Dada Pratulananda

 

Dada Pratulananda was initiated in 1966 and at the age of 21 he became a Wholetimer in 1968. In 1979 he was posted for several years in Hong Kong Sector. Then in the 1980s he was posted to Georgetown Sector, first to Argentina, and then to Venezuela. He passed away in Caracas on November 11, 2023.

Below are four stories  by Dada Pratulananda

Baba is trikáladarshii, who knows past, present and future. I realized this during my personal contact.

I graduated as a mechanical engineer and got a job working on the Rana Pratap Sagar dam on the Chambai River near Kota, Rajasthan. I was initiated on 10 July 1966 by Dada Pareshananda. Ten or eleven days after that, I had a dream. I was caught in a deep forest with many thorns. It was very dark, I couldn't get out, I was crying, sweating and tired. Suddenly I saw a point of light. I thought, 'Maybe someone is there.' When I got close to it, I saw it was a calcium lantern held by a man. It illuminated half his body, showing he was dressed in white clothing. But I couldn't see his face. When I went closer, I woke up.

After two months, the Margiis organized a Dharma Maha Cakra program for Baba's visit. Everyone took different responsibilities. We rented a high school for the program and a house for Baba and the workers to stay in, and decorated everything. The DMC committee gave me the duty to be a security guard to protect Baba's room. They gave me a VSS uniform and a lathi stick.

The morning of Baba's arrival, I stood at attention by the door to His room. As He got out of the car, I saw His white clothing, and suddenly I remembered my dream. My heart started beating like a drum. When He passed me, He looked at me and smiled. My heart beat very strongly.

At midday I was relieved of my duty, so I went to eat lunch. I had taken just one bite when suddenly Dada Vishokananda, the then Personal Assistant (PA) of Baba, shouted my name, asking where I was. He told me to finish my lunch later, wash my mouth and come immediately with him. He said, “Baba is calling you.”

I thought this was very strange. Baba did not know me, nor did I know Him. He took me to Baba's room, where a line of more than 40 people were waiting to get PC, but he insisted I go to the front of the line. Then we heard Baba call my name, so I went in and did sastaung pranam.

Baba asked in a very serious voice in English, “Do you know, my boy?” Then He asked the same question in Bengali, my mother tongue. I replied, “No, I don't.

“I know you from long ago.” I was very surprised to hear this because I had just graduated from university. Then He told me many details about my family, which I confirmed. He said, “You are a human being. But you did one bad mistake.”

I did not know what Baba could be referring to. Then He said, “When you studying in the higher secondary school, you did one very bad thing in the classroom. Do you remember?”

Then I suddenly remembered. When I was in the first year of high school, our English teacher praised me while criticizing Mrtyunjaya, a very big boy sitting beside me, for being stupid. Later, when the teacher went out, Mrtyunjaya punched me three times in the face. I was too small to fight back, so instead I made a plan to get revenge. I had a razor blade to sharpen pencils. When the final school bell rang, I pulled up his shirt, cut him three times on his back as hard as I could and ran home. Later the headmaster called us both into his office, listened to both sides of the story, and solved the problem by promising to expel us both if there was any more fighting between us.

Baba now said, “What you did was against Dharma, against human nature. So you should be punished. Remove your shirt, stupid boy.” Baba picked up his stick, with all his strength, and I started crying. But He only lightly touched me with it.

Then Baba asked me to come sit beside Him on the cot on His left side. He sweetly touched my chest and face, and put His face next to mine.

“Who is your acarya? Dada Pareshananda? Oh, you have good acarya. Do you practice meditation?”

“Yes, Baba, twice a day. That's all the time I can spare because I am working.”

“Oh, you have a job, very good.” He touched my chin. “I know you from before. Close your eyes and repeat your Ista mantra.” Then Baba said, “Open your eyes and look at the wall.” On the blank wall I saw a big banyan tree. “Do you know that?” “No, Baba.”

“This was you.” I was very surprised, but kept quiet. The tree vanished. Baba then told me other details about my university near Hoogly, and places where my relatives lived.

Then He said, “Close your eyes again... Now open your eyes and look at the wall.” This time I saw a big wooden throne, decorated and covered with an umbrella, a very beautiful “singhasan.” Baba said, “This was you.” Then He lightly patted my cheeks. He rang the bell and told PA to invite everyone into the room.

Then Baba told my history. Seven thousand years ago I was a banyan tree. Shiva's disciples cut me down and made me into a throne for Shiva, who used that to give his darshans. “This boy, as a tree, sacrificed his life for the Shiva. I know him from that time.”

Then one brother sang a devotional song in Hindi by Kabir. Baba closed His eyes, Then PA quietly told us all to leave.

After three days, Baba gave the DMC discourse in Hindi: “What is the Rásaliilá?” At the end, He gave His Barabhaya Mudra. When He did that, His body became effulgent, and a very bright light came from His hand and entered my chest. I shouted Baba and fell unconscious.

