End Notes
The reader may now well ask, 'Is Babaji really no more? Where is the continuation of his work?'
The answer must be, as Babaji never tired of saying, the guru principle is within, always available to us. Great souls will always be there to reveal the true path when we ourselves are ready. Therefore, in a universal sense Babaji's work continues in all places and at all times. In a more specific, localized sense, Sapta Shringh is available to all and is only a few hours journey north of Nasik (Maharashtra). Babaji's ashram stands at the foot of the towering, primordial rock of Sapta Shringh at an altitude of some 5,000 feet.
Swami Omananda (Om Baba), Babaji's nominated successor, is the spiritual head of the ashram. A powerfully built man of astonishing vitality in his late sixties, he has been a close disciple since 1955. ever since the ashram's conception. At the time of writing, he runs the ashram almost single-handedly. Under his direction the ashram has grown considerably and facilities for accommodation and welcoming visitors and pilgrims are extensive while retaining simplicity and Om Baba's distinct, personal touch.
About forty boys from humble backgrounds still receive free board and lodging in a purposely built hostel and there is an open invitation to the village children for breakfast, lunch, and evening prasad. In a sense, this is symbolic of the invitation the Divine Mother extends to all who approach Her.
The visitor finds himself easily drawn into the pristine, soaring, spiritual atmosphere created by the presence of the Divine Mother whose temple is suspended high above the ashram and by Her lovers and devotees. Babaji's Samadhi Shrine towers over where his simple kutir once stood.
It stands as an invitation and signpost that the spiritual journey and its goal is accessible to each and every one of us here and now, wherever we live and whatever our circumstances.