Tyagaraja Swamy Biography

Tyagaraja Swamy Biography

Tyagaraja is incomparable to other Indian mystics in that he falls into the genre of not only poet, but also music composer. He is one of the three emissaries of what is known as, “Carnatic Music” or classical music of South India; the other two of the renowned “trinity” being Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri. These three would comprise the Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva of Carnatic music
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Tyagaraja’s Life and Songs


Tyagaraja was born in Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, South India of a musical and educated family – his grandfather Girirajakavi, a famous Telugu poet, and his father Raamabrahman, a vocalist and veena player. Tyagaraja has no direct living descendents, as his only daughter’s (SitaLakshmi) sole son (also named Tyagaraja) died. But interestingly, the repertoire of Tyagaraja’s musical legend lives on more than 160 years later…

The majority of Tyagaraja’s compositions are written in Telugu, his mother tongue, and a handful in Sanskrit. If Carnatic music still attracts today, it is due to the potency of it’s uniqueness and composers like Tyagaraja. I perceive Tyagaraja as the “Tulsidas” of South India. Both writers idolize the same God, Raama, but perhaps Tyagaraja supersedes in the Bhakti (devotion) domain: his songs personally hand-carved and infused with musical nuances that appeal to every emotion imaginable. His writing style though simple, comprises the intricacies of human relationships
. He comfortably negotiates and flatters the Lord – all in an attempt to portray an intense angst for the Divine. Indeed, it is how he manages to relate these feelings to the audience that truly intrigues. A Carnatic music concert anywhere in the world is incomplete without Tyagaraja’s compositions.

The poet composed his first song, Namo Namo Raghavaya at the tender age of 13 years and continued till his later years (80 years), to build one of the largest collations of compositions on a single God, in this case, the God-King, Raama. Tyagaraja has a total of over 2000 writings to his name, 800 songs well documented and widely sung today internationally by Carnatic singers. The poet has also composed three plays – Prahlada Bhaktivijayam, Naukacharitram, and SeethaRaama Vijayam, saturating them with his music and lyrics.

Thallapaka Annamacharya Biography

Annamacharya Biography

Thallapaka Annamayya, populary known as Annamacharya was a popular saint-composer of Andhra Pradesh and is revered as 'pada kavitA pitAmaha' (Grandsire of word-poetry) and as 'sankIrtanAchArya' (AchArya of devotional songs). Annamyya dedicated his life for composing and singing the glories of Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati. It is believed that he composed over 32000 songs
praising the Lord Venkateswara. His songs were preserved and propagated by the Tirumala temple.

Annamayya, a Nandavarika Niyogi Brahmin, was born in the village 'Thallapaka' of Cuddapah district in the year 1346 of the Salivahana saka (1424 A.D.) in Visakha Masa in Visakha star, to the pious parents Narayana Suri and Lakkamamba. From his childhood onwards Annamayya exibited devotion towards Lord Vishnu. He was a devotee to Lord Kesava, a local deity at Thallapaka. In his sixteenth year he had a vision of Lord Venkateswara and from that day onwards he began composing songs on the Supreme Lord. Whatever he uttered was becoming a poem (kavya), whatever he sang turned to be excellent music
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On one fine morning, without even informing his parents, he left for Tirupati on a pilgrimage on foot. He reached the place in a few days. Unaware of the tradition that one should not climb up the hills with foot-wear on, he walked up but felt tired' and asleep in the midway of the hill. While he was asleep the consort of Lord Venkateswara appeared in his dream and advised him to climb the hills barefooted. He wondered at the vision, he had. Overwhelmed with joy Annamayya composed one hundred stanzas extempore in praise of the Mother Goddess. As the stanzas were with the Makutamu of 'Venkateswara ' it was later on known as, 'Sri Venkateswara Sathakamu.' Then he climbed up the hills, took his bath in the sacred Pushkarini, went to the temple and had darshan of Lord Venkateswara. He visited the holy tirthas-Gogarbham, Akasaganga, Papavinasanamu and so on and had a holy bath in those places. At every bath he used to compose sathakas on Sri Venkateswara extempore before his clothes got dried up in the sun. One day he came late to the temple by which time the doors of the temple were closed. Then Annamayya sang in praise of God requesting him to give him darsan and to the surprise of one and all assembled there, the doors opened of their own accord and Annamayya got in and worshipped the Deity. A similar incident is said to have happened in the life of Thyagarajaswami also.

Annamayya lived on the hills for some days during which time he got himself admitted into the fold of Vaishnavism. Adhi Van Sathakopa Jiyyar at Tirumalai took him as his disciple and made him study the Sampradaya Grandhas i.e., the works relating to Visishtadvaita Philosophy. He had the Mantropadesa of the sacred 'Ashtakshari' and Mudradharanam-the preliminary rites to be observed at the time of conversion to Vaishnavism having the marks called Dwadasa Tripundras (The twelve vaishnavite marks) on his body. He studied Mahabhashyam, Nalayiram-the Dravida Prabandha and other works of the ancient Alwars under the feet of the revered Jiyyar.

While he was thus engaged in the study of Vaishnavite thought, his mother Lakkamamba came in search of him. She persuaded him to come back to the village. But Annamayya refused to do so, saying that he would be losing the benefit of service to the God. But at last on the advice of his learned Guru, the Jiyyar - he agreed to go along with his mother. After the marriage with Tirumalamma and Akkalamma he stayed in the village for a short period and again went to Tirupati. From there he went to Ahobalam where he composed his songs based on Valmiki Ramayana. During this period after marriage, he composed many romantic hymns which were called Sringara Sankirthanalu' on Lord Venkateswara.

Annamayya was famous for his musical compositions. It is only at this time that he came into contact with Saluva Narasinga who was a Chieftain at Tangutur. Saluva Narasinga came to know of Annamayya's talents. He invited him to Tangutur. They were moving so closely as the people of the village compared them with Arjuna and Sri Krishna. Annamayya used to compose songs on Lord Venkateswara and sing them in the presence of his friend, Narasinga. Narasinga had all appreciation for the poetic talents of Annamayya.

One day Saluva Narasinga sent word to Annamayya and asked him to compose songs on him similar to those on Lord Venkateswara. Annamayya was shocked to have such a request from his friend. He refused very boldly, saying

'Hari Mukunduni Goniyadu nii jihva Ninu Goniyiidanga Neradu.....'

which means:

My tongue which is accustomed to sing in praise of God will not sing in praise of a human being.

Narasinga got wild and ordered him to be punished by 'Mururayara Ganda,' His hans were tied with shackles and he was thrown into prison. Then Annamayya sang a song and to the surprise of the gate-keepers the shackles ' Mururayara Ganda '- fell down on the floor. They informed this to the king. The king ordered them to present Annamayya before him. He was brought before the king. The Mururayara Ganda was once again put on his hands. Annamayya sang the same song. He got himself relieved from Mururayara Ganda. Narasinga repented for his ill-treatment to the poet and apologised to him. Annamayya excused him whole-heartedly and continued his friendship with him. Afterwards Annamayya made Tirumala as his permanent abode and led a happy and long life in the service of the Lord.

It was his practice to compose not less than one song every day from his 16th year during which he had the vision of God. In Annamacharya Charitramu it is said that Annamayya composed thirty two thousand hymns on Lord Venkateswara. During the time of his son, Peda Tirumalacharya, the hymns were inscribed on copper plates and were preserved safely in an apartment called 'Sankirthana Bhandaramu' inside the main temple. When Annamayya grew old, Purundara Dasa who composed several thousands of songs in Kannada and who is said to be the exponent of Karnatak Music, came to Tirumala and paid his respects to the great saint-poet. Purandara Dasa praised Annamayya that he was the incarnation of Venkateswara himself and Annamayya in turn praised Purundara Dasa that he was the incarnation of Sri Panduranga Vitthala.

The musical compositions of Annamayya are divided into two divisions 'Adhyatma Sankirthanalu' and 'Sringara Sankirtanalu'. There are some more works written by him both in Sanskrit and Telugu. Venkatachala Mahatmyamu and Sankirtana Lakshnamu are his Sanskrit works. His Sankirtana Lakshnamu in Sanskrit was translated into Telugu by his grandson Chinna Tirumalayya. But it is unfortunate that the Sanskrit version of the book is not available at present. Dwipada Ramayanamu, Sringara Manjari, Venkateswara Satakamu are his works in Telugu. Among these works the Dwipada Ramayanamu is not available.

