I feel excited in knowing about the Nirvana Sthiti--state of Nirvana of Bab Gopinath Ji. I hope that the following words which come to me as a part of my Sadhna, while writing about this Saint, who is being adored not only in India, but outside India as well.

I pray that Bhagavaan Ji will shower His blessings to one and all. He has only left his mortal coil, as that being the law of nature. We are Bab Ji's children and He is always committed to help us, to guide us, and to lead us from Avidya to VIDYA, at all times, may be we are his devotees, the believers of the Imortal soul of Shri Bab Bhagavaan Ji . I send my obeisance to Him in the form of "Shabda Shruti," as heard from Pran Nath ji, his close devotee/Sevak till his Nirvana Diwas.

August 18,2010

During our telephonic satsang, P N Kaul told me--that Bab Bhagavaan Ji would always look serene,deep in his eternal thoughts of being in great Tapasya. I asked him, as how many Bhaktas would be for his regular Darshana, at his Breyi Kujan-- Gadood Bagh Habba Kadal residence. He narrated a few,but on sundays there would be the good gathering of his devotees. He told me that people would bring some kind of Prasad and would offer that to him. It could be some sweets, "Nadri Monji", Nabad/candy etc.

When asked about his Maha Samaadhi, he narrated what he had observed himself, being a devotee of that great Saint, popularly revered as The BAB.

He could remember, as vivid his eyes ---- when the news of his Maha Samadhi flashed, people irrrespective of caste, creed, believers in his saint hood are the general public rushed to Breyi Kujan, to have his "Antim Darshana". The state police band was arranged for the fixed hours from Breyi kujan unto the Karan nagar, Shamshan ghat, passing through Nai sarak—Gundi Ahalmar, Badiyar Ganpatyar, Krala Khuda Habba Kadal bridge, Kani Kadal, Thaka Pindi near Shamshan ghat and finally the Karan nagar cremation grounds, on the 29th May,1968.

Shri Pushkar Nath Koul, of Reshi Mohalla, Habba Kadal, lead the Mukhagni, followed by other devotees - Bab ji lived in their house before living at his sister's house at Breyi Kujan. When asked, how many had lined up to follow the funeral of Bab Ji. He revealed that was sea of humanity. Even the state police band continued to be in that funeral procession, till it reached the cremation ground.

I further wanted to know what was the Prakriya / mode of the" Last rites" of Bab Bhagawan ji. He told me that Pandit Sham Lal Ji, Jattu, the then learned Pandit and Chandra Tarak of the Shaivi tradition, was the chief Pandit, under whose guidance the Antyeshthi was performed which lasted some eight long hours.

I further wanted to know how it was done, Pran Nath Ji, told me that he remembers that a great Havana was done, by many Pandits including the devotees. Though PN Kaul ji categorically did not say what is Shaivagni, or it was the desire of Bab Ji to have his last rites done according to the Shaiva Karma Paddhati.

As far as I have learnt from the tradition, as born myself in the Shaiva Karmi family, that Shaivagni has been introduced in the Valley by Laughakshi Muni. Those who have adopted the Shaivi Tradition of the Maatrika Pujan, including the Annapurna Paddhati of Shraadha, are entitled to that "Prakriya"--ritual, which is based on the Bijaksharas related to the Shaiva and Shakti in the unified form. The following Gotras still perform this tradition - Swamin Gautam, Swami KanTha Dhaumyana, Raaj bhut Lughakshi (the gotra of Bhagavaan Ji), and many others. Basically, it is the Shaivi Agni Sadhana, which is given to the male child at the time of Yagneopavit, and lasts with him upto the Antim Sanskar.

It takes atleast 7-8 hours to propitiate the Shaivi Agni at the cremation ground, considering that the Suksham Sharira --subtle body of the deceased would get emanicipation through the vibration of the sounds, which are Hum Phat, Swaha etc. , and their vibration work in unison with the Suukshma Sharira. It is more of Mantrik nature of invocation.

In my humble opinion the atmosphere at the cremation ground is charged with Shiva Kevaloham.

In the astral worlds, the Jivatma is continuing its astral flight throughout its myriad dimensions Many of the noble souls do find their work unfulfilled and want to incarnate for "Atmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitaaya Cha" for one's eternal emancipation ,but for helping the suffering humanity, for attaining their Nirvana. In the shaivi tradition the state of Nirvana is higher than Mukti or Kaivalyam. This is purely, a Kashmiri Shaivi thinking as taught by the Laugakshi Rishi in his Paddat, Bab Bhagavaan Ji lived that life through out his Sadhana. The Shaivi Mantras were his vibrations, its echo travelled with his eternal journey, as the belief runs into his devotees. The more times Shiva is recited the more powerful becomes the Mantra.

Bab Ji's life was more pragmatic in the sense that he would teach through silence that we must not only face our fears,but learn to embrace them in the All -encompassing love of Oneness. At the moment, when we descend fully into matter, we direct our enegy in our base desires, therfore we need to see" Maatri Bhaava" in the womanhood and " Ekabhaava" in all the humanity. Love of Oneness, is the main teaching of Kashmir Shaivi Prakriya. The body is not burnt, but is offered to the Shiva to become Shiva. The invoking of the Ashta Bhairavas, which represent the "Ashta Bhava Aasana" in our being are offered to the Ashta Bhairavas, which are but the manifestation of Anadishvar Bhirava--the presiding deity of all the Bhairavas.

His Bija Mantra runs as--- Om Huum Aghorishwari Hum Phat Swaaha

Once the union has been established and fully anchored on the road map of the Nirvana, within the blue print of Shiva Kevaloham, the person achieves a relevant breakthrough in consciousness, thus opening the mutiple doors to the various levals of liberation from one dimension to another and so on, till it reaches the infinity, where Shaivi Ananda is the only experience. The geometrical Yantra drawn during the Last rites is of the unification of triangulations, which remembers the internal cellular Samvit/higher conscuiousness, and further it decodes the imprints of our Shaivi origin, which has been preserved through Shaivagni at the time of the Yagneopavit Sanskara. It was because of this that Bab ji would invoke that Gayatri through Gayatri Mantra in silence, and lit the Shaivi Agni in his Dhuni.