In the Himalayas there is no sampradaya bheda

 

Avadhoota Nadananda

(from Autobiography of an Avadhoota")

Avadhoota Nadananda: I started my return journey to Vyas Ghat with a heavy heart and eyes full of tears. As I was nearing Vyas Ghat after a walk of almost 5-6 hours, I noticed an old Vaishnav Baba, sitting in a dilapidated temple surrounded by mango trees. He asked me, "Greetings, where are you coming from?"

I thought, the previous day, on my was to Devprayag, I had not noticed this temple of the maharaj. The Maharaj said, "I saw you on your way yesterday, but you seemed in a bit of a hurry, so I did not speak with you."

He requested me to sit and offered some food. As I was hungry, and was carrying the bananas given my Ashamayee, I offered him two bananas and said, "Maharaj,  I have bananas and I am content with them."

However, the maharaj was not ready to listen to me. He said, "Look, I just offered naivedyam at the temple. Of you share some dal and rice with me, I will be happy." So I had some food with him.

I was very happy to have the food served to me. In the Himalayas I have noticed that there is no sampradaya bheda (differential treatment pertaining to spiritual tradition) between babas, whether he be a vairagi, sannyasi, naga or vaishnava. Everybody is cooperative and offers whatever food they have to wandering monks. This is my parivrajaka (wandering monk) life. In parivrajaka life, one has to go through different tests. He may be treated like a king, or as a beggar or even a dog. Maan or apmaan (respect or insult) may be there of the way. He has to accept it. This life is for washing out the ego of the sadhu.

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Vira Chandra: why no sampradaya bheda in Himalayas? The complexity of external conditions, when every day may be the last, and in fact it is almost impossible to use spirituality for the sake of material interests such as dhanam [material wealth], janam [followers] and sundarim [pretty women]. All bitter group-ism and sectarianism is a result of "feverish fight for markets": sincere sadhakas - no matter which samradaya they belong to - have nothing to divide. The Path of Spiritual Upliftment is One, so thus when your motivation is pure, you only want to help other wayferers.