Sri Yukteswar Giri (also written Sriyuktesvara, Sri Yukteshwar) (

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental syste ...

: ) (10 May 1855 – 9 March 1936) is the monastic name of Priya Nath Karar (also spelled as Priya Nath Karada and Preonath Karar), an Indian monk and yogi, and the

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverentia ...

Paramahansa Yogananda Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh; January 5, 1893March 7, 1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi and guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellows ...

and

Swami Satyananda Giri Satyananda Giri ( bn, স্বামী সত্যানন্দ গিরি) (17 November 1896 – 2 August 1971), is the monastic name of Manamohan Mazumder, an Indian monk and a chief monastic disciple of Kriya Yoga guru Swami Sri Yu ...

. Born in

Serampore Serampore (also called ''Serampur'', ''Srirampur'', ''Srirampore'', ''Shreerampur'', ''Shreerampore'', ''Shrirampur'' or ''Shrirampore'') is a city of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarter of the Srirampor ...

, West Bengal, Sri Yukteswar was a Kriya yogi, a

Jyotisha Jyotisha or Jyotishya (from Sanskrit ', from ' “light, heavenly body" and ''ish'' - from Isvara or God) is the traditional Hindu system of astrology, also known as Hindu astrology, Indian astrology and more recently Vedic astrology. It is one ...

(Vedic astrologer), a scholar of the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' (c ...

and the Upanishads, an educator, author, and astronomer. He was a disciple of

Lahiri Mahasaya Charan Lahiri (30 September 1828 – 26 September 1895), best known as Lahiri Mahasaya, was an Indian yogi guru who founded the Kriya Yoga school. In 1861, his non-physical master Mahavatar Babaji appeared to him, ordering him to revive ...

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

and a member of the ''Giri'' branch of the

Swami Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used eith ...

order. As a guru, he had two ashrams, one in Serampore and another in

Puri Puri () is a coastal city and a Nagar Palika, municipality in the state of Odisha in eastern India. It is the district headquarters of Puri district and is situated on the Bay of Bengal, south of the state capital of Bhubaneswar. It is als ...

, Odisha, between which he alternated his residence throughout the year as he trained disciples. Described by Tibetologist

W.Y. Evans-Wentz Walter Yeeling Evans-Wentz (February 2, 1878 – July 17, 1965) was an American anthropologist and writer who was a pioneer in the study of Tibetan Buddhism, and in transmission of Tibetan Buddhism to the Western world, most known for publishin ...

as being "of gentle mien and voice, of pleasing presence," and with "high character and holiness," Sri Yukteswar was a progressive-minded figure in 19th-century Serampore society; he regularly held religious festivals throughout the year around the towns and at his ashrams, created a "Satsanga Sabha" spiritual study organization, established syllabi for educational institutions, and re-analyzed the Vedic astrological

yuga A ''yuga'', in Hinduism, is generally used to indicate an age of time. In the ''Rigveda'', a ''yuga'' refers to generations, a long period, a very brief period, or a yoke (joining of two things). In the ''Mahabharata'', the words ''yuga'' and ...

s. Noted for his sharp mind and insightful knowledge, he became a respected guru throughout the greater

Kolkata Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...

area to his Kriya yoga students, and also regularly invited individuals from all social backgrounds to his ashrams to discuss and exchange ideas on a range of topics. As a guru, he was nonetheless known for his candid insight, stern nature and strict disciplinary training methods, as noted by his disciple Yogananda in his autobiography. The rigorous nature of his training eventually prepared his disciples, such as Satyananda and Yogananda himself, for their own intense social work in India and America, respectively. In accordance with the high ideals and "penetrating insight" with which he lived, Sri Yukteswar was considered by Yogananda as a ''Jnanavatar'', or "Incarnation of Wisdom;"Yogananda, Paramahansa (1997). ''Autobiography of a Yogi'', 1997 Anniversary Edition p. 383. Self-Realization Fellowship (Founded by Yogananda) http://www.yogananda-srf.org/, ''Preface.'' Evans-Wentz felt him "worthy of the veneration which his followers spontaneously accorded to him...Content to remain afar from the multitude, he gave himself unreservedly and in tranquility to that ideal life which Paramhansa Yogananda, his disciple, has now described for the ages."

Early life

Sri Yukteswar was born Priya Nath Karar in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

to Kshetranath and Kadambini Karar. Priya Nath lost his father at a young age, and took on much of the responsibility for managing his family's land holdings. A bright student, he passed the entrance exams and enrolled in Srirampur Christian Missionary College, where he developed an interest in the Bible.Satyananda, p. 12. This interest would later express itself in his book, ''

The Holy Science ''The Holy Science'' is a book written by Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri in 1894 under the title ''Kaivalya Darsanam''. Sri Yukteswar states that he wrote ''The Holy Science'' at the request of Mahavatar Babaji. The book compares parallel passages from ...

