In our pious land India so many great men were born and they had left behind their ideals, self-denying flow of lie to us. People might have been attracted by their sanctifying grace of life or supernatural events. In later ages these have been recorded in series of books. People living in society virtually accept the ideals and sublime behaviour of those noble persons.
As the Shrimad Bhagavada Gita quotes………
Yad-yadacharati shresthadtaddevetaro Janah,
Sa yat pramanam kurute lokastad anuvartate. 3/21
The common people follow those behaviours, which the noble men have done in their lives. As the social or vedic deeds are authentic, the common people try to follow them without any hesitation.
I would like to highlight a short life-story of a great man whose life from birth to death was divine, ideal, renouncing and full of sacrificial love. As an ardent follower, I lived with him for 17 years and which I produce here is a little bit description. I was introduced to revered preceptor Shrimat Swami Shuddhananda Giri Maharaj in 1976 and with his permission I had a great Chance to live with him as an ashramite since 1978.
His household name was Shailesh Mohan Mazumdar. He was born to Shri Mohini Mohan Mazumdar and Tarabasini Devi. Six sons and one daughter were born to them. It was uncommon at that time that one son was unmarried and the other two took up ascetic life living in the same family. The first son Shri Monomohan Mazumdar alias Swami Satyananda Giri Maharaj was the founder Acharya of Satsanga Mission, Sevayatan, Jhargram . His brother were Nripendra Mohan, Kshirod Mohan, Shailesh Mohan (later named Swami Shuddhananda Giri Maharaj), Nalini Mohan, Gopi Mohan. He had a sister named Sarayubala. Shailesh Mohan lived till five years of age at his maternal house at Malkhanagar of Dhaka. His primary education started there and later he came to Calcutta with his parents and lived in a house adjacent to deaf and dumb school at Garhpar Road.In Calcutta Shailesh Mohan was admitted to Mortan Institution at Amherst street. I myself heard from his speech that the school he was admitted was established by the great writer of Shri Ramlcrishna Kathamrita (Shri Mah alias Mahendra Gupta) with whom he came in touch later on.
In 1919 Swami Satyananda Giri Maharaj, a teacher of Ranchi Brahmacharya School (established by Swami Yogananda) took Shailesh Mohan to Ranchi and got him admitted to his school where he taught. Ranchi Brahmacharya School was set up by the grace of his highness Maharaja of Kashimbazar, Lord Manindra Chandra Nandi at his garden-house stretching a land of 70 Bighas. The school was established in that fruit garden of Ranchi full of Lichi, mango, robe-apple, jack-fruit, pear, guava trees. By the earnest effort of Paramhansha Swami Yoganandaiji that school was established in 1918. At the time when Shailesh Mohan studied these (Ranchi) almost the path of gurulcul and earned a good name soon. The teachers included Sw. Yoganandaji, Sw. Satyananda Giriji, Hansha Swami Kebalanandaji, Sw. Shrddhanandaji, Br.Sadananandaji etc. During his study period Shailesh Mohan got their idealism and education. As his school was till then not sanctioned by the Government Education Department, Shailesh Mohan was transferred to Bankura Zila School from where he passed the Matriculation Examination with distinction in 1926. In student life he was very calm, quiet and sober. He was very much at home in eulogy, mohamudgar composed by Shankaracharya and religious songs. He had a profound knowledge in songs. At time he was called in to recite hymns and sing songs in religions discourses. From 1919 to 1926 he spent his boyhood days at Ranchi Brahmacharya school. From different corners of India students througed there. Swami Shuddhanandaji uttered,— “The emotional sentiments there were of typical type. The Boarding house seemed to be our own house. None of us wanted to leave that place during the vacation. The relation between the techers and the student were so sweet.”
Guruji used to’say about daily routine of student life. “We had to get up at the very auspicious moment in the morning. After performing morning duties we had to assemble for morning prayer. Then we used to chant —
“Aham Devo nah chanyoshmi
Brahmaibaham na shokovak
Sachhidananda rupohaham
Nityamukta swabhavoban.”
After prayer he used to practise yoga and physical exercises. Then he had his breakfast consisting of molasses, chida and soaked peas. After taking breakfast he began to go through his studies. The renown persons of that period like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the direct disciple of Yogiraj Swami Pranabanandaji. Even the ascetics of the Ramkrishna Mission visited the school. There was no narrowness.
