Gurudev Swami Buddh Puri Ji (fondly known as Maharaj Ji) is associated with the Puri sect of Dashnami Sanyas established by Adi Shankaracharya, and is acknowledged both nationally and internationally for bringing a scientific-practical outlook to spirituality.
Be it grave spiritual subjects like Veda–Vedanta, Akhand Mahayoga, Shabad–Surati, Tantraagam, Kundalini, Khechari, Shambhavi etc. or Metaphysics, Parapsychology, Human Physiology, etc. He expresses utmost simply (in speech or writing) with full authority on the basis of personal experience and scriptural evidence.
Living in the Himalayas i.e. in total seclusion all by Himself, occasionally He does entertain true seekers giving them all the freedom to ask questions just to clear their long-accumulated doubts and confusions, while earnestly sharing His own experiences.
To explore a bit more of His personality, let’s have a brief look…
Before coming to the Ashram
He descended on the holy lands of Punjab in 1947. Being an obedient child, very observant and sincere student, He excelled at it all – be it Academics, Football or Badminton, Lectures or Seminars, Projects or Researches. Upon completing His M. Tech. in 1972 from I.I.T. Delhi, He took up a job as a lecturer at Motilal Nehru Engineering College, Allahabad for a short period to earn enough to repay the loans taken for His education.
Inclined towards the philosophy of Theosophical Society, and that of Sri Aurobindo, His Vision was: “Just eating, sleeping, reproducing and finally leaving the body to decay cannot be the purpose of such a beautiful life. It has to be something much bigger!” He was sure that “if our saints and sages renounced this world and worldly pleasures then there must be something greater they were looking for.” And thus, He did the same!
At Master’s Feet
His inner craving was channelized by His Holiness Swami Dayalu Puri Ji Maharaj; initiated in Mahayoga by whom, gave wings to be Swami Buddh Puri Ji’s spiritual journey. For nine long years, He served His master, working in ashram day and night, ignoring all His bodily needs, and leaving no room for personal wishes or thoughts.
Maharaj Ji had the opportunity to learn the Sanskrit language and many more scriptures (Vedas-Upanishads, etc.) directly from Gurudev Swami Dayalu Puri Ji Maharaj – the topmost authority of the subject at the time, an eminent man of letters, and someone who was equally renowned for His spiritual brilliance amongst all the scholars, saints, and sages.
Since contemplation and meditation were deep-rooted in His nature, over the time, Maharaj Ji’s experiments with all the aspects of Yoga such as Karma, Jnana, Bhakti, etc. plus the craving and the practices intensified, which purified His mind thoroughly leading to one of His meditations that brought the first, definitive, direct experience of the Divine (Samadhi).
Journey Thereon
In 1983, post Gurudev Swami Dayalu Puri Ji Maharaj’s Mahanirvana, He set voyage to an unknown destination according foremost importance to Sadhana, continuing the tradition of Mahayoga Lineage. Traveling mostly on feet with no possession or money to support Him, He had a tough but adventurous journey. For more than 10 years, engrossed in Sadhana, He continued contemplating in the far-flung caves of the Himalayas, and experimented with varied popular and secret methodologies. His quest and exploration continued uninterrupted even in the harsh winters of the Badrinath area, with sub-zero temperatures, and with 8-10 feet thick layer of snow which cuts off the region, closing all roads.
Persisting in His research of the inner path, He got the inspiration that this was not all; the goal was rather to manifest the Divine to the material plane of existence and not merely confined to His experience in Samadhi. Thus the Divine itself would manifest to thrust the process of evolution. The practitioner himself would be completely merged into the Divine to an extent that the Divine will shine in this very physical body. This is the ultimate goal known as Mahayoga and an advanced practitioner of this path can be termed as Mahayogi. This path has so far brought Him victory over not only diseases or fatigue but even hunger, thirst, and sleep and the journey is still on…
Serving the masses
In the year 1994, when He was in Badrinath, He was approached by some aspirants to set up an ashram (which was later named as ‘Shabad Surat Sangam Ashram‘) in their village (Malke in Punjab) and thus, guide them on the path of Ultimate Truth with the experiences and the vast ocean of knowledge that He carries within. Considering their sincerity and dedication Maharaj Ji accepted the proposal with one condition that he would take care of just the spiritual part of the ashram. While providing spiritual guidance and aids to the seekers, He mostly remained confined to His cell researching the infinite ways of reaching the Infinite.
Sadhana Camps were organized regularly in this Ashram, and not just in various cities and villages, but also internationally (in Canada, England, Greece), and in difficult terrains and glacier areas like Tapovan, Satopanth, Muktinath, etc.
His Lifestyle
- Maharaj Ji’s lifestyle is rather a unique one. Generally, He stays in seclusion practicing and experimenting with unending techniques of Yoga (not in general terms of mere asana and pranayama, as most of the people would interpret even in east nowadays), and developing new ones suitable to the need of the common man. Every time He discovers something new He would tell the first practitioner He meets and then to all in due course. The secret most techniques like Khechari, Dhar Nauli, Amroli, Shambhavi, Kriya Kundalini, Naadanusandhan with Seven Octave Singing, and many more are well known to most of His disciples and they are practicing them too.
