PARAMAHAMSA PRAJNANANDA, DISCIPLE OF PARAMAHAMSA HARIHARANANDA GIRI

This is Paramahamsa Prajnanananda who was appointed by Paramahamsa Hariharananda as his successor, to continue his mission as a world teacher disseminating the teachings of Kriya Yoga.

Born: 10th August 1960

Paramahamsa Upadhi conferred: 10th August 1998

                                           PARAMAHAMSA   PRAJNANANANDA
Born : 10th August 1960
Paramahamsa Upadhi conferred : 10th August 1998.

Paramahamsa Prajnanananda was born as Triloki Dash in the village of Pattamundai in Orissa, India. Raised in a pious and spiritual atmosphere, he began searching for a spiritual mentor in early childhood. In 1980, while still a student in college, he met his Gurudev Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who initiated him into Kriya Yoga. Unlike his peers, Triloki Dash spent much of his time in prayer, puja, and meditation. He frequently retreated to the solitude of remote Himalayan caves to be in the company of sages and saints seeking ultimate Truth. He kept up a rigorous spiritual practice under the tutelage of his beloved Gurudev while working as a professor of Economics at Ravenshaw College in Cuttack.

In 1995, Brahmachari Triloki Dash was initiated as a sannyasi, monk, by Paramahamsa Hariharananda. Receiving the name Swami Prajnanananda Giri, he was directed by his Gurudev the next day to travel to Europe, the USA, and other countries in order to propagate Kriya Yoga through public lectures, seminars, retreats, and meditation. Long before Triloki Dash became a monk, Paramahamsa Hariharananda predicted, "Whatever is started by me has to be completed by him."

Three years later, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda was given the title of Paramahamsa, the highest title given to monks and saints who attain the apogee of God-realization, by his Gurudev on August 10, 1998, on his birthday.

Aglow with radiant wisdom, ever joyful, and reveling in the selfless sacrifice of a silent and secluded monk’s life, Prajnananada has ceaselessly traveled around the world to promote the message of Kriya Yoga to all who seek liberation. He has written and translated numerous books on spiritual topics, skillfully interpreting ageless philosophies in the light of modern science and technology. Using a simple, succinct, candid style, he demonstrates a broad scriptural knowledge, profound wisdom, and a delightful way with words. Able to focus on multiple tasks at one time with perfect precision and mastery, Prajnananandaji projects a buoyant, energetic God-intoxication.

In 1999, Prajnananandaji became the third Indian monk, following Swami Vivekananda and Shri Ravi Sankar, to address the Parliament of World Religions. As the president of Prajnana Mission, he has undertaken projects that promote spiritual education, social and health services, and philanthropic works around the world. He established Hariharananda Balashram, a residential school for poor and orphan children in Arua near his own birthplace, Pattamundai. Following his master's vision, Prajnananandaji created a beautiful ashram with international repute at Balighai, in Orissa, called Hariharananda Gurukulum, and its latest addition, a majestic samadhi temple commemorating his Gurudev.

This world-revered master of Kriya Yoga is the epitome of boundless love, wisdom, and action, representing a combination of Swami Vivekananda, Shri Shankara, and Shri Chaitanya. What Swami Vivekananda was to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Arjuna to Shri Krishna, Prajnananandaji is to his Gurudev Paramahamsa Hariharananda. Paramahamsa Prajnanananda stands distinguished and unique among saints and sages of India.

He Holds the Key

- By Jyothi Bathina

On a hot summer afternoon in a small village in Orissa, India, a little brahmin boy named Triloki Dash sits under the spreading branches of an ancient banyan tree. He sits poring over his school books in the quiet shade and behind him stands the village temple to Lord Shiva, the supreme yogi, closed now in the midday heat. The priest has performed his morning worship and the temple is padlocked until evening.

But little Triloki holds the key, and whenever a devotee comes late and panting, tired and dusty in the afternoon, hoping to catch a glimpse of her Divine Beloved, carrying milk and curd and ghee to perform abhishek, he does not have the heart to turn her away. He sees her disappointment, watches silently her desperate efforts to rouse even one brahmin priest in the village to help perform the puja and finally when she returns and sits dejected on the temple steps, muttering disconsolately to herself, he asks her what is the matter. The woman turns to him with new hope, asking if he is a brahmin boy and if he can help her with the puja. With a mischievous gleam in those bright black eyes, Triloki nods yes, and from his hand emerges the heavy key to the temple doors. In a flash, he changes into an orange dhoti which he keeps beside him just for such emergencies, and runs up the stone steps. His nimble fingers unlock the doors and he pushes them wide open. Small and fragile though he seems, he valiantly struggles to fetch the heavy buckets of water to give Lord Shiva his ritual bath and with great devotion and ardor, he himself performs the abhishek, decorates the lingam with flowers, gives arati and offers it to the ecstatic devotee. She blesses him with tears in her eyes, giving loud thanks to the mother who has borne such a son.

That Triloki Dash is now Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, no longer a schoolboy, he is well-versed in all the scriptures, no longer sitting under the village tree, he travels three continents, teaching the gospel of love and truth and divinity. Many things have changed, but one thing has not. He is still waiting and watching, ready to unlock the doors to untold spiritual riches, to union with the Divine. No matter how late the traveler, no matter how weary, if our desire is strong and our motive pure, he will never turn us away. Willing to share the secret of love, willing to unlock the mysteries of yoga, willing to carry the immense burden of all our sins and sorrows upon his own frail back, washing them away with the purity of his love and compassion, decorating our path with the wisdom and beauty of his presence, he offers us the arati of salvation with a generous heart.

The school boy is now a teacher, a teacher who gives everything he has, putting everything aside to serve us, his students, to enable us to walk steadily on the path to God. On this auspicious day of his birth, let us echo that devotee of long ago, in giving thanks to God and to his human mother Vaidehi Dash, who bore such a beautiful son.

Source : http://www.prajnanamission.org/bioPrajnana.shtml

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