The manavata in kashmir bloomed from these beautiful meadows of wild flowers VANPOH in Anantanag,where the Supreme master brought into being the Emperor Of Kashmir,Swami Gobind Koul Ji Maharaj

 

 

               

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lord for his part is an ocean of excellence. All the virtues existing in the totality of living beings in the world ever when put together, do not compare even with a drop of ocean of excellences existing in the living beings who are external, transcendental, gleaming with spiritual unity desired from multiplicity displayed by nature. The self and super self get fused into one whole with total absence of actual and ideal, immanence and transcendence, deluding apparitions. Such souls, shrouded by spiritual aura and pinnacle of self-consciousness around them incarnate in the world as Saviours of mankind.

                Keeping with legacy of ‘Kashyapman’ or Kashmir, environment amongst the men of spiritual attainment incarnated in highly beautiful, tranquil soothing, vernal willows of Vanpoh village situated at the banks of ‘River Vishaw’ spread over ‘Nandi Canal’ originating from waters of immortality seeping out of ‘Kausernag’ was Swami Govind Kaul. Born out of high caste ‘Dhatatreya’ class or Gotra, in a Kaul Zamindari family, he was a boon to Pandit Aftab Kaul and Vishwamali who lived in Chawagam. He was younger brother of renowned ‘Harihan Kalyan Kaul’ and nephew of Swami Krishan Zoo Razdan who was himself a mystic and spiritual poet of high order whose legacy passed on to child Govinda.

                The birth year of Swami Ji is not confirmed, yet it is estimated that he was born on 10.03.1892 in Phalgum Shukla Pakhsh Triyodhashi, Thursday. Saint Krishan Zao Razdan, had given 64 kanals of fertile land to his sister Veshmali. Therefore, she alongwith her family shifted to Vanpoh. Once the earthen pot of water was broken by her, Sh. Ramji got angry. But Razdan Sahib, then and there prophesied that his sister is not an ordinary women, she will bear a saint. Right from childhood Govinda was brought under the guidance of his maternal uncle Krishan Zoo Razdan, who instilled and the spiritual instincts and powers in him through Shaktipaat.

 

Initiation

                As people say the very charming, handsome, red faced, fair complexed, oblong-faced child Govinda was playing in balcony popularly known as ‘Dub’ in Kashmiri, it started raining cats and dogs. Suddenly there was a thunder that engulfed Govinda. His mother and others were awe-struck and feared. Within a while the child out hale and hearty, smiling with spiritual serenity. Since then, the boy had complete mood change and would always contemplate by himself. It is said that spiritual message had been passed on to him through this thunder and it was his spiritual initiation. There are not many proofs of his schooling and education. He would paradoxically remark that ‘when I failed in Standard two my Granny would poster me to stop studies, which has made me pale as per her concern’. However, it is said that he had scholarship upto 5^th and due to economic pressures he could not continue studies. Therefore he shifted toSrinagar and learned ‘Hikmat’ from his brother in-law. After some time he turned out to be an expert Hakim. He would speak Urdu and Kashmiri and would write in these languages as well. However, he had lot much knowledge of herbs and would help people with his ‘Hikmat’ also.He was married at a very young age as per prevalent practice with ‘Mughlami’, who was sister of Aftab Pandit and Aunt of Prof. Balji Nath Pandit (Authority of Shaiv Dharshan), Shamlal Pandit (Dean Faculty of Arts, Kashmir University ). His wife was deeply attracted to him. But Swami Ji was born with specific purpose of being Saviour of Humanity. He would always remain in ‘Willow Woods’ facing his house. Once he had gone somewhere for night and his wife got annoyed. On his return he had to face music, which made him to uter ‘ Chn chhekh nu rozum laayekh’. You are not worth living. After a few days, as per ritual she was sent to parent’s place where she got ill and died, leaving Swami Ji free for his spiritual pursuits. However, Swami Ji adopted grandson of his disciple Zaper Dedi Dr. Vinod Kaul, who happened to be son of Kashi Nath of Baksargam. For 16 years Swami Ji did not sleep on bed. He would meditate in vernal willows facing his worldly abode. A stone was his pillow and slab his bed. He has undergone all types of Health yoga, penances and controlled his worldly desires.

