Page 84 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

following the path of sufferance, patience, forgiveness and resig- nation. amidst storm, rain or winter, hansdevji Maharaj carried on his Sadhana cheerfully and unperturbed in only a loin cloth. shrutanandaji also told us that Babaji even left his drinking vessel behind as he went forward in his pilgrimage and never kept back anything. Not to grow any fondness for the particular tree under which he took shelter for the night he never spent more than two consecutive days under it. after following a continued austere life for twelve years or more he received the title avadhoot. “Gujar gayi gujran, kya jhopdi kya makan” was his thought. Whenever he needed to take rest he would sleep there with a relaxed mind on the dry leaves he gathered. Those who do not have worldly thirst in their hearts, satisfaction ever resides with them.
One day we went to swami shrutanandaji’s residence which was near our house with the intention of hearing some religious discourse. as the local people addressed him as Babaji we too addressed him that way. Babaji could not converse in Bengali but could understand if we talked in that language. Once we asked him about ‘Dhyana’ (Meditation), i have written down the crux of what he explained in his own language.
he said that the three propensities i.e Satvik, Rajasika and Tamasika are there in every man which flows through his mind from time to time. When the feeling of Satvika rises in one’s mind then he should sit down to meditate. at this point the mind concentrates quickly and the end-result is satisfying. There is no hard and fast rule for the time of meditation as the mind does not follow any rule. One can be in this meditative state for two to three hours or more. But meditation does not turn out to be fruitful if the mind is in a state where Rajasika or Tamasika propensities are strong. at such a time the mind should be convinced “O friend, for how many lives have you been enjoying worldly affairs ever since the time the universe experienced a cycle of creation? are you contented? O ignorant! You have yet not received your contentment even though you have enjoyed worldly affairs. When will you know that real happiness does not lie in these worldly pleasures. Turn your back to these pleasures which are transient. Be indifferent to them, to all
62 Kailashpati