Mahavatar Babaji: The Eternal Yogi Whose Nature is Love

By Krishna Bihari Mishra

Ranchi/Delhi: “The very nature of Mahavatar Babaji is love, for he knew that only love could transform the world,” declared Swami Ishwarananda Giri, senior monk of Yogoda Satsanga Ashram, during a Sunday satsang at the Ashram’s auditorium.Addressing devotees, Swami Ishwarananda drew upon Autobiography of a Yogi, the classic spiritual text authored by Paramahansa Yogananda, which first revealed Babaji’s mysteries to the world. He emphasized that Babaji’s central message is timeless: all human beings are children of God, and peace and joy are our birthright.A Divine EncounterSwami Ishwarananda recounted the pivotal moment of July 25, 1920, when Babaji appeared before the young Yogananda in a meditative state and directed him to travel to America. “Do not fear. Your prayer has been heard. Go to America. You will be protected,” Babaji told him, commissioning Yogananda to spread the science of Kriya Yoga worldwide.Reviving Kriya YogaBabaji’s mission, the monk explained, was to revive the ancient practice of Kriya Yoga, a spiritual science mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita but lost over time. In 1861, Babaji initiated Lahiri Mahasaya, a householder, into this discipline at Ranikhet. By choosing a non-renunciate, Babaji demonstrated that spiritual realization is possible for householders as well as monks. Lahiri Mahasaya later trained disciples such as Yukteswar Giri, who in turn guided Yogananda.Eternal PresenceSwami Ishwarananda described Babaji as a divine figure beyond time and space, dwelling in the Himalayan regions near Badrinath. Witnesses say he appears eternally youthful, resembling Lahiri Mahasaya, and converses in any language. “He is not an ordinary monk but an incarnate being whose life is dedicated to humanity’s upliftment,” Ishwarananda said.Lessons of Love and HumilityBabaji’s nature, devotees affirm, is pure love. Daya Mata, a close disciple of Yogananda, once meditated in Babaji’s cave at Ranikhet and felt waves of love overwhelming her heart, realizing that Babaji’s essence is love itself. Ishwarananda added that Babaji also embodied humility, once washing the feet of a saint at the Kumbh Mela to teach Lahiri Mahasaya the value of service.A Global LegacyFrom Yogananda’s establishment of the Self-Realization Fellowship in America to the Yogoda Satsanga Ashram in India, Babaji’s vision continues to inspire millions. “Whoever practices Kriya Yoga will be freed from the fear of birth and death, attaining peace and joy,” Ishwarananda concluded.