Shree Sheena Shetty, affectionately addressed as ‘Seth’, father of Gurudev Swami Nityanand, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2004 at 2330 hours - the auspicious day of pratipada, twelve hours after the vat savitri purnima.

Seth has been the Bhishm Pitamah of Shanti Mandir. An ardent devotee of Bhagwan Nityanand, Seth served Baba Muktananda during his (Babaji's) sadhana days, and beyond … throughout Baba’s life on earth. He continued to serve Baba’s mission till his very last day. Seth was a true Yogi – leading his householder life as a renunciate. Once a devotee asked Sri Ramakrishna “Sir, can’t we realize God without complete renunciation?” Sri Ramakrishna replied, “Of course you can!…there is nothing wrong in your being in the world, but you must direct your mind towards God; otherwise you will not succeed. Do your duty with one hand and with the other hold onto God. After your duty is over, you will hold onto God with both hands”. Sri Ramakrishna’s this response totally captures Seth’s entire life in a nutshell.

Earlier, during the week, Seth had developed some swelling in the body and some difficulty in breathing. He had refused to see a doctor till the fateful evening of June 3. An ambulance was called; and as he was walking towards it, at the steps of the house his prana left the body. No fuss, no doctors, no needles, no crowd – a quiet, peaceful and serene transition. In fact, peace permeated the entire house; and was easily palpable to everyone who participated in the last rites.

By dawn of June 4, the news had reached most of the family, friends and Shanti Mandir centers. People started coming in amidst round-the-clock chanting of Vishnu Sahsranam, Gurugita and Om Namah Shivaya . Gurudev was contacted immediately on Seth discarding his body. His instructions were that the cremation would take place at Ganeshpuri upon his arrival. He took the first flight out of New York to reach Mumbai at 2:30a.m. on June 5.

Three hours later, as the priests began preparations for the final journey of Seth’s mortal remains, Gurudev led an early morning chant of Vishnu Sahasranam followed by the Devi Stotram. After the family members performed final ceremonies at home, while everyone present chanted the Mahamantra Om Namah Shivaya , the body was placed in the verandah of the house. Shirishbhai, Nirmalaben and Pratimaben from Gurudev Siddhapeeth offered a shawl and flowers on behalf of Swami Chidvilasananda.

At 7:45a.m. 75 people in a convoy of cars and a bus escorted Seth’s flower-bedecked body to Ganeshpuri. Upon arrival, the convoy stopped outside Bhadrakali temple where, conducted by Lavarji, Seth’s youngest son Sanjay performed the pind daan puja. Lavarji officiated all the ceremonies associated with last rites under the blessings and watchful eyes of Gurudev. From the temple the body was carried in the traditional Indian manner on the shoulders of sons, grandsons, son-in-law, nephews and other close friends in a procession to Bhagawan Nityanand’s samadhi shrine about 150 yards away, where the body was placed in the courtyard. Shrine priests and Lavarji chanted mantras as ladies in the group had the final darshans of the form and paid their respects by offering ganga jal with tulsi leaves. Thereafter, the men proceeded to the cremation ground on the bed of Bhagawan’s favourite Tansa River, carrying the body on their shoulders. The pyre had already been prepared by Jawahar Desai. While Sanjay performed the last of the prayerful offerings, the pyre was given the final touches with huge quantities of mango and sandal wood, ghee, and camphor. The pyre was lit at around 10:30a.m., soon whereafter, led by Gurudev, everyone present took pradakshna and moved a few yards away to sit and watch the final ceremony being performed by Sanjay and Lavarji.

In the meantime the women took a dip in the sulphur springs next to Bhagawan’s Samadhi Mandir, and started the chanting of Gurugita in the samadhi temple. Gurudev and the men, when they returned, also had a dip in the springs, and joined the chanting in the temple. Gurudev retreated to the shrine’s sanctum sanctorum, offered pranams to Bhagawan, did pradakshina and took a seat offered by the temple priests next to the samadhi. As we recited the Avadhut stotram the shrine priests started preparation for the noon arati, which started as soon as we completed chanting of the sadguru arati. A priest waved lights beautifully to the beating of drums, bells and blowing of the conch. The music throbbed within each person in the hall as we watched the dance of the lamps before Bhagwan. His smile seemed to envelope the whole room and everyone chanted the Nityanand Arati ecstatically.

Following darshan at the shrine the group proceeded to Samadhan, Bhaskar’s restaurant for lunch. The convoy headed back for Mumbai at 1330 hours.

The Sunday satsang the following morning was dedicated to Seth’s memory. After Gurugita, we chanted Raghupati Raghav Rajaram Patitapavan Sitaram. The chant was followed by bhajans sung by Jawahar and Astha. Gurudev spoke briefly talking about how beautifully Seth went . He said, “Baba left his body on a purnima, Amma left hers on a purnima and Seth left on a Thursday on the auspicious day after vat savitri purnima”. He said it was a testimony to his sadhana and a truly yogic life......“we can all fake it throughout our lifetime… it is at the time of death that one can ascertain the spiritual attainment”....."the fact that Seth gave up his prana at the steps of the house showed that he was a true tyagi." Gurudev reminded us that death does not wait for anyone and therefore we should pursue sadhana in our life. He concluded with a story from the Mahabharat. One day a poor man came to see King Yudhishtra. The king said that the court was about to close for the day and the man should return the following day to see him. As the man walked out everyone in the court could hear a bell ringing loudly in the background. Everyone was surprised because it was the bell which was rung ceremoniously when the king returned victorious from a war. Yudhishtra enquired who was ringing the bell and was told that his younger brother prince Bhima was ringing the bell. The king summoned Bhima and enquired why he was ringing the bell when the king was in residence and they were in peace times. Bhima replied respectfully that when he heard the kings’s response to the poor man who had come seeking help he was overjoyed to see that the king had won the ultimate battle – victory over death! Because only then could the king be confident that he would be alive and able to give audience to the poor man next day. The wiseman that Yudhishtra was, he instantly understood the hint implicit in Bhima’s action that he might not be able to fulfill his promise if death intervened, called back the poor man, and gave him an audience.

Each time someone dies it is a wake up call for every one around to contemplate where we are going. Mostly people forget in a few days. However it is rare that a death inspires people to intensify sadhana and aspire to have a passing as auspicious and serene as Seth’s. The passing of Gurudev’s parents in the last 11 months has confirmed that the Guru himself comes to escort his bhaktas back to his house. A nine-year-old boy, a devotee of Gurudev’s attended Seth’s cremation. Later at home he asked if, as the body was consumed by the sacred fire, was Seth being born elsewhere. His family explained that a saintly soul such as Seth is probably being retained by Baba with him in Siddhaloka. The child replied wistfully, “I wish when I die Baba keeps me with himself”. Such is the impact of divine inspiration: it creates positive aspiration rather than negative fear!!!

In the introductory mantras to the Gurugita we recite;

Muktanandaya Gurave Shishya samsara harine
Bhakta karyaika dehaya namaste chit sad atmane

Salutations to Muktananda, the Guru,
who rescues his disciples from the cycle of birth and death,
who has assumed a body to meet the needs of his devotees,
and whose nature is consciousness and being.

We pray that with our effort and the grace of the Gurus we all transition as auspiciously and peacefully as Devaki Amma and Seth. We offer our respects and salutations to both these great souls who were an inspiration to all in their life as well as death. We rejoice that their lifetime of sadhana individually and together – commitment to their Guru and each other bore fruit and know that they are united once again with each other and the Gurus.

Sadgurunath Maharaj Ki Jai