Paramahamsa Hariharananda

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Paramahansa Hariharananda (May 27, 1907 – December 3, 2002), was an Indian yogi and guru, and spiritual leader of the Kriya Yoga movement.[1] He was born as Robindranath Bhattacharya, into a family that strongly emphasized spiritual practice and education,in the hamlet of Habibpur, on the bank of the river Ganga, in the district of Nadia, West Bengal, 65 Km from Kolkata.

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[edit] Biography

Paramahamsa Hariharananda known as "BABA" (Father) to his students, was known as a God-realized Kriya Yogi in the lineage of Babaji Maharaj, Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Shriyukteshwar Giri and Paramahamsa Yogananda .

He spent his life studying, teaching and fulfilling his mission to share the philosophy and technique of Kriya Yoga with the people of the world. He was instrumental in reviving the bhakti(devotional) movement in India.

Baba's father Haripada Bhattacharya was an affluent community landlord. He was a Brahmin, known for his integrity and self-discipline. He was as scholar of Sanskrit, well versed in the scriptures of Hinduism and had a thorough knowledge of Ayurveda, homeopathy, some modern medicine as well as an interest in legal matters. He led a strict life with a deep love for God and had high ethical and moral standards.He was a respected priest, astrologer, and healer. He had divined the special destiny of his tenth child, and used to call him affectionately "Sannyasi Thakur" (Lord monk).

Baba's mother, Nabin Kali, was woman from the village of Birnagar, Nadia and came from a Brahmin family. Nabin Kali means Eternal Mother Divine. She helped the poor and needy in the community.

Nabin Kali and Haripada had eleven children, five sons and six daughters. Rabindranath was the youngest son and later came to be known as Paramahamsa Hariharananda.

At four and a half, Hariharananda had already memorized all the puja mantras of Hinduism by simply hearing his father, recite them a few times. By the age of twelve, he took initiation in the path of Jnana Yoga from the master Shri Bijoy Krishna Chattopadhyay after visiting him a couple of times in the company of his brother Pareshnath and brother-in-law, both disciples of his. A disciple of Trailinga Swami of Benares, Bijoy Krishna Chattopadhyaya was known as "Howrah Thakur" because he lived in the Howrah suburb of Kolkata.

In 1932, he went to meet the Kriya master, Swami Shriyukteshwar Giri. Shriyukteshwarji initiated him into Kriya Yoga, in his Serampore ashram, West Bengal, also taught him cosmic astrology, and entreated him to come and live in his Karar Ashram in Puri, Orissa. Due to professional and family obligations, Robi[who?] was not able to fulfill his master's wishes until six years later.

In 1935, he met Paramahamsa Yogananda, and received the second Kriya initiation from him. In 1938, he renounced the material life and entered his Master's Ashram in Puri, Orissa, starting the life of an ascetic monk as Brahmachari Rabinarayan.

He received the third Kriya initiation from Swami Satyananda Giri in 1941, the then head of the Karar Ashram and childhood friend of Paramahamsa Yogananda.

On May 27, 1959 he took formal monastic vows from the Shankaracharya of Puri Srimad Swami Bharati Krishna Tirtha (the Hindu equivalent to the Pope) and was named Swami Hariharananda Giri.

The year 1974 marked his first journey to the West, where he would return every year to spread the message of divine love through conscious awareness of God within. His travels took him all over Europe, South America, the United States, and Canada where he established centers and ashrams. He remained extensively in the West after 1990 and his work continues.

Baba initiated his chosen disciple Brahmachari Santananda into monkhood and named him as Swami Yogeswarananda Giri, to carry out his mission in the Karar Ashram. On March 22, 1983. He nominated his as Presedent and Sadhusabhapati of Karar Ashram.

He died in Miami, Florida, United States in 2002.[1]

[edit] Quotes

  • Love, love, love...
God, God, God...
  • An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory.
  • Breath control is self control
Mastering breath means
mastering your self.
In the breathless state there will be no death.
  • "In all of the Upanishads it is said, God first contemplated
and that created the universe. In the universe, whatever we see,
feel or imagine, that is the living presence of the soul.
From one, He has become many.(.....)
The definition of God is 'all-pervading':
So there is nowhere where He is not!"
- Excerpt from the book 'Isa Upanishad'
by Paramahamsa Hariharananda.
  • Calmly search God in the fontanelle...[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Spiritual leader of Kriya Yoga movement dies.", The Miami Herald, 2002-12-05. Retrieved on 2008-05-30. 
  2. ^ http://baba100.org/baba.php

[edit] Further reading

  • Prajñanananda, Paramahamsa (2007). La vie de Paramahamsa Hariharananda un fleuve de compassion. Ed. du Dauphin. ISBN 2716313431. 
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