JAGAD GURU RAMANANDACHARYA

                                    Jagad Guru Ramanandacharya

A Celestial Personality:

His HolinessJagadguru Ramanandacharya Swami Shri Rajiv Lochanacharyaji, is a personification of piety, penance, and divinity. It is not surprising therefore, when he was conferred the honor of 'Jagadguru or 'world spiritual master at the Maha Kumbha Mela at Haridwar in April 1998. It made His Holiness the youngest Jagadguru, at 36 years, after the first Jagadguru, Adi Shankaracharyaji 1200 years ago. The elevation to the position of Jagadguru starts from a Sadhu to a Swami (Mandaleshwar); to a Maha Mandaleshwar. One out of 108 Maha Mandaleshwars is elevated to the title of Acharya Maha Mandaleshwar and one out of 1008 Acharya Maha Mandaleshwars is given the honor of Jagadguru by the entire saint community of India. To achieve that at such a young age is nothing short of miraculous. Jagadgurujis divinity took its loots even before his birth. His parents went to Lord Jagannaths temple in Puri in Orissa, India, to pray for a son after they were blessed earlier with daughters. His Holiness was born after that. Through the years Jagadguruji rose above the sense-gratifying forces to carry on his mission of spreading peace, love and compassion for all humanity with the sacrosanct system of 0m Kriya Yoga. This system of Om Kriya Yoga, originating from Lord Shiva (the third of the Trinity), was taught by Lord Krishna to the Pandava prince Arjuna on the battlefields of Kurukshetra as described in the Bhagavad Gita. His Holiness received the divine wisdom from the celestial being Mahaavatar Kriya Babaji of 'Autobiography of a Yogi' by ParamahamsaYogananda, fame. It is a system of using the sound of the Brahmanada or OM (the original sound at the time of creation) to awaken the kundalini or the enormous potential power in us. It helps to create cosmic energy in us and enables us to feel the vibration and see the light of God. This results in the cleansing of our being and elevation of our consciousness from the animalistic propensities to the divine level. Jagadguruji is blessed by his spiritual master Brahmarishi Barfani Dadaji, regarded as the greatest living saint in India, who also stayed with Mahaavatar Kriya Babaji for 36 years. Under his guidance, Jagadguruji has mastered spiritual sciences like Srividya, Ayurveda, Kundalini Yoga among many others, Jagadguruji was directed by Mahaavatar Kriya Babaji, who revealed himself before him in Mount Kailash in 1995, to teach this science of self-realization to the people irrespective of their nationality, caste, creed, religion or sex and help them drink the divine nectar of Gods love. Jagadguruji has created the Om Kriya Yantra in response to his realizations. Ishwar, God is the Supreme Being; Sadhana, the discipline of life; Karma, the rightful duties; Love, essence of God; Seva, ego and selfless service; Meditation, concentration of mind. It is his mission to bring about world peace through love, service and meditation. His Holiness has graciously traveled to numerous countries all over the world to preach the sacrosanct system of 0m Kriya Yoga to humanity. He has attended conferences in the U.S.A., Holland, U.K., South Africa, among others and Trinidad, where he was invited by the Prime Minister. He has created 0m Kriya Yoga foundation, a non-profit, religious foundation that would help spread his message throughout the US and the world. His Holiness JagadGuru Ramanandacharya by accepting the "tridanda" (Three Holi Sticks from God) has made an unwavering resolution to use all that he possesses in the service of mankind. Divine Immortal soul Brahmarishi Barfani Dadaji and Mahavtar Kriya Babaji Blessed him and said, " Go and serve humanity! Create peaceful spiritual environment in the world through Om Kiya Yog where peoples may acquire Ananda (happiness). Serve the Poor and destitute without any consideration of cast, creed, religion and show them the right way, that have strayed from the path to true happiness."

DHUNIWALE DADAJI MAHARAJ

                                  DHUNIWALE DADAJI

                                                              DHUNIWALE   DADAJI

About Dadaji Dhuniwale Maharaj :

Shri Dadaji Maharaj was the actual incarnation of Lord Shiva. Around 1850 AD, he was spotted on the bank of river Narmada as a radiant boy of 8 years by Brahmarshi Gourishankar Maharaj. He was taken into the Guru’s fold, and was given basic lessons in yoga, meditation and spirituality. For higher learning, he was sent to Kashi. Thanks to his sharp intellect, he was able to master ancient scriptures like the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas etc. before the stipulated time. A pleased Gourishankar Maharaj handed over the reins of his Ashram to his wonder protege whom be renamed as Swami Krishnanand.

