Kartik Ekadhashi

It was Kartik Ekadhashi on the 1st of November, 1949. Sitaram Shenoy had taken ill and was staying in his home at Vajreshwari. Just ten years earlier, he had suffered a massive heart attack. He survived due to Bhagwan Nityananda's Grace and Blessings and had lived another ten years. His children were still young. His eldest son, Prabhakar, was looking after his business and was assisted by his other son Ratnakar. In his efforts to expand his business, Sitaram had reinvested heavily in the business. The house and hotel in front of the hill on which the Vajreshwari temple is located had demanded a lot of attention. It was uncertain that the business could be maintained and he was worried for his family. Now he was sick again and it was frightening.

Just a few days before, he had sent his brother to Bade Baba with the message "I am frightened." Baba had sent his brother back to him with the message, "Watch where your soul shall go!" When his brother conveyed this message to Sitaram, Sitaram smiled and said "Thy will be done." Sitaram understood the message from Bhagawan Nityananda to mean "You shall merge in me. So why worry." After receiving this message from Baba, Sitaram, though bedridden, became calm.

Sitaram's wife has a cousin, Upendra Bhatt (also known as Upi) who has his house at Siwan on the way to Ganeshpuri. It was now the celebration of the Mahasamadhi of the poet saint Tukaram. This is a very auspicious day when devotees visit Pandarpur to have the darshan of Lord Vittal. On the evening of this very day Sitaram said, "Hey Upi. It is a very critical day for me today. If I survive tonight then I shall have the honor of Ethchamarni. I can die if and when I wish."

That evening the bells of the temple were rung to announce the Arati of the Goddess Vajreshwari. Sitaram called out "Hey Upi. Raise my body." Upendra Bhat raised Sitaram’s torso. Sitaram curled his thumb and forefinger in yogamudra and uttered in his deep voice "Om." He then gave up his body. There was a slight smile on his lips. Thus, passed away Sitaram Shenoy, on the 1st of November, 1949 just as the Arati was being performed to Goddess Vajreshwari. A householder disciple of Bhagawan Nityananda who lived all his life like a Yogi, died like a Yogi.

Today, Sitaram Shenoy is recognized as one of the foremost disciples of Bhagawan Nityananda. He was respected by Swami Janananda, Shaligram Swami, Muktananda Baba and other devotees of Swami Nityananda. In the early days, Janananda Baba used to stay at his gymnasium whenever he visited Mumbai. In fact, just before his Mahasamadhi, Swami Muktananda visited Vajreshwari Temple. On his return, he walked into our Vajreshwari home unannounced. This took all of us by surprise, as we were not prepared for his visit. He sat like an ordinary person, on our bed, facing the alter. All his associates and followers were surprised by his very casual approach with us indicating his familiarity with our family. This was all due to his great respect for Sitaram. After this visit, Swami Muktananda invited us all to his ashram. After the Mahasamadhi of Bhagawan Nityananda, we had never visited Muktananda Baba. He wanted to honor our family as Gurubandhus. In 1982 he received us with great honor and introduced us to all around him as disciples of Bade Baba.

Sitaram's wife, Sushila, and his son, Ratnakar, could not accept the reality that Sitaram had passed. His relatives believed that, having a Sadguru like Bhagawan Nityananda, Sitaram could never die. In a fit of disappointment, pain and anger, they all decided to carry the body of Sitaram to Ganeshpuri to challenge Baba. So, Sitaram's body was placed in a car. Just after pulling away, a large snake crossed their path. This was a bad omen. Yet they stubbornly persisted. Soon they got a flat tire. The body was transferred to another vehicle. After traveling some distance, the engine of that vehicle caught fire. This was at the crossroad where presently there is a statue of Shivaji. Finally they decided to leave the body there and walk to the Ashram.

Just as they stepped into Vaikuntha, Baba shouted at the top of his voice, "Why the hell have you come here!? Go and perform the last rites!" Sushila Shenoy approached Bade Baba and lamented "My husband died because of you. In your obsession he came and settled in this jungle. Were we to be in Bombay, I would have saved him with the best medical treatment. We took you for God and surrendered totally to you. This is what has happened to us."

Just as Sushila spewed these angry words, Bhagawan assumed the form of Lord Rudra (Shiva the destroyer). "What!? If you say you have surrendered totally to this one then you have lost all claims for yourself. What would have happened if his death took place ten years ago? The children were small then and you would have suffered. Kal (destiny), Vel (time) and Yog (coincidence) rule over all. Even this one has to go some day. It has happened to Rama, it has happened for Krishna. You will not die some day!? Get up now and perform his last rites. Sitaram has merged in the Sun." Sushila and Ratnakar were thus consoled and the party left to perform the last rites.

Bhagawan Nityananda had conveyed that he did save Sitaram Shenoy's life ten years earlier. Sitaram's surrender to Gurudev Nityananda was perfect. He did not question Baba's Grace. But his family had not taken his example. Sometimes we forget that all embodied beings, even Siddhas, are governed by God's law. All who take birth here must also pass. Later, when a devotee asked Bade Baba why he did not extend the life of Sitaram further, Baba said "If that is done then no dead body will go to Chandanwadi (famous cremation ground at Kalbadevi, Mumbai). Everybody will bring their dead one here."

For several months Sushila was restless and could not come to terms with the fact that her husband was no more. Her emotions were all bottled up inside her and she had not released them by crying it out. One day she went for darshan of Bhagawan Nityananda. She said to him, "I do not have any mental peace. Give me some mantra to meditate upon." Baba lifted his hand and counting on his fingers said,

Om Namaha Shivaya
Namaha Shivaya
Namaha Shivaya
Namaha Shivaya
Namaha Shivaya
Namaha Shivaya.

"When you say this it can be counted as one set. Repeat this in sets whenever you find free time and while performing your duties. God will protect you and your children. Everything will be set right at the right time."

Blessing her thus, Shushila wept like a child. All her bottled up emotions thus found their way out bringing peace. Sushila meditated on this mantra all her life and it became an integral part of her life. She died on August 15th, 2005. Even in her unconscious state one could notice her counting the mantra on her fingers. In her pain she called out "Nityananda." To us Shenoys, Swami Nityananda means everything. He is our God, our mentor, our friend, our doctor. In fact, he was and is the source of our worldly and spiritual needs. A complete God, with infinite love for all of us.

Discipleship, Sunita Shenoy, Sunita Shenoy-Part Two, The Compassion of the Sadguru, Sitaram Shenoy.