30 October 1982
"Herakhan Vishwa Mahadham is the most sacred place on earth and the residence of Shri Herakhan Babaji. All who come here are members of a universal family who must demonstrate to the world their good character and Attentiveness.
"Two traits which Shri Babaji dislikes in people are acting like sheep, one blindly running after the other, and deceitfulness or cunningness. Shri Babaji appears in the world to lift people out of such conduct to the highest level of character and to enlighten all mankind. The basis of the fellowship of those who come to Herakhan is faith in Shri Babaji and His teachings. Faith increases with time and so do the numbers of people coming to Shri Babaji. One of the signs of the greatness of the attraction of this place is that Babaji has never travelled outside of India, but just as all rivers flow to the sea, so too do people from all over the world travel to Herakhan.
"According to the traditional Hindu measurement of time, we are now in the 28th kalpa. The first man and first woman in each kalpa are called Manu and Shatrupa. They are very holy and learned people. From the dawn of creation Manu, from which the word Mansarovar is derived, and Shatrupa have done penance in this sacred place. Here on the Kurmanchal Mt. Kailash, the first Yagna (sacred fire ceremony) was celebrated by them. At that time, there was nothing but deep forest from here to Delhi and northward everything was covered with snow and ice. With time, cities developed and the area became populated.
"Along with Lord Shiva, who had His main seat here, they moved to the Mt. Kailash in Tibet, and Lake Mansarovar also moved to the north. The original Manu performed the first yagna here and the last Manu did yagna at the Tibetan Kailash. Arid, it was here that Lord Shiva and Parvati, daughter of the Himalayas, came to live. Lord Shiva also always remains here with the gods as His courtiers and servants and plays His divine lilas. The asan of Lord Shiva is the top of Mount Kailash and the old cave below is the divine place of austerities of Lord Shiva. The original havan kund (sacred fire place) is still here on Kailash as well as signs of the original Lake Mansarovar.
"It was here at Siddheshwar, the peak next to Kailash, where Lord Vishnu came to perform penance. When Lord Shiva was at Mt. Kailash and Lord Vishnu at Siddheshwar, the great Rishi Gautama came to. do penance. By the powers gained from his penance, the Rishi created the Gautama Ganga river which still flows here. Rishi Gautama went each day to Kailash to worship Lord Shiva. The river was then very broad and difficult to cross, so the Rishi asked Gautama Ganga to make herself narrower. Gautama Ganga became obstinate and refused, so the Rishi cursed her and sent her below the earth, where she flowed underground to join the Ganges at Banares. This underground connection still exists, however, the Rishi in time took pity on Gautama Ganga and lifted her to the surface a short distance from Herakhan, where she began to flow in a smaller stream, as today. Once this was the greatest river in India. Those who bathe in these holy waters will be liberated from the ocean of this world.
"An incident involving Lord Vishnu gave this place the name Herakhan. Lord Vishnu took an incarnation as Haya Griva (horse-faced), because a demon who had a face like a horse had been granted the boon that he could only be killed by one with a similar face. Lord Vishnu took this form and killed the demon. This happened here, so the place came to be known as Haya Griva Khand (Khand means area or place). Over time, the name was transformed to Hairakhand or Herakhan.
"Having some doubt, Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva, once asked what would happen to man during the Kali Yuga when there would be so much trouble in the world. The Holy utterance of Lord Shiva was that he would manifest in the Kali Yuga to uplift the world and liberate those who turn to God. Shiva now lives among us in Shri Babaji, Who is doing the services for mankind now from Herakhan Vishwa Mahadham.
"At Herakhan, no one is restricted to only one kind of devotion or learning. All have a right to their form of devotion to God. You, who have assembled here are able to experience the development afforded by this place. Not all who come here are advantaged or rich, but all have been pulled by their hearts. As air enters a vacuum to fill it, so too you have been pulled. Those coming from the West have been saints in their former lives and were born in technologically advanced cultures to fulfil Karmic desires, but are drawn to Shri Babaji when that karma is about to be satisfied. Shri Babaji teaches us about the unity of creation.
"We are all made from the five elements; we are all of one spirit. In all respects, we are one humanity, one human family. Limitations arise from political beliefs and world leaders who hold thinking to time, place and culture, thereby creating differences and separateness. The birthright of all mankind is to love and follow God. Limitations arise from erroneous human beliefs. Shri Babaji has appeared to illumine the minds and hearts of mankind, so that unity and harmony may be known by all.
"OM NAMAH SHIVAYA"