               

 However, young Krishnanand was interested in higher pursuits. The mundane day-to-day chores of the ashram did not interest him. He would often enter deep woods, and engage himself in fierce meditation. Very soon he achieved all 8 siddhies. He willingly handed over the reins of ashram to the next in command; and embarked on a pious journey of dhyan, tapa, pilgrimage and social uplift.

               

Saikheda Connection

                

One day, the Zamindar of village Saikheda in district Narsingpur (M.P.), found him performing deep penance in a dense forest. He persuaded Dadajji to visit his village and save it from the epidemic of small-pox. Dadaji obliged him, cured the villagers and cleansed the entire pox-infested area of pollution with his spiritual powers. He made Saikheda his seat where he stayed for next 27 years.

                he used to visit other villages on the bank of river Narmada and set up his dhuni. Grateful people began to call him ‘ Dadaji Dhuniwale’ maharaj. In different places he came to be known by different names, like Swami Ram-phal Avadhoot Maharaj, Pehalwan Baba, langotiya Baba etc. But essentially he was Swami Keshvanand Sukirti Maharaj alias Dadajee Dhuniwale Maharaj.

                Often he used to be seen at two or more distant places, all at the same time. Soon he attained the ‘Paramhansa’ status of the yogi wherein one ceases to live for himself, and his existence is for the benefit of others only. He abandoned all worldly possessions and assumed the diagambar State.

Panacea Personified

                

He attained enormous spiritual energy and superhuman prowess which he generously sprinkled on the needy to rid them of worldly pains like diseases, poverty, barrenness etc. There are also instances where he restored life in the dead, and gifted sight to the blind. True devotees are experiencing his benevolence even today.

                

He left his mortal body several times, and assumed a new form elsewhere under a different name. Finally he bestowed his mortal throne on his dear disciple Swami Harihar Bhole Bhagwan, and entered sanjeevan Samadhi at Khandwa (MP), in 1930 AD.

                

He vehemently supported India’s freedom struggle against British rule. Eminent leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pt. Motilal Nehru, Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya etc. had personally obtained his blessings.

Source : http://dadadhamravinagpur.org/pages/about_us

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SRI SRI BARPHANI DADAJI

SRI SRI BARPHANI DADAJI

                           

Ageless Great Himalayan Sage Pratah Smarniya Yogiraj 1008 Sri Sri Barphani Dadaji is Sat Chit Anand Swaroop. Purity can be difined by him..Legend is that, while meditating in the Himalayas, his body was covered with snow, hence his name 'Barfani'. Yogi Raj Barfani Dada was born in the Dodi Kheda Village on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, in a royal family.His father, having no issues, had married thrice. Finally he became a disciple of Sant Dhuni Waale Dada ji of Sai Kheda. The saint blessed two of his wives and told them that they should pledge the youngest of their to-be-born sons to a saintly sect. Both the wives had two sons each, of which Barfani Dada was the youngest. Hence at the age of 8, his father took him to the Ashram of Dhuni Waale Dada ji and pledged him to the Saint. In those days , Saint Arjun Das Maharaj of Ayodhya was camping there. Dhuni Waale Dada ji put Barfani Dada under Arjun Das Maharaj's tutelage. Shri Barfani Dadaji travelled all over India with the saint. He attained knowledge of Sanskrit, Religion, Philosophy, Mathematics and Ayurveda under the tutelage of Shri Kela Brahmachari of Varanasi. Shri Barfani Dadaji then left for the Himalayas to meditate.

In the Himalayas, he visited Nepal, Ranikhet, Pithorgarh, Tibet and Mansarovar temples and engaged himself in rigorous meditation attaining rare powers. He also learnt the secrets of meditation from the saint of Gyanganj, Paramhans Phuleri Baba. In 1930, the Dadaji relinquished his old body and attained a new one through Kayakalp Vidya. Following the Chinese invasion of 1962, Dadaji left his Himalayan abode and settled down at Amarkantak temple. He chose Amarkantak temple because, it was an important pilgrimage centre where nearly 4 crore pilgrims visited every year and where Lord Shiva himself makes his presence felt in the form of the Narmada River. His Holiness Barfani Dadaji was known as Hari Dutt Dubey during his childhood years.

The very word ‘Baba’ has to the Indian mind, a unique sweet resonance evoking images of a loving mother, a protective father and a kind but strict spiritual mentor. Like Shirdi Baba and Sri Satya Sai Baba, Barphani Baba also is a centre of Divine Energy that heals physical and psychological ailments, that grants the desires of devotees only to help them reach the peace - promoting desireless state that can be ushered in when the limits and limitations of the ego are shattered.

