The Future...
A mystery

There is also a question in people's minds, what will Swami Niranjan do now? Sri Swamiji had made it very clear to me that during this year, 2009, one chapter of my life is to close and a new one is to begin.

In March 2009, he instructed me to end my parivrajaka life. He gave clear direction for the next phase of my life. He said to me, terminate your wandering peripatetic life. For forty years you have been travelling, you have lived the life of a parivrajaka. You have travelled through the country and the world. You have travelled every month, every year. You have carried the message of yoga and showered the blessings of our parampara. Now that chapter which was open for forty years in your life should close and a new chapter has to start. He said, now you sit still in one place and work for development of yoga, for swadhyaya, for sadhana, for samarpan, for the sannyasa tradition and for the welfare of people. He cleared my path, he strengthened my will, and guided me towards the direction in which I have to walk now onwards.

People say that you are Swami Satyananda's successor. This is true. I am his successor, but not of an institution. In an institution, administrators change and they can be anyone. When Sri Swamiji appointed me as his successor it was not to direct an institution, it was not for the post, power or position in the yoga world, it was not to receive the garlands and accolades that come with name and fame.

The succession that I have received from my guru is that of sannyasa. His commitment to sannyasa is what I have received as my inheritance. His sannyasa life was completely infused with renunciation, faith, surrender and austerity. When he nominated me as his successor, his intention was that I would succeed him in his sannyasa, his sankalpa, his dedication, his belief, his faith. In order to cultivate that, he has made me free from my social and institutional obligations.

I am not a sannyasin of Munger or of Rikhia; I am Swami Satyananda's sannyasin. I do not belong to Munger, neither do I belong to Rikhia. They came much later after I had dedicated my life to my guru. When I was born, he held me in his arms. When I was three years old, he declared that I was the successor of his sannyasa, spiritual sadhanas and attainments. I have a sankalpa - to realize in my life the inheritance that my guru gave to me.

Today, I sit before you not as an acharya or teacher, member or post holder of an institution, but as a sannyasin, asking for your prayers so that I can be the worthy successor of sannyasa of my guru.

I pray to Sri Swamiji for wisdom, understanding and strength to live the life and tread the path that he has walked as a sannyasin.

With your good wishes, I am sure I shall be able to cover the distance that Sri Swamiji has told me to cover. And the goodwill that you have towards this ashram, towards Sri Swami Satyananda, towards his work, should be upheld and protected. Continue to develop your faith, belief, dedication and surrender.

Sri Swamiji's spiritual strength and inspiration is the foundation of our life and today we invoke that very force and inspiration to descend in us. Let us welcome Sri Swamiji to become the in-dweller of our lives, and offer him the throne on which he can sit within us as the emperor of hearts so that we can always be one with his presence and grace.

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