Part 1

Since the completion of Tapas in 1999, Shri Shivarudra Balayogi Maharaj has been carrying on the Mission of His Guru, Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj, teaching and exemplifying the highest ideals of Shri Swamiji. One aspect of this mission is to clear the doubts and answer the spiritual questions of devotees. Baba is often asked about the phenomenon of “bhava samadhi“. Many devotees, old and new, have expressed discomfort and concern about it, especially in the manifestation of “talking bhava“. At present there are a number of individuals around the world who claim to speak for and as Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj. In response to an increasing number of requests by concerned devotees, Baba has agreed to give the facts and the truth about bhava samadhi. Following is Part One of His answer.

Shri Baba Maharaj Answering Devotees’ Questions About Bhava Samadhi
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Samadhi means Standstillness. Bhava means: Mind’s Feelings. A person is in a particular bhava means, that particular person is in a particular feeling, regarding him or herself. Others may also cultivate a particular bhava (feeling) regarding that person who is in bhava. So if a person makes claims about his/her own bhava or some others claim something regarding that person’s bhava, it’s simply the play of feelings and imaginations. That’s all.
Spiritually, true bhava samadhi is the culmination of long time devotional practices. Such a person becomes more receptive to Yogi’s vibrations which are flowing always. When such a person comes in contact with a Yogi’s atmosphere, that person shall go in to a genuine bhava samadhi, wherein all the mind’s energy gets tapped in to a single-pointedness. The wavering and craving of such a person’s mind becomes “Standstill” to the bhava of the deity to which the person has been devoted for a very long time. This shall enable a person to become meditative gradually. Depending on the emotional nature of that particular person, others may see some action, such as body movements.

Defining bhava samadhi, Parama Pujya Swamiji once told me that a person who goes in to bhava samadhi is blessed action. Later such a person should be encouraged to practice meditation which is the ultimate sadhana for Self Realization. Swamiji said further that this bhava samadhi is a preliminary exercise to prepare one to be able to sit in meditation. This helps people’s emotional energies to get tapped and to achieve single-pointedness of the mind which is essential for meditation. Swamiji once laughed and said to me “Hey! It’s like giving chocolate to a child to make it to go to the school. But one must meditate.”

HOW IT STARTED IN OUR MISSION
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After completing His grueling Great Twelve Year Tapas in 1961, Shri Swamiji remained in Adivarapupeta for some time. One day when some devotees were sitting with Swamiji, there was some spiritual discussions regarding God’s existence and energy, etc.. Shri Swamiji said there is a God that one can experience in Samadhi through meditation and that every thing happens due to Divine Energy. To this some devotees argued that when they want to go, they go. When they want to eat and sleep, they do so. Swamiji laughed and said it is not true whatever you feel like doing, you do. From where does this feeling come? If you meditate you can experience that everything happens only by God. Still those devotees could not understand what Swamiji was telling and stuck to their arguments.
Then Swamiji asked them to do bhajans and HE HIMSELF went into deep Meditation. When the devotees did bhajans many of them went into bhava samadhi. Many were totally unconscious of the outside World. Some were semi-conscious. They were shouting “Oh! What is happening? Swamiji, please help and stop this! “
Then Swamiji came out of Meditation and smiled. Then when Swamiji applied vibhuti between their eyebrows, they got released of the bhava samadhi. Thus bhava samadhi came into being in our Mission. Swamiji wanted them to go into meditation, later.
In the Sixties and Seventies, devotees who went into bhava never spoke.
They used to remain ecstatic and totally unaware of the surroundings. Such devotees became more introverted and deeply devotional. Hundreds and hundreds of devotees used to go into bhava samadhi during bhajans and there was a definite transformation within themselves. Gradually Swamiji’s Mission grew. Thousands and thousands were attracted towards Swamiji. Swamiji never claimed anything. Smilingly and silently HE worked. Wherever HE went, thousands came for His Darshan. Very often it became so difficult for the organizers and volunteers to handle the crowd. But Swamiji used to remain unperturbed and silently blessed the crowd. Untiringly He went around the country to spread dhyana practice. The amazing Tapas that HE had performed was like that. Tremendous Power, Energy and Dazzling Light emanated from HIS body. Devotees were mesmerized. Devotees saw HIM as if Lord Shiva had descended on the Earth to bless the devoted. Devotees forgot their worldly life. They forgot to eat and sleep. Poor and rich came alike to have His Darshan. Blessed, blessed were all those who were blessed to see Him physically! Devotees saw Ardhanareeshwara, (Shiva and Parvati together–the Male and Female aspect of the Divine) in His body. The devotees were going mad, spiritually. Yes! For the worldly people they were going mad! But they were mad after a Great Yogi of the century. Almost all the devotees were in some form of bhava samadhi. Yes! Such Yogis come once in ages. It is not every day that people can see such Yogis. Swamiji used to say, “Swamiji is like Buddha Bhagavan. Today people hear from descendants of Buddha what He said. Only the lucky saw Him physically in the same way you are able to see Swamiji physically. Future generation will hear what you will say, so, you must be careful when you represent Swamiji, otherwise people take Swamiji in a wrong way.”

In the early days in Adivarapupeta, an interesting incident happened when Swamiji was to install Goddess Parvati in the Temple where Swamiji performed twelve years of TAPAS…
To be continued…
END OF PART – 1

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