Mahamuni Babaji
of the Himalayas, represented with the Bengali script for OM
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Welcome to
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Swami Satyeswarananda Maharaj sponsored the following endowments in the Philosophy Department of the University of Calcutta (he was an alumni of the University)
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CAUTION Blessed are the Bengalis; for they received the Original Kriya Path. Right from Mahamuni Babaji’s principal Kriya disciple, Lahiri Mahasay, to the present day all the Original Kriya Masters (Guru-param-para - lineage of Guru) 99.9% are Bengalis. They used Om (representing Mahamuni) in Bengali Script. That is why the Bengali Script of Om is used traditionally over the Devnagiri Script to represent him. He has not given his photo to the world. Mahamuni’s photo cannot be taken by a camera. Some American artist drawing sketches as per Yogananda’s instruction made a portrait. Know it for certain that it is NOT a real photo. It is true that Mahamuni looks like Lahiri Mahasay, but not like a body builder. A camera failed to take Lahiri Mahasay’s photo; it was possible only when his permission was granted. Produced here is the only photo of Lahiri Mahasay in black and white (original).
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Like the auspicious number 108, there are 108 steps of the original Kriya.
Lahiri Mahasay received them from Mahamuni Babaji in Dunagiri Hill, Himalayas in 1861 and grouped (not modified) them into four on the line of the four Vedas (Rik, Sam, Yayur and Atharva) and also as on the four sides of the body.
Thus whoever practices Original Kriya is practicing the Vedas of the Vedic culture regardless of his or her religious faith.
The word “Spirit” is derived from the Latin word “Spiritus” which means “Breath”.
Naturally, SPIRITUALITY means attaining the Spirit or “the Tranquil State of Breath” by the practice of Kriya or Pranayam which is based on “Breath.” NOTHING else is called Spirituality, other than tranquilizing the restless breath and thereby removing motions and vibrations behind the thoughts. Realizing Prana through the breath is beyond the realization of the so called idea of God or the concept of Brahma, or any other religious Godhead. Any endeavor with anything which is NOT connected with “Breath” or “Spirit” is definitely NOT Spirituality.
Attaining ATMA or the SELF (which is the undeniable ONLY self-evident TRUTH, eternally exists, and is all encompassing including the skeptics) through the practice of Kriya Pranayam is SPIRITUALITY. Thus Kriya is often called “Atma-Kriya”.
Studying Kriya does not mean studying like in the schools, colleges, and universities for academic achievements. It is also not like theoretical intellectual exercise and philosophizing. Kriya is a positive science: The Science of Breath (Prana) like physics and chemistry. The mind or the restless breath (according to Kriya) being the element or substance to be conducted (practiced) in the test tube of U shaped inhaling and exhaling in the body laboratory to become one with the Atma or Self which is the subject within. Thus by dissolving the duality (individual self) or destroying the character of a seer (individual self) and becoming One with the Self within or being Atmastha in the light of Yoga, or Tadatma (being one with That) in the light of Vedanta, the Kriyanwit seeker, the subjective scientist (being one with the Subject – the Self) becomes all pervading and all encompassing supreme Self or the Lord.
As Lahiri Mahasay condensed all these 108 steps of the Original Kriyas and grouped (not modified) them into four, he took the responsibility strictly to maintain the tradition of Parampara, meaning, personally teaching one on one (Master and disciple).
Only the Guru (the Kriya advisor), observing personally the disciple’s (student’s) needs, accordingly determines the course of the practice of a particular seeker. The Guru first initiates the disciple personally on a one and one basis, some Kriya from group one (listed below).
Some Kriya is taught and some Kriya is NOT taught to a particular disciple; for example, Priyanath Karar (Swami Sriyukteswar) was not taught Navi Kriya by his Guru, Lahiri Mahasay.
Again, some Kriya is taught to be practiced at an earlier stage and the same Kriya is taught to some other at a later stage; for example, Kali Banerjee was taught by Lahiri Mahasay to practice Mahamudra at the later stage.
