Brahmarshi Dr. Raghabananda Nayak
Nov 01, 2024
Brahmarshi Dr. Raghabananda Nayak
Affectionately called “The little Lahiri Mahasaya” by his disciples, Dr. Raghabananda Nayak, is the only disciple of Paramahamsa Hariharananda to have ever attained the Samadhi state on the day of Kriya Yoga initiation, just as Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahasaya did when Mahavatar Babaji initiated him.
Born on September 19, 1938, he came in contact with Paramahamsa Hariharananda in early 1964 and was initiated into the sacred Kriya-Yoga by the Great Guru in 1965 at Karar Ashram.
The infallible love and grace of the Great Master sends him in to the Supreme blissful state of Samadhi on the very day of Initiation.
In a moments time he glimpsed the future of Kriya-Yoga and his role as a propagator.
Raghabanandaji with Swami Premananda Giri
Thence with Swami Premananda Giri, the first Sanyasi disciple of Paramahamsa Hariharananda, Raghabanandaji began to systematize the whole structure of spreading the message of Kriya Yoga and thus the great revolution was set in motion.
Slowly, the message taught by the Kriya Yoga Master Baba Hariharananda, reached the locale and the whole country of India.
Baba Hariharananda's divine qualities and teachings began to be recognized by the whole world.
In the 1970s the Menninger Foundation of Topeka, Kansas, conducted a series of scientific experiments with Raghabanandaji, studying among other things his alpha waves in the state of meditation.
Highly impressed by their observations, they nicknamed him “the prince of peace.”
The results were later presented in a scientific documentary, “Yoga for the West,” as well as in the best-selling book Beyond Biofeedback by Dr. Elmer and Alice Green, the internationally-known eminent psychologists.
Under the guidance of Paramahamsa Hariharananda, Raghabananda completed all the higher Kriya at the Karar Ashram, Puri, and was empowered as an accomplished Acharya in 1974.
Since that time, he has been devotedly working on his divine assignment, by guiding and initiating spiritually-inclined people, writing numerous books on Kriya Yoga, and training acharyas of the Kriya Yoga order.
Rajarshi Raghabananda with Paramahamsa Hariharananda
In 1992 his beloved guru conferred on him the title of Rajarshi, “Royal Sage”, the highest honor conferred to householder disciples.
He was the president of the Hariharananda Kriya Yoga Mission – Sambalpur, Orissa, India, founded by his beloved master Paramahamsa Hariharananda in the year 1992.
This ashram is one of the very rare ones in India headed by a householder.
In appointing Raghabananda to manage this ashram, Baba has shown that Kriya Yoga, is the path most suited for householders - anyone can be a “karma Sanyasi,” performing his worldly duties as an offering to God, in a detached and blissful way.
KRIYA YOGA INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR AT BANABIRA ASHRAM
On May 25, 2013, at Derozio Hall of Presidency University, Kolkata, he was honored by many respected members of the Kriya Yoga community and the relatives of Paramahamsa Hariharananda as Brahmarshi, a realized householder yogi.
HARIHARANANDA KRIYA YOGA MISSION BANABIRA ASHRAM, ODISHA, INDIA
Before his Mahasamadhi on October 31, 2016, he was President of Hariharananda Kriya Yoga Mission, and also he was the President of the Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Brahmarshi Raghabananda System of Kriya Yoga.
Several of his books are available in English and videos can be found on YouTube.
Publications available in English:
The Essence of Kriya Yoga by Rajarshi Raghabananda
Infinite within Finite by Rajarshi Raghabananda with Paramahamsa Hariharananda
The Music of Silence: Kriya Yoga from Babaji to Paramahamsa Hariharananda by Rajarshi Raghabananda
A Throb of Eternity by Rajarshi Raghabananda
Babaji by Rajarshi Raghabananda
Lahiri Mahasay and The Glorius Tradition of Kriya Yoga by Rajarshi Raghabananda
On Samadhi by Paramahamsa Hariharananda