Sri Barphani Baba is living proof that, with yogic powers, an evolved man can defy and defeat the so-called immutable biological laws of nature like growing old and becoming decrepit. The duly recorded birth day is Diwali 1792, which means that he is now two hundred and six years old. The answer of the eighty year old and ninety year old disciples of Barphani Baba to queries about Baba’s actual age is invariably, “No one knows. All we can say is that we first had darshan of Baba when we were young boys. He has not changed. He looks now exactly as he did at that time". Some claim that Baba is thousands of years old. In fact, nobody knows his real age.

Baba’s father Ramdutt Dubey was a Brahmin feudal lord living in the village Dodekoda, (District Unnan) in Uttar Pradesh. He was a good and pious man, well-liked by everyone. God gave him everything any human being can ever wish for, except children. When his first wife failed to give him any children he was advised by elders in the family to marry again and he did so. But he had no luck this time also and married a third time. When fate decreed that this should also be a barren union, the now desperate Ramdutt went with his wives to Omkareswar begged Sri Gowri Sankar Maharaj to give him the boon of children. The compassionate Baba from whom Shirdi Baba received his initiation into the spiritual path, took pity on Ramdutt and giving two whacks each to the first two wives of Ramdutt with his “brahma dandam”, the cane he carries, he blessed them and said they both would have children but that the youngest child should be given tohim to be made a sadhu. Ramdutt and his wives agreed to the condition and went home.

The Sun and the Moon may stray from their course but the words of Mahatmas never fail. In the course of time the Dubey family was blessed with four sons and the youngest, Haridutt is the saint now worshipped by devotees as Barphani baba. The boy in his eighth year was handed over to Dhunivala Baba.

A Godman named Arjundas, who had an Ashram at Ayodhya visited Saikeda at about the same time and Dhunivala Baba entrusted to him the care of child Haridutt. With Arjundas and his disciples Barphani Baba went on a tour of all the major shrines in India. He spent ten years in Benares learning Sanskrit from Vidvan Sri Kola Brahmachari. The Vidvan also gave lessons to his young disciple in Logic, Grammar and Ayurveda. After mastering these subjects Baba went to the Himalayas to do “tapas”. In the next decade he visited Nepal, Ranikhet, Pitorghad, Tibet and Manasa Sarovar and after years of intense and extremely difficult to follow spiritual practices he acquired many occult powers. Many esoteric yoga secrets were explained to him by Himalayan Masters like Languria Baba, who, living in an invisible form at Jnanganj selects eligible aspirants and imparts to them many yogic powers.

Godmen like Barphani Baba are born to accomplish a particular chosen mission in life and till they achieve that goal they have to be physically fit to endure all hardships in all sorts of climates. Keeping this in mind, Barphani Baba with the help of Siddhi Ganesh Lama of Tibet, underwent “Kaya Kalpa Chikitsa”, (a rejuvenation procedure prescribed in yoga) at the age of 136, i.e., in 1928, and manages to retain the vigour of youth even after crossing two hundred and six. Barphani Baba himself told some of the Ashramites that Puleria Baba taught this rejuvenation technique to him, to Ganesh Lama, to Dr. Rambhaji and to many others including some Godmen who are now residing in Australia. Even today he initiates Buddhist Lamas into several orders. Sri Baba is an adept in Lama Vidya (travelling in air with the physical body,) and Khanda Vidya (separatingparts of body and again connecting them).

One of Barphani Baba’s disciples, Moni Baba heads the Ashram at the remote village ‘Ram mandir’ in Gujarat had the good fortune of receiving this rejuvenation from the hands of his master.

Chief among the many Ashrams of Barphani Baba is the Ashram at Amarkantak on the banks of the holy river Narmada. Baba chose this place because four crore evolved souls reside here in invisible form. Sri Hanuman and Sri Aswatthama are among the regular visitants to this place. It is only the merit accrued from many previous lives, combined with a highly evolved Guru’s grace that allows one access to this Ashram located in breath takingly beautiful surroundings. The towering mountains all round it, the pure air fragrant with incense, camphor and the scent of rare medicinal plants like ‘Gulebakavali’ have rightly made it the centre for Baba’s many instructional courses in such incredible subjects as coming out of the body to enter a dead person’s body, learning the secret of eternal youth, mastering the ability for astral travel, the technique of walking across water, the science of awakening the kundalini and so on.

