Mahayogi Baba Lokenath Bhramachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Lokenath Maharaj!

Chapter – 7

After Mahasidhdhi of Ganguly Mahashay, they continued to stay with the Swamiji in Kashi.  Once they conducted spiritual journey to Badrinath and places close to Himalaya.  They have arrived in the Himalaya and conducted Tapasya.  One day while three saints were walking  in the borders of Tibet there were security men surrounded this three Sanyasin, one of the Tibetian soldier pointed gun at Lokenath, he got stunned after witnessing Lord Buddha in place of the saint, soon his gun slipped out of his hand.  They allowed the saintly men to cross the border with great reverence. 

Benimadhav revealed his desire to visit the Kamakhya shrine, Swamiji said: “you can go to Kamakhya.  May your trip brings an abundance of piousness to your spiritual life” Soon he rushed to Lokenath with tears overflowing and  hugged each other, the friends who have started spiritual journey as a young boys from the small village of Bengal,  after several years of togetherness for the first time Benimadhav leaving Lokenath in Himalaya, Swamiji said “ Sannyasin do not leave in tears, depart your ways with a smile.”  The two young ascetics with a courageous smile and great hope departed each other.   Swamiji blessed Benimadhav to be successful in his journey to Kamakdhya, soon Swamiji took leave from Lokenath.  Lokenath continued Tapasya in the rest of the days in a heavy downpour, thunderstorms, and extreme shower of snow in the icy cold mountain of Himalaya.  In this way, Lokenath continued his Tapasya for several years.

Mahayogi Baba Lokenath Brahmachari

Pranams at the lotus feet of Baba Lokenath Maharaj!

Chapter – 6

Lokenath and Benimadhav with his preceptor Ganguly Mahashay conducted journey to Himalaya, and further to Persia, Arabia, Israel and Mecca where they met the prophet and both of the preceptors of different religions embraced each other with great love.  Prophet blessed the young ascetics, he received them with great reverence, he requested them to teach lessons on scriptures, and in return, he would teach them Quran, in this way the great union of two religions ‘Puran and Quran’ took place.  The saints of two religions spent their days in learning scriptures and sacred text.

Ganguly Mahashay along with Lokenath and Benimadhav visited Kashi.  Mahashay took the young saints to renowned Swamiji and formally introduced to him.   Once Ganguly Mahashay said his time to leave this world has arrived.   Lokenath could not bear the words of his preceptor, he wept bitterly.  That night Lokenath could not sleep, in the same night, he found his preceptor was missing.  He called Benimadhav that their preceptor is not in the chamber, they conducted a search through the twist and turns of the street of Kashi, finally, they arrived on the river bank of Ganga, they met Swamiji who was a close associate of his preceptor.  He was undertaking meditation on the river bank of Ganga; Lokenath worriedly enquired about his preceptor.  The Swamiji instructed them to check in Manikarnika Ghat, they rushed through the stairs, found their preceptor was sitting on the steps leading to Mahashmashana in Padmasana posture staring at the funeral pyre.  Lokenath and Benimadhav had immense relief seeing their preceptor; they embraced him, immediately they could realize that his preceptor had already attained union with Bramham.  They performed final rites of their preceptor in an elaborate manner.

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.