Yogiraj Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay

Pranams at the lotus feet of Yogiraj!

Chapter - 3

There were three illustrious Yogis highly remembered and discussed in Bengal for the past hundred years, they were Sri Loknath Bhramachari, Shyamacharan Lahiri, and Swami Vishudhdhanandha.  These Yogis had several numbers of disciples, hence the glories of their preceptors came into light.   Yogiraj Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay was born on 30^th September 1828, in Ghurni village, in Nadhiya district, Bengal.   There were two children in the first wife of his father Gaur Mohan Lahiri, one was a daughter and another was a son.  After the death of his first wife, Gaur Mohan Lahiri remarried to Mukthakashi and Lahiri Mahashay was born as the first child to this pious Bhramin couple.   In the year 1833,  Jalangi river near to his birthplace changed its course and swept off the Lahiri properties, one of the Shiva shrine built by this family was also disappeared into the depth of river Ganga.  Later, one of the devotees found the swirling image of Lord Shiva in the water and installed it in a new shrine in Ghurni village.  Gaur Mohan Lahiri left the Ghurni village and settled in Benares, he built a Shiva temple in Benares, conducted worship, he continued a Vedic way of living, reading scriptures, the performance of ceremonial rites, observance of charity, etc.. Lahiri Mahashay has done schooling in a Bengali institution found by Joy Narayan Goshal, he learned English, Sanskrit, French and Bengali, later he joined in Sanskrit college and attended Sanskrit lessons. He had a great interest in learning scriptures and attending lectures on scriptures given by the famous scholar Nag-Bhatta.  Lahiri Mahashaya learned lessons on Upanishads and scriptures from Nag-Bhatta.  There was a neighbor Debnarayan Sanyal who was close to this family.   In order to firm their relationship between the families, they decided to perform the marriage of the children within the two families.  In the year 1846, Shyamacharan Lahiri married to Kashi Monidevi who was the daughter of Debnarayn Sanyal.  This couple had two sons and two daughters.   At the age of 23, in the year 1851 Lahiri Mahashay was appointed as an Accountant in the Military Engineering Department of English Government.  He attained great success in career life and spiritual life too. He had to work in various places and arrived in Dhanapur, as a play enacted by the supreme Lord.  Suddenly, there was chaos among the family members about the family wealth after the death of his father,  Lahiri Mahashay was a peace-lover, he entrusted all the family properties with his stepbrother and left.  He bought a house in the Garudeshwar Mohulla in Benares. 

Yogiraj Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay

Pranams at the lotus feet of Yogiraj!

Chapter – 2

Shyamacharan Lahiri thought the officer did not know about his spiritual practice, he will understand when the time comes.  One day office peon arrived at the table and said “ Babu, officer calling you.” Seeing Lahirimahashay, Officer said, “ Pagala Babu, you are a brilliant personality, I think you know astrology, your words became true.” Lahiriji understood the inner meaning of the officer’s words, he looked at him surprisingly and asked: “ What’s that has become true sir.” Officer pleasantly said “ You have told me about my wife that day was true, she is alright now, she has already started flying to India. Actually, I was extremely worried about her health conditions. After receiving her mail I feel so relieved. Let Madamji arrive, I will introduce you to her.”  After fifteen or twenty days of this incident, once again Lahiriji was called in the chamber of the officer, where  Lahiriji was received with a wide smile and introduced to a lady who was sitting in a chair.  Immediately, Madamji jumped out of her seat with a sudden shriek “ Oh! My God!” the officer asked “ What? What did happen?” she asked Lahiriji “When did you come?” officer surprised and asked, “why are you asking Pagala Babu?” Lahirimahashay understood all that meant by Madamji, without saying anything he went out of the chamber.  Madamji resumed “ It is quite surprising to me, I think I am somewhere in the magical world, while I was severely ill in England, I saw this person standing close to my bed and putting hands on my forehead, I was shocked to see him at our house, he was a total stranger to me, another day he gave me help to sit on the bed while my health conditions were improving I felt quite surprising." While helping this gentleman said to me “ daughter, you are alright now, you will not have any problem, your husband in India is really anxious about you, write a letter to him right now, tomorrow arrange with your travel agency to book a ticket on the next available flight to India, you proceed to India at the earliest, otherwise your husband will resign the job and come back to you.”  she continued " after saying so he vanished from my sight. I did not even get a chance to ask his whereabouts, where is he staying, how did he know about you, etc.. I was in a dream world at that moment; I am really shocked to see him here.”  Officer did not get surprised at all after listening to his wife.

Yogiraj Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay

Pranams at the lotus feet of Yogiraj!