Baba’s second major ashram is located in Indore. Here the idols of Mother Tripura Sundari, Bagla Mukhi are installed. Sri Ramayan Das, a disciple of Barphani Baba, looks after ashram known also for the reasearch centre for medicine. With the knowledge of Vedic herbs taught here aspirants have cured people suffering from many life-threatening diseases like cancer. Plans are afoot here to establish a research centre for hitherto unravelled secrets of occultism and ancient yogic practices.

It is beyond human comprehension to know anything about the ‘sensors’ used by Godmen to pick up channels through whom their mission of world welfare would be carried out. It is a matter of rejoicing for us that Master EK was most definitely one such Godman. It is only his grace that enabled a few of his disciples to spend ten days in Barphani Baba’s Ashram. Baba’s sending through them a “Meru” and a ‘Salagram’ to be installed in the shrine room of Sri MRL, one of Master EK’s closest disciples (a favour Sri MRLearned for his devout and affectionate nature, profound scholarship and dedication to the cause of implementing Master EK’s teachings) shows that our lives are an open book to Godmen and events are not accidents but fruition of the Divine will manifesting through these pure hearted brothers. 

Sri MRL, used as he was to receiving visitors at all odd hours of the day and night seeking his advice for medical or astrological problems was astonished to find a young lady Ms.Anuradha Bindal, from Raipur, knocking on his door and informing him that Barphani Baba had sent her to him to receive advanced instruction in astrology and other occult subjects. She also told him that all she was told was to go to Visakhapatnam and meet Mr. MRL and that her faith in Barphani Baba helped her to locate his address from among the hundreds of others in the city who bore the same name as MRL.

Godmen’s lives abound in miracles or at least what we in our as yet unenlightened state consider miracles, though to the Godmen performing them they are natural occurrences normal in the dimension of the reality of the sixth sense.

The miracle of Barphani Baba reported to Sri MRL concerned the experience of Ms.Bindal's parents. As a teenager, her father, a contractor was a devotee of Baba. But later on in life, caught up in the rat race of modern day living he stopped meeting Baba. He got married. One day when he was away and his wife was all alone in the bungalow, she came across an old calendar carrying a portrait of Lord Vishnnu. As she gazed at the picture it seemed to come to life. The next minute, to her utter surprise a strikingly divine looking old man with a flowing beard emanated out of the picture and stood before her. She was too overawed to speak and the old man told her that her husband was once his disciple and that he wanted him to come and meet him as he had an important piece of advice to pass on to him. Saying this he vanished.

The contractor’s wife immediately phoned to her husband to come home urgently. When he came she asked him if he had a Guru in his younger days. He thought for some time and replied “Yes. His name was Barphani Baba”. She then asked him to describe hisGuru. He described Baba exactly matching the old man she had seen earlier. She recounted everything that happened. They spent a sleepless night wondering where and how they could meet Baba because he left no address and the contractor, being out of touch with Baba for nearly fifteen years, had no idea where he could be found.

Next morning through an amazing coincidence, in a newspaper wrapped round something they bought, they found a brief mention of a mysterious Sadhu creating a sensation in a nearby village by his astounding occult powers. The photograph printed along with the news report was that of Barphani Baba! That evening the couple went to the village to seek Baba’s blessings. Gently chiding the contractor for forgetting everything he was taught about sadhana, Baba suggested to him a solution to a financial problem that had been weighing on his mind and they vouched to Mr. MRL, based on their experience that the love with which Baba looks after the welfare of his devotees is a thousand times more intense than that of one’s own mother.

