He passed away on April 4 from lungs infection in National Hospital in Bhopal. The body was taken to Anandanagar Jagrti (Bhopal). By Baba's grace, a 24-hour Akhanda kiirtan had been organized that same day by the Bhopal Bhukti headed by Mr. R.C. Chaturvedi. The last rites was performed at 10:15 on April 5 at the cremation ground. Around 200 margiis and 20 dadas and diidiis paid their respects, including Ac. Santoshananda Avt., Ac. Karunananda Avt., Ac. Parmeshvarananda Avt., Ac. Vandanananda Avt., Ac. Hitendrananda Avt., Ac. Bhavotrananda Avt., Ac. Jytiprakakshananda Avt. and RS Ranchi, DS Bhopal, Sagar and Sihore.
From Dada Tiirthananda:
Namaskar. It is indeed sad to hear the news about this Dada's departure from this world. I was working in Ujjain and Dada was working in Betul in 1982. Both these places are in Bhopal circle, Ranchi region. We used to meet in IRSS and RDS. He was a great Karma Yogi and had been a worker since 1967. May Baba accept him on His Lap.
It is painful to note passing away of Dada Divyeshvaranandaji. May the departed soul rest in Baba's lap for ever. Snigdhananda
ReplyDeleteBelow is a Baba story told by Dada Divyeshvarananda after a weekly dharmacakras while he was posted here in Udaipur, Rajasthan in 1970. The story is about one young margii, Shyam, who did not believe that samskara theory is real. The story depicts the dramatic way in which Baba convinces him of this truth. Although Divyeshvaranandaji told this story, the following is recounted in the first person, in which case 'I' refers to the young margii who is skeptical about our AM samskara theory.
ReplyDeleteOne time I (Shyam) was blessed to go on a fieldwalk with Baba while He was in Ranchi. On this particular occasion, we were doing fieldwalk in one remote forested, jungle area outside the city
limits. While on our walk, far off in the distance we could all see a village farmer moving along a footpath.
At some point, Baba asked me to walk to a far distant tree that was along the pathway where the farmer had been walking. When I got there, I looked around and noticed that around the tree the ground was extremely hard due to summer's heat, but that underneath the tree itself there was a small puddle. I then marched back towards Baba, and, reported what I had seen.
Then Baba looked at me and asked, 'Did you see anything in the puddle itself?' As I hadn't taken notice of this, I immediately headed back towards that distant puddle underneath the tree, and, once there, I noticed that there were seven large black ants floating in that puddle. They were those big type of black ants with large heads that are connected to their body by one thin, spindly, thread. But now those ants were just floating lifelessly in that shaded puddle beneath the tree.
Once again I returned back to where Baba was and told him what I had seen. Baba responded, 'Very good'. And then He proceeded to tell a special story.
Baba said that long, long ago there was a famine going on in northern Bihar in Sasharam District. And in that district there was a joint family comprised of many cousins who were living together on their paternal property. One of the cousins lived on that land with his elderly mother. His father had already died so it was just he and his widowed mother. But the deceased father had 3 or 4 brothers who also had children and those children were the cousins of that boy.
During that famine, a land dispute arouse amongst all the cousins. Or rather, in their greed, the many cousins became jealous of the fact the young boy whose father had died would inherit his father's entire share of the property. So those nefarious cousins decided that if they were to kill the lone cousin whose father had died, then they would all inherit a greater parcel of land. In their devious way, they began thinking and plotting. And, by and by, with their evil intentions, those cousins decided to execute their plan.
So one night, when no one was around, those 7 sinister cousins cornered that lone boy, and they ruthlessly twisted his neck and snapped the spinal column. Then they took the boy's lifeless body onto one bridge. And in the lonely silence of that night they tied stones and rocks around the boy's feet, legs, waist, shoulders, and head, and they hurled the dead boy off the bridge and his lifeless body plunged in large river down below. Because all the rocks were tied around the dead boy, his body remained down in the depths of the river, and did not rise or float to the top.
Not a soul was witness to the dastardly crime that had taken place. The boy was missing and no one knew why. Neither the police could solve the mystery, nor the local magistrate, nor any village authority -- not anyone. It was a total mystery why the young boy had disappeared.
The widow was mourning the loss of her young son and indeed everyone in the village was distraught about the disappearance of the boy. To hide themselves, the sinister cousins also feigned sorrow and sheepishly looked here and there 'in hopes of' finding their lost cousin. And in the end, no one could figure out what really took place.
(continued...) Hence, those seven sinister cousins were quite pleased with what they had done and they were feeling quite proud and victorious that no one had been able to solve the mystery. In due course, they got their wish and they were all able to inherit a greater parcel of land. And those seven cousins foolishly believed that they were totally free and that there was no way they could ever be caught for the heinous crime they had committed-- as no worldly authority had any idea about the murder that had transpired.
ReplyDeleteIndeed the lives of those seven sinister cousins passed, and no charges were ever brought up against them. In fact, they all lived long lives and eventually died due to old age.
