For original video click here (you don't need to register at the site in order to watch the video. So, just "x" out the pop-up asking you to do so).
Here is a quick and dirty translation of that footage, circa 1987-89:
The reporter started by recounting some of the world's rich, famous and powerful that visited Baba (I am not going to translate it verbatim).
Up to 3,000 people come daily to Baba - some for cure, some - to pay their respect, some - for simple advice. They seat outside and wait until the hermit will wave his hand signaling them to come closer. Some of the pilgrims Baba may even drive away through his faithful assistant yogi Rama.
The word of unusual old man began to spread from the East of India, from the state of Bihar, beginning around mid 1950's. The dwellers of a small village were attacked by a pack of aggressive bears-man-eaters. The village would surely pay a bloody price for this assailing if not for an old man (back then, 40 years prior, he looked exactly like he did during the filming of this footage) who came out of the shack and calmly lifted his hand. The bears stopped and turned back.
Since then Baba was seen in different parts of India. He could understand the language of animals and talk to them. He cured people with a mantra or a look. He guessed people's problems and explained how to solve them. He foretold destinies of lay Indians, foreigners and important politicians alike, could predict fate of entire countries and nations... Once he was even arrested by Bombay authorities - only Indira Gandhi's involvement released him from confinement. Some say Devhara Baba was among her closest confidants in the last years of her life. The holy man could not protect Ms. Gandhi from death but he did warn her of a fateful tragic event. She knew that she was doomed and wrote about it in her testament.
Lately Devhara Baba rarely makes political prognoses. Now he just blesses people - in this strange manner - touching people's head with his foot. On the picture you see the governor of Uttar Pradesh Tivori(?) - kind politician, good man.
"Baba gives blessings in very rare cases" - says Baba's assistant.
...And here comes our turn.
In the beginning we asked about earthly subjects:
- Respected Baba, do you ever come down from the elevated hut?
- No, very rarely, only to take a bath in the holly Jamma(?) [couldn't make out the name of the river, maybe he meant Jamuna/Yamuna, the holy tributary of Ganges, associated with Krishna?]
- What do you eat and drink?
- In your categories - nothing. I eat like a yogi. (For your information [the journalist is addressing his audience], yogis can swallow their tong and, as they say, dip it into their brain that supposedly results in the satiety effect).
- How old are you, respected [Baba], do you remember your parents?
- I have no age. I was born from Yamuna (?) river when it was blessed by Krishna. (Somebody in the crowd, - continues reporter, - whispered that Baba is about 200 years old or a little less).
- Dear Baba, people say that the end of the world is coming at the end of the 20th century.
- It's a secret. It's not time yet to announce to the world what awaits it. I can only say this - whatever will happen will be for the benefit of humankind. The humanity will not die - because I pray for it.
Without much hope for an informative reply - after such answers - we nevertheless asked Baba about the future of our country, USSR. And what followed was a real miracle. How could a hermit thousands of miles away from USSR who probably doesn't even know what newspapers and radio look like suddenly say something like this. I am quoting word for word, at least that, I was told, has been a direct translation form Sanskrit - language, spoken by Baba.
- Lithuania has shaken Baltic region, and three republics (he called them countries) will cede. Others will follow suit but they will be worse off because of it. You are at the most difficult moment now. You are suffering - but this is good. Through suffering you will purify yourselves. I deeply respect Gorbachev, he will come to India this or next year (also a fantasy at the moment of filming, says reporter, because Gorbachev's visit was not yet officially announced). Let him come to me, I will give him a much needed advice and a blessing.
- Lithuania has shaken Baltic region, and three republics (he called them countries) will cede. Others will follow suit but they will be worse off because of it. You are at the most difficult moment now. You are suffering - but this is good. Through suffering you will purify yourselves. I deeply respect Gorbachev, he will come to India this or next year (also a fantasy at the moment of filming, says reporter, because Gorbachev's visit was not yet officially announced). Let him come to me, I will give him a much needed advice and a blessing.
- Maybe we can pass it on to him?
- No, he should come himself.
- Can we get a blessing from you?
This request caused a break in our conversation. The holy man was silent for about 15 minutes, from time to time gazing at us with his only seeing bottomless green eye. Someone in the crowd again whispered that the last blessing was rendered a year ago and that Baba never gives blessings upon request. We already prepared to leave, but something about our group must've predisposed the old man towards us!
...Baba will now bless me and I will try to convey to you all what I'll be experiencing. Usually people put something between the head and Baba's foot - the energy of the holy man is considered so strong that it can kill... Ok, now... It feels as if an iron was placed on my head... I feel nothing - no, wait, there is something... tiny tiny needles, tiny tiny needles penetrate... Now I need to be silent...
The most amazing thing is that the last words I uttered absolutely against my will. I wasn't planning to stop commenting but it appears that was the holy Baba's will... Now I will tell: there was a remarkable lightness, all schemes fell, all the nasty questions prepared for the old man in advance were instantly forgotten after the se'ance of blessing. By the way, he knew every detail of my own life, but this is strictly personal. Also, he said that he gave a very strong blessing and that this blessing will be transferred to you, to all the Soviet people. Maybe you are feeling it now?..
The reporter then quoted some kind of poem: "...to wonder about the universe is our eternal fate, there are no road posts, we know not our earthly path..."
After watching our short story don't rush to smile or blame us for being too predisposed to mysticism. When we parted, Baba said something strange that we didn't pay much attention to - "When you come back to Delhi, don't leave right away, stay there for a few days". We had a train trip to Bombay planned upon our return, already ordered tickets for it. The Baba's parting words were, naturally, instantly forgotten, but we had to cancel our trip anyway because we received a new urgent assignment from Moscow. But we did remember his words afterwards, when we read in the newspapers about a major train derailing near Bombay. It was the very train we had tickets for. Just a coincidence, maybe, who knows? But, on the other hand, maybe not?..
