Bhagwan Gopinath (3 July 1898 - 28 May 1968),
born Gopinath Bhan, also called Bhagwan Gopinath Ji,
was a mystic saint of early 20th century Kashmir in India. He
has been called a jivanmukta (liberated soul) and his
spiritual state has been described as Shambhavi avastha (state
of Shiva). Contemporary saints of his times have also called him
an Aghoreshwar. It was sometime during 1946–1956 that he came to be
called as Bhagwan by his devotees.
Though not much is known about who his spiritual master
was, he is known to have remarked that one can consider Bhagvad
Gita as one's spiritual master. In his teachings, he regarded the
practice of "self-enquiry" (atma vichara) as highly effective
in helping a seeker attain self-realization. He considered lust and
ego as impediments in one's spiritual development and extolled the virtues of
honesty and truthfulness. He wouldn't differentiate between religions and
regarded Hindus and Muslims to be one and the same. During various periods
of his life, he spent considerable time meditating at various shrines in
Kashmir as he considered it spiritually beneficial and would recommend the same
to spiritual seekers.
Bhagwan Gopinath was born in a Kashmiri
pandit family of Bhans, in a locality called Bhan Mohalla, in the city of
Srinagar in Kashmir, on Friday 3 July 1898, which corresponds to Ashad, Shuklapaksh, Dvadashi (Ashada 19th, Vikrami 1955)
per Hindu lunar calendar. His grandfather, Pandit Lachhman Joo Bhan was a wazir
wazarat (deputy commissioner) of revenue department in the Dogra
regime of the then-princely state of Kashmir. His father, Pandit Narayan
Joo Bhan dealt in the business of cashmere wool and devoted much of his time to
spiritual pursuits. He is known to have donated all his ancestral inheritance
to his step-mother. Bhagwan Gopinath’s mother, Haar Maal, was the daughter
of Pandit Prasad Joo Parimoo who was an initiated disciple of a local saint.
His brother disciples used to call him Jada Bharata. Hindu scriptures
like Yoga Vasistha were regularly taught and discussed in religious
gatherings at their house. Prasad Joo had initiated his younger daughter,
Zapaer Ded, into Japa Yoga and eventually in her fifties, she was
recognised as a saint. On one occasion, while Pandit Prasad Joo Parimoo was meditating
at the shrine of the deity of Mata Kheer Bhawani in Kashmir, he is
said to have had a vision of the deity who expressed her desire to be born in
his family as his daughter. Soon thereafter, Haar Maal was born who eventually
got married and gave birth to Bhagwan Gopinath.
There have been some unconfirmed reports that Swami
Vivekananda, who happened to be in Kashmir during 1898, had paid a visit to the
Bhans' family on occasion of Bhagwan Gopinath’s birth. Some maintain that
he stopped just short of entering their house while waiting at a nearby
tailor’s shop on 3 July, where he got the American flag stitched, to be hoisted
next day on 4 July, which was probably when he even wrote the poem To
The Fourth of July.
He had two brothers and two sisters. While his elder
brother, Pandit Govind Joo Bhan, remained celibate throughout his life; the
younger one, Pandit Jia Lal Kak, got married but remained issueless and would
spend much of his time at religious services. Both his sisters lost their
husbands at an early age. The elder one, Smt Deva Mali, after bearing two
daughters and the younger one, Smt Janaki Devi, after bearing two sons and two
daughters. For the most part, towards the later part of his life, Bhagwan
Gopinath was looked after by his elder sister and her two daughters: Smt Kamla
Ji and Smt Chanda Ji.
After having given up his ancestral home in favour of his
step mother, Pandit Narayan Joo Bhan, along with young Gopinath who at that
time must have been around 10 years old, started moving around, living at
various rental accommodations. His mother died when he was 12 years old
and his father died when he was around 30 years old. However, all along these
years from 1909 till his final days in 1968, his family changed their residence
eleven times with period of stay at these places varying sometimes from a year
and a half to eleven years at a stretch.
He completed his education till middle grade from a local
Christian missionary school called Tyndale Biscoe School, which used to be
situated at Fateh Kadal locality of Srinagar back then. Here he must have
learnt languages like Sanskrit, Persian, Urdu and scripts
like Sharda and Devanagari. Some of his close devotees, at
times, had heard him speak English too.
