Bhagavan Nityananda has no Guru, Shivananda Paramahamsa is not Nityananda’s Guru.
Many of them have been promulgating that Pujya Siddhaguru Shivananda Paramahamsa is the Guru of Parabrahma Bhagavan Nityananda and they have believed so. Portraying the image of young Nityananda sitting in the lap of Pujya Shivananda Paramahamsa they are publicizing them to be Guru-Shishya (Master and disciple).
The birthplace of Shivananda Paramahamsa is Koyilandy and his name was Raman, he was working as a Police officer in 1924. At the same time, Janmasiddha Nityananda was itinerating in His Avadhuthastithi in South India, one can know about it by reading His Biography. Around 1924 when Raman (Shivananda Paramahamsa) worked as a Police Official his afflicted wife breathed her last in his lap. Before her departure, she asked him a question ‘Through day and night you toil to protect people you say, now I am in my death-bed, now you rescue me and shield me from death’. He did not have an answer to her question, after her departure, the question started haunting him. He wandered entire India (Bharatha Varsha) for the answer, met so many Rishi Munis, but was not contented. Lastly in Palani Bhogar Siddha granted him His darshan, imparted the secret of SiddhaMarg, and made him Siddha Guru, Raman became Shivananda Paramahamsa.
Later He established Siddhashram in Kerala’s Badagara, conferring the Siddha Vidya to disciples there He constructed 30 rules of conduct for Siddha disciples on 14.03.1936. He has clearly mentioned in it that one who sells this vidya becomes Gurubhrashta (fallen) and those who have taken Deeksha from the Siddhas must not establish any Ashrams or Organizations. Around this time Bhagavan Nityananda had already built caves in Kanhangad, formed Guruvan, and imparted Chidakashgita to Tulasimata. Had Bhagavan Nityananda received Deeksha as a Siddha disciple, we must understand that He did not follow even any one of those 30 rules of conduct that are meant for Siddha disciples.
There is a rule that imposes not to shave beard and head. There have been portraits of Bhagavan Nityananda that stand as proof to it that Bhagavan had his beard and head shaved. The 24th rule of conduct clearly says not to shave. 26th rule of conduct says one who has received Siddha vidya must not add prefix or suffix other names to their name or add title ‘Ananda’. Those who have left Siddhashram and gone must not be considered Siddha students and brothers. There is Ananda in His name Nityananda and when he never stayed in Siddhashram, the question of he leaving the Ashram does not arise at all.
Once when a disciple of Bhagavan Nityananda Goniswamy and Avadhutha Govinda Swamy in Ganeshpuri asked Him if Shivananda Paramahamsa was His Guru, Bhagavan pointing to his chest responded ‘This one has no Guru, no disciple’. Which means the Athmaswarupi, the Soul has no Guru, no disciple, who is the Guru of Avadhutha? Pujya Avadhutha Goniswamy himself has narrated this incident to me. Once Bhagavan Nityananda handed over some money to Goniswamy and sent him for the pilgrimage across India, and also to Palani’s Siddhavidya Kendra of Shivananda Paramahamsa for Sadhana. He returned from there as he couldn’t adhere to their rules of conduct. He used to sit in Ganeshpuri’s Krishna Mandir wearing a gunny bag (goni) given by Bhagavan, I have met him several times. Once Goniswamy enquired Bhagavan Nityananda that ‘when few science students challenged Shivanadna Paramahamsa to hold electric wires, He held them in both of his hands and sparks of fire spluttered from it but nothing happened to Him, is it true?’ Bhagavan responded ‘Shivananda Paramahamsa is a Mahan Siddhaguru, not just by His hands he is capable of ceasing the electric flow even by His mere glance’.
When Pujya Avadhutha Karunakara Swamyji was asked regarding Shivananda Paramahmasa and Bhagavan Nityananda, His Holiness responded ‘Young Nityananda had been to Badagara Shivananda Paramahamsa’s Ashram, during that time Pujya Shivananda Paramahamsa welcomed Nityananda Bhagavan by embracing Him and saying ‘Nitya Tattva, Nitya Tattva’ thrice. When Pujya Nambudari Brahman Govinda Swamy received Deeksha from Pujya Shivanada Paramahamsa, he found it difficult to follow the rules of conduct of Siddhashram like four or more people eating in one plate and many others, Shivananda Paramahamsa told him ‘go to Ganeshpuri, you will be conferred Deeksha from Bhagavan Nityananda, He is your Guru’. He went to Ganeshpuri, attained Avadhuthastithi through the grace and blessings of Bhagavan Nityananda, and merged in Parabrahma.
