NARRATOR:
(Spiritual chanting of "Om" and meditative music)
DISCIPLE:
Gurudev, my salutations to you.
GURUDEV:
Blessings to you, my son.
DISCIPLE:
Today is a very special day, Gurudev. Today is the Tirodhan (disappearance anniversary) of the great yogi and world-avatar, Shri Shri Lokenath Brahmachari.
GURUDEV:
Yes, indeed.
DISCIPLE:
It is his 131st disappearance anniversary. On behalf of Shanti Kunj, we are all remembering him today.
GURUDEV:
We worship him here every single day. What can I say about him? He was the best of men (Manav Shrestha). If you call upon him with a true heart, he responds. He is still alive in spirit. People say he died in 1890, but he is eternal. It has been about 131 or 132 years since he left his physical form.
GURUDEV:
He himself said, "Even after I leave this body, I shall remain alive. I have no destruction. I am the Supreme Soul (Paramatma)." According to the teachings of the Gita, he is that Supreme Soul that never dies. He remains present for his followers. Many realized souls and devotees have claimed to see him even now, dressed in white, in places like Kolkata.
GURUDEV:
He occasionally visits here from Barodi. He was born in 1730 on the day of Janmashtami. He lived for 160 years, dedicating his entire life to the welfare of humanity. His father was Ramnarayan Ghoshal, and his mother was Kamala Devi. He had four brothers, but he is the one whose name became immortal. He eventually settled in Barodi.
DISCIPLE:
So, Barodi was his Leela-bhumi (place of divine activity).
GURUDEV:
Yes. His guru was Bhagwan Ganguly. In those days, there was a tradition that if a family had several sons, one would be dedicated to a life of spiritual practice. Bhagwan Ganguly asked Lokenath’s father for him, and thus he was set on the path of renunciation. His childhood friend, Beni Madhab, also joined him. They first went to Kalighat and later to Varanasi, where they met Tailangaswami.
DISCIPLE:
And then they started their spiritual practices with Tailangaswami?
GURUDEV:
Yes, they practiced together for a long time. Eventually, Lokenath Baba traveled extensively. It is said he went to Arab countries and met a man named Abdul Gaffar, who was hundreds of years old. Lokenath Baba stayed in a cave in Mecca for some time. He learned the Quran and Arabic from Gaffar Sahib, and in return, he taught him the Puranas.
GURUDEV:
Through this, he realized that the Quran and the Puranas essentially teach the same truths. After that, he traveled to Afghanistan and then to the Himalayas. However, the cold of the Himalayas did not suit him, so he returned to his roots—first to Chakla and then to Barodi.
DISCIPLE:
He also went to the Chandranath Hills in Chittagong, didn’t he?
GURUDEV:
Yes, there are two hills there—Chandrachur and Chandranath. He spent time there. He even traveled to China as a wandering monk. He traveled so many countries; it is hard to recount them all. But eventually, he made Barodi his home.
DISCIPLE:
We know him primarily as Barodi’s Brahmachari.
GURUDEV:
That is because he spent the latter part of his life there as a Brahmachari. Many people were liberated by him there. There is a story about a man named Kamakhya who was very short-tempered and disliked Lokenath Baba. The Brahmin society at the time was also against him. They even tried to poison him.
GURUDEV:
When he was near death from the poison, he asked his mother for some milk. A funeral pyre had already been prepared because everyone thought he was dead. But after his "mother" (a milkmaid he considered his mother) fed him milk, he miraculously revived. Later, even Kamakhya became his disciple.
GURUDEV:
There are many such miracles. Lokenath Baba had a famous promise: "In the field of battle, in the forest, in the water, or in the wilderness—wherever you are in danger, remember me, and I shall protect you."
DISCIPLE:
But Gurudev, what if someone is in danger because of their own wrongdoings?
GURUDEV:
That is up to his divine will. His power is limitless. He could recognize people’s true nature instantly. He had the ability to take the illnesses of others onto his own body to heal them. He used to advise people: "Earn money, but do not waste it. Keep it wisely. But if it is stolen, do not cry, for wealth is often the cause of sorrow."
GURUDEV:
There is also the story of Bijoy Krishna Goswami. Once, he was caught in a forest fire. As he prayed, a man appeared and carried him to safety. Later, when he met Lokenath Baba, he realized that it was Baba who had saved him.
DISCIPLE:
They were both great spiritual figures of the same era.
GURUDEV:
Yes, they respected each other deeply. There is a story that when Bijoy Krishna was once very ill, his disciple rushed to Barodi to seek Lokenath Baba's help. Baba told him to sit and eat first, which made the disciple angry because he thought Baba didn't care. He even struck Baba with a stick. But when the disciple returned, he found Bijoy Krishna healthy, and Bijoy Krishna told him, "Lokenath came and healed me." When the disciple went back to apologize, Baba simply asked, "Where did you hit me? I didn't feel a thing." Such was his greatness.
DISCIPLE:
We are remembering his life and history today not just for the facts, but to keep his spirit alive in our hearts.
GURUDEV:
Exactly. Remembering him, or figures like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Tailangaswami, Vivekananda, or Anandamayi Ma, brings peace. If you wake up and remember their names, your day goes well. Lokenath Baba may not be here physically, but if you call him with a sincere heart, he comes. He continues to help countless people even today.
DISCIPLE:
We see his image decorated with garlands here, and we worship him in silence.
GURUDEV:
Yes, we keep these practices private, but his influence is felt throughout India. He is a Mahasadhak (great seeker). In Shanti Kunj, we honor all such great souls on their anniversaries.
DISCIPLE:
Thank you, Gurudev, for sharing these insights on this holy day.
GURUDEV:
Blessings to you, my son. Pranam.