Swami Lakshmanjoo nació el 9 de mayo de 1907 en Srinagar, Cachemira, India.
En 1965 se extendió silenciosamente la noticia de que la tradición oral del Shivaísmo de
Cachemira estaba viva y plenamente encarnada en la persona de Swami Lakshmanjoo.
Durante los siguientes treinta años, un flujo regular de visitantes.
Jnani (sabio realizado).
El conocimiento del Shivaísmo de Cachemira tradicionalmente se transmitía solo por
comunicación oral u otros medios invisibles, directamente de maestro a discípulo.
Algún material fue escrito a comienzos del siglo VIII, pero los textos a menudo fueron
intencionalmente oscurecidos en un esfuerzo por evitar malentendidos y mal uso. Los
textos tratan sobre experiencias yóguicas que son extremadamente individuales y
difíciles de describir con palabras, y las prácticas involucradas son emocionales. Un
maestro viviente, fundado en la tradición oral, era necesario como guía.
Lakshmanjoo estableció en la India el Trust Ishwara Ashram.
En los Estados Unidos, sentó las bases la Universal Shaiva Fellowship
His father, Pandit Narain Dass Raina was the first personin Kashmir to wear a coat and
ride a bicycle
When Lakshmana turned 15, his parents thought of
arranging his matrimony, which was the standard
practice. Lakshmana vehemently opposed the idea
saying, 'I am already married to Almighty God!'
Lakshmana had the experience of Self-realization for the first
time, at the age of 20.
One day it ignited the desire to leave home for practicing yoga
at the famous ashram of Sadhamalyun in Handwara (Sadhu
Ganga), Kashmir. He left a note for his brothers asking them to
look after his parents and another for his father stating that he
was leaving in search of almighty.
It was at Sadhamalyun that he had many divine experiences of
masters and saints of the past. Upon Lakshmana's request(and
as a precondition for his return), his father built a small house
in the factory premises, where he could practice his meditation undisturbed. For seven
years (1926-1933) he one-pointedly devoted himself to the study of Sanskrit grammar,
Indian philosophy and Kashmir Shaiva literature, under the tutelage of Pandit
Maheshwar Nath Razdan. He authored his first book, the bhagwadgita, in 1931.
In 1934, Swamiji moved to a secluded plot of land at the
foothill of the Zabarwan mountain range, above Ishber
village, Gupta Ganga. A bungalow was constructed by
his parents and over the next 18 years Swamiji turned the
barren plot adjacent to his house into an Oasis of fruit
orchards, mingled with flower and vegetable gardens.
At age 31, Swamiji made a "Maun" (silent) pilgrimage across India. He spent a short
time with Mahatma Gandhi at Sevagram, Rabindranath Tagore at Shantiniketan and
then proceeded to see Sri Aurobindo at Pondicherry. He continued from there to
Raman Ashram at Tiruvanamalai, where he met the Revered Ramana Maharshi.
Bhagavan Ramana was full of fondness and love for the young saint Lakshmana.
Swamiji spent a few weeks in the presence of the Maharshi and later expressed, "I felt
those golden days were indeed divine". On return to his Ashram in Kashmir, Swamiji
took to strict seclusion for several months. Over the next two decades he worked on
and published Hindi translations of the Sambapanchashika, the ancient Krama Stotra -
a mystical treaty on the nature of the 12 Kali's in Kashmir Shaivism, and Utpaladeva's
Shivastotravali.
In 1962, after almost two decades in his first ashram, Swamiji
moved to a new location (the present ashram), just a stone's
throw from the ancient Mogul garden of Nishat Bagh.
This ashram also came to be known as 'Ishwar Ashram'. It was
here that Swamiji began holding regular Sunday classes on the
philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism. On Mondays he would
observe a day of silence (maunam). He spent his day in 'God's
House', the small cottage for meditation, built in a beautiful small garden, adjacent to
his previous ashram. He started regular classes for westerners and serious seekers on
Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The Varanaseya Sanskrit Vishva Vidyalaya conferred upon Swamiji, the degree of
'Doctor of Literature with Honours'.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi visited the Ishwar Ashram (1968-69)
and invited Swamiji to the house-boats in the Dal Lake, where
he was residing. Privately he taught the 112 practices of the
Vijnana Bhairava to Maharishi, and he also delivered a lecture
to Maharishi's students on Kashmir Shaivsm.
He was an occasional visitor to Haridwar and Rishikesh where
he use to meet saints , especially Swami Shivananda of the
Divine Life Society. He would address Swamiji as the " Lion of
Kashmir".
Swamiji was opposed to eating meat and would specifically
ask his devotees to spread the message of vegetarianism.
Every year, in late spring, Swamiji
used to celebrate his birthday with
pomp and show. Devotees would
come from all over Kashmir, India,
and abroad to participate in and
celebrate The Divine Day. On this
special day, He had meals served to
everyone, irrespective of caste,
creed, color, or gender. And any
number between 10,000 to 15,000
people including Muslim brothers
would have the Holy Meal also
known as Prashad in the Ashram.
Swamiji never accepted money from anyone, nor did he ever charge fees or ask
compensation for his teachings. People often tried to offer him money but he always
refused.
From 1970-1991 he would regularly spend the winter months in Jammu, at the
residence of his brother and ardent devotee the late Sri Bhagavan Dass Raina.
In March 1991, Swamiji went to the USA. It was his first trip ever outside of India. He
had a clear objective: The propagation of Kashmir Shaivism in the USA with the
assistance of his western devotees who were based there.
http://www.ishwarashramtrust.com/li.php
SHIVA SUTRAS: EL DESPERTAR SUPREMO
Revelado por Swami Lakshmanjoo
Editorial Lakshmanjoo Academy (2018)
