Different kinds of samādhi

“Once a sādhu of Hrishikesh came here. He said to me: ‘There are five kinds of samādhi.

I find you have experienced them all. In these samādhis one feels the sensation of the Spiritual Current to be like the movement of an ant, a fish, a monkey, a bird, or a serpent.’

“Sometimes the Spiritual Current rises through the spine, crawling like an ant.

“Sometimes in samādhi the soul swims joyful in the ocean of divine ecstasy, like a fish.

“Sometimes, when I lie down on my side, I feel the Spiritual Current pushing me like a monkey and playing with me joyfully. I remain still.

That Current, like a monkey, suddenly with one jump reaches the Sahasrara. That is why you see me jump up with a start.

“Sometimes, again, the Spiritual Current rises like a bird hopping from one branch to another. The place where it rests feels like fire. It may hop from Muladhara to Svadhisthana, from Svadhisthana to the heart, and thus gradually to the head.

“Sometimes, again, the Spiritual Current moves up like a snake. Going in a zigzag way, at last it reaches the head and I go into samādhi.

Awakening of Kundalini

“A man’s spiritual consciousness is not awakened unless his kundalini is aroused.

“The kundalini dwells in the Muladhara. Then it is aroused, it passes along the Sushumna nerve, goes through the centres of Svadhisthana, Manipura, and so on, and at last reaches the head. This is called the movement of Mahāvāyu , the Spiritual Current. It culminates in samādhi.

“One’s spiritual consciousness is not awakened by the mere reading of books. One should also pray to God. The kundalini is aroused if the aspirant feels restless for God. To talk of knowledge from mere study and heresay! What will that accomplish?

“Just before my attaning this state of mind, it had been revealed to me how the kundalini is aroused, how the lotuses of the different centres blossom forth, and how all this culminates in samādhi. This is a very secret experience.

I saw a boy 22 or 23 years old, exactly resembling me, enter the Sushumna nerve andcommune with the lotuses touching them with his tongue. He bagan with the centre at the anus and passed through the centres at the sexual organ, naval, and so on.

The different lotuses of those centres-four-petalled, six-petalled, ten-petalled, and so forth- had been drooping at his touch they stood erect. “When he reached the heart-I distinctly remember it-and communed with the lotuses there, touching it with his tongue, the twelve-petalled lotus, which was hanging head down, stood erect and open its petals. Then he came to the sixteen-petalled lotus in the throat and two petalled lotus in the forehead. And last of all, the thousand-petalled lotus in the head blossomed. Since then I have been in this state.”

Sri Ramakrishna came down to the floor and sat near Mahimacharan. M. and a few other devotees were near him. Rakhal also was in the room.

MASTER (to Mahima): “For a long time I have wanted to tell you my spiritual experiences, but I could not. I feel like telling you today.

Master’s intimate vision of God

“You say that by mere sādhanā one can attain a state of mind like mine. But it is not so.

There is something special here [referring to himself].”

Rakhal, M., and the others became eager to hear what the Master was going to say.

MASTER: “God talked to me. It was not merely His vision. Yes, He talked to me. Under the banyan-tree I saw Him coming from the ganges. Then we laughed so much! By way of playing with me He cracked my fingers. Then He talked. Yes, He talked to me.

“For three days I wept continuously. And He revealed to me what is in the Vedas, the Puranas, the Tantras, and the other scriptures.

Master’s vision of māyā

“One day He showed me the māyā of Mahamaya. A small light inside a room began to grow, and at last it enveloped the whole universe.' “Further, He revealed to me a huge reservoir of water covered with green scum. The wind moved a little of the scum and immediately the water became visible; but in the twinkling of an eye, scum from all sides came dancing in and again covered the water.

He revealed to me that the water was like Satchidananda, and the scum like māyā. On account of māyā, Satchidananda is not seen. Though now and then one may get a glimpse of It, again māyā covers It.

Master saw devotees before their arrival “God reveals the nature of the devotees to me before they arrive. I saw Chaitanya’s party singing and dancing near the Panchavati, between the banyan-tree and the bakul- tree. I noticed Balarām there. If it weren’t: for him, who would there be to supply me with sugar candy and such things? (Pointing to M.) And I saw him too.“I had seen Keshab before I actually met him-I had seen him and his party in my samādhi.

In front of me sat a roomful of men. Keshab looked like a peacock sitting with its tail spread out. The tail meant his followers. I saw a red gem on Keshab’s head. That indicated his rajas. He said to his disciples, ‘Please listen to what he [meaning the Master] is saying.’ I said to the Divine Mother: ‘Mother, these people hold the views of “Englishmen”. Why should I talk to them?’ Then the Mother explained to me that it would be like this in the Kaliyuga.

“Keshab and his followers got from here [meaning himself] the names of Hari and the Divine Mother: That is why the Divine Mother took Vijay away from Keshab’s party. But Vijay did not join the Adi Samaj.

(Pointing to himself) “There must be something special here. Long ago a young man named Gopal Sen used to visit me. He who dwells in me placed His foot On Gopal’s chest. Gopal said in an ecstatic mood: ‘you will have to wait here a long time. I cannot live any more with worldly people.’ He took leave of me. Afterwards I heard that he was dead. Perhaps he was born as Nityagopal.

About Narendra

I have had many amazing visions. I had a vision of the Indivisible Satchidananda. Inside It I Saw two groups with a fence between them. On one side were Kedār, Chuni, and other devotees who believe in the Personal God. On the other side was a luminous space like a heap of red brick-dust. Inside it was seated Narendra immersed in samādhi. Seeing him absorbed in meditation, I called aloud, ‘Oh, Narendra!’ He opened his eyes a little. I came to realize that he had been born, in another form, in Simla in a kayastha family. At once I said to the Divine Mother, ‘Mother, entangle him in māyā; otherwise he will give up his body in samādhi.’

Kedār, a believer in the Personal God, peeped in and ran away with a shudder.