Ref :- My Life — Its Legacy and Message - 50.
Gurudev - Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya Ji - got message from his guru for 2nd visit to Himalaya on May 1937. Following are the extract from his writing about his experience and meeting with Rishi's of Himalaya.
As soon as I reached Nandanvan, Gurudev appeared before me in his astral body.As a symbol of his deep love, he put his hand on my head. Gurudev hinted to me about meeting the Rishis again for seeking their guidance. I was overwhelmed.
Almost all the Rishis of Satyug live in this region of the inaccessible Himalayas in their astral bodies. I had met them here earlier. Although they do not need any specific place or objects for maintenance of their astral bodies, they have each, for their convenience, reserved a specific cave.
In my first visit, I could simply bow before them and received their blessings indirectly. This time I had the privilege to listen to their messages. Gurudev took and introduced me to each one of them. Their forms appeared as condensed light. But when I became aware of and identified myself with my subtle body I could see them in physical bodies in which they lived in Satyug. They were in the same forms in which worldly people see them in their imagination. Necessary formalities were observed. I prostrated on their feet. They touched my head. I was thrilled and was overwhelmed with joy.
Coming to the main purpose, they said through 'paravani' that the life transforming missions that they had initiated for upliftment of humanity while in their physical bodies had become almost extinct. What remained was nothing but their ruins. They said that they are deeply pained when by their divine insight they perceive the present conditions. The entire region from Haridwar to Gangotri was the region of Rishis in which they used to remain engrossed in Tapascharya. There were several Ashrams here and there, on the lines of Gurukul Aranyak of Rishi Jamadagni at Uttarkashi. All Risis were engaged in their own research work and Tapascharya. Devta's (god) used to live where the Rishis lived in their astral forms at present. After the ice-age everything has changed and the missions of the Rishis have almost become extinct.
The Rishis said that some temples have, no doubt, been built here and there in Uttrakhand so that offerings in the form of money could be made to deities and the priests may earn their livelihood. But nobody asks for or gives an indication of who the Rishis were, when they lived in physical form and what they did. Thus Rishi traditions have almost vanished.
All the Rishis whom I was introduced repeated almost the same sad story. While bidding farewell there were tears in their eyes. It appeared as if all of them were sad and afflicted with sorrow. What could I say? How could I do the missionary work which so many Rishis used to do? I had no strength of my own to do it. I was moved when I saw them heavy-laden with sadness. I thought, had God made me capable enough, I would not have remained mute and returned in this manner after seeing the Rishis . Silence overtook me. I was stupefied. There were tears in my eyes. It pained me as if I had been stung by a scorpion to see so many Rishis (who were all great and most capable) so unhappy, helpless and concerned.
Gurudev's soul and my soul were responding in synchronicity. We were looking at each other. His face was also sad. Oh God! What an odd time has come when no successor of these Rishis has been born ? Their lineage has come to an end. Not a single purposeful activity which was initiated by the Rishis is alive at present. There are crores of brahmans and millions of (so-called) saints. If amongst them there had been only ten or twenty true brahmans or saints, they would have worked wonders like Buddha or Gandhi.
I recalled that in the past when the princess (daughter of the king of Kashi) shed tears and asked, “Who will revive the 'Vedas?” Kumaril Bhatt appeared and said, “Please do not lament so long as Kumaril is alive on earth.” Kumaril Bhatt achieved what he undertook to do. But today there is no brahaman, no saint and a Rishi is almost out of question. Only hypocrites are seen screaming everywhere like wolves disguised as lambs. Such ideas filled my mind for the whole day after I had returned to my cave. Gurudev was reading my mind. He, too, was unhappy like me.
Gurudev said, “Then do one thing. Let us again go to meet all the Rishis . Tell them: ‘If you so direct, I may sow the seeds but you will have to do the manuring and watering so that the crop my grow. Atleast by making such an offer you will feel much relieved’. Also ask them how to make a beginning and what will be its outline. Also tell them, ‘I will definitely do something. If all of you are kind enough to shower your grace, there is bound to be greenery in this deserted graveyard’.”
On Gurudev's command I could even say that irrespective of the consequences I was prepared to jump into the fire. Gurudev could read my mind. This time, I saw his face beaming with joy like Brahm Kalam. Both of us were quiet but happy. We decided to again meet all the Rishis whom we had met last night. When they saw us again, each one of them expressed satisfaction as well as amazement.
I stood spellbound, with folded hands and head bowed down before them. Gurudev conveyed my aspiration, resolve and zeal to them indirectly in paravani and said, “He does not lack life-transforming energy. He will do whatever he promises to do. Kindly indicate how the seeds of the tasks left unfinished by you are to be sown. If manuring, watering etc. is done by us, his efforts will not be in vain.”
Thereafter, Gurudev invited them all to attend, in astral bodies, the purnahuti of sahastra kundi Gayatri Yagya which was to be performed at Mathura on the completion of Gayatri Mahapurushchan in the year 1958 and pointing towards me said, “He is a monkey but Hanuman, a bear but Jamvant, a vulture but Jatayu. Kindly direct him and rest assured that what has been left unfinished will be completed and the sapling will grow up into a huge tree.” He further said, “Why should we be disappointed? Why should we not rely on him when he had discharged with great devotion responsibilities which were entrusted to him during his past births?”
This talk was going on with one of the Rishis but hardly did it take a moment for this invitation to reach them all and they gathered together. Disappointment disappeared, hope was revived, and future programme was chalked out. It was resolved that seedlings of divine tasks that the Rishis had been doing be sown again in a field, a nursery of fragrant flowers of divine aims and purposes be nurtured and then transplanted all over the globe, so that the world blooms again with divine fragrance.
This was the scheme of building Shantikunj which was to be undertaken after conclusion of my stay at Mathura. The schemes of building Gayatri Nagar and raising the structure of Brahmavarchas Shodh Sansthan (Research Institute) were also explained in detail. Each and every word which I was told was engraved on my mental canvas and I decided that soon after completion of twenty-four Gayatri Purushcharan of twenty-four lakhs each, I would prepare an outline of this work. It was impossible that a person who was recipient of Gurudev'sprotection and patronage could ever be unsuccessful.
I stayed for a day more. Explaining in detail about the purnahuti of purushchanas, Gurudev said, “I have been closely observing all the events and activities of the past few years of your life and rectifying the lapses, if any. I called you this time to explain to you the plans for the future. There is not much time now left for completion of your Purushcharna. Go to Mathura, complete them and start the second phase of your life from Mathura.