Divine Journey with Mohanji- Part 1

Trip to Tapovan with Mohanji, Aug 2010  –  experiences by Dr. Deepali

I’ve had the pleasure of “knowing” Mohanji for the last 11months only, but what I have gained and experienced during that time is precious and beyond my wildest dreams. Looking back, I wonder – “Have I actually known him/understood him at all?” The following experiences will clarify what I mean. Allow me take you through what I experienced of him in the last few months and the recent 4 days in Haridwar and Rishikesh.  This is rather long, so dear readers, I request your patience.

The day after the meditation in Gurgaon, on the early morning of 30 Aug 2010, Abhishek from New Delhi and myself both set for the journey with Mohanji towards the land of great Mahatmas – Haridwar and Rishikesh/Tapovan in Uttarakhand, India. I never thought of why and what will be happening during this journey. I just knew that I am accompanying Mohanji.

At this juncture, I think it would be relevant to point out some intricacies related to this journey. I understood that Abhishek wanted to travel with Mohanji to the Ganges. But, apart from giving the date and time of travel, Mohanji had not given any further guidance. Abhishek booked his own ticket and traveled with us, even though he was in a different compartment. I started realizing the determination of this young man. The more Mohanji tested his determination, it only grew. I started realizing how Masters test the determination of the seekers who approach them. Abhishek passed all the tests and he traveled with Mohanji through Haridwar, Rishikesh and Vashishtha cave. I could see him changing, literally in front of my eyes. Initially, he was asking many questions and had many wishes and demands which he expected Mohanji to fulfil for him. Later on, all wishes and demands dropped off, and he went into deep silence mode. He got what he wanted from Mohanji.

This was indeed a wonderful revelation for me – what sheer faith and surrender, along with determination, can do to us. Abhishek realized who Mohanji was and was not affected by his seeming indifference. Once Mohanji was satisfied with his tenacity, he showered grace in abundance. I believe Abhishek can tell us more about how he felt.

Welcome by Car Problem!

We stayed in Vanamali Mataji’s Ashram in Tapovan, which is few kilometers ahead of Rishikesh. Swami Mohanji of Vanamali Ashram had organized a car for us to reach Tapovan from Haridwar train station. We sat in the car – first thing we noticed was Shirdi Sai Baba’s photo, blessing us with a smile. When our car just left the train station compound, driver was surprized to see that the car engine has some problem….. Hari Aum!

He struggled, but car could not be started. We decided to take another car, which the driver gracefully organized. Mohanji smiled and said, “Baba has taken care of some hurdles in the journey.The car had a problem, not us.” I smiled as I remembered Biba’s experience sharing of their car’s flat tire while they were coming back from Shirdi after Mohanji’s birthday in 2009. Baba beautifully transferred the problem to the car and kept them safe.

We reached Tapovan safely within 1.5 hour. Mata Devi Vanamali gave us a warm welcome. We had a comfortable and affectionate stay at her place for the next 3 days.

Lakshman Jhula and the first sight of Ganga

That evening we went to the famous Lakhman Jhula. I was eager to have my first darshan of river Ganga. We crossed Lakshman Jhula bridge and, right at a corner, there was a Hanuman temple. Mohanji who did not go to any other temple on the way, walked straight to this Hanuman temple and instead of entering, stood outside and had darshan from outside. I was surprised why Mohanji did not enter the temple. Soon, the old priest of the temple invited Mohanji inside the temple as if Hanumanji himself is calling, chanted few mantras and applied long and beautiful saffron tika on Mohanji’s forehead. He then asked Abhishek and me to take the darshan of Hanumanji. The priest did not repeat the same with us!

I kept watching this. Who actually was that poojari? I felt that it was Hanumanji Himself –  he had a particular, most unusual tejus. Otherwise, why did Mohanji skip all the other temples on the way and come to only this temple, and that too, as if he came all the way only for this?

I was just following Mohanji. Abhishek had so many questions that he kept Mohanji busy answering. We went down towards Ma Ganga (Mother Ganga). This was the first time I saw the flowing Ganga. I could not move my eyes from her majestic flow. Ganga is incomparably beautiful!!! And that too, to visit Ganga along with Mohanji!!! I was overwhelmed.

She looked so graceful, flowing fast, did not have time to wait for anyone, taking everything that came to her…. She is indeed beautiful. Mohanji smoothly walked into the water and prayed. I waited outside. I did not want to enter the water without his permission.

Then he said: “Just dip your feet in the water.” I politely and gratefully entered the water. It was very cold but felt extremely relaxing. Keeping feet in the water, I was watching Ganga. Something profound was happening within me. It felt as if so many things are leaving my body and flowing away in Ganga.  I am getting cleansed. I am becoming light. I remained in that bliss and expanded state for the next few hours.

I sincerely feel that this first experience of Ganga would not have been powerful enough if I was not with Mohanji. He has increased our understanding and sensitivity through his sheer grace, Shaktipats, Satsangs and his powerful blog writings, enabling us to perceive the subtle. I entered Ganga with this understanding and that too in his presence. I felt so blessed…

So many people around were playing in Ganga, but I felt they were just enjoying the cool river water and, sadly, not comprehending the magical divinity of Ganga.

Vashishtha Cave and the Ganga dip

Next day morning three of us set for Vashishtha cave. Rishi Vashishtha, one of the Saptarishis, was a great Rishi and Guru of Ikshwaku Vansha of Lord Ram.

Road from Tapovan to Vashishtha cave was a ghat with tall mountains on one side and the flowing Ganga deep down on the other side. Driving became extremely difficult due to recent landslides. It took us around 1 hour to reach there.  We took darshan of Purushottamanand Maharaj and Mohanji lead us down to Ganga. He said it would be auspicious to bathe in Ganga before entering the cave.

