Tag: Bhakti

Sri Anandamoyi Ma was a spiritual teacher, Guru, saint and a mystic from Bengal, and hailed as one of prominent mystics of the 20th century. During her times, she was considered the embodiment of spiritual bliss and her name literally means Joy Permeated Mother.

Early Life

She was born as Nirmala Sundari on 30 April 1896 to Bipinbihari Bhattacharya and Mokshada Sundari Devie in Kheora, Brahmanbaria District, British India, in what is now Bangladesh.

At the age of thirteen, in 1908, she was married. She spent 5 years after her marriage at her brother-in-law's home, where she was in a trancelike state much of the time.

When she was about 17, she went to live with her husband in Ashtagram. It was here that a devout neighbor, Harakumar, developed a habit of addressing her as "Ma", and prostrated before her morning and evening.

In 1918, they went on to live in Bajitpur, where she became famous for her beauty. Here they stayed till 1924, while she went deeper into her trances. On his return from the office at the end of the working day, her husband often found her lying on the kitchen floor, the food half cooked or burnt.

On the full moon night of August 1922, at midnight, 26-year old Ma went through the actions of spiritual initiation - all by herself.

Members of her husband's family did not respond to his wife’s strange behavior as calmly as he did. While his relatives suggested he remarry, he became her first disciple in 1922.

The Dhaka Period

In 1924 she moved to Shahbag with her husband where he had been appointed caretaker of the gardens of the Nawab of Dhaka.

During this period she used to manifest the ecstasy that resembled Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

In 1926 she set up a Kali temple in the Siddheshwari area and devoted herself to spirituality.

She underwent a mystic experience while praying in the temple one day. Henceforth, she became known as Anandamoyi Ma, meaning the Joy Permeated Mother. She set up an ashram at Ramna within the precinct of the Ramna Kali Mandir. Though her parents were Vaishnavas, she followed the Tantric creed.

Scholars and followers were attracted to Anandamoyi Ma's spiritualism, though she called herself "a little unlettered child".

The Dehradun Period

In 1932, Anandamoyi Ma went to Dehradun with her husband and started working there. She traveled across the subcontinent to enlighten others. Several ashrams, and seats of learning hospitals were established in her name at Ramna (near Shahbag) and Kheora in Bangladesh, and Benares, Kankhal and other areas in India. Twenty-five ashrams are named after her.

She also renovated many dilapidated holy places, including the Naimisharanya, where she set up a temple there and arranged for the recitation of holy names and the performance of kirtan and other religious rites.

At this times people like Arnaud Desjardins, the French producer of sprititual films, Melita Maschmann, the German novelist, and Dr. Collin Turnbull, the English author, became her disciples.

Kamala Nehru, wife of the future prime Minster, Jawaharlal Nehru, became a devotee in 1933. Anandamoyi was then staying at a small temple in Dehradun, while Pandit Nehru was incarcerated by the British in Dehradun jail. Later she took Kamala to the Ambika temple in Kajpur to perform a three-day yajna. She gave to her daughter Indira the rosary which Mataji had given her.

Mahatma Gandhi came to hear of Anandamayi through Kamala and sent his aid, Jamnalal Bajaj, to see her. He in turn became a devotee. After the unexpected death of Bajaj, she went to Wardha to console Mahatma Gandhi.

She visited Ramana Maharshi at his ashram and also met J Krishnamurti.

Although she is mentioned in many books about Indian spiritual teachers, she is notably written about in Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi. His meeting with her is recounted in the chapter titled The Bengali "Joy-Permeated Mother", where he wrote:

Father, there is little to tell." She spread her graceful hands in a deprecatory gesture. "My consciousness has never associated itself with this temporary body. Before I came on this earth, Father, I was the same. As a little girl, I was the same. I grew into womanhood, but still I was the same. When the family in which I had been born made arrangements to have this body married, 'I was the same... And, Father, in front of you now, I am the same. Ever afterward, though the dance of creation change[s] around me in the hall of eternity, I shall be the same.

She died on 27 August 1982 and was buried on the banks of the Ganges near the Kankhal Ashram in Haridwar in North India.

