GuruDev
GuruDev Hazrat Harprasad Mishra 'Uvaisi'
While teaching Hindi literature at a government college, I came under the spiritual guidance of Hazrat Harprasad Mishra Owaisi—a Sufi saint of the Owaisiya order based in Ajmer—sometime around the year 2000. He was a disciple of Baba Badam Shah Sahib, whose dargah (shrine) is located in the village of Somalpur, Ajmer. Notably, the Owaisi Sufi order traces its spiritual lineage back to Owais Qarni Sahib. Five shrines belonging to this lineage are located in the city of Rampur, India. Two shrines are in Jhansi, and two are in Ajmer. Our Gurudev was a Maithil Brahmin who worked for the Railways. Baba Badam Shah Sahib initiated him, performed Shaktipat (spiritual energy transmission), and guided his spiritual progress. Ultimately, before departing from this world, he handed over his spiritual seat (*Gaddi*) to Mishra Ji.
Gurudev was a spiritually exalted being of immense stature. Traveling anywhere in his subtle body was an effortless task for him. He could read the thoughts of others, see anyone—no matter where they were—and alleviate the suffering of others while remaining seated in one place. I have witnessed all of this with my own eyes. Every day, after dusk, he would visit the home of each of his disciples in his subtle body to observe their conduct, later admonishing them to engage in spiritual practice. He accomplished even those tasks deemed impossible through the power of mantras. There were no limits to the scope of his willpower. He had handed over his spiritual seat to his son, Hazrat Ramdutt Ji Mishra. It was he who commissioned the construction of the visually captivating shrine of his guru, Baba Badam Shah Sahib. Hazrat Mishra Ji's shrine is located in Tabiji village on Dumada Road; it was built by Hazrat Ramdutt Ji Mishra.
Hazrat Mishra Ji attained a spiritual state far beyond and higher than anything we read about Sufi saints in books. He could transmit spiritual energy (*Shaktipat*) merely through his gaze and alleviate the suffering of others solely through the power of his will. His one supreme teaching was this: wake up during the Brahma Muhurta (the auspicious pre-dawn hours), chant the Diksha Mantra, and master it—this alone constitutes Guru Dakshina.
It was journalist Arvind Garg who led me to take refuge in Gurudev. Initiation took place. Shaktipat occurred. Kundalini energy rose upwards. An inner light was awakened. The sacred Name began to resonate. That which was subtle became visible; a light could be seen extending from the Muladhara to the crown of the head. The Guru’s subtle form began to accompany me. Then, my mindset shifted; my thoughts and beliefs transformed. Knowledge began to descend within. Gurudev initiated the writing of books; one after another, twenty-five books were written under his guidance.
The inner journey began. The subtle body became visible. Thoughts and visions began to manifest clearly in the mind. Gurudev enabled me to master the initiation mantra. My very existence was under his control. A dialogue of the mind commenced; questions and answers began to unfold within. Intuitive premonitions arose. The spiritual essence of the Dargah and the shrine became visible. Then, the external world merged into the internal realm. I heard the celestial sound and tasted spiritual bliss. I beheld divine visions. Within the Dargah itself, I heard the sound of 'Om' and the chanting of 'Hare Rama Krishna,' while the Namokar Mantra resonated deep within. I gained knowledge of the Hanuman Chalisa. I had visions of Sufi saints. I also beheld the vastness of the universe.
In this way, the Guru's grace changed everything.......