Employment
Since his early years, he had expressed reluctance in
taking up any form of employment. However, given their financial circumstances,
his family insisted upon him to take up some kind of employment. To begin
with, during 1912, for a brief while he assisted his maternal uncle in the business
of cashmere wool (called pashmina in local
language). Then, for a period of three years, he took up the post of a
compositor with Vishi Nath Printing Press. Thereafter, he started a grocery
store at a place called Sekidafar. Sometime during 1920, he moved the store to
a locality called Chaayidob in Srinagar. He ran the grocery store for ten
years till about 1925 before taking to his spiritual pursuits full-time.
Spiritual Inclination
In his younger years, he would recite by heart the sacred
Hindu hymns like Bhavani Sahasranama, Indrakashi Strotam,
Panchastavi, Vishnu Sahastranam, Shiv Mahimna Strotam,
Shivastrotavali, Guru Gita and vaaks (poetic
couplets) composed by some local saints. However, he had a marked interest for
Bhagvad Gita and had kept a copy of the book close to where he would sit for
his meditation right till his last day. He had memorised all these texts
probably in his younger years. During his early years, young Gopinath
would accompany his maternal uncle, Pandit Bhagwan Das Parimoo, who was a
devotee of Sharika Bhagwati (the deity of the shrine of Hari Parbat), on
annual or biannual trips to the holy spring at Pokhribal to desilt it from all
the accumulated offerings of devotees. As a leader of a group of young
men, he would often organise trips to local shrines like Kheer Bhawani, Mattan,
Mahadev and Vicharnaag.
Since his days in middle grade, he would often visit some
of the local saints like Swami Zanakak Tufchi of Habbakadal locality and Swami
Baalak Kaw, a jatadhari sadhu, at Sekidafer locality. He would also
press Swami Baalak Kaw's feet at times. Yet another saint that he is known
to have paid regular visits to was Swami Jeevan Sahib. He would also visit
Swami Narayan Joo Bhan of Bodhgeer locality in Kashmir. He would regularly
attend gatherings of these saints discussing spiritual and philosophical topics
on vedanta, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Kashmir
Shaivism. During his employment days at the grocery store, while manning
the cash counter at the store, he would often be found engrossed in meditation.
Sometimes he would spend whole night at the store while being absorbed in
meditation.
Spiritual Master
No one knows for sure as to who Bhagwan Gopinath’s
spiritual master (guru) was. Some of his relatives were of the opinion that he
received spiritual initiation from his own father while his younger sister,
Janaki Devi, was of the view that Swami Baalak Kaw was his spiritual master.
However, few years before his death, a devotee enquired of him as to who his
guru was. In response to this, Bhagwan Gopinath is said to have pointed
towards Bhagvad Gita and remarked that any one its 700 verses can be
considered as one’s spiritual master. S. N. Fotedar, his principal
biographer, who was associated with him for over two decades, tried to lay his
hands on all the evidence he could in this regard and finally settled with the
opinion that Swami Zanakak Tufchi was his spiritual master. This was later
corroborated by the testimony of Pandit Baalji Wangnoo who was the younger
brother of Swami Aftab Joo Wangnoo. Swami Aftab Joo Wangnoo was an initiated
disciple of Swami Zanakak Tufchi. Although Mr Fotedar got convinced with this
idea, he was not able to establish it conclusively as an accepted fact
particularly amongst Bhagwan Gopinath's devotees at large. Based on
Bhagwan Gopinath's comments about Bhagvad Gita, majority of his devotees,
including some religious writers, consider him to have been self initiated.
