Mahayogi Baba Lokenath Brahmachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Lokenath Maharaj!

Chapter – 3

 Lokenath and Benimadhav followed preceptor Ganguly Mahashay to Mahatheerth Kalighat, Kolkata.   Benimadhav’s father worriedly asked about their next destination and exclaimed that it is a dense forest; Guruji said that’s the perfect place for the children to begin the life of asceticism.   Those days, the famous shrine of Goddess Parvathi of Kalighat was surrounded by dense woods of wild animals, these areas where many ascetics take their meditation and Yogic practices.   Ganguly Mahashay explained the four states of Ashrama dharma to Lokenath and Benimadhav.  “There are four Ashramadharmas known as Bhramacharya, Grihastha, Sanyasa, and Vanaprastha.  The strict disciplines during the Brahmacharya Ashram would provide purity of mind and body."  Mahashay continued "The rules of Bhramacharya such as meditation, Yogic practices, and disciplines, the vow of celibacy and fast.   A Sannyasin should not have a desire towards any material possessions; they do not take pleasure in basic necessities of life.”    They undertook four years of intense meditation and Yogic practices in the dense wood.  Lokenath and Benimadhav learned all the Yogic practices and Hatha Yoga, observance of fast, and celibacy during this period.   On the auspicious days of Navrathri, these young ascetics undertake fast on nine days, in this way they have passed twelve years of ascetic life.

Mahayogi Baba Lokenath Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Lokenath Maharaj!

Chapter – 2

At the age of 11 Lokenath’s sacred thread ceremony was performed with elaborate rituals, Brahmachari Lokenath appeared before his mother saying “ Bhavathi Biksham Dhehi” his mother Kamala Devi brought alms in her hand and looked at him, she could divine personality in place of Lokenath.  The elderly ladies in the family offered alms to Lokenath.   His little sister who was witnessing all these asked her mother “ Naishtik Bhramachari, Dhadha should not live in our home and should wander in the forest? When he will return home?”  His mother replied with tears, “ No idea child.  He should take up Tapasya, I do not know who will take care of him.  Thakurji knows everything.  You will always remain dearest little sister of Lokenath Dhadha.”  Little girl Madhu rushed to Lokenath he asked her to give alms.  His mother was inconsolable, tears overflowing on her cheeks once again offered alms to her son.  When she stood before him stopping him to leave, Lokenath said “ Ma, kindly do not hinder my way.  Let me precede my spiritual journey.” Ramnarayan felt disappointed to see Kamala Devi’s unwillingness to leave her son, he advised her wife “ Have you not heard of Agnipareeksha of Goddess Sita, King Harish Chandra, and many more, you should not create an obstacle to your son’s glorious future.  You should not commit any sin which could bring inauspiciousness to your family or children.” Lokenath said to his mother that whenever she remembers him and requires his presence, he would attend her. He wanted to see her smile, not that crying face, he requested her to smile before he leaves home forever. So that he can leave home peacefully.  Guru Bhagavan Ganguly could read the destiny of the child agreed to accept him as his disciple.  There was a child named Benimadhav of the same age as Lokenath, both of them were childhood friends, he could not control the pain of separation from his friend Lokenath, and he was too adamant and decided to follow Lokenath to Ashram.  Benimadhav father was angry at his child,  though he was tried to make him understand the disciplines and vows involved in the Sanyasa, finally, he had to yield the desires of his child.  He was confident that if he did not learn today, he will pick up by tomorrow.  Moreover, his dearest friend Lokenath with him to teach him all,  Benimadhav prostrated before Guruji and begged him to take him.  Ganguly Mahashay accepted both the children who already had a sacred thread ceremony.  Thus Lokenath at the age of 11 years immediately after his sacred thread ceremony was taken to renowned Sanyasin Ganguly Mahashay who was skilled in Vedic knowledge and Yogic practices and left him under his custodian so that Lokenath could achieve heights in spirituality and meditation.

Mahayogi Baba Lokenath Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Lokenath Maharaj!

