Ramashram Satsang was founded in 1923 by Paramsant
Dr. Chaturbhuj Sahai Ji
at Etah U.P. to propagate the teachings of his samarth guru,
Paramsant Sri Ram Chandra ji Maharaj of Fatehgarh who had evolved a novel but simple new
method of imparting spiritual education (wisdom and knowledge). At Etah ,
this work was continued by him with unbounded zeal upto 1950; thereafter
considering the poor means of communication to Etah ( which sometimes
caused great inconvenience to the incoming visitors ) he shifted his
head-quarters and that of Ramashram Satsang to Mathura (U.P.).
With a view to spread the message of his Master to all parts of the country,
the idea of bringing out a monthly magazine was born. It was in August ,
1932 , when the first copy of the monthly “Sadhan” was published by him. “Sadhan”
now enters the 67th year of its publication. Many seekers of truth
came to have his Darshan and learn the new system of Sadhana, after being inspired by reading this monthly magazine.
Paramsant Dr. Chaturbhuj Sahai Ji was a deep thinker and a writer of
high calibre . He wrote extensively. His numerous publications in simple and lucid
Hindi are monumental contributions to the
proper understanding of the various aspects of Yoga. Rev. Doctor Sahib
also travelled very widely and founded numerous centres of Ramashram
Satsang, in towns and villages in different parts of the country, where seekers of
the ultimate knowledge could gather and practice “Sadhana” on the new system.
While leading the life of a Grihastha,
(house holder), this great saint of modern India depicted by his personal
example that it was not a condition precedent to leave the household and
the family for ultimate realisation of God. He maintained that any setting
was good enough for the purpose.
What impressed people most was his simplicity, deep sense of humanity and utter
humility. He never appeared to feel any difference between himself and
others and was never in the least obsessed with notions of distinctions
that he himself was the Enlightened
One, while others around him were languishing in bondage or
immersed in darkness or ignorance.
He was a real Tyagi(one who
renounces all) in the full and real sense of the term. Whenever he took
somebody under his guidance, he held himself responsible for the spiritual
advancement of the initiated. His personality had a unique charm which
attracted people towards him so much so, that they would simply cluster
round him just to have a glimpse of him. He was so serene and so handsome
that everyone’s eyes fell on him. Besides, he had a deep and abiding
sense of humour and a disarming smile.
He was an embodiment of peace and tranquillity. In his presence, one could
feel these as emanations; all doubts would vanish, the turbulence of the
mind would cease and peace would reign both within and without. No effort
was needed to attain these qualities. It was not the hard work and long
meditation on the part of the disciples but His grace that elevated the
disciples unto such spiritual heights. Love and affection flowed from his
heart, unabated and alike towards all. Everyone felt that he was probably
the most attached to the Great Master, much more near to him than anyone
else. While that was so, the Great Master kept himself completely detached
from everything, identifying
himself only with his Lord. That Light, which
is the life of all men, continued to emanate from him intensely and
unabatedly; the flame never flickered . It enlivened all those who sat
near him. In his presence the vision of the Absolute lay unfolded beneath
one’s own mortal eyes , and , happiness, peace and bliss radiated out
unceasingly , reflecting complete harmony and unison with the Nature.
All powers of the Universe seemed to emanate from him. He was indeed a true
image of God, nay, probably the God himself, before our very eyes. The end
of Sadhana seemed to be the beginning of it.
Indeed so many were his qualities that it would be impossible to enumerate them
or to dwell upon them. One may legitimately ask where did he get that
perfection . The answer is to be found in his Master. He was truly a
perfect disciple, an exact replica of his great Guru- Paramsant
Sri Ram Chandra Ji Maharaj (of Fatehgarh) whom he followed most
faithfully and whose great qualities and elements of perfection fully
reflected in him.
