Swami Brahmananda Saraswati (IAST: SvÃÂmë BrahmÃÂnanda Sarasvatë) (21 December 1871 â 20 May 1953), also known as Guru Dev (meaning "divine teacher"), was the Shankaracharya of the Jyotir Math monastery in India. Born into a Saryupareen Brahmin family, he left home at the age of nine in search of a spiritual master. At age fourteen, he became a disciple of SvÃÂmë Ká¹Âá¹£á¹ÂÃÂnanda Sarasvatë. At the age of 34, he was initiated into the order of Sannyas and became the à Âaá¹ karÃÂcÃÂrya of Jyotir Math in 1941 at age 70, the first person to hold that office in 150 years. His disciples included Swami Shantanand Saraswati, Transcendental Meditation founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, SvÃÂmë Swarà «pÃÂnanda Sarasvatë, and Swami Karpatri. According to the partisans of ShantÃÂnand Saraswati, BrahmÃÂnanda made a will five months before his death in 1953, naming ShantÃÂnand as his successor.
Rajaram was born into a Mishra community in the village of Surhurpur District Ambedkarnagar, near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, India. He was from a well to do, land owning Brahmin family. He was called Rajaram in his younger days and was also known as Maha Yogiraj. When he was seven, his grandfather died; contemplating this had a profound effect on Rajaram. At the age of nine, Rajaram left his home unannounced to follow a spiritual path of renunciation, but was soon returned to his parents by a policeman. On returning home, he asked his parents for permission to leave home and begin the life of a recluse. His parents wanted him to marry and live the life of a householder and asked their family guru to convince Rajaram to forget his dream of a reclusive life. The family guru, however, was so impressed with Rajaram's advanced state of wisdom and spiritual evolution that he gave up any attempt to change the boy's mind. The parents then also acquiesced and gave their permission for Rajaram to leave. Two days later, Rajaram formally renounced his family life and left his boyhood home in search of solitude in the Himalayas. Rajaram traveled by foot to the town of Haridwar and then on to Rishikesh, the gateway to the Himalayas. Here he began the search for a suitable guru or spiritual master. Rajaram met many wise sages, but none of them met his requirements of lifelong celibacy and an intimate knowledge and experience of the Vedas.
Five years later, at the age of fourteen, in a village in Uttar Kashi, Rajaram found his chosen master and became a disciple of SvÃÂmë KrsnÃÂnanda Sarasvatë. At that time, Rajaram was given the name of Brahma Chaitanya Brahmacari. He then became the favorite disciple in his master's ashram and, according his master's instructions, he retired to a nearby cave and visited his master only once per week. The story of Rajaram's youthful renunciation is said to echo the life of Shankara, who reportedly began his renunciate life at the age of eight.
At the age of twenty five, (the later) SvÃÂmë BrahmÃÂnanda Sarasvatë emerged from his cave and permanently rejoined his Master at his ashram. At the age of 34, he was initiated into the order of "Sannyas" by his master at the Hindu celebration called Kumbh Mela. At that time, he was ordained into the ascetic order and given the formal name SvÃÂmë BrahmÃÂnanda Sarasvatë, that is, SvÃÂmë BrahmÃÂnanda of the Sarasvatë branch of the medieval Dashanami Sampradaya monastic order. The greater portion of his life had been lived in total seclusion; he is reported to have created a cave in central India where he lived for forty years.
In 1941, at the age of 70, after repeated requests over a period of twenty years, BrahmÃÂnanda accepted the position of Jagadguru Shankaracharya (spiritual leader) of Jyotir Math, a position that had been vacant for more than 150 years. His disciple, Swami Karpatri, is reported to have been the person who brought the request for BrahmÃÂnanda to take the post after a search for a proper candidate was initiated by Dharma Maha Mandal. BrahmÃÂnanda is reported to have responded to the request by saying: "You want to put a lion to chains who moves about in the jungle freely. But if you so like, I honour your words and am ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the pitha (monastery) management. By shouldering this responsibility, I would be serving the cause for which Adi à ÂankarÃÂcÃÂrya stood. I fully dedicate myself for the mission."
