Swami Nigamanada

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Life Sketch Paramahansa Sri Sri Nigamananda Saraswati Deva was

born to a virtuous bramhin couple at Qutabpur in Nadia district (now in

Bangladesh) in the year 1879, August (Jhulana Purnima). His father

Bhuban Mohan Bhattacharya and mother Yogendra Mohini (Manik Sundari) had

named him `Nalinikanta'.

Nalinikanta being the eldest son in the family had to be married soon to

bring a daughter-in-law for the proper management of the household.

Hence, at the early age of seventeen, Nalinikanta was married to an

extremely beautiful and intelligent girl named Sudhansubala Devi.

 

Nalinikanta went to study at the Dacca School of Survey and thereafter

took up jobs at various places to earn his livelihood. His independent

spirit and forthright attitude was forcing him to frequently change his

jobs.

 

Once, while serving as the supervisor of the Narayanapur estate

(Zamindari) Nalinikanta was working late in the night. He suddenly saw

the shadowy image of Sudhansubala Devi standing at the table, sullen and

silent. Sudhansubala Devi was supposed to be away at Qutabpur at that

time and was not expected to be present at Narayanpur at all. The image

appeared there for a few moments only. Nalinikanta felt disturbed and

next day rushed to his village Qutabpur. He came to know that

Sudhansubala Devi had expired just an hour before he saw her image at

Narayanapur. Since childhood Nalinikanta had a thoughtful disposition.

This incidence drew him further inwards. Soon after, he happened to see

the shadowy image of Sudhansubala Devi several times in quick

succession.

 

Nalinikanta had thought that death is the ultimate end of an individual.

But, now he couldn't wish away the fact that it is not. By now, he

was convinced that there must be `life' after `death'.

He solemnly resolved to get back his beloved wife at any cost. Never

before in the history of mankind any bereaved husband had made such a

resolution, being so much oblivious of the impossibility of his success.

 

Thakur Nigamananda, after undergoing the various aspects of the

`Sadhana' viz. `Tantra', `Jnana', `Yoga'

and `Prema' under the guidance of four great preceptors like

Bama Kshepa, Satchidananda Saraswati, Nanakpanthi Sumerudas and Gouri

Mata respectively came to realize the importance of a Guru in all the

spheres of `Sadhana'.

 

Thakura Sri Sri Nigamananda Deva left his corporal body and attained

`mahasamadhi' (eternal union with the Supreme Soul) through yoga

kriya (yogic techniques) on November 29, 1935 in Kolkata. But, his holy

presence is still felt and his reassuring voice is still heard in the

hour of need by those who have implicit faith in him, for the

`sadguru' is `immortal'. Rightly, his followers deified

Him as their revered and beloved `thakura' and worshiped Him as

their `Guru' (the supreme preceptor) and `Ishta' (the

personal God) at the same time

 

Spiritual Pursuits While searching for a true yogi, Nalinikanta

came across Swami Purnananda, a highly educated renunciate. The Swami

explained to him that all female beings are merely a partial

manifestation of the `Mahamaya' or the `Cosmic Mother'.

If he could get Mahamaya, he would automatically get his wife and there

were sure ways to get Her. Swami Purnananda advised him to look for a

`Sadguru'. Nalinikanta returned to his place of service a

changed man. The belief in `life after death' and `soul'

had turned him into a believer. He was desperately praying God for a

chance to meet his destined Sadguru.

 

One night Nalinikanta saw one Sadhu with a brilliant aura around him in

his dream. He woke up to find the Sadhu standing beside his bed in

`reality'. The Sadhu handed out to him a leaf bearing a mantra

on it and then disappeared. Nalinikanta was spellbound by the incident.

He did not know what to do with the mantra. No sadhu or spiritual

teacher, whom he consulted, could decipher the mantra nor could they

give him any guidance about what to do with it. At this point of time a

crestfallen Nalinikanta received directions in his dream to go to the

greatest tantrik guru of that time - Bamakshepa, at the

`Tarapitha' of Birbhum, in West Bengal. Bama was extremely

pleased to see the unique `veeja mantra' (root/source mantra) of

Goddess Tara which Nalinikanta had received in his dream, and readily

accepted him as his disciple. Within a short span of one month,

Nalinikanta was able to master the secrets of the Tantrik ways (tantra

sadhana) of attaining spiritual success. As a mark of perfection of his

sadhana (spiritual practice), `Tara' or `Mahashakti'

(the embodiment of cosmic energy) appeared before him in the form of

Devi Sudhansubala and granted him the boon that he would be able to see

her in that form whenever he would so wish.

 

He became a disciple of guru Srimad Swami Satchidananda Saraswati at the

holy place of `Pushkar' in the state of Rajasthan, India. He

instantly realized that Swami Satchidananda Saraswati was the sadhu who

gave him the `Tara' mantra in his dream. The swami initiated

Nalinikanta into renunciation and according to the principle changed his

name to `Nigamananda', for he was able to comprehend the Vedic

(nigama) knowledge (jnana) effortlessly.

 

On the advice of guru Satchidanda, Nalinikanta went to attain the direct

experience of this vedic truths through yoga. Nalinikanta was able to

find his yogi guru but with much difficulty and a sustained effort. He

met Sumeru Dashji, his yogi guru, in the thick and inaccessible forests

near the holy place of `Parasuram' (in the north-eastern India)

under dramatic circumstances. After completing `yoga sadhana'

(practice of yoga) under the masterful guidance of yogiraj Sumeru

Dashji, he attained the state of `Nirbikalpa Samadhi' (non-dual

existence/complete identification with the Cosmic Soul or the

Parambramha), at once pervading the universe and transcending it. He

came back from that blissful state with the realization that he is the

`universal guru' i.e. the `supreme soul'.

 

Nalinikanta had begun his spiritual quest with the basic question, " Who

am I ? " and with the attainment of `Nirbikalpa Samadhi' he

experienced that `he' is the universal guru.

 

Nigamananda met Gouri Maa, his Premik Guru, who was perfect in Prema

Sadhana.