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    (Autobiography of Poojya Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

The first day was spent in having a glimpse of the Supreme Spirit in the natural beauty of Nandanvan. I did not know when the Sun set and the night approached. I was directed to go to a nearby specific cave to sleep. It seemed as if the main purpose was not as much of sleep as of protection of my unacclimatised physique from the intense cold of the region. There was a possibility of a meeting with Gurudev again in the night.

Gurudev suddenly appeared that night in the cave. It was a full-moon night of purnima. Bright golden light of the moon was scattered all over the Himalayas. There was drizzling of golden particles of snow and it appeared as if drops of gold were raining far and wide. With the appearance of Gurudev a circle of warmth was formed, otherwise in that terrific stormy cold night, it would have been difficult to stir out.  I did not enquire about the purpose of his visit at this odd time because I understood that Gurudev had been showering his grace on me for some specific purposes. I followed him outside the cave. My feet were moving above the surface. I realised that day why there was the necessity to acquire siddhis (supernatural powers) of flying in the air, walking in the space. It was more difficult to walk on a rough and rugged glacial snowy surface than to walk on the surface of water. Now-a-days, one may not feel the necessity of such siddhis, but they were definitely needed in those days for movement in those inhospitable regions.

 I came out of the cave trembling with bitter cold and started moving behind Gurudev like his tail in mid-air over the golden Himalayas. The purpose of that days pilgrimage was to introduce me to the tapasthali (place of worship) of ancient Rishis. They had all cast off their physical bodies but most of them had retained their astral bodies. Causal bodies of some of them could also be glimpsed through their astral bodies. I suddenly found myself in a posture of folded hands with my head bowed down in deferential salutation. I was being introduced today to Rishis living in their astral and causal bodies in the Himalayas.
That night was extremely important and fortunate for me.

Earlier, I had seen only those caves of Uttrakhand during my journey, which were easily approachable. I realised today that there was far more unseen compared to what I had seen so far. Small caves were being used by wild animals but bigger ones were orderly, neat and clean and were meant for Rishis who were living in their astral bodies. They still lived there occasionally on account of their past association. All those Rishis were in dhyan-mudra (meditative posture). Gurudev told me that they often lived in that state. They did not interrupt their meditation without some valid reason. Their astral bodies along with their names were introduced to me. This spiritual treasure is the speciality and uniqueness of this region.

They all knew beforehand about my visit with Gurudev. So whenever both of us appeared before them, they opened their eyes with a gentle smile on their lips and nodded their heads slightly in response to our salutations. There was no conversation with any of them. If any person living in astral body has to say or convey anything he does it not by baikhari or madhyama speech but by para or pasyanti speech, that is, by awakening intuitive faculty of the listener. That days aim was to see them only and not to converse with them. A new student who had come to join their class was to be introduced so that he could be provided with the necessary help, if needed. Probably the Rishis had already been informed that I (their embodied spiritual child) could carry forward the divine tasks initiated by them and what my specific role would be and the strategy of action towards that end.

An astral body can arouse inner inspiration and transmit energy waves. But a person in physical body alone can give direct and concrete guidance to embodied human beings and precipitate physical events. Divine beings, therefore, make some physically living person as the instrument for fulfilling their purpose. Till then, I was acting as an instrument of only one guide but now these divine souls of the Himalayas could also utilise me as their medium and provide me inspiration, efficacy and competence. With this view Gurudev was introducing me to them and all of them without wasting any time and observing any formality, were indicating their acceptance of this offer. Thus this divine impartation continued in the night; and before dawn Gurudev returned to his abode leaving me in my cave.

 I saw Rishi-lok for the first time that day. I had seen holy places, ponds, and rivers earlier in the course of this pilgrimage but till then I did not know which Risi was associated with which particular location. This I saw that day for the first and the last time. Before sending me back Gurudev cautioned me, "Do not try to establish contact on your own with these Rishis and interfere in their work. If they have any direction to give, they would themselves do so. Your understanding with me has also been the same that you will not, on your own, knock at my door. Whenever necessary, I would myself approach you, achieve my purpose and arrange for all the resources. Do not regard this vision which you have seen here as mere satisfaction of a curiosity .All these great divine souls will get their purposes accomplished through you because they cannot do it themselves for want of physical bodies. It has been the tradition to establish mass contact through the medium of some fit instrument like you. Henceforth you should regard instructions of all these Rishis as my own instructions and do whatever you are directed to do." What could I say except nodding my acceptance? Gurudev disappeared.