Spiritual Practice
Although Bhagwan Gopinath's family tried to convince him
to get married and take up the worldly life, he chose to live a life of
celibacy and did his spiritual practices, all the while living at various
localities of Srinagar in Kashmir. The tenure of his spiritual practice
can be divided into the following three stages:
Initial Stage
(1908–1930)
From his younger years, Bhagwan Gopinath would devote
much of his time attending religious gatherings of singers (called bhajan
mandalis) singing glories of God and deities of Kheer Bhawani and Hari
Parbat shrines. He would also attend religious plays (called rasa-lilas)
and gatherings of religious men (called satsang) discussing spiritual
topics. Based on some of his relics and hymns found written in his own
handwriting, dedicated to Maha Ganesh, Hindu Mother
Goddess, Lord Narayana, Lord Shiva and his spiritual
master, his devotees believe that he had practised a form of spiritual
practice called sanatana panchang upasana (also called panchayatana
puja) in the beginning of his spiritual journey, which consist of
worshipping these four deities and one's spiritual master. From the age of
22 years, he is said to have started the daily practice
of circumambulating the shrine of Hari Parbat in Srinagar. He was
often found meditating for long hours at the shrine courtyard while smoking his
pipe (called chillum in local language). He is said to have
had a vision of the deity of the shrine of Hari Parbat, Mata Sharika
Bhawani, at the age of 25. Hereafter, he is believed to have gradually
veered towards the practice of meditating on God without a form (called nirguna
upasana in Hinduism).
Intermediate Stage
(1931–1937)
During this period, he is known to have resorted to
extreme measures of sense control which involve self-abnegation methods like
fasting for months together (having just a cup of tea a day) while taking huge
quantities of food at other times. During this time, he confined himself in a
dark room with a lamp that used to be lit up at all times. He would often be
found lying on bed while facing the wall. He did not allow very many people in
his room during this period. Whole room and his bed used to be covered with a
lot of dust and one could find cobwebs and spiders around the room but he
wouldn't bother cleaning it or let anyone else clean it. A rat is said to have
nibbled a hole into one of his heels during this time though he is said to have
been oblivious to its pain. His only constant companion in the room besides the
burning lamp was his pipe. During this time he would take intoxicants like
opium and sometimes vomit a lot of blood. His whole body had swollen and had
become weak. On one occasion his sister reminded him of the financial
difficulties they were going through but he is said to have responded by saying
(translated here into English) "our boat is in the middle of ocean right
now, either we would reach ashore safe or drown". Some religious
writers think he might have practised some form of tantric spiritual
practice like pranabhasya during this time. After seven
such years of his spiritual practice, his devotees affirm that he had become,
what they call in Hinduism, a siddha purusha (one who
attains spiritual powers) as it was right after this period that people started
flocking him to get their worldly problems solved.
Final Stage
(1938–1968)
During this stage, he is a said to have practised some
technique of meditation that would seemingly help him control elements
(called tattva) like fire and water out of the total 36 such
elements enumerated in Kashmir Shaivism. He started the practice of blowing air
at live charcoals in his fire pot (called kanger in local
language) sometimes for hours together. He was found talking to and directing
invisible people at times. Various parts of his body like his shoulders and
knees were seen shuddering at times. He spiritually initiated a Sikh disciple
who had come to see him from some other state and lived at his home for 3
months. He also initiated Pandit Maheshwar Nath Zutshi of Mallapore locality of
Srinagar by offering him his pipe. He also started the practice of transfixing
his gaze on water filled in a tumbler kept inside a brass basin filled with
water. This brass basin was placed over an earthenware pot which too was filled
with water. It was also during this time that majority of his miracles
were recorded and people started flocking him, seeking solutions to their
worldly problems. It was sometime during the period between 1946–56 that he
came to be called as Bhagwan by his devotees. He regularly visited the
shrines of the deities of Mata Sharika Bhagwati and Mata Ragnya Bhawani during
this period. Sometime after 1957, on every Sunday afternoon, musical concerts
were held at his place by known local musicians who would play local and Indian
classical music for him. Some of the other shrines visited by him during
the initial and final stages of his spiritual practice were Jwala Jiat
Khrew, Bhadrakali at Handwara, Jyestha Bhagwati at Srinagar, Gupt
Ganga near Nishat Bagh, Tushkaraja Bhairav at Srinagar and Amarnath.
