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Swami Jananand Baba. Swami Jananand Baba was a devotee of Bhagwan Nityananda and under the direct orders of Bhagwan he looked after the Swami Nityananda Ashram at Kanhangad. There were several devotees of Bhagwan in the monk order, but three of them were considered of very high order in their spiritual accomplishment and their devotion to Bhagwan. First of whom was Tulsi Amma of Ananda Math, Manna Gudda, Mangalore, whom Bhagwan described as 'vairaga murthi' who has seen the 'Sun' (meaning the eternal Nityananda). Second was Shree Dayananda Saligram Swami of Swami Nityananda Ashram at Mahul, Chembur, Mumbai whom Bhagwan described as 'Agni Devata'- the fire god. So faithful was he to Bhagwan in his devotion that at times Bhagwan said that he himself could not change what once has been decided by Saligram Swami. Third was Swami Janananda Baba of Swami Nityananda Ashram of Kanhangad whom Bhagwan described as 'Dattatreya Avatar' and he is the only monk devotee whom Bhagwan alloted the Ashram made by Bhagwan himself. All others had made ashrams on their own and for themselves, whereas it was to Swami Janananda Baba that Bhagwan handed over the charge of Ashram set up by Bhagwan. Swami Janananda Baba in turn looked after the Ashram as his Master's Temple and never tried to propagate his own image. For every thing, he held Bhagwan as the cause and worked like a true 'Karma Yogi'.The three devotees of Bhagwan had taken birth with specific purpose , when Bhagwan was performing his leela on this earth and became his devotees through their association with Bhagwan in their past lives. Bhagwan never gave them |
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such although he gave a new name to Saligram Swami who was initially
known as Dayananda Saraswati. Their aim was to set examples for the
devotees in regards to service to God, Guru and humanity at large.
Tulsi Amma had come to show what was 'vairag' -- sacrifice and 'guru
bhakti'. Saligram Swami to set example of how to perform one's duties
and at the same time make spiritual sadhanas. He also showed how to
give up the body when death approaches i.e. with the recitation of
fifteenth chapter on 'Purshotam Yog' of Gita and 'Ramraksha Sthotras'
of Buddha Kaushik Rishi. Swami Janananda took birth to set an example
of devotion through 'karma' as described in Gita. All his life he
worked hard with total devotion to his Master. He also kept all his
spiritual power subdued and never tried to make name for himself.
He always kept the name of Bhagwan in forefront in whatever he did.
One thing was common in all the three devotees and that was none of
them ever claimed to be Swami Nityananda's disciple. They all said
they were his devotees and at no point of time did they claim to be
heirs to Bhagwan. In that, was their greatness. The ashrams they headed
were dedicated to Bhagwan. They kept no attachment to name, fame and
worldly properties. Like their Master they did not appoint any disciples
to take over their 'peetha'. They lived all their life saying "Thy
Will be done". Bhagwan's love for Swami Janananda Baba was unparallel. It was only to Janananda Baba that Bhagwan recommended severe penance by ordering him to go to Himalayas and Nasik as he found great physical strength and spiritual progress in him. At Gangapur, the place known for Lord Dattatreya, near Nasik, Bhagwan made Swami Janananda perform an 'anuasthan' (pooja). When Baba came to Ganeshpuri, Bhagwan asked devotees to receive him with great pomp and gaiety. Bhagwan had at that time moved to Kailash and his old Ashram was used by devotees except for Bhagwan's own room. This room was not allowed for anybody to use. Bhagwan asked Swami Janananda to stay there and this was indeed a great honor. Bhagwan then ordered him to take charge of Kanhangad Ashram and complete the work of the caves, which Bhagwan had started . Accordingly, Baba moved to Kanhangad and stayed there for the rest of his life and also took his Mahasmadhi over there. To some of the devotees including Swami Muktananda and Saligram Swami, Bhagwan asked to visit Kanhangad regularly. Bhagwan's love for both Kanhangad Ashram and Swami Janananda was quite evident by his desire to meet Janananda and visit Kanhangad during his last days. He requested Shri Laxmansha Khoday to arrange for taking him to Kanhangad. He also asked Shri Devraya Pai to make necessary arrangements to take him to Kanhangad. It appears from his utterance during his last days of his earthly presence to leave his body in Kanhangad. Unfortunately none of the devotees could meet this request. On the night of 7th August 1961, just one day before he took Mahasamadhi, he constantly remembered Swami Janananda and repeatedly asked whether he has come. When Bhagwan was told he had still not being able to reach Ganeshpuri, Bhagwan was very disturbed. It was unfortunate that Janananda Baba could reach only on 9th and not before Bhagwan attained Mahasamadhi on 8th August 1961 at 10.43 am. Swami Janananda Baba commanded respect as the most senior devotee of Bhagwan. Before Mahasamadhi, when Baba visited Mumbai in 1982 he was personally received by Swami Muktananda at Ganeshpuri. Guns were fired in his honor and Swami Muktananda took him to his ashram first. Here he washed the feet of Swami Jananand Baba and he himself first, partook the 'pada teertha' and then distributed it to all his disciples. He gave his personal car to take Baba to Ganeshpuri and visited regularly to enquire about Baba's health. At Ganeshpuri, Baba took bath in the hot water springs and paid his tribute to Bhagwan at his samadhi. First arathi was performed of Bhagwan's samadhi and then the same arathi was waved before Swami Jananand Baba, a rare honor. Till today no person has been offered arathi in front of Bhagwan and more so with the same arathi which has been first shown to Bhagwan. This was Bhagwan's way to acknowledge his sacrifice and hard work dedicated to Bhagwan. This was last visit of Baba to Ganeshpuri and also an opportunity for Swami Muktananda to pay his respect to Swami Jananand Baba, before Swami Muktananda's samadhi on 2nd October 1982, the day Swami Janananda left Mumbai for Kanhangad. Swami Jananand Baba attained his Mahasamadhi on 27th December 1982 , as predicted by him, on the Day of Datta Jayanthi "the earth met the sky"---the atma merged into Paramatma. |