Source : http://spiritsc.blogspot.in/2011_02_01_archive.html

SAINT - BRAMHARSHI BARFANI DADAJI - The Great Kayakalpi Saint

BRAMHARISHI BARFANI DADAJI The Great Kayakalpi Saint of the Himalayas

His Holiness Brahmarishi Barfani Dadaji nestled in the midst of the beautiful Mekal mountains and the Narmada, is the Barfani Yogashram. It is here that Himalayan Kayakalpi Saint 'His Holiness' Brahmarishi Shri Yogaraj Barfani Dadaji resides.  Legend is that, while meditating in the Himalayas, his body was covered with snow, hence his name 'Barfani'. Yogi Raj Barfani Dada was born in the Dodi Kheda Village on the banks of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh, in a royal family. His father, having no issues, had married thrice. Finally he became a disciple of Sant Dhuni Waale Dada ji of Sai Kheda. The saint blessed two of his wives and told them that they should pledge the youngest of their to-be-born sons to a saintly sect. Both the wives had two sons each, of which Barfani Dada was the youngest. Hence at the age of 8, his father took him to the Ashram of Dhuni Waale Dada ji and pledged him to the Saint. In those days , Saint Arjun Das Maharaj of Ayodhya was camping there. Dhuni Waale Dada ji put Barfani Dada under Arjun Das Maharaj's tutelage. Shri Barfani Dadaji travelled all over India with the saint. He attained knowledge of Sanskrit, Religion, Philosophy, Mathematics and Ayurveda under the tutelage of Shri Kela Brahmachari of Varanasi. Shri Barfani Dadaji then left for the Himalayas to meditate. In the Himalayas, he visited Nepal, Ranikhet, Pithorgarh, Tibet and Mansarovar temples and engaged himself in rigorous meditation attaining rare powers. He also learnt the secrets of meditation from the saint of Gyanganj, Paramhans Phuleri Baba. In 1930, the Dadaji relinquished his old body and attained a new one through Kayakalp Vidya. Following the Chinese invasion of 1962, Dadaji left his Himalayan abode and settled down at Amarkantak temple. He chose Amarkantak temple because, it was an important pilgrimage centre where nearly 4 crore pilgrims visited every year and where Lord Shiva himself makes his presence felt in the form of the Narmada River. His Holiness Barfani Dadaji was known as Hari Dutt Dubey during his childhood years. His father, Ram Dutt Dubey was a landlord of Dandiakhera, in the district of Unnav. He had daughters but no son. So along with his everyday puja in the Shiv Mandir, he also married thrice to get a son. On his pilgrimage to Lake Mansarovar, he met Sant Dhuni Waale Dadaji of Sai Kheda and did seva to him. Pleased with his service, the saint hit his two wives with the thin stick that he carried and gave them a boon of begetting two sons each. He however, told Ram Dutt that youngest of the sons belonged to him and he would come and take him. Dadaji was 8 years old when Sant Dhuni Waale Dadaji of Sai Kheda took him away. He took diksha from Saint Arjundas, a vaishnava saint. He also studied Sanskrit in Varanasi from Khela Brahmachari and attained knowledge of Sanskrit, Religion, Philosophy, Maths and Ayurveda under his tutelage then left for the Himalayas to meditate. Thereafter, he went to Mansarovar and learnt tantra from Ganesh Lama. Once an avalanche fell on him and he came out of it by melting the snow through sadhana. Hence, he was known as Barfani Dadaji. He also learnt the secrets of meditation from the saint of Gyanganj, Paramhans Phuleri Baba. In 1930, he did kayakalpa and rejuvenated his physical body once again. He continued to live in Mansarovar till 1962 from where he came to Haridwar during the Chinese invasion. Presently he stays in Amarkantak, which is the source of the Narmada River. He chose it because, it was an important pilgrimage center where nearly 400 million pilgrims visit every year and where Lord Shiva Himself makes his presence felt in the form of the Narmada River.

Source : http://www.barfanidadaji.org/

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SWAMI BRAHMANANDA SARASWATI - Shankaracharya of Jyotir Math

                            SWAMI BRAHMANANDA SARASWATI

                         Shankaracharya of Jyotir Matha

Swāmī Brahmānanda Saraswatī (20 December 1868 - 20 May 1953) was the Shankaracharya of the Jyotir Math monastery in India. Born into a Brahmin family he left home at the age of nine in search of a spiritual master. At age fourteen he became a disciple of Swami Krishnānanda Saraswati. At the age of 34 he was initiated into the order of "Sanyas" and became the Shankarachary of Jyotir Math in 1941 at age 70. His disciples included Swami Shantānand Saraswati, Transcendental Meditation founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Swāmī Swarūpānanda Saraswatī and Swami Karpatri. Five months before his death in 1953, he made a will naming his disciple, Swami Shantānand Saraswati as his successor. 

Early life

Saraswati was born into a Mishra Brahmin (priest caste) community in the village of Gana, near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, India. He was called Rajaram in his younger days and was also known as Maha Yogiraj. At the age of nine Rajaram left his home unannounced to follow a spiritual path of renunciation but was soon returned to his parents by a policeman. On returning home, he asked his parents for permission to leave home and begin the life of a recluse. His parents wanted him to marry and live the life of a householder and asked their family guru to convince Rajaram to forget his dream of a reclusive life. The family guru, however, was so impressed with Rajaram's advanced state of wisdom and spiritual evolution that he gave up any attempt to change the boy's mind. The parents then also acquiesced and gave their permission for Rajaram to leave. Two days later Rajaram formally renounced his family life and left his boyhood home in search of solitude in the Himalayas. Rajaram traveled by foot to the town of Haridwar and then on toRishikesh, the gateway to the Himalayas. Here he began the search for a suitable guru or spiritual master. Rajaram met many wise sages, but none of them met his requirements of life long celibacy and an intimate knowledge and experience of the Vedas.

