Homecoming
The morning of 29 March 2006 was an auspicious one, as I stepped into a beautiful hillside property ready to preside over a house-warming ceremony. It was the first day of the soli-lunar Vedic New Year and the start of a new chapter in my life. As I entered the house where I would now reside, I reminisced about the extraordinary events linking this place to my past. This is where I had my first meeting with my spiritual mentor and Master, Paramahamsa Swami Hariharananda, who introduced me to a very special spiritual practice.

My divine recollections of Master invariably relate to this part of the Santa Barbara County. Highway 192, the Vedanta Centre, Toro Canyon Road, and the back roads of Montecito and Carpinteria remind me of those joyous meetings and the precious time I spent with my mentor. The seas, the mountains and the azure blue sky meet here amidst this spectacular sanctuary of God’s boundless kingdom. This is where my heart, goals and my awareness had found a new direction. By Master’s astonishing kindness, I have been brought back to where it all began for me. Life has a unique way of turning full circle. Here I was, moving into the same house to perhaps further the legacy of an extraordinary lineage of masters. It was as if my Master handed me the divine baton with the keys to his home hanging from it. In future, many a server, seeker or devotee will negotiate the same short cuts and back roads on a spiritual path to find me and learn about our exalted heritage.

To call it a ‘first meeting’ would not be strictly true; it was a divine reunion fructified from a momentum gathered over many lifetimes. In that moment of divine recognition when I first looked into his eyes, I lost my normal state of wakefulness. When I regained my composure, I found myself slumping against the door frame where I had supported myself to stop from falling over. As soon as I had recovered my senses, I sought permission to bow to His Holiness; he then uttered, “I have been waiting for you for so long.” Thinking that I had waited too long in the doorway, I rushed to offer my humble prostrations. Master signalled me to sit close to him and repeated, “Did you hear? I have been waiting for so long.” It was the beginning of a remarkable reunion.

As I was leaving Master’s room after our meeting, he told me that he could see the bottom of the ocean from his bed. Perhaps he was reassuring me about his hints on how my life would unfold in the coming years. My mother had tutored me during my upbringing about the signs that one should look for while meeting a Master. He had all the telltale signs she had indicated to me: the piercing gaze, compassionate expression, sense of fairness and the pinkish glow. But nothing had prepared me for hearing the destined course of my future that day and about our deep relationship in the coming years. Even though my ideals were firmly rooted in a deeply spiritual life, I had never contemplated or planned for formal monkhood. Master’s directions about my life and its future course still have a surpassing influence on me. Of course, his prophecies have duly fructified.

Holy Descent
As often seen in the descent of divine incarnations, the birth of Master was heralded by a special omen. His mother, Smt. Nabin Kali Devi, used to take a bath in a large pond situated on the family estate in Habibpur in the Nadia district. One day before her bath, she noticed leaves of holy basil stuck to her navel, which had gone unnoticed after the previous day’s bath. She confided this to her husband, Shri Haripada Bhattacharya, who then declared that a special soul was going to enter into her womb.

My close association with Master gave me the privilege of being able to serve him intimately. Thus, I was able to see three nearly equidistant horizontal lines forming the skin-folds on his abdomen. Later I verified that an esoteric Sanskrit scripture called Samudrika Shashtra states that one born with such marks comes from the realm of acharya-koti, which means from the cadre of rare Masters.

It is no coincidence that the village district of Nadia is also the birthplace of two other householder Kriyayoga Masters, the fountainhead of Kriyayoga Shri Lahiri Mahasaya and his youngest disciple, Shri Bhupendranath Sanyal. The Nadia district has been hailed as holy land, especially since the advent of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who descended in the Gregorian year 1486. Master was often hailed by many disciples as a second Chaitanya due to the similarity of certain traits displayed by them during their lila. Like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Master was also noted for his unconditional divine love, his bouts of God-intoxicated madness as well as his unflinching devotion to Lord Jagannath of Puri alongside a deep understanding of and scholarly aptitude for scriptures.