Chapter - 1

Yogiraj Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri was working as Accountant in Military Engineering Department of British Government, Dhanapur.  He was holding a bundle of files waited before the chamber of the higher official and asked “May I come in sir?’ he could not hear any response from inside, so he directly went inside the chamber and kept the files on the table and came out.  The higher official was looking through the windows worriedly, after thirty minutes Lahiri Mahashay entered the room with some more files, saw the officer was really anxious and restless, the officer said “Today I am not in a frame of mind to work; you can keep the files on the table and leave.”  Lahiri Mahashay earnestly requested “Sir, is there anything bothering you? If anything I could help you to relieve your tension, if so I am happy to do that.”  The officer took a deep breath and said “ Pagla Babu/crazy young man, I have received a letter from England, my wife is seriously ill. I do not know what to do. If I was there I could have taken good care of her.” Lahiri Mahashay said “I was thinking something is bothering you deeply. I could understand the reason for not touching the files.  I will come after some time.”  After listening to Lahiri Mahashay, the officer became pleasant.  All the workers in the office address Lahiri Mahashay as ‘Pagala Babu/Mad officer, he always immerses in himself, he always speaks gently with a smile, eyes always remain half closed, some people used to call ‘Anandmagna Babu/man of joy, he always immerses in bliss. Lahiri Mahashay was never seen worried or anxious in all his life.   After some time, Lahiri Mahashay saw that the higher officer opened the door and said “today I am not going to do any work, please do not disturb me. I will be doing the file work tomorrow.”  Lahiri Mahashay said “Ok. Sir, you need not worry about anything. Madam is alright now.  She is writing a letter to you today. You will be receiving her mail by the next post.  She is preparing to fly from London at the earliest flight, she will be arriving soon immediately after the availability of the ticket. ” The higher officer was looked at him with a smile and said “You are giving me an explanation as if you have met her in England. Pagla Babu, I did feel better after hearing from you. Thank you very much. May your words become true! Now you can go to your seat.” Shyamacharan Lahiri understood that the officer did not believe his words. 

The legend of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa -

Pranams at the lotus feet of Thakurji!

Chapter – 25

One day there was Krishna Goswami  and few of Bhramasamj people arrived to meet Thakurji after hearing the critical condition of him, most of them know that Krishna Goswami had the fortune to be in the association of several pious, noble-souls and saints, he traveled whole  India, while they were talking Mahim Chakraborty asked, “ Goswamiji, what did you see?” Goswami said ‘ What would I say? I am sitting here at this moment, and feeling this is All” Later Thakurji’s health condition became worse, so he had taken to a house in Shyamapukur, people were relentlessly serving him, his subtle body is leaving this perishable body and relaxing out, there are several wounds appeared on his back, chest and throat, he had accepted the sins of his devotees, there were people from different walks of life kept touching him, and till now, he had absorbed all the sins of his devotees.  Thakurji well understood that 7^th or 8^th August, he called his disciple Yogin and said “bring Panchang and read Tithi's in the Shravan month,” Yogin dutifully read the Thithis of Shravan month; he continued to read the whole Thithi, after some time he stopped reading at the instruction of Thakurji.   It was on August 16^th 1886, Thakurji was not responding well from the morning, as if his body needs a complete rest, soon the devotees heard the heartbreaking news of Thakurji’s demise.   

Ma Saradadevi left alone after the demise of Thakurji.  In 1910 she undertook a religious trip to Orissa and continued her travel to Madras, Madurai, Dhanushkoti and Rameshwaram.  In 1911 she traveled from Bangalore and arrived in Bengal.   On 21^st July 1920, Ma Saradadevi left her mortal coil.

The legend of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa -

Pranams at the lotus feet of Thakurji!

Chapter – 24

There was a lady called Gopal's mother/Gopal's Ma in Dhakshineshwar, she is very fond of Thakurji, she wanted to cook Kheer for him, and feed with her hands.  Thakurji sat for consuming kheer, he found the rice is uncooked, Thakurji said ‘ I do not want to eat this Kheer, it is uncooked’ people surrounded were looked at him,  everyone thought he was saying this to scare away Gopal’s Ma.  Thakurji was very fond of Gopal’s Ma, how can he do that, later Thakurji afflicted with the throat cancer, after few days he emotionally said ‘I will not eat anything after this. I will be consuming only kheer.’ While saying so, Sharadha Matha was entering, she was shocked to listen to Thakurji’s words, because none of his words go futile, after this incident his throat cancer became critical, he was consuming barley water, milk and kheer only, he could not swallow anything other than this.  All the devotees sincerely prayed to get rid of these sufferings of Thakurji, but it was impossible to get any relief, people were so disappointed.  Once a prominent person in Tharkkashasthra requested Thakurji, ‘You are an Avatharapurusha, divine personified, if you have made up your mind to get rid of this, you will do it.’  Thakurji replied ‘How can you say so? You are a great scholar, I have surrendered my soul to Supreme Lord who is supreme bliss, and how can I withdraw this soul from the bliss and invest in the perishable body made of meat and bones?’  Scholar turned silent after listening to Thakurji, but Swami Vivekananda was not willing to take out, one day he was adamantly sat before Thakurji and said ‘ Baba, if you do not want to get cured for yourself, kindly get yourself cured for us.’  Thakurji said ‘Why am I not wishing so? Do you think I want to continue with the sufferings of illness I just wish things get normal, but it is not?  It is in the hands of Ma Kali’.   Vivekananda said ‘Kindly request Ma Kali to cure your illness. I am sure she will heed to your words.’ Thakurji said ‘ You are right, but it is not coming out of my mouth,” Vivekananda said ‘No, No, It won’t happen. You have to tell Ma Kali for us.”  Thakurji said ‘ Ok. I will do it.’ After a few hours, Vivekananda came back to Thakurji and asked ‘ What did Ma Kali say?” Thakurji said ‘I have shown her my throat and said I cannot eat anything because of the painful condition of the throat, kindly do something so that I can eat something. Ma Kali pointed at all of you and said: “You are eating with all these mouths is not that enough for you.”  Thakurji continued “After hearing that I have become speechless.” 

