Meetings with Maharaj 10

[Guest guest]

One day Mr. Mullarpattan, my translator asked me if I would like to

visit the samadhi of Sri Siddharameshwar ( Maharaj's Guru.) A samadhi

is sort of like a monument or gravestone commemorating a saint or

sage's grave. Although I wasn't sure if I would like to see it, I took

Mr. Pattan up on his invitation. It took us two doubledecker busses to

go from his house to the cremation ground by the Arabian Sea. Our

translator explained that although most people were cremated, some

enlightened beings were buried because they had already been cremated

by the fire of Self Knowledge. This was the case in Sri

Siddharameshwar's case. Cremated in life, it was unnecessaru to be

cremated in death. The place was kind of intense, with the grey Indian

Ocean in the back ground and the ashy empty biers. The samadhi was old.

Mr. Pattan brought the requisite articles for a puja, a banana, some

camphor, incense. We chanted and circumabulated the samadhi and he did

an aarti for us. It was more inspiring than I had imagined and I felt

moved and privilaged to be at this holy spot. I came to a deeper

reverence for Sri Siddharameshwar.

 

Years later I saw a video of Maharaj with his disciples at this same

samadhi, doing puja, chanting. I believe it was either a death

anniversary or so other important occassion. Having been there, I felt

that I understood the experience more deeply. Of Maharaj's reverence

for Siddharameshwar.

 

And in years after that, when I heard of Maharaj's own funeral, I could

visualize it taking place. Supposedly, he was taken on the back of a

truck, a brass band playing, the whole neighborhood turning out. Which

was interesting because they acted like he was just an ordinary guy.

Maharaj was cremated. But I think that is in keeping with the way he

lived, like a common man, no fanfare.