The Levitating Saint

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I, the undersigned, feel great pleasure to write a short note on this short English life-sketch of the Most Revered Yugacharya Maharshi Nagendranath, a great yogi, a jnani, and a devotee and a patriot to the true sense of the term, written by Prof. Tripura Sankar Sen Shastri, a renowned inquisitive writer. Harder than the thunderbolt but softer than the petals of flowers is the characteristic of the lives of The Mahapurusas (i.e. great men). It is at the same time unfathomable like the depth of the oceans. It is more so to depict that rightly because rare are the materials on which the edifice of a real historical life-sketch of `Sadhakas' can be built, rarest is the Writer or rather Compiler who can do true justice to all the aspects of the life of a saint for want of adequate materials. The want of zeal and sincerity and that of necessary money and above all "Nothing unnatural nothing glorious of my life should be given light to"- the mandate of the most revered Maharshi Deb- all these stood in the way of compiling and publishing the biography of Him who was a friend, philosopher and guide - a solace to all who came to his contact. But Rishi Arabindo glorified Maharsi Nagendranath by saying that - Nagendranath was an integral yogin and laid Emphasis on Bhakti Yoga which is,the best and easiest method of God realisation. We, the pro-disciples of the revered Maharshideb hanker after his name and fame being spread far and wide and without him and his grace that cannot be and hence this publication of a short life-sketch. It will be gratifying if this short life-sketch throws some light on the then Bengal and help inspre the religious life of anybody. Many thanks to Prof. Sen, who in his ripe old age has taken the trouble to write this short English life-sketch and has surrendered its copy-right to Sanatan Dharma Pracharini Sabha and Sree Sree Nagendra Math, a purely religious and charitable Institution. The book was first published by Nirmal Kanti Basu, Professor, Jadavpur University.

PROF. TRIPURA SANKAR SEN SHASTRI, a renowned inquisitive writer, obtained his M.A. degree in philosophy in 1920 from Calcutta University. He was awarded the degree Kavyatirtha in 1927. He was attributed Shastri, a degree of honour, by Ayurbed Mahamandal. He was also accepted as `Saraswataratna' (a jewel in the learned society) by Paramhansa Taracharan Satya Sangha. He started his career as a Professor of Kamarunnesa College of Dacca. He then joined Jagannath College, Dacca and retired from Muralidhar Girls' College, Kolkata. He was selected a Fellow of Asiatic Society. He was awarded `Sarojini Basu Gold Medal' by Calcutta University in 1975 for his fundamental research in literature. He authored not less than twelve books. Maharshi Nagendranath is one of them.

Better late than never! Not only I agree, but the same time I find pleasure to announce that this belated effort shall wipe out the inability of all disciples of Yugacharya Maharshi Nagendranath (1846-1926), those who have simply wasted a century to carry the Torch left behind by Maharshideb, a yogi, a saint, a devotee and, last but not the least, a patriot to the true sense of the term, written by Prof. Tripura Sankar Sen Shastri, a renowned inquisitive writer. I must say that this book is definitely a great tribute to this legendary Maharshideb as well as social reformer. Today, this effort is due to the initiation by NAGENDRA MISSION, formed on 3rd March, 2007. I take liberty of quoting a few lines from the famous book entitled Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda- "1 saw a yogi remain in air, several feet above ground." (Chapter 7). At the same time we feel proud to announce that both the guru and the disciple used to reside within handshaking distance in North Kolkata. Paramhansa Yoganandaji used to come to Maharshideb everyday in the holy Sri Sri Nagendra Math to develop and practise Yoga. One day, Yoganandaji was advised by his guru to travel western part of the globe to preach yoga of Indian Philosophy. We find Maharshi Nagendra Nath who met Sri Ramkrishna Paramahansadeb at Dakshineswar, offered songs composed by himself by which Thakur was transformed to Samadhi, and subsequently Maharshideb had a great spiritual upliftment in 1881. Again we find Maharshidev as Acharya of Brahmo Samaj on request of Maharshi Debendra Nath Tagore during some phase of time. This book by Prof. Sen Shastri has all the glimpses of Maharshi Nagendra Nath, going through which the reader will simply be charmed to find the treasure whom we missed to worship for a century. We owe to Prof. Tripura Sankar Sen Shastri for this historical life sketch.

Readers will definitely be highly interested to know that Maharshi Nagendra Nath was all along a teacher and a preacher. He wanted to help the needy and destitute. He wanted to spread education to the remote parts of the then Bengal. His immediate direct disciple Srimad Dhyan Prakash Brahmachari (his nephew) paid respect to the guru and started a chhatrabas along with Sanatan Dharma Pracharini Sabha and Sree Sree Nagendra Math at 2, Rammohon Roy Road, Kolkata-9, today's place in 1926. Needy but meritorious students are given free food and lodging. Nagendra Mission is in charge of the maintenance, expansion etc.of the Chhatrabas. The dreams of Maharshidev is on the verge of getting a move.

NAGENDRA MISSION : Constituted on 3rd March, 2007, and inaugurated by Late Dr. Pratap Chandra Chander, former Central Education Minister, an Educationist and a renowned philanthropist. The Mission is looking after all activities viz., (i) Chhatrabas, (ii) Free Reading Room, (iii) Social activities, (iv) Periodic Seminars on Religious and Educative Courses and Discussion, (v) Developmental activities of Assets, (vi) Research works, (vii) Publication of rare books and gospels, (viii) a Computer Training Centre etc., etc., along with ritual activities of Math.

We find great pleasure to mention in this connection that in February, 2008 the Mission has published a rare book entitled : Sri Ramkrishna Geeta, containing the teachings of Sri Ramkrishna and Maharshi Nagendra Nath to pay tribute to their holy meeting which is a historic event of remembrance for all the time to come, edited by Sri Sanjib Chattopadhyay, an eminent literature. Our greatest pleasure is that within 2008 we are going to reprint the book. I take liberty to highlight the fact that this publication was inaugurated in a Press Conference at Calcutta Press Club on 3rd that March, 2008, in presence of some elite personalities, I mean to say that the spreading of Maharshideb's teaching and preaching is gaining a momentum with this bleated effort by some good souls.

Sri Ramkrishna Geeta, we feel, needs a translation in English and Hindi, so as to feed the demands amongst those devotees who can not read Bengali. Mission is desirous of publishing accordingly by the grace of Maharshidev.

We are thankful to Prof. Sen Shastri who had given permission to Sanatan Dharma Pracharini Sabha and Sree Sree Nagendra Math by surrendering the copyright during 1976. Now in 2008, we are publishing the second edition of the book.

**Contents and Sample Pages**