Mother Meera is an Avatar living in Germany. She teaches and functions as an independent spiritual figure.

Mother Meera was born on December 26, 1960 in the village of Chandepalle in southern India and is an embodiment (avatar) of the Divine Mother (Shakti).

she had her first Samadhi at the age of 6, which lasted for a whole day. When she was 12 her uncle Bulgur Venkat Reddy met her for the first time, and immediately recognized in her the girl in his visions. He became convinced that she is the Divine Mother and started to take care of her, allowing her to unfold her inner experiences.

At 1974, Mr. Reddy brought Mother Meera to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry in south India, of which he was a member. There she first met Westerners and started to give Darshan. She is however not associated with the Sri Aurobindo Ashram today.

In 1979 she was invited by the first devotees to Canada, where she went several times. Meanwhile Reddy's health started to deteriorate.

In 1981 she made her first trip to West Germany, where she settled down a year later together with Mr. Reddy and her close companion Adilakshmi.

She married a German in 1982. Mr. Reddy died in 1985.

Currently she gives Darshan at Schloss Schaumburg in Balduinstein, a small town in Germany. She also visits the U.S. and India on a regular basis. In India she is establishing a school for children in Madanapalle, AP.

On the day of Deepavali in 1961 (8th November, 1961), (Tamil year: பிலவ, Tamil Month: ஐப்பசி, Tamil star: ஸ்வாதி, Tamil Day: அமாவாஸ்யை), Muralidharan was born to the pious Tamil Brahmin couple, Sri Rajagopala Iyer and Smt. Savitri, in Manjakuppam, a village in Cuddalore, in Tamilnadu, India.

Right from childhood, Muralidharan was always devoted towards God, especially Sri Srinivasa Perumal. He was also interested in attending Bhajans and discourses in temples. Muralidharan deeply desired to become one like the Sadhus who his father often invited home for meals. This virtuous child had an attraction for the ochre robe (the robe usually worn by Hindu ascetic). He used to spend long hours meditating in temples and Adhishtanams (Samadhis) of Mahans. He was an ardent devotee of Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham and never missed an opportunity to have his darshan and serve him.

*** The underlying guru has personally demanded the removal of the biography text posted here by users under a claim of copyright infringement.

You are encouraged to share your view about it in pro/con opinions.

Vishwatmak Gurudev generally known as Jangli Maharaj, a name given by the common man during his time, was incarnated as the Universal power by Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh. This Universal power Vishwatmak Gurudev Started his work for the downtrodden and meditated deeply in the forest i.e. Jungle & that is why he was called as Jangli Maharaj by the common man passing and seeing him. Vishwatmak Gurudev visited Karadga, Nerla, Rethere Harnaksha and made these places as holy and pious places. Lastly he came to Bhamburde today's Shivajinagar and went in deep meditation in the jungle of Bhamburde.

In his last phase of rigorous meditation he gave Guru Mantra (Ceremony of making disciple) to one of his devotee known as Tekawadekar Maharaj and told him that, "I will continue to work in my next incarnation i.e. will take rebirth". He also gave the sign of identification of his second incarnation. This sign was Swastik Darshan and in 1890 A.D. Vishwatmak Gurudev i.e. Jangli Maharaj left for next destiny.

In Mumbai there was a boy who was very fond of Spirituality and always use to meditate. His parents were happy to know this fact but were also worried that he may leave them, so for safety they use to put him in a locked room. This was at his age of nine. One fine early dawn this boy was taken out through a small opening of the door by the Universal Power i.e. Vishwatmak Gurudev alias Jangli Maharaj and was given "Vishwatmak Darshan" i.e. actual visualization of Almighty. That nine year old boy is known to people as "Janglidas Maharaj" ( Now called by the name "Vishwatmak Om Gurudev") i.e. this name was thrust upon by the mass but the real name given by his Sadguru Vishwatmak Gurudev is OM GURUDEV.