Another illustration of the association of yet one more Mahatmas, a dark-complexioned man used to appear in the dream of a boy named Shiva, his father had received Deeksha from Shivanada Paramahamsa. Father took his son to Shivananda Paramahamsa and narrated the dream and the dark-man who appears, Paramahamsa immediately took out a portrait under his seat and showing to the boy he said ‘the man who appears in your dream is Avadhutha Nityananda, He is in Ganeshpuri, He is your Sadguru’. Latterly Shiva went to Mumbai’s Ganeshpuri, received Shaktipath and the name Karunananda from Bhagavan Nityananda did sadhana in Gokul as per Nityananda’s command and became a renowned Siddhaguru Maunibaba. Pujya Siddhaguru Shivananda Paramahamsa had sent Pujya Narayan Swamy to Ganeshpuri who has established Nityananda Ashram in Mastikatte and enshrined Nityananda idol there.
Shivananda Paramahamsa and Bhagavan Nityananda are Siddheshvaras, they are not distinct. The way devotees and disciples are seeing them is not right, people form divisions, not the Mahatmas who have attained God through Poornatva (entirety). Bhagavan Nityananda has bestowed the world with a renowned Grantha of self-illumination called ‘Chidakashgita’. Pujya Shivanada Paramahamsa has blessed the world with a Mahan Siddha yoga Granth ‘Siddha Veda’ which is a beacon to walk the path of liberation. They have conferred the world with thousands of Siddhas.
When I was doing Seva of Sogalajja in Sogala Kshetra, a Siddha called Yellappa Sadhu, a disciple of Pujya Matananda Swamy who was a disciple of Shivananda Paramahamsa, had given me ‘Siddhaveda Grantha’ and also he had awakened the Shakti within me by blowing in my ear (method of Deeksha in Shaktipath). But I was not able to do that sadhana, wherever I went ‘Om Namo Bhagavathe Nityanandaya’ mantra used to cantillate within on its own. But I used to have divine inexplicable experiences whenever I meditated in Pujya Matananda’s Samadhi Mandir of Swargashram. Subsequently, Mohanaswamy who is currently in Swargashram of Sogala was once sent by Avadhutha Govinda swamy from Bantwal to Badagara, constructed a cave near Dharawad’s Govankoppa and used to perform sadhana there. After I completed reading Siddha Veda Grantha in his kutir (hut), he too conferred me Shakthi, but again only Nityananda Mantra emerged within me. It was not possible for me to follow the rules of conduct of Siddha disciple and I did not even have facilities of hot water also for everyday bathing as per rules.
After Bevinkoppa Ashram was established, I used to have darshan of Siddhaguru Shridharananda Swamy of Tadakodu who hails from Kerala, another disciple of Matananda Swamy. He also had received the blessings of Bhagavan Nityananda in Kanhangad. He constructed Athmaparisheelana Ashram near Dharwad and took his Samadhi there. He too had Urdwa Drishti (vision pointed upwards) like that of Janananda Swamy and walked without seeing the ground down. He blessed me with a protective gesture (abhaya) and said “Bhagavan Nityananda’s is Siddha Mahayoga Marg, there is nothing to ‘Do’ there, it’s Happening’, up-down-length-breadth-sky-earth its same Shakti all over, it’s imbued inside out. You are graced by Nityananda, you have to continue in the same Sadhana’.
There are so many devotees and disciples who have received Deeksha of Siddha vidya of Moksha Marg from Shivananda Paramahamsa and have been following this path in Mangalore, Kasaragod, and Uppala near Manjeshvar. At times some dialectics, diminutive differences of paths, and erroneous debates would occur between devotees of Shivananda Paramahamsa’s Siddhashram and Nityananda Bhagavan’s Ashram. Once a young boy, son of a doctor who was a devotee of Siddha Samaj, to ridicule Bhagavan Nityananda he deliberately tied a bandage around his knee and came limping to Bhagavan Nityananda pretending to pray for the recovery of his wounded leg. Bhagavan retorted ‘It will be healed, go back home, remove the bandage and see’. When the boy went back and saw, his leg was really wounded, puss-filled and worms started shedding from it. The doctor and his companions visited Shivananda Paramahamsa who had come to a house in their neighborhood and complained to Him about Nityananda that he has done injustice to the boy. He said ‘Has Nityananda caused injustice? I will only go there tomorrow and put an end to all His play of Siddhis. Let me see his power’. Nityananda’s devotees also got the information that Shivananda Paramahamsa would come, Bhagavan responded ‘Let Shivananda Paramahamsa come, let’s see what he does’. The next day everybody had gathered, they were curious to see what is going to happen, the moment the Doctor and Shivananda Paramahamsa arrived there, Shivananda Paramahamsa embraced Nityananda, made Him sit in his lap, and both started laughing in bliss. Shivananda Paramahamsa told the Doctor’s son not to play pranks with Siddhas and made him apologize. When the boy apologized, he was completely healed instantly.
