great teachers many scholars.
In Delhi I had covered most of the places but why or how I do not know it never gelled with what I was searching for. During the travels official or otherwise I used meet people. During the process I was blessed to meet great scholars who never worked on selfish motive rather they only shared like true saints and sages. Some of the prominent names I can say are: Deoraha Baba ji, Baba Budan Giri ji, Matang Baba ji , Lama Dzsong Rinponche ji , Swami Chidananda Bharti ji, Malang Maharaj ji, Mauni Baba ji, Sant Kushidi ji, Swami Krishnadas ji , Swami Kriyananda ji, Swami Omkarananda ji, Shri Sivananda Giri ji.
During the process I had met teachers of the current period also but then they never inspired me in any manner for they never had the depth or realization of truth which I was searching for. Some of the contemporary teachers got interested to take me into their fold and continue to spread the knowledge which I felt as still was superfluous then when the frustration was reaching very very high Ācharyagüru Swami Shri Chidananda Bharati ji and Matang Baba ji came to rescue and before I made the stupidity of joining one of them he showed me the true purpose and later things changed, the day I had the blessing and grace of meeting Mahababa.
Maha Baba Aghor Baba Pinakin ji whom I have been calling as Baba. I had met Baba many times but like it is said unless the time comes you will never realize it. My passion and intention and focus became one at a moment of time and then only I could realize him. The first time I believe it was in 1976/77 that I had met Baba ji and for me it was very fearful and I fell sick for more than a week. While traveling with my mothers elder sister I had met baba ji on the way, he had touched me but for me he was huge standing at least 4 feet higher than my mothers elder sister. He had huge jata(Matted Locks) and was carrying a staff with a bowl and his eyes piercing like fire. He had said something to my maternal aunt then she did not say anything and we walked quietly back. After that I had fallen sick for nearly a month.
After that many times I had seen Baba ji but could not relate or connect so deeply and it took me 15 years to realise the true path of awakening.Svakhyata Caitya was a way beyond all the ways known or declared yet so close to knowing of the self in the most natural manner.Maha Baba Aghor Baba Pinakin ji then truly showed me the Real path of me and the Real Master of who could show me the way to the truth.
My Journey To Gurusthana moved through many places Varanasi, Allahabad, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Vasava-Visvavara Girikandhara, Girnar, Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Rudranath, Tunganath, Kalpeshwar, Madhyamaheshwar, Kedarnath, Gangolihat, Patal Bhuvaneshwar, Gupt Kashi , Kanakchauri Village, Madhuban, Parasnath Hill(Giridih district), Ghangaria, Hariyali Devi, Hemkund, Gangotri, Phuktal, PeerKho, Shiva Kodi, to finally end at Kalapani ( Pithoragarh District). I loved to meditate in all these places being allowed to see deeper glimpses of the Truth that slowly broke the religious notions and conditions till nothing more than ashes remained.
I was honored and privileged to travel to most of the places with Maha Baba Aghor Baba Pinakin ji. His knowledge of the cave journey to reach most of the places was unique as His Prowess of travelling through Time and Space. I am sharing few of the places where Mahaba had meditated and I was blessed to receive my Diksha Name
DEVPRAYAG :
Alaknanda-Devprayag
Alaknanda-Dev-prayag
Bhagirathi merging with-Alaknanda-Devprayag
Bhagirathi-down-merging-with-Alaknanda-top-Devprayag
In the ancient period Rishi Rabhya had done severe penance here and as a reward lord had appeared in the form of Hrishikesh here and from that day the place came to be known as Rishikesh. 70 km away from the divine abode of Rsi’s and Sages lies DevPrayag. The confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers takes place here, Bhagirathi river flows down from Gaumukh(origin of Ganga) and Alaknanda flows from Satopanth. It is the oldest route to Badrinath and Gangotri. For thousands of years it has been a place where sages, saints and munis have meditated and found enlightenment. Devprayag is one of the Pancha Prayags (Five confluences); it is only after Devprayag the river is known as Ganga.
In the ancient times, a sage known as Deosharma had done intense tapasya here and was able to gain glimpse of the divine. In tribute to the divine efforts of the sage this place came to be known as Devsthana and since it was a place of confluence of two rivers it became popular as Devprayag.
All the religious rituals are completed at two basins one on Bhagirathi river known as Brahm Kund and other the Vashist Kund on the bank of Alaknanda.
Here near the confluence is situated the temple Raghunath ji built of huge stones joined without the usage of cement in the pyramidical form, capped by a white cupola with a golden ball and spire. It is believed that Lord Rama had come here to worship and before him King Dashratha(Lord Rama’s father) also had done penance here. The temple compound covers Annapurna Devi temple, Hanuman Temple, Garud Temple and Adi-Sankaracharya temple.
