Don't come to me - I have nothing to offer

Shri 1008 Baba Balak Das ji 

Author: Kapil Kumar 
Venue: Bhawali, Uttrakhand. 

Baba Narmadashankar was in Delhi. He went to the Austrian Embassy for visa so that he could pay a visit to his parents there. The visa interview went fine except for the fact that the Austrians didn't like Baba Narmadshankar's Indian Citizenship. But, that did not come in the way of he being getting a Visa. 

Interviewer : Your mother lives in Austria - and you love mother India - How that's so?

Austria has my biological mother - My real mother is Maa Narmada - I can't live without her

His holiness Baba Bramachari Naramadashankar ji 

From Embassy we were about to return home than Baba Narmadashankar thought to give someone a call. He dialled a number & someone lady picked up the phone.... I could make out that the person on the other side has highest respect for him. She was Chandra Das ji on the other side - a beautiful sadhvi from Austria who left everything for Hanuman ji. As Chandra Das ji invited Baba Narmadashankar to her ashram in Jewar, we started for her place. It was just 155 kms from Delhi and from Yamuna Expressway it was a cake walk till Jewar and than to reach the ashram the real ordeal began.

All time Smiling Shri Chandar Das ji 

But the day was too hot and n Uttar Pradesh it was hotter it seems. There were BIG potholes in the roads - rather they should not be termed as roads. We could hardly feel comfortable though we were riding a jeep. Slowly facing all odds we reached the Ashram gates. There was BIG lock at the gates. Suddenly, we saw a smiling face rushing towards our side. She was Chandra Das ji.

Jai ho Mahatma - Jai to Baba ki - she greeted

Narmade har - replied baba Narmadashankar

It was quite a story how Chandra Das ji got her name. She hails from Austria and was in the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal where she met her Dada Guru Baba Atma Das ji Tyagi Maharaj up in the mountains. He left a luxurious ashram life to live as a hermit again in the hills. Happy with her sewa he gave her name Chandra Das so that she isn't being harassed by bad elements.

Chandra Das ji  in her ashram - she loves trees & Hanuman ji 

It was a long way from the gate to the ashram inside. Full of trees and silence - we quietly followed Chandra Das ji finally to reach Baba Balak Das ji. To my surprise he was working like any other ashram sewak or devotee - there was not an inch of ego in him being an owner of a BIG ashram he was doing all the work by his own. Intially, I took him as an egoist  Sadhu but I was wrong. He was down to earth and believed in Karma Yoga. 

The highest form of worship is KARMA yoga - just do your work and the gods are happy - baba Balak Das

Baba Balak Das ji & Baba Naramdashankar ji 

But the way he treated Baba Naramdashankar was a treat to the eye. Both the monks touched the ground after seeing each other - as if they saluted the Supreme Soul inside them. We were offered water, tea and stomach full delicious food. I asked Baba Balak Das 

Why you put a lock on the ashram gate - aren't ashram gates be open to all

People only come here for their selfish goals and I m no magician to to fulfill them all and also they have bad motives sometimes - they think I have the third eye and I can get them some kind of a treasure - fools  - He replied

But people want to meet you to -  I said 

Only if they want to learn Bhakti - I am 24 hrs available - they want to learn karma yoga - I m here for them - he said 

His words were fast and to the point. He never went to school perhaps but his wisdom and there experience and knowledge is beyond comparison. But I was hooked to him. Suddenly, some villagers came to see him. They came to invite him to the wedding ceremonies  of their kins. Off course they brought some sweets, some gifts and fruits for him. But he did not keep any of them. He distributed each and everything there and than. He did not want to keep anything for himself. 

His gesture reminded me of Neem Karoli Baba Maharaj - he never kept anything for himself. 

baba Balak Das Learning a one sound harmonium from his student Chandra Das

Trust is a BIG thing - he taught us

This came out of the blue but may be at a time when I needed this. He said whatever you do have trust in yourself and the work you do otherwise results cannot be the way you like. Put you soul in the work than you become like Hanuman - a resemblance of pure heart, work and unconditional sewa to Ram. 

Baba Balak Das comes from Ramanadi Sampradaya which practices non attachment. They don't keep anything to themselves. Everythin comes and goes. 

Only God is permanent rest everything will vanish - so why to run after things that will vanish lets hold on to Hanuman ji  - he taught us. 

His disciple Chandra Das ji told us that he has an immense following in the area but he keeps himself aloof. Though the ashram gates are locked but his heart is always open. He is a paramhansa.

in conversation on Diet - Baba Balak Das & Baba Naramdashankar 

In the evening Baba Balak Das sang bhajans on his dhuni - literally he can send anyone into trance. He has that divine voice with him. The Next morning we had a breakfast talk on food and diet. Both the monks turned into farmers and had in depth knwoledge about food growth and their usage. It was a great experience meeting a sadhu who was practising non attachment.

He was half here and half there like all other enlightened souls

siya ram