                Swami Ji during his childhood would read ‘Man Magan’ and other pamphlets and books written by His Holiness Maharshi Shivbrat Lal Ji and would get down the important notes. Once he was having a morning round the bund along with his coterie Sh. Sham Lal Kachroo and Nandlal Bia, he saw Maharishi Ji delivering a discourse, who accosted him and told the disciples that this boy is ‘Perfect Master’ and inherits the capabilities of Saviour for lakhs.For more than Sixteen years he served his mother, who was ailing. Once he was absorbed in deep thoughts, his guru in the celestial form appealed and asked him to come to Lahore . Swami Ji expressed his inability to do so because of mother’s ill health. Maharishi Ji granted the boon and steadily she got well.Swami Ji expressed his huge to meet Maharishi Ji to his mother who gave him some travel expenses. As soon as he came out a vehicle stopped automatically and offered him front seat to sit in reverence. Swami Ji reached Jammu . At Shahpur he met Saint Lal Prakash, Swami Ramji thereafter he met Saint Tankodi Maharaj thereafter he proceeded to Lahore . He hardly knew where to go and whom to meet. But the intuition guided him to the holy feet of His Holiness Maharishi Shiv Vrat lal Verban who was a professor of Law in Lahore . One fails to establish correlation between Larboard and Starboard  i.e Swami Govind Kaul, a typical villager with least exposure and worldly literacy and ‘Maharishi Ji’ a renowned literary figure, who had made spirituality as simple as a child’s play through simple literature in abundance. On the other hand Maharishi Ji was giving satsang in Lahore , the satsangies were engrossed in the ‘Amrit var-shav’ in his holy presence. Suddenly he ordered for and ‘Asan’ to be laid for unknown guest. Suddenly disciples saw a young boy clad in typical Kashmiri attire ‘Pheran’ and ‘Turban’ entered. Swami Ji, uttered ‘Ijazat Hai’. The boy went straight way towards Maharishi Ji, who stood up and hugged him. Everyone got surprised. Maharishi Ji offered him seat besides his own, which had been laid prehand and directed some of his disciples to bring eatables as, ‘Kahmir kay shehanshah aayay hain’, i.e ‘Shehanshah of Kashmir has come’. Swami Govind Kaul was formally turbaned with small ‘Turra’ out of it by Maharishi Ji Maharaj. However formal initiation was also accorded to Swatah Sidha Govind Kaul by Maharishi Ji, who appointed him as his messenger for Kashmir . This way he scaled inroads of Shabda-Surat Abhyas under Radha-Swami sang. The ethos was imagining the human soul to be passive as ‘Radha’, whose goal was merger with her Swami to eternal reality through ‘Naad-Bindu Yoga’ and devant un-conditional love.
                      

               KASHMIRI VERSES              ENGLISH TRANSLATION

 

                Swami Ji has recorded the technicalities and processes encountered during spiritual travel. Some illustrations are as under:-

 

 

      Swami Govind Kaul was fountainhead of spirituality, who had followers from far and wide. He would be discerned busy in daily chares, yet he was always within himself. People say that he would sit under ‘Chinar Tree for days together unaffected by seasonal fluctuations, spring, autumn or snowfall. Many a time people would remove snow over him and he would remain unmoved. In the evening of 12^th August 1973 at 7:30 P.M Swami Ji left his corporeal frame ‘Jyoti Jot’ mingled.Swami Ji as a mystic poet Having command over typical Kashmir , with perfect musical rhymes and rhythm, assonance and alliteration, Swami Ji expressed his experiences in his poetry which is presently abridged as ‘Govind Amrit’. Teaching people the spiritual path he directed:-

   Bhav dukh kasi diyi taar, Bhakti Bhav zuvo – Love, Bhakti.

Satguru shabdas sootya, paan pushraav zuvo – Surrender

Behekant jayay – Remain aloof.

Sootya preyam tu maayay – Filled with unconditional love.

badrith shraddhayay sevar, suyi naav zuvo – repeat ‘Naam’ with ‘Shradha’.

Banzay nervasan – Be without any craving.

Kharizi hesu shwasan, Trav loat vav zuvo – Inhale and exhale vital breath very cautiously and slowly.

 

Sahasrar Experience
Jyoti hunduyi naraz vuchh Folith sahasrar vuchh Omkar vuchh omkaar bendh
Trikuti
Udhay vatay gayi rav tu chandh	Appearing and fading of sun and moon.
Sunn
Vuchh kya guham Tana mandal Mayayi kaalas   Kan kandal	Taking vans also illusion and march ahead.
Mahasunn
Akisuyi Andhar Gayi shabda kul	Slow and steady disappearance of all the above experience to be stable in blessed mood.
Bhanvar Gufa
Bhanvar Gufay munz	Here a disaple can fall prey to various appetencies. One has to be careful to treat the path ahead.