In his childhood, a joint family made up of ten siblings older than Master not only nourished him with caring attention from elders, but allowed for the burgeoning of his innate inclination toward the scriptures and his unfolding spirit of renunciation. Master’s childhood training started very early under the tutelage of his father, who cultivated spiritual discipline to supplement the studies, rituals, and scriptural ordinations. The estate gardens, with their dense foliage of mango groves, provided simple natural food including a plenitude of fresh milk drawn from the family’s cows, thus nourishing the divine whisper. Not only did he have the balanced emotional upbringing that recognized his nascent divinity, but his nature-loving spirit was nurtured by the lush, green, village estate. Master often reminisced about his childhood freedom while growing up in the township of Habibpur in rural Bengal. Simple living and high thinking, along with other conscious living principles, formed the bedrock of his later life as a renunciate. His formal renunciate life of over six decades was thus founded upon a childhood replete with high-minded moral discipline and parental coaching.

Spiritual Penance
From 1938 to 2002, Master led a sincere renunciate life dedicated to God and to God’s work. For the first two decades of this period, he kept himself mostly in seclusion while undergoing austere practices at the Karar Ashram in the seaside town of Puri. Master was divinely guided to move into this ashram, which was founded on the equinox of 22 March 1903 by Master’s visionary Guru Swami Shriyukteshwar Giri.

The first decade of his spartan reclusive training from 1938 was a very violent period in India and the world. The Second World War and the home front riots leading to the partition of India did not deter Master’s resolve to immerse in Godhood so that he could serve mankind better. In this very period, his direct personal relationship with God was established through a multitude of divine experiences. Divine Mother’s appearance, a vision of Lord Jagannath, and a direct blessing by Mahavatar Tryambak-baba (Babaji Maharaj) was the grace bestowed in reciprocation for his many acts of faith and intense meditation.

In one of his letters to a close disciple from his time at the Puri ashram, Master had drawn the vision of Lord Jagannath that he beheld in deep communion. He even narrated to many disciples his mystical experience of how he pleaded with Jagannath to show the light amidst Lord’s boundless darkness. In a dark room by himself with the door slightly ajar, he saw a flowing light form enter into the room. Not believing fully, he rubbed his eyes and kept meditating only to find a little later that the light had been whirling and growing. Finally, Master was completely surrounded and immersed in a thick light that filled the entire room. He then closed his eyes in trepidation and in disbelief of the prompt grace. After some time the light slowly left the room in the same manner in which it came, with a wavy river-like trail. This divine vision of the Lord inspired Master even more to pay his informal respects at the nearby Lord Jagannath temple that he visited frequently. Another routine ritual included paying tribute to the Jagannath trinity on the morning after the annual ashram foundation day celebration.

During the following decade, more results fructified from such untiring services as rebuilding the ashram premises, tending to his mother during her long stays and caring for his Guru’s altar. In fact, the Shriyukteshwar samadhi-temple became the cornerstone of the ashram in 1952. Nonetheless, Master bore a big shock in the same year when he lost the direct mentoring grace of Paramahamsa Swami Yogananda. It was during this period that he started initiating yearning disciples into Kriyayoga practices, while continuing his undeterred penance and steadfast investigation of scriptures.

These two formative decades came to an extraordinary finale as Master was ordained with his formal monastic vows on 27 May 1959 by a wondrous monk of India—an erstwhile Shankaracharya of international repute—the great mathematician Bharati Krishna Tirtha. Only a Shankaracharya could ordain Master with a different monastic last name. Master chose the Giri name instead of the Tirtha order to honour his connection with Swami Shriyukteshwar. The monastic name of Hariharananda was agreed upon by the Shankaracharya based on Master’s Jyotisha details. Therefore the two decades of training which rested upon a nurturing joint family upbringing bore fruition, giving rise to a monk with a potential amalgamated personality. The monastic name summed up the burgeoning double traits of Master that I had the opportunity to behold during my intimate years with him.

