Devaraha Baba
(The following piece is based on translation from the book Siddha Sant aur Yogi by Sri Shambhu Ratna Tripathi)
Accomplished yogis occur in every period. India doesn’t lack in great saints, and while it is true that such great personalities are not easily accessible, Sri Sri 1008 Brahmarshi Yogiraj Devraha Baba was an exception. He was a repository of innumerable siddhis, incomparable experiential spiritual insights, and absolute detachment. People from all walks of life had a claim on His love. Not just humans, even animals bowed at His feet for His blessings. Natural forces acted as per His directions. Thousands of devotees from across the world regularly flocked near Him, including famous ones like Dr Rajendra Prasad, Indira Gandhi, George the Fifth, etc.
Unchanging Physique
Sri Devraha Baba was an extraordinary personality. Nobody knows His date of birth, place, age etc. His 70-80 years old devotees said they hadn’t seen any change in His physique since they first saw Him. Several evidences suggest He was more than two hundred years old. With His yogic capacities He avoided bodily deterioration. For more than forty years, He resided on His machan in Saryu river near Mahal and Nariyanv settlements, 5 miles west of Lar station in Devariya district of Uttar Pradesh. Baba had undertaken great penance for a long time in caves in south India. He always resided on the banks of holy rivers, and for a long time, He resided only on a boat.
All-powerful Saint
Sri Devraha Baba was an all-powerful, trikalgya (knows past, present and future) saint. Innumerable memories of His miracles are stored in the hearts of lakhs of devotees. Baba didn’t put up a show, but the mercy He bestowed to relieve the devotees’ suffering showcased His divinity. Baba was an amazing confluence of knowledge and austerity. He had absolute control over hunger, thirst, sleep etc. Cold, heat, rain never troubled His body. Nobody had ever seen Baba read, but when He spoke, He quoted so many scriptures that it surprised many great scholars. He solved the most complicated scriptural questions with great ease. Limitless compassion for all creatures was most remarkable about His personality. Anybody approaching His feet receives His benevolence.
Directing the nature
Once when Baba was on excursion in Devariya, the farmers there told Him that the land at Saryu’s banks was eroding fast, reducing their fields and thus their livelihood. Baba asked for His machan to be built at the shore and He stayed there. Thence, the erosion stopped. There were many Babool trees near Baba’s machan. Babool has thorns, but the one’s near Baba’s machan had none.
The inhabitants of the jungle obeyed Him. Once in the presence of devotees, three foxes came near His machan. Baba threw some prasad at them. They ate it and withdrew to the jungle. The astonished people, out of curiosity, requested Him to call them back. In a few moments the foxes reappeared, ate prasad, and left again. Kumbh was underway in Haridwar. A Mahant’s (high priest) elephant had gone crazy. Police was ordered to shoot it, but the constable who was supposed to fire the bullet was hesitating because he didn’t want to kill an elephant on the auspicious occasion of Kumbh. So, he went to Baba. Baba gave him 2 fruits, one for himself and one for the elephant and instructed him to give it to the elephant with a namaskar. The constable obeyed. The crazy elephant quietly ate the fruit. Then it reached into his pocket for the other one. The constable uttered – “but that’s mine!”. The elephant immediately withdrew its trunk. After that it participated fully in the fair.
Baba was staying at Ganga-ghat in Varanasi. Some devotees were trying to reach Him on a boat. The only boat available for hire was dilapidated. A saint approached them and warned them against getting in it. But the boatman boasted- “C’mon, I’ll take you across in five minutes.” The group got in. As the boat reached mid-stream, intense hail-storm took over. Ganges water rose in high waves shaking the boat, threatening to break and drown it. As the people in the boat began chanting Baba’s name, miracle happened. The hail was falling everywhere except around the boat, and they safely reached the shore, without any effort from the boatman. As those people wondered, Baba scolded the boatman- “when you cannot manage the boat why did you make them sit?”
There are many other incidents of Baba commanding nature.
Miraculous curing of incurable diseases
Baba’s prasad has immense power, consuming which can has cured dire illnesses of many people. Famous author Mr Indranarayan Gurtu suffered from heart disease. He couldn’t even speak and was hospitalized. One of his friends came to Baba. Baba gave him two oranges and told he’ll be well after drinking their juice. When the friend returned to Delhi, he was told at the hospital that the doctors had given up. Mr Gurtu’s friend juiced the oranges and had him drink it. At around 4 o clock, Mr Gurtu sat up on his bed and started chanting SitaRam SitaRam at the top of his voice. He had fully recovered. The doctors were amazed.
Dr Bal ji Sahay was Baba’s devotee. His daughter Ms Gita suffered from a terrible boil in the liver. The doctors were hesitant to operate on it. The girl was in much pain. One night, when only her mother was awake beside Gita, she clearly saw Baba near Gita’s cot. Baba moved His hand over the boil and disappeared. Very next day, it burst and all the waste ebbed away. She was completely fine within a week.
Devotee Mr Gurudutt Singh SDO was visiting the Devariya Ashram. He had been unable to sit straight for the last sixteen years, despite many treatments. Baba said to him in a loud voice- “You have no illness. Whatever was, is no more. I order you to sit straight.” Mr Singh just sat up straight. Sixteen-year-old malady was cured in a moment.
Curing an English woman from evil spirit
Mrs Edna Pytrika Tomlinson was infested by an evil spirit. She thought that India’s famous magician P C Sirkar could cure her of it, so she came to India in 1965. P C Sirkar was in Japan then. By luck, she met Calcutta High Court’s Justice Prashant Vihari Mukhopadhyay who was a devotee of Devraha Baba. He sent her to Baba. Baba was living in Jhunsi, Prayag in those days. Baba conversed with her through a translator. He even gave many descriptions of her house. Her mother practised occult and she had sent this spirit after her own daughter. Baba liberated the spirit, and the woman returned to her country. Baba had given her mantra-diksha.
Countless such experiences have been shared about Sri Devraha Baba. His devotees firmly believe He is omniscient, knows what is in each heart. Baba definitely helps those who pray to Him in trouble.
For a long time Baba was engaged in public welfare. Lakhs of people have received His guidance, help in crisis, spiritual gains. Saint Giridhardas Brahmchari has rightly said, “He who is the place of salvation, initiator of all knowledge and abode of all shastras; is sacrifice, detachment, wisdom and devotion personified; has manifested as Brahmarishi for dharm, cow, saints’ well-being, and removal of Kaliyug’s filth…. Without seeking His lotus-feet sadgati is impossible. The King of Yogis, out of His inclination for every being’s welfare, sees all beings in Himself.”
Sri Devraha Baba did not propound a new tradition or group. He was engaged in establishing Vedic tradition and Shastras’ teachings. The spiritual discipline He taught was very easy and rewarding. In reference to sadhana He says- “All forms are God’s form. Any form that pulls towards God should be targeted. Eventually the light will come there. It is better to have a Sadguru’s guidance. The target can be somebody God-like, or the sadhak her/himself. The objective of meditation is one-pointedness of mind and directed at the One. In god-thinking, both name and form of the target are vital. Thinking the name itself causes thinking of the form. For god-thinking, satsang (good company) and Guru’s grace are needed. Once you start enjoying god-thinking, the sattva qualities will enhance. When that happens, all worldly affairs start to seem auspicious, and you will enjoy performing even the hardest of tasks. Suffice it to say, God’s name destroys all inauspicious and grants eternal bliss. God’s name and glory’s remembrance has boundless power.”
Baba left for His eternal abode in Vrindavan in 1990. People continue to receive His love and guidance both visibly and indirectly.