Few so-called educated people object to this sometimes telling Him why doesn’t He keeps such a precious knowledge with Himself as the very importance of such wonderful practices diminishes, only to Hear him burst into laughter. He says, “I am but a public servant employed by the highest government, and my duty is to improvise and alter the fitment to suit the needy so that they may also make use of it as much as they could. How could I possibly refrain myself when I already see the ignorance and confusion amongst people just because this knowledge had been left confined to a chosen few in old days? After all one has to try millions before getting the precious stone but the trial is important even then.”
- There had been significant changes in Maharaj Ji’s eating habits. As He progressed on the path, His diet reduced gradually. Initially, He used to take 2 meals a day, and then He moved on to just one meal a day. Later He stopped the solid diet and shifted to milk and lassi (buttermilk). While in practice, sometimes He gives up milk and stays on plain water for a long time and sometimes He abandons even the water for as long as He pleases. Though, while on tour, He used to eat a little when forced by some very loving devotee but even then His body neither required nor enjoyed food anymore. It rather made Him uneasy but for the sake of innocent followers who weren’t much aware of the Yogic practices, He accepted food offerings too once in a while. A time came when He stopped eating completely. Now He does take water at times and even enjoys chewing tulsi or neem leaves sometimes. But surprisingly when somebody asks for leaving food or shifting to a liquid diet, in general, He doesn’t allow it unless that person is a sincere practitioner and decides to enter the cell, but even then the diet is controlled only for as long as He stays in there. Maharaj Ji says, “Leaving food is not the objective but a means to accelerate the practice and in fact, it is going to happen one day or the other at an advanced stage when the body would find and relate to the inner source of energy. So one should patiently and sincerely practice and wait for the inner call. Food isn’t our enemy but the craving for that is. So we need to renounce this craving, not the food itself which in fact is quite important for a beginner.” Quoting from various saints and scriptures as well as from His personal experience He condemns fasting or starving but supports the balanced diet. “Not just diet but each and every action and behavior need to be in complete harmony with the divine rule so that it saves us from any turmoil whatsoever and keeps us on the path.” He says.
- Maharaj Ji is a man of both extremes. He enjoys traveling in the general class equally, as in a saloon especially hired by some devotee for His comfort. He tests hunger as well as overeating at times. Let the matter be most serious, He would find humor in that and even in a cheap newspaper joke, He will figure out such high teaching that even the author would not have dreamt of. Let that be play with kids or talks with any aristocrat, He is always at His natural best. He enjoys people noting and pointing such contradictions to which He responds, “Yoga is the art to go beyond any contradiction even that of birth and death.”
Sadhana Innovations
Long rigorous contemplation and practice did bring Him some clues directing towards Mission Immortality but after all, He had to make them real for one and all. He was already practicing an integrated form of Yoga which consisted of varied streams such as Raj, Gyan, Bhakti, Karma, and of course Kriya. God’s grace combined with earnest practice and research helped Him decode the mysterious and ambiguous quotes of Gorakhnath, Gyaneshwar, Charandas, Ramalingam, and many other Siddhas (prophets and adepts) successfully, as much for Himself as for all sincere seekers. But the question was still burning – “Wasn’t there any real tool which could suit all, and help them to start and thus progress right from their level?”
Keeping in view the prevailing circumstances, with many fallacies being spread in the name of spirituality and religion, Maharaj Ji, after deep analysis and research of various esoteric Sadhanas, has developed Sadhana systems, which can be followed easily by all. “Siddhamrit Surya Kriya Yoga” came into the picture in the year 2002, the fruit of His thirty years of experiments and practice. A systematic approach to superhuman hood distinctively divided into seven steps was developed in the next year to suit every individual at their level. Many more innovative practices were delivered in later times such as Agni Kriya, Sanjivani Kriya, Swar-Naad Kriya, etc. Many obsolete esoteric practices such as Dhar Nauli, Khechari, Shambhawi, Kriya Kundalini, etc. were also revived.
He has also written more than twenty Sadhana-related books which can benefit the initial seekers as well as accomplished Sadhakas, as per their requirement, level and understanding.
Under His guidance, a magnificent and divine Dhyana Mandir Tripura Shiva Peetham was built at Shabad Surat Sangam Ashram. It’s an endeavor to give a boost to the spiritual aspiration of one and all, as it envisages to become a playground of the divine power “Tripura Sundari Shiva” Herself.
Then on the day of the grand opening ceremony, i.e. 3rd October 2014 that witnessed the gathering of more than 20,000 people from all across the world, Maharaj Ji nominated (traditionally by giving shawl and rudraksha rosary to) His main disciple duo— Swami Suryendu Puri, and Sadhvi Yoganjali Chaitanya Puri — in charge of the ashram tradition, administration, activities, and initiation, etc. and dedicated himself to the highest goal of Mahayoga.
And yet again, He left for Himalayas!
