Chaturbhuj Sahay

Dr Chaturbhuj Sahay (Hindi: चतुर्भुज सहाय ); known as Guru Maharaj, 3 November 1883 - 24 September 1957, was an Indian mystic and capable master (समर्थ गुरु). Due to the spiritual atmosphere at home the love of God was sown within him in early childhood, and his heart was colored with a slight color of detachment. From a young age he used to meet Saints and Yogiraj or learned ascetics (Sanyasi), and was influenced by several religious traditions.

He started spiritual organization Ramashram Satsang, Mathura in the name of his Guru Mahatma Ramchandra Ji, where the method of transfer of Soul Power has evolved to such an extent that the soul power is transferred not only on one to one basis but from one to many, which has now acquired India wide influence in the spread of spirituality and is spreading to other countries.

The system of meditation he preached is a synthesis between Karma (action), Upasana (devotion) and Gyaan (knowledge), 'Love' is mingled in all its methods, central focus is on the Spiritual Master, who by Soul-Power uplifts the aspirants and makes them experience the higher stages of spirituality.

Life Sketch

Indira Devi (1901–1985), wife and spiritual counterpart of Dr Chaturbhuj Sahay

Birth and childhood

Dr Chaturbhuj Sahay was born on 3 November 1883 ( samvat 1940, Kartik (month), Shukla Paksha, Chaturthi ), in the village of Chamkari, in the Etah Province, of "North-Western Provinces" (of Agra) into a well to do, pious, and orthodox Kulshreshtha family.
His father's name was Shreeyut Ramprasad Ji. His father was an ascetic and an accomplished astrologer, he wrote some books on astrology that are available today as manuscript.

Education

He was taught Urdu and Persian language by a Mawlawi and Devanagari by a Pandit. Later he studied medicine and practiced in the field of health.

Marriage and Children

He was married to Smt. Indira Devi and had two daughters and three sons. His eldest son Dr Brijendra Kumar retired as Medical Superintendent of a Government Hospital in Mathura, his second son Shri Hemendra Kumar helped him in spreading his spiritual message, and the third and the youngest son Dr Narendra Kumar retired as a Professor from Jaipur University. His three sons treated their father as their Guru and whenever time permitted traveled India wide to spread the message of their Guru. They lovingly called their father Chaachaa ji. His two daughters Smt. Shraddha and Smt. Sudha also were married into spiritually inclined families.

Religious practices and teachers
At the age of eighteen he had to go to his maternal grandparents place at Fatehgarh, and there he remained for many years. The cleanser of sinners, the pure dark Bhagirathi Ganges flowed a furlong away from the house. For his recreation, at times in the evenings, he would go there. Ascetics (Sadhus) and Mahatmas were also there at the shores of Ganges. Out of them most were materialistic and hypocrites, but even then, at times, good Saints and Yogi or learned ascetics (practitioners of Sannyasa) too came there. He liked to serve such saints, and to keep their company (Satsang) and to converse with them. He learned from them many types of Pranayama, many methods of Rajyoga and Hatha yoga, and to some extent he also practiced them, but he could not be satisfied by these people. Their methods were not favorable for him. Therefore, he could neither connect with any of them, nor make anyone his Guru.

Arya Samaj
Many of his friends followed Arya Samaj. In their association the views of Arya Samaj impressed him, and he too became a follower of Arya Samaj. During those days Arya Samaj was a good institution. Its members were straight forward, honest, and simple, and followed Karmakand (Karmakanda (Sanskrit) is that part of the Śruti or Vedas writings which relates to ceremonial acts and sacrificial rites). During those days its members did not search for other people’s faults like those of the present days, and they did have the attitude ‘to do something for one’s self’. They, with body and mind, used to serve others. The inclination to work was there also within him; therefore, he too joined with them began shoulder to shoulder and started helping them in their cause. He worked for many years in Fatehgarh and Agra within the high circle of Arya Samaj.
When a society spreads, selfish people get into it. For their own selfish ends, they use all possible methods of pleading - bribery - threat - and divide and rule to influence the members, and thus they increase their majority and take hold of the society. Simple and honest people are pushed back, and the shammers occupy the forefront on the stage. The result of this is that parties get formed, and the storm of ‘mine - and – yours’ starts blowing. In this darkness of selfishness duty is forgotten, the mission is lost, and worship remains only for the name sake. While awake or asleep, during prayers and worship, the same forms and the same faces would appear, the result of which is nothing but unrest.
He did not like these fights that disturbed the peace. These started becoming a hurdle in his spiritual practice. Therefore, he resigned and separated from them.
Guru
He met his Guru Mahatma Ramchandra Ji around the year 1910 or 1911. Wife of Samarth Guru Mahatma Ramchandra Ji was unwell. In that connection he first met with Mahatma Ramchandra Ji, his "Shri Gurudeva", in the capacity of a medical practitioner. He continued to meet Mahatma Ramchandra Ji for two years regularly, but he did not come to know more than this that Mahatma Ramchandra Ji was a very simple and honest person. Mahatma Ramchandra Ji had put a garb of service and householder around him and his real form was not visible. His neighbors, relatives, and friends those who sat near him day and night, all of them only knew him as a good person and that is all.
He writes -