After 20 minutes, I woke up very weak. Radharaman Shiila, a Margii who worked in the airport, was waiting beside me. He brought me to his house. The whole night I suffered from chest pain. Finally at 4am I slept a little. The chest pain continued for seven days. Radharaman Shiila insisted on caring for me in his home that whole week.

Shortly afterwards, on October 1, 1968 I resigned my job and went for Wholetimer Training.

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This event took place about 1969 when I was 21 years old, a new acarya, working for Seva Dharma Mission. Dada Asiimananda, my supervisor, gave me the responsibility to visit some places in Bihar for pracar. So I made a tour program and went to the town of Maithun. It's a very conservative place where the orthodox Brahmins control the society.

A young Margii who worked in the post office gave me a small cottage near his house to stay in, and he organized an evening talk for me in a high school auditorium. About 300 people came. I decided to explain what Baba had taught us about how the caste system developed historically. Whereas people do have different mental colors or varnas according to their psychology, certain leaders in society had declared that all the children born to parents of a certain varna would automatically have the same caste. Whereas the word Brahmin originally meant “a spiritualist who knows Brahma”, later it came to represent the priestly class in Hindu society who led certain ritual fire ceremonies and who did not drink the wine that was used. The so-called sacred thread that Brahmins wear today was originally a string made from deerskin.

When I finished my talk, there were no questions. Afterwards I went back to the cottage, did my night meditation and lay down to sleep. Suddenly a group of people came to my door and knocked loudly, calling, “Dada! Dada! Open the door!”

But I was uncertain who would come so late at night to meet me. I called out the name of the house owner, but he was not with them, so I didn't open the door.

Again they came back and banged harder on the door. I stayed on the bed.

After 20 minutes they came a third time, kicking as hard as they could to break down the door. But the door was strong, and finally they left.

After dawn, I went to the Margii's house. He knew nothing about my midnight visitors. We had breakfast together, then he invited me to go with him to the post office. When we arrived, we were both very surprised that a telegram had arrived from the Ananda Marga Central Office in Ranchi addressed to me. It said: “Come immediately to Ranchi. Signed, Pranavananda, Central Office Secretary.”

I was surprised because I had just started my tour. But the Margii said, “You should go. I'll pay for your bus ticket.” So he went with me back to his house to pick up my bag, and accompanied me to the bus station. After I boarded and the bus started to drive out of the terminal, I saw a group of people surround the young Margii brother, arguing and pushing him. I could not understand what was happening.

The next morning when I arrived, Pranavananda grabbed me and scolded me, saying that I had been foolish. He and the other workers brought me in front of Baba. I did sastaung pranam. Baba said, “You have no right to criticize anyone in this world. If you criticize anybody, you criticize your Lord. Do you understand my boy?”

I was nervous as He continued. “Because of you, I could not sleep the night before last. The whole night I was suffering. I called Office Secretary and ordered him to go the post office to send you a telegram.” Dada Pranavananda said, “Yes, Baba, because of this boy I could not sleep either.” Then Baba asked me, “Who will save you in the night?” I did not understand.

“You gave a lecture criticizing the caste system and the Brahmins, so they became angry and decided to kill you. So who will save you, who will protect you in the night?”

Finally I understood. I could only say, “Baba...Baba...”

“You stupid boy, come, come.” Baba then hit me five or six times with His stick. I started crying, then Baba sent me out. Later all the workers asked me to tell them what had happened and how Baba had saved my life.

...............................

Baba declared 1969 as the “Demonstration Year”. At that time, I had been a worker for only one year. Baba gave Dharma Maha Cakra in Tatanagar, Singhbhum District (now in Jharkhand State). During a workers meeting, Baba was very unhappy with our progress. Afterwards I did meditation in a corner of the hall.

Suddenly Baba entered the hall dressed very casually in His banyan and lungi and carrying His stick. He sat on the sofa as everyone rushed into the hall. He started talking about the history of the place.

Suddenly Baba called out my name (at that time I was known as Ac. Pranav Kumar Brc.). He asked me to sit on the floor near Him. He asked me, “How many lessons have you learned?” “All six, Baba.” “Do you do them every day?” “Yes, Baba” “OK, close your eyes and sit for meditation.”

He touched his stick to my muladhara chakra and gave the order, “Get up! Get up energy!” Suddenly I felt something in my muladhara cakra and felt uneasy. Without removing his stick, Baba explained to everyone about the cakra. I heard what Baba was saying, but as though I was far away.

Then after a few minutes, Baba said, “Cakra, dance!” Then he asked “Do you hear any sound?” “Yes, Baba, I hear the sound of crickets.” He pushed the stick a little.

Then he moved the stick up to my svadhistana cakra. Baba explained to everyone about this cakra. Then He said, “Now dance!” I started to feel very uneasy and strange. I wanted to leave the room, but I could not. Baba asked me, “What sound do you hear?” I said, “The sound of ankle bells.” Baba explained that this was the sound of Lord Krsna, which all the gopis enjoyed.