The Hari-Hara Personality
After Master’s passing, the lingering reminiscences in my three years of seclusion and pilgrimage further convince me that my time with Master was a dream reality manifested in another dimension, as if I did not age but only grew in wisdom. For it is not possible to use words or aphorisms to describe a genuine Master, neither is it possible to adequately gauge the depth of the teachings at the time when they are first delivered. One thing is certain, a Master of such calibre exemplifies how to lead one’s life according to the scriptures; such a life is simply divine.

My recollections of this divine dream subtly point to a unique aspect of our Baba—‘the revered father’ as many call him. This subtle aspect of his personality was perhaps not so easily apparent. His divine madness, loving playfulness, swings of his subtle feelings, portrayal of moods and sudden stern admonitions showed this other side of him. I have seen Master exhibit a character true to his name: the Hara or the knowledge aspect alongside the Hari or the devotion trait. A divine call that was to amalgamate this prospective Hari-Hara personality perhaps took him to the proximity of the Lord Jagannath Temple.

Indeed Master cultivated the subtle feelings of Lord Vishnu in his Hari aspect, and yet at the same time carried the subtle traits of Lord Shiva in his Hara aspect. So magical was this living up to the name, that Master could be, at times, seen switching between these two subtle aspects. The admixture of love and logic never left his teachings. A kind of fierce grace bore down on close disciples and especially on those who showed promise for a spiritual life. The love of a mother was bestowed with the oft-needed sternness of a father. Although such subtle rendering might have seemed mutually antithetical to many a disciple, it bore all the signs of the divine madness that were embodied in the name Hariharananda.

The soft compassion alongside discerning dispassion, and the mood swings of kindness versus strictness emerged spontaneously. In effect, Master reflected the disciple’s thoughts and moods like a mirror and discharged his teachings on the spot with a subtle feeling that mixed the loving, yet logical ‘fierce grace’ temperament. His teachings of compassionate detachment bore testimony to his depth of understanding of the scriptures. The stoic side of him followed the genuine love that he portrayed. What a true portrayal of the name with which he was ordained.

Master not only displayed unalloyed devotion to God, but showed the way one can feel the living presence of God in all of creation. His teachings of divine love percolated through everything in his own life and the disciples around him. He would often sing to the glory of God and adored composing melodies to hymns. He freely uttered intuitive interpretations of the scriptures. His command of the verses along with the logical juxtapositions of their metaphysical meanings left lasting imprints on the listener. Interwoven with wit and wisdom, the verses often flowed seamlessly together each textured with metaphors for the right situation. What amazing spontaneity from the namesake of Hari-Hara.

During most interactions, his facial expressions and projected subtle feelings (bhava) portrayed this Harihara state. It was difficult to figure out whether the love or the reason would be the first to be borne out. But whatever came first, his depth of love and exacting reasoning were very predictable because they always carried such profound fullness. The joy reflected a sweet smile and a childlike innocent love. On the other hand, the mood of sternness was meant for corrections and was often shattering to the disciple. Scriptural aphorisms were aptly quoted to firm up each piece of advice and often elaborated upon in the same manner of love and reason. It was an amazing admixture of faith and rationality that infused his presence and teachings, thus bearing a true reflection of his name. No doubt, Master’s sweet chastisement awakened the sincere disciples quickly, helping them build their spiritual foundation.

The Bliss in His Name
His masterly strides in leading the stream of disciples garnered beautiful people from all walks of life. Swinging his staff around him with a magical flare, he always stood with an erect posture, as if urging all to emulate his spiritual rectitude. He was especially radiant at every pause he took while walking briskly with sure steps. Even though he did not directly utter the words “Be like Hariharananda,” he seemed to be silently conveying this message. He urged disciples to always keep walking their spiritual path, for when one stops to clear an obstacle, the path is still waiting. To keep at it was his gentle nudge whenever one would seem to falter or want to give up. Mistakes were not for the sake of making mistakes but for the sake of correction, he emphasized. He urged all disciples to embark on a spiritual routine and deepen their spiritual practice through a disciplined, dignified life, without which theories and precepts were of little use.

