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(1907-1991) A LIFE SKETCH BIRTH Swami Lakshmanjoo was born in Srinagar, Kashmir on May 9, 1907. He was the last and the greatest of the saints and masters of the tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. Having a deep understanding of the philosophy and practices of Kashmir Shaivism, he was like a splendid and rare jewel. Beginning from childhood he spent his whole life studyng and practicing the teachings of this unique sacred tradition. Because of his intellectual power and strength of awareness, he realized both spiritually and intellectually the reality of its thought. He was the fifth child in a household of four boys and five girls. His father Pt. Naraindas Raina( also known as Nav Narayan) was the first man to have introduced House Boats in Kashmir and his mother Smt. Arnyamali was a noble and god fearing lady. Swamijee’s birth came about through unusual circumstances. By the time Swamiji’s eldest brother, Maheshwar Nath Raina had reached the age of eighteen, his mother had given birth to three more daughters but no sons. His parents wanted to have another boy. They approached Swami Ram, their family guru and asked him to give them something special, something magical, so they could have another son. Wanting very much to help, Swami Ram blessed an almond and gave it to Swamijee’s mother to eat. As soon as the news of the birth of the new born was conveyed to Swami Ram, he literally danced in joy and exclaimed “I am Rama, let the child be called Lakshman.” Finding the child far too precocious Lakshman Joo was put under the tutorage of Swami Rama.
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CHILDHOOD Lakshman Joo started showing his leanings towards the higher life in early childhood. At the age of three, his play consisted of making a Siva-linga out of clay for worship. At five, he would sit down for meditation and in this condition, he would exhibit signs of abnormal behaviour, which worried his parents. They approached Swami Ram who said, “This boy was a great Yogi in his past life and his yoga could be consummated in this life”. Lakshman Joo's childhood was spent under the spiritual care of Swami Ram who taught him the Japa of Gayatri Mantra and also Yogic discipline according to Kashmir Shaivism. Before Swami Ram took Mahsamadhi, he entrusted the eight -year-old Lakshman to the charge of his principle disciple, Swami Mehtab kak who later taught Saiva Sastras to Swamiji. In school also, Swamiji used to go Samadhi now and then. One of his inquisitive teachers once asked him what he noticed in the state of absorption, to which he replied in Kashmiri that he experienced "BADI BOD" the highest, the Supreme. Yet another teacher asked him to do physical exercises. Instead, Lakshmana gathered a group of students and sang Bhajans. Enraged, the teacher inflicted 25 cane strokes on him for defiance. Next day, it is said, the teacher fell ill and had fever exactly for twenty-five days. At 13, his parents thought of arranging his matrimony (as was the custom days of marrying quite early). But Lakshmana's reply in the negative was firm and emphatic. When he was in pre-matric, his father fell ill and he along with his brothers was asked to look after the business. He had to give up his school. Now free from the routine work of the school, he devoted most of his time to the study of the Saiva Sastras from Swami Mehtab Kak. He devoted even greater time to the practice of Yoga, for he did not want to confine himself only to the theoretical part of the Saiva system. He used to practice meditation from two in the night till dawn.
SELF REALIZATION The spiritual urge compelled the earnest aspirant to leave home for practising yoga at the famous ashram of Sadhamalyun in Handawara, Kashmir. His father succeeded in persuading him to come to the city and accepting to live in a newly built house in their factory premises, as he had desired. Here the earnest scholar-saint devoted himself to the study of Kashmir Saiva literature. Lakshmana Joo's father Pandit Narayan Das engaged the most efficient Pandit, Maheshwar Razdan, to teach his son Saiva sastras at home. He also studied the Sanskrit grammar and the allied schools of Indian philosophy at full length.
