Long Pilgrimage

Book excerpt: The book takes the form of six essays covering the life and teachings of Shri Govindananda Bharati, known at the time of his death as the Shivapuri Baba. The first chapter describes his origins from his birth in 1826 in Kerala, his religious training and preparation and his 40 year circumambulation of the world, meeting all the major world leaders of his day, and his forty year retirement in a forest hut outside Kathmandu. Subsequent chapters, describe his practical teachings, which are so simply explained and so universal that they will always be relevant to seekers. Ancient teachings are presented in a modern interpretation. The Shivapuri Baba himself described his teachings as "the Bhagavad Gita brought up to date'. The final chapter presents a revolutionary world view which reveals an immense wisdom and understanding of human destiny, presented in a form that all can appreciate. The Shivapuri Baba left this life in January of 1963, and at that time few knew of him, and nothing at all had been written about him. The present book was the first public account of the saint, appearing in 1965. In 2001, Thakur Lal Manadhar's son Giridhar approached J.G. Bennett's family requesting the rights to republish in English and Nepali. Giridhar was able to provide a number of photographic images not published previously and many of which were from his own camera. The present edition is taken from the 2001 publication. At the launch of the book in Kathmandu in 2007, Giridhar was asked by a reporter whether the Shivapuri Baba had actually read what was written, noting that the text indicated that he had seen and approved it? Giridhar said that he believed that he had not read it, and stating that at the end of his life, the Shivapuri Baba did not want to engage with anything which would tie him to the world he was preparing to leave for the last time. To Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, visiting in 1956 he said: "I teach three disciplines: physical; moral spiritual." These disciplines form the foundation of Right Life - Swadharma, and the journals of Thakur Lal Manandhar relate how these disciplines were taught in the practical application to every day life. This is a simple but inspiring book from which everybody can benefit .