Master’s surpassing influence on his disciples stemmed from his demonstration of being someone who fully lived what he taught. Sweet behaviour and impeccable habits bore testimony to his simple life sanctioned by the scriptures. He summoned the disciples to be humble and to proceed forward to behold the divine goal. He inspired anyone and everyone to make every moment of their lives Godly. Elucidating on practical methods from the scriptures and elaborating on them with examples from his own life, he asked disciples to incorporate such salient principles into their lives. He reminded all around him that their breath is the living breath of God.

Master not only glowed with divine knowledge, but he radiated an aura of divine wonder. No one could leave his presence without being reminded of the ultimate purpose of life and Godhood. So deep was his merging with the Divine that he often did not have to explain the truth; he was simply an expression of it. Exuding an all-knowing awareness that embraced the disciples, he chose the right moments to give advice, mixing his words with sweetness and sternness appropriate to the needs of each individual. His playfulness and direct instructions bore a lesson in inner renunciation and guided the disciples to cultivate compassionate detachment as a means of soul culture.

Beholding the Light of Grace
Master would often relate to me his personal life stories and mystical practices. I would look at him in awe of his holiness. Often, he would disappear into thick white light. His body form would completely merge into the light. These events happened spontaneously without my requesting or preparing to behold the moment. Because I was convinced of Master’s exalted status from our very first meeting, I could maintain a calm divine wonder at this oft-reproducible phenomenon. I had heard about other saints and monks demonstrating a similar ethereal presence of sublimated power. He himself had witnessed a contemporary saint, the bliss-permeated Mother Anandamayima, demonstrating her dissolution into an ascending light form. Thus, I considered these personal moments with Master as special darshan from my Guru. Even now, these divine memories evoke in me a vicarious give and take. How fortunate I was to behold such glorious blessings.

Changing or merging into light was perhaps among the most mystical of Master’s divine gifts and one that was only revealed to a few serious aspirants. However, what was obvious to all, were his informal personal traits and quips, including nods and gestures that were endearing enough to melt any difficult stance taken by a devotee. Sweetness poured out from him and the devotee would feel uninhibited to confide or confess. At times, the spoken metaphors would be too subtle to discern, even by a close disciple. In many situations, Baba subtly pointed to faults and corrections so as to not offend the disciple. Nevertheless, Master considered humility as an utmost necessity for spiritual depth. He reminded frequently that a tree bends down towards the earth due to the weight of its ripened fruit, thus equating the spiritual rising with the ripening of the fruit. As with many others, Master tested my response to provocations on more than one occasion, later acknowledging my perseverance.

Often our time together gave way to a steely silence. I would then ask whether Baba wanted to say something. Instantly a gentle smile would be followed by a small whisper. He would convey that the silence was a far greater medium of instruction and that we should communicate thus. Moments seemed like an eternity as he pointed to the sublime beauty wherever he directed his silent gaze. Indeed, such is the manner of a rare call to the prepared mind toward the highest understanding of the spirit behind all of creation. My caring hands on Master’s body would cease to feel all sensations amidst such blissful moments of his guiding me to the sublime excellence of silent yonder calls.

These close intimate ties made me realize how Master would sublimate and even transcend the amalgamated dual traits of his Harihara personality into a deep yonder silence. The deepening silence would even switch off the otherwise loud inner sound that would resonate within my ears and head, and reverberate through the entire body. The three divine streams of sound, pulsation and light which were heightened in Master’s proximity could even blend to a merged state of exalted fullness of pure divinity. Such was the power of his presence and the hidden strength of his Harihara God-intoxication.

The Ever-Accessible Teachings
The second coming of Kriyayoga commenced in 1974 with Master’s arrival on Western shores. He began with Western Europe, followed by the United States, guiding disciples for nearly three decades. His Western mission was preceded by pilgrimages and teaching tours of India in the 1960s. The Jagannath trinity of manifested divinity that includes His siblings, Subhadra and Balabhadra, inspired Master to formulate the now famous metaphorical teachings on the trinity of sound, pulsation and light meant for the Kriyayoga cultivation of the scriptural AUM.

