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Let the inner lamp grow brighter and brighter. Let the old leaves wither away. Lets the clouds subside. Let the