Annamayya Jola, a lullaby composed by Annamayya is very popular in Andhra that every mother sings this to make her child asleep. The beginning of the lulluby is as follows:

Jo Acyutananda Jo Jo Mukunda

Annamayya Lali, another lullaby is also popular in Andhra. He is said to have composed twelve satakas in praise of the presiding deities at different places, but Sri Venkateswara Satakamu alone is available now. The other works are lost to us.

The musical compositions of Annamayya and others of his family are treasures of great poetic beauty. They were inscribed on copper plates under the direct supervision of the poets themselves. Hence they form an authentic record of the language of the 15th and 16th centuries. The compositions were mostly extempore in spoken dialect unlike in the classics of the age which were written in the classical (Grandhika) style. It is seen in the musical compositions that the poets never hesitated to profusely make use of forms traditionally not acceptable to Grammarians of the day. The large number of the musical compositions of Tallapaka family forms a valuable source for linguistic study of Telugu of the medieval times.

Bhadrachala Ramadas (Gopanna) Biography

Bhadrachala Ramadas (Gopanna) Biography

Bhadrachala Ramadasu, as he is popularly known, Kancharla Gopanna was a great devotee-saint-poet-composer of Andhra Pradesh who dedicate his life to sing the glories of Lord Rama and composed numerous songs in Telugu on his beloved deity of Sri Rama, which are very popular even today in the land of Andhra Pradesh. Ramadasu is known for constructing the current Rama temple in Bhadrachalam and as consequence suffered the agonies of prison for 12 years.

Popularly known as Bhakta Raamadaas, he was born Gopanna to Linganna Mantri (a surname he kept as a result of one of his forebears being a minister at the court of a king) & Kadamba (sister of Madanna, a brahmin minister to TaniShah), in 1620 in Nelakondapalli, a small village in Khammam district, Andhra Pradesh. Since childhood, he imbibed his family's interest in spirituality and composed several keertanas on Rama. His devotion to Vaikunta Rama at the temple of Bhadrachalam, a small village in the middle of the jungle on the northern banks of the holy river Godavari, earned him his name Bhadraacala Raamadaas. His guru was Raghunatha Bhattacharya.

During the reign of Abdul Hasan Tana Shah, (the nawab of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty at Golconda), Ramadas (Gopanna), thanks to his uncle Madanna, was appointed as a Tahsildar for Palvancha Paragana which included Bhadrachalam, a pretty and picturesquely situated temple town on the Godavari river. Ramadas was always distracted and his intense love for Lord Rama compelled him to build a temple at Bhadrachalam. He collected money for the construction from the citizens, but was not enough. So he borrowed from the tax revenue of the nawab and gave his god a worthy abode, vowing to return the money. However, the nawab was furious and sentenced Ramadas to 12 years in prison. Raamadaas thus earned the name Bandikhana Raamadaas (meaning imprisoned Ramadas). Frustrated at god's indifference to his pleadings, Ramadas composed some of the finest keertanas in his prison cell (reminding Rama of his services in Ikshvaku Kula Tilaka).

It is said that Rama & Lakshmana in the guise of two youngsters paid up his dues and got his release papers. The golden coins paid by Rama are known as Ram Tanka coins .They can be seen even today. These coins have the Pattabhishekam scene on one side and the picture of another Rama Bhaktha, Hanuman, on the other side. The nawab was moved and recognized the greatness of Ramadas and released him immediately and gave him land around Bhadraachalam to continue his dedicated service to Bhadraachala Raamamoorty. Ramadas spent the rest of his life on these lands and composed further moving poems that were to inspire Tyaagaraaja: in ksheera saagara sayana in Devagaandhaari, he says "Dhirudau Ramadasuni Bandhamu dirchinadi Vinnanura Rama?" (O Rama! I have heard how You obtained the release of the bold Ramadas from his prison life); in brindaavanalOla in tODi, in kaligiyundE gada in keeravaaNi, in Emi dova balkuma in saaranga and in Prahlaada Bhakti Vijayam he says "kaliyugamuna vara bhadra calamuna nelakonna raamacandruni pada bhaktula kella varudanandagi velasina shree raamadaasu vinutintu madin" (I praise Sri Raamadaas, who shines in this world as the supreme devotee of Sri Raamachandra, who shines forth from his seat at Bhadraachalam in this kali Yuga).

Other compositions are positive invocations, favored by traveling minstrels, including the Tondaiman rulers of PudukoTTai in Tamil Nadu, who popularized his songs. Among his other accomplishments is the creation of the whole Ramayana story in the form of a prose-poem, a Choornika. Ramadas described himself in this way in the last verse of his Dasarathi Satakam: "Allana Linga Mantri Suthudu(son), Atreya Gothrudu, Adi Sakha, Kancherla Kulothbhavudu, Gopakavindrudu." Bhadraachala Raamadaas lived for 68 years.

Paramahansa Yogananda Biography

Paramahansa Yogananda Biography

Paramahansa Yogananda was born on 5 January, 1893, near the Himalayas, in Gorakhpur. His parents, brothers and sisters were all saintly and pious, but Mukunda (the boyhood name of Yogananda) was unique amongst all of them. He displayed his spiritual gifts and powers even from his childhood.

His line of Gurus descended from Babaji, the deathless Guru said to be the reincarnation of Lord Krishna. Babaji’s disciple was Lahiri Mahasaya, who in turn had as his disciple, Sri Yukteswar. It was Sri Yukteswar who was destined to be the spiritual master of Paramahansa Yogananda.

For ten years Yoganandaji trained for his high duty at the Ashram of his Guru, pursuing his university career at the same time. After his rigorous training, filled with the light of God-vision, he was now ready to undertake the mission entrusted to him by his line of Gurus.

The education of the youth was always dear to the heart of Yoganandaji. He set up his first school in Bengal in 1917. Its curriculum includes the standard high school subjects as well as Yoga concentration, meditation and the Yogoda system of physical development.

In 1920, Yoganandaji went to America as a delegate from India to the International Congress of Religions at Boston, and from then on America became his home. Five years later he founded the Self-Realization Fellowship with its head quarters at Mount Washington, Los Angeles. In his famous Autobiography of a Yogi, Yoganandaji has given graphic descriptions of his spiritual experiences and his contact with the great Yogis of India. This book has since become one of the greatest spiritual classics in the world and has been translated into many languages.

Paramahansa Yogananda had a broad and liberal heart. Even though he himself was a great Master, he approached other saints with great reverence.

Kriya Yoga was the method of God-realisation taught by Yoganandaji. His mission in the West was to spread the knowledge of Yoga practices, by which man can enter into union with God. Yoganandaji also gave new explanations to the teachings of the Bible, showing the similarity of its teachings with that of Hinduism. He promoted the cause of a better understanding between the East and West. Numerous students got personal instructions in Yoga teachings in the classes conducted by him in his ministry of thirty-two years. He spoke in churches, societies, universities and clubs.

In 1935, Yoganandaji’s class instructions were published in the form of lessons and mailed to students all over the world. In India the same teachings were spread by the Yogoda Satsanga Society, with its headquarters at Dakshineswar.

The Self-Realization Fellowship today has hundreds of centres throughout the world. There are seven large centres in California, where renunciates stay to serve and practise Yoga. A number of trained monks tour all over the world, giving discourses and Kriya Yoga initiation to students.

Besides giving instructions on Yoga and balanced living, SRF also conducts many social services, especially in India.

Yoganandaji attained Mahasamadhi on March 7, 1952. The great Master showed his power over death, for his body did not decay for many weeks.

http://www.yogananda-srf.org

Guru Nanak Biography

Guru Nanak Biography

Guru Nanak Dev was the founder of Sikhism is considered to be the first Sikh guru. Guru Nanak Dev was born on 20th October, 1469 in a place called Nankana located in the present day Pakistan. Guru Nanak is revered by both Hindus and Muslims alike and his teachings are practical and emphasize on peaceful co-existence rather than conducting rituals and performing religious rites. The life history of Guru Nanak Dev Ji is very inspiring and interesting. Read this biography of Sri Guru Nanak Dev to know more.

Guru Nanak showed extra ordinary talent since a very young age. When he was born, an astrologer prophesized that he would achieve fame as a great man and spiritual leader. When Guru Nanak Dev was just 5 years old, he surprised everyone by talking about God and high level spiritual knowledge. He was a brilliant student and was well versed in languages like Hindi, Persian, Punjabi and Sanskrit. Even though he was brilliant in studies, he preferred to seek spiritual knowledge and meditate.

