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Swami Ramakrishnananda, or as his disciples call him with respect and affection, Gurudev, is a sannyasi, or an orthodox monk. He has accepted the renounced order of life within Hinduism, one of the most ancient religions and traditions known to humanity, and has become one of its most loyal representatives in the Western world.
Swami Ramakrishnananda is a yogi, a mystic, a philosopher, a spiritual master and for us, his disciples and followers, undoubtedly a completely enlightened being. He is an American citizen, born in Santiago, the capital of The Republic of Chile, on March 21st in 1958.
A spontaneous and profound transcendental experience at the age of 8 led him to a passionate search for God and the Truth. His to desire to experience "That" once again caused him to travel and reside in the most remote and diverse regions, countries, cultures and nations, far from the culture in which he was born, Santiago and South America. This search would bring him to associate with great devotees, mystics, guides and spiritual masters of many different lineages, paths, faiths and spiritual schools.
His first encounter with an established religion was in 1977, with the Vaishnava religious current, which follows the Bengali Gaudiya tradition of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the Puente Alto temple, Chile. It was there that he started his studies of Bhakti-yoga directly with |LI29|His Holiness Sri Srimad Atulananda Acharya, studies that would later continue with |LI30|His Holiness Sri Srimad Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami Maharaja, who personally granted him the title "|LI49|Bhakti Shastri" and "|LI55|Tridandi Bikshu". These two outstanding masters of Bhakti Yoga, founders of the organization "Vrinda", are direct disciples of |LI97|His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Gradually, in his heart, will develop an incredible and inexplicable love for India and all things related to the Vedic culture developed. Later Gurudev stated that this attraction comes from previous lifetimes.
|LI24| His Holiness Sri Srimad Swami Vishnu Devananda, a direct disciple of |LI32|His Holiness Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati, granted him first initiation or "diksha" in the Maha Mantra with the name of Ramakrishna. This Swami would be a guide and a source of inspiration in the first years of Integral Yoga studies, in all its varied aspects. From that first initiation, the Maha Mantra has never left Swami Ramakrishnananda.
In 1988 Swami Vishnu Devananda, in recognition of his erudition, love and devotion for Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, and of his wisdom and authority in the field of Bhakti-yoga, honored him with the special title, "|LI52|Krishna Bhakta". This was the first and only time that Swami Vishnu Devananda had ever given this extremely rare title to anyone in the wisdom of Bhakti Yoga, by the spiritual authority granted to him by his own spiritual master, Sri Sri Swami Sivananda.
Swami Ramakrishnananda continued to deepen his studies of Hinduism, the Vedic religion and Yogic philosophy, studying directly from some of the most famous yogis and masters of his time, receiving their instruction, guidance and benediction. Masters such as |LI27|His Holiness Sri Sri Swami Satchidananda, |LI28|His Holiness Sri Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda, |LI26|His Holiness Sri Sri Swami Brahmananda, |LI153|His Holiness Swami Krishnananda, His Holiness Brahmananda Saraswati and others, receiving diplomas and certificates of instructor, guide and teacher. He received the certificate of "|LI118|Yoga Teacher" from
Brahmananda Saraswati of the "Ananda Ashram". Finally he reached the highest degree of "|LI53|Yoga Acharya" or Master Acharya of Yoga, a title he received personally in 1989 from Swami Vishnu Devananda, the founder of Shivananda centers of Yoga Vedanta in the Shivananda Ashram of Canada. Years later the title "|LI50|Yogacharya" was granted to him by the prestigious "Sri Shankarananda Yoga Ashram" of Mysoree, India as well as the title "|LI39|Yoga Praveena" which he received from the "Sri Vivekananda Yoga Pratishan".
In the year 1990 Swami Jyotirmayananda, the founder of "The Yoga Research Foundation", granted him the title "|LI51|Yoga Ratna" or "The Jewel of Yoga".
In August of 1991, he was honored by being officially initiated into the sacred thread and ordained as a |LI98|Brahmana within the Sanatana Dharma by |LI99|Kirtanananda Swami.
He met |LI31|His Holiness Swami Krishnananda of the Divine Life Society in India, a disciple of Swami Sivananda, with whom he had the great opportunity to delve deeper into the knowledge of Hatha Yoga.
In 1995 His Holiness Sri Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda Saraswati requested him to |LI105|initiate disciples in the sacred Vedic mantras and granted him the order of renounced life or sanyas, within the Saraswati order, under the name of Ramakrishnananda Swami. Swami Jyotirmayananda himself recommended to some sincere seekers, that they see Swami Ramakrishnananda as their |LI104|Spiritual Master.
During that same year he personally met his eternal
Spiritual Master,|LI88|His Divine Grace Sri Baba Brahmananda, born in
Ishanagar, India, 1931, who is a disciple of the great Siddha saint |LI191|His
Divine Grace Baba Mastramji, and personally received from him formal initiation.
In one of his journeys to India, in the sacred city of Vrindavan, he met the one who would later on become one of his instructing masters or "siksha gurus", |LI25|His Divine Grace Srila Narahari Das Babaji Maharaja, a Vaishnava saint of the Gaudiya tradition, a pure devotee of Krishna and disciple of His Divine Grace Srila Nityananda das Babaji. This saintly Babaji gave instructions of great value and very important guidance on the path of Bhakti Yoga to the restless seeker.
The love of Swami Ramakrishnananda for Bhakti, and his devotion for Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, moved him to ask for confirmation of his sanyasi, or renounced monk, vows from a sanyasi in the line of Krishna Bhakti, and in a traditional Vedic ceremony in the Ashram of "Vrinda", the very famous Bhakti Yogi, |LI30|His Divine Grace B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami Maharaja, confirmed his vows of sanyas and granted him the title "Bhaktivedanta".
In the year 2000, Swami Ramakrishnananda arrived in the United States, where he decided to give himself up completely to sharing what actually happens within his heart.
In 2001 he was initiated in the mantra of Durga Devi personally by |LI48|Her Holiness Ma Yoga Shakti.
In 2007, he met another one of his instructional spiritual masters or siksha gurus, His Holiness Swami Swahananda of the Ramakrishna Order, disciple of Swami Vijnanananda. The respected swami officially initiated him, granting him very valuable guidance in meditation.
It was only in the United States, in 2003, that he decided, for the first time, at the request of his guru maharaja and many of his friends, and with the intention of spreading his message, to officially create a formal institution, the "Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission", a religious Hindu organization, and to start officially accepting disciples, for the first time, within the ancient Vedic tradition.
His vision and realization of Hinduism is expressed in his
message, which is particularly suitable for the modern society, Poorna-yoga.
The life of Swami Ramakrishnananda is an example of perseverance in the search for the Truth, surrender, respect and service toward his guru and his masters; a life of incomparable passion for God.
The message of Gurudev is an invitation for all mankind to live each moment in its fullness and totality with complete observation. For him, the timeless message of yoga, Hinduism and the ancient spiritual masters, is to realize the unconditional freedom as the true and authentic nature of every being.
His devotion or bhakti and his constant experience of the Self or vedanta, make him a faithful representative of his title, "Bhaktivedanta".
His works, lectures, workshops and activities, and his seriousness, wisdom and devotion have led to Swamiji's being the recipient of much affection, appreciation, respect and support, both from the respectable Hindu community, as well as from his disciples, friends, and the public at large.
Om Namo Bhagavate Ramakrishnanandaya
