Maha Yogini Lalleswari
Mostly known as Lal Ded, was a Kashmiri mystic of the Kashmir Shaivism school of philosophy in the Indian subcontinent in early 1300s.
Mostly known as Lal Ded, was a Kashmiri mystic of the Kashmir Shaivism school of philosophy in the Indian subcontinent in early 1300s.
No information is available on record.
No information is available on record.
Born in north India, it is believed that he revived the Shaktipat system at the end of nineteenth century. Very little is known about him and he initiated only one disciple Kali Kishore, who later became known as Swami Narayandev Tirtha.
Born in 1870 in East Bengal of India, Kali Kishore longed for a deep spiritual life. Married young yet, he possessed many qualities such as detachment from worldly longings and control over his emotions. Pursuing further, he traveled extensively and sought many teachers. He was finally initiated in 1889 after meeting Sri Swami Gangadhar Tirtha. Worldly responsibilities would postpone his Divine experiences for another nineteen and half years. However, as promised by his Guru, after this period was over, he started to experience Divine energy flowing in him once again! Later, he renounced ordinary life and became a Swami. He wanted this method of yoga to be accessible to many so he initiated many disciples during his lifetime.
Daya Shankar genuinely loved the company of saints. At the beginning of twentieth century, he was born in Junagar, Gujarat in India. Dispassion towards worldly matters eventually made him renounce home in search of a true master. After acquiring knowledge of yoga through some saints, he was still unsatisfied about his progress. Through the mentor Krishnanandaji, he heard about Swami Narayan Tirth Maharaj from East Bengal. He traveled to meet him, initiated soon after and became known as Sri Yoganandaji. He started to have many rich yoga experiences. Later, he was further empowered to initiate others.
Also known as Munilal Swami, was a sanyas, writer He was born on 15 October 1888 in Jhajjar, Haryana, India. At the Swarg Ashram in Rishikesh he received Shaktipat initiation from Yogananda Maharaj in 1933. In 1939 Munilal expressed a desire for initiation as a renunciate (sannyasin). Yogananda directed him to Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha in Benaras, who initiated him at the Mohan Ashram, Haridwar near the bank of the Ganges. His name then became Swami Vishnu Tirtha. At the direction of Yogananda, he proceeded toward Indore and finally settled in Dewas where he laid the foundation for the Narayan Kuti Sanyas Ashram. Vishnu Tirtha initiated many spiritual aspirants into the system of Shaktipat (descent of energy) and wrote a number of books. Vishnu Tirtha had a profound love for the Ganges River and he spent around two months a year in Yog Shri Peeth Ashram in Rishikesh after his disciple Swami Shivom Tirtha and others carried out the construction of the centre in 1965. He left his body in 1969.
Born in a small village in Punjabi Gujarat in present-day Pakistan, his name before he entered the life of renunciation (sannyas) was Om Prakash. He completed his undergraduate degree at Lahore and lived a householder’s life for many years, relocating on the Indian side of the border with his wife and family at the time of independence and partition in 1947. After coming in contact with Swami Vishnu Tirtha he entered the path of spirituality, living with the guru as a disciple. Initially he was assigned everyday work in the Ashram but over time he became the favored disciple who would inherit the lineage. In 1959, when his Guru Ji made him a celibate (brahmachari), he took the name Bramchari Shivom Prakash. Brahmchari Shivom Prakash took formal sannyas diksha from Swami Narayan Tirtha of Kashi in 1963, becoming Swami Shivom Tirtha. After that he took care of the Yog Shri Peeth Ashram in Rishikesh and Narayan Kuti Ashram in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. In his later years Swami Shivom Tirtha gave up his public life, left the ashram and started living in an isolated place near Indore, with two celibate disciples, writing many books. He gave up his earthly body on 6 April 2008 at Coimbtore: his body being committed to the Ganges at Rishikesh.
Born in a traditional Indian family, Sri Swami Sahajananda Tirtha was devotional from his young age. During his spiritual journey, His Holiness met many spiritual teachers such as Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramana Maharshi of Thiruvannamalai, and Swami Bhaskaranand Tirth, spending time with them in meditating and sadhana. Meeting His Sadguru Sri Swami Shivom Tirth Maharaj, was an auspicious event for Guruji and He was initiated into Sanyas tradition. Guruji later introduced Shaktipat lineage to the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. To bring awareness, He published many valuable books and initiated disciples in Siddha Maha Yoga tradition.
At the age of fifteen, he was attracted to the mighty Himalayan ranges and the source of the river Ganga, due to his passion for adventure in rock climbing and mountaineering. His long journey of more than two thousand kilometers led to a different journey altogether, after he encountered his Himalayan master on board the same train as a young boy! Unknown to the young lad, his journey had already been scripted long before it began!