Spiritual guru Yogi Naraharinath-nepal

20th December we had another very memorable event when we met “Yogi
Naraharinatha” the Guru of the Goraknath Akhara in Kathmanduhtt His
spiritual radiance was immense, and I was transformed by the
remarkable tranquillity that emanated from his being. Through a
Nepalese interpreter I spoke with Yogi Naraharinatha and asked him a
few questions which he graciously replied.



Yogi Naraharinatha” the late Guru of the Goraknath Akhara in Kathmandu



I asked him which type of Yoga did he practice, and he replied;
Ashtanga Yoga (This is my view meant the real kind + Goraknath’s
famous Kundalini/Laya Yoga). I also asked him where he was originally
from, and he told me he was from a small village in mid western nepal
(in the Lalu V D C Kalikot), and that his Guru was Mahant Yogi
Chipranath . I was then quiet for a while thinking about Great Yogis
such as Babaji when he quickly and effortlessly read my thoughts, and
told me that Maha Siddha Babaji lived at Siddhashram in Tibet. The
isolates location/coordinates that Yogi Naraharinatha told me where
Babaji lived, will forever remain confidential. I will visit
Siddhashram, someday in the future.



Yogi Naraharinatha then told me that he recently with a couple of
hundred thousand of Nath Yogis from all over India and Nepal. A Natha
Yatra (pilgrimage) which he lead, as the head of the Nath lineage.
Some more information here on this famous ancient lineage:



He then showed me his two Shaligrams, which he had brought back from
his journey. The radiant Guru (on 22nd December) then asked me to
visit him again in a few days at his austere jungle ashram (Bhadreswar
Ashram) at Devghat, which is a very special place. We then caught a
beautiful flight over the Himalayas (where I took the oval shaped
photo of the Himalayan range on this the way to Pokhara.



If anybody is fortunate enough to go to this remote place they will
know what I mean. On the 30th December we took a magical bus ride (the
views of the aqua marine rivers, rapids, mountain passes, gorges etc)
from Pokhara to Narayanghat. Staying in a modest hotel room in
Naranyangarh (150 klms west of Kathmandu or ½ way to Lumbini), we
visited Yogi Naraharinatha’s Jungle Ashram at Devghat on the 31st
December but he had not arrived yet.

Yogi Naraharinatha” the late Guru of the Goraknath Akhara in Kathmandu.

Message of condolences

Spiritual guru Yogi Naraharinath passes away

By Perina Pathak & Yubaraj Ghimire

KATHMANDU, Feb 26 : Renowned spiritual figure Yogi Naraharinath, was laid to rest at Pashupatinath, Mrigasthali today. The 92-year-old Yogi, revered as the national spiritual guru by many breathed his last at 12:40 midnight at his Mrigasthali ashram, where he spent more than five decades of his life.

Suffering from multiple complaints for which he was admitted to Bir Hospital, he was mainly suffering from diabetes, pressure and weakness for the last three days.

Yogi’s death has been mourned throughout the country with different leaders and organisations, calling it an irreparable loss for the country.

In deference to his wishes to breathe his last at his own ashram, doctors discharged him from the hospital one-and-half hour before the end came. According to his assistants, the guru assumed the lotus pose (meditating pose) amidst chanting of Geeta and sacred name of Lord Vishnu by people around him and breathed his last.

His admirers and devotees thronged at the ashram to catch the last glimpse of their guru whose body laid in the state for nearly 16 hours after he died - first in his room then in the open lawn below.

The cremations were performed at about 5:00 p.m. in the ashram compound, but the inflow of hundreds of his followers was still on.

Though 12 hours after his death, spark in his face was intact. "Look at his face," a spectator who came there to pay homage said, pointing at the Yogi’s face. "The spark in his face after long hours shows his enlightenment."

His followers lowered the body still intact in lotus position in the ditch prepared for his funeral as per the tradition followed by Nath sect, Aaghora Panth, to which Yogi belonged to.