During his first incarnation Vishwatmak Gurudev (Jangli Maharaj) was asked by Universal Power (Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh) that what will be your next incarnation called or named ? After this question Vishwatmak Gurudev opened his closed fist and many flowers flew from his hands to land writing a name "OM GURUDEV". Hence Sadguru Janglidas Mauli is now called as OM GURUDEV. This name (Identification) could not come in to existence for some time because of his innocent devotees, but recently one of his very close disciple had a very inspiring dream instructing him to call his Sadguru as Om Gurudev.

Already many years back Om Gurudev was in practice as the word of greeting between devotees and so all were happy to know that they were already calling their Sadguru by his original name "Om Gurudev
At the age of sixteen Om Gurudev came to Bhamburde at Pune and took Swastik Darshan which was the sign given by Vishwatmak Gurudev in his first incarnation to Tekwadekar Maharaj. Tekwadekar Maharaj identified the sign and was profoundly happy to see and meet his Sadguru. After taking Swastik Darshan Om Gurudev was given Guru Mantra and was asked to go to Yeola in Nasik district. A great saint Swami Muktananda Maharaj had practiced tapsya (Meditation) in the same place. Om Gurudev started his tapsya at the same place and meditated for eleven months in a closed room without food & water. After that he traveled barefooted on a pilgrimage of whole India & also made Narmada Pradakshina & took the work of human welfare according to his Guru's will and wish.

The first task he took was the reconstruction of the old temple at Divshi, Tal. Patan, Dist. Satara. Later on he reconstructed the temples at Karadga Tal Chikodi District Belgaum and at Nerla Tal.Walwa Dist. Sangali. He started satsang through which he gave the Godly message that God lives in our Heart and is attained through meditation.

Gurudev Jangli Maharaj finished his divine work and took ' Samadhi ' at
Bhamburda - ( Shivajinagar , Pune ) in 1890. To continue his work Gurudev Janglidas Maharaj Incarnated and visited the places wherever Jangli Maharaj had set up Ashram. At last he came in the Ashram of Nerla in Sangli district .

P R A B H U S A N D E S H

" HRUDAYA MANDIRI JE MAJH PAHATI TAYASI HOYA MAJHI PRAPTI " is the Prabhu sandhesh (Gurudev's message) which was given by Gurudev Jangalidas Maharaj's gurudev, VISHWATMAK GURUDEV JANGALI MAHARAJ of pune.

Under Gurudev Jangali Maharaj's guidance Guruji ( Vishwatmak Gurudev Jangalidas Maharaj ) further says that the only way to bring up the spiritual lift can be achieved only by means of attaining Meditation i.e., dhyaan itself.

So how to attain , achieve this type of spiritual lift:

The theme of preaching is that disciple, sadhaks should really perceive " The state of self ". This primal state of self does exist, within a man, right from the birth. It is a part and parcel of supreme self, with all manifestations. But the man has forgotten his " TRUE SELF ". This is due to ignorance, deception, erroneous belief, illusion about True self. The man thinks it to be true, which is really not true. Unreal is perceived as truth. In this cycle, of illusions and fascination, the man gets carried away, far away from truth and finds it extremely difficult to give up those temporary aberrations and recorrect his movement orbit, in right direction towards his destination.

I am Brahma, the supreme' is the Inspiration of Primal Energy. Similarly, the, same Inspiration finds manifested, in various forms, segments, particles of energy in multi expanded activity, for a given time, with given limited power of supreme. This is a basic phenomenon of Eternal. Energy fully powerful and its multiple manifestations are really one and the same. It is just like concept and its multiple applications. Due to certain limitations on the forms, the human being who happens to be one of them, finds it difficult, to know, perceive, their basic face. Truth remains covered, shrouded by Ignorance, temptations, passions. So long as the man remains, attracted towards these temporary influences his vision is blurred. The causes are obviously, limits on perceptions; incomplete activity, influenced by variety of characteristics and a specific human being. This is 'MAYA'- a power that can be subjected to measurement, that is perishable, that which entices man away from reality and maesmerises him in his passionate behaviour. He forgets his true self.