Guru Nanak He had no interest in business or working to earn a living and collect money. Once his father gave him some amount to start a business of his own, but he spent the money on some hungry ascetics whom he met on the way. He married at the age of 16 and had a happy married life. Despite having a domestic life, he never left meditating and pursuing higher knowledge and level of realization. But very soon, he left home to seek out the higher truth.

Guru Nanak never differentiated between men and ate with the poor with as much pleasure as he ate with the rich. He believed that the poor man's bread was much more rich and pure than the rich man's bread. He once squeezed the bread of a poor man and a rich man. The poor man's bread oozed milk and the rich man's bread oozed blood. This way he taught that people should make a living honestly and not through unfair means.

Guru Nanak never differentiated between different religions and considered all Gods to be the same. He condemned the elaborate rituals that were performed in the name of religion. Once, Guru Nanak visited Haridwar where he saw that people were offering water to the Sun in the belief that the water would reach his forefathers. Guru Nanak started to throw water in the opposite directing saying that if water could reach dead people in heaven, the water that he offers can certainly reach crops in his field. This way he proved the ineffectiveness of these meaningless rituals.

Guru Nanak did not believe in these mindless superstitions and rituals. He always believed and taught that there was only one God who was omnipresent. He taught that chanting God's name and living life purely would free a person from the cycle of birth and death. To make it easier for people to take God's name, he prepared the Japji, which was essentially a morning prayer. He also composed a set of poems that constitute the first chapter of Guru Granth Sahib which is the holy book of the Sikhs. His teachings and philosophies continue to inspire many around the world. Guru Nanak breathed his last in 1538 when he was 70 years old. He appointed one of his disciples as the second Guru and named him Angad.

Mahavatar Babaji Biography

Mahavatar Babaji Biography

Mahavatar Babaji is the name given to an Indian saint by Lahiri Mahasaya and several of his disciples who met Mahavatar Babaji between 1861 and 1935. Some of these meetings were described by Paramahansa Yogananda in his book Autobiography of a Yogi, including a first hand telling of Yogananda’s own meeting with Mahavatar Babaji. Another first hand account was given by Sri Yukteswar Giri in his book The Holy Science. All of these accounts, along with additional meetings with Mahavatar Babaji, are described in various biographies of those mentioned by Yogananda.

Mahavatar Babaji’s real name and date of birth are not sure, those who met him during that period all called him by the title first given to him by Lahiri Mahasaya. ‘Mahavatar’ means ‘great avatar’, and ‘Babaji’ simply means ‘revered father’. Some of the encounters included two or more witnesses — discussions between those who met Mahavatar Babaji indicate that they all met the same person.

A Version of His Early Life

Babaji was believed to be born on the 30th day of November 203 A.D., in a small coastal village now known as Parangipettai, in Tamil Nadu, India, near where the Cauvery River flows into the Indian Ocean. He was given the name "Nagaraj," which means "serpent king," referring to "kundalini," our great divine potential power and consciousness. His birth coincided with the ascendancy (Nakshatra) of the star of Rohini, under which Krishna was also born. The birth took place during the celebration of Kartikai Deepam, the Festival of Lights, the night before the new moon during the Tamil month of Kartikai.

At the age of 5, he was kidnapped by a trader and taken as a slave to the area of today's Calcutta. A rich merchant purchased him, only to give him his freedom. He joined a small band of wandering monks, and with them became learned in the sacred religious and philosophical literature of India. However, he was not satisfied. Hearing of the existence of a great siddha, or perfected master, named Agastyar, in the south, he made a pilgrimage to the sacred temple of Katirgama, near the southern most tip of Ceylon, the large island just south of peninsular India. There he met a disciple of Agastyar, whose name was Boganathar. He studied "dhyana," or meditation, intensively and "Siddhantham," the philosophy of the Siddhas, with Boganathar for four years. He experienced "sarvihelpa samadhi," or cognitive absorption, and had the vision of Lord Muruga, the deity of the Katirgama temple.

At the age of 15, Boganathar sent him to his own guru, the legendary Agastyar, who was know to be living near to Courtrallam, in Tamil Nadu. After performing intensive yogic practices at Courtrallam for 48 days, Agastyar revealed himself, and initiated him into Kriya Kundalini Pranayama, a powerful breathing technique. He directed the boy to go to Badrinath, high in the Himalayas, and to practice all that he had learned, intensively, to become a "siddha." Over the next 18 months, Babji lived alone in a cave practicing the yogic techniques which Boganathar and Agastyar has taught him. In so doing, he surrendered his ego, all the way down to the level of the cells in his body, to the Divine, which descended into him. He became a siddha, one who has surrendered to the power and consciousness of the Divine! His body was no longer subject to the ravages of disease and death. Transformed, as a Mah or great siddha, he dedicated himself to the uplift-ment of suffering humanity.

Babaji's Longevity

Since that time, over the centuries, Babaji has continued to guide and inspire some of history`s greatest saints and many spiritual teachers, in the fulfillment of their mission. These include Adi Shankaracharya, the great 9th century A.D. reformer of Hinduism, and Kabir, the 15th century saint beloved by both the Hindus and Muslims. Both are said to have been personally initiated by Babaji, and refer to him in their writings. He has maintained the remarkable appearance of a youth of about 16 years of age. During the 19th century Madame Blavatsky, the founder of the Theosophical Society, identified him as the Matreiya, the living Buddha, or World Teacher for the coming era, described in C.W. Leadbetter's "Masters and the Path."

Although Babaji prefers to remain obscure and invisible to others, he does on occasion gradually reveals himself to his devotees and disciples, capturing their hearts in various types of personal devotional relationships in which he guides them in their development.

Meher Baba Biography

Meher Baba Biography

Merwan Sheriar Irani was born February 25, 1894, in Poona, India, into a Zoroastrian family. His father, a genuine seeker for God, was informed by the Spiritual Hierarchy that God Realization would come to him through his son. He came out of his desert retreat, married and established a family. Merwan, his second son, was an exceptionally fair and loving boy in all respects, and everyone recognized his high destiny. He attended the Christian High School and Deccan College.

Meher Baba, as he came to be called by his disciples, took up his avataric duties early in 1922 after seven years of intense work with the five Perfect Masters of the time. Hazrat Babajan, the aged woman master of Poona, initiated his spiritual awakening in January, 1914, by kissing him on the forehead. Almost immediately he entered into a transcendental state of mind out of touch with normal gross consciousness. He scarcely ate or slept for nine months.

Dazed and apparently insane, he made his way during the next year to Shirdi Sai Baba, the chief of the five Perfect Masters, who acknowledged him publically as the Sustainer of the Universe, and sent him to Upasni Maharaj. As soon as that master saw the young man approaching, he picked up a stone and threw it with great force. It struck him on the forehead exactly where the old woman had kissed him. Thus began a painful five-year process of regaining normal consciousness while retaining his divine state.

During the 1920's he gathered and rigorously trained his inner circles of disciples while founding an active spiritual community in Ahmednagar, India, with schools, hospitals and other public service projects. In the middle of the decade he became silent and never again uttered a word. For 44 years he communicated by spelling words on an alphabet board and through hand gestures, including two important books, God Speaks and Discourses.

In 1931 he came to the West for the first time, traveling on the same ship that took Mahatma Gandhi to the Round Table Conference in London. During that voyage, he became Gandhi's spiritual adviser. In England and America he gathered a select group of western disciples, some of whom joined him in India later on. He visited his disciples in the West a half dozen times before the Second World War.

During the 1940's he traveled all over India in his work with the poor, with lepers, with the insane and with masts, a category of mentally disturbed people seldom found in the West whose afflictions come from unwise use of powerful spiritual practices, overwhelming and unbalanced love for God, or enthrallment by a sudden vision of Divinity. He set up temporary mad and mast ashrams in every part of the country where he contacted and served them in his own silent way.

He established two places of pilgrimage outside of India during the 1950's, Meher Spiritual Center, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.A., and Avatar's Abode, near Brisbane, Australia. It was necessary to spill his blood in America, he said, and while there to dedicate his center, major bones were broken and his face severely smashed in an car accident. A few years later he suffered a similar fate in India.

He became well known in the West during the 1960's by opposing the use of LSD and other drugs in the quest for spiritual experiences. In the last years he largely withdrew from public life and intensified his work in seclusion, announcing in the fall of 1968 that his work was completed 100% to his satisfaction. On January 31, 1969, one month before his 76th birthday, he left his body, which now lies in the tomb near Ahmednagar, a place of pilgrimage for those who love him.

He said that his tomb, called his samadhi, takes the place of his physical body. For a period of 100 years, entering his samadhi is equal to coming into his physical presence. Many pilgrims take advantage of this opportunity to keep his company. After 70 years, he said, his samadhi will be the most frequented place of pilgrimage in the world.