"I was an inexperienced youth, but my intellect was not ordinary. I had been in the company of ascetics (Sadhu) and Mahatmas; I had read the scriptures; I had heard all the Puranas during my childhood; with these my thinking had become of a different type. Seeing his way of living, his behavior towards others, his ways - the way he went about with things, had regularly brought out a doubt that this was no ordinary person, but a very high level great person. In order to get over this doubt I would periodically bring up the conversation related to God. He would avoid it, and start talking about something else. This way two years passed by, and he did not come to the point."
"It was spring. The time was early morning. He and I together were walking on the high hillocks at the shores of river Ganges and while conversing, it got revealed. He said, “By the blessings of a great Saint I have got spiritual knowledge and I know it”.
"It is said, Saints have caprice. They do everything only upon getting the caprice. One day for me too, the impulse came. All of a sudden he said, “Doctor Sahib! Come, today I shall give you the lesson.”. I went along. He was in front and I was following behind. On the shores of Ganges, in a quiet forest there was a high hill of sand on which stood a small hut belonging to an ascetic, which was closed with thorns. In front of the hut there was a small clean area. He said, “Sit here, close your eyes, and meditate”. I began to meditate. After two or three minutes I lost sense of my body. I felt as if I am as light as a flower. Some force is pulling me, and in this pull I am feeling an extraordinary bliss. After a while even this stopped, and I found myself at that place, which the scriptures have described as "Sampragyat Samadhi" of the Realm of Intellect. He said, “Open your eyes”. I opened my eyes, after a while I came into consciousness. He said, “I have begun you from the Realm of Intellect. You would have needlessly wasted time in the lower three levels – the physical, the ethereal, and the Realm of Mind, therefore, you have been made to pass over these, and you have been taken beyond them." At the same time he taught me the methods of acquiring various Siddhi, along with it he also said - 'Promise that you would never use them for any worldly matter.' I gave my consent and till date I have never even looked towards them for any worldly matters."

Pujya Dr. Chaturbhuj Sahab ji was one of the seniormost disciple of Lalaji Maharaj . His life was devoted towards spiritual upliftment of mankind. According to the directions of Lalaji Maharaj , he tried very hard to spread the divine message of Pujya Lalaji Maharaj to as many people as possible. He has a number of spiritual publications for the benefit of the common people. According to lalaji Maharaj ’s wishes he translated the core principles of Pujya Lalaji’s mission in hindi which was originally in Urdu so that it could be accessible to common people.
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"Capable Masters (Samarth Guru) have all capabilities. On the first day itself they can make a disciple realize God; within split seconds they can take one to the Realm of Ultimate Energy, the Realm of Bliss; but all this is dependent upon their Grace."

Principles

1. God is energy, has no name or form, whatever name one keeps is alright.
2. To seek God one need not renounce household and wander in the forest; one can live at home and still reach God.
3. You have not seen God, hence first meet that person who has seen God. Only that person can enable you to see God.
4. Infuse inner happiness into your life, it is a divine virtue.
5. Peace is in the knowledge, you will not get it from outside. Knowledge is within you. For this you will have to make internal efforts.
6. Devote more time to worldly activities, give some time to these efforts. But for this much time forget the world.
7. Two activities are very important for spiritual seeker - first, earn an honest living and second, keep busy with work.
8. Knowledge is infinite. If one Guru could not complete it then seek the guidance of another Guru. However, after finding a fully self-realized Guru one should not seek another Guru.
9. Do all worldly work but with a spirit of service, not as owner.
10. Live in this world as a guest. Think of everything as belonging to someone else. Leave "me and mine," and learn the lesson of "you and yours".

See also

• Mahatma Ramchandra

Further reading

• Sharma, Param Sant Pt.Mihilal Ji, Jeewan Darshan, Mathura: Sadhan Prakashan 
• Sharma, Param Sant Pt.Mihilal Ji, Sansmaran, Mathura: Sadhan Prakashan 
• Kumar, Param Sant Alok Ji, Jyoti Purush Ki Rashmiyan, Mathura: Sadhan Prakashan 

References