Brahmarshi Dr. Raghabananda Nayak

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 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. 

 

Thence with Swami Premananda Giri, the first Sanyasi disciple of Paramahamsa Hariharananda, he 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 and subsequently the whole world. 

 

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 was 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.

 

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.

Raghabanandaji was the life time President of Hariharananda Kriya Yoga Mission Banabira, Orissa, India. Banabira is the only Kriya Village in the world, where Raghabanandaji has been nurturing a Kriya community since 1986.

 

There one can breathe peace and calmness and observe the villagers living a very poor and simple life, yet immersed in an extraordinary state of consciousness and happiness.

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Out of 1,400 villagers, an outstanding two thirds are kriyabans!

 

In every home there is an altar dedicated to Gurudev Baba Hariharananda…

 

There is so much devotion to God, Baba and Raghabanandaji and so much faith in Kriya Yoga, that since 2002 the village kriyavans have been building out of their own meager resources a beautiful ashram.

 

The place is a little heaven on earth, full of flowers, fruit trees, and bird songs. Only love can be felt in all directions, inviting you to dive deep into cosmic and God-consciousness.

 

Nearby is a beautiful pond on which banks sits a peaceful little Shiva temple. 

 

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.

 

In addition to being President of Hariharananda Kriya Yoga Mission, he was the President of the Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Brahmarshi Raghabananda System of Kriya Yoga.

 

Among the Kriya yoga community he is known as “The Little Lahiri Mahasaya”.

 

Kriya Yoga initiation, instruction and meditation continues at Hariharananda kriya Yoga Mission Banabira Ashram.

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Beloved Raghabanandaji merged into the infinite, for the final journey beyond the body, on October 31, 2016.

 

Several of his books are available in English and videos can be found on you tube.

 

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