A child was born in India, on September 30, 1828, who was to play major role in introducing the science of Kriya Yoga to the world in present age. In the village of Ghurni, in the district of Nadia in West Bengal. Shayamacharan Lahiri, as a young boy, would often meditate and seek out quiet places for contemplation. His family was devoted to God in the aspect of Shiva, and built several temples for the purpose of private and public worship of this expression of God.
At school in Varanasi, Shri Lahiri was exposed to various languages, including English, Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and Persian. Possessed of abundant vitality, he was active in sports and would often swim in the Ganges. At eighteen years of age he was married to Kashimoni Devi, who later became his disciple and attained high realization. Two sons and three daughters were born of this union. The sons, Tinkari and Dukari Lahiri, followed in their father’s tradition of Kriya Yoga practice.
Lahiri Mahasaya, as he became known (Mahasaya is a title bestowed by disciples and means “one who is large-minded or cosmic conscious”), accepted employment as a clerk for the Ministry Works Branch. The department had the function of supplying materials for the army’s road-building projects. Lahiri Mahashaya also taught Hindi, Urdu and Bengali to various engineers and officers of his department. While practicing yogic methods in the privacy of his home, he attended to his family duties and social obligations with careful attention to detail. In this manner he became an example to others, showing that it is possible that one lives a normal life and still attains the highest goal of Self-realization.
Lahiri Mahashaya was working as a clerk at the Royal Engineers Office and was stationed at Dronagiri. In 1861 Lahiri Mahashaya unexpectedly transferred to Ranikhet near Nainital situated in the Himalayas. As such he traveled to this area. The month could be October or November. He was totally unknown of what was stored for him. In order to keep his job safe, he left his wife, sons relative and friends behind and kept moving towards snow clad mountains of Himalayas of northern India. In life-sketch of Yogiraj Lahiri Mahashaya, published by Shree Anand Mohan Lahiri, the year of his travel to Ranikhet was in 1867 and hence his age was 39 years.
At that time Nainital and Ranikhet were not like those are today. Ranikhet was almost a forest. There were not anything having the slightest resemblance of the opulence of that time. It was not proper village. A few huts and caves were there to shelter the monks and hermits (sadhu). This was all. Now-a-days all have changed. Ranikhet has all the amenities and opulence of a city. It has now a fully operational Army Cantonment of the British and number of Bungalows and shops owned by both Europeans and Indians. Now not a single sadhu is living there. They have all deserted the place many years ago and moved the higher secluded places fearing disturbance in meditation due to the proximity of a city. The valley and ridges are no longer purified by the dust of the lotus feet of the sadhakas.
By the help of his peon, Lahiri Mahashaya one day after completing the office work, visited the mountain path. Later, when they came close to a hill, rising, straight up and high, the peon pointed to the top of the mountain and said, “Sadhus live on the top of this hill. Thereafter the peon took the lower path and vanished. Now Lahiri Mahashaya started walking alone on to the up hill. He was getting tired. Many thoughts criss-crossed his mind. He was thinking why am I going up to see a sadhu and to do what with that etc. Though he kept climbing the hill, like an intoxicated person. He was not willing to go further but as if under the influence of some impulsive intoxication he kept on and finally arrived on the top of the hill. These days, this hill top is almost clean of trees. He reached there alright, but both his mind and body were tired. He was worried. And was also thinking that how would return to his place. However, soon he saw a sadhu in a waiting mood. The Sadhu was in a very pleasant mood and smiling. He offered him some fresh water after drinking which Lahiri Mahashaya felt better and offered his greetings to the Sadhu, and asked him as to how he could return home. The young Sadhu cast a surprised look on him and asked “Won’t you meet sadhu Maharaj of this place?” Shyamacharan replied, “I have met you — it is enough- now I have to return.”
The Sadhu said, “You have come here to see Sadhu Maharaj. How can you return without seeing him? Wait! He will come soon.” The sky was getting darker and darker and the first of the stars were showing. He waited for the Sadhu Maharaj in a trance like state. Soon he saw a middle-aged, strong and well built sadhu with very bright eyes and smile on his lips, approaching. Lahiri Mahashaya quickly stood up and offered his salutations. Smilingly the sadhu said- “so, Shyamacharan you could come. Are you all right?” What he will answer to the sadhu! His words created a lot of worry and anxiety in this mind. He was worrying — how the sadhu could know his name? Nobody know his name in this part of the world. Though he sometimes receives occasional letters, in this name — but there is no possibility that this sadhu can know that. He was further stunned when he heard the name of his late father, uttered by sadhu. But still, his mind was not ready to accept the sadhu — a real one. Contradictory thoughts, racing in his mind, made him apprehensive.
Sensing this the Sadhu said, “Shyamacharan you are not recognizing me. Have you completely forgotten me?” Lahiri Mahashaya replied — “No, I cannot remember at all, I have ever seen you.” At this the sadhu, very slowly touched him. The effect of the touch was spontaneous. An electrical wave ran through all his body and recalled the events of his last life. His mind and body was filled with joy and pleasure. Overwhelmed, he threw himself at the feet of the sadhu. His mind was dancing with joy! After a long long time he again met with loving Guru. He perhaps was initiated that very day. Many people are initiated in this way but his initiation has an inherent specialty in it. That day not only Lahiri Mahashaya was initiated but with him the destiny of his future disciple was also brightened. Countless persons of the world were given the path of Sadhana, many Sadhak of the past to stand before him to receive further guidance, again Gita will be read in every home of India, the knowledge of Gita will be spread, the rarely found, Rishi-practised (as practiced and protected by yogis of very high order) ancient discipline of yoga meditation for Shyamacharan! As such this day is very auspicious. The fate of very many people is connected with his initiation as the gate to Sadhana has been thrown open.