Chapter – 1

Baba Lokenath Maharaj was born to a pious Brahmin couple Ramnarayan Goshal and Kamala Devi, on a Janmashtami day.  His birth was on June 24th in the year 1730 in a small village of Chakla, situated a few miles away from the city of Kolkata.  It was   heavy downpour and thunderstorm on that night, Ramnarayan Goshal with his Guruji Ganguli Mahashay got the much-awaited news of the birth of the child.   Ganguly Mahashay said “your child was born on this auspicious day to affirm the pronouncement of Lord Vishnu, that he incarnates on every Yuga in order to reinstate the righteousness on the Earth.”  Ramnarayan Goshal was extremely happy to hear the words of Ganguly Mahashay and the child was named Lokenath.   His parents were deeply religious and followed all the religious and spiritual rites strictly; they have taken service to the Lord as a prime duty.  These couples had four children, Ramnarayan had an intense desire to offer one child wholly for the service to Lord and he convinced his wife Kamala Devi about their responsibility towards the Supreme Lord, she agreed to the plea of her husband.   Like any other mother, Kamala Devi forgot her promise while she was intensely soaked in the pleasures of motherhood.  This couple had two sons and one daughter. But when she conceived Lokenath she had several divine experiences, which reminded her promise to her husband.  Gradually, she had to come out of the delusion of worldly attachment; she agreed to offer Lokenath in the service of Lord. 

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.

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter – 13

It was during the period of 1920,  Balanandji arrived in Gangonath Ashram, his preceptor Bhramanand Bhramachari organized a grand Maharudra Yagna, and Maha Mrithyujjaya Yagna, the preparation for the grand Yagna was taking in full swing, one evening Bhramanandji said to Balanand “ Bala, I am thinking of sacrificing my mortal coil which is perishable,” Balanandji said “ Why so suddenly Guruji? You can live several years with this mortal coil at your own will.” Bhramanandji said  “ No, Not any more, it is too old now,”  It was on the month Magh, on an auspicious day he undertook meditation in his chamber in the Ashram, he soon entered in transcendental state and never returned to real world, while Balanandji was in Tapasya on the river bank of Narmada, situated close to Ashram.  Suddenly he could envisage a brilliant light originated from the place where Bhramanandji undertook his meditation in the Ashram, this bright light took a dip in the waters of Narmada and disappeared in the sky.  Soon Balanandji understood that Yogeeshvar Bhramandji left his mortal coil and attained union with the Bramham.

Balanandji was the prominent disciple of Bhramanand Bhramachari, he does not want to live in the Gangonath Ashram after the Mahasiddhi of his Guruji.  Though the Ashram responsibilities fell upon the first disciple Balanandji, he offered all those responsibilities to the next disciple Keshavanandji and returned to Deoghar.   Gradually the number of disciples of Balanandji increased.  Once Balanandji left his Ashram located in Karnibag, Deoghar, and settled in Baidhyanath Dham, he attained Mahasamadhi in the midnight.  A divine soul started its spiritual journey at the age of nine from the shrine of Ujjain Mahakal attained unison with the Bramham in the Baidhyanath Jyotirlinga Kshethra.

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter – 12

Thapovanparvath is the divine land of spirituality, here is Balanandji got the Dharshan of his mother Narmada Bai.  After the death of Ramcharan, his wife established an Ashram, Balanandji lived in this Ashram and guided several people through the divine path of spirituality, he elevated many souls from sufferings and miseries of worldly existence.  The two disciple Magadhi and Poornanandswami lived with Balanand Bhramachari, soon many disciples like Krishna Bandhopadhyay,  Prangopal Mukhopadhyay was joined with them.  Balanandji used to say “when a person passes in four tests like ego, pride, jealousy and desire, then he will qualify to stay as a disciple.”  Balanandji carefully chose his disciples, like the gold is put in the blazing fire to create an exquisite piece of jewels, before accepting them as a disciple, he had to go through many tests which requires mental strength as well as spiritual knowledge, he was treated the people of different Ashrama Dharma with great love and care, a Bhramachari needs to undertake intense religious and spiritual practices, strict celibacy, Yogic practices, sense of selflessness, simplicity, humanity, etc.. A Grahasthi needs to follow all the Dharmic rights, morality, discipline, etc..  He always worked for the welfare of his disciples and his devotees.

