He could often be found walking around the ashram. He walked slowly, with tiny steps, and always looked down at the road ahead of him, immersed in contemplation. Occasionally, he raised his head and looked at the passer-by. He had a very sharp and piercing gaze. When our eyes met, literally, a few moments were enough to feel the amazing spiritual power of this man.
Ratan Lal made an indelible impression on me, not because he preached the philosophy of Advaita, as there was nothing special about it. Many teachers easily and effectively ranted about the high teachings of Advaita. What was important for me in this man was not words, but what I felt in his presence.
I came to his lectures and just listened. I had no questions. I simply enjoyed the energy and depth of his words. Subsequently, I developed a close and friendly relationship with Ratan Lal. I often talked with him outside of lectures, and we conversed on various topics.
44. The Amazing Life of Ratan Lal
Ratan Lal was born and raised in the west of India, in the city of Mumbai, which at that time was called Bombay. From a very early age he was interested in philosophy, mysticism, and meditation. In Mumbai, Ratan Lal visited various spiritual centers and read many books. One day he met a mystic named Nirmala Maharaj. At first, their communication was rather superficial, later Ratan Lal became his close student.
Ratan Lal's greatest desire was to be initiated into mantra practice. But much to his surprise, Nirmala Maharaj refused him initiation, and explained that for the young Ratan Lal he had prepared a completely different system of practices. Nirmala Maharaja advised Ratan Lal to meditate on his reflection in a mirror.
Ratan Lal followed the Guru's recommendation and put a large mirror in his room. Every morning he concentrated on his own reflection for a long time. This practice completely transformed the young man. Behind his usual human form, which he saw in the mirror, Ratan Lal more and more began to feel the presence of infinite cosmic consciousness.
Nirmala Maharaj lived in another city, and he stopped coming to Mumbai. This happened right after he initiated Ratan Lal into the amazing practice of meditation on his reflection in the mirror. After some time, Ratan Lal learned of an amazing saint who lived in the south of India: Sathya Sai Baba.
He first met Sathya Sai Baba in the mid-sixties. Ratan Lal realized that in order to gain enlightenment, one's own effort in the practice of meditation is not enough, one needs divine grace.
Only a teacher of the highest level can bring down the divine grace, which completely transforms the spiritual state of the student. In 1965, Ratan Lal felt he could not leave Puttaparthi, he realized he must live his whole life next to Sathya Sai Baba. Ratan Lal left his body in 2005. For the long and happy forty years of his life from 1965 to 2005, he lived without a break in Puttaparthi, next to Sathya Sai Baba.
The essence of the philosophy that Ratan Lal preached was simple. The only thing that is obvious to any person is the feeling "I Am" … "I exist." The feeling of one's "I" is the central experience of being for every living being. "I" think, "I" speak, and "I" act. Since ancient times, Vedanta philosophy has asked the greatest question: who is the "I"? Ratan Lal guided people on the path of self-exploration and self-contemplation. In his opinion, the role of Sathya Sai Baba in the process of spiritual self-knowledge was enormous.
Ratan Lal said that practicing meditation or studying philosophy is not enough. Sathya Sai Baba is a divine teacher, an Avatar, who possessed the greatest spiritual power, it was his blessings that helped people go along the endless path of self-knowledge of the higher Self.
45. My acquaintance with Padananda, the owner of one of the wonderful Lingams materialized by Sathya Sai Baba from his mouth
One of the most important holidays that was celebrated in the ashram was the night of Shivaratri. In the 60s, on this very night, Sathya Sai Baba, in the presence of a huge number of people, performed the miracle of the materialization of Lingams directly from the mouth.
A Lingam is a mystical egg-shaped object that symbolizes the mythological cosmic egg. The image of the cosmic egg as a source of life is found in many Vedic traditions, including among the Slavs. In the 60s, Sathya Sai Baba, on the night of Shivaratri, could materialize sometimes one, sometimes five, or even six Lingams.
I have always been interested in the fate of these unique objects of power. I managed to find out that Sathya Sai Baba gave some of the Lingams to some of his students. Among the lucky ones was Dr. Kasturi, who in those years was Sathya Sai Baba's closest assistant. Some of these Lingams, born during Shivaratri, were given by Sathya Sai Baba to major politicians in India, in particular to the Prime Minister.
I was told that a man named Padananda lived in the ashram, who was the happy owner of one of the Lingams. At first it was hard to believe that there was a person in the ashram who had such a unique object of great divine power at home on the altar. I decided to find out where this man lived and, if possible, to meet him.
It is important to remember that the Sathya Sai Baba ashram is a huge area, almost like a whole city, and if you want to find someone, it can be very difficult. I was informed that Padananda was in seclusion and had not left his room for many years. He spent all his time in meditation and prayer. At first, I was very sad, because I thought I would not have the opportunity to see and communicate with him.
But I was very fortunate when I learned that Padananda still sometimes interrupted his seclusion to receive visitors in his room. Once a week, the doors of his room were opened, and anyone could come, talk, ask questions, and most importantly, see the wonderful Lingam. I found out on which of the next days he would receive visitors and went to him in the hope of touching the unique Lingam.
Padananda's life story is quite amazing. His mother was one of the first devotees of Sai Baba. She came to the ashram when it was just under construction. Seeing Sathya Sai Baba, she realized he was not an ordinary teacher, but a divine incarnation. She felt that she could not leave him and moved permanently to Puttaparthi.
The young Padananda was a spiritual seeker from a very young age, who constantly traveled around India, studying the scriptures, visiting the Himalayas, and associating with yogis. Of course, he knew well about Sathya Sai Baba, since his mother lived in the ashram. At first, young Padananda did not want to live in Puttaparthi. Gradually, Padananda, nevertheless, realized the spiritual greatness of Sathya Sai Baba and decided to stop endless travels in the Himalayas and settled in Puttaparthi.
Padananda told me various touching stories about his mother. He recalled that in the last years of her life, his mother gave him three testaments. The first was that he should never leave Puttaparthi. Her second testament was he should never leave Sathya Sai Baba. The third sounded strange, and Padananda himself liked to joke about it. His mother foresaw that many people would come to him for spiritual advice and guidance. She bequeathed him to treat all his visitors with sweets. Laughing at this touching testament of his mother, before dismissing the visitors from his room, Padananda would give a few sweets to each, saying this was a gift from his mother.
The Lingam given to Padananda by Sathya Sai Baba was very small. Outwardly, it was silvery in color, but it would be a mistake to assume that this Lingam was really silver. The Lingams that Sathya Sai Baba materialized were of unearthly origin, so even if some Lingam could have a golden or silver color, this did not mean it was gold or silver. There were cases when some people tried to check the objects materialized by Sathya Sai Baba in various laboratories, and it turned out they were from an alloy unknown on earth.
After Sathya Sai Baba gave Padananda the wonderful Lingam, his life changed completely. Padananda used the Lingam for meditation purposes. He would bring the Lingam to the mid-eyebrow and meditate for hours every day.