Philosophy
Bhagwan Gopinath, being an introvert, was a man of few
words and had a straightforward demeanor. He is known to have always
shunned publicity and covered himself with anonymity. As such, various
religious commentators along with his devotees have found it difficult to
classify his spiritual journey into a particular school of Indian philosophical
thought. Its widely believed that he must have followed the tenets
of trika doctrine of advaita (non-dual) Kashmir
Shaivism (in which, the Goddess Bhairavi-Aghoreshwari is enthroned
above God Bhairava and is the main ideal of worship) with jnana (knowledge), iccha (will)
and kriya (action) having had a dominating influence on him.
Once, while explaining the inter-relation of various
spiritual disciplines in realising God, he said: " think of Brahman (God
without a form) as a tree and if one sits on any one of its branches (various
spiritual disciplines), the same goal will be reached in each case." He
once remarked: "Omkara (Hindu Symbol) is the "throat" of
Godhead and nothing is possible without it". A couple of his pen-drawings
have been found in which he has drawn the symbol Omkara (in Sharada script)
surrounded by the names "Rama" and "Shiva" probably
indicating that God (in the form of Omkara) can be realised through either
path. Once, while visiting the shrine of Amarnath, he is said to have
remarked: "Shiva is dancing everywhere" and afterwards, was seen in a
joyful mood the whole day.
He would keep incense sticks burning in flames instead of
letting them smoulder as he had an affinity for light sources. Sometimes he
would also keep the oblations, offered in the fire pot, burning in flames and
also referred to it as the "feet" of Lord Narayan. He would
refer to his legs as mere "logs of wood" and the body as
"food" for the God of death (Mahakal) and as such didn't
consider physical body as the end-all be-all of human existence.
He wouldn't advise anyone to give up one's family and
household in pursuit of self-realisation but guided people only if they
practised celibacy.
Gathering from various hymns written by him, it is
evident that he had an inclination towards Bhakti tradition as well,
which is also indicated by his fondness for Indian classical music and the
pictures of Guru Nanak and Ramakrishna that adorned his
walls.
Final days
A couple years before dying he was often heard remarking
that he had grown old and this to some of his devotees was him dropping hints
about his final days being imminently close. On the morning of 28 May 1968, as
a part of his daily routine, he washed his face, tied his turban and smeared
his forehead with a saffron mark (called tilak in Hinduism).
All throughout the day, many people had come to visit him. Later-on in the
noon, some sadhus (wandering monks) too had come to visit him.
He used to give alms to these visiting sadhus (some of whom he
would call as mere jugglers in ochre robes) who, on their journey to Amarnath
shrine, would stop-over at his place. On this day too, he gave these sadhus
whatever money he had in his cloth purse. He is then said to have gone into a
state of meditative trance (called samadhi in Hinduism) till
about 5:30 pm when he asked for some water and was helped to drink a
tumbler full of sweet water. He died at about 5:45 pm and his recorded
last words were Om Namah Shivaya (the mantra of
Lord Shiva). On his death, Swami Nand Lal, is said to have remarked that
Kashmir was being rocked by an earthquake. He is also said to have predicted
Bhagwan Gopinath's death a week in advance.
Teachings
Bhagwan Gopinath never taught in a formal way. However,
he would, from time to time, make statement either in response to questions of
devotees, or on his own while being amongst them. Being a man of few words, he
would usually use short sentences and one had to lend a curious ear to decipher
their contextual meaning. A few of such of his statements, translated here
into English, which his devotees recognise as his teachings, are as follows:
·
One
should cultivate and preserve the three virtues of righteous moral conduct, viz
straightforwardness, honesty and purity in thought, word and deed.
·
Self
realisation comes when one bids farewell to ones ego.
·
Lust
is the biggest impediment in ones spiritual development.
·
Keen
intellectual contemplation and self scrutiny help one to realise all aspects of
God.
·
Serious
spiritual seekers should not be afraid of taking on the road which is fraught
with difficulties of self-realisation.
·
One
should rise above the narrow division of religion, caste or creed and make
peace with all humanity.
·
One
can consider Bhagvad Gita as ones spiritual master.
·
Sincere
spiritual efforts and guru’s grace lead a seeker to self-realisation.
·
A
seeker must surrender onto guru’s feet with all his heart and soul.
·
One
should always contribute to charity to not let greed settle in.
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