Clarifications about the outline of future programmes:
The next day of the stay at Nandanvan was all the more amazing. The vision of seeing Rishis along with Gurudev during the previous night was moving before my eyes like a film. As sun spread on the velvety carpet of Nandanvan, it appeared as if heaven had descended on the earth. Flowers of different kinds and colours were thickly scattered on the plain plateau and it appeared as if a multi-hued carpet had been spread out.

 All of a sudden Gurudev appeared. Unlike the previous night, he was now in the same form of field of light in which he had appeared before me for the first time in my room of worship. Gurudev said, "I was aware of your devotion and courage of past births. This time, I called you here, put you to three tests to make sure that you were morally and mentally fit and strong to undertake more important tasks. I have remained with you throughout this pilgrimage and have been watching all the events and your reactions to them and feel fully assured. If your faith had not been unshakable and your vision transparently clear, Rishis, living in their astral bodies in this region, would not have appeared before you and expressed their souls anguish. They want that their incomplete works be completed. Great souls do not bare their hearts before weak, miserable and incompetent persons. They have expressed their feelings before you, considering you competent".

"If your surrender is genuine you have to carry out, as lifes only mission, the programmes chalked out for you with full devotion. The first programme is to perform twenty-four purashcaranas of twenty-four lakh Gayatri mantras in twenty-four years. Great competence is required for accomplishing great works and so you have been entrusted with this first programme.
The second programme is two-fold. You have to continue your study and take up the translation of Sanskrit treatises composed by ancient sages into Hindi and arrange for their publication to make them easily available to the masses. This will help in rejuvenating the almost extinct divine culture, which is capable of becoming the bedrock for the future global civilisation. Side by side, so long as you are on the physical plane, you have to facilitate publication of your writings in as many languages as possible, to make available the message of divine life on earth to people at large. This work is related with the capability acquired by you through your first sadhana. To this end, dedicated and erudite persons will gather around you in due course of time, and will carry forward the work initiated by you".

"The third work is to play an overt and covert role as a freedom fighter in the struggle for independence. This struggle will last till 1947. By that time most of your purashcaranas will have been completed. This is the first phase. At present there are no indications that Britishers will easily grant independence to India and quit. But this aim is bound to be achieved even before your purashcaranas are completed. By that time you will have gained ample in-depth and broad-based experience and capability to undertake with whole-hearted concentration the primary mission of your life: establishment of divinised humanity on earth".

" A purashcarana should culminate in purnahuti by yagya. A Mahayagya after the end of twenty-four purashcaranas should be on such a scale that twenty-four lakh ahutis (offerings in sacrificial fire) could be given, so that through its medium you may be able to lay the foundation of an organisation. This needs expenditure of lakhs of rupees and cooperation of lakhs of people. Do not believe that you are alone and you have no money. We are with you behind the energy generated by your upasana. Have complete faith that everything will be done at the appropriate time. People will come to know about the miraculous results of devout austerity and sadhana of a true sadhak. This is the first phase of your programme. Go on doing your duty .Do not think that our power is insignificant. You may seem to have limited power but when both of us unite, our power will be multiplied manifold just as one and one put together make eleven. Always remember that it is a divinely guided mission. Then why have any doubt? It is not necessary to chalk out any programme in detail at present. Go on with your studies, purashcaranas and your work as a freedom fighter. Live at present in your birthplace and accomplish all these three programmes of the first phase.

"I may also give an indication of the future plan. The task of publication of literature and setting up of a widespread organisation for moral and spiritual upliftment are to be accomplished at Mathura. Purnahuti of the purashcaranas will also be performed there. Press, publication and other activities relating to manifestation of divinity in humanity and descent of heaven on earth will also be initiated in an organised manner at Mathura. This attempt will take the form of an unprecedented historical movement.


 "The third phase is to fulfill the will of all these Rishis who live in their astral bodies here. You have to sow the seeds for revival of Rishi - traditions which will sprout and spread worldwide in due time. This work will have to be done in the Tapobhumi of Sapta-Rishis at Sapta Sarovar, Hardwar. At present, I have given you only a hint. In course of time, you will be summoned here and detailed outlines will be explained to you. You will be summoned thrice for these three purposes".

 "During the fourth phase you will have to shoulder the most difficult work relating to the extremely intricate and formidable global problems. You will know, in due course, what is required of you and it will be accomplished."

I had heard that siddha purushas lived in the caves of the Himalayas and by merely seeing them a person could get occult powers. In my journey, I found no truth behind such beliefs. Without my saying so, Gurudev knew my suspense.
He placed his hand on my shoulder and asked, "Why do you feel the need of a siddha purusha? Are you not satisfied by having a glimpse of the astral bodies of the Rishis? Are you not satisfied with what has been revealed to you through me?"

