BABA LOKNATH

BABA LOKNATH


Born: 1730 (Janmastami day)
Passed Away : 1890 (160 years old)

Baba Loknath, Indian SaintA legendary Hindu saint and philosopher from Bengal, Baba Loknath idolized greatly all even a century after his death.

Baba Loknath by his words assures the mankind," Rane Bane Jongole jekhanei bipode poribe amake smoron korio.." ( Whenever you are in danger, whether in war, forest, ocean or jungle, remember me. I shall save you). Baba Lokenath said that `you might not know me. You may not realize who I am. Just pray to me with a little touch of your heart and I shall free you from gripping sorrows and miseries`.

Baba Lokenath, across the distance of a century, came to mankind in order to uplift every magnitude of our lives with intense love and compassion. To mend the ills and personal insufficiencies, he has extended an interposing hand of grace. "When you confront the internal or external carnage brought about by human ignorance and greed and hatred, take refuge in God, in the eternal principles." Baba Lokenath, a legendary Hindu saint and philosopher in Bengal, is one sage who predicted that he would be greatly idolized by one and all even a century after his death. Today He is a household name in Bengal, which proves His predictions. As their Guru and Lord thousands of devotees bow before him and lionize him.

In the year 1730 (18th bhadra, 1137 banglabad), Baba Loknath Brahmachari was born on Janmastami, the birthday of Lord Krishna in the village of Chaurasi Chakla, a couple of miles from Kolkata to father Ramanarayan Ghosal and mother Kamaladevi. Ramnarayan Ghosal wished to dedicate one of his child to the path of renunciation to the God and when the forth son was born, he presumed that the right time has come. He requested earnestly Pandit Bhagawan Ganguly of the nearby village of Kochuya to be his son`s guru and teach him the wisdom of the Shastras. Young Lokenath left home with His guru at the age of 11. Relationship with Guru Bhagwan in its tenderness is unique. After visiting the Kalighat Temple in Kolkata went to live in the forests for 25 years. Alongside serving selflessly His master also practising the Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali companion with the most difficult Hatha Yoga.

It was known to Guru Bhagwan that Baba Loknath would attain the magnitude of enlightenment. The Guru guided Lokenath for a period of thirty to forty years, in the practices of the necessary yogic disciplines and hatha yoga. Baba stood firm repeatedly, almost unimaginable austerities, under the guidance of His beloved Guru. These yoga practices worked as a comprehensive training for Baba`s soul. About the need to study scripture when Lokenath asked, His Gurudev replied, "If You know who You are, You will come to know everything. There is nothing in this external, manifested world, which is not within you. Believe My words; there is no truth without, because your atman is `sarvatbhutatman,` the Atman seated in the hearts of all creatures. In You is the dormant seed form of all the knowledge, power and wealth of this entire creation. Why should You leave the diamond and waste time on pieces of glass?"

Lokenath travelled to the Himalayas after this and meditated in the nude for nearly five decades. Finally, at the age of ninety He attained enlightenment. There were a number of times when Baba did speak of the enlightened state: "Words are such poor vehicles to express the inner experience. Any attempt to reduce it to words only belittles the Ultimate Truth. It is like the mute trying to express the taste of nectar." Baba Lokenath traveled extensively on foot to Afghanistan, Persia, Arabia and Israel, making three pilgrimages to Mecca after his enlightenment.

During his pilgrimage, he reached to a small town named Baradi near Dhaka. A wealthy family of that village built him a small hermitage, which later became his ashram. He accepted the sacred thread of the Brahmins and clothed himself in saffron robes there. And he received the title Baba(Bengali for Father). For the rest of his life he performed miracles on and gave divine wisdom to all who came to him to seek his blessings.

The day was the 19th day of Jyeshtha and the year was 1890 (1297 in Bengali). Baba was meditating and he slided into trance. His eyes were still open and he left his physical body forever. He was then 160 years of age. He had said before his death : "I am eternal, I am deathless. After this body falls, do not think that everything will come to an end. I will live in the hearts of all living beings in my subtle astral form. Whoever will seek my refuge, will always receive my Grace."

Baba Loknath is a new personification of compassion. In His life, Baba Lokenath was a perfect disciple. Most yogis focus on a particular yogic path of Jnana (the path of discriminating knowledge), Karma (the path of Selfless action), Bhakti (the Path of Devotional surrender to the Divine), or Ashtanga (Patanjali`s) Yoga. But Baba with determination practiced the principles of all four. Thus he is regarded as the Divine Incarnation of Jnana, Karma, Bhakti and Ashtanga Yoga. Baba became the manifestation of their synthesis, the living inwardness and full personification of the Universal Religion of Love, the Sanatana Dharma, which is taught in the Bhagavad Gita.

His teachings were simple and therefore delighted the common man. Baba Lokenath advocated love, preached devotion and firm faith in God.

Baba Lokenath performed many miracles during His life with the Divine Power that He possessed. In seeing and feeling the unbearable suffering of others as His own suffering, miracles were performed. Baba is no longer today, in His physical body. His Divinity, all-pervading presence, and the presence work wordlessly in the hearts of all who are devoted to Him. As Baba said, " I have everything in me. What you need in life, you have only to take. Do not think that with the death of this body everything will come to an end. I shall be as available to you as ever when I was in My physical body. Only the body will be burnt to ashes. That `I` which is not the body will never perish. I am the Changeless, Immutable One who is never lost nor finished. Where and whenever anybody needs My help, I shall be available forever after."
(Last Updated on : 5/09/2009)
Source: http://www.indianetzone.com/

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