Then Baba began to furthermore explain that although no police detective or village authority could solve the crime. And although there were no witnesses to the injustice that had taken place, even then Parama Purusa and Parama Prakrti were fully aware of all that had transpired. And Parama Prakrti was ready to deliver justice.
Baba went on to explain that the seven black ants that had drowned in the puddle were in fact those seven sinister cousins who had murdered and drowned that boy on that dark night. Baba told that because of their heinous act they had been reborn as black ants. And Baba also foretold that those sinister cousins would pass through the tortures of millions of animal lives as various insects and bugs etc. And in this life they were just starting that bleak journey as black ants. And on this very afternoon, as black ants they were walking on the forest floor beneath one tree - they were moving delicately with their big, heavy heads and spindly bodies. When all of a sudden, one village farmer innocently walked by while embarking on his daily work. The farmer felt nature calling, and in the heat of the sun that village farmer proceeded to pass urine under that very tree where the ants were walking. And in that isolated, forested spot, that innocent village farmer made one big puddle under the tree and on that fateful afternoon those seven black ants drowned in that urine. The seven black ants were those seven sinister cousins and the village farmer who urinated was the boy whom those sinister cousins had murdered and drowned all those ages ago.
Baba continued to describe how the village farmer had not incurred any sin for what he did. Because he was merely abiding by the laws of nature and there was not an ounce of malice in his mind. In fact, he was totally unaware that seven black ants had drowned in his urine.
And Baba told that the village farmer will progress along the path of pratisaincara and will get a more developed human life in his next birth and be involved in spiritual practices. In stark contrast, those seven black ants will have to undergo all the pains and struggles of animal live for countless more incarnations. That was Parama Prakrti's way of administering justice to those seven sinister cousins who plotted and killed their young cousin.
At that point Baba told, 'So you see if anyone does anything in this universe then they have to face the consequences. So everyone should be very careful not to do any misdeeds and even the good deeds one does one should offer to Parama Purusa. After all whether one is bound by an iron chain of their misdeeds, or the golden chain of their virtuous acts, still a chain is but a chain and a sadhaka should not be shackled by any such chain. Rather through sadhana and prescribing Brahmahood to all one's actions, one will become free of all samskaras and attain liberation.'
The only other point to tell is that the young margii named Shyam on the fieldwalk with Baba who was skeptical about samskara theory went on to become a Dada. And that Dada is me, Ac. Divyeshvarananda Avt. I told the story in this way to make it more ineresting. From that day forward I understood in my heart that that samskara theory really works.
Namaskar - just now I've read this story at Ba'ba' Stories FB group and was startled to notice it appeared on this page as well... checked it out and found the shocking news, that Da'da' has passed away indeed.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear that.
I've heard this story from Da'da' Himself years ago either in Sweden Training Centre where he once took care of us during Da'da' Dhruvananda's absence... or elsewhere in Berlin Sector during our years of working there. I guess I won't forget Da'da's impressive eyes and the undaunted spirit with which he managed to survive all the struggles against the odds... until this last one.
I still remember how he once called us WT trainees for an emergency meeting during or after one retreat in the Training Centre. That was at the very beginning of my training so it imprinted itself very deeply. As we assembled, Da'da' looked at us and solemnly asked: "Why are you all here?"
We had no clue what did he mean or what were we supposed to reply with until someone sheepishly volunteered: "Because you summoned us?"
At which Da'da' very seriously & perhaps with a slight annoyance responded: "You are here because you wanted to be here."
Only then it dawned on us that Da'da' was perhaps displeased at our "lack of sincerity" and was calling us to take responsibility for our own behavior (rather than blaming anything on anyone or expecting anything from anyone). The silence & embarrasement were chilling.
Yet it was a great lesson, worth remembering. Along with the story above - thanks to the Anonymous sharer for a great reminder.
Time passes - one day we'll all move into the invisible world. I hope Da'da' is enjoying with His Ba'ba' now and that the rest of us keep sharing the reminiscences of things we've learned from & appreciated in each other. Not much more remains once our ashes are strewn, except some bitter-sweet pang in the hearts of those still left behind.
With best wishes to all, by His Grace,
Avtk. A'nanda Arpan'a' A'c.
Dada Divyeshvaranandaji was my acarya and I was not an easy pupil, but he is probably the most courageus person I have ever met. He took me in to live in his jagriti when I was in a very intense situation and I guess most "ordinary" people would have just considered me crazy. But he probably saw that there was some sincerity in my "craziness" and wish to change my life. I think besides the techniques of course the most important thing he taught me was how he conducted himself, with dignity and calm, although he could be fierce when someone did something foolish. His eyes were piercing and you really felt an immidiate respect for him. I wish I could have thanked him for the amazing effect his bringing of Baba's teachings into my life had on the rest of my life, but unfortunately I still had a lot to learn and couldn't quite appreciate what I had received before I was through all the stuff I had to deal with in my own karma.
ReplyDeleteI guess he must have experienced a lot of tough pupils like me, because he wasn't one to back away from a challenge. The world needs more fearless spiritual soldiers like him. He kept alive the fire and now we must carry it on.