Meditation holds practical significance, as I discovered during a visit to
Mataji Nirmala Pandit in Bombay circa 1995. Mataji, a revered figure within
the lineage of Faqir Baba,
commands a following of several thousand devotees across Bombay and other
regions of India.
Her followers range from impoverished rickshaw drivers and destitute
individuals to affluent patrons. Residing in her Juhu Scheme home in Mumbai,
she receives a continuous influx of visitors. Despite her prominence, she
embodies the role of a typical Indian grandmother and housewife, managing
her household, caring for her grandchildren, and cooking for her extensive
family. This family includes her husband,
his saintly brother, her youngest
son—a renowned Bombay TV-film director—and her elder son, a Bollywood actor.
The manner in which she navigates these complex roles, alongside her own
struggles with struma, remains an enigma to me. Her husband, though not
spiritually inclined, gracefully accepts the constant flow of visitors
seeking Mataji's blessings and maternal divinity.
The backdrop to Mataji's life adds a layer of profound resilience: she and
her family were Hindu Pandits forced to flee Kashmir under threat in the
80ties. Driven from their homeland by militant zealots due to their
religious identity, they endured the tragic loss of family members. Their
escape was precipitated by a fortuitous phone call from
Manav Dayal, a guru in the Faqir
Baba lineage, who had foreseen the imminent danger in a vision in
meditation. Heeding this unexpected warning, they narrowly escaped with
their lives.
Life, as reflected in Mataji's experiences, is indeed filled with miracles.
Trance-formation
into the Goddess
India truly is a land of
enchantment. In this video clip from a satsang for housewife
devotees in Juhu Scheme, everyone chants "Jay Mataji," which
translates to "Glory to the Mother Goddess." The chanting
crescendos until, at approximately 2:30, Mataji enters a state
of divine rapture. At that exact moment, my video camera's
aperture seems to malfunction, recording the room as though it
were engulfed in light. Concurrently, I experienced a subjective
sensation of being enveloped in white light.
The all loving Mother
Mataji frequently entered various states of trance and ecstasy,
during which she became exceptionally loving and affectionate.
As demonstrated in the video mentioned, these episodes of
universal motherhood profoundly affected those around her.
This image captures the essence of
empathy as embodied by Mataji. Her expression and demeanor
reflect deep compassion and understanding, resonating with the
profound connection she shares with those around her.
