Tag: Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

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.[1] 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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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.

The disciple should not copy the behaviour of Guru.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

The aim of life is to stop the mind from involvement with this world.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

The one who has come, has to go. Nobody can stay here. Every moment keep your luggage packed. Nobody knows when death will call. The warrant of death is like the arrest warrant.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

Learn to make full use of the human body. One should not waste this chance.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

Every second in human life [can be] very valuable. If you don't value this, you will weep in the end.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

You should never consider yourself a weak or a fallen creature.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

Every moment is the power of the Supreme to be realised and remembered.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

If you have to make an offering, offer not your money but your defects [if you are allowed to, that is], so that you are redeemed and made whole.
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati

It is necessary to bifurcate [divide] the work of the mind as main and secondary. Apply your body mainly and your mind secondarily to you work (vyarabara).
-- Swami Brahmananda Saraswati