From all these Kriyas, a Guru after observing the needs of a particular disciple checked out the particular disciple’s course of the practice and customized it. In this process of customizing a Kriya course to an individual disciple, some Kriya practicing before and some Kriya practicing later is advised; also dropping some Kriya to introduce to a particular disciple is also followed.
If a wife needs a separate Kriya from her husband, then Lahiri Mahasay introduced it separately. It is that “strict point” to maintain the “secrecy” as well as the “personal and direct” teaching.
Once Lahiri Mahasay mentioned to an advanced disciple (at his request regarding his wife) that the husband is the Guru of the wife, and then he gave a handkerchief to the disciple, saying, after touching her forehead with this handkerchief, he could initiate her.
It so happened, after the initiation, the advanced disciple sent the body purification money with a note: “Baba! Who can initiate others except you? When I sat for the initiation ceremony, I felt a jolt in the body – you took charge of my body and so you initiated her. Also your disciple told me that she had a good darsan (seeing) in between the eyes the moment I touched her forehead with the handkerchief.”
The direct, personal, and customized teaching and to maintain “secrecy” and “righteousness” Lahiri Mahasay had to keep everything under direct supervision. He remembered how he had to struggle to get the permission from Mahamuni Babaji in the Himalayas to his proposal to give Kriya to others. Babaji knew Lahiri Mahasay’s problem of kindness, even from his previous life, to the fellow human beings, forgetting to attain first his own final liberation. That is why Mahamuni Babaji was very strict in the last incarnation of Lahiri Mahasay who could be easily carried away and create more unfinished Karmas. At the same time Mahamuni Babaji was committed to perform his duties towards Lahiri Mahasay.
In today’s world of confusion with “the modifications of Kriyas” and “You tube generations” initiation through video conference, the necessity is felt to provide this road map of the Original Kriya highlighting:
a) Strict and personal way: Guruvraktagamya, “learning from
the mouth of the Guru”,
b) Righteous way of Initiation, and c) Maintaining secrecy. All are very important.
Group 1 - It is comprised of the following Kriyas and Mudras:
Mahamudra (the Great Kriya); Navi Kriya (the Grand Center, the seat of the seeker – Kriyanwit or Kriyanwita); Khecharimudra or Talabya Kriya, the Aerial Mode or inner-Outer-Space Kriya; First Kriya or Pranayam – Sarab (with sound), Nirab (without sound), Manasik (mental); and simple form of Yonimudra (Inner-beatific-Revelation-Kriya – this mudra must not be confused with Jyotimudra of modified Kriya).
Lahiri Mahasay once made a comment: Everything can be achieved by the First Kriya; what he meant by the First Kriya was the entire group 1 and not a particular Kriya. For example, Vrinda Bhakat, a postal peon (clerk) did not need more Kriyas.
Group 2 – ONLY AFTER the successful Talabya or Khechari, the second Kriya or Thokar/Thokkar Kriya is introduced in addition to group 1. It is a PRECONDITION in the Original Kriya system. This is called sthir bayur Kriya (“Kriya of the tranquil Breath”), in addition to group 1.
Group 3 – At this is a higher stage, Brahma Yonimudra is introduced, and the greater dimension of Thokar Kriya is also advised, in addition to group 1 and 2.
Group 4 – This is also a higher stage, when all Kriyas
are integrated, all four sides of the body are integrated, and all four Vedas
are revealed and integrated into Oneness, eternal Tranquility or Sthirattva
(Peace or Brahma Nirvan). This is a state of Chira Mouna (Eternal
Silence … ), in addition to group 1, 2, and 3.
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FAITH: IN THE CONVENTIONAL SENSE The organized religions and faiths in the conventional sense are incapable of delivering Spirituality, pure Consciousness of the absolute Self; hence, one needs to seek the state of desirelessness (nirvasana) which alone has the capacity to bestow eternal Happiness or Freedom; otherwisely, called Liberation. The people of organized religion have no chance to be sincerely aware that eventually, all union ends in disunion (one departs alone from the world) and all earthly-gained-wealth in loss (no one can take anything).
