Since time immemorial Bharata has been a producer of great spiritual masters. Beings of extraordinary caliber and power. They brought with them new waves of light, removing darkness and inspiring people to reach their ultimate. Their contributions led to the development of a sound spiritual and intellectual infrastructure in our country which continuously produced exemplary human beings.
But in the last few centuries there has been a systematic destruction of the infrastructure – destroying temples, gurukuls, oppressing the hindu psyche, changing the education system. Still the sanatana spirit did not die down and many masters came who reinvigorated the culture with their consciousness.
So, in this blog I will talk about 21 of them, their organisations and their teachings, starting from late 18th century.
For the sake of simplicity I will be describing their lives and the organisations, in the order of their dates of birth. The organisations were either founded by them or their devotees and they are the driving force behind the organisations. So here goes (click on each heading or picture to know more):
1. Swaminarayan (1781) and BAPS
The founder of the Swaminarayan vaishnava sampradaya, Ghanshyam was born in 1781 when the East India Company’s rule had already begun. The organization known as BAPS evolved out of his lineage. Learn more…
2. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836) and Ramakrishna Mission
Then came Gadadhar in 1836, from a village in Bengal. Known to have realized multiple religions, he is the inspiration for Ramakrishna mission. Learn more….
3. Swami Vivekananda (1863) and Vedanta Society
The first yogi who went to the West, Narendranath came in 1863, and is known for the rocking speech in 1883 in the parliament of world’s religions. For the first time he popularised Advaita Vedanta philosophy in the west. Founder of Ramakrishna mission and Belur math. Learn more….
4. Sri Aurobindo (1872) and Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville
Aurobindo was born in 1872 in India, educated in London, intentionally dropping out of Indian Civil Service officer school, came back to India, and influenced the freedom struggle in India along with spreading awareness of yoga. He was a contemporary of Vivekananda and was influenced by him as well. Learn more….
5. Dada Lekhraj (1876) and Brahmakumaris
Brahmakumaris known for the female leadership and Raja yoga, was founded by Lekhraj, who was born in 1876, in present day Pakistan. Learn more…
6. Ramana Maharshi (1879) and Ramanasramam
Ramana maharshi, known for Arunachala mountains, Tiruvannamalai, and self-enquiry, was born in 1879 in Tamil Nadu. Sri Ramanasramam simply grew around where he lived. Learn more…
7. Swami Sivananda Saraswati(1887) and Divine Life Society
The doctor working in British Malaya who returned to India seeking truth, Swami Sivananda was born in 1887 in a village of Tamil Nadu. He is known for establishing Divine life society and having disciples who themselves built great institutions. Learn more…
8. T Krishnamacharya (1888) and Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandira
He is known in the west by some experts as “Father of modern yoga“. Having degrees in all six Vedic darshanas, spent years mastering hatha yoga and Patanjali yoga sutras, Krishnamacharya was born in 1888 in Karnataka. Learn more…
9. Thakur Anukulchandra (1888) and Satsang
Founder of the Satsang movement in India, Anukulchandra was born in 1888 in present day Bangladesh. Learn more…
10. Paramahamsa Yogananda (1893) and Yogoda Satsang Society
The first yogi who spent a major portion of his life in the west, known for popularising kriya yoga, Yogananda was born in Gorakhpur in 1893. Learn more…
11. Jiddu Krishnamurti (1895) and Krishnamurti foundation
Trained by the Theosophical society, supposed to be “Maitreya”, the world teacher, philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti was born in 1895 in Andhra Pradesh. Learn more…
12. Srila Prabhupada (1896) and ISKCON
The man behind spreading Krishna consciousness in the world, Srila Prabhupada was born in 1896 in Calcutta. Learn more…
13. Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati (1916) and Chinmay mission
A reporter who went to Sivananda’s ashram to make a report on fake babas, eventually becoming his disciple, Chinmayananda was born in 1916. Learn more…
14. BKS Iyengar (1918) and Iyengar Yogashraya
Having a sick childhood marred with 1918 influenza pandemic to eventually becoming a hatha yoga master, a student of T Krishnamacharya, BKS was born in 1918 in Karnataka. Learn more…
15. Mahesh Yogi (1918) and Transcendental Meditation
Founder of Transcendental meditation movement, Mahesh yogi was born in Madhya Pradesh in 1918. Learn more…
16. Swami Satyananda Saraswati (1923) and Bihar School of Yoga
A disciple of Sivananda, who spread yoga from door to door and shore to shore, founder of Bihar School of Yoga, Satyananda was born in 1923 in Uttaranchal. Learn more….
17. Sathya Sai Baba (1926) and Sathya Sai Organization
A supposed reincarnation of Shirdi saibaba, known to perform miracles, Sathya Sai was born in 1926 in Andhra Pradesh. Learn more…
18. Acharya Rajneesh (1931) and Osho International Foundation
The controversial yet profoundly wise, non-conformist master, Osho was born in 1931 in Madhya Pradesh. Learn more…
19. Mata Amritanandamayi (1953) and Mata Amritanandamayi Math
The hugging saint Amma, known for her charities and hugging every person in the satsangs, was born in 1953 in Kerala. Learn more…
20. Sri Sri Ravishankar (1956) and Art of Living
Known for “Sudarshan Kriya“, an ex student of Mahesh yogi, Sri sri was born in 1956 in Tamil Nadu. Learn more…
21. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev (1957) and Isha foundation
The modern mystic, who reincarnated 3 times to build the world teacher “Dhyanalinga“, Sadhguru was born in 1957 in Mysore. Learn more…
The influence of these masters still remains today through their organisations, their teachings and sometimes their own physical presence. We will discover more about their teachings and organisations are we proceed. Stay tuned.
Avadhoota Udyana 