Swami Pranabananda Giri Maharaj

Srimad Swami Pranabananda Giri Maharaj, a direct disciple of Yogiraj Sri Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay, was a Yogi of the highest order. In fact Paramansha Yogananda has rightly referred to him as an ancient rishi. During his life Swami Pranabananda displayed qualities of great spiritual ability, determination and sensitivity for the welfare of his disciples. After initiation into Kriya Yoga, his guru Yogiraj Sri Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri Mahashay sent him to the Malava Mountains for sadhana. There he made rapid progress and soon developed into a self-realized being. Subsequently after a period of married life and serving his father, Swamiji took sannyas from Swami Atmananda Giri of Kailash Math. During this period he was fortunate enough to have been blessed by the great Mahamuni Babaji Maharaj. The story of him being a 'saint with two bodies' is well documented in Paramhansha Yogananda's book "Autobiography of a Yogi".

Swamiji's determination and will power was legendary. From his early youth he was addicted to hashish and opium, which he enjoyed with his music master or Ustad. Usually the Ustad used to prepare the opium. One day the teacher asked Swamiji to "fix it" instead. On hearing this, something stirred the Swamiji and soon he began to hate himself for being an addict. In one swift moment he decided to forgo this habit. In spite of falling seriously ill due to withdrawal symptoms and facing the clutches of near death, Swamiji refused to take opium. After being bedridden for more than a month Swamiji recovered, never to touch hashish and opium in his life again.

Swamiji was deeply concerned with the development of his disciples. Not only in Kriya, he took care to see that his disciples completed their karmic duties as well. One such event concerning his illustrious disciple, Sannyasini Mata, indicates not only his ability to see through the sands of time but also his concern for all aspects of his disciple's life. He asked Sannyasini Mata to come to Benaras (Varanasi) where he lived. There he asked her to serve an old person from Assam by cooking for him. Initially Sannyasini Mata resisted this suggestion

Sannyasini Mata

on the plea that others will speak ill if she stayed alone at the house of another, albeit old man, Swamiji explained the reason for his directive. He said that this old man was Sannyasini Mata's son of her previous life. She had neglected him at that time and therefore should now serve him to complete her duty. Sannyasini Mata served the old man for five years treating him like her child. When he died, Swamiji again called Sannyasini Mata and asked her to take up sannyas, thus cutting her remnant chords of maya. In this way, the great saint took care of his disciples helping them develop into great spiritual personalities.

Sri Sri Kishori
Mohan Bhagwan

Swamiji did not make any of his own disciples his successor. Through his inner realizations, he had located that a great saint, Bhagwan Kishori Mohan Bandopadhyay, was residing incognito in Benaras. Even after his passing away, he resurrected himself before Shri Kishori Mohan and requested him to take over his seat, which the latter did with some initial reluctance. Thus the illustrious lineage passed on.

Some glimpses on the divine life of Bhagwan Kishori Mohan have been written by Mahamahopadhyay Gopinath Kaviraj Mahashay. Our beloved Sree Sree Maa Sharbani was blessed very early in her life by Bhagwan Kishori Mohan, who had made several predictions before and after the birth of Sree Sree Maa. Both Shri Kishori Mohan and Sannyasini Mata had strong spiritual ties with Sree Sree Maa's family from her father's side. Bhagwan Kishori Mohan was in fact the spiritual guide of many members of this family. Sree Sree Maa's grandfather was one of Shir Kisori Bhagwan's closest and most advanced disciples.

Such are the ways of great masters who carry on the torch of our great spiritual lineage.