Spiritual Guru Swami Baldev Ji Maharaj
Homage
& Obeisance
Swami Baldev Ji was born on 16th
December 1957 in Samana Mandi, Dist Patiala (Punjab). He was blessed with six
brothers and one sister. Swami Ji right through was a hard-working teen with a
spiritual bent of mind. In 1982, Swami Hansraj Maharaj Ji ( former head of
Sacha Dham Ashram) and Gurudev of Swami
Baldev Ji visited Samana township to inaugurate a religious function. It is
here young Baldev (subsequently Swami Baldev Ji) for the first time had a
chance audience with his destined Guru Swami Hansraj Maharaj Ji. Young Baldev requested Maharaj Ji that he
wanted to undertake some suitable occupation. Maharaj Ji after a pause advised
Baldev to open a shop of general merchants and name it “Sacha Fancy Store” Once
the shop was organized; Maharaj Ji personally came over to inaugurate the shop
and bless it. Young Baldev was fairly comfortable in running his shop. As fate
would have it, a neighbour Mr. Goyal approached Baldev and requested if he
could visit Sacha Ashram at Laxman Jhula as Mrs. Goyal being mentally sick had
perhaps run away to Sacha Ashram and requested him to bring her back to Samana.
Accordingly, Badev with a bent of mind to help went to Sacha Ashram but
unfortunately could not find Mrs. Goyal there. A Hawan (religious congregation) was going on
in the Ashram and Baldev participated in it. Incidentally, as luck would have
it, Maharaj Ji spotted young Baldev at the Hawan. After paying his respects, Baldev requested Maharaj
Ji for a sum of Rs 200 as he had run out of money to go back to his home in
Samana. Maharaj Ji kept on saying “I will give you in one or two days”. During
this waiting period, one day Maharaj Ji sprinkled holy Ganga water on young Baldev, and as it is said
that young Baldev went into a trance/fainted. The next day he was asked by
Maharaj Ji would he still insist on going back to Samana. It is believed that
young Baldev became emotional and he fell on the footsteps of Maharaj Jee and
as destiny would have it, young Baldev requested Maharaj Ji to take him in
his(Maharaj Ji's) patronage and grant him Diksha and that is how young Baldev
from a shopkeeper became sanyasi (saint) Swami Baldev Ji Maharaj rest is
history now.
Sacha
Mahakaleshwar Mandir, Samana
Sacha Mahakaleshwar
Mandir
is an ancient Lord Shiva temple (about 400 years old). The temple, adjoining
Sat sang (Prayer) hall and Ashram complex was Swami Baldev Ji’s dream project
for the spiritual benefit of people of Samana and was built under the direct patronage
of Swami Ji. It is understood reliably that Swami Ji was planning to open a dispensary
for poor people and a Sanskrit teaching school for children for which work had
already started by acquiring a plot of land adjacent to the Mandir complex.
Unfortunately, the project is still to complete in all respects as revered
Swami Ji had dreamt about due to his untimely passing away from his body.
Temple and Ashram complex
Satsang (Prayer) hall cum Ashram
Sri Sri Ravishankar Ji, renowned spiritual Guru and founder of Art of Living
with Swami Baldev Ji
Sri Sri
Ravishankar Ji performing puja at Sacha Dham Ashram
Swami Hansraj Maharaj Ji
(Guru Dev of Swami Baldev Ji &
former head of Sacha Ashram)
Panoramic View, Sacha Dham Ashram
Sacha
Dham Ashram is one of the main Ashrams of the Sacha lineage and was founded by
Sri Sacha Baba Maharaj Ji. This is a traditional Vedic Ashram where rituals, prayers,
and kirtans (chanting of mantras) take place every day. There is also a cow
shelter inside the Ashram where cows are fed and taken care of. Next to the
temple premises is a marble platform facing the river Ganges where revered Sacha
Baba used to meditate during his visits to Sacha Dham. The Ashram regularly feeds two meals a
day to hundreds of saints, poor people, and beggars of Laxman Jhulla town and
surrounding areas. Shri Hans Raj Maharaj Ji was a
revered holy saint. He was head of Sacha Dham, Laxman Jhula, Rishikesh and had
a large following of devotees from several northern states. He devoted all his
time to the spiritual up liftmen of thousands of his devotes and common people.