FAITH
(BISWAS)
IN THE SPIRITUAL SENSE The equivalent term of the word “faith” in Sanskrit is BISWAS which can be scanned into two: Bi and swas; the part Bi is Bigata which means “past,” “dissolve,” or “tranquil,” and the part swas means “breath.” Therefore, Faith is “Tranquil Breath.” The common notion and popular expression: “Have faith in God,” should be interpreted spiritually that one needs to tranquilize one’s breath. Therefore, it is fair to say that teaching “Faith” in the churches in this context, is missing the fundamental ingredient, that is, “Tranquil Breath.” Realizing God or the Self is EXCLUSIVELY A PERSONAL MATTER and there is no scope, at all, of spiritual organizations, churches, or any agency in between the seeker and God, the Self. Unfortunately, crisis creeps in any religion and the teaching of spiritual disciplines when the fundamental factor is made confused or muddied in the first place; that is, a personal matter (direct teaching from Master to disciple) is taught through the so-called spiritual organizations and churches by the novices whose breath and life are still in the restless state (being outward with attachments for commercial gains, accumulating abundant wealth and having a big ego).
BREATH: THE SPIRIT The word SPIRIT is derived from the Latin word SPIRITUS which means “Breath.” When the Bible says, “God is a spirit” (John 4:24), it really means that God is a state of “Tranquil Breath,” devoid of restlessness. In fact, the state of Godhood is the state of Tranquil Breath; when it becomes restless, Creation begins, that is, when one breathes, Creation starts. If one attains the “state of Tranquil Breath,” one achieves the “state of Godhood.” This is certain. The answer for tranquilizing one’s breath (Prana) is Pranayam (the state of Oneness Union, Yoga). Nanya pantha bidyate ayanaya (Upanisad): “There is no other way left.” Therefore,
the answer is Pranayam.
YOGA |
IMPORTANT “The BASIC and FUNDAMENTAL features of the teaching of yoga discipline is that the yoga practitioner should perform each Karma in life with EQUANIMITY treating success and failure ALIKE. (Samatang yoga uchyate. Bhagavad Gita 2:48) for it is Providence [DAIBA] that gives the result. “Man expects high, though destiny might have decreed against him, and he receives happiness or sorrow as it might chance. Binding himself into the results through expectation [vasana], he attracts bondage into the cycle of birth and death and cannot release himself. “Karmanye badhikaraste ma phalesu kadachana. Bhagavad Gita 2:47 ‘You have the right to practice Kriya, perform Karmas, but don’t expect results.’ “Therefore, the smart thing to do is to abandon the expectation of results and continue to practice sincerely and very strictly to the instruction and the order received personally (one on one basis) from the living lips of a Guru (Guruvaktragamya). Learning from the representatives in group of any organization, which are prohibited by Mahamuni Babaji, is false, because they lack the authority of command for a mantra to be effective.” |
| Necessary
Authority of Command It is absolutely necessary to know the meaning of a mantra and make it conscious (alive) to be effective; or else, chanting a mantra or japa a million times will not be effective and fruitful.