This beautiful temple is unique for many reasons, for just behind the temple are inscriptions on the rocks which may be dating back to 1st century AD. It is believed to contain names of 19 people who had taken Jala Samadhi (voluntary giving up life at the confluence)
In the ancient times this beautiful place was known as Brahmapuri(Land of Brahma)/ Brahma teerth( Pilgrimage to the place of Brahma the creator)/ Srikhand Nagar (part of land of Lord Vishnu)/ Kandvenukatinagram. The last name has been extensively used in the scripture Aravalgranth. Huen Tsang in his writing has mentioned greatly about this place. There is a Shiva temple
Eternal Paramatman Maha Baba Aghor Baba Pinakin ji had done penance here for long before moving and settling at Rudraprayag.
RUDRPRAYAG :
Rudranath-Rudraprayag
Rudranath- Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag
Rudraprayag
Alaknanda River Rudraprayag
Diksha Rock
Diksha Stone
Kali Mandir Rudraprayag
koteshwara rudraprayag
koteshwara rudraprayag
koteshwara rudraprayag
koteshwara rudraprayag
koteshwara rudraprayag
koteshwara rudraprayag
koteshwara rudraprayag
Rudraprayag is 70 k.m. from Deo-prayag, towards the route of Badrinath and Kedarnath. Rudraprayag is confluence of two rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini, after which it joins with Bhagirathi river at Devprayag. This divine place in itself represents the Rudragranthi in human body which is located in the Aagya chakra(Third eye chakra). It is the last important Granthi which blocks the sadhaka from crossing the Dasham dwara or the tenth door. This granthi functions as a blockage for the opening of the Aagya chakra.
Similarly, Rudraprayag is the land where ‘Rujam Dhukham Dravyteti Rudram’ (All the sadness, worries, and tensions are removed by the name of Lord Rudra) itself and one takes the path of Badrinath along the way of Alaknanda and to Kedarnath along the way of Mandakini. This land has been divinely blessed by saints and sages and since it was the place where Lord Shiva in Saguna-rupa of Rudreshwara had done penance it came to be known as Rudrapuri. Since it was also land where two rivers merged it came to be known as Rudraprayag.
Sage Narada had meditated here and after pleasing Lord Shiva had received the Rudra Veena. Rudranath Temple near the confluence is the most beautiful temple here feet of Bala Sage Narada (Sage Narada as child) is symbolized where he was blessed with the Rudra veena. Surrounded by mountains the temple of Rudranath is having a steep climb of many steps. From the top the view is mesmerizing and divine. For the benefit of the readers of Atma Sanchaya Dhwani I am providing the garba graham pictures of the divine temple. See it feel the divine essence of grace and love of the Lord himself.
At the confluence of the two rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini we met Devi Purnagiri ji, she has been the priestess at the temple of Maa Chamunda ji near the ghat itself. Devi Purnagiri ji is 95 years old and has been serving Maa Chamunda ji from childhood.
After she worshipped Maa Alaknanda and Maa Mandakini, I was able to ask her about Baba. She looked up to me for a moment and then a smile appeared, her face lit up and she said Koteshwara wale Baba- Baba of Koteshwara. When I nodded in acceptance, she just closed her palm and bowed down. She asked me few questions about me and it was beautiful to hear and see her after such a long time, she had met Baba when she was young.
Koteshwara is a naturally formed cave where lord Shiva had meditated before moving to Kedarnath. It is situated 3 kilometers from Rudraprayag at the banks of Alaknanda. There are many idols which have been formed naturally in the cave. As per the scriptures Lord Shiva had meditated here going to Kedarnath. This cave is not far from the city market and it is a downhill walk. Having more than 1,00,00,000 Shiva lingams it came to be known as Koteshwara or 1,00,00,000 Lords. From the top of the mountain itself the natural droplets sprinkle the cave with the aroma of beauty and mystical feeling. The Lord here sits with his jata flowing like serpents waiting to strike. The story of this divine place is also very interesting. It is here where Sage Narada in his Ahamkara of knowledge of music had challenged Lord Pinaka and he lost for the same divine fairies who were handling the music notes said that sage Narada did not understand the music and his attitude to music was insensitive. Sage Narada then discarded his aging body and took the form of a child and did penance here for 100 deva-varsha, pleased from his penance Lord Pinaka taught him the beauty of the music in true essence and was granted the whole essence of Sama-Veda, during the course of the training of Sage Narada 36 ragas, ragini were also born. After the learning Sage Narada asked for two boons one that Lord Pinaka should reside here at Rudranatha eternally and secondly he wanted the Rudra Veena, both the boons were granted to Sage Narada. Other than Rudra Veena Lord Pinaka also granted him mahati-veena which has been since then identified with Sage Narada. Devi Sati who was reborn as Parvati had done penance here for gaining Lord Shiva as husband again. The whole of the mountain is also unique for it is made of ash. During Treta Yuga- koti rakshas (koti demons) had done great penance here for gaining Moksha here. Lord Pinaka pleased from their penance had granted them their wish. The rakshas also asked for gaining immortality, Lord Shiva transformed their souls in Koti lingams after converting their body into ash and merging himself with each of the lingams thus the name Koteshwara.
This place has a lot of spiritual relevance for it is a place where Swami Haridass Giri Swamigal took Jala Samadhi September 4, 1994.
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