Five years later at the age of fourteen, in a village in Uttar Kashi, Rajaram found his chosen master and became a disciple of Swami Krishnānanda Saraswati. At that time, Rajaram was given the name of Brahma Chaitanya Brahmachari. He then became the favorite disciple in his master's ashram and, according his master's instructions, he retired to a nearby cave and visited his master only once per week.  The story of Rajaram's youthful renunciation is said to echo the life of Shankara who reportedly began his renunciate life at the age of eight.

Adult life

At the age of twenty five, Saraswati emerged from his cave and permanently rejoined his Master at his ashram. At the age of 34 he was initiated into the order of "Sanyas" by his master at the Indian celebration called Kumbh Mela. At that time, he was ordained into the ascetic order and given the formal name Swami Brahmānanda Saraswati.

In 1941, at the age of 70, after repeated requests and decades of meditation and living alone in silence in the forests and mountains of India, Saraswati accepted the position ofShankaracharya (spiritual leader) of Jyotir Math, a position that had been vacant for about 165 years. His disciple, Swami Karpatri is reported to have been the person who brought the request for Brahmānanda to take the post after a search for a proper candidate was initiated by Dharma Maha Mandal.  Saraswati is reported to have responded to the request by saying: "You want to put a lion to chains who moves about in the jungle freely. But if you so like, I honour your words and am ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the pitha (monastery) management. By shouldering this responsibility, I would be serving the cause for which Adi Shankaracharya stood. I fully dedicate myself for the mission."

The appointment of Saraswatī on April 1, 1941 was made by a group of monks and pandits based in the city of Varanasi with the endorsement of Svāmī Bhāratī Kṛṣṇa Tīrtha, the Śaṅkarāchārya of Purī and Svāmī Candraśekhara Bhāratī the Śaṅkarāchārya of Śṛṅgeri. As respected supporters of religious institutions the rulers of the cities of Garhwal, Varanasi and Darbhanga also endorsed Brahmananda and their recognition helped overcome opposition from previous claimants to the title. Brahmandanda was also seen as the embodiment of the qualifications mentioned in Vedic texts and this assisted in his unhindered ascension to the position at the age of 70.

Saraswati was charged with reconstructing the temple and institution at Jyotir Math.^[1] Through the assistance of the local Deputy Commissioner and parties responsible for his nomination, Saraswati reclaimed the surrounding land that had been encroached upon by local farmers. Under his leadership a two-story, 30-room building was constructed to serve as the "Peeth Bhawan" of Jyotir Math. He also supervised the final construction of the Shrine of Purnagiri Devi about 100 yards in front of the new monastery which "the Darbhanga ruler" had begun just prior to his death.  Saraswati's leadership was instrumental in re-establishing the Jyotir Math as "an important center of traditional advaita teaching in northern India". 

According to Saraswati's disciple, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Saraswati's "devotees felt that the expression 'His Holiness' did not adequately describe this personified Divine Effulgence; and so the new expression 'His Divinity' was used. With such unique adoration of newer and fuller grandeur, transcending the glories of the expression of antiquity, was worshiped the holy name of Guru Deva, the living expression of Upanishadic Reality, the embodiment of the transcendent Divinity." and Saraswati was visited by Rajendra Prasad, the President of India, and the philosopher Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, who succeeded Prasad as President of India. In 1950, President Radhakrishnan is reported to have addressed Saraswati as "Vedanta Incarnate, the embodiment of truth".

Saraswati's disciples included Swami Shantānand Saraswati, TM founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Swāmī Swarūpānanda Saraswatī and Swami Karpatri.  Five months before his death in 1953, Brahmananda Saraswati made a will naming his disciple, Swami Shantānand Saraswati as his successor and Swāmī Dvārakeśānanda Saraswatī, Swāmī Viṣṇudevānanda Saraswatī and Swāmī Paramātmānanda Saraswati for his position of Shankaracharya of the Jyotir Math monastery.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmananda_Saraswati

Shankaracharya speaking to Dr Rajendraprasad,President, on 4th Dec 1952.

Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

Swamibrahmananda Saraswati in 1948

Jyotirmath Badrikashram
Founder : Adi SHANKARA
First Acharya : Padma - Pada
Formation : 820 AD

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SWAMI BRAHMANANDA - Direct Disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa

Swami Brahmananda - direct disciple of Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa

Pre-monastic name : Rakhal Chandra Ghosh 
Date of Birth : 21 January 1863

Place of Birth : Sikra Kulingram,
 36 miles to the N.W. of Kolkata.

Passed away : 10th April 1922

Rakhal was devoted to God and used to practise meditation even in boyhood. At the age of 12 he was brought to Kolkata for his studies. There he met Narendra (later known as Swami Vivekananda) and, under his influence, joined the Brahmo Samaj. According to the custom prevalent in those days, he was married at the age of 18 to Vishweshwari. Soon after marriage Vishweshwari’s brother Manomohan Mitra, who was a close devotee of Sri Ramakrishna, took Rakhal to the Master. Prior to that Sri Ramakrishna had had a vision in which he saw the Divine Mother showing him a child who would be his son. As soon as Rakhal came to Dakshineswar, Sri Ramakrishna recognized him to be that child, and treated him like a son.

After a few visits Rakhal came to Dakshineswar to live permanently with Sri Ramakrishna. Under the Master’s guidance, he practised intense spiritual disciplines, and attained high levels of spiritual illumination. After the Master’s mahasamadhi in 1886 when the new Monastic brotherhood was formed at Baranagar, Rakhal joined it. He underwent sannyasa ordination and assumed the name Brahmananda.

Two years later he left Baranagar Math and lived an intensely contemplative life at Varanasi, Omkarnath, Vrindaban, Hardwar and other places. During this period he scaled the highest peak of non-dualistic experience and used to remain absorbed in Samadhi for days together. In 1890 he returned to the Math. When Swami Vivekananda, after his return to India in 1897, wanted to give a new turn to monastic life, Swami Brahmananda whole-heartedly supported him. There was deep love between these two monastic brothers. After establishing Belur Math monastery when Swami Vivekananda got Ramakrishna Math registered as a Trust, Swami Brahmananda became its President. He held this post till the end of his life.

During his tenure as President, the Ramakrishna Order underwent great expansion, and several new branch centres were opened in India and abroad. The Ramakrishna Mission, which had been founded by Swami Vivekananda as an Association, was revived and registered during his time. His stress on contemplative life served to counterbalance the activities undertaken by the monks. During those difficult formative years he gave great stability to the Sangha. For his kingly qualities of administration, Swami Vivekananda gave him the appellation ‘Raja’, and since then he was respectfully referred to as ‘Raja Maharaj’ by all. He was one of the six disciples of Sri Ramakrishna whom the Master regarded as ishvarakotis.

He gave up his body, after a brief illness, on 10 April 1922. At the place where his body was cremated in Belur Math, a temple now stands in his memory.

Source : http://www.belurmath.org/brahmananda.htm

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SWAMI BRAHMANANDA ( a disciple of SWAMI SIVANANDA SARASWATI)

Swami Brahmananda

 

Swamiji’s pre-monastic name was Sri K. Nilakantha Iyer. He was born at Thonnakkal village of Tiruvanantapuram district, Kerala, to the pious Brahmin parents Sri Krishna Iyer and Srimati Rukmini Ammal on 26th June 1910. He was the eldest of five children. He studied at Tiruvanantapuram. After graduating from Travancore University (now Kerala University), he joined the service of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. He was married and had a son. His wife passed away in 1944. His parents pressed him to marry again, but he declined.

Sometime in 1946, he bought the book ‘Practice of Yoga - Vol I’ of Gurudev Swami Sivananda at Tiruvanantapuram railway station.

Inspired by the book he came to Rishikesh the same year to have Darshan of Gurudev and had Mantra Diksha from him. Thereafter he regularly came to the Ashram once every year except 1950. In 1947 Swamiji thought of giving up home. But Gurudev advised him to continue on the job till he had full eligibility for pension. He organised the Divine Life Society branch at Tiruvanantapuram. It was functioning in his house. In 1950 he also organised Gurudev’s All India and Ceylon Tour in Tiruvanantapuram circle. His father was a member of the Tour Organising Committee. Gurudev went to their house and performed Arati in the Puja-room.

Around 1951 he made a trip to Kedar etc. with his son. At Kedar, something pricked and wounded his son’s left heel. The wound became septic. Despite treatment it got worse. The heel turned black and caused excruciating pain. Amputation at a Dehradun hospital was planned. But the next day, the Ashram doctor noticed miraculous improvement and said that amputation would not be necessary. What had happened meanwhile? Nilakantha Iyer asked his son. The boy said that Gurudev came to him the previous day, ordered opening of the bandage, looked at the wound and recited Mahamrityunjaya Mantra for a while.