He used to sing some yoga-songs along with other mates like “Manua Chalare gurudham.” The students had to serve the teachers, guests and the patients. They derived pleasure out of it. No students were averse to it. Once Swamiji expressed- “we have passed a best part of life”. As Swamiji spoke this, he became impassioned. The memory of student-life brings in joy. That remembrance was kept in the care of heart by the preceptor. Besides, there are happy remembrances also.
With a view to getting higher education Shailesh Mohan was transferred from Ranchi Brahmcharya School to City College, Calcutta. He was admitted to Intermediate in Arts course. He used to join regularly Satsanga Meeting held at Garhpar Road. He practiced meditatfon along with his studies.
Paramhansa Yoganandaji was the direct disciple of Swami Shri Yukteshwar Giri Maharaj. His father was the direct initiated disciple of Yogiraj Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri. Shastri Mahashaya (Swami Kebalanandaji Maharaj) was the initiated disciple of Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashaya. As he passed the Shastri Title examinatioin from Lahore Sanskrit University, everybody used to call him “Shastri Mahashaya”. The young Shailesh Mohan used to study Sanskrit under the guidance of Shastri Mahashaya. Soon he was attracted by his sober behaviour and devotion. Along with physical studies he used to guide Shailesh Mohan metaphysical subjects. Shailesh Mohan was previously introduced to Shastri Mahashaya in Calcutta. Hanshaswami Kebalanandaji at first initiated him in Kriyayoga. He practiced Kriya yoga along with his regular studies. The preceptor Swami Kebalanandaji had a great affection for Shailesh Moahan. He was not only his teacher but also a initiator. In 1930 Shailesh Mohan got his B.A. Degree. One year after graduation he got his training at ‘Deaf and Dumb’ school. He learnt how to teach them by gesture only.
Being trained he taught from 1932 to 1947. Though he was not formally initiated for Brahmacharya, yet he led a life of restriction devoid of luxury. He used to teach in the Deaf and Dump School dressed like a brahmchari. During his teaching period a house was rented at upper Circular road (presently A.J. Bose road) and a hostel was started there. The hostel was located at 7, Brindaban lane where the ex. students of Ranchi Brahmacharya school met together and held satsangha meetings there. In 1943 an artificial famine was created by the, misrule of the British Government. Thousands of people died due to hunger. Hearing this news Swami Premananda, who was then in America sent a telegram and also money to Shailesh Mohan to stand by the affected people. As per instruction shailesh mohan along with other mendicants stood by the famine- stricken people with relief Since then Satyananda Giri Maharaj had a mind to set up a mission which resulted as Sevayatan Sat samgha mission at Jharagram in Midna pore district. This is in a nut shell the sketch of early life of Shailesh Mohan. Who later became the Chief of Sevayatan as Swami Shuddhananda Gin Maharaj.
In 1955 Swami Shuddhandaji along with Swami Bimalanandaji of the Bharat Sevashram sangha started with a determined to visit the Kailash and manas sarovar on foot. He crossed Pithoragarh in than Uttarpradesh and reached Dharchula. It took twenty days more to reach the Kailash and Manas sarovar. The narrow path of the hills was very dangerous and painstaking but due to hard determination he defeated all difficulties and reached his goal. He returned safely from what to say more a very dangerous destination where oxygen is much in sufficient for life. In 1957 he was initiated in Sannyas by swami Satyananda Giri Maharaj and since then he was know as Swami Shuddhanda Giri. He then took charge of sevayatan and also selected as the secretary of the trustee board, he served the Sevayatan in every corner from sunrise to sunset every day, He visited Bangladesh and mostly stayed at Panchanan Dham of Chittagong and initiated countless devotees. later on he permitted his dearest devotee Swami Nityananda Giri to initiate devotees in Kriya yoga. He led a very simple life. He talked little but worker much. He was proudless and thrifty. He avoided luxury. He wrote letters regularly to different persons. He used to take morning and evening walks regularly.
The dooms came on 11th October, 1993. He performed all duties the wholeday. At 4.30 PM he felt uneasiness. The doctors were called in but all their efforts failed. He breathed his last at 5.55 PM and became Brahmalin. The last sun of the Sevayatan set. The temple is still there the deity has disappeared.