Journal 2012 Journal 2012 - Kriya Yoga Institute

From Brahmacharya to SannyasaFrom Brahmachari Rabinarayan to Swami Hariharananda GiriExcerpt from “River of Compassion” by Paramahamsa PrajnananandaSannyasa, or the path of monastic life, involves innertransformation through a self-disciplined, divine existence.There are two types of sannyas: vidvat sannyas, who entermonastic life after realization, and vividisha sannyas, whoembrace monkhood to attain Self-realization. Blessed arethose who sincerely embrace this life from the core of theheart, not owing to emotion or the influence of others. In thescriptures it is said: “One who carries a water pot and staff inthe hand becomes divine.” In essence, this means, one who hashis spine (staff) and brain (water pot) under complete controlis divine. Such a person was Brahmachari Rabinarayan. He leda strictly celibate life of sincere meditation and achieved therarest state of nirvikalpa samadhi.Rabinarayan’s twenty years of brahmachari life ended on May27, 1959. Consulting the Indian calendar, JagadguruShankaracharya chose the 13 th day of Vaisakha as the day forRabinarayan’s initiation into monastic life. At the end of thesannyasa ceremony, the guru gives the robe, staff, and name tothe initiate. Jagadguru Bharati Krishna Teertha gaveRabinarayan the monastic name of Swami Hariharananda Giri.“Swami” is a title conferred on a monk, and “Giri” is one ofthe ten orders of the guru-disciple monks chosen by AdiShankaracharya. (* 788 -† 820)As Jagadguru Shankaracharya explainded, the nameHariharananda consists of three words: hari, hara, andananda. Hari and hara are two aspects of the divine trinity –sustenance and dissolution of the universe – and ananda isbliss.9