Lahiri Mahasaya Biography

Lahiri Mahasaya Biography

Lahiri Mahasaya (1828 – 1898) was one of India’s foremost Spiritual Masters. His original family name was Shyama Lahiri. Mahasaya is an honorary Sanskrit prefix meaning “magnanimous one”.

Up until the age of 33 Lahiri Mahasaya lived an ordinary worldly life. However circumstances took his job to the foothills of the Himalayas. It was here that he had a remarkable meeting with the avatar Babaji. Babaji was able to rekindle Lahiri Mahasaya’s spiritual realisations. Realisations he had attained in previous lifetimes. After experiencing the bliss of Samadhi in the Himalayan Mountains. His Guru directed Lahiri Mahasaya to return to his worldly life and teach the ancient art of Kriya Yoga.

During his lifetime he initiated many seekers from different faiths into the ancient Indian art of Kriya Yoga. In particular he was willing to break down the rigid caste barriers that were present at the time. Lahiri Mahasaya saw God everywhere and was unencumbered by social status.

Towards the end of his life his aura of spirituality and peace attracted many sincere seekers who would come to meditate in his presence. However Lahiri Mahasaya only became well known through Paramahansa Yogananda’s “Autobiography of a Yogi”. Yogananda was a disciple of Sri Yukteswar, and Sri Yukteswar was himself a direct disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya. Thus the Kriya Yoga tradition that has spread around the world, including the West can be traced back to Lahiri Mahasaya and the great Avatar Babaji.

Mirabai Biography

Mirabai Biography

Mirabai is the most famous of the women bhakta poets of north India. Though there is some disagreement about the precise details of her life, it is generally agreed that she was born in 1498, the only daughter of a Rajput chieftain and landlord by the name of Ratan Singh, in the neighborhood of Merta, a fortress-city, founded by her grandfather Rao Dudaji, about 40-50 miles north-east of Ajmer. Her mother died when Mirabai was only four or five years old.

Mirabai is said to have been devoted to Krishna from a very early age, and in one of her poems she asks, "O Krishna, did You ever rightly value my childhood love?" As her father was away much of the time, she was then sent to be raised at her grandfather’s house. Other members of the family were also inclined towards Vaishnava practices, and in this environment Mirabai’s own religious sentiments could grow freely.

Upon the death of her grandfather, her uncle Viram Dev took her into his charge, and it is her uncle who consented to have her married off to Bhoja Raj, the heir apparent to the throne of the famous warrior Rana Sanga of the House of Sisodiya. There were no children from this marriage, and in the event Mirabai took no interest in her earthly spouse, since she believed herself to be married to Krishna. Her husband died sometime before her father passed away in January 1528 in a battle with the Mughal Emperor Babur in which her father-in-law was also seriously wounded. The standard narrative is that at this vital juncture Mirabai was left vulnerable to the hostility of her conservative male relatives, and that this hostility increased as Mirabai became visibly detached from the affairs of the world and her obligations to her in-laws. She began to frequent the temple, discoursed with the sadhus, and apparently danced before the image: as she put it in one of her poems,

I danced before my Giridhara.

Again and again I dance

To please that discerning critic,

And put His former love to the test.

I put on the anklets

A much younger male relative, Vikramajita, is described as having locked her into a room, but when that failed to bring Mirabai to her senses, he attempted, unsuccessfully, to poison her. It has been suggested that her relatives expected her to commit sati, or self-immolation, after the death of her husband; indeed, in one of her poems Mirabai wrote, "sati na hosyan girdhar gansyan mhara man moho ghananami", "I will not commit sati. I will sing the songs of Girdhar Krishna." Sometime around 1538 Mirabai arrived in Vrindavan, where she spent most of the remainder of her life before moving, shortly before her death, to Dwarka.

One of the most famous anecdotes from her life, quite likely apocryphal, relates a meeting she had in Vrindavan with Jiva Goswami, a renowned Vaishnava of the Chaitanya school. Jiva Goswami at first refused to meet with her since she was a woman, whereupon Mirabai is said to have retorted: "I used to think that the Lord Krishna was the only man in Vrindavan and that all the rest of the inhabitants were gopis. Now I’ve discovered that there’s someone else here besides Lord Krishna who thinks of himself as a man." Different traditions relate that Mirabai met Chaitanya, Tulsidas, Akbar, and Tansen, but none of these have ever been authenticated, and there is an inconsistency in the chronology, since Mirabai lived several decades before Akbar. Mirabai most likely passed away in 1546, but here too the evidence is very scanty.

Of Mirabai, Dhurvadas writing in the 17th century has said:

Having forgotten her shyness, she worshipped Giridhar (Krishna).

She no longer cared for her family honor.

She was Mira, known throughout the world; she was a treasure of devotions.

In bliss she visited beautiful Vrindaban.

Sri Aurobindo Biography

Sri Aurobindo Biography

Sri Aurobindo was born in Calcutta on August 15, 1872. In 1879, at the age of seven, he was taken with his two elder brothers to England for education and lived there for fourteen years. Brought up at first in an English family at Manchester, he joined St. Paul's School in London in 1884 and in 1890 went from it with a senior classical scholarship to King's College, Cambridge, where he studied for two years. In 1890 he passed also the open competition for the Indian Civil Service, but at the end of two years of probation failed to present himself at the riding examination and was disqualified for the Service. At this time the Gaekwar of Baroda was in London. Aurobindo saw him, obtained an appointment in the Baroda Service and left England for India, arriving there in February, 1893.

Sri Aurobindo passed thirteen years, from 1893 to 1906, in the Baroda Service, first in the Revenue Department and in secretariat work for the Maharaja, afterwards as Professor of English and, finally, Vice-Principal in the Baroda College. These were years of self-culture, of literary activity - for much of the poetry afterwards published from Pondicherry was written at this time - and of preparation for his future work. In England he had received, according to his father's express instructions, an entirely occidental education without any contact with the culture of India and the East*. At Baroda he made up the deficiency, learned Sanskrit and several modern Indian languages, assimilated the spirit of Indian civilisation and its forms past and present. A great part of the last years of this period was spent on leave in silent political activity, for he was debarred from public action by his position at Baroda. The out-break of the agitation against the partition of Bengal in 1905 gave him the opportunity to give up the Baroda Service and join openly in the political movement. He left Baroda in 1906 and went to Calcutta as Principal of the newly-founded Bengal National College.

The political action of Sri Aurobindo covered eight years, from 1902 to 1910. During the first half of this period he worked behind the scenes, preparing with other co-workers the beginnings of the Swadeshi (Indian Sinn Fein) movement, till the agitation in Bengal furnished an opening for the public initiation of a more forward and direct political action than the moderate reformism which had till then been the creed of the Indian National Congress. In 1906 Sri Aurobindo came to Bengal with this purpose and joined the New Party, an advanced section small in numbers and not yet strong in influence, which had been recently formed in the Congress. The political theory of this party was a rather vague gospel of Non-cooperation; in action it had not yet gone farther than some ineffective clashes with the Moderate leaders at the annual Congress assembly behind the veil of secrecy of the "Subjects Committee". Sri Aurobindo persuaded its chiefs in Bengal to come forward publicly as an All-India party with a definite and challenging programme, putting forward Tilak, the popular Maratha leader at its head, and to attack the then dominant Moderate (Reformist or Liberal) oligarchy of veteran politicians and capture from them the Congress and the country. This was the origin of the historic struggle between the Moderates and the Nationalists (called by their opponents Extremists) which in two years changed altogether the face of Indian politics.

The new-born Nationalist party put forward Swaraj (independence) as its goal as against the far-off Moderate hope of colonial self-government to be realised at a distant date of a century or two by a slow progress of reform; it proposed as its means of execution a programme which resembled in spirit, though not in its details, the policy of Sinn Fein developed some years later and carried to a successful issue in Ireland. The principle of this new policy was self- help; it aimed on one side at an effective organisation of the forces of the nation and on the other professed a complete non-cooperation with the Government. Boycott of British and foreign goods and the fostering of Swadeshi industries to replace them, boycott of British law courts and the foundation of a system of Arbitration courts in their stead, boycott of Government universities and colleges and the creation of a network of National colleges and schools, the formation of societies of young men which would do the work of police and defence and, wherever necessary, a policy of passive resistance were among the immediate items of the programme. Sri Aurobindo hoped to capture the Congress and make it the directing centre of an organised national action, an informal State within the State, which would carry on the struggle for freedom till it was won. He persuaded the party to take up and finance as its recognised organ the newly-founded daily paper, Bande Mataram, of which he was at the time acting editor. The Bande Mataram, whose policy from the beginning of 1907 till its abrupt winding up in 1908 when Aurobindo was in prison was wholly directed by him, circulated almost immediately all over India. During its brief but momentous existence it changed the political thought of India which has ever since preserved fundamentally, even amidst its later developments, the stamp then imparted to it. But the struggle initiated on these lines, though vehement and eventful and full of importance for the future, did not last long at the time; for the country was still unripe for so bold a programme.

