Yogiraj Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay

Pranams at the lotus feet of Yogiraj Lahiri Mahashay!

Chapter – 32

Sri Paramahamsa Yogananda describes an incident in his famous book “The  Autobiography of a Yogi”.  He had an opportunity to visit Kashi Moni Devi, wife of Late Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay in their residence in Kashi.  He introduced himself as the son of Bhagavathicharan Gosh and Gyanprabha Gosh, devoted disciples of Lahiri Mahashay.  Kashi Moni Devi was too old at that time, she had attractive features and good physique, she has managed to keep her health in under good control at that age too.  She invited Paramahamsa Yogananda with a motherly love; she took her room upstairs where a pristine bed of Lahiri Mahashay was kept as her veneration place.  She showed the place where Mahashay used to conduct meditation before giving Dheeksha to Kashi Moni Devi.  After receiving Dheeksha from Lahiri Mahashay and initiated her to Kriya Yoga, he never spent his nights in the same room with his wife.  He spent his whole life in the hall on the ground floor, most of the time he will be with his disciples, giving lectures on scriptures, or discussing spiritual matters hours and hours.  He hardly sleeps those days, he never felt the need for sleep, he engages in solid hours of Kriya Yoga and meditation. 

Once Kashi Moni Devi had a dream in that, her husband is undertaking meditation and several divine personalities were standing with folded hands before him, suddenly she got out of the sleep in utter shock and saw her husband practicing meditation sitting on the floor.  She thought it was a mere dream, she prostrated before her husband saying that she feels guilty for considering him as her husband, she had realized that he was not an ordinary human, he is divine personified.  Lahiri Mahashay asked her to prostrate before all those divine personalities, she sincerely followed the instructions of her husband. Kashi Moni Devi fell at his feet and said, “ Mahashay, kindly accept me as your disciple, forgive all my mistakes.” Mahashay took his wife who was fallen at his feet with tears overflowing, and said “ Lady, you need not feel guilty, finally you are qualified to become a disciple of mind, the time has arrived,  you will be receiving Dheeksha and lessons on Kriya Yoga, that would take you to the highest level of spirituality.”  Kashi Moni Devi received Dheeksha from Mahashay and became his disciple, and her two sons also attained Dheeksha from Mahashay.  After receiving Dheeksha from Mahashay, they had the relationship of preceptor and disciple; they never had the relationship of husband and wife afterward.