Baba Loknath Brahmachari (Bengali: বাবা লোকনাথ ব্রহ্মচারী) or simply Baba Loknath was an 18th Century Hindu saint and philosopher in Bengal.
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Baba Loknath Brahmachari was born on Janmastami, the 18th day of Bhadra,1137 Bengali Era (29th August, 1730) to a Brahmin family in the village of Chaurasi Chakla, named as Kochua, in Basirhat sub-division, a couple of miles from Kolkata. His father Ramnarayan Ghoshal and mother Kamaladevi were deeply religious. He was their fourth son. Ramnarayan requested Acharya Bhagawan Ganguly, a famous Pandit and renowned scholar of that time in the village of Kochua, to be his son's guru and show him the way of moksha or enlightenment. At the age of 11, young Loknath left home with his guru. He visited Kalighat Temple in Kolkata and then lived in the forests for 25 years, selflessly serving as his guru's chela and practising ashtanga yoga of Patanjali along with hatha yoga. After this he travelled to the Himalayas where he meditated in the nude for nearly five decades. Finally, he attained enlightenment at the age of ninety.
After his enlightenment he traveled extensively on foot to Afghanistan, Persia, Arabia and Israel, making three pilgrimages to Mecca. When he came to the small town Baradi near Dhaka, a wealthy family built him a small hermitage, which became his ashram. He was at the time one hundred and thirty six years old. There he accepted the sacred thread of the Brahmins and clothed himself in saffron robes. For the rest of his life he performed miracles on and gave divine wisdom to all who came to him to seek his blessings. He received the title Baba(Bengali for Father). Baba Loknath is said to have been nearly seven feet tall with little flesh on him. He was an ascetic, denying him self physical pleasures. He could even negate sleep, never closing his eyes or even blinking.
On the 19th day of Jyestha, 1297 (1 June 1890), Sunday, at 11:45 am, the Baba was meditating when he went into a trance with his eyes open, and while still meditation, left his physical body forever. He was aged 160. His last words were:
| “ | I am eternal, I am deathless. After this body falls, do not think that everything will come to an end. I will live in the hearts of all living beings in my subtle astral form. Whoever will seek my refuge, will always receive my Grace. | ” |
His teachings were infused with simplicity that endeared the common man. He preached love, devotion and unwavering faith in God and in one's deeper, immutable self. After attaining enlightenment he had said:
| “ | I have seen only My self. I am bound by my own karma. The materialistic world is bound by the tongue and the sex organ. He who can restrain these two is fit to attain enlightenment. | ” |
Today, Loknath Brahmachari is a household deity of millions of Bengali families on both sides of the Indo-Bangladesh border. He is regarded a saint among Hindus and is often deified as a living God.
An often repeated legend tells that Baba Loknath was an Avatar of Shiva, sent as a Messiah to redeem the world of sin.
1. Barodi, Narayanganj, Bangladesh.
2. Swamibag(near Shakti Oushadhalaya), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
1.Sri Sri Baba Loknath Brahmachari Mahamandal Ashram, India. Head Office: Sodhpur, Muragacha (Kolkata), West Bengal, India. Branch Office: Lataly, Khankal, Uttarakhand, Haridwar, India Web: www.loknathyoga.com & www.janakinathsevatrust.com
2. Kachua Ashram - Near Kakra Mirza Nagar railway station towards Hasnabad Station. Take a train from Sealdah north and arrive Kakra Mirza Nagar railway station towards Hasnabad and take a van for Kachua Ashram.
3. Chakla Ashram - Near Bira railway station towards Bangaon. Take a train from Sealdah north and arrive Bira railway station towards Bangaon and go to Badar by van, after that again take a van for go to Chakla Ashram.
4. Tegharia Mandir - near Rajarhat Expressway
5. Garia Ashram - near Garia Bazar Metro Railway
6. Jadavpur Naba Baradi Ashram - Sulekha Crossing , Jadavpur
7. Poddar Nagar Mandir - Jodhpur Park , South Kolkata
8. Lokeshwar Loknath Mandir, Philips Stoppage, CIT Road.
9. Sai-Loknath Milon Mandir {Sai-Loknath Satsang Society (Regd Trust.)} FA 9/3Deshbandhu Nagar, Baguiati, Kolkata 700 056.
10.Anowara Ashram-Sri Sri Baba Loknath Ashram (Anowara).Address:-Vill: Guzara, Thana: Anowara, Dist: Chittagong.Bangladesh.Location to Visit: By Bus-From Baheddarhat Bus station to Anwara root line Bus and require to step down at Barkal Breedge. From Barkal Breedge to Dutterhat by Rickshaw.It is situated nearer Dutterhat.
11. Sree Sree Loknath Sebashrom- Kakailcheo, Ajmirigonj, Habiganj.Each year (Bangla Karthik Mas) thousand of people gather in this location in a particular occasion. It is situated in the Vati area of Habigonj (Sylhet).
12. Anandapara, Duliajan, Assam: dibrugarh Dist. @ mr. Pradeep Kr Das Residence. ph. no: 0374/2801322