Silence in the Himalayas

                 

       

The Himalayan Stillness: Captain Katorch and the Diet of Detachment

In a remote village nestled in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, I encountered Captain Katorch - a retired army officer whose current life is a testament to true, practical sainthood. He lives a simple, grounded existence with his family on a small parcel of sacred land, cultivating the rice and vegetables that sustain them. Yet, it is not his quiet life but his extraordinary commitment to inner silence that truly sets him apart. 

What the Captain demonstrates is perhaps the rarest ability achievable in human consciousness: total detachment from the physiological self. Every morning and evening, he sits quietly for three hours at a time, entering a state of such profound stillness that his external life functions cease. In this deep silence, his mind becomes utterly inactive, and his body follows suit: his breathing stops, and his heart pulse becomes inoperable. The external world, with all its impermanent and ephemeral phenomena, dissolves entirely - revealing itself as merely a creation of the mind. 

The Foundation of Stillness: A Non-Meat Diet 

Such a radical cessation of the mind, even if only for a few hours, requires not just spiritual intention but a pure energetic foundation. It is here that the Captain's lifestyle provides the crucial link. He and the other genuine practitioners in the region firmly owe the success of their spiritual practices to one non-negotiable principle: adhering to a non-meat, vegetarian diet. 

The success of mind-stilling hinges on the removal of mental agitation and dullness, qualities that yogic and non-dual traditions categorize as Rajasic (stimulating) and Tamasic (inert). Meat consumption, especially that common in the Western diet, is considered intensely Tamasic and is heavy with the karmic burden of violence, as you noted. The dense, agitated energy of these foods directly fuels the mind’s restless nature, making the goal of total, silent withdrawal virtually impossible. 

By contrast, the Captain's simple diet of freshly cultivated vegetables and rice, classified as Sattvic (pure, harmonious, clear), provides the body with sustenance and vitality without stimulating the mind. This pristine foundation creates an inner stillness, allowing the nervous system to relax and the mind’s usual flood of thought to naturally recede. A pure mind is not a conquered mind, but a mind that has been starved of the dense, aggressive energy it needs to function. 

Living Proof in a Land of Sages 

For a person to demonstrate this total detachment is exceptionally rare, yet in the foothills of the Himalayas, such abilities can be surprisingly common. There are other remarkable saints in the region - some genuine, some obscured by fakery - which renders true sainthood almost normal. A lady used to visit the Captain, for instance, who could reportedly perceive the primal light that is the essence of all phenomena. 

A second master of this deep silence, who also lived in a small forest settlement in the Himalayas, shared the Captain’s profound ability to still the mind, halting both breathing and heartbeat. His rigorous practice was anchored by a unique, potent dietary complement: the daily consumption of the juice extracted from Doob grass (Cynodon dactylon). 

Every morning, this saint harvested the grass, which grows in abundance around his little settlement, pounded it, and extracted its juice, which has a pleasant, mild taste. In Ayurveda, this resilient, ubiquitous grass is considered highly sacred due to its powerful medicinal and religious importance, frequently used as an offering in temples. The reason for its use as a spiritual base is its particular Sattvic energetics - it provides high vitality without inducing mental friction. 

Doob grass itself symbolizes the strength and persistence required to overcome the obstacles of the ego. Interestingly, modern medical science, in its own way, validates this ancient knowledge. Science recognizes its diverse applications, from poison control and blood purification to treating ailments like bronchitis and asthma. Studies have explored its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties, and it is used in treatments for various conditions, including dental care and urolithiasis. Its presence in the diet reinforced the pure, clear base necessary for this master to consistently achieve the non-dual state. 

It is no coincidence that none of these advanced practitioners, whose work is built on penetrating illusion, consumed meat. 

Despite his mastery, the Captain's presence attracts minimal attention from villagers who consume meat. Their requests are mundane - to bless a child’s wedding or pray for the birth of a son. They do not request instruction on how to destroy the mind, which is the Captain’s actual pursuit. This contrast underscores his ultimate detachment: he is unconcerned with fame or the limited comprehension of others. 

The profound realization for the Captain is that when he emerges from his three-hour silence, the mind again generates the world with all its phenomena, and he resumes his daily tasks. His work, he knows, is not yet complete. Only upon the total and permanent destruction of the mind - the state achieved by truly enlightened figures throughout history such as Ramana Maharshi, Harilal Poonja, Nisargadatta Maharaj, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha Sakiamuni - can true liberation be realized. 

Captain Katorch is living proof that the inoperable mind is the liberated Buddha mind. His extraordinary practice confirms that the path to higher consciousness and total liberation begins with the deliberate choice of what we ingest. By choosing the purity of the vegetarian diet, supported by high-sattvic foods like Doob grass, we successfully build the essential, non-negotiable base upon which the entire structure of spiritual ascent must stand. 

You can read more in the book Sacred Holistic Health.