SECLUSION
MEETING SAINTS
AUROBINDVAN SOLITUDE After Swami ji disposed off his immovable property in1962 he started to live in a small house newly constructed at a stone's throw from the general road near Gupta Ganga Temple in Ishber. 'Ishwar Ashram' was the name given to the ashram and the disciples began to call Swamiji -Ishwara Swarup.The Ashram Activities gathered momentum. Swami ji held regular Sunday class/satsanga. On Mondays he observed silence (maunam) and spent his day in 'God's House', the tiny cottage for meditation, built in a beautiful small garden near the previous ashrama -place.
HONOURS CONFERRED
CONTRIBUTIONS Maharshi Mahesh Yogi visited the Ishwar Ashram and invited Swami ji to his house-boats in the Dal Lake. Swami ji gave an interesting exposition of the Vijnanabhairava to his devotees on request. Swami Ramdas (a jivanmukta) of Kanhangarh, Mangalore, Swami Satyananda Saraswati of Munger and Swami Muktananda of Ganeshpuri were pleased to meet the Swami when they visited Srinagar. Swami Lakshmana himself attended and presided over spiritual meetings held occasionally in the valley and outside it. Swami ji occasionally went to Hardwar and Rishikesh and met saints especially Swami Sivananda of the Divine Life Society.In 1976, Swamijee presided over a spiritual congregation organised by Sri Ramakrishna Ashram Srinagar. Swami Ranganathananda, world famous cultural ambassador of India, graced this occasion. A number of scholars from India and abroad came to Swamijee for studying and learning Kashmir Shaivism. Among the who’s who of the western scholars of shaivism, who spent time studying with Swami Lakshaman joo, were the late Lilian Silburn and her colleague Andre Padoux, both of whom were scholars of tantrism in Paris. Alexis Sanderson, Mark S.G. Dyczkowski, a young scholar of shaivism associated with Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Benaras. Other South Asianists who made the pilgrimage to Lakshamnjoo's Ishwar Ashram included Professor Harvey P. Alper. J G Arapura, Bettina Baumer, Gerald J Larson and K Sivaraman. From Benaras, Pandit Rameshwar Jha and Dr Jaidev Singh travelled to his ashram seeking a more profound understanding of Shaiva doctrine and practice. As a result of his visits to Kashmir, Pandit Rameshwar Jha developed a profound devotion to Swamijee to who’s spiritual power he attributed certain spiritual realisations that he enjoyed. This is evident in his “Gurustuti”, a sanskrit poem filled with praise of Swami Lakshaman joo and his masters. Pandit Rameshwar Jha expressed his belief that Swami Lakshaman Joo was a reincarnation of Lakshaman Mukta, a guru of Abhinavgupta. For Kashmiri disciples he explained the tenets of Saivism in a literary style full of elegance and wit. To general audience he spoke in lucid Hindi.
VEGETARIANISM
OCCULT POWERS
GENERAL Through out his life, he never accepted money from anyone, nor did he ever charge fees or ask for compensation for his teachings. People often tried to give him money but he always refused. Affectionately, Swamijee was called “Lal Sahib” or friend of God. Swamiji travelled widely with his devotees to various pilgrimages in various parts of Kashmir and rest of India. Swamiji used to come regularly to Jammu in the winter months in 1970’s-1980’s for nearly a period of 15 years. He stayed here at the residence of his ardent devotee Late Shri B.D.Raina. Here in Jammu, Swamiji used to preach principles of Shaivism to His devotees. Sometimes He used to visit the capital, New Delhi, on the request of his devotees living in New Delhi. In March 1991, Swamiji went to USA with some of his foreign devotees to propagate Kashmir Shaivism. In USA after some months of stay, He came back to India in June 1991. The great master of Kashmir Saivism, Swami Lakshman Joo left his mortal frame and merged into the Supreme Siva on 27th Sept. 91 at NOIDA, U.P. He is not with us physically, but his spirit lives and will continue to guide us. In the words of Abhinavagupta, “Some beings are enlightened only for their own liberation, but others for the sake of redeeming the whole world-just as a firefly shines only for itself, jewels shine for others, the stars shine for more, the moon shines for still more and the sun bestows light on the whole universe.” Swami Lakshaman joo is such a Sun indeed.
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