Did Devraha Baba live for 250 years?

In the pantheon of saints and yogis in modern India, one name stands out: Devraha Baba,

who is believed to have lived up to the age of an amazing 250 years. Yes, there is proof that he was indeed over 250 when he gave up his body in 1990. But it is not important how long he lived, it is important what level of spirituality he achieved and what he contributed to the society.

For somebody like me of the post-Independence generation, we grew up reading about the living legend named Devraha Baba. There used to be his black and white or sepia photographs -- matted locks and all -  in newspapers and magazines, aloft a ‘machan’ (wooden platform), blessing people, from pauper to the prince, by putting his foot on their heads. Eminent people who sought him out regularly included Mrs Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, He also ‘touched’ the lives of visiting dignitaries from abroad.

There are various claims of Baba’s longevity, starting from 150 years and above. The most credible account comes from none other than  Dr. Rajendra Prasad,  the first President of Independent India. Dr Prasad wrote in his autobiography that he could personally establish that Devraha Baba was at least 150 years old. At the age of 73, more than fifty years ago, Dr Prasad wrote that his father had sat at the feet of the Baba as a child - that is, in the middle of the nineteenth century - and Devraha Baba was already elderly at that time.

The appearance of Devraha Baba at the Kumbh Mela which takes place every 12 years was recorded 12 times. The last time he was at the Allahabad Kumbh Mela in 1989. Famous BBC correspondent Mark Tully has recorded his observations of the Baba from that Kumbh Mela, which formed a chapter in ‘Penguin Book of Indian Journeys’. Tully was told that one reason for Baba’s amazing longevity was that he was forever in Uddiyana Bandha (literally, ‘upward energy lock’, it moves the energy up from the earth, water and fire centers into the heart or air chakra).

When Tully asked, “What does the Baba eat?” his interlocutor replied: “Air. He does not even eat fruit. You see, any great yogi can extend his tongue from inside until it touches the top of his head. That’s where the nectar is situated and one drop of nectar is all you need to live for a very long time.”

So, a fairly scientific hypothesis of how Baba dramatically prolonged his lifespan is that he drew his required energy from cosmic sources, thus eliminating the toxic fallout (free radicals, etc) that occurs from eating food. Secondly, meditation and a hermit lifestyle lowered his metabolism, minimizing wear and tear in the body. Thirdly, yoga postures and mudras stimulated his endocrine system.    

From most accounts, we know that Devraha Baba was born in the Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh and was the eleventh in the lineage of Sri Ramanuja Acharya who founded Vaishnavism. Though an itinerant yogi, Devraha Baba was often stationed in Mathura on the banks of river Yamuna, where huge crowds would gather to have his darshan and blessings.  

We may never fathom the higher levels of spirituality he achieved, but we can salute what he contributed to the society. His very existence inspired people to believe in and take to the yogic path. All-loving and prescient, he guided people who sought him out on the right course to take in life. Apocryphal anecdotes have him warning famous personalities against impending danger.

One life Yogiraj Devraha Baba transformed is that of Brahmrishi Shri Guruvanand Swami (called ‘Gurudev’ or ‘Guruji’ by his devotees), who in turn is changing the lives of millions in present times. Devraha Baba brought Guruji to his ashram to save his life from a terminal illness. He predicted that Guruji would achieve the pinnacle of spirituality and he will use that divine energy to serve humanity. Yogiraj’s predictions have come true. Guruji has invoked all Chakras of his Kundalini and with 42 years of rigorous Sadhana he has acquired all Siddhis.

Brahmrishi Shri Guruvanand Swami is using the enormous divine energy that he has acquired to help those in distress and to uplift the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. He has traveled to over 170 countries to teach people the art of living a moral, spiritual life. Guruji has made it very easy for us to understand the true meaning of religion so we can overcome our Karmic debts while we fulfill our worldly duties.

The World Spiritual Awareness Forum is delighted that Gurudev will grace the First International Guru Poornima to be held at New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ, on July 12, 2014. This event, that is open to public, is getting very enthusiastic response from all over the world. Over 500 spiritually-inclined attendees are expected from India and other countries.