The verse says, “One who does not know the meaning of a mantra, or has not attained the awakened state of a mantra, and has not known of Yonimudra, his one hundred thousand or even one million japa will not bring him success.” The explanation is: The true meaning (spirit or life) of all Mantras is breath (the wordings of a mantra are important but secondary), and the process of awakening a mantra from its dormitory state to the conscious state (chaitanya) is Kriya Pranayam. The practice of one hundred thousand or even one million japa without knowing (practicing) Yonimudra (not Jyoti Mudra as some propagate) will not bring success. The simple reason is that without making a mantra conscious (alive or chaitanya) thousands of chanting or japa will not be effective. This is certain. The dormant and inherent state of the inner Light (Jyoti) and the inner Sound (OM) of a mantra along with its vibrations (spandan), can only become alive if the person makes the breath tranquil (Sthira) by the practice of Kriya Pranayam. Thus the most important point is to attain the tranquil state of Breath (Sthira Prana) which makes a mantra conscious (alive or chaitanya) and generates the absolute necessary legitimate Authority of Command to be effective and fruitful. The commercial and the mass group teaching through the organizations and through the representative lack that Authority, as a result, the whole thing becomes a farce exercise. A small story could prove the point very well. In a small beautiful kingdom, peace and prosperity were prevailing when the king's very able prime minister sought six months leave to spend time with his Gurudev. “Why six months? What do you plan to do,” asked the king. The minister’s answer that he wanted to learn the Gayatri Mantra, left the king puzzled. The king knew it was a simple mantra. Asking the minister to meet him the next day to discuss about the proposed leave, he sent for the head priest and learnt the mantra by heart. The next day, when the minister presented himself, the king recited the mantra twice, looked triumphantly at the minister and said, “For this, you wanted to take leave for six months? Were you joking yesterday? I learnt it in just two minutes.” Without blinking, the minister said, “You recited it alright but there is no authority, moral force or legitimacy of command in the recitation.” The king was furious at being challenged. He thought old age was making the minister a little senile. A mantra is a mantra; he thought and asked the minister to prove that mantra recitation needed some kind of authority. The minister called a servant and ordered, “Tie the king up.” The servant was shocked and did not even move. The king was now convinced that the minister had gone mad. In rage, he ordered the servant to tie up the minister. The servant immediately tied up the minister. The arrested minister laughed. A surprised king demanded an explanation. The minister said, “Both of us gave the same order. But the servant only complied with your order because there was authority and legitimacy in your command.” Realization dawned on the king, who embraced the minister and sent him on leave to learn the mantra. |
| VEDANTA |
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The Self, or the Atma alone exists eternally, and so it does not reincarnate. The popular notion is that the individual self or the jiva reincarnates, which is not correct. It is the mind (the restless breath in the light of Kriya), which is born, reincarnates, migrates to other bodies, and goes to other worlds. The objective world is a materialization of the mind and so in spirituality, renunciation of material things does not matter at all. It is the mind (restless breath or the ego) that needs to be renounced through the actual practice of pranayam or Kriya. One will realize the Self, the Atma when all desires (vasana) would be renounced. Eternal happiness or contentment (santos) lies in the state of desirelessness (nirvasana). So be tranquil in Oneness within with the Self or the Atma.
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| Practice! Practice! Practice! Constant undistracted practice is the real key to attain realization of the absolute Self. Because of wrong thinking for many incarnations, ignorance has firmly established its stronghold and so it appears as external objects (sangsar-adambar – the world-show). It is the monstrous mind that creates the unreal, magical, phenomenal, world-show and stretches it out in front of us through its own imagination to play the game of ensnarement (entrapment). Therefore, the external world, the subjective experiences and assertions are all ignorance. Ignorance is of two kinds: superior (nivritti) and lower (pravritti). Nivritti or the subjective that draws in the outgoing vritti (modification or wave of the mind) is superior; the ignorance which tends to enjoy life – in the objective world is the lower one (pravritti). So destroy ignorance by superior ignorance (nivritti). To be free from this ensnarement of the mind one must engage to practice at the present moment and not on the thoughts of past and future. Ignorance ends in a similar way when the imagined snake is discovered to be really a piece of rope. The Self (Atma) is beyond senses. Atma is realized when the mind and the senses subsiding completely in the Atma, are not operative at all. A Vedantist would say – Knowledge is born of ignorance and destroys ignorance; a man in a dream is chased by a tiger and generates tremendous fear; remembering he has a gun, he shoots the tiger dead and awakes. The illusory gun shoots the illusory tiger and releases the man from fear. Similarly, Knowledge is born of ignorance and destroys ignorance. One who has awakened to spirituality is free from all fear and realizes the Self.
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