Table of Contents
Introduction
This article is based on several citations on the internet and other media, related to Haidakhan Babaji. The author of this article does not vouch for any of the incidents mentioned herewith nor does he associate himself with the mentioned facts.
The interest of the author only lies in the underlying faith system that forms the fundamental fabric of Sanatana Dharma. This article is primarily aimed at generating interest in the science of Siddhi, Yoga, and Sadhana that underlies Sanatana Dharma.
Origin of Haidakhan Babaji
Babaji, originally appeared in the year 1800. People believe that Haidakhan Babaji disappeared in the year 1948 and resurfaced once again in the year 1970 for the second time.
The accounts mentioned here relate to the first appearance of Haidakhan wale baba around the 1800s. In his first appearance as Haidakhan wale Baba, people addressed him as Babaji.
Many also knew him then as the Mahavatara, Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj.
The Descent of a Divine Light on Earth
A certain nameless place exists 80 kilometers towards the east of Nainital in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Around the year 1800, this happened.
Some of the locals suddenly witnessed a shiny bright spark, (Jyoti in Sanskrit), traveling over the top of a hill, pitted against a picturesque landscape.
The Jyoti appeared to grow large. Then it flickered for a while before it seemed to vanish. People observed a similar phenomenon, a few days later. The pious villagers of the region realized that the Jyoti signified the appearance of a certain deity.
In a few days, some of the villagers gathered around the hill and delivered Bhajan (Holy singing of devotional songs). On yet another day, the Jyoti reappeared and from that Jyoti, a divine youth walked out. The limbs of the youth seemed to indicate that he could be no more than 20 years of age.
Appearance of Haidakhan Babaji
The innocent villagers could not believe what they saw and many of them turned emotional with tears rolling down their cheeks. Some of them approached the youth and requested him to remain with all of them.
The villagers invited the youth to stay with one Dhan Singh, who happened to be the forest guard, of the region. Dhan Singh became fond of the young lustrous lad.
People started addressing the youth as Babaji (Literally means “father”). Dhan Singh would lock Babaji into his room, every day before he left for work. He did so for the fear that Babaji would leave the villagers without informing them.
Reincarnation of Haidakhan Babaji
People did not want Babaji to go. On one such day, Dhan Singh went to work, having locked Babaji in his room.
That evening he returned and surprisingly found Babaji missing. People stood dumbfounded and wondered how Babaji could disappear. Such was his Siddhi.
They failed to understand that if Babaji could appear from a flame floating in the sky then what could stop him from just disappearing?
A few months later the Baba appeared once again in a nearby village by the name Haidakhan. Haidakhan appears to be slang for the village Hiriya Khand.
Hiriya Khand in the Pahadi Language literally translates as “a purified piece of land”. Haidakhan situates itself around a small village in the Kumaon Region of Eastern Uttar Pradesh (Now in Uttarakhand).
The place prospers on the bank of river Gautama-Ganga, at the foothills of the great Kailash Mountains. In this mountain, on the banks of the same river, exists a beautiful cave.
Haidakhan Babaji builds a temple and an Ashram
Babaji appeared inside that cave and continued to stay there. He went on to construct a beautiful temple and an adjoining Ashram, on the opposite side of the cave.
The temple seemed to have a unique shape, not seen anywhere in that region.
Many of the old people recollected stories told to them by their parents about how Babaji came up with the temple and Ashram.
Babaji would mark certain areas of the rocks around and ask the villagers to cull out slabs from those rocks.
Babaji himself would participate in the nitty-gritty of the temple building and would work along with the villagers.
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Haidakhan Babaji: Pranpratishtha of Shiva Linga
In the newly constructed temple, the Baba installed a three-faced Shivalinga. He did the Prana Pratishtha of the Lingam.
Prana Pratishtha literally means infusing or invoking the personified deity into the installed Lingam. Due to this process, people may experience the presence of the deity for real. Some sensitive and awakened villagers could hear the breathing of the Shiva Lingam.
Baba continued to stay in the cave and also attracted many devotees by his very aura. As time passed, a small population of the people called him Haidakhan wale Baba which literally means “the Baba from Haidakhan”.
Many of his devotees and disciples belonged to the erudite community. They came from the Indian Administrative services, from the Academics field and many also worked in the science field. Autumn of 1861 bears great relevance.
Haidakhan Babaji: Lahiri Mahashaya Reunites with Babaji
A certain Shyam Lahiri from the Military Engineering Department of the British Government in Ranikhet, came to see Babaji.
Babaji met him with a different other-worldly fervor and camaraderie. Babaji instantly initiated him into Kriya Yoga and blessed him with realization.
Shyam Charan Lahiri remembered his previous births and also had reminiscences of Babaji’s prior associations with him.
He happened to be one of the prominent associates of Babaji in his previous lifetime.
With the blessings of Babaji, Shyam Charan Lahiri soon attained perfect Siddhi.
People then recognized Shyam Charan as Lahiri Mahashaya of Ranikhet.
Miracles of Haidakhan Babaji
The book “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahamsa Yogananda of the YSS (Yogoda Satsanga Association) has attained world fame.
Here the Yogi discusses in detail the many pastimes of Lahiri Mahashaya and his meeting with the great Babaji. Paramahamsa Yogananda became the disciple of Yukteshwar Giri whose Guru happened to be none other than Lahiri Mahashaya.
Around that time Babaji displayed many of his miraculous powers.
He attained different names such as Tryambak Baba (as he revealed his third eye to a few people), Shiva Baba, Muni Baba, Maha Munindra, etc.
Babaji never stayed at any one place continuously. He established many Ashrams like Dhana Doriya Ashram in Ranikhet, Katgharia in Haldwani, Kurpatal Ashram in Nainital, Siddhashram in Sheetalkhet, and Chedo Ashram in Almora.
In order that people regain their faith in the spiritual, he often sported many miracles. Like Babaji, even the famous Tat Wale baba displayed many Miracles.
Babaji gave his Darshanam to many of his devotees simultaneously present at many different locations all around Bharat. He also performed miracles such as bringing back the dead by just sprinkling water on the dead body.
Babaji sits for Meditation on the burning pyre
Many people still recount the miracles of Babaji, having heard of these miracles from their grandparents or great-grandparents. Babaji would often sit on a wooden pyre and perform meditation, as the pyre engulfed him with roaring flames.
He would sit calmly inside the burning pyre for several hours and emerge untouched from the ashes that lay under him. Also, people saw him offer water to the sacrificial fire at the Altar, instead of clarified butter! Whenever he offered water, people saw the flames rising higher, quite unusually.
Many people still recount the miracles of Babaji, having heard of these miracles from their grandparents or great-grandparents. Babaji would often sit on a wooden pyre and perform meditation, as the pyre engulfed him with roaring flames.
He never consumed cereal food. No one ever saw Babaji consume water or attend nature’s call. He neither gossiped nor did he ever sleep.
A Christian School Principal Becomes a Devotee
Events of unusual nature became popular among the devotees. Once in Ranikhet, a Principal of a school, Christian by birth, went to see Babaji. He had heard from people, about Babaji offering water to the sacrificial altar.
The Principal wanted to verify this fact. This man came to know the fact as plain Truth when he saw Babaji offering water, to the sacrificial fire, collected from a nearby well.
As Babaji started offering water, the flames rose as high as 8 to 10 meters and the heat also increased in intensity. Immediately the School Principal, although, Christian by birth, held Babaji’s feet and remained Babaji’s ardent devotee, ever since.
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