Sri Aurobindo was prosecuted for sedition in 1907 and acquitted. Up till now an organiser and writer, he was obliged by this event and by the imprisonment or disappearance of other leaders to come forward as the acknowledged head of the party in Bengal and to appear on the platform for the first time as a speaker. He presided over the Nationalist Conference at Surat in 1907 where in the forceful clash of two equal parties the Congress was broken to pieces. In May, 1908, he was arrested in the Alipore Conspiracy Case as implicated in the doings of the revolutionary group led by his brother Barindra; but no evidence of any value could be established against him and in this case too he was acquitted. After a detention of one year as undertrial prisoner in the Alipore Jail, he came out in May, 1909, to find the party organisation broken, its leaders scattered by imprisonment, deportation or self-imposed exile and the party itself still existent but dumb and dispirited and incapable of any strenuous action. For almost a year he strove single-handed as the sole remaining leader of the Nationalists in India to revive the movement. He published at this time to aid his effort a weekly English paper, the Karmayogin, and a Bengali weekly, the Dharma. But at last he was compelled to recognise that the nation was not yet sufficiently trained to carry out his policy and programme. For a time he thought that the necessary training must first be given through a less advanced Home Rule movement or an agitation of passive resistance of the kind created by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa. But he saw that the hour of these movements had not come and that he himself was not their destined leader. Moreover, since his twelve months' detention in the Alipore Jail, which had been spent entirely in practice of Yoga, his inner spiritual life was pressing upon him for an exclusive concentration. He resolved therefore to withdraw from the political field, at least for a time**.

In February, 1910, he withdrew to a secret retirement at Chandernagore and in the beginning of April sailed for Pondicherry in French India. A third prosecution was launched against him at this moment for a signed article in the Karmayogin; in his absence it was pressed against the printer of the paper who was convicted, but the conviction was quashed on appeal in the High Court of Calcutta. For the third time a prosecution against him had failed. Sri Aurobindo had left Bengal with some intention of returning to the political field under more favourable circumstances; but very soon the magnitude of the spiritual work he had taken up appeared to him and he saw that it would need the exclusive concentration of all his energies. Eventually he cut off connection with politics, refused repeatedly to accept the Presidentship of the National Congress and went into a complete retirement. During all his stay at Pondicherry from 1910 onward he remained more and more exclusively devoted to his spiritual work and his sadhana.

In 1914 after four years of silent Yoga he began the publication of a philosophical monthly, the Arya. Most of his more important works, The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, Essays on the Gita, The Isha Upanishad, appeared serially in the Arya. These works embodied much of the inner knowledge that had come to him in his practice of Yoga. Others were concerned with the spirit and significance of Indian civilisation and culture (The Foundations of Indian Culture), the true meaning of the Vedas (The Secret of the Veda), the progress of human society (The Human Cycle), the nature and evolution of poetry (The Future Poetry), the possibility of the unification of the human race (The Ideal of Human Unity). At this time also he began to publish his poems, both those written in England and at Baroda and those, fewer in number, added during his period of political activity and in the first years of his residence at Pondicherry. The Arya ceased publication in 1921 after six years and a half of uninterrupted appearance.

Sri Aurobindo lived at first in retirement at Pondicherry with four or five disciples. Afterwards more and yet more began to come to him to follow his spiritual path and the number became so large that a community of sadhaks had to be formed for the maintenance and collective guidance of those who had left everything behind for the sake of a higher life. This was the foundation of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram which has less been created than grown around him as its centre.

Sri Aurobindo began his practice of Yoga in 1904. At first gathering into it the essential elements of spiritual experience that are gained by the paths of divine communion and spiritual realisation followed till now in India, he passed on in search of a more complete experience uniting and harmonising the two ends of existence, Spirit and Matter. Most ways of Yoga are paths to the Beyond leading to the Spirit and, in the end, away from life; Sri Aurobindo's rises to the Spirit to redescend with its gains bringing the light and power and bliss of the Spirit into life to transform it. Man's present existence in the material world is in this view or vision of things a life in the Ignorance with the In- conscient at its base, but even in its darkness and nescience there are involved the presence and possibilities of the Divine. The created world is not a mistake or a vanity and illusion to be cast aside by the soul returning to heaven or Nirvana, but the scene of a spiritual evolution by which out of this material inconscience is to be manifested progressively the Divine Consciousness in things. Mind is the highest term yet reached in the evolution, but it is not the highest of which it is capable. There is above it a Supermind or eternal Truth-Consciousness which is in its nature the self-aware and self-determining light and power of a Divine Knowledge. Mind is an ignorance seeking after Truth, but this is a self-existent Knowledge harmoniously manifesting the play of its forms and forces. It is only by the descent of this Supermind that the perfection dreamed of by all that is highest in humanity can come. It is possible by opening to a greater divine consciousness to rise to this power of light and bliss, discover one's true self, remain in constant union with the Divine and bring down the supramental Force for the transformation of mind and life and body. To realise this possibility has been the dynamic aim of Sri Aurobindo's Yoga.

Sri Aurobindo left his body on December 5, 1950. The Mother carried on his work until November 17, 1973. Their work continues.

* It may be observed that Sri Aurobindo's education in England gave him a wide introduction to the culture of ancient, of mediaeval and of modern Europe. He was a brilliant scholar in Greek and Latin. He had learned French from his childhood in Manchester and studied for himself German and Italian sufficiently to study Goethe and Dante in the original tongues. (He passed the Tripos in Cambridge in the first class and obtained record marks in Greek and Latin in the examination for the Indian Civil Service.)

WHAT IS ASCENSION ?

WHAT IS ASCENSION ? Ascension is a natural and normal part of the evolutionary process of the Universe. It has always been so and will probably continue until it is no longer necessary as a universal process. Therefore any ideas of this process being something new or weird, usually means that this concept hasn't been understood. When the real meaning of this concept is not grasped, we get separation. Let’s look more carefully at what Ascension is.

