Encounter with Mastan Baba

Meeting a real Avadhoota, a liberated being who, as Mohanji beautifully explains, “has everything (within himself) and needs nothing from the outside world” is a rare blessing indeed.

I can still feel the softness of his feet hiding beneath the layer of dirt caused by the street life. A casual onlooker would only see dirty, dusty feet with overgrown nails and would never imagine such softness was possible. This was a clear sign that this Avadhoota does not operate from his physical body. His baby-like yawn with an aura of indescribable cuteness, regardless of his otherwise serious countenance, stayed etched in my memory.

More than anything, it was the power of his huge third eye that I was blessed to see at one moment that really impressed me the most. It was huge. It spread across the entire forehead in a shape of a downward triangle with top line similar to a that of a crescent moon in horizontal position. Occasionally I could also see a cobra above the third eye, appearing as if to guard it. This is something that I saw only once before – on the photos of Mohanji’s Shiva experience back in 2008, when Vibhuti came out of his crown in a shape of the Kailash mountain. And now I got to see it with my own eyes / inner vision.

16 February 2024 will forever remain a day in my life marked by this super rare blessing. After a day packed with many activities during our intense Divine Datta Trails pilgrimage in Maharashtra, I was about to withdraw to my hotel room after the dinner, when I suddenly remembered that some of the people from our group said they would go to the Pune railway station after 22h to try their luck and see if they will be get the darshan (a chance to meet) the Avadhoota called Mastan Baba who often stays on the sidewalk somewhere within the railway station area. I felt a clear inner prompting to join them, while my mind was objecting that I should finally get some sleep and prepare for the early morning start next day. Luckily, I listened to my heart and joined our little group just as they were about to leave.

Upon reaching the railway station, we bought some mango juice to offer to Mastan Baba and started looking for him. It did not take much time – at the very end of the railways station area, we found him seated on the bench. What an excitement! Heart started to beat fast as we approached him with humility. At first, one lady from our group tried to come closer to him but he objected in a stern way, gesturing with his hand “Move away!” His physical eyes were not fixated on anyone or any specific point, but his third eye was clearly grasping all that needed to be seen. His behavior was erratic, but I knew very well this was just an outward appearance.

While inwardly connecting with Mohanji, and with heart full of gratitude, I felt the inner calling to be the next one to approach this mystical Avadhoota and kind of ‘break the ice’. As I came closer, my heart expanded even more when he gently moved his right foot towards me, as if offering it to me. I bowed down, almost breathless. I held his foot covered with dust and dirt with utmost reverence, before placing my forehead on his big toe.

That was the moment when I noticed just how soft his feet were. One would expect the usual rough skin, cracked heels, foul smell and other not so attractive characteristics of street dwellers. Yet, Mastan Baba had no unpleasant smell at all! The softness of his feet instantly brought the feeling of melting love, similar to what one feels while caressing a baby. His presence was really powerful and could be recognized only through these subtle feelings that spontaneously arise. I was so grateful to Mohanji who increased our capacity to see beyond the obvious and perceive these subtler aspects of existence…

After the blessing of touching his big toe with my forehead, I sat down on the dirty floor and kept looking at him, connecting with the invisible consciousness aspect. I could feel warm energy filling up my central axis. I felt as if all my ‘batteries’ were being charged through divine grace. One man who regularly comes to see Mastan Baba and bathe in his presence shared with us how everything started changing in his life after he met Masthan Baba. Since then he started using every possible opportunity to be in his presence. He said that various obstacles were getting removed, karmic traps overcome and experiences of instant manifestation of certain noble desires were enough of a proof that every encounter with Mastan Baba was a blessing in immeasurable ways that mind could never comprehend.

I must say that the opportunity to meet an Avadhoota so casually on the streets of a city can happen only in a country like India – in Europe for example, such a person would have been placed in a mental asylum! (along with us who are massaging his feet) The entire experience was indeed surreal and overwhelming, especially when Mastan Baba suddenly got up, walked a bit forward towards the people standing behind me, and then started beating his right leg really strongly! Pin drop silence. At that moment, none of us could understand why he was beating himself so badly and some got scared they will get beaten as well.

I continued sitting at the same place, and turned my head a bit in his direction, witnessing the drama. The beatings continued for another couple of seconds, until he finally stopped. Then, something most unexpected happened – he came towards our Mamu and Danny and suddenly placed some candies into the hands of our dear Mamu, who stood there shocked and speechless. It became clear to me that this was a huge blessing and that beating had a purpose of cleansing something and taking it onto his own body. Such is the love of great Masters.