We must understand that both Nityananda and Shivananda are Siddhamahayogis, one is an Avadhutha and the other is Paramahamsa, both are in Unmaththa Stithi (ecstatic) which is beyond the mind. A Siddha purush from Kerala’s Badagara had come to Ganeshpuri being was aware of the treasure in the lands of Panvel near Ganeshpuri, he had received Deeksha from Shivananda Paramahamsa and through sadhana, he possessed few siddhis. When he used to tell few aristocrats that he would get them the treasure from lands, Bhagavan Nityananda used to stop him upfront. When he retorted angrily to Nityananda ‘Why do you raise obstacles in my endeavor? What loss do you incur from my deeds?’, Bhagavan countered ‘Shivananda Paramahamsa has given Siddha vidya to you for Mokshaprapti (to attain liberation), not to dig treasure troves. Once you give the treasure to a few, your Shakti will diminish, the rest of the crowd will not spare you then’. He realized the grave mistake he was about to commit, apologized to Bhagavan, and followed His instructions for Sadhana.
When Badagara near Kallikote (Calicut) of Kerala was ruled by Badagara’s King, only the upper caste community could utilize the water from Bhagavathi Devi Mandir pond, people from the backward community were not allowed to enter that place. Pujya Shivananda Paramahamsa told the King ‘I along with my devotees, disciples and villagers will come and bathe in Bhagavathi pond, water from wells, lakes, ponds, and rivers are God’s creation, everybody has equal rights to use them. When Shivananda Paramahamsa arrived there with his group for bathing, the King had employed his soldiers there for vigilance, they thrashed Paramahamsa and his followers who fell unconscious. Immediately Sakshath Shivswarup Shivananda Paramahamsa arose (though he was beaten up and had fallen unconscious), and sprinkled water on all his followers. By then a miracle happened, people in the King’s palace and soldiers in the village started to get whipped from rods, the King, Queen, Minister, Soldiers, feeling defeated fell crying on Shivananda Paramahamsa’s feet, begging the apology. Later the pond was given to public welfare for the benefit of all.
Condemning the purity-impurity (madi, mailige) concepts of Nambodaris, he aroused awareness in people. Shivananda Paramahamsa in his book ‘Siddha Veda Niyama’ has written ‘when clothes are soiled and dirty on various occasions like when women menstruate, during parturition, marriages, or death, the laundress (madivala, a backward caste in India) washes them and returns them tidy, everybody wears those clothes touched by her though she belongs to lower caste, still, they are sanctified wearing those clothes, hence she belongs to the uppermost eminent caste than all others of upper caste’.
Pujya Shivananda Paramahamsa also has never said anywhere that Nityananda is his disciple, both great beings are Ajatavadis, beyond the discriminations of caste, creed, religion. Shivananda Paramahamsa has clearly instructed in his ‘Rules of Conduct for Siddha Disciples’ book, the foremost rule is not to have caste creed discriminations: Siddha disciples must not have discrimination of caste, creed, stature, and prestige, abandoning all that they must walk the path with the feeling of brotherhood, ekodara (born of one mother), and integrity among all. The 23rd rule dictates that there should not be any kind of fee charged to learn Siddhayoga or to enter Siddhavidyabhyasalaya, one must stay away from using profane words and the company of the wicked. Bhagavan Nityananda also has conferred Guru padavi (position)and Deeksha without any discrimination of caste. He conferred Siddhamahayoga Shaktipath Deeksha to young widow Tulasimata and imparted the maha tattva ‘Chidakasgita’ to her.
This work is not intended to criticize or dispute, Bhagavan Nityananda has instructed never to criticize any Gurumarg or Tattvamata. My only genuine intent is to convey the truth that Pujya Shivananda Paramahamsa is not the Guru of Bhagavan Nityananda. It seems in the documents of Badagara Siddhashram it’s recorded that another Master of Siddhashram had given Deeksha of Ajapaajapa to young Nityananda by blowing in the ear, could have been, without knowing that Nityananda was JanmaSiddha (born siddha) he might have done that. If Shivananda Paramahamsa was Nityananda’s Guru, at least we could have found a photo in any of his Ashrams, Bhagavan never kept any photo of Paramahamsa, there are no records of either Bhagavan talking about it or Paramahamsa. However, both Mahatmas are Siddhapurushas. Bhagavan Nityananda is Nityamukta, Jeevanmukta, He is Parabrahma Swarupi. Nityananda Bhagavan has expounded in ‘Chidakashgita’ that both Karana Guru and Karya Guru are within one’s being, they are not external and the same is elucidated by Shivananda Paramahamsa also in His ‘Siddha Veda’ Grantha, we must understand that Guru is a Mahan Tattva, not a physical being, it’s a Shakti that rises the Adhogati(downward) energy to Urdwagati (upward) and leads one towards liberation. Its need of the hour to begin inner sojourn. Like how an old saying in Kannada ‘Nadi moola Rishi Moola hudukabaradu’ (one must not go behind searching the origins of River and Rishi) says, we must incorporate their teachings and focus on our spiritual progress than getting stuck with mundane disputes.
Namo Nityanandaya
Written by: Swamy Vijayananda, Bevinkoppa
Translation to English: Ramya Poojari
Om Namo Bhagavate Nityanandaya 🙏🏻
Super n immamorable matter of avadhootha bagavan nithyananda story. Om namo bhagavathe nithyanandaya. My guruji paramaguru katarya has given me deeksha of bhagavan nithyanada mantra. We must do praying with nithyananda.