Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal | |
| Born | Probodh Chandra Chattopadhya 17 February 1892 |
| Died | 6 December 1982 (aged 90) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Founder of | Jaiguru Sampradaya |
| Philosophy | Bhakti yoga |
| Religious career | |
| Guru | Dasarathidev Yogeswar of Digsui Village |
Disciples
| |
| Honors | Namavatar[2] |
Faith in the divine Name is not blind faith. Call Him howsoever you will, call Him, standing, sitting, eating, going to bed - peace shall be yours.[3]: c.2¶.77
Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath (17 February 1892 – 6 December 1982) was an Indian saint and a spiritual master from Bengal.[4] Addressed as Sri Sri Thakur Sitaramdas Omkarnath, where "Omkar" signifies the cosmic enlightenment and attaining supreme consciousness, he was known as the Divine Incarnate (Avatar) of Kali Yuga and took up the doctrines of Sanatan Dharma and Vedic spiritual path to devotees from across the world.
The central theme and importance on the beneficence of divine chanting Naam of "Hare Krishna Hare Ram",regarded as the "Tarak Brahma Naam" (the chant of soul deliverance) in Kali Yuga and liberation from cycle of birth and death.
As such, his disciples continue to worship him as an incarnation of the Lord himself and is regarded as a source of spiritual enlightenment and soul succour to seekers.[5] because his life had been predicted in a manuscript of Achyutananda Dasa.
Sitaramdas Omkarnath wrote more than 150 books to promote the essence of Indian scriptures, built more than 60 temples and ashrams all across India, and founded his spiritual organisation Akhil Bharat Jaiguru Sampradaya,[6] established many groups, temples, mutts, both within and outside the Sampradaya and was also the initiator of multiple magazines like Pather Alo, Devjan, JaiGuru, Arya Nari, Paramananda, and The Mother.
Sri Sri SitaRam Das Omkarnath was born at his maternal uncle's house located in remote Keota village under Hooghly district, West Bengal, at 8:01 AM on the 6th waning lunar day, of Hindu month Falgun circa 1892. English Calendar DOB 17 February 1892.
His name consecrated at birth was Prabodh Chandra Chattopadhyay, and his birth parents were Pranhari Chattopadhyay and Mallyabati Devi. Father Pranhari was a Brahmin and worked as a village physician in Dumurdaha, Hooghly district. A childhood incidence came to be known about him once he attained his spiritual supremacy. Once as a young child, (then Prabodh Chandra Chattopadhyay) he was listening to the mahamantra HareKrishna Nama Sankirtan, and he attained "Samadhi" (spiritual communion state in altered consciousness) during the Kirtan. But as assumed by local villagers, he was thought to have fainted. However an ascetic present at the venue, told his grandmother that he has not fainted but attained samadhi. If Ganges water is sprayed on him and lord Rama's name is sung to him, he will recover from samadhi and he did resume his normal conscious state.[citation needed] The kuladevata (family deity) was Brajanath (Krishna).[7]
In 1896, his birth mother Mallyabati Devi passed away, leaving infant Prabodh, then four years old, in the care of his extended family. Father Pranhari soon remarried a much younger Giribala Devi, aged 10 to 11 years at that time; who went on to dedicate her life till death, at the service of this family and raising her foster children as her own, Prabodh being the youngest. Father Pranhari later passed away in 1912.
Omkarnath attended a village school but then determined that Dasarathidev Yogeswar of Digsui village should be his guru.[6][8]: 133 Though he was admitted to the Bandel Church School to pursue Western Education, he left that school for his interest in Indian Sankritised Education system. Thereafter, he studied at Yogeswar's house, where he undertook daily chores as well as spiritual education. In 1918, Probodh was meditating at about midnight when he visualised the god Shiva along with the Durga, the Divine Mother.[9]
Later, Omkarnath saw his previous birth on the day of Saraswati puja. Through this he came to believe that he was a worshipper of the goddess Kali in his previous life.[10]
Guru Dasarathidev had named him Sitaram, the name Omkarnath was a divine revelation which was later conferred by Swami Dhruvananda Giri. Thus, Probodh came to be known as Sitaramdas Omkarnath. He had heard the Hare Krishna MahaMantra as a Divine Sound during his meditation in a cave at Ramashram, Dumurdaha, Hooghly. Later, he heard a divine voice say "O Sage, dive in". Still Sitaram was not ready for giving spiritual initiation to masses, and he waited for direct command. At Puri, Orissa, Sitaram visualised Jagannath in a halo[11] and Jagannath gave the instruction — "Go, Go, Go and give the Name".[8]: 134 Thereafter, Sitaram started spreading the Lord's name on a mass scale.[8]: 136
After getting what is believed to be the Divine instruction, Omkarnath began to preach Nam (Lord's name) across India.[12] Temples were established and renovated, the poor were fed, clothes were distributed, help was given to the fathers of marriageable daughters, taking on the responsibility of lifetime maintenance of hundreds of poverty-stricken families, establishment of free schools for poor students, setting up 29 Akhanda Naam Kirtan centres across India, establishing temples and ashrams, and several other activities of the kind went on continuously.[8] Though he was a follower of both Ramanuj and Ramanandi sect, he developed a philosophical school named "Avinava Pranab-vad"
Large number of men and women took spiritual initiation from Sitaram. His reputation spread and people gathered in large numbers wherever he resided. Sitaram was respected by contemporaries such as Anandamayi Ma, Mohanananda Brahmachari, Dalai Lama, Vilayat Inayat Khan, Swami Chidananda, Jain Muni Sushil Kumar and others.[8][10] He was believed to be an incarnation of Lord Sri Ramachandra, and is one of the spiritually powerful and sound people that existed in human history. He is also one of the pure people who have existed.
Sitaramdas Omkarnath's spiritual philosophy encompassed Bhakti, Jnana, Karma Yoga, Kriya Yoga and segments of ancient Indian religion, with emphasis on Nam [Lord's Name]. Sitaramdas did not promote conversion, but guided all seekers on the path of their respective religion. He said- 'The paths may differ, but HE is not different.' By holding onto the holy name of Lord, and by performing the duties prescribed by religion of oneself, everybody can attain the supreme truth.[2]
According to Omkarnath,
Nama meant Nama of God; Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Durga; but Nama had to be repeated constantly. Nama could reach the Sadhaka to Nada and Jyoti (Divine Sounds and Lights); ...and ultimately Name could bring Onkar, the Anahat sound one could hear inside. So what the Rishis of the old days could not gain even after hundred of years of Tapasya in jungles, Nama could achieve even when a person lived his normal life and did his every day work.[13]
The teachings of Omkarnath are derived from his personal experiences, revealed in the course of continual spiritual practice. His teachings were compiled by Kinkar Omananda (alias Madhav Swamiji), one of his close monastic disciples.
Many of unexplained incidents associated with Omkarnath have been documented in books and newspapers by prominent personalities. Among these are:
Sri Sri SitaRam Das Onkarnat attained "Mahasamadhi" in the early hours of 6 December 1982. His mortal "SriVigraha" was placed at his first established ashram Sri Ramashram, Dumurdaha, so that people could pay their last respects. His mortal frame was consigned to flames on a sandalwood pyre on 8 December 1982.[16]