Balanandji lived in Baranagar, Kolkata for a few days.  This place was always crowded with devotees and disciples.  One day Yatheendhra Mohan Thakur sends a messenger to invite Balanandji to his home, those days it was a practice to invite holy men to home and get their blessings for the welfare of the family.  Balanandji sarcastically said, “ Yatheendhra Mohan is a nobleman, I have heard of him, people here call me the same, if two noble men meet together what is the harm in it, I was expecting him here.”  Balanandji narrated a story to the people assembled there.  Once a saint was settled on the entry point of the Kingdom, he was seated in the middle of the pathways, the King was supposed to arrive on the pathway that day to make country visit and its subjects, the King’s men and people warned the Sanyasin to move away from the pathway, respectable personalities compelled Sanyasin to move away from the place, Sanyasin said “Tell your King that one Maharaj is sitting in the middle of the pathway.” People were alarmed at the answer of the saint and conveyed the message to the King.  The King got out of the palanquin and rushed to the saint, he prostrated before the saint and said “I have heard you are Maharaj, where is your army?” Sannyasin said “ Why should I need army men? I have no enemies in this world.”King laughed and asked, “Where is your wealth?” Sannyasin smiled and said “ Why should I need to keep wealth? I have no expenses, I do not need meals to survive, I do not need expensive shelter to live, I take shelter under trees, I eat root vegetables and on alms, I do not even need clothes, so I do not need any wealth.” King reverentially prostrated before Sannyasin, and silently moved through the other side of the pathway.  The messenger of the Yatheendhra Mohan Thakur conveyed all the messages to his Master.  He felt so embarrassed at his act; soon he arrived to meet Balanandji and reverentially greeted each other.  

Yatheendhra Mohan Thakur asked Balanandha Bhramachari “What are the duties of a Samsari/Grihastha,? He is already attached to the worldly bondage, how can he achieve the highest of the piousness in spirituality?”  Balanandji said “ all that wealth and material possessions remain with the Grihastha can be utilized for taking minimal pleasures in it, but a Grihastha should always concentrate on spending a major part of the wealth for performing charity, spending the wealth on religious and spiritual rites.   All that you need to bring some changes in perception and attitude.  You have to turn all your thoughts towards the supreme spirit, not on to you and one should stop keep feeding the senses.  It will remove ego, it will give you a new insight that soul is none other than supreme spirit.”

Yogi Sri Balanand Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Balanand Bhramachari!

Chapter – 11

There was another fervent disciple of Balanand Bhramachari, he was Dhayanidhi who was living in an Ashram established by Deoghar Maharaj, he was living his son in the Ashram, one night his son got bitten by a venomous serpent, but Dhayanidi was not alarmed, he sincerely prayed to his Guru, while he was meditating he could envisage an miraculous sight,  in that Balanandji with a trident chasing behind the evil spirits who were trying to enter into the Ashram.  Dhayanidhi’s son got recovered from the serpent bite miraculously. 

Balanandji was undergoing extreme penance in the Thapovan near Deoghar, he was sitting inside the cave, he was on trans state, after few hours he got out of the meditation and opened his eyes, saw a huge serpent with its hood standing before him.  This serpent has long hairs on its mouths like the beard of human,  Balanandji understood it must not be an ordinary serpent.  It must be a noble-soul in the form of a serpent taking a test on him.  Balanandji assumed Thratakamudra and fixed his gaze on the eyes of the serpent, soon the serpent withdrew its hood and moved away silently from the cave.

Balanandji was sleeping covered in a woolen blanket, in the night he felt somebody removed the woolen blanket from his body and thrown away. His eyes were opened, saw the blanket was away from him; someone was standing close to him and showing gestures to go to the hill.  He immediately went climbing the hill and arrived in a cave, usually, it remains locked in the morning hours, but the doors of the cave were open, the person who took Balanandji entered into the cave, he was followed by Balanandji.  The cave was filled with darkness, Maharaj was searching for a matchbox, soon the light spread all over the cave, but Balanandji could not see the person who took him to cave, he was a little confused about whether he was in dream or awakening state, eventually he entered in trans.  The next day his disciples found Balanandji was missing in the Ashram so they came up the hill and entered into the cave in search of him.  He was in a transcendental state, It was an afternoon at that time, he got out of the meditation from the voices of his disciples.