But the same 'MAYA'- a basic creative energy also plays very positive role in the spiritual development of human being. This primal power, involves human being in all mundane activities, so much so that he gets totally lost in desert. But the same power, has tremendous potential of helping man to realise himself and get salvation. Once the man gives up his " SELF EGO ", and applies all his strength, which was being wasted in achieving selfish ends, towards essentials and real truth, this power makes miracles. A human being discovers True self and is not affected, disturbed by the feelings of happiness, sorrow, frustrations, strains. He lives his life peacefully, happily and fully contented. He forgets attachment to his body self and knows his eternal, limitless, universal. self and behaves as ordained. He experiences the 'Supreme spirit' within and gets full of ecstasy.

Hence forth guruji wants to guide the disciple to practice his search for self realisation, under the guidance of Sadguru, who has perceived the truth by experience. Disciple should listen, meditate and act upon the preachings of Sadguru. With the blessings of Sadguru, the disciple also experiences the " divine bliss " and gets enlightened. He lives his life meaningfully

In short the above guruji's vaani can be stated as under

Sadguru is only real avatar of Parameshwara.

Meditate only on Sadguru's image in your heart.

God lives in everyone's heart.

For spiritual Happiness and Adhyatmic upliftment chant on " Om Namo Bhagavate Gurudevaya ".

For every moment we have to experience his presence in our heart because Parameshwara (himself) lives in everyone's heart by name (Atmaa).

Try to recognize him only, who is giving you energy for each and every things which you are doing for 24 hours.

This is a Gurudev's vaani ( Prabhu Sandesh ) which is arising out of love and affection for transforming the way of life of individuals; disciples; and thereby bringing about change in the minds of as many people as possible in the society.

Note:

People who really wants to carry out their spiritual studies in this life itself may personnally come forward to seek Gurudev's guidance and blessings

More info at http://www.vishwatmak.org/

Taken from David Spero's account:

"I was born on March 24, 1957 in Providence, Rhode Island, on a Sunday, at 2:40 p.m. My mother says that my birth was extremely easy, with little pain, and that I was "completely grown up," even as a child. In my youth (pre-teens), I was not prone to easy laughter or the common jokes that circulated among human beings. I lived in a world all by myself, thinking, feeling and being led innocently toward a life of relentless spiritual evolution. It would be many years before my spiritual sadhana, or spiritual practices, would reveal the memory of my oneness with the divine.

My parents did not hesitate to inform me that my destiny was to attend "college," a word they spoke with joy and enthusiasm, emotions that stood out starkly in my young attention, since those emotions were so deeply absent in almost every other part of my childhood. My mother grew up in a poor household and dropped out of school at a young age. My father was a high school graduate. We struggled as a lower class Italian family in a predominantly Italian-American ghetto in Providence until I was eleven years old. Later we moved to the suburbs outside of Providence where I lived until I was 18 years old.

My early religious background was coincidental and predetermined by my parents’ educational choices. I attended Roman Catholic schools from kindergarten through high school, schools selected because of their reputation for academic excellence.

In high school, I was given the "religious studies award" at graduation, even though I was a declared atheist/agnostic. I had acquired a deep and thorough distaste for dualistic religions and philosophies. For this reason, I thought that this award was misplaced and did not know why I was selected. The chairman of the religious department, a Roman Catholic priest with his own parish, felt that my approach to religious studies was sincere, and for that reason, excellent.

My fate unfolded several months before my graduation when I was given an early graduation present, an East Indian form of meditation. In the meditation center, I looked past the sundry forms of decor and what to me were superficial, distracting (and even disturbing) proclamations of the "benefits" of meditation. It would not be long before my atheistic/agnostic temperament would be transformed into a profoundly meditative consciousness. This would come about through repeated exposure to my own transcendental identity. I yearned only for the thunder of transcendental realization to strike my human life down into uncontaminated Self-knowledge. On April 26, 1975, I learned to meditate with a quiet and eager anticipation for "enlightenment." It was a day of joy I will never forget.