Paramsant Dr. Chaturbhuj Sahai Ji was
born in Sambat 1940 (November 3,1883) in a well known family of Etah District
U.P. When he was only 2 or 3 years old, his mother left for her heavenly
abode leaving his upkeep solely to the care of his father-Sri Ram Prasad
Ji. After completing his education, he came to Fatehgarh to practice in
medicine at the age of 18 years .He met his Gurudev in the year
1910-11 in connection with the treatment of Rev.Gurumata Ji
.Gradually thereafter,
he came into closer touch and received all the spiritual knowledge from
his Master. Soon he left his private practice to devote himself fully to
the fulfilment of the command which Paramsant Shri Ram Chandra Ji Sahib
gave him. The great changes and simplicity introduced by the great Master in the system
of initiating one into spiritual Sadhana
were fully brought home and explained in a clear and scientific manner. No
quarter was given to a dogmatic or orthodox ritualistic approach.
Uniqueness
of His Satsang
(i) His doors were open to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
There was no question of Adhikari or
Anadhikari (the deserving or the undeserving). He maintained that it
was the intrinsic spiritual strength in the Master that determined the
pull on the Sadhak to lift him
from his present mental plane of existence.
(ii)The age-old tradition of Master--disciple relationship was set aside; he
treated those who were about his age as his brothers, the younger ones as
sons. He introduced an era of informality without impairing discipline.
(iii) It was not the hard work and long meditation on the part of the Sadhak
(the beginner) but the grace of Him that elevated the new Sadhak
It was not so much as taking from the Sadhak;
it was more of giving to him. The responsibility for the spiritual
advancement of the Sadhak
rested more on the teacher than on the Sadhak
The teacher had to maintain himself continually at the highest level of
spiritual attainment.
(iv) The Sadhak had only to
receive, in the region of his heart, the light which emanated from the
Enlightened One and watch how that brought illumination within and
dispelled internal darkness and rendered the whole being pure and charged
with peace and bliss. Indeed that illumination could be felt in his
presence all the twenty-four hours. It was apparent that his mortal frame
was but a thin veil over the light of the Atman
that blazed within.
(v) Daily, 15 to 20 minutes in the morning and evening were enough for this Sadhana (spiritual practice). Everyone can easily afford this little time .
Besides, one had not to leave any Puja
or system of worship or meditation, in case he was practising one . The
new Sadhana
was to supplement what was being practised, if at all.
(vi) The system prescribed was simple, devoid of rigour and afforded universal
adaptation by people in any walk of life. No special sitting style was
necessary. The practice could be done while staying in any convenient
posture.
(vii) All Sadhaks
old or the new , attained in his presence same levels of spiritual
heights; of course, the capabilities of the young and the old Sadhaks
differed in the matter of retaining themselves at those levels.
(viii) A balance was always advocated between one’s conduct in both the worlds
- the pysical and the spiritual. Due attention was required to be paid,
towards the two, and all the duties in both the domains were to be
fulfilled faithfully.
(ix) The realisation of the exalted plane of perfect peace, tranquillity and
bliss was constant and fully real. The ultimate goal in Sadhanawas laid
open to every eye and heart. The end of Sadhana
was the beginning of it.
The seeker of Truth got his vision and knew what stage had to be reached
by constant practice. In this process, there was no room for suspicion and
no room for imagination. One had to start concentrating on the real. And
in case of difficulty, one had only to go to the Master to get that light
again.
(x) No defects were pointed out verbally. One realised them and saw them
disappearing gradually with the grace of the Master. Great time was thus
saved in fighting to remove what the internal mind (Mann)had
come to acquire erroneously.
(xi) Deep affection towards all and a sense of renunciation and detachment got
inculcated within.
(xii) It was first the love and affection, all for the Master, then for all
those who came to him and sat near; lastly towards all beings of the
Nature as every thing appeared to be a manifestation of Him .
These things still form the edifice of Ramashram Satsang (Mathura).
Having shown the path to thousands of men and women going astray and after
completing his part of the job, Paramsant Dr. Chaturbhuj Sahai Ji left
his mortal frame in the early hours of September 24, 1957 and became one
with his Lord .He still guides the work of the Mission through his cosmic
form.
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