Then He moved the stick up to my navel (manipura cakra). He explained about this to everyone. Then he said, “Now dance!” I felt as if my stomach would burst. I started to feel suffocation. “What sound do you hear?” “Baba, I hear the sound of a sweet flute.” Baba explained that was the flute of Krsna. It was an intoxicating sound.

Then Baba asked one Margii, “Do you hear this sound, too?” He answered, “Yes, Baba.” Baba explained, “This man is very developed, so his body has special capacity to hear the internal sound of another person's cakras.”

Then Baba moved His stick up to my heart, the Anahata cakra. My body started trembling, but Baba seemed to be controlling it. Baba explained about the many propensities of this cakra. Then He said, “Now dance!” Then I felt as though I was floating in the ocean. Baba asked “What sound do you hear?” I replied that I was hearing the sound of the ocean. Baba said, “Yes, the sound of a strong wind, the hssss! of a storm.

Baba moved His stick up to my vishuddha cakra, and explained that it has 16 propensities. He said that many ideas and thoughts are created here. “Now dance!” I told Baba I was hearing the sound of Onm. It was very sweet, very calming and quiet. I felt all my nerves and body start to collapse. I lost consciousness and fell backwards.

Three hours later I came to my senses in the empty hall. One VSS guard who saw me said, “Dada you are very lucky! After you fell over, Baba said, 'This boy has no developed capacity to receive the force in his higher cakras. So he should do more sadhana, and then maybe he can raise his kundalinii. I cannot help this boy any more.'”

When I got up I felt very dizzy. I was moving like a drunkard. I took a bath, then drank a glass of papaya juice and ate something light, but still felt very uneasy. I slept the whole night in the pandal.

The next day I felt a little better. When Baba came to give His DMC darshan, I sat with the other dadas in front. When He gave the Barabhaya Mudra, every cakra in my body started vibrating. I started shouting and jumping like a crazy man, and then fell down unconscious again.

Afterwards Dada Krtananda took me to the dadas room, and covered me with my blanket. I slept well and gradually returned to normal.

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Once when I was working in Hong Kong Sector, I was on a flight to Japan. I felt thirsty, so I asked for water. The flight attendant returned with a plastic cup. I remembered my Guru Mantra, took a sip, and immediately reacted to the terrible taste of beer. I shouted, she apologized and gave me a glass of water which I drank.

A year later I went for reporting to India. After finishing the reports, Baba asked, “GS, are there any rules that allow a monk to drink beer?” The General Secretary said, “No, Baba!” then turned to us and asked quietly, “Hey, who of you are drinking beer?” We all denied it. Baba said, “Any dada who travels by plane drinks beer.” Then I remembered the incident that happened one year before, so I stood up and admitted that it had been me. “But before you drank that, you took second lesson.” “Yes, Baba.” “GS, he drank the beer unknowingly, and took second lesson, so no need to punish him.”

But Baba continued, “Before coming here, where were you working?” I answered, “In Korea.” Because of visa problems, sometimes I could only spend a month in each country. Baba asked, “What did you do there?”

It had been a very difficult time. I had almost no money so I went to the home of a university professor who had helped other dadas in the past, but he had left the country. Because of tension with North Korea, there was a strict curfew imposed every night; Army searchlights constantly swept back and forth across the city and countryside, and anyone found outside would be imprisoned. So each evening I bought some soy milk and bread, ate them in the bus station or in a park. Then I walked to a mountain where I had found a cave. It was very cold, despite my blanket. In the morning I would take a bath in the cold water of the river, then I walked back to the city.

One day I meditated under a tree in the park. I had no money and felt tired. After a few minutes a man came and sat in front of me. I thought that he might be a police agent so I kept silent. He asked me, “Where do you come from?” “India,” I answered. He said, “I know many Indian people. Where do you eat?” I lied and said I eat in my friend's house. “OK, but if you want you could eat with me.” He took me to a bakery and asked me what I wanted to eat. I asked for a cup of milk. He did not eat himself but watched as I drank my milk.

Then he walked with me to the bus station. “Which bus will you take and where do you want to go?” he asked. I only wanted to escape. I tried to buy a bus token, but he stopped me and bought 10 bus tokens for me. Then he took from his pocket some money worth about US$200 and gave it to me. He said, “Do you have a telephone? No? Well, please write down my telephone number. When you need anything, please call me.”

After a few days I called the number, but an angry lady shouted at me. I tried again later, but she was even more angry, so I stopped trying.

So Baba asked me, “What did you do in Korea?” I said I tried to do some pracar. Then Baba laughed and asked, “When you were working in Korea, can you remember a man who came to you in the park?” Then I remembered. Baba asked, “And what was his name?” “Baba, he did not give me his name, but he helped me a lot.” OK, but did you know him?” “No, Baba.”

I wondered who that man was. But then I realized that he was an agent of Baba.

Then Baba said, “The day I went to prison, I took a samkalpa that none of my dadas or didis working overseas would suffer for food.” Baba asked me to come close, and He touched my hands and gave me a blessing. Then He blessed us all.