I practiced meditation for over twenty years, adding to it various asanas (yoga postures) and pranayamas (yogic breathing exercises), reading every relevant form of mysticism and scripture I could acquire, from Europe, India, Tibet, China and Japan. I read poetry avidly. My intellectual knowledge of scripture, though, is minimal, as I have always read with a rarified angle, seeking for what would be of value to my inner core, locating that which would aid me in ascending into more profound levels of spiritual awakening.

In the fall of 1975, I attended Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. I majored in philosophy and English. My first two years at Clark were a crucible of divine heat in the endless inner transformations of meditative life. During this time of sadhana, sometimes a long and grueling affair filled with the most intense suffering, I lived only for the breakthroughs in consciousness. I wished wholeheartedly to be ushered into a permanently awakened state of being. I lived guided invisibly by that blind, burning desire, and there was no respite, even during the times of repeated exposure to transcendental consciousness. During this time death and nothingness were my only friends. I had become oblivious to everything but the utter contradiction and unbearable friction between "I" (individuality) and "That" (Consciousness). Again and again I surrendered into psychological/emotional/spiritual dissolution, this dying into consciousness. I was madly in love with oblivion, ecstasy and self-transcendence. While others were busily preparing for a conditioned life in the world, I was ceaselessly going beyond it.

I still recall the various forms and flavors of intense, spiritual raptures and samadhi (transcendental awakenings) that I experienced in my third year of undergraduate study. The pinnacle of these raptures culminated in the state of nirvikalpa samadhi around March or April of 1980. This state was characterized by total absorption in pure consciousness during meditation. In meditation, I exited out of a portal through the top of my head, going beyond the body/mind completely, existing in a state of absolute nothingness. During this time, I also experienced other forms of exquisite and exalted transcendental realizations in my active and meditative life, as well as during sleep. In “sleep” I tasted intoxicating, ambrosial nectars flowing from my heart to my brain in a cosmic circle.

In the winter of 1996-1997 (the actual date remains vague), I was sitting in an ordinary motel room in Palm Springs, California. On this day, meditation went into unfathomable depths, penetrating into and beyond the very core of existence. My thoughts evaporated and my head went from a spherical, physiological casing to an ocean of divine light within "seconds”—an ocean still and deeply active. This Light shone from the inside, outside and from the beyond itself. "I" and "the world" dissolved forever into this immensity of warmly translucent, incandescent Light-Oneness. I then began to feel the palpable manifestation of the primordial energy of the universe (Shakti). It was brilliant, active, sparking. This Shakti had simultaneously been born in the Being of pure light. How strange, though, that "I" could "fit into," and "as," this Immensity. I was, without question, That, and in the most profound sense, That alone. I had come home. Sharing this radiant energy was a natural capability, a radiation without circumference, effort or knowledge. A spiritual magnificence, a superabundance of Being, a transmission of radiant awakening, that which has been written about in every religious scripture, was born within that ultimate meditation. Primordial Bliss was now free to enjoy Its Own spontaneous play in the world."

Sri Neem Karoli Baba Maharajji
Maharaj-ji established at least 108 temples, fed millions of people, advised government and corporate leaders, performed what can be called Miracles, influenced current American and Indian society, brought grace into the lives of countless suffering people, and all the while remained out of the "public eye."

It is believed that by the time Maharaj-ji was 17 years old He knew EVERYTHING. This is to be taken to mean a knowing that is actually incomprehensible to you and me. A knowing that is all. The knowing of Bhagvan. The knowing of God. There are stories contained in this website and in the books referred to herein that hope to in some way help to tell of the Grace and Love of this truly remarkable being. Maharaj-ji had nothing and Maharaj-ji had everything.

In the late 60's an American known as Baba Ram Dass authored books telling of Neem Karoli Baba and hundreds of westerners went for Maharaj-ji's darshan. Maharaj-ji was elusive as the stories tell, but many were allowed to be in His presence and they tell stories that are a wonderment of love and grace and lilas and mostly awe.