'', which discusses the unity behind the scientific principles underlying Yoga and the Bible. He also attended

Calcutta Medical College Calcutta Medical College, officially Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, is a public medical school and hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It is the oldest existing hospital in Asia. The institute was established on 28 January 1835 by L ...

(then affiliated with the

University of Calcutta The University of Calcutta (informally known as Calcutta University; CU) is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate State university (India), state university in India, located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Considered ...

) for almost two years.

Personal life

After leaving college, Priya Nath married and had a daughter. His wife died a few years after their marriage.

Spiritual career

He eventually was formally initiated into the monastic Swami order as "Sri Yuktesvar Giri" (note: thus 'Sri' is not a separate

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

, but part of his given name). "...many follow the usual procedure (for writing or saying someone's name informally) and drop the "Sri" and say only "Yukteswar", but this is not correct. If one wants to put a "Sri" at the beginning as in the prevalent fashion, then his name would look as: "Sri Sriyukteswar Giri."Satyananda, p. 38. In 1884, Priya Nath met

, who became his Guru and initiated him into the path of Kriya Yoga.Yogananda, p. 324. Sri Yukteswar spent a great deal of time in the next several years in the company of his guru, often visiting Lahiri Mahasaya in Benares. In 1894, while attending the

Kumbha Mela Kumbh Mela or Kumbha Mela () is a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism. It is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years, to celebrate every revolution Brihaspati (Jupiter) completes, at four river-bank pilgrimage sites: Allahabad (G ...

in Allahabad, he met the Guru of Lahiri Mahasaya,

Mahavatar Babaji Mahavatar Babaji (; ) is the name given to his guru by Indian yogi Yogiraj Lahiri Mahasaya (1828-1895), and several of his disciples, who reportedly appeared to them between 1861 and 1935, as described in various publications and biographie ...

, who asked Sri Yukteswar to write a book comparing Hindu scriptures and the Christian bible. Mahavatar Babaji also bestowed on Sri Yukteswar the title of 'Swami' at that meeting. Sri Yukteswar completed the requested book in 1894, naming it ''Kaivalya Darsanam'', or ''The Holy Science''.Sri Yukteswar, introduction.

Spiritual life

Sri Yukteswar converted his large two-story family home in Serampore into an ashram, named "Priyadham", where he resided with students and disciples. In 1903, he also established an ashram in the seaside town of

, naming it "Karar Ashram". From these two ashrams, Sri Yukteswar taught students, and began an organization named "Sadhu Sabha". An interest in education resulted in Sri Yukteswar developing a syllabus for schools, on the subjects of physics, physiology, geography, astronomy, and astrology He also wrote a book for Bengalis on learning basic English and Hindi called ''First Book'', and wrote a basic book on astrology.Satyananda, p. 50. Later, he became interested in the education of women, which was uncommon in Bengal at that time. Yukteswar was especially skilled in

Jyotiṣa Jyotisha or Jyotishya (from Sanskrit ', from ' “light, heavenly body" and ''ish'' - from Isvara or God) is the traditional Hindu system of astrology, also known as Hindu astrology, Indian astrology and more recently Vedic astrology. It is one ...

(Indian astrology), and prescribed various astrological gemstones and bangles to his students. He also studied astronomy and science, as evidenced in the formulation of his ''Yuga theory'' in ''The Holy Science''. He had only a few long-term disciples, but in 1910, the young Mukunda Lal Ghosh would become Sri Yukteswar's most well known disciple, eventually spreading the teachings o
Kriya Yoga
throughout the world as

with his church of all religions –

Self-Realization Fellowship Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) is a worldwide spiritual organization founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1920 and legally incorporated as a non-profit religious organization in 1935, to serve as Yogananda's instrument for the preservation ...

Yogoda Satsanga Society of India Yogoda Satsanga Society of India (YSS) is a non-profit, nonsectarian spiritual organization founded by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1917 and is a part of the Self-Realization Fellowship which was founded in 1920. The current president of th ...

. Yogananda attributed Sri Yukteswar's small number of disciples to his strict training methods, which Yogananda said "cannot be described as other than drastic".Yogananda, p. 120. Regarding the role of the Guru, Sri Yukteswar said:

Look, there is no point in blindly believing that after I touch you, you will be saved, or that a chariot from heaven will be waiting for you. Because of the guru's attainment, the sanctifying touch becomes a helper in the blossoming of Knowledge, and being respectful towards having acquired this blessing, you must yourself become a sage, and proceed on the path to elevate your Soul by applying the techniques of sadhana given by the guru.

