Brahmananda Saraswati
 |
Jagad-guru of Jyotir Math |
Brahmananda Saraswati (1870 - 1953) was born into a
Brahmin family in the village of Gana, near
Ayodhya in
Uttar Pradesh, India. At the age of nine he left home to wander and follow a spiritual path of renunciation. At the age of 14 he found his master, Dandi Swami Krishnanand Saraswati, in
Uttar Kashi. Later, following his master's instructions, he retired to a cave, resolving not to emerge until he had attained enlightenment. In 1902 he was initiated into the order of "Sanyas" by his Master at the
Kumbh Mela.In 1941, after decades of meditation and maintaining silence, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati finally accepted repeated requests to become the
Shankaracharya (spiritual head) of
Jyotirmath, a position that had been vacant for 150 years.
The
Adi Shankara (c. 8th century CE), the great reviver of Vedic
Sanatana Dharma, had four principle followers, Padma-Pada, Hasta-Malaka, Vartika-Kara and Trotaka who each established a monastery in the north, south, east and west of India. Jyotirmath is the northern monastery.
Swami Brahmananda Saraswati was the
guru of
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who became his devotee shortly before his installation and later became his personal assistant. The Maharishi's followers respect and revere "Guru Dev" as their
Paramguru.
Related link
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Quotations from Shankaracharya Swami Brahmananda Saraswati[1] srigurudev biography[2] www.shrigurudevji.com