Now, there appears to be three Maharaj-ji's. One is the historical Maharaj-ji. This Maharaj-ji seems to have taken birth and lived a "traceable" life in time. Secondly, there is the "formless" Maharaj-ji. This Maharaj-ji is the Maharaj-ji that we apparently connect with on our "inner" dimension. Thirdly, there is the Maharaj-ji that exists in form "now"; the Maharaj-ji who is reported seen and experienced; the Maharaj-ji who never actually died. This is Maharaj-ji who is a "time-traveler". We are just beginning to learn about that Maharaj-ji and some of His effects in the world.

Maharaj-ji taught many people. These teachings continue today. The teaching was very subtle or literally a knock on the head. Maharaj-ji's teachings seem to have been totally individual. Each devotee would have the answer or the help they needed in the way that was best suited to their needs. When devotees remembered Him, Maharaj-ji would rush to them to help and protect them. This seems to be going on to this day.

Maharaj-ji seems to be continually visiting people and helping them since He "left His body" in Vrindaban in 1973. One devotee said that he thought the greatest miracle was what Maharaj-ji has done since then. Maharaj-ji has visited, helped, guided, fed, and called into service so many in the last twenty-five years. Maharaj-ji never went away. For this we can be grateful.

This website is dedicated to Neem Karoli Baba. It contains information about books about Maharaj-ji published in America and India. It contains some stories about Neem Karoli Baba. It contains a number of photos of Maharaj-ji. It contains information on a few of Maharaj-ji's temples and ashrams. There is also a section on the practices done at Maharaj-ji's ashrams in India. In the audio & video section, you can hear Maharaj-ji speak and see a short video of Maharaj-ji as well as some video movies of interviews with devotees who were with Maharajji. You can view satellite maps for locations of ashrams and temples. There is a calendar of events and links to a number of other sites such as Maharaj-ji's site from India at neebkaroribaba.com or the wonderful online gallery of photographs of Maharajji at eventimage.com. Visit the resources section to find many books on spiritual subjects. There is a full site map and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.

There are devotees of Maharaj-ji in homes, ashrams, and temples all over the world, this website is for you.

Originally Posted: July, 1999

The founder of the Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) is His Holiness Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale, who by profession was a Consultant Clinical Hypnotherapist from Mumbai, India. He had undertaken extensive research on clinical hypnosis both in India and overseas when He was in Britain for seven years from 1971 to 1978. During His medical practice, He observed that He had an excellent cure rate of 70%. However, 30% of His patients did not recover completely. After a while, He learned that some of these patients with whom He had very little success, had recovered after adopting spiritual remedies such as visiting sacred places, remaining in the holy company of spiritually evolved people (Saints) or performing certain religious rituals.

Even though, His Holiness Dr. Athavale was an atheist at that time, this phenomenon intrigued Him and prompted Him to take steps to understand the reasons behind these cures.

He visited Saints from different spiritual paths all over India. He asked them questions about the theory as well as the practice of the science of Spirituality and meticulously recorded the answers. Slowly, He began to realise that the science of Spirituality was far superior to physical and psychological science. Medical sciences are limited in dealing with the physical aspect and to some small extent the psychological aspect of the patient, but it leaves out the entire spiritual dimension. The Saints told Him that Spirituality is not a science which can be learnt merely from reading books, but from practising it. His Holiness Dr. Athavale was ready to do anything to learn this science that would cure his patients. So He did exactly what the Saints told Him to do, that is, He started spiritual practice under the guidance of Saints. As a result of this, He was graced with the attainment of His Guru (spiritual master and guide) His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj.

The founder of the Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) is His Holiness Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale, who by profession was a Consultant Clinical Hypnotherapist from Mumbai, India. He had undertaken extensive research on clinical hypnosis both in India and overseas when He was in Britain for seven years from 1971 to 1978. During His medical practice, He observed that He had an excellent cure rate of 70%. However, 30% of His patients did not recover completely. After a while, He learned that some of these patients with whom He had very little success, had recovered after adopting spiritual remedies such as visiting sacred places, remaining in the holy company of spiritually evolved people (Saints) or performing certain religious rituals.

Even though, His Holiness Dr. Athavale was an atheist at that time, this phenomenon intrigued Him and prompted Him to take steps to understand the reasons behind these cures.