The appointment of Swami BrahmÃÂnanda on 1 April 1941 was made by a group of monks and pandits based in the city of Varanasi, with the endorsement of SvÃÂmë BhÃÂratë Ká¹Âá¹£á¹Âa Tërtha, the à Âaá¹ karÃÂcÃÂrya of Purë and SvÃÂmë Candraà Âekhara BhÃÂratë the à Âaá¹ karÃÂcÃÂrya of à Âá¹Âá¹ geri. As respected supporters of religious institutions, the rulers of the cities of Garhwal, Varanasi and Darbhanga also endorsed BrahmÃÂnanda, and their recognition helped overcome opposition from previous claimants to the title. BrahmÃÂnanda was also seen as the embodiment of the qualifications mentioned in Vedic texts, and this assisted in his unhindered ascension to the position at the age of 70. He gave more than thirteen years of service.
à Âaá¹ karÃÂcÃÂrya SvÃÂmi BrahmÃÂnanda Sarasvati was charged with reconstructing the temple and institution at Jyotir Math. Through the assistance of the local Deputy Commissioner and parties responsible for his nomination, he reclaimed the surrounding land that had been encroached upon by local farmers. Under his leadership, a two-story, 30-room building was constructed to serve as the "Peeth Bhawan" of Jyotir Math. He also supervised the final construction of the Shrine of Purnagiri Devi about 100 yards in front of the new monastery, which "the Darbhanga ruler" had begun just prior to his death. Saraswati's leadership was instrumental in re-establishing the Jyotir Math as "an important centre of traditional advaita teaching in northern India". He spent most of his time as à Âaá¹ karÃÂcÃÂrya traveling around northern India giving lectures in an effort to re-establish the correct understanding of Shankara's teachings.
BrahmÃÂnanda was visited by Rajendra Prasad, the President of India, and the philosopher Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, who succeeded Prasad as President of India. In 1950, President Radhakrishnan is reported to have addressed His Holiness as "Vedanta Incarnate, the embodiment of truth".
à Âaá¹ karÃÂcÃÂrya SvÃÂmi BrahmÃÂnanda Saraswati's disciples included Swami ShantÃÂnand Saraswati, TM founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, SwÃÂmë Swarà «pÃÂnanda Saraswatë and Swami Karpatri. Five months before his death in 1953, Brahmananda Saraswati made a will naming his disciple Swami ShantÃÂnand Saraswati as his successor as Shankaracharya of the Jyotir Math monastery.
The swami is said to have been one of those "rare siddhas (accomplished ones) who had the knowledge of Sri Vidya," and who was "modeled" after the great philosopher Adi Shankara. Within a decade of becoming Shankaracharya, he accumulated many thousands of disciples and reinforced the concept of the Jyotir Math monastery as an important centre for Advaita philosophy. In 1979, the Federal Courts in Malnak v. Yogi found that TM teachers made multiple offerings and obeisances to a "deified Guru Dev" during the puja ceremony they performed before giving mantras to their students. However, it is the teaching of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi that "Individual is cosmic. Individual potential of life is cosmic potential. Individual is divine deep inside. Transcendental experience awakens that divinity in man...It's a human right to live divinity." In 2008, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created a trust fund to support 30,000 Indian Vedic Pandits and named it after Brahmananda Saraswati.
Gurudeva developed a modified practice of meditation, suitable to the householder engaged in the affairs of everyday life. This method was spread globally by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Gurudeva is referenced in the Beatles' song "Across the Universe" in the words " Jai Guru Deva", after the group spent some time in Mahesh Yogi's ashram in Rishikesh. Though they only stayed there a number of weeks and afterwards expressed misgivings about their teacher, he appears to have made a lasting impression on them, especially on George Harrison. The song was later written by John Lennon and shows influences of the use of hallucinogens.
21 New book - The Life and Teachings of His Divinity Shri Guru Deva - The Way of the Householder - Dr. A Wenham-Prosser Full account of the Shankaracharya Tradition - and UK Schools misconceptions