Babaji and the Lahiri Mahasaya
Later in the year 1861, to begin a new phase in his mission, Babaji initiated Lahiri Mahasaya (1828 – 1895 A.D) into Kriya Yoga. Lahiri Mahasaya was a Yogavathar, born to a Brahmin couple Gaur Mohan Lahiri on Sep 30, 1828 at village Ghurni in Nadia dist of Krishna Nagar Bengal and was named Shyama Charan Lahiri. At the tender age of four he was deeply immersed in to yoga surprising many. After a spell of services in British military engineering department at various places and spending a normal life of a house holder, at the age of thirty three, Lahiri Mahasaya once while hiking heard his name being called and followed the voice high up to a clearing surrounded by small caves. There he saw Babaji who addressed him familiarly by name and welcomed him after his long absence. Although Lahiri Mahasaya didn't know who Babaji was, he felt drawn to his presence. Babaji explained that in Lahiri's former life, Babaji had been his Guru and that Lahiri had been his advanced disciple, meditating for decades under his guidance in one of the caves that surrounded the mountainous ledge. With a touch to his forehead, Babaji awakened his memory of that past life they had spent together.
Then Babaji induced in him the highest or Nirvikalpa state of Samadhi in which the individual wave merges with the Universal Ocean of consciousness and attains the state of Cosmic Consciousness. Lahiri remained in unbroken Samadhi for seven days and then Babaji brought him back to his human awareness and explained to him that Lahiri Mahasaya had taken his present birth for a purpose and initiated him into Kriya Yoga to be instrumental in spreading the Yogic teachings of union with God to the greater world beyond the borders of India.
While entrusting the task of giving it to sincere seekers, Babaji directed Lahiri Mahasaya to set an example by being the ideal Yogi householder, maintaining job, family and living in the world, yet remaining peacefully poised in the bliss of inner awareness. Lahiri Mahasaya initiated hundreds of students into Kriya Yoga. At least fourteen of these, initiated others into Kriya Yoga. Babaji personally helped all these disciples and continues to help all those who seek his help. Lahiri Mahasaya says that by just repeating the Babaji’s name with reverence one receives the spiritual blessings of Babaji. More could be gathered on the Yogavathar Lahiri Mahasaya from the book Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda 1998, p 292 – 295.
Lahiri Mahasaya said, that “a devotee attracts an instant spiritual blessings” whenever he or she utters the name of Babaji with reverence. Babaji can be seen or recognized by others only when he so desires. He is known to have appeared in many slightly different forms to various devotees – sometimes with beard and moustache and sometimes without them.
His un-decayable body requires no food, the master, therefore, seldom eats. Once, when Lahiri Mahasaya was in the company of Babaji along with his disciples, for a sacred Vedic ceremony, Babaji suddenly seized a burning brand and lightly struck the bare shoulder of a disciple, who was close to the fire. Lahiri Mahasaya was shocked and asked Babaji, how cruel is this. “Would you rather have seen him burned to ashes before your eyes, according to the decree of his past karma"? - With these words Babaji placed his heeling hand on the disciple’s disfigured shoulder. “I have freed you tonight from painful death. The Karmic law has been satisfied, through your slight suffering by fire”.
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