He visited Saints from different spiritual paths all over India. He asked them questions about the theory as well as the practice of the science of Spirituality and meticulously recorded the answers. Slowly, He began to realise that the science of Spirituality was far superior to physical and psychological science. Medical sciences are limited in dealing with the physical aspect and to some small extent the psychological aspect of the patient, but it leaves out the entire spiritual dimension. The Saints told Him that Spirituality is not a science which can be learnt merely from reading books, but from practising it. His Holiness Dr. Athavale was ready to do anything to learn this science that would cure his patients. So He did exactly what the Saints told Him to do, that is, He started spiritual practice under the guidance of Saints. As a result of this, He was graced with the attainment of His Guru (spiritual master and guide) His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj.

Brahmananda Saraswati (1871 - 1953) a Hindu Guru who was born into a Brahmin family in the village of Gana, near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, India. At the age of nine he left home to wander and follow a spiritual path of renunciation. At the age of 14 he found his master, Dandi Swami Krishnanand Saraswati, in Uttar Kashi. Later, following his master's instructions, he retired to a cave, resolving not to emerge until he had attained enlightenment. In 1904 he was initiated into the order of "Sannyas" by his Master at the Kumbh Mela.In 1941, after decades of meditation and maintaining silence, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati finally accepted repeated requests to become the Shankaracharya (spiritual head) of Jyotirmath, a position that had been vacant for about 150 years.

The Adi Shankara (c. 8th century CE), the great reviver of Vedic Sanatana Dharma, had four principal followers, Padma-Pada, Hasta-Malaka, Vartika-Kara and Trotaka who each established a monastery in the north, south, east and west of India. Jyotirmath is the northern monastery.

Swami Brahmananda Saraswati was the guru of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who became his devotee shortly before his installation and later became his personal assistant. The Maharishi's devotees respect and revere "Guru Dev" as their Paramguru. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi stated that he was merely a conduit for the grace of his Guru. It is the blessings of Guru Dev that are invoked during the TM Puja initiation ceremony, that each TM practitioner experiences.

Ramdas swami was born in a Deshastha Rugvedi Brāhman family to Suryāji and Rānu Bāi Thosar in Jāmb in Jālna District of Maharashtra on Ram Navami, 1530 according to "Shāliwāhan Shak" calendar. His given name was Nārāyan. He was devotee of God “Ram” and that’s why he named as Ramdas (At age 24, he named as Rāmdās.)

Since his childhood, Ramdas had an inclination toward metaphysical contemplation and religiosity. When he was eight, his father died; and at his age 12, his mother arranged his marriage to her brother's daughter. However, he wanted to pursue a monasitc life, and so just as the wedding cermony was proceeding, he ran away before the marriage vows were exchanged.

For the next twelve years, Ramdas devoted himself to study of Hindu religious books, meditation, and prayers in a place named Panchawati-near Nāshik - on the banks of Godāwari river.

Ramdas swami was a gifted composer. He produced considerable lucid and effective literature in verse form in Marathi.

Shivaji and Ramdas swami first met in 1674, Ramdas swami accepting Shivaji then as his spiritual guru. Shivaji made available to Ramdas swami a fort named Parali Fort to establish his permanent monastery there. The fort was subsequently renamed as “Sajjangad”

Ramdas's ways were very peculiar. He appeared to the outside world as a mad man. He had a small bow. He used to have, by his side, a large number of stones with which he pelted every object he saw. To men really interested in his teachings, he gave the Mantra Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram.

Ramdas had eleven hundred disciples, of whom three hundred were women. The women disciples were also expert preachers and were virtuous. Ramdas sent his disciples to all parts of India to spread the Hindu religion. His disciples and Mutts in the North directly or indirectly helped Shivaji and his work. Ramdas's organisation in the South, round about Thanjavur, helped Shivaji's son Rajaram to go to Jinji and carry on the Twenty Years' War with Aurangazeb. When Ramdas visited Thanjavur, Venkoji, who was the step-brother of Shivaji, became his disciple. Ramdas appointed Bhimaswami, his direct disciple, as the Mahant of the Thanjavur Mutt.