 It was not a matter of lack of confidence but a mere curiosity. Gurudev read my mind and said in a jovial mood, "There are such siddha purushas, no doubt; but two new factors have intervened, requiring these divine souls to withdraw into their astral bodies. First, the easy and rapid means of communication and transport have increased manifold the rush of tourists (as opposed to pilgrims) to these regions, making uninterrupted sadhana impossible. Secondly, if they shifted to still higher regions, it would have become well nigh impossible to sustain their physical bodies under those inhospitable conditions. So they have abandoned their physical bodies and now live in their astral bodies, which are not physically visible, and they are not required to do anything to satisfy their physical needs. Therefore, all these divine souls have not only shed their physical forms but also the location of their stay. They have even changed their routine of sadhana. Moreover, they can be visible only to genuine sadhaks who have familiarity with occult planes of consciousness; and they do not shower their grace on undeserving persons masquerading as seekers of truth. When you come to the Himalayas next time, you will have a glimpse of such siddha purushas."

When Gurudev had appeared before me for the first time in my room to guide me, I had come to know how Devatmas, who are consciously aware of the Infinite (Parabrahma) live in astral bodies. It was my own childish ignorance which entertained this curiosity .I was truly blessed by seeing the Rishis in their astral bodies and by the assurance given by Gurudev that I would have their glimpse during my next visit to the Himalayas.

Gurudev said, "When I summon you again you have to be here for a period extending from six months to one year. Your body has now become fit for living in conditions prevalent here. You will have to come here three times to strengthen and ripen all that you have practised here and all arrangements will be made to fulfil all your basic physical needs. This tapasya in seclusion and solitude is also necessary because you will be able to learn patience and endurance, which are needed for shifting from the physical body into the astral and from astral into the causal. The human body is afflicted by hunger, thirst, cold, heat, sleep and fatigue. One can hardly overcome them living at home because all facilities are available there and there is no challenge for practising devout austerities, penance and endurance. In the same way, mind is overwhelmed by six kinds of impurities, which are inherent in the ordinary day-to-day life of the world, and it is essential to retire to a secluded place to overcome and transcend them. These are: passion (lust), anger, avarice, delusion, pride and jealousy. You have to live separately in solitude in the Himalayas to practise physical endurance and mental austerity and penance to fight against internal infirmities. Thus, by living three times for a total period of about three years in the Himalayas and by establishing public contacts during the rest of the time you will be put to a test to ensure that your devout austerity has become well-grounded."

This programme was chalked out by Devatma Gurudev and was in tune with my own inner aspirations. As a result of my association with saintly persons (satsang) and regular studies and contemplation (swadhyaya), I was fully convinced that by exercising control over the ten organs of sensation and action and the invisible mind, a person can get rid of dispersion of life energy and his inner powers can be awakened. This is the highway for becoming a siddha purusha even while living in this physical life. Restraint of the organs, restraint in respect of use of material wealth and time and restraint of thoughts; these are four kinds of sanyam (self- control). Once these are fully regulated and controlled a person gets liberated from lust, anger, greed, and attachment, attains self- transformation and acquires siddhis.

I wanted to remain engrossed in tapashcarya. But how could I do that? One who has surrendered himself to the divine will, has no choice of his own. Therefore, when I heard from Gurudev what I was required to do I was too happy to contain myself and started waiting anxiously for the appropriate time. Gurudev said, "Our talks are now over. Go to Gangotri where arrangements have been made for your stay, food etc. and start your sadhana sitting on Bhagirath Shila, Gouri Kund. After completing austerities in solitude return to your home. I will be watching over you regularly".


Gurudev disappeared. His messenger left me at Gomukh from where I reached the place, which was indicated. After completing the austerities at Bhagirath Shila I returned home. During the return journey I did not face the type of difficulties, which had tested me at every step of the onward journey. They were the tests in which I had succeeded.

When I came back home, my weight had increased by eighteen pounds and my face had filled up and become radiant with an inner glow. My vitality had considerably increased. I was always in a jovial mood. People asked for prasad of Gangaji. I gave a pinchful of sand of Gangotri and some water of Gomukh as prasad to everyone. This was the only tangible thing, which I had brought with me. In fact, this pilgrimage was an important turning point in my life. Although I had visited the Himalayas subsequently also and it is my spiritual home; the very first darïan (sight) of the imperceptible divine Risis, who controlled and orchestrated from behind the scenes the affairs of this earth, during my visit with Gurudev left an indelible imprint on my inner self. I had also an inkling of the aim of my life, my future programme and also about the awakened souls who were to associate with me as my colleagues. My first visit to the Him³layas is a story of soul-elevating experiences, which can give real inspiration to genuine seekers of truth.
                                                           

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