Nilakantha Iyer took voluntary retirement on 1st October 1957, and retired as a Class I officer, Superintendent of the Kerala Government Press, Tiruvanantapuram. He shifted to Rishikesh in 1958.

But he was the only surviving son of his aged parents. And he had the only son who was young. He had his responsibilities towards them. So he divided his time between Rishikesh and Tiruvanantapuram. He used to spend eight or nine months at Rishikesh and three or four months at Tiruvanantapuram. During the early years of his life at Rishikesh, he lived at Ram Nagar and then shifted to Muni-ki-reti. Along with some fellow-disciples he lived in a thatched but in the Ramashram premises. He also stayed for a while at Hanuman Mandir near the Ashram.

Once Sringeri Sankaracharya H.H. Sri Abhinava Vidyateertha came to Tiruvanantapuram. A group of devotees including Nilakantha Iyer went for his Darshan. The Acharya advised them to worship Lord Subramanya. During the subsequent discussion on this advice by the group, Nilakantha Iyer suggested building a temple of the Lord. He was entrusted the responsibility as convenor of the construction committee. The temple was constructed in accordance with the Pancharatra Agama and the Kumbhabhisheka was done in June 1964.

Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj had given him ochre cloth and Sannyasa Mantras. He even gave the monastic name Swami Brahmananda Saraswati. But Viraja Homa had not been done. Gurudev shed his mortal coil in July 1963. Nilakantha Iyer was at Tiruvanantapuram then. In August 1963, his father also passed away. The temple construction had been completed. Now he decided to stay permanently at Rishikesh. His death some years hence was predicted according to the horoscope. He was anxious to become a full-fledged Sannyasi before this happened. At his request H.H. Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj initiated him into Sannyasa in July 1968 on Guru Purnima day with Viraja Homa, etc. After Sannyasa he started living in the Ashram premises.

For many years Swamiji was conducting a study group in the Ashram. The group met daily and went through the scriptures. The members knew Tamil, Malayalam, English and some Sanskrit and Hindi. They used to read different commentaries in all these languages. The pace was quite unhurried and the grasp was thorough. They took one-and-a-half years to study the first six chapters of the Bhagavadgita. Swamiji also attended the early morning prayer of Swami Vidyanandaji Maharaj for ten years. The prayer session would start at 3.30 a.m. daily. Swamiji scrupulously observed purity, dispassion and aspiration—the marks of the Sannyasa Ashrama. He used to instruct his students later: ‘If one lives a pure life according to his station in life, liberation will be waiting for him at the end.’ On 18th July 2002, Swamiji had been to Dehra Dun for seeing H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, the Revered President of the Ashram. The latter told an attendant of Swamiji: "I have had darshan of a Jnani on Guruvar (the day of the Guru, i.e., Thursday)".

Swamiji was a great scholar of Vedanta. He taught Vedanta at the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy of the Ashram for many years. Also he used to hold two or three classes a day in or near his room for the residents and visitors. In addition to Vedanta, Swamiji taught Itihasa, Purana etc., but with the touch of Vedanta. Many times Swamiji would hold classes even going against the medical advice to rest. Thus Swamiji taught till December 1995, when he was running 86. He loved questions and encouraged students to clear their doubts. Over the decades, hundreds of students have benefited from his classes. Yoga Vasishtha was a favourite text of Swamiji. Once Swamiji taught it continuously four times—for six years. With absolute conviction and unending patience he would urge his listeners to reflect over their own daily experience of deep sleep, dream and waking. He has written five books which are of a very high order.

Swamiji was a living embodiment of what he taught. His very being and life expressed perfect humility and simplicity, deep inner strength and peace, innocence and keen alertness. He was gentle, soft-spoken and kind. One could never hear even his footsteps. He observed moderation in all matters, especially in food habits. He maintained serenity always and was ever at peace with everything. He had total detachment. His concern for the devotees and his compassion are unforgettable.

On 12th September 2002, Swamiji suffered a massive heart attack. (This was the second. He had the first attack in 1984). At 1:55 p.m. he attained Mahasamadhi amidst continuous chanting of Om, in absolute peace.

Once H.H. Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj remarked: "Gurudev’s mission has been fulfilled. His Ashram has produced one Brahmananda Swamiji."

Source : http://www.dlshq.org/saints/brahmananda.htm

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