Experiential growth Evolution is basically a continuing growth through learning in many forms. This growth comes about through greater spiritual wisdom, compassion, tolerance, integrity, true understanding and such qualities that lead us to Unconditional Love. Energy and vibrations Each person has their own unique energy vibration and it is this we are recognising when we feel someone is instantly familiar or we are immediately comfortable with someone. Whilst each being always holds this special energy, the overall vibrational field of a being alters - depending on the current level of evolution he or she is at. Our individual vibrational band as a being decides the world we see. All dimensions exist ‘Now’ but we can only see things that lay within the vibrational band of Light that we resonate with - that matches us. Wisdom and love raise ones vibration, taking it from dense, slower moving frequencies to faster finer frequencies. An evolutionary stage Ascension is merely a stage in this evolutionary process and involves reaching a place where one is ready to raise oneself to the frequency of Light, whereby the fifth dimension becomes accessible and visible. It is not something for the ‘chosen few’, but is available to every being in the entire universe. It is obtained on an individual basis, within the time frame that being chooses to experience his or her growth. It is inevitably gained by everyone at some point or another. A natural transition One does not need to understand the process or to have ever heard the word Ascension in order to ascend. It is simply a word that is used by some to define this particular step of ones growth. All stages of evolution are wonder-ful and contain their own special beauty and wisdom. However, it is felt by many that Ascension is a special stage as it involves the transition from a third dimensional reality of duality and its relevant learning, to an awareness of oneness, harmony and love. Moving to the fifth dimension, one passes through the fourth and releases all buried emotion and thought that has too dense a vibration to permit the being to raise him or herself and his lower subtle bodies, into the higher frequencies of Light. Universal manifestation Those attaining Ascension in past times, have allowed the physical body to ‘die’ and having increased the vibration of the subtle bodies, raised themselves into the fifth dimension. There is now an opportunity to change this universal pattern and ascend all our lower bodies, bringing a new pattern of ascension into Universal Manifestation. For the first time in this universe, there is a possibility for those choosing it, to increase the vibratory rate of the molecular structure of the physical body. As in all new things presented to humanity, the idea may well seem `way out' and impossible. Not so long ago, talking to someone thousands of miles away or walking on the moon, would have seemed impossible. Earth attaining Ascension The planet Earth is currently attaining a state of ascension. The Being who has Earth as her body (much the same as humans have theirs) has reached a point where she is choosing this major step in her evolution. She is currently releasing all condensed and negative energy and raising her entire physical form and its surrounding subtle bodies (which she has just the same as the human beings). All that which is part of the Earth and identifies itself with her such as the flora and fauna operating in the natural flow of the universe, simply moves with her. Any life stream that has separated or is not a natural part of that Earth, who has evolved to a point of ‘free will and choice’ to decide its own movement - may or may not choose to Ascend. Human beings and some animals are definitely in this category. Evolutionary opportunity At this special time of planetary evolution an opportunity exists for every individual within the entire Earth structure, currently incarnated or not, to choose to release all the lower levels of density and move from a reality based on materialism and separation to one based within the heart centre and oneness of all life. This opportunity is available on such a broad scale to all humanity, because the Earth is ascending. Usually Ascension is obtained by the individual without being able to use the planet’s increasing frequency to assist their own momentum towards Ascension. Everything is in Divine order and those on Earth at this time are destined to be able to tune into this assistance. Other planets in the universe have previously attained ascension and now it is our Earth that is doing so. Linking with the Divine Anyone may choose at this time to re-link with their Divine source, release their patterns of limitation, release judgement and separation and move into the loving place of the heart. It does require a real commitment and a discipline and determination. It is achieved by following spirit in any given moment. This means following the heart and moving only with what feels right, usually accompanied by interest or excitement. If one continues to move in patterns dictated by the mind, often out of fear and need for security and all of the ‘shoulds’ and ‘musts’ contained within its belief patterns, you will not be allowing yourself to feel in the heart that which resonates as true and in the Divine flow of the universe. The Earth was once a perfect ball of evenly distributed energy. She agreed to share a learning process with mankind, as he began a learning through ‘limitation’. In carrying out this learning man has caused an uneven distribution of this energy, through various means such as negative thought, rainforest destruction, pollution, etc. Learning through limitation The process of learning through limitation has reached deep levels of restriction. Many now, no longer remember that they are a spiritual being and child of God, part of a Divine source and connected to all living things with all being brother and sister. Man also no longer realises that he creates his own reality and hence his own world. This pattern has been taken to its greatest learning potential and its learning could be considered by many to be complete. Earth’s agreement Earth agreed to this joint learning with man and had a deep understanding of the various possibilities that could happen. This Being operates from a place of love and does not feel she is a ‘victim’ or feels anger about the apparent destruction of areas upon her form. Everything in the universe is done by agreement. Everything. She watches with love and perceives the struggle within man to overcome all the barriers he has set himself. The Earth now needs to bring all the energy within her structure back into a perfect ball and raised in frequency in order to make her Ascension. She is quite capable of doing this. The way she does it is dependant on the amount of Light she receives in. She tries to release these areas as gently as possible and we can assist this by focusing Light in and across the Earth, creating positive and healing patterns around the world. The power of unified prayer Prayer also has always been a form of connection to the Divine Source of all and we know this links to the power of God. Some feel they wish to help the Earth in a more practical way and this is also helping greatly. She is grateful for all these forms of help. If sufficient Light is taken into help this transmutation, she does not then need to correct the energy imbalance in a geophysical manner, such as through earthquakes, floods, etc. In her love and compassion for all life upon Earth and for her own comfort, she would naturally prefer to have a pain and trauma free transition. As we know most mothers would choose the gentlest birth possible. She is no exception and doesn’t enjoy the pain of cracks and upheavals in her structure or the added trauma of human suffering. Let go and let God Everyone on Earth is special and unique and each has their own role to play in the overall scheme of things. If each one follows that which feels right to say or do, then each will be carrying out their part in that plan. If instead, you permit yourself to do that which you ‘should do’ often through guilt, you are quite liable to be stepping outside of your agreements. It is time to Let Go And Let God. By doing this, you will be truly taking responsibility. If it feels right for you to help the dolphins, save the rainforests, increase awareness of child abuse, or do nothing...the range is endless...understand that because this is right for you, it does not have to mean that it is right for others also. Each has their own task to do and if you permit yourself to be talked into what you ‘should be doing’ you will not therefore carry out what you are really meant to be doing in that moment. If you do what feels right in the heart from a place of love and not from fear or guilt then you can trust that you are in the flow of Divinity. From that place you can intuitively sense the next move. The power of positivity Another way to assist the Earth is by keeping our own auric field (aura) clear and free of negativity. We can then allow Light to pass through the energy centres (chakras) of the body, down into The Earth. You can keep this field clear through a discipline of only permitting positive thought, pure intent, use of affirmations, non judgement, moving from the `head' to the ‘heart’, realising that all are brother and sister and becoming more loving. There are various products available that assist in raising vibration and help clear the lower bodies. There are colour, sound, crystals, oils and many natural essences in use for these purposes such as Bach Flower remedies, Aura Light and Avatara Harmony essences. As regards any assistance via products or indeed from any source, take only that which resonates and feels right for you. Each of us have different needs and whereas one may find that Aromatherapy produces miracles, another may simply need more peace or to look at the area of self love. Many paths are available for there are many different people with as many different needs. By following our intuition we can lead ourselves to increased awareness and higher levels of evolution. A time of choice It is time on this planet for everyone to make a choice about the sort of world they wish to live in. One of peace and love or the current world we see now upon the Earth. In the current third dimensional reality on Earth, one learns compassion, understanding and love through experiencing every conceivable situation in life, ranging from poverty and struggle to wealth and power. This involves learning to rise above the limitations set by ourselves prior to the incarnation, thereby gaining strength and wisdom. Finally, as one ceases to judge and realises ‘I am my brothers’ keeper’ and that in truth, everyone is a brother - he or she moves to a place of peace and unconditional love. Many now feel that they have learnt sufficiently in this realm and would choose to release the various patterns belonging to limitational learning and move on up to higher levels of learning. Learning goes on through higher dimensions, but it is through greater harmony and less solid types of experience. Whilst joy and peace are obtainable on the third dimension, these things are a matter of course on the higher dimensions. The Golden Age Choices are being made across the Earth by everyone. As the planetary vibrations continue to increase; all old rigid structures and systems across the Earth either change their basis of operation to one of love, or they crumble and cease to be. All buried thought and emotion is being released individually - nationally - internationally and planetary. All remaining karma is being balanced out across the face of the Earth and everyone who chooses Love, is Light-ening up, as their vibration moves into higher frequencies. It is time to step free of fears and the myriad of belief patterns that keep us so boxed in our world of structure and control. Time to move forward in trust and faith knowing there are worlds beyond that which we can see with our eyes. We now approach the new millennia, the Golden Age of peace and love, predicted by so many philosophies and religions for so long. It is shown on the ancient Mayan Calendar and known deep within the heart of many, many millions working in the Light of God. A wonderful new world dawns on the horizon, bathed in the splendour of the Gold Ray of the Christ Consciousness, as we who choose it so, come home.

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Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami

Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra Swami

Sri Potuluri Veera Brahmendra SwamiFrom the time of the oracle of Delphi to St. Joan’s hearing of “Voices”, prognostication of future events have had considerable influence on the contours of History. To the vantage vision of a mystic, ‘past’, ‘present’ and ‘future’ may appear as one continuous stream of Time and a prophecy may be more an accurate photographic recording of an occurrence than a wild surmise. Prophecies are sometimes given out as revelations found in a trance-state and sometimes as answers mysteriously suggesting themselves to one while one is sleeping. Whatever may be their genesis prophecies are “forewarnings”. By taking heed of these warnings, people may avert disaster. It is the irony of life that a prophecy will be found true only when people fail to take timely action to thwart a predicted danger. Indian epics are full of prophecies, heeded and unheeded.
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Next to “Bhavishyat Purana” a prognostication of mankind’s future Kala Jnana Tatwa of Sri Pottuluri Veera Brahmaendra Swami offers a glimpse of events and trends destined to take place in the coming decades.
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Very little is known about Sri Veera-Brahmam’s childhood except that he was the son of Sri Paripurnachari and Smt Prakruthamba and that he grew up under the care of foster parents. Sri Veera Bhojacharya head of the Papaghni math near Nandikonda and his wife Smt. Veera-Papamba. Lovingly called “Veeram Bhotlayya” he used to impress everyone by his extraordinary intelligence and spiritual bent of mind. When in his thirteenth year his foster father, died he not only bore the blow calmly but proved a pillar of strength to his desolate mother. His philosophic talksNext to “Bhavishyat Purana” a prognostication of mankind’s future Kala Jnana Tatwa of Sri Pottuluri Veera Brahmaendra Swami offers a glimpse of events and trends destined to take place in the coming decades.
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His philosophic talksmade her understand the illusory nature of attachments and the continuum of consciousness in life and death. Realising that her son is an enlightened soul, Papamba gave him permission to leave home and go on a pilgrimage to holy places. While Veeram Bhotlayya was visiting Harihara Kshetra, he came across a yogi named AnandaBhairava. Anandabhairava confessed to Veeram Bhotlayya that he took to Sanyasa as a mark of repentance on his inadvertent killing of a cow. To liberate him from the sin of killing a cow Veeram Bhotlayya initiated him into Dwadasakharimantra and gave him the boon that in his next birth he will be born in a family of cotton growers and when he comes of age he would become his (Veeram Bhotlayya’s) chief disciple.
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The next recorded evidence available about Sri Veeram Bhotlayya is his stay as a sage in a Matt built for his use in Banaganapalli by an elderly devotee, Acchamma. Legend has it that Acchamma who initially entrusted Veeram Bhotlayya with the task of tending cows was surprised to hear that the young man was spending more of his time inside a cave scribbling something on palm-leaf parchments. She followed him one-day and saw him draw a line round the cattleand command them to stay within the line. The cattle implicitly obeyed his command and Acchamma realised that the boy was not an ordinary shepherd but must be a God man of great powers. She walked into the cave which was bright and aglow as with the light of a thousand suns, and prostrating herself at his feet begged to be excused for having treated him as a menial. Veeram Bhotlyya gave her initiation into ‘Dwadashakshari’ mantra, and begged by her consented to stay for some more time in Banaganapalli. Acchamma was one of the few who were given the privilege of listening to the future predictions written in the form of chants by Sri Veeram Bhotlayya. During his stay at Banagapalli math, Veeram Bhotlayya used to bury the palmleaf parchments in a secret place underground and visitors to this day make it a point to pay homage to the Tamarind tree that grew in that spot. During the twelve years that he stayed in that village Sri Veeram Bhotlayya performed many miracles. He restored eyesight to Acchamma’s son, Brahmanandareddy by suggesting a retribution for Reddy’s sins of a past life. Once the Nawab of that region who was jealous of the fame of Veeram Bhotlyya sent word to him and after a hypocritical show of respect and Courtesy, presented him a platter covered with a muslin cloth.
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Knowing that meat was taboo to the Hindu sage he still filled the plate with dishes made of meat. Veeram Bhotlayya accepted the plate and removed the cloth cover. To the utter amazement of the Nawab and his courtiers the platter was heaped with beautiful flowers with no trace of meat anywhere. The Nawab fell at his feet begging forgiveness and donated land for the founding of an Ashram by Veeram Bhotlayya.. Annajayya, a Brahmin disciple used to look after the math and Ashram and it is he who made the predictions of his master known to the public. In the twelth year of his stay, entrusting the change of the Ashram to Annajayya, Veeram Bhotlayya left for ‘Kandimallaya Palle, a village in Cuddapa Taluq. He used to work as a carpenter and soon became the spiritual leader of the village community. While visiting the temple in a near by hamlet, Pedakomerla, Veeram Bhotlayya chanced to come across a funeral procession. Going near the bier Veeram Bhotlayya sprinkled holy ash (Vibhuthi) on the corpse and to the amazement of everyone the dead man, one Mr. Reddy, got down and bowed to the feet of Veeram Bhotlayya. This created a sensation in the village and most of the villagers began worshippingVeeram Bhotlayya as the very incarnation of God. A few non-believers wanted to play a trick on him. One of them lay down on a bier pretending to be dead and the rest approached Veeram Bhotlayya with the request that their friend’s life be revived. Wishing to teach them a lesson Veeram Bhotlayya said their friend could not be brought back to life. The non believers gleefully asked their friend to sit up but were shocked to see that he was really dead. Moved by their pitiful pleas for forgiveness and help, Veeram Bhotlayya brought the young man back to life and this won for him the respect and admiration of everyone . Veeram Bhotlayya accorded to a few seekers of that village knowledge of his Kala Jnana chants pertaining to events that would take place in the first five thousand years of Kali Yuga. Sivakotayya was one of those seekers and he reverentially offered his dauaghter Govindamma as bride to Veeram Bhotlayya. Hearing that Govindamma had chosen to remain unmarried all these years as it was her wish to marry a man who is an embodiment of Divinity, Veeram Bhotlayya smilingly gave his consent. After the marriage the couple returned to Kandimallya Palli and from there left on a pilgrimage to holy places. After a shortvisit to Banagnapalli they returned to Kandimallayya palli. Devotees built an Ashram for them and Veeram Bhotlayya began to be worshipped by devotees as Veeram Brahmam. The couple were blessed with four sons and a daughter. All the children were devout like their parents and took active part in the spiritual programme conducted in the Ashram. One day a fifteen year old Muslim boy, Sheik Saheb came to the Ashram to become a disciple of Sri Brahmam. Brahmendra Swami's sons refused to allow him in because he was a Muslim. Brahmendra Swami rebuked them for their intolerance and allowed the boy to enter. He renamed the boy Siddhayya who turned out to be the most loyal and devoted of his disciples. Siddhayya is none other than Ananda Bhairava and in accepting him as disciple Sri Brahmendra Swami was fulfilling a boon he granted earlier. Brahmendra Swami gave Siddhayya initiation into many spiritual practices including Taraka Yoga. Accompanied by his disciples Sri Veera Brahendra Swami made a tour of all the important districts in the Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema regions. He halted for some time at Hyderabad and convening a meeting of goldsmiths. He gave discourses on the three important goals of life in the outer, middle and inner planes. He surprised everyone in the court of the Nawab by lighting a lamp that had water in it, instead of oil. After predicting the future of the Hyderabadi regime he started home. On the way back, to teachs a lesson to some of the disciples who resented what they thought was Brahmendra Swami favouritism to Siddayya, he pointed to the carcass of a dog and ordered his disciples to eat it. The carcass was decomposed, wormridden and emitting an unbearably foul smell. No one wanted to go near it. Siddayya sat by its side and began eating it with relish as if it was a succulent sweet dish. This demonstration of Siddayya's implicit obedience to the words of the Guru shamed the disciples into repentance. One more instance of Sri Veera Brahmendra Swami miraculous powers was revealed to the disciples when a Brahmin couple fell on the feet of Swamiji and begged him to cure the Brahmin of the dreadful disease of leprosy. Brahmendra Swami not only cured him but gave the couple initiation, blessed them and sent them home in a happy frame of mind. By the privilege of association with Godmen, disciples also acquire spiritual stature. This is proved in the life of Siddhayya who was fortunate to learn from Brahmendra Swamy the significance of reincarnation and the way to achieve liberation form the cycle of births. The Nawab of Cuddapa was angry that the Muslim born Siddhayya became the disciple of a Hindu saint and sent word to Siddhayya to come and give an explanation for his conduct. Siddhayya’s impassioned speech on Adwaita not only placated the Musilm countries but converted all of them into devotees of Brahmendra Swami. The Nawab felt piqued that Siddhayya did not bow down to him and rebuked him for his insolence. Siddhayya them ordered the attendants of the Nawab to bring into the hall a big black chunk of rock. When it was brought in Siddhayya bowed down to it and immediately it broke into a thousand pieces. Siddhayya told the Nawab that had he bowed to him, the Nawab’s head also would have broken into pieces. Understanding that Siddhayya had now acquired such spiritual status that only Brahmendra Swami was fit to receive obeisance from him the Nawab begged for forgiveness. Once, over hearning Brahmendra Swam’s expounding of the six energy centres (Chakras) to Siddhayya, the cobbler Kakkayya wanted to see for himself the deities presiding over each of the chakras. He murdered his sleeping wife and dissected her body. Failing to see any deities he rushed to Brahmendra Swami fell his feet and weeping made a confession of what he did Taking pity on him he accompanied him to his house and ordered Siddhayya to follow him. Once inside the hut Swamiji invoked the deities of the chakras and showed them to Siddhayya and Kakkayya and then with a touch of his hand he made whole the dissected body of Kakkayya’s wife and restored her to life. Among the hundreds of miracles performed by Brahmendra Swami mention may be made of his gulping down molten iron, of teaching a lesson to the arrogant Brahmins of Nandyal by making Siddhayya eat up all the rice they prepared for serving at a feast, of describing to a Nawab the features of a colt still in the womb of its mother, of proving to a group of hostile scholars that there is no scriptural injunction against non Brahmins’ learning and reciting Vedas. Once a group of thieves who entered the Ashram at dead of night to loot it, lost their eyesight. Next day taking pity on the blind robbers Swamiji talked to them about the need for honesty and right living and restored vision to them. At another time when, without telling him his wife Govindamma cooked payasam to be offered to Goddess Poleramma made the deity come in person to partake of the offering. On the last day of his earthly existence he gave trustee ship of the Ashram to his son Govindachari and then told his wife that all their sons will meet with an early death, that there would be no progeny to supervise the Ashram and that theirs daughter’s descendants would take charge of the math. That day he deliberately sent Siddhayya on an errand to collect flowers for the worship of God because he knew that Siddhayya cannot bear the sight of his beloved Guru’s dying. When Siddhayya came to know of Brahmendra Swami’s death, he was overcome by grief and tired to commit suicide. Taking pity on him Brahmendra Swamiji came out of the grave to present him with his sceptre, sandals, ring and cane. He blessed him with clairvoyance and commanded him to go to the village Mudumala get married and spend his life in the Rajayoga path. Siddhayya obeyed every one of these commands. At the time of Brahmendra Swami’s advent, India was plunged in religious feuds between Hindus and Muslims. Humanism was crushed in the name of the illusory supremacy of caste. Brahmendra Swami preached the religion of love which cuts across all man made barrlers of creed, sect, and caste. His disciples included Brahmins like Annajayya, Muslims like Siddhayya and ‘untouchables’ like Kakkayya. His progressive outlook is reflected in marrying a mature maiden like Govindamma at a time when child marriages were the accepted social convention. Most Nawabs of the time were his ardent devotees and this helped in promoting communal harmony. After he left the physical body, hundreds of Brahmendra Swami’s disciples propagated his teachings and travelled from one place to another chanting the predictions written by him. Like Vemana’s teachings, the chants of Brahmendra Swami also are simple and evoke immediate emotional response from listeners. Some of Brahmendra Swami’s predictions are in prose form. Some are written as moral maxims. Some offer exposition on philosophy, spiritualism, and yoga practice. Some are written as couplets. Many poems in praise of Kalikamba have been written by Brahendra Swami. Some of these contain cryptic esoteric truths. These will be intelligible only to initiates in yoga. His songs are most popular among religious mendicants. As in scriptures like Bhavishyapurana, Bhagavatham and Harivamsam, his predictions are mostly about the historical, geographical and social changes that will take place towards the end of Kali Yuga. As is supposed to be the case with the western prophet Nostradamus, Brahmendra Swami’s predictions also have proved to be true. His chants make anticipatory references to British rule in India, the disintegration of the caste system, rapid strides in science and technology, invention of trains and automobiles, growing dependence on electricity and electronic gadgets, the advent of Mahatma Gandhi, widow remarriages and social acceptance of divorces, the fall of aristocracy and the mounting prominence of weaker sections of society; Brahmendra Swami’s chants also mention that power in the millennium will be in the hands of women, and actors and that society will witness a proliferation of fakes and quacks and that there will be a general dwindling of moral values and that honest people would be at the mercy of criminals and rowdies. One positive feature about the chants of Brahmendra Swami is their envisaging of an egalitarian society where all class distinctions and caste division would be eroded and the gates of opportunity would be thrown open to all — the rich and the poor, men and women. As in Nostradamus in the Kala Jnana chants of Brahmendra Swami also freaks and deformities and monstrosities in nature, irrespective of their pertaining to the plant, animal or human kingdoms, are always mentioned as bad omens betokening disasters about to take place. Similarly comets and meteorites are used as indices of imminent social and historical upheavals. Laxity in pointless orthodoxy is condoned but dire warning is consistently used against straying from the path of Dharma. Both wars which are the outcome of human greed and hatred and calamities of nature like floods and earthquakes are traced to the root cause disharmonious life styles. Sri Pottuluri Veera Brahmaendra Swami or Brahmam Garu is one of the most popular historical saints of the region, otherwise known as Brahmamgaru. He and his doctrines are not only the centre of a living cult but one of the most popular subjects for both yakshaganams and padya natakams in Andhra Pradesh.One of the natural caves at Yaganti called the Veera Brahmam cave adds beauty and serenity to this holy place. Potuluri Veera Brahmam has written his monumental work, kalagnanam in this cave only. Yaganti is situated at a distance of 17 kms. from Banaganapalle and 100 kms. from Kurnool. The Nandi (Basavanna) of the famous Umamaheswara Swamy and Parvati Devi is a popular tourist destination due to the prediction of Brahmam Garu that the Basavanna of Yaganti will come out and shout when kaliyuga ends. People believe that stone Nandiswara (Basavanna) is increasing in its size. Yaganti Umamaheswara Swamy temple was constructed and completed by the first Vijayanagara Sangama Kings Harihara Bukka rayalu in the 15th century. It was built according to Vaishnavaite tradition.