Yogi who was member of Raj Parishad was given national honour for his outstanding contribution in the field of religion, culture, historical and archaeological research throughout his life. He was given national honour as a band of policemen played the mourning tune. His quest for research didn’t interfere in the search of God all along.

As soon as the death message spread, personalities from throughout the capital congregated with flower and garland at Yogi’s ashram to give last condolence.

Along with the devotees, large number of dignitaries also visited the ashram to pay homage to the Yogi. Among those who visited the ashram included Pashupati Maharjan, Principal Secretary to the king, chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee Parshu Narayan Chowdhary, his predecessor Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, Deputy Prime Minister (DyPM) Badri Prasad Mandal, former DyPM Bam Dev Gautam, Home Minister Dharma Bahadur Thapa, Education Minister Devi Prasad Ojha, former minister PL Singh and many others.

"The government will make arrangements to preserve as well as make available of Yogi’s properties and creations to general public," said Minister Ojha.

Village boy Kulbir Thapa renounced his home at a tender age and got initiated into the Nath sect of the Aghora Pantha by Mahantha Chhipra Nath at Mahanta Chandan Nath Temple in Jumla. He was given the name - Yogi Narahari Nath - after his initiation into the sect. Ever since, he continued to be a follower of Guru Gorakhnath, the spiritual guru of the Shah dynasty.

The Yogi who became a legend in his lifetime, however, was not free from controversies. He was an ardent advocate of nationalism, culture, heritage and Hindu religion and didn’t hesitate to criticise anyone including the king at times. He, however, was a relentless advocate of the strong monarchy calling the institution as a symbol of unity in the country with so much heterogeneity and diversity.

Yogi, author of many books, has also completed 17 parts of unpublished books on History of Treaties of Nepal.

For the cremation procession, a 19-member Yogi Narhari Nath Samadhi Management Committee was also formed, in co-ordination with Chintamani Yogi.

Many national figures as well as organisations have mourned the death of the Yogi. Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, former prime minister and founding member of Nepali Congress, called Yogi a patriot and a disciplined as well as a lorgnette son of the motherland who never breached the limits of discipline that he had set for himself.

Over the irreparable demise of Yogi Narahari Nath, a number of organisations have also extended heart-felt condolences by issuing press releases. According to the statement issued here today from World Hindu Federation, the death of the legendary figure has caused irreparable loss to the nation.

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HM condolence

KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has said that His Majesty and Her Majesty were very saddened to learn of the demise of Raj Parishad member Yogi Naraharinath who made a distinguished contribution in the fields of religion, culture, language, archaeology and history.

In a message of condolences, His Majesty has said, "He was dedicated to Nepali nationalism and was an adherent of Hindu religion and culture, and he has made a notable contribution to the enrichment of history writing in the Kingdom of Nepal.

His Majesty has in the message said that the untimely demise of Yogi Naraharinath has caused an irreparable loss to the nation.His Majesty has also prayed to the almighty for eternal peace to the departed soul.

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Condolences expressed

RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Yogi Naraharinath and said the nation has lost a patriotic and an able, pioneer humanitarian personality.

In a condolence message, Prime Minister Chand said Yogi Naraharinath made remarkable contributions in religion, culture, language, literature, archaeological exploration and research.
The Nepali society will always remember and honour the contributions of late Yogi he said.
Chand extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved followers and well wishers and wished for the eternal peace of the departed soul.

Likewise, acting president of Nepal Sadbhavana Party and Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal has expressed profound sorrow at the untimely demise of Raj Parishad member and history scholar Yogi Naraharinath and prayed to Lord Pashupatinath for the peace of the departed soul.
In a statement issued here today, Mandal said in the demise of the Yogi whose scholarship covered language, culture, literature and archaeology also, the country had lost a true patriot who was devoted to the monarchy.

