A moment’s association with a sadhu can bring all perfections

The conclusion of all the scriptures is that by only a moment’s association with a sadhu, one can attain all spiritual perfections. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.22.54)

sadhu-sanga sadhu-sanga sarva-shastra koy |
lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi hoy || 

Vrindavan, 2017.08.22 (Sakhicharan Das): I recently heard an unpublished story about an event in the life of Sripad Ramdas Babaji that I would like to share.

Sri Ramdas Babaji Maharaj

Some years passed by and Babaji Maharaj was out on nagar-sankirtan when a fellow approached him. It was the same person who, as a young boy, had taunted Babaji Maharaj and his companions. This time he paid his respects  to Babaji Maharaj and told him how he had been very successful in life. He had now become a business owner and a family man with a significant amount of wealth. Babaji Maharaj silently blessed him and went on his way.

Again, after some years this man crossed paths with Babaji Maharaj. He had seen the kirtan party and approached them in great humility. This time the man was dishevelled and had long hair and a beard. He was covered in dirt, and was wearing old, worn-out rags as clothing. Babaji Maharaj didn’t recognize him, but feeling compassion for him he had a devotee take him to the ashram and clean him up and provide him with food and a room.

When Babaji Maharaj returned to the ashram and saw the man clean-shaven he could understand who he was and asked him how such a state had befallen him.

The man told of the reversals in his life, how he lost all his wealth and was rejected by his family and friends, and how he had to take to a life on the streets. The man begged for shelter at the wish-yielding feet of Babaji Maharaj’s lotus feet, and he was given diksha and some seva in the ashram. Very soon he won the favor of the ashramites for his dedication and loving seva and earned respect as a Vaishnava in his own right. The man soon took bhek (became a monk) and Babaji Maharaj blessed him by sending him to Brindavan to perform bhajan.

Sakhicharan Das (1960-2016) was a dedicated sadhak, writer, and resident of Sri Radhakund in the lineage of Shri Radharaman Charan Das Babaji Maharaj.