Author

described his impression of Sri Yukteswar in the preface to Yogananda's ''

Autobiography of a Yogi ''Autobiography of a Yogi'' is an autobiography of Paramahansa Yogananda (5 January 1893 – 7 March 1952) first published in 1946. Paramahansa Yogananda was born as Mukunda Lal Ghosh in Gorakhpur, India, into a Bengali Hindu family. '' ...

'':

Sri Yukteswar was of gentle mien and voice, of pleasing presence, and worthy of the veneration, which his followers spontaneously accorded to him. Every person who knew him, whether of his own community or not, held him in the highest esteem. I vividly recall his tall, straight, ascetic figure, garbed in the saffron-colored garb of one who has renounced worldly quests, as he stood at the entrance of the hermitage to give me welcome. His hair was long and somewhat curly, and his face bearded. His body was muscularly firm, but slender and well-formed, and his step energetic.

Yukteswar attained

mahasamadhi ''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ashtanga Yoga ...

at Karar Ashram, Puri, India on 9 March 1936.

The Holy Science

Sri Yukteswar wrote ''

'' in 1894.Sri Yukteswar Giri, The Holy Science. Yogoda Satsanga Society, 1949. In the introduction, he wrote:

The purpose of this book is to show as clearly as possible that there is an essential unity in all religions; that there is no difference in the truths inculcated by the various faiths; that there is but one method by which the world, both external and internal, has evolved; and that there is but one Goal admitted by all scriptures.

The work introduced many ideas that were revolutionary for the time – for instance, Sri Yukteswar broke from Hindu tradition in stating that the earth is not in the age of

Kali Yuga ''Kali Yuga'', in Hinduism, is the fourth and worst of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. It is believed to be the present age, which is ...

, but has advanced to

Dvapara Yuga ''Dvapara Yuga'' ( Dwapara Yuga), in Hinduism, is the third and third best of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a ''Yuga Cycle'', preceded by ''Treta Yuga'' and followed by ''Kali Yuga''. ''Dvapara Yuga'' lasts for 864,000 years (2,400 divine y ...

. His proof was based on a new perspective of the precession of the equinoxes. He also introduced the idea that the sun takes a 'star for its dual', and revolves around it in a period of 24,000 years, which accounts for the precession of the

equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...

. Research into this theory is being conducted by the Binary Research Institute, which produced a documentary on the topic titled ''The Great Year'', narrated by

James Earl Jones James Earl Jones (born January 17, 1931) is an American actor. He has been described as "one of America's most distinguished and versatile" actors for his performances in film, television, and theater, and "one of the greatest actors in America ...

. There is an Apple iPhone Application for calculating Sri Yukteswar's calculations. The theory of the Sun's binary companion expounded by Sri Yukteswar in ''The Holy Science'' has attracted the attention of

David Frawley David Frawley (born 1950) is an American author, astrologer, teacher (''acharya'') and a proponent of Hindutva. He has written numerous books on topics spanning the Vedas, Hinduism, Yoga, Ayurveda and Vedic astrology. His works have been popular ...

, who has written about it in several of his books. According to Frawley, the theory offers a better estimate of the age of

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...

and

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

and other important historical Indian figures than other dating methods, which estimate some of these figures to have lived millions of years ago – belying accepted human history.

Noted disciples

Swami Hariharananda Giri Hariharananda Giri ( bn, স্বামী হরিহরানন্দ গিরী) (27 May 1907 – 3 December 2002), was an Indian yoga, yogi and guru who taught in India as well as in West, western countries. He was born as Rabindrana ...

* Swami Bhabananda Giri * Motilal Mukhopadyay * Sri Sailendra Bejoy Dasgupta * Sri Amulya Charan Santra * Swami Narayana Giri (Prabhujee)

In popular culture

Sri Yukteswar's face can be seen on the cover of

the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

' album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' (1967). He appears on the upper left of the crowd behind the Beatles.

Notes

References

* * Translated from Bengali edition, copyrigh
Yoga Niketan
* * 1997 Anniversary Edition.

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giri, Sri Yukteswar 1855 births 1936 deaths 20th-century Bengalis 19th-century Bengalis Bengali Hindus Bengali writers 19th-century astrologers 19th-century Hindu religious leaders 20th-century astrologers 20th-century Hindu religious leaders 20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians Indian astrologers Indian Hindu spiritual teachers Bengali Hindu saints Indian Hindu monks Indian Hindu yogis Kriya yogis Paramahansa Yogananda People from Hooghly district Religious pluralism University of Calcutta alumni 20th-century Indian writers Indian male writers 20th-century Indian male writers Indian religious writers Indian spiritual writers Writers from West Bengal Indian yoga gurus