Completing the First Chapter of My Life
Swami Niranjan

This is my fiftieth year. At this juncture I complete the first chapter of my life, which began in 1960 and lasted until 2009; and begin to write the second chapter, which starts in 2010 after the Mahasamadhi of Sri Swamiji. As I write the concluding lines of the first chapter and the prologue of the second, I am filled with heartfelt gratefulness to Sri Swamiji. It was he who gave me my life and is my eternal inspiration. His presence overpoweringly fills my life and makes me what I am today.

Although I was born to parents who were disciples and supporters of Sri Swamiji, I did not identify myself with them, either then or now. I respect them for what they are, my father and mother; but I longed to be with Sri Swamiji, who embodied both the clarity and firmness of my father and also the sensitivity and love of my mother.

It was due to Sri Swamiji's grace and call that on 14th February 1960, I was born to Sri Satyavrat and Basanti, who later on became Swami Satyabratananda Saraswati and Swami Dharmashakti Saraswati, the first disciples of Sri Swamiji and founding pillars of the International Yoga Fellowship Movement.

When I was a month old, Sri Swamiji gathered me in his arms and whispered the sacred and eternal mantras 'shuddhosi, buddhosi, niranjanosi; sansara maya parivarjitosi', in my ears and planted the seed of my destiny.

It was Sri Swamiji who allowed me to crawl inside his dhotis and kurtas, to hug him and tickle him when he was meditating, lecturing or taking classes; and in 1966 granted my wish to be with him and make Munger my home.

It was he who effortlessly taught and trained me in yoga nidra, into the ways of the world and life, and subjects like art, sciences, languages, scriptures and all that I know today.

Sri Swamiji blessed and gave me the opportunity to travel the wide world for 40 years, teaching yoga, observing different societies, researching the ancient and modern global spiritual traditions, assisting in the development of Satyananda Yoga, establishing and managing institutions, and guiding people in their spiritual journey.

Purely by his grace, people of all races, nationalities and cultures the world over accepted and loved me, and supported and assisted me in my endeavours.

It was Sri Swamiji, who in July 2009 guided me to conclude the first chapter of my life, and gave a clear indication and blueprint of my future destined direction.

Throughout this fifty year journey of my life I met many people who assisted, supported and were catalysts for my growth and development. To Rishi Vashishtananda and Rishi Arundhati in Canada, Swami Pragyamurti in England, Rodrigo and Gloria Nino, Ignacio and Maria Theresa Copete in Colombia, Rishi Vivekananda and Rishi Hridayananda in Australia, Siru and Savitri Nainani in Spain, I convey my gratitude and respect for their caring and educative role in my early life.

To all the dedicated wellwishers, supporters, friends, sannyasins, karma sannyasins and disciples of Western and Eastern Europe, South, Central and North America, Australia, Asia and Africa, I convey my heartfelt love and gratitude for your help, contribution and support in propagating the message of our yoga tradition, and I send my warm wishes with prayers for your peace and prosperity in life.

The people with whom I have interacted over the fifty year period are too innumerable to name here, but to each person, I wish to acknowledge your contribution to the cause of yoga, and your friendly, loving and supportive role in my life. Every one of you has a special place in my memory and is recalled with fondness in my prayers.

I have always felt, and even today I feel, the radiance of Sri Swamiji's continuous inspiration, which has enveloped my life since the day I was born. His illumined presence in my mind and heart fills me with the strength to now begin the second chapter and next leg of the long journey.

In the first stage of the journey, while working to propagate yoga, I walked with thousands of people; today I express my grateful feelings to each and everyone, and look forward to your companionship, whenever our paths cross again.

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