Vaishnavism consists of four sects or Sampradayas, namely Sri Sampradaya, Bramhan Sampradaya, Rudra Sampradaya and Sanaka Sampradaya which are named after their four founders. The Acharyas are Ramanuj Sampradaya, Madhva Sampradaya, Vallabha Sampradaya and Nimbarka Sampradaya. Vaishnavites quote the word of Mahavishnu to stress the importance of the Acharyas, “Acharya Manaki Tanuh” (The form of acharya is my own form). Five-hundred years ago, the 39th master of the Sri Nimbarka Sampradaya, Sri Nagaji Maharaj, commenced the divine Vraja Parikrama or the circumambulation of 84 Krosha Vraja Dham, where Sri Krishna along with his cowherds and gopis used to play. Till today this Parikrama continues. The 50th Acharya of the Nimbarkas, Swami Indra Dasji Kathia Baba, started the method of wearing a solid wooden belt in the waist in order to teach young sadhus to remain sexually continent. From then on each Acharya of this sect is called ‘kathia baba’. Sri Swami Ramdas Kathia Baba was the first. Sri Chinmoy, the famous seer, has used the following story on the baba to illustrate how laziness can destroy character.
A certain disciple of Ramdas Kathia Baba fell victim to lethargy. Once, he had been an excellent aspirant, but somehow he lost his intense aspiration. A few times Ramdas baba had asked him to give up his lethargy and go back to heeding his intense inner voice. Unfortunately, the seeker did not fulfil his master’s wish.
Then one night, while he was sleeping, a solid brick fell on him and woke him up. He was hurt, but the strange thing was that the mosquito net over his bed remained intact. There was no hole in it, although the brick had fallen from above. The disciple could not account for this.
The following day Ramdas said to him, “I did not want to pass through your mosquito net; therefore, I sent the brick as my representative to wake you from your sleep. I am glad that you are hurt. From now on get up early in the morning and meditate for a few hours. During the day also try to meditate. And at night you must meditate for a few hours if you really want to please me.”
Commentary: A spiritual teacher’s only concern is his disciples’ progress. If he has to administer punishment to a disciple, he does not mind, for he knows that the disciple is going to benefit from this eventually. At times it is absolutely necessary for the master to be strict with the disciple, for there is no other way.
Lethargy is a most powerful force. Softness, kindness, sweetness and politeness sadly fail to fight against lethargy. Strict discipline is the only weapon that can defeat the formidable strength of lethargy. Such being the case, Ramdas did not feel at all sorry when he hurt his dear disciple. An ordinary person finds it difficult to accept the prophecy of a spiritual master unless and until it has been proved. What is prophecy? Our human belief feels that prophecy is the ability to see something that will occur in the future and then tell when this incident is due. But in the case of a spiritual master, prophecy is only a spontaneous revelation of truth-embodiment. This truth-embodiment has to be revealed in God’s own Way at God’s choice Hour, for He alone knows when prophecy will create unnecessary worries and anxieties, and when it will create illumining aspiration and fulfilling satisfaction.