Living with Baba

In 1971 I attended a PROUT symposium at the University Institute Hall near College Street, Calcutta. As I entered the hall, some Margiis introduced me to two young men, Jayanta Singha and Tapan, who wanted to meet me. One boy had a Master degree in Commerce, while the other was a businessman. I spoke with them for a few minutes before the program. I invited them inside to attend the program and promised to talk with them again when it was over.

Acarya Raghunathjii and Mr R Prasad were addressing the audience. These boys were, however, impatient to talk with me, and in the middle of the program, came up to me and asked me to go outside. Reluctantly, I followed them outside.

The first young man said, "I think you have some power. So I want to test you."

I responded, "There are tests at different levels - physical, mental and spiritual. Do you have any doubt about spiritual power?"

They were silent. Then the young man said, "Actually we both have a problem - that is why we came to see you. There is a man named Ananda Bhrgu who stays at a building near here. He claims to be a great tantrik and spiritualist, and gave us each an amulet to wear. After wearing the amulet, we feel compelled to go to his place everyday. We are hypnotized to obey his instructions, even though it does not seem correct. The way he talks and behaves seems wrong. Sometimes, he is with young ladies and sometimes they go into his room alone. In spite of these things, we feel compelled to listen to him and obey him. This is why we have come to you. Please help us."

They pleaded that I should go with them immediately because it was the time that Ananda Bhrgu gave his daily discourse. They begged me to come and meet him, after which I could decide how to help them.

I appreciated the sincere plight of the two boys. I closed my eyes for a moment and prayed, "Baba, please save this small child of Yours."

I then accompanied them to a nearby building and walked up to the sixth floor where the tantrik lived. Ananda Bhrgu was about 55 years old. He wore a white dhoti and kurta. He lay on a bed and gave a discourse in English to about ten young men and women.

The boys told him that a monk of Ananda Marga had come to meet him. He seemed quite positive, and asked us to sit down. Then, he continued his discourse, giving his views on the United Nations. He continued for another five minutes. I felt terribly bored.

After he finished his discourse, he looked at me and asked, "Where have you come from?" He used the Bengali word "tumi", which meant "you" in a disrespectful way.

I answered his question. Then, I asked, "What do you mean by philosophy?'"

He did not answer. Instead, he asked me another question. Again, I answered, and then asked, "What is your practical aspect of philosophy?"

He did not answer this either. Then, he asked, "What is your education?" I replied accordingly.

I became rather annoyed. He spoke in disrespectful language, demanding that I answer his questions while he ignored mine.

All of a sudden, I felt unable to breathe. I started to sweat profusely. I was not sure if I had remembered my Guru Mantra on entering. So I closed my eyes immediately and remembered Baba. I saw Him sitting in my guru cakra. I implored Baba, "Please save Your son. Do you want Your son to be humiliated? I do not care about my name, but as he is humiliating Your worker, it will reflect badly on You."
I do not know for how long I sat there with my eyes closed, but it seemed at least several minutes. There was absolute silence in the room. When I opened my eyes, I saw that Ananda Bhrgu had become restless. He sat up and then suddenly went into his room without saying anything.

Everyone present realized that something mysterious had happened. The two boys took my hands and invited me to leave. I went with them downstairs, and they accompanied me back to the symposium. There they requested me to protect them permanently from this evil tantrik.

I said, "I can teach you the practice of meditation that will free you from his evil influence forever. You must meet me tomorrow morning at exactly 5 o'clock in the Ananda Marga office at South End Park near the lake." I intentionally requested them to come early to test their sincerity.

They arrived punctually the next morning at 5 o'clock. I explained the process of meditation to them and then initiated each of them into Ananda Marga sadhana. I also gave them each a pratik and explained that no one could harm them as long as they kept it with them. Above all, I told them to surrender to Baba, as He would protect them.

After two months I met them again. They informed me that Ananda Bhrgu had vacated the flat without telling anyone where he went. Even before this, the boys had become free from his evil influence through the blessing of initiation. Actually, it is the spiritual force that Baba gives at the time of initiation that protects us from harm and frees us from bondages.

Baba often said that the more one surrenders, the more one experiences His divine bliss. If one is truly selfless, lost in supreme love and even surrenders the intoxicating bliss one experiences back to Him, then one will surely attain Anandamurti. In His heart is something so intensely sweet that it is beyond the imagination of even the greatest of yogis. One can experience only a tiny drop of this immeasurable love by His karuna or compassion. But one must surrender completely to experience this divine state.