Yogi Vemana

Yogi Vemana

Vemana was a Telugu poet. He composed numerous poems in Telugu in Aata Veladhi metre which consists of four lines; the fourth line, with some exceptions, is the refrain or chorus Viswadabhirama Vinura Vema. Vemana's style is simple, his poems deal with social problems and sometimes propose solutions too. With the zeal of a social reformer, many of his poems criticise and strive to give fresh perspective to ardent followers of old, embedded traditions. Vemana is often portrayed in the nude. Biography
Though Vemana Satakam (literally 'collection of 100 poems' though he actually wrote a couple of thousands) is very famous in Telugu literature, relatively very less is known about the actual poet.
Vemana was a from 'capu' (Kaapu) family and native of Cuddapah district and believed to have lived in Gandikota area of the district. He was born at Veeranna Gattu Palli which is located next to Gandi Kshetram , a pilgrim centre, where Lord Anjaneya temple is located.
Vemana is said to be Achala yogi and an alchemist. His alchemy is more spiritual.
Scholars do not unanimously agree about the period in which he lived. C.P.Brown, who did extensive work on Vemana in his preface to the English translation Verses of Vemana, states that the date of birth from his 707th verse is Vemana's date of birth. But it is not clear. This cyclical date of Hindu calendar coincides with 1412 or 1472. Brown also wrote that the verses of Vemana were 400 years older in his preface of the book 'Vemana padyalu'.
He propagated Achala Yoga. Achala Yoga transcends the Vedas, the Upanishads and all the religious systems of the world, because of the till now no one described Vemana's philosophy comprehensively. His ultimate aim is to find the Achala which is not anything and which beyond of all. And the Achala is 26th. Advaitins and other religious exponents say, "25th is eternal, i.e Jnana is the Brahman". But according to Vemana, Achala is beyond of this Brahman too. It is beyond of iha and para.
The Andhra Pradesh Government established an University in Kadapa on his name Yogi Vemana University. Literature and Style
Many lines of Vemana's poems are now colloquial phrases of the Telugu language. They end with the signature line Viswadhaabhi Raama, Vinura Vema, literally Beloved of Vishwadha, listen Vema. There are many interpretations of what the last line signifies.
Vemana's poems were collected and published by C.P.Brown in the 19th century. His poems are of many kinds, social, moral, satirical and mystic nature. All of them are in Ataveladi (dancing lady) meter

Sample poetry

Uppu Kappurambu nokka polika nundu

Chooda chooda ruchulu jaada veru

Purushulandu Punya purushulu veraya

Viswadhaabhiraama, Vinura Vema

Salt and camphor look alike

With familiarity, the paths of their taste is different

Among men, virtuous people stand apart

Beloved of the Bounteous, Vema, listen!

Gangi govu paalu garitadainanu chaalu

Kadivedainanemi kharamu paalu

Bhakti kalugu koodu pattedainanu chaalu

Viswadhaabhiraama, Vinura Vema

A ladleful of a Sacred cow's milk is enough

Of what worth is even a potful of donkey's milk

Even a little food given with respect is sumptuous

Beloved of the Bounteous, Vema, listen!

Atmasuddhi leni acharamadi ela

Bhandasuddhi leni pakamadi ela

Chittasuddi leni sivpujalelara

Viswadhaabhiraama, Vinura Vema

What is the purpose of custom sans inner purity?

What is the purpose of cooking sans cleanliness of vessels?

What is the purpose of worship of Shiva sans purity of mind?

Beloved of the Bounteous, Vema, listen!