Mahayogi Baba Lokenath Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Lokenath Maharaj!

Chapter – 5

Once Ganguly Mahashay took Lokenath and Benimadhav into the dense forest and instructed them to conduct Tapasya, there were too many nasty creatures like giant ants, worms, bees, scorpions, and snakes.  Benimadhav found it difficult to conduct meditation, Lokenathdha was soon entered into trans state, Benimadhav found honey bees crawling over the body of Lokenathdha, soon he cautioned Lokenathdha about it, he advised Benimadhav to follow the instructions of the preceptor and continued his meditation, but Benimadhav did not find any peace, when he opened his eyes saw a   scorpion crawling on the chest of Lokenathdha, he saw preceptor before him asking to keep quiet with gestures.   Benimadhav continued the meditation, he could hear a unique sound, it was a venomous serpent crawling all over the body of Lokenathdha but he was still under the transcendental state.  Preceptor was highly pleased with the dedication in the  practice of Lokenath and blessed him.

A person who takes up Sanyasa can return home before completing twelve years to meet his beloved people, after that he is not allowed to visit home in his life.  So Ganguly Mahashay took Lokenath and Benimadhav to their village to meet their parents.  All the villagers assembled to receive the Bhramacharis.   Lokenath embraced his mother and her joy has no bound, he met all the senior people of the village and conversed to them with great love.  He heard somebody weeping bitterly and calling “Lokenathdha”, it was his sister Madhavi, and she has become a widow.  She prostrates before Ganguly Mahashay, he blessed her “Daughter, God will give you the strength to bear the loss.”  While Lokenath was at home, Madhavi took great care of him; he meticulously served him with the meal, massaging his feet.  It was the time to leave the home for Lokenath, she wept bitterly and begged his brother and preceptor to take her for Sanyasa.  Lokenath advised her “ Madhavi, Tapasya is not easy, it is too difficult and impossible to achieve.  It needs lots of mental strength and physical stamina.” The whole villagers were assembled to wave good-bye to these two Bhramacharis.  Once again Madhavi and Kamala Devi wept bitterly at the separation of Lokenath.

Mahayogi Baba Lokenath Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Lokenath Maharaj!

Chapter – 4

At home, Lokenath’s sister and mother often discuss their beautiful days with Lokenath and shed tears of the pain of separation.  They have not heard anything about Lokenath all these years.  On the other side, Lokenath sits alone in the forest all depressed and rushing thoughts of mother and his little sister, Benimadhav pacifies him.  In this way, these two young men share their intimate thoughts with each other and became a support system for each other during the hours of emotional turbulence.  They divert their minds in meditation and prayers.  Lokenath mother was grieving at the separation from her son, she refused to take meals, she finds no taste in meals, she continued like that for three days, she cried out calling for her son.  Suddenly, Lokenath appeared before his mother and patted her affectionately; they embraced each other with extreme joy.  He said that he also did not take any meal for three days, she took him to the food served for her and fed him, they happily consumed the meal together, when she was about to finish the meal, she found Lokenath was missing.  She cried loud for Lokenath, soon the elder sons and their wives, daughter and her husband assembled before her with a confused look, she explained all that had happened, but none was ready to believe her.

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.