April 2015
By Shivi Verma
Shivi Verma interviews Dadashreeji the young guru of Maitribodh parivaar and returns with some fascinating information and insights
After several rounds of negotiations with the Maitribodh Parivaar people, finally, I was given an appointment with Dadashreeji, guru, and head of the parivaar at his Shanti Kshetra Premagiri Ashram in the interiors of Karjat, a place near Mumbai.
The place was far and since there was no pick-and-drop facility, I had to cover the tortuous distance on my own. The travel comprised two train journeys in combination with two long distance shared tempo journeys to be at the ashram before the appointed time of 2:30 pm. I was nervous. I needed grace, so I bowed before the picture of my gurus at my altar and sought the blessings of Dadashreeji himself before setting off.
And the travail turned into a memorable gift. As I boarded the 7 trains to Dadar I felt a warm invisible layer of protection wrap me from within and without. The connecting train journey till Neral station was seamless and I got a comfortable seat in the tempo which was to drop me at Kashele village.
As the rickety tempo moved along the winding road, spring unveiled before my eyes its fullest splendor. Warm sun rays kissed the yellow grass carpeting the undulating landscape, trees burst with purple, yellow, red and white blooms; indolent country rivulets flowed lazily along their rocky beds; rustic folks gathered around their small rounded huts, and there was a tinkle of bells from the necks of their bullocks. All this and the fragrant air filled me with sweet drowsiness as I drank deeply from the chalice of the natural bounty that lay sprawling before my eyes.
I recollected that it was three years ago when I had first come to the ashram during the monsoons. Ever since I have seen Maitribodh Parivar’s mission spread like wildfire, setting off a chain reaction wherever its followers go. The beneficiaries claim that the peace and transformation that follows after meeting Dadashreeji is unmistakable and for keeps.
I reached around 11 am, much before the stipulated time. I picked up the holy soil upon which the ashram stood and rubbed it on my forehead in gratitude. Freshly sown flowers peeped joyfully from their pots and rows and the white-tiled pathway leading to Dhyan Manthan Kshetra shone with newness. Except for me and four-five other disciples, there was no one else in the ashram. A rare opportunity indeed. Mitra Parna and Shankh, two of his close disciples, welcomed me warmly. After a brief talk, they left me to enjoy the divinity which flows unabashedly and abundantly from the portraits of Mahavatar Babaji and Dadashreeji. I sat in deep and fulfilling silence, soaking the energies. I opened my eyes and looked around. Outside two wild bulls had locked their horns in the low-lying meadows, pushing and nudging each other in a playful fight. I left the room and went out, feeling that even if I did not meet the guru I would have no qualms. A fount of tranquillity was drenching me from head to toe …making me want to never leave the place.
My reverie was broken when Mitra Shank, informed me about the arrival of Dadashreeji. I have led inside the Dhyan Manthan Kshetra once again. The sweet and knowing smile of the young and dapper master welcomed me. He was seated on his sofa, dressed in a maroon kurta. I bowed to him and began the interview.
Tell us something about your early life, where you were born, your family background, former name, and places where you grew up.
I was born in Mumbai on 27 December 1977 and raised in Mumbai only. My parents were from a middle-class family. My father was a lab-technician and my mother was a housewife. Both of them live with me. My parents named me Mangesh. All this appears now as the story of another lifetime, and I do not relate to it so much. I do not wish to reveal my surname because that would limit my identity to a particular caste. Since childhood, I used to feel and think differently from other children of my age. I remember when I was in class IV I asked a fellow student why was there a difference between him and me? Why is it that he and I did not think alike? Why couldn’t I be him and he be me? He was baffled by my questions. Nothing could give me answers to these questions. I was a science student and not specifically inclined to know God, although I believed in universal energy through the concepts of physics. When I entered the 12th standard changes began to take place. After I joined the medical school the faultless design of the human body made me wonder about the intelligence sourcing this perfection. Then I happened to read Dasbodh, a treatise written by saint Samarth Ramdas on the nature of God, nature of illusion, and ways to function in life from a space of deep spiritual understanding. Dasbodhinspired me to meditate. As I meditated I began to have visitations of saints, deities, and historical figures. Finally, Mahavatar Babaji appeared before me and revealed my true self and life purpose to me in 2005.
What was that life purpose?
That I was a divine being. My divinity and the onward path were revealed in stages to me by Mahavatar Babaji. My body too had to evolve to acclimatize to the changes in consciousness. I used to get a fever in those times but since I knew what was happening I could bear it. By 2011 things were very clear to me, and he asked me to interact with people.
What do you mean by being a divine being? Are you God?
What do you understand by God?
God is omnipresent, all-powerful, all-knowing, can hold everything whereas humans are the opposite.
For you that maybe the definition of God. For me, I am somebody to help and deliver. Divinity is not static …it is an ongoing, ever-expanding phenomenon. There is still so much to know and explore.
Is there anybody beyond you?
( Shakes his head) I don’t see anyone beyond me. I do have a guide called Mahavatar Babaji but basically He and I are one.
If you are God, then why did you go through the human experience of illusion? Avatars have been born with full knowledge of their divinity at the time of their birth.
Every incarnation functions as per the purpose of that incarnation and the need of that time. In all my previous incarnations I have functioned from my highest self. I could never know what a human being feels when he falls sick, gets rejected, feels hurt, suffers losses, and faces failure. In this incarnation, I wanted to experience the human condition in order to understand it. So I arranged for a temporary illusion to cover me and also for the stagewise revelation of my true nature through Mahavatar Babaji.
What is your past-life relationship with Mahavatar Babaji?
