Yogacharya David at Sri Yukteswar’s Samdhi Temple
With the landmark “Sky Hotel” clearly in mind we turn into a narrow alleyway and drive down the length of a football field or so and take the second left onto an even more narrow drive, and from here we can see the yellow sign for Karar Ashram.
At last the proper time and place have come together, but what is this? Three or four minutes of ringing the bell brings no response, but at last an older man makes his way to the gate. It is a strange little gate, the narrow door opens in and immediately you are surrounded in a gated area that requires you to close the door before you are able to move into the grounds.
Our host speaks little English, but never-the-less speaks quite freely as he guides us to the meditation hall, never mind that we do not understand a single word he is saying. In the meditation hall we are allowed to peruse the pictures on the walls, one picture is missing from my time here before, of Sri Yukteswar taken after his Mahasamadhi.
He then walks us to the Samadhi Temple. Master came up with the general design and Sananda Lal Ghosh, Master’s artist brother drew up the plans. He unlocks the doors and leads us into the small mandir. He proudly indicates that it is he who keeps the temple and that all the plastic flowers adorning the place are his invention.
We ask to sit in meditation; he indicates only a short time is allowed. We sit, feeling the power of Sri Yukteswar’s Presence. Perhaps after ten minutes the attendant returns to close up the Samadhi temple. It is for this temple I have come and that I have been interested in Carla coming to experience; I do not feel complete with our time.
A verbal tussle ensues in which I inform the attendant that this is “not correct,” and we should be allowed more time. Meanwhile he is locking the place up. As we walk away I continue to strongly put forth our case. He replies in a few words of English and mostly his native tongue that the ashram swami has made the rules and he is helpless to change them. I was just reading a biography of Sri Yukteswarji and his rebellion against senseless rules and feel his blessing to do battle here.
Then suddenly, Carla Ma enters the fray. She says that we have come from U.S.A. for this purpose only, and suddenly the tide changes. He relents and opens the mandir once again, and indicates that if anyone else comes then we need to vacate the temple. We agree and he goes off.
We are given another half hour here, being absorbed in the presence and the power of the Master. Fifteen years previous I had felt the Master’s joy; today I feel his power. Toward the end we are feeling complete. Whatever was to be transferred has been accomplished and I feel ready to go. Just at that time the attendant returns with some other guest in tow; with gratitude we pronam to him. Sri Yukteswarji made us fight for him, but he also acquiesced. Jai Gurus, Jai Swami Sri Yukteswarji.
Our attendant has seemed to undergone some change since we arrived. Whereas he was grudging before; now he is all courtesy. I ask about Sri Yukteswar’s bedroom and he tells us that the Swami, who is not there, has the only key for that room. On my previous visit we had been given access to this room by the Swami, and it was powerful to be in that room.
However, today, our attendant offers to open a small room adjacent to Sri Yukteswar’s bedroom that I had not seen before. He says this was Sri Yukteswar’s puja room. There is barely room enough for Carla and me to be in this room at the same time. In the front is a picture of the fierce Kali Ma and next to it, our guide tells us, is Sri Yukteswar’s original picture of Lahiri Mahasaya. There are other pictures of all the Masters, and small statues of them as well.
This room is powerful, a sweet uplifting feeling is truly here. This “bonus room” is really a gift. I feel great gratitude for the transformation of our guide and his opening of this room for us. Perhaps he somehow saw that we were not casual tourists, but devotees of the Master and this opened his heart.
Oh Lord, Oh Sri Yukteswarji, You may challenge us to remain steadfast in our quest, you may not open the doors straight away, but when your heart is touched then, all the doors do open themselves, all the lights do light themselves, darkness like a dark bird flies away, oh flies away!
Thank you our dear Master, our beloved Param-para Guru.