Ashram’s inner complex
Lord Shiva temple across Sacha Ashram
complex
Kirtan
(Prayers) by westerners in progress
Spiritual Guru
Mrs. Rita Kachru had a direct commune with Swami Ji for over 30 years. He was her and her family's spiritual Guru. She would regularly pay respects over the phone and had met him many times personally along with the family in the last three decades. Mr. & Mrs. Kachru and the children stayed in Sacha Dham Ashram on several occasions for weeks together. It was very enlightening to listen to the spiritual discourses of respected Swami Hansraj Maharaj Ji, Swami Baldev Ji, and other revered saints. Swami Baldev Ji in one of his recent telephonic conversations had promised Mrs. Kachru that he intends to visit the family in Delhi during December 2021. But unfortunately, Lord had other plans. We missed the opportunity of his visit and the regret and sadness will remain forever
Mr & Mrs. Kachru with revered Swami Ji
Photographs of Shri Kanyia Gupta & Family(Patiala) with Swami Baldev Ji
The glow of sincerity
Barkha Dhar, Hindustan Times September
23, 2013
First Published: 02:10
IST(23/9/2013) | Last Updated: 02:14 IST(23/9/2013)
Unmasking the sincerity of the soul is one of the many divine teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda. In his book, Man's Eternal Quest, the yogi writes that "sincerity is a soul quality that God has given to every human being, but not all express it."
All religious scriptures and sages describe
sincerity as a route to righteousness and an attribute of communion with
God.
To preserve sincerity in thoughts and actions may
be a challenge, especially in a materialistic world where greed, bigotry, and
falsehood fabricate the purity of our conscience.
The candidness in our speech and action can come
across as impoliteness and ego, which may force us to wear a plastic mask, and
engage in artificial relationships. But this only furthers our ignorance about
the true meaning of life.
As we go far in sacrificing sincerity on our way to
worldly achievements, we are slowly pushed to a corrupt lifestyle, and we
become dishonest to ourselves and others. Bearing the misery of dishonesty may
not be visible distinctly and we may feel that no one is watching us when we
speak or do ill.
Becoming sincere is a spiritual goal that comes
only with patience and perseverance. We cannot sleep with the idea of being
sincere and wake up the next day being one, magically. It requires the desire
to be a sincere person just like we aspire to have a car or house. After all,
it is easy to lie than to be truthful. But we should know that all easy things
are not necessarily good, and all hard things are not bad. Becoming sincere
requires us to calm the negative energies of our minds. For some of us, mind
control can come through meditation, while some may require a respite, to
reflect on past and present actions. For a few others, it may mean deferring
the gratification of immediate results and grasping on to upright and ethical
dealings.
To change our attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions,
we have to step out of our comfort zone.
(Barkha Dhar lives in the US and has kindly agreed
to allow reproducing her short write up for the Blog as a mark of respects to
revered Swami Ji)
(Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 26th October 2009)
Bhushan Kachru
Blogger
जय सच्चे की,
ReplyDeleteपूज्य स्वामी जी बड़े दयालु, कृपालु, और सरल ,सहज स्वभाव के थे।
Nicely written and certainly takes us to the spiritual journey - May Swamiji Rest In Peace. It’s wonderful to know that there are such exemplary human beings who are selfless throughout their lives and leave us with their footsteps to follow.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS UNKNOWN PERSON FOR YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT RESPECTED SWAMI JI FROM THE CORE OF YOUR HEART.APPRECIATE AND RESPECT YOUR VIEWS.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS DEAR KHALEED FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE SMALL SPRITUAL JOURNEY ON SWAMI BALDEV JI MAHARAJ ON LEAVING HIS BODYAND THE IDEALS HE HAS LEFT BEHIND FOR ALL OF US TO TREND. APPRECIATE
ReplyDeleteSWAMI BALDEV JI's CHARISHMA AND HIS ENCHANTING SMILE COULD EASILY PIERCE US. MY LAST PHYSICAL ENCOUNTER WITH HIM WAS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.BUT THE MEMORY IS STILL FRESH. HE WAS A SWAMI IN A SELFLESS GARB WHO FEDMANY NEEDY AND HUNGRY AT THE ASHRAM GATE. FROM THE SACRED SOUNDS OF THE GANGES TO HIS ORDERLY VOICES OF ADMINISTERING THE ASHRAM CHORES,HE WILL REMAIN THE SACHA TORCH BEARER.
ReplyDeleteMAY HIS ETERNAL JOURNEY BE FULFILLING AND BLESSED. SWAMI JI's RESHMI WIL FOREVER REMEMBER HIM.
RESHMI ( US)
THANKS DEAR RESHMI FOR OPENING YOUR HEART AND PAYING GREAT TRIBUTES TO RESPECTED SWAMI JI.