Similarly, a meeting of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee held at the Raj Parishad building today expressed profound sorrow at the demise of Yogi Naraharinath from pneumonia, diabetes and hypertension at the age of 92 and also prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

A minute's silence was observed on the occasion and heartfelt condolences extended to all grief-stricken followers and devotees at the 'Mahaprayan' of the great scholar of religion, culture and history, Yogi Naraharinath.

Raj Parishad Standing Committee members Bhadra Kumari Ghale, Bir Bahadur Lama, General (Retd.) Satchit Shumsher JB Rana, Ganesh Bahadur Gurung and Yagya Prasad Acharya were present at the condolence meeting chaired by Raj Parishad Standing Committee Chairman Parasu Narayan Chaudhari.

Likeweise, the CPN-UML has extended heartfelt tributes to Yogi Naraharinath, scholar of eastern philosophy, who made a distinguished contriution to the Nepali nation, nationalism and culture, upon his demise at the age of 92.

In a condolence message published here today, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said the Yogi's demise is a loss to the nation and his contributions would remain memorable.

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Yogi Naraharinath passes away

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 26: The mortal remains of Yogi Naraharinath, the renowned spiritual leader and scholar of Nepali history, language, culture and archaeology, was buried at his ashram at Mrigasthali this afternoon.

The Yogi had passed away at his ashram at Mrigasthali, Pashupati last night at 12:40 A.M.
The 92-year-old Yogi was undergoing treatment for high blood pressure, pneumonia, diabetes and heart problem at Bir Hospital since last week. But after doctors lost all hope, he was taken to his ashram at Mrigasthali as wished by him.

The body of late Yogi was kept at the ashram until 4 P.M. today to allow people to pay their last respects. Hundreds of people, including Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal, Minister for Information and Communications Ramesh Nath Pandey and other members of the council of ministers, yogis, his disciples and representatives of various political parties paid their last respect to the learned yogi.

As per the tradition of burying yogis, about an 8-foot deep pit was dug near his ashram as his last resting place. His disciples and other yogis wrapped his head and mouth with a piece of yellow cloth. The dead body was then slowly lowered into the pit and was placed in a sitting posture. Fruits and flowers were placed on his palms and the cloth covering his mouth undone.

The place of the samadhi was then covered with earth - putting the Yogi to eternal rest. Yogi Naraharinath had fallen sick while preparing for his 129th Kotihom, a grand religious ceremony, at Basamadi of Makawanpur district south of Kathmandu a few weeks ago, and was brought to Kathmandu for treatment.

Yogi Naraharinath was born as Balbir Singh Thapa in 1971 B. S. at Lalu Village Development Committee of Kalikot district in mid-western Nepal. Due to his sharpness and a keen sense of observation, a noted sage named Chandannath Mathaka Mahanth Shipranath of Jumla had taken him under his care at the age of nine, promising to take care of his education and upbringing. Chandannath firmly believed that the boy would make a significant contribution to their Nath community.

At the age of 13, Naraharinath was initiated into the life of a sage. By 1996 B. S. he had already gone through the Hindu scriptures and Hindu philosophies from Guru Chhipranath at Gorakhanath Matha in India. He then went to Haridwar for higher education in grammar and philosophy.

Yogi studied in depth the Nepali language, grammar, literature, history, philosophy and culture. He had deep faith in the country and in nationalism, vedic religion and Nepali culture. He had made visits to all parts of the country advocating Hindu religion and culture.

Yogi Naraharinath authored several books and translated works of history, culture and archaeology. He was a founder member of the Spiritual Council, Karmabir Mahamandal and the World Hindu Federation. He was also a member of the Rajparishad.

Recognising his talent, Brijlal Kedia Hindu University has decided to name a faculty in his honour.
Meanwhile, RSS adds, a 19-member Yogi Naraharinath Graveyard Management Committee was constituted today with Balabhandranath Yogi as the chief and Chintamani Yogi as the coordinator.
The committee has demanded that the government declare a national mourning day in memory of Yogi Naraharinath, declare him a national hero and protect his property.