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.