The legend of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa -

Pranams at the lotus feet of Thakurji!

Chapter – 23

All these years Hridhayram was doing sincere service to Thakurji, he became a noted personality in the temple of Dhakshineshwar, there was no one to rule him after the expiry of Rani Rasmoni and Madhuranath Biswas, whenever Thakurji went into transcendental state, Hridhayram would take advantage of Thakurji and gained benefit out of it.  The crowd was increased immensely due to the glories of Thakurji, they came to meet Thakurji and get blessings from him, devotees offer valuable clothes and gifts, all those were utilized by Hridhayram.  He started playing evil tricks on devotees who have nothing to offer, he tells them that Thakurji is not available, he is not well, you will not get Dharshan of him, etc.. Hridhayram open doors for the people who pay huge contributions and gifts,  Once Lakshminarayan Marwadi paid nearly ten thousand rupees to Hridhayram, to meet Thakurji, but Thakurji refused to accept the money, but Hridhayram was heartbroken at the act of his uncle, he was disappointed to see his uncle did not even ask for supernatural powers from Ma Kali, he does not even want to prove the world about his inherited magical powers, he is ignoring the presence of Goddess Mahalakshmi, with all these he became hostile towards his uncle, he started himself acting as a holy saint, he started singing Bhajans and moving all around,  Thakurji was very much disturbed about the wickedness of Hridhayram, he went inside the shrine and spoke before Jaganmatha ‘Ma my all the bondage has lost, will you keep away myself from the insult of Hridhayram’.  Once Thakurji said ‘I am fed up of the wickedness of Hridhayram and wanted to jump into the waters of Ganga and get relieved from all these, my suicide will bring grief to my disciple,’ once again he went to Ma Kali and prayed ‘Ma do not worry about anything, maybe Hridhay likes me very much, that is why he is behaving like this, please forgive him.’ There was no doubt Hridhayram was doing service to Thakurji while he was going through the miserable time with the sufferings of throat cancer, Thakurji used to tell that the soul is residing in this body because of Hridhayram’s service, he is the only one know to take care of his body, none could touch Thakurji's feet in his presence.  A noble soul will not let others touch their feet, because of the touch of a wicked on the feet of Noble soul would absorb the sins of the wicked people.  Once a person afflicted with leprosy approached Thakurji and requested him to touch his body so that he can get relieved from the sufferings of leprosy, Thakurji said ‘I know nothing, as you said I can place my hand on your body, If Ma Kali wishes you will get rid of illnesses.’ He placed his hand on the leprosy patient, after that he felt pain on his hands for several days. Later that patient got cured of the illness but Thakurji had to pay price for it. 

The legend of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa -

Pranams at the lotus feet of Thakurji!

Chapter – 22

Once Haldhiyaram told Thakurji, ‘ Mama, there as so many noble-soul and saints visiting this shrine,  no one knows their  spiritual strength, and they are performing various supernatural powers, why do not you request Ma Kali for spiritual powers?’  Thakurji replied ‘ My mother does not want to deviate my attention to supernatural powers, anyway I will ask her once.” Saying so he entered inside the shrine of Ma Kali, he folded hands together and said “ Ma, Hridhu wanted me to have some supernatural powers, whatever you feel you can do to me. I do not know anything about it,” later he told Hridhyaram, ‘supernatural powers keep an ascetic away from supreme bliss; it will not give any benefit to the worshiper.” Thakurji continued ‘ Listen I will explain a story to you, a person had two sons, the elder son grown up he went out of the house, and became an ascetic, the younger son became Dharmic teacher after his studies.  There is a rule among ascetics that if an ascetic wants to return home in twelve years he can do that, so the elder son came back to the village and saw his younger brother has his own family, he went near the door of the home and called his younger brother’s name.  They have met after several years, so they had to share a lot of happiness and sorrows, younger brother asked ‘ What did you gain after leaving home and your beloved people?” the elder brother said ‘ you want to see what I have gained, come with me.” finally these two brothers arrived on the shore of the river bank, the elder brother walked over the water and crossed the river, younger one took a ferry and crossed the river, the elder brother said’ You have seen what I have gained all these years, I have crossed the river walking on it.” The younger brother said, ‘ I have also performed the same task but I have adopted ferry to cross the river, you have wasted your twelve years on it,’  elder brother’s eye remained wide open after listening to the words of the younger brother, therefore supernatural powers have no value in the Dharmic world.  Later the elder brother became too devoted to the Supreme Lord and Dharmic way of life.”