ReplyDeleteI had the opportunity to talk to Swami Baldev Ji very recently. Little did I realize that he would pass away with a sudden turn of events in his life and leave his Bhaktas so sad and vulnerable. They were clinging on to their prayers to the almighty that he survived the test of the troubled time. The followers loved him for his humility and humbleness and his ability to calm them with his soulful blessings. I am blessed to have known this wonderful soul even though for a short period of time.
ReplyDeleteJai Sache Ki*
ReplyDeleteWhen I turned 15 in 1996, I came to know about Swami ji, who was then known as Bali ji Maharaj in Samana. My mother along with my elder brother used to go to Ram Leela Mandir every night during winter for Satsang. Swami ji used to come to Punjab every year during December to gather ration for Sacha Dham Ashram during those days. I also accompanied my mother to the mandir for satsang a couple of times as well, but I was not feeling anything. I was visiting my sister in Ramnagar, when in 1997 Swami ji organized all religion gathering and holy oblation in Samana. I had a dream in which, Swami ji told me that you are sleeping here, who will take care of the oblation. After this, I returned back to Samana next morning. When I went to Mandir next morning Swami ji did not say anything to me. I started going there on my own after this and started taking part in oblation services. I didn't talk to anyone about my dream. On the first day of oblation, when Swami Hansraj Maharaj jj came to the feast, he looked at me but didn't speak. I tried to serve there for approximately two months. During this time, I never saw Swami Baldev ji resting or sleeping, although it was a long and big event. This is how I got bonded with him internally. After 2000-2001, I visited the Ashram for the first time. Swami Baldev Maharaj ji visited me at my residence and sometimes he visited in my families' absence and told me later on that he found a silver color lock on the door. I got married in 2006, and when I visited the mandir in Samana along with my wife, Swami ji bestowed his blessings upon my wife as Mother Annapurna Lakshmi. Since then, I have risen tremendously in my life. Swami ji named both my children as Kavita and Siddharth . Whatever work I have undertaken with Swami Ji's blessings has always proved to be fruitful for me. He always used to say that Sacha Dham Ashram is the living body of Swami Hansraj Maharaj ji . In 2012, he told me that recital of Shri Durga Mata scriptures should be done at my house. I was involved in an accident in March 2013, in which I survived miraculously. Swami ji unexpectedly visited my house following morning and said "It's Fine now". He used to say the he had firstly seen Lord Shiva and Mother Parvatiji. He himself got Mother Durga's"Pagan Pratishtha" at my house in 2017-18. He also told me that Swami Hansraj Maharajji gave some "Mevas" in a Silver bowl to him and said, whatever I had, I have given to you. Swami Hansraj Maharaj ji gave the duty of completion of Ashram to Swami Baldev ji and he dedicated his whole life towards achieving this, fed the poor, helped in educating many children and helped many poor girls for their marriage. He fed many "Sadhus" twice daily as well. Elucidation place was ShriSachaMahakaleshwar Mandir ,Samana where during 1997 oblation, he re idolised Shiv Linga, Ganesh ji, Hanuman ji, ArdhNarishwar God and Nandi ji. Shiv Mandir was handed over to Swami Baldev Maharaj ji by the family of Pandit Amarnath.
On the auspicious eve of “Tripadsha Ekadashi” on 23-05-2021 Swami Baldev Maharaj ji left for his heavenly abode. His” Agya Chakra” had turned absolutely white although he had dark complexion. It seemed as if his body had breathed last but his life was in his “Agya Chakra”. He was cremated on the bank of river Ganges, I saw a crack appearing on his skull and it seemed as if his life ended from there. It was 11- 11:30 A.M. and wasn’t the time for prayer in any Mandir but me and other people present there heard the prayers of Lord Shiva, bells ringing as well, which clearly indicates that he was a true spirit. This can only be felt but difficult to express. All of my experiences can neither be written nor do I have the ability to write them as he was a vast ocean of knowledge and wisdom.
May My Guruji’s wisdom will live long.
Kanyia Gupta
Patiala(Punjab)
THANKS KANYA JI FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND SHARING PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH SAMI BALDEV MAHARAJ JI
ReplyDeleteTHANKS NITIN DHAR. GREATLY APPRECIATE SHARING YOUR EMOTIONS ON THE SPRITUAL JOURNEY OF SWAMI BALDEV MAHARAJ JI
ReplyDeleteThis helps us in our spiritual journey.
ReplyDeleteThis helps us in our spiritual journey.
ReplyDeleteThanks dear Asha. Ultimately it is our Karmas and how we perform that our spiritual journey attains something similar to the saint hood. Appreciate that you recognise the ultimate truth of our being. Cheers!
ReplyDelete