Over a period of several days, Lahiri was instructed in the complete process of Kriya Yoga; he was able to quickly master the techniques and procedures. After preliminary instruction, Kriya Yoga was given, after which Lahiri Baba spent several days in unbroken Samadhi. For the purpose of initiation, Babaji had materialized a beautiful palace by using his will to assemble subtle elements from the ether. ‘He explained that he did this in order to satisfy and fulfill Lahiri Baba’s subconscious desire for a palace, which he had in a previous incarnation.
The momentum of previous spiritual disciplines and the grace of his guru enabled Lahiri Baba to master in a short time that which takes the average seeker many years. Having been highly illumined in his previous incarnation, Lahiri Baba quickly awakened to a high state of consciousness. While Lahiri Baba had occasion to observe several interesting incidents. For instance, in the cave where Babaji and his disciples resided, there was a bawl which supplied food and water to the disciples. All a disciple had to do was to think of the food or drink desired and it was instantly materialized in the bowl. On one occasion, Lahiri visited a temple a few miles from the cave and there at night observed a holy man coming to worship. A bright halo surrounded the holy man; later Babaji told Lahiri he was the son of Dronacharya. The preceptor Dronacharya, of Maha-Bharata times, once lived at this place with the Pandavas, who were the virtuous faction engaged in the epic struggle later popularized in poems and stories, including the Bhagavad Gita. The holy man seen by Lahiri is, like Babaji, considered to be a mortal-immortal.
Before leaving Ranikhet, Lahiri Mahashaya initiated a few disciples into Kriya Yoga practices. It was characteristic of him to share the process with almost all who came to him with a sincere desire for spiritual quest. People of many religious traditions were initiated over the years. With Lahiri Baba, the age-old restrictions concerning yogic initiation were somewhat relaxed. Babaji agreed with Lahiri Mahashaya that the time had come for wider dissemination of Kriya Yoga.
Lahiri Baba taught his disciples to live in the world and to faith-fully attend to their spiritual practices. Highly advanced yogis were also initiated by the master, including Swami Sri Yukteshwar, Swami Pranabananda, Keshavananda Avadhut, Sri Shastri Mahasaya, Srimat Bhupendranath, Dayal Maharaja and Ram Gopal. So highly respected was he that Lahiri Baba was once mentioned by the famous Swami Trailanga, who said of him, “I have renounced all for that which Lahiri Mahasaya has been given by God.”
Twenty-two books, commentaries on various scriptures, were the result of Lahiri Baba’s efforts to bring the message of God realization to the person. He would not allow any formal organizational efforts, but did recommend that the teachings be transmitted to sincere seekers. Panchanan Bhattacharya, a disciple, assisted greatly in the preparation of manuscripts and their publication.
Lahiri Baba streamlined and simplified Kriya Yoga methods for use by ordinary seekers. The essential techniques he taught form the basis for a regular practice which can awaken latent forces in the devotee and be the means of liberation of consciousness. Several ashrams were founded by his various disciples, whom he permitted to give Kriya Yoga initiation, but the major public outreach was to find expression through Swami Sri Yukteshwar, who founded two Yoga training ashrams and prepared Paramahansa Yogananda for his mission in the West. When Yoganandaji was one year old his father, who was a disciple of Lahiri Baba, took him to the great guru for a blessing. Lahiri Baba held the infant on his lap and said, “He will be a great engine and bring many souls to God.”
A true incarnation of Yoga (Yogavatar) comes for a special purpose into this world and leaves when his mission is fulfilled. Thus it was that Babaji told Sri Yukteshwar, at their 1894 meeting at the Kumbha Mela, to take to Lahiri Baba a message to the effect that Lahiri Mahashaya’s time to experience mahasamadhi was not far distant. Six months before his transition, Lahiri Mahashaya told his wife of his plans to depart during the month of September, 1895. On the 26th day of that month, which was Mahastami, the second day of worship of the Divine Mother as Durga, a ritual ceremony had been conducted in the home of a neighbor. In this ritual, the most significant moment is at the transition of the phase of the moon, as it becomes brighter from the eighth to the ninth day. At this moment, Lahiri Mahasaya opened his eyes for a moment, then closed them to retire into deep meditation; he then made his conscious exit from the body. Three close disciples who were not present, later had visions of Lahiri Mahashaya.
The following day, after the body had been cremated at the Manikarnika Ghat by the Ganges, another disciple, Swami Keshavananda, was in his room when a great light filled the space. Lahiri Mahasaya appeared as flesh and blood, but younger and more radiant in appearance. He said to his disciple, “My householder’s work in the world is done; but I do not leave the earth entirely.Henceforth I shall spend some time with Babaji in the Himalayas, and with Babaji in the cosmos.” Some illumined souls continue their redemptive work for the world after leaving their physical form, by working through a subtle body. In this way they infuse planetary consciousness with useful energy, as well as work on inner planes with receptive disciples. The presence of Lahiri Mahasaya is keenly felt by devotees on the Kriya Yoga path when they attune themselves to God through the guru line.