The 197th birth anniversary of Lahiri Mahasaya was celebrated with deep reverence and joy at the Yogoda Satsanga branch ashram in Ranchi. The day’s ceremonies began with an online meditation conducted by Swami Shankarananda Giri, in which devotees from India and around the world participated from 6:30 AM to 8:00 AM. While conducting the meditation, Swami Shankarananda Giri said: “The life of Lahiri Mahasaya is the best example of the ideal balance necessary to be happy in the modern world — combining the daily practice of Kriya Yoga meditation with Karma Yoga, which is selfless action for the welfare of family and society.”
Following this, devotees participated in heartwarming bhajans conducted by Brahmachari Gautamananda and Brahmachari Aradhyananda from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM, filling the ashram with devotional enthusiasm.
In the evening, devotees participated in a special two-hour meditation conducted by Brahmachari Hridayananda from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Reading from the Yoga Sutras (written by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda), he quoted Lahiri Mahasaya’s words, “‘Remember that you belong to no one and no one belongs to you. Consider that one day you will have to leave everything in this world, so get to know God from now on,’ the great guru said to his disciples. ‘Prepare yourself for the subtle journey of death by flying in the balloon of God-realization every day. Under the influence of Maya, you consider yourself a mass of flesh and blood, which is only a house of sorrows. Meditate continuously so that you can quickly recognize yourself as the eternally free supreme element, free from all suffering. Learn to escape from the prison of the body and participate in the supreme element by using the secret key of Kriya Yoga.'”
One of the paragurus of the Yogoda Satsanga tradition, Yogavatar Lahiri Mahasaya, was a disciple of Mahavatar Babaji — the great Himalayan immortal yogi. Mahavatar Babaji told Lahiri Mahasaya about the ancient, almost lost science of Kriya Yoga, and instructed him to initiate all true seekers. A significant feature of Lahiri Mahasaya’s life was that he gave Kriya initiation to spiritual seekers of every religion. He was a householder-yogi, who lived a balanced life of devotion and meditation even after fulfilling all his family responsibilities and social duties. This became an inspiration for thousands of men and women leading worldly lives in society. He gave new hope to the outcasts and the Dalits of society and, although he himself was of the highest or Brahmin caste, he made courageous efforts to end the harsh caste fanaticism of his time.
For more information on the path of meditation and Kriya Yoga, please visit yssofindia.org.