While my friends were mainly hesitant to come forward and touch Mastan Baba, especially after the scene with the beating, I felt a pull to come to him again. I did so the moment he sat down again. This time I had a thought I should give him Mohanji’s visiting card. I quickly pulled one card out of my handbag and offered it to Mastan Baba, saying only one word – “ashirwad” (blessing. Meaning, “I am offering this card for your blessing”). To my great joy, he mumbled something in approval and kept holding the card in his right hand – this continued for the entire two hours that we spent with him. He just wouldn’t let go of it!

I then noticed that one Muslim woman (who obviously comes to meet this Baba often) seated in front of him started to massage the calf muscle of his left leg and his left foot. I immediately held his other foot and calf muscle and started to massage. He allowed it. While massaging the calf muscle, I noticed that not only were his feet soft, but the entire body was as soft as the puppy paws. It was such a special feeling to be massaging his feet and legs, processing just how surreal this entire situation really is.

To top it all up, a group of people who recognized me as the heroine of Foreignchi Patlin movie, kept standing and watching the show, awaiting the opportunity to click a photo with me. That must have been quite a scene – Foreignchi Patlin, all fair and dressed up (there was no time to change my clothes as I left the hotel in a rush) in some elegant clothing of light peach color, seated on the dirty floor, massaging the dirty feet and legs of an Avadhoota. That in itself was like a movie scene within some reality show!

I remained fully focused on Mastan Baba, either staring at his third eye while seated in front of him, or massaging his feet. I approached him several times, offering to massage his feet and calf muscles and each time I did that, he allowed it. I kept feeling I should make some other offering as well. Than I pulled out a lovely scarf that a dear friend Shambhavi gifted me the previous day and offered it to him as a vastradaan (donation of a clothing). He accepted that as well, gesturing I should put it on a side, next to him.

At that point, friends from our Mohanji group started coming forward as well to offer to press Avadhoota’s feet and massage his calf muscles. Even the lady who was initially rejected was now accepted – one by one, all massaged his feet, feeling super energized. Before leaving, I approached him once again and said: “Deep gratitude to our Datta sampradaya (tradition), Gyan Ganj masters, great Dattatreya, Nath Masters and beloved Mohanji.” Muslim women seated nearby started to enquire what I was saying, but I politely declined to say anything more than “a long story”.

After almost two hours of complete focus on the Avadhoota have past, we noticed that many of the onlookers left. From the group of my Foreignchi Patlin fans, there were only very few still standing and observing what is happening. One man with shining eyes and soft smile approached me for a photo. He really touched my heart when he told me: “I love your radiance. You are like a white, shining pearl.” My heart was already expanded from Avadhoota’s presence, but these words simply went straight into the heart. Police commander was there as well and took a photo with me. He was aware who Mastan Baba is and was there to make sure all of us are safe as it was after 1am already. He was very sweet. I was so full of energy and some indescribable excitement due to all the grace I have been experiencing.

The age of Mastan Baba could not be determined. Nobody knew from where he came but it’s been more than 25 years that he has been spending time in this manner somewhere around that railway station in Pune, sleeping on the bench or on the ground. Those who had the eyes to see could recognize a great Master, great Siddha, hiding his luminous stature and presence behind the layers of dirt and dust.

After having researched a bit about Mastan Baba online, I found this image of him from 25 years ago, sleeping on the bench. It was so touching for me to learn that he was doing this same activity last 25+ years. “Draped in just a towel, the baba does not talk except for a few words in Hindi. His followers say his blessings have worked wonders for them.

Police Constable S G Kadam said the Baba is like a blessing for those around.  “People keep offering him food so that he blesses them. People have immense faith in him. I have been seeing him in the same place for 25 years and there is no change in him. He is definitely not an ordinary man. He hasn’t taken a bath but he has a godly persona,” said Kadam.

Nishikant Raut, also a constable said: “He never speaks but for a few words in Hindi. It’s like a blessing for devotees. All castes, creeds and communities seek his blessings. A family member of a minister comes every week in her car and offers Sarkar kheer.”

(Source: ndtv.com)

I felt immensely blessed and couldn’t wait to reach the hotel and share this surreal experience with Mohanji.

However, he was already in bed and not in a mood to speak. In the morning he just told me that he had a bruise on his body, as if he was beaten. I knew immediately that something got transferred to him during the self-beating of Mastan Baba because Mohanji is our Guru and connection to the Source. It became clear that the great Avadhoota removed something heavy from some of us present that unforgettable night. Such are the mysterious was of the Masters and their divine interconnectedness through consciousness…

May all whose heart resonates with this story bathe in the Grace and presence of living Masters.

With love and gratitude,

Devi Mohan