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Niralamba Swami | |
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 Niralamba Swami | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Jatindra Nath Banerjee (1877-11-19)19 November 1877 |
| Died | 5 September 1930(1930-09-05) (aged 52) |
| Parents |
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| Religious life | |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Philosophy | Advaita Vedanta |
| Religious career | |
| Guru | Soham Swami |
Disciples | |
| Part ofa series on | |
| Hindu philosophy | |
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| Orthodox | |
| Heterodox | |
Sub-schools | |
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Jatindra Nath Banerjee (Niralamba Swami) (19 November 1877 – 5 September 1930) was one of two great Indian nationalists and freedom fighters – along with Aurobindo Ghosh (Sri Aurobindo) – who dramatically rose to prominence between 1871 and 1910.
Niralamba Swami was born asJatindra Nath Banerjee on 19 November 1877 atChanna village inBurdwan district.[1][2] His father, Kalidas Bannerjee, worked as a government official at Bangaon of Jessore district (nowNorth Twenty Four Parganas) ofBengal.His early education was completed at the village school. Then he passed FA (First Arts) fromBurdwan Raj College, which was then affiliated with theUniversity of Calcutta[3] with high marks. He was admitted to B.A. class in the college.
While at college, Jatindra Nath (Jatindra Nath Banerjee) began developing interest in political activities ofIndia. He was drawn towards radical and revolutionary methods of attaining independence.
He felt that revolutionary methods were necessary to attain independence and he became the first to preach the adoption of revolutionary methods for attaining independence.[4][5]
For using revolutionary methods, a large army was needed and so martial training of countrymen was essential. So Jatindra Nath left his studies halfway in search of martial training. He tried to get himself enlisted in the British army but did not succeed.
Having failed to enlist himself in the British army, Jatindra Nath began wandering in search of a job. He reachedBaroda. At Baroda he met Aurobindo GhoseSri Aurobindo. Aurobindo was highly impressed by his robust health and helped him in finding a job in the Baroda army. In the year 1897, Jatindra Nath joined the Baroda army as a bodyguard of the king of Baroda.[2][3][6] He also became an associate of Aurobindo.
Aurobindo began devoting energy towards national activities. WhenAnushilan Samiti was formed at Kolkata, Aurobindo sent a request to Jatindra Nath to join the organisation. So Jatindra Nath left his job in Baroda to joinAnushilan Samiti. He became one of its prominent members.
Jatindra Nath's father did not like the fact that his son had left his studies and that he had involved himself in anti-British activities. To divert his son's attention towards family matters, he married him off. But still Jatindra Nath became more deeply involved in the freedom movement of the country.
TheAlipore bomb case and repression of all revolutionary activities in Bengal forced Jatindra Nath lose interest in the nationalist activities. He went back to his nativeChanna village. Soon he was married off by his parents to Hiranmoyee.[7][8]
During his childhood Jatinindra Nath Banerjee was known to be unruly, but as a teenager he became thoughtful. He began to frequently visit the temple of goddess Bishalakshi (another name of the goddessDurga), where he would sit for hours in deep contemplation.[citation needed]
After the suppression of revolutionary activities in Bengal, Jatin (Jatinindra Nath Banerjee) went back to his native village. His mind became engrossed in spiritual thoughts. He would frequently visit the temple of Bishalaakshi ('Large-eyed Goddess') and would remain there for hours. He would pray for spiritual strength self-purification and spiritual knowledge. He began to feel the need for aguru. Meanwhile, his parents died and a daughter was born to him. He felt a deep need to get rid of worldly ties. Consequently, one night he became a wandering monk (i.e. he tookSannyasa).[5][9]
Jatin felt that for gaining spiritual knowledge he needed the help of a guru and hence he began to search for one. He wandered many places in search of a guru but could not find any genuine ones.
During his wanderings he reachedVaranasi. There he met a monk who suggested him to go toNainital where he (Jatin) would find his destined guru
When Jatindra Nath reachedNainital from Varanasi he became very tired and exhausted. Yet he managed to findSoham Swami, his destinedguru.[10]Soham Swami had established anashram near the bank of a river. He welcomed Jatindra Nath with open arms and made him his disciple on the same day.
Soham Swami was one of the most eminent disciples of Tibbetibaba, the legendaryyogi of India.[11] He was the author of books like 'Soham Gita', 'Soham Samhita', 'Truth' (this book was the only book written by him in English poetry. It was published in Calcutta, now Kolkata, in 1913) and 'Common Sense.’
In his autobiographical work,Why I Am An Atheist,Bhagat Singh, a prominent freedom fighter, wrongly referred to Niralamba Swami as the author of a book titledCommon Sense. Swami in fact wrote only the introduction to it.[12][13][14][15]
Soham Swami asked Jatindra Nath Banerjee to go toHaridwar, where he had established anashram. At this place Jatindra Nath began scaling great spiritual heights and finally attained knowledge ofBrahman or God in His form without any attributes.
Soham Swami was very pleased with the spiritual success of Jatindra Nath Banerjee and so he was rechristened with the name ofSrimat Niralamba Swami. But he became popular with the name ofNiralamba Swami.[16]
Niralamba Swami now had many admirers and devotees fromPunjab, Haryana, and regions aroundDelhi. His fame for spiritual knowledge and wisdom spread far and wide. After staying in Haridwar for some years he developed a desire to establish anashram atChanna village. He conveyed his request to his guru and was granted the permission to establish anashram at his native village.
After staying in the northern India for many years, Niralamba Swami reachedChanna village, his native place. Many people of his village and other nearby villages had gathered to have a glimpse of their famous man. He first visited his home to meet his wife. Through her he came to know that his only child (his daughter) had expired. He managed to convince his wife to spend the rest of her life with him as the Mother of the soon to be constructed ashram at the village. She was re-christened as 'Chinmoyee Devi'.[17]
Soon anashram was constructed by the side of the village river bank and Niralamba Swami began staying at the ashram with his wife and some devotees and disciples.
Niralamba Swami's fame as a greatGuru and ayogi spread even more in India. His life at the ashram was spent both as a 'bhogi' (enjoyer) and ayogi. He would daily consume the best quality betel leaves and tobacco available at the time.
It did not remain unknown that the former freedom fighter had become a famousyogi of India. So many former comrades of Niralamba Swami (formerly Jatindra Nath Banerjee) and many freedom fighters began visiting him for spiritual guidance and inspiration.
Among the notable freedom fighters to have visited Niralamba Swami was the legendaryBhagat Singh. He had met Niralamba Swami at Channa ashram atChanna village in the beginning of 1929[18](1927– 1928 according to some).
Another famous person associated with Niralamba Swami wasPrajnanapada (1891–1974).He was popular with the name ofSwami Prajnanapada. He became Niralamba Swami's disciple in 1924–25 at Channa ashram. He also became a monk (took toSannyasa).[19]Prajnanapada was a follower ofAdvaita Vedanta philosophy and taught realisation of Self-knowledge usingJñānaYoga method (the path of self-realisation using knowledge).[citation needed]
Many distinguished persons had also visited Niralamba Swami at his Channa ashram atChanna village. Among them was Tibbetibaba. Niralamba Swami had hailed Tibbetibaba as one of the greatest exponent of Advaita Vedanta afterAdi Shankara.
He died on 5 September 1930.
