The Last Darshan III

The Last Guru Poornima

As I looked across Bangalorewalla Hall, I saw many devotees who had known Him for a long time, sitting together in deep reflection. They had all experienced His grace, love, and care. Some had even witnessed extraordinary miracles that left no doubt of His divine nature as a Mahavatar. He never held formal classes, lectures, or retreats. Instead, those who lived with Him were immersed in a ‘virtual classroom’—every moment was an opportunity to absorb His wisdom. It was like a continuous shower of pearls of knowledge, but only the discerning and fortunate gathered them; many others let them slip by.

In this virtual classroom, devotees were promised spiritual graduation, but it was no easy task. They had to learn, practice, and embody His teachings before earning the ultimate degree of Jeevan Mukti. Yet, many found it easier to believe that merely being in His presence would be enough to carry them across the ocean of life, expecting to be ferried along without personal effort.

He constantly taught them to live life with greater intensity—emphasizing regular sadhana, fulfilling one’s duties with integrity, and leading a life of commitment. Every moment was an opportunity to learn. Yet, most devotees sought only worldly comforts and desires through His grace. Bhagavan was like a mirror. He would often say, “Bhav Taisa Dev”—as your belief, so is your God. In His final days, He lamented, “There is so much to give, but no takers.”

As they sat in His presence, the devotees wondered how life would be without Him. Many travelled back in memory to the moment they first met Him and reflected on their spiritual growth under His guidance. They recalled His boundless love, care, and the lessons He imparted—lessons they had often neglected to put into practice. Still, they knew that He lived within their hearts. They resolved to apply what they had learned, striving toward liberation. They enshrined His image in their hearts, practising His teachings while balancing their spiritual path (Parmarth) with worldly responsibilities (Prapanch). Even after His Mahasamadhi, they knew He continued to guide them from within.

Kullur Swami, in his early days, served Bhagavan Nityananda. Each evening, after bathing in the hot springs, he would light camphor pieces at each spot where Bhagavan had stayed before moving to Kailash Bhavan. This continued for several days until one evening, Bhagavan called him and asked, “What are you doing? That is not the way to pay obeisance. One must offer obeisance with ‘Urvadanda Namaskara.'”

Urvadanda Namaskara has two meanings. One is to raise one’s hands above the head in salutation, and the other refers to Pranayama, specifically holding the prana between the eyebrows – ‘Urvaswatch’ Through this, Bhagavan indicated that Kullur Swami should worship through spiritual practices, not rituals.

On another occasion, Bhagavan told him, “Ganeshpuri Nitya Darshan”—implying that in Ganeshpuri, the Darshan is eternal and uninterrupted. Kullur Swami pondered this statement for years, but its true meaning was revealed only after Bhagavan’s Mahasamadhi. Kullur Swami, who traditionally visited Ganeshpuri every Shivratri, lived most of the time in his ashram at Kullur. As he grew older, he gained weight and found it increasingly difficult to climb the stairs to visit the Samadhi shrine daily. Then he understood Bhagavan’s deeper message: “By simply visiting Ganeshpuri, one is blessed with the ceaseless grace of Bhagavan Nityananda.”

Bhagavan Nityananda conveyed that His presence is eternal, ever accessible to those who seek Him. He was always there to help—one only needed to reach out. His grace flowed continuously, like an unending stream, and to experience it, one simply had to step within. In Ganeshpuri, His presence was free and unconditional, always available to those who called upon Him.

For such a Great One, there is no concept of a ‘Last Darshan.’ He lives on in the hearts of all those noble souls who share His love, spread His message of peace, and radiate His joy. He speaks through the sacred volumes of spiritual texts, through the voices of sincere teachers, through the innocence and love of small children, and through the actions of great masters who sacrifice themselves for the well-being of all living beings. Above all, He manifests as the inner Guru in one’s own heart. His presence is felt whenever two devotees gather and share His grace in Satsang.

His Darshan is eternal, spanning this life and many more to come. Bhagavan Nityananda is always available—free, unconditional, and limitless—open to all who call upon Him. Just as Lord Krishna told Arjuna: “O Son of Kunti, proclaim to the world that whoever comes into My fold will never be abandoned,” so too is the grace of Bhagavan Nityananda of Ganeshpuri. Simply call out to Him, and He will be there.