Ganga Dip: There was no one in the temple or near the bank of Ganga. It was like a private beach.We had a dip in Ganga with full head under the water. The water was ice cold. To stand in the fast flowing Ganga was very difficult – you could lose balance quite often. Immersing head under the chilled water, eyes get closed automatically and you lose the sense of direction too. When a normal person’s face is immersed in ice cold water, the common physiological response is stoppage of breathing. However, nothing affected Mohanji. More so, nothing happened to Abhishek and me. We were comfortable. We did not even shiver! Interesting… isn’t it? Miracles continued…

We sat quietly on the rock after the dip. I closed my eyes and was listening only to the sound of flowing Ganga. Within split of a second, my body got warmed up, energy was flowing rigorously and fumes started coming out of the whole body! I was deep into meditation. The whole body became warm. There was no sign that I was feeling cold! My body did not exist. Deepali did not exist. It is difficult to verbalize that deep silence and non-existence within me. Within few moments I opened my eyes. Everything looked fresh and new… Ma Ganga appeared more powerful, mountains appeared taller… and I noticed a multifold increase in Mohanji’s thejas. He was shining bright. Abhishek became bubblier. On the way to the cave, Mohanji softly said, “Deepali, just now, you meditated for a few lives. It was not only for a few moments as you think”. I kept wondering how he came to know what I went through! Nothing is hidden from him. He knows all…

Vashishtha cave: We started walking towards Vashishtha cave. Mohanji went ahead of us. Entrance appeared very small. We could only see a small flame inside. We walked in. It was dark for my eyes. I could not see anything. I got confused and lost sense of direction but kept walking, sensing the walls. Suddenly I saw Mohanji sitting on a platform inside the cave, near the Shivaling. He asked for fruits and coconut that we had brought with us. He offered fruits, bilva leaves and coconut at the Shivaling. He then picked up a copper jug and poured water on Shivaling and the hood of the protecting cobra chanting a beautiful Sanskrit mantra. This whole process is called Abhishekum. It was beautiful and divine.

In that dark, cool and silent cave, that mantra chanting in his deep base voice had an extremely powerful effect. I am sure those mantras did not simply emerge from his throat! He asked for more water and asked me and Abhishek to perform the Abhishekum. He went into meditation again. Before that, I took his permission to have few photographs taken inside the cave.

I could not see anything through the view finder of the camera. Everything appeared just dark. I blindly clicked a few photos. However, looking at the photos on LCD of camera, I was thoroughly surprised!.

I could see a beautiful purple energy surrounding the cave especially around the Shivaling and Mohanji. This reminded me of the purple energy surrounding the pancharati during one of our BTW meditations in Muscat.

It also reminded me of the purple energy that Dubai people saw during one BTW meditation when all sensed the presence of Mahavatar Babaji… This all had a deeper meaning and connection. Does it indicate the tradition of Mohanji?  Does it indicate strong presence of Babaji and the Great Masters? I knew deep in my heart that we surely had the blessings of Vashishtha Rishi and all the other Great Masters who lived and meditated inside this cave since thousands of years. Their energy was present and quite obvious. It was unmistakable.

By this time I had become bold. I clicked a few photos with flash on. My scientific skeptical mind…. wanted to know more about this energy… It wanted to see whether it was a camera effect!!!! I usually do not prefer to use flash because its strong light disturbs the meditators and the meditation (and definitely not in this dark cave). The photo clearly shows where Mohanji was sitting in the cave.

Nobody is usually allowed to sit on that platform near Shivaling, except the saint who lives there. The strong flash light obscured the energy seen in earlier photos.  It simply suggested to me “learn to see in the darkness within and behind the closed eyes, as external day light and strong light could be deceiving!”

After a while, Mohanji then came down from the platform and sat on the floor. I again had his photo with and without flash. To my great surprise, the photo without flash showed only his Third Eye shining in purple. Rest all is dark! Only His third eye existed!!!

The photo with flash is a usual photo. I really cannot explain this. For me, it only indicated the rising stature of Mohanji. It indicated his divine nature. That was not magic or camera trick. It is the truth, the real divine power showering on him, which then he showers on us…. In his words: “Deepali, I am just a transformer. I do not exist. Things are happening through me! I surrender to higher Masters and the God Almighty. I do my best to deliver with utmost purity.”

This was my very profound experience. After coming out of the cave, I kept thinking how could Mohanji walk straight into the pitch dark cave, as confidently as He did? How did he know what is kept where in the cave? He was functioning as if he existed or dwelled there before… Maybe in another life? Or he visits the cave during his frequent astral travels? Everything seemed so familiar to him….

Meeting with Chaitanyananda Swamiji: Mohanji was looking forward to meet Swamiji, the direct disciple of Purushottamanand Maharaj. Swamiji was in meditation when we arrived, and so we waited. When he came, Mohanji prostrated at his feet, with his head and heart at same level, flat on the ground. Prostrating this way means one’s head is not above the heart! One completely surrenders and also surrenders all intellectuality. I was touched by the reverence that Mohanji expressed to this aged saint. I loved his humility.

Swamiji called us and insisted on having us for lunch. We refused but instead enjoyed the tea and biscuits with him. Abhishek had been to this place before. I was told that Swamiji does not allow anyone to stay there and simply ignores all the tourists! That is to maintain the purity of the place.

He also does not allow anyone to take his photographs. But this time he did. The treatment that Mohanji received was so different and clearly conveyed Mohanji’s higher/deeper connectivity with these saints. It seemed like a home coming, the way in which Mohanji behaved and the Swamiji treated him. Abhishek especially was really surprised with the honor that Mohanji received at the ashram.  I just kept smiling from within, feeling so indescribably blessed…

(to be continued….)