Mahavatar Babaji has been on Earth for 5,000 years. I met him in his previous lifetimes once and we discussed the human evolution and the ways in which masters can guide. It was agreed that we would share a master-disciple relationship in this age. Right now Mahavatar Babaji is guiding through 54 people initiated by Him on planet Earth. But his way of functioning through all of them is different and depends on the purpose of that being. Someone is awakening people through Kriya yoga, someone is teaching meditation, someone else is teaching mantras. With me, no tools are required. You simply have to be in my presence and you will see the change in yourself.
People claim a phenomenal change in themselves after coming in touch with you. How do you do it?
(Laughs). What does sugar do? It sweetens everything it touches. You cannot ask sugar why it is sweet. The same is for me. It is my nature to boost divinity in people.
Can you give self-realization to people?
Yes, I can give self-realization.
But gurus say that it is not possible for anybody to give self-realization to others.
Now they will see it happening over here, with me.
But can anybody reach this stage with you or only those with a certain kind of spiritual history?
Anybody coming to me will see a change in himself.
You say that good times are coming and it cannot be prevented. People who have worked for these times earlier have been reborn to taste the fruit of their labor. Can you shed some more light on this?
Previously many good souls, especially those trying hard to work in harmony with divine laws had the vision of seeing something positive in the world, but because of the time, it was not happening. So there was no result for the work they did at that time. Ever since the wheel of time turned in a positive direction, they began to take birth since they were all waiting for this moment. Their birth at this time is to enjoy the benefits of labor they did previously. You will find many such good souls around you.
You once talked about one world and one religion. Do you agree that so many religions create problems among people?
In this world, the fight is only over the concept of religion. My God will love in my way and your God will love in your way and then there is a fight over these issues. In the coming years, all the confusing things which have polluted the scriptures will be wiped out. Only absolute truth will remain.
How will it happen? Attachment to outdated religious doctrines appears to be the biggest roadblock to human evolution.
When the sun is down it is very difficult to see things. When the sun rises there is no need for artificial lighting. In the same way, when the dark ages are there, it is very difficult to distinguish good from bad but as the Golden Era enters, all false things get wiped out naturally.
All religions are good. The lack of understanding of religion is causing problems right now, and there is no one who can give proper understanding to people. Ideally, in one single life, you should be able to experience all the religions. Then a person should be able to decide which religion he is more in sync with and follow it. It is the communities that have made it a stricture that you cannot change the religion you have been born into. The good things in religion have been altered and observation of rituals has been made more important than the essence of religion. If a Christian does not read the Bible but relates to Jesus Christ deeply is he, not a Christian? If a Hindu does not practice the essence of Hinduism which is Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (the world is one family) is he a true Hindu? All the religions should help you to grow from within. Understand religion well. Clear the concepts about religion. Take up one concept of religion and study it well.
Apart from transformation is there any other aim and purpose of Maitribodh Parivaar?
Yes. It is the establishment of one world, one community, and one truth. When I went to Europe a few months ago a woman cried copiously when I was departing, saying that I belonged to India and was going back there. I felt bad to see that nationalities have created barriers between people. I belong to the entire human race, to the whole planet. I only happen to be born in India. My entire work is of 200 years. It has been divided into four arms, 1) Transformation of self 2) Dissolution of ignorance 3) Liberation of the individual 4) Establishment of love and truth. It will put good and bad in separate spaces. The good people of all religions will come together on one side.
What is the greatest hurdle in the path of your mission?
The greatest hurdle is the unwillingness of people to change. People want to enjoy divinity but do not want to change. If they do not listen they have to go through the same mistakes which they have done before. And in such cases, I cannot do anything. I have to wait until they are ready to change. I request people to be willing to change. I will take care after that. People are very unaware that speaking ill about anyone is not a spiritual quality. Any person who is worshipping God but speaking ill about anyone cannot be a true pundit or priest.
What is the future of the human race and this planet?
Great. It is going to be a lot of fun. Very bright under the umbrella of the Divine. There would be no separation, no communities, no injustices happening in the world. In that period everyone would be strongly aware of the presence of divinity.
The human race crossed Kalyuga in the year 2012. People related it with a mystical event that did not happen, but changes did take place and were independent of any mystical happening. Right now we are in the initial phase of Satyuga. This Satyuga will not be like the Satyuga of yore where you had rishis sitting under trees and meditating. The energies would be the same but the manifestation would be different. For example, cars would be there but they would be made in such a way that they do not pollute the environment. Similarly for other technologies. There are some major events that are lined up to take place. They would be revealed to people at the right time. The year 2032 is a good time to witness what I have said. The positivity and the goodness of the times would be in full manifestation.
What do you have to say about the ills of the present time?
The existing system will try very hard to resist being dislodged. The more good energies spread on the planet, the more negative energies become desperate to hold their ground. What you see is a reflection of that struggle. I request everyone to join hands and pray for the suffering of humanity. Conditions in Syria and Iraq are very bad. Girls are unable to step out of their homes.
Recently an Indian guru went there to help them. Do you also plan to go?
I do not need to go there physically to help people. I can do it from here as well but for that I need prayers. Prayers give me the reason to intervene – the power to act. Otherwise, I can only watch it. I cannot break the rules I have created myself. If a lawmaker breaks the law then who will uphold it? I request Life Positive to start a prayer section where people can send prayers for causes they feel strongly about. I urge people to wake up and start taking responsibility for the ills around them. You can no longer ignore the call of the helpless. Today, you may be feeling safe within your homes thinking that by closing your door you are shutting out the problems but you never know when they will come knocking at your door as well.
Excellent!