Master taught with unflinching authority the metaphorical essence of the scriptures. His renditions embraced the common ground of all traditions and effortlessly elucidated the teachings of the world’s prophets. His explanations of the hidden meanings of scriptural aphorisms were logical, intellectually stimulating, and yet carried the fullness of heart needed to generate a venerable, subtle feeling of deepening faith. His sublime teachings of Yoga philosophy summed up Kriyayoga as the essence of Karma-Yoga, Jnana-Yoga, and Bhakti-Yoga with such simple dictums as “Breath is life,” “Life is God,” and “God is love.”

To the ardent server, Master taught the art of service and nonattachment to results; to a genuine seeker, Master freely quoted from the scriptures to elucidate the deeper meanings; and to a loving devotee, Master exemplified divine love as the way to cultivate faith. So broad and effortless was his outreach that everyone and anyone had the opportunity to learn and feel richer in his presence. His sternness while guiding meditation classes was aimed at breaking down barriers in the practice of techniques. But above all, his guidance of Kriyayoga practice, through the cultivation of tangible and subtle inner streams of sound, pulsation, and light gave the maximum benefit to the practitioner of Kriyayoga. Only a Master of his calibre could effect such profound teaching for the masses of servers, seekers, and devotees.

Closure of Earthly Life
Master’s divine play (lila) in the last days before the closure of his earthly life was also a surreal event. A kindly light seemingly flickered for a brief moment as it gathered momentum for a subtler course. Only a single breath was used to begin the ascension, leaving a mortal body behind, thereby creating a legacy of a myriad of inspiring teachings for many more generations of disciples to come. Our Master, Paramahamsa Swami Hariharananda Giri, closed his earthly life on the third day of December, 2002, and was ceremoniously buried soon thereafter. Although he has passed on to yonder realms, he has perhaps become more accessible, through the earnest prayers of the followers who wish to emulate him. Master departed from his body, thus leaving an imprint of his Kriyayoga teachings in the West, perhaps to honour the mission of the revered Swami Shriyukteshwar Giri.

Words cannot describe a realized saint’s character, for his ways are extraordinary. What is paranormal to untrained eyes is the very domain of normal for exalted beings. Master was obviously no stranger to that transcendental realm. Unique in his repeated willful demonstrations of pulseless and breathless states of meditative communion, his passing also revealed telltale signs of yogic enigma. Stillness became alive and yet so silent. It was as if a deep silence paid its respects as Master inhaled for the last time, his pulse not ceasing for more than twenty minutes thereafter.

The End is the Beginning
In retrospect, my time with Master during my premonastic years and his direct intimate mentoring that followed during my monkhood can only be classified as a divine dream. The divine momentum has now brought me back again to the same space, perhaps to honour Master’s legacy by cultivating the manifestations of this dream reality—my moving in and the continuity of the wisdom teachings. Here now, I tread with a heart brimming with divine nectar, with hands holding the baton and the staff to be passed on. Master reminds me of a heart poured out for the sake of yearning disciples. Piercing the veil of his enigmatic advice, disciples could easily come out of his presence feeling that they were loved by Master most of all. Words cannot gauge or explain the depth of Hariharananda. He is beyond worldly comprehension and only someone in a divine dimension could behold the direct personal understanding of such a rare Master. Indeed, such are the blessings from God and Guru.

Master’s silent, penetrating gaze and loving expressions embodied the yonder mystery while at the same time communicated the reassuring spirit of “I am here for you.” Often brimming with loving glances and treating difficult situations with childlike innocence, Master was adored by all around him. Immersed in unbroken God-consciousness, his smile radiated unbounded, ethereal joy. To find the bliss behind such a smile, one would need to emulate his divine life of light and love.

Presented by Swami Vidyadhishananda Giri on 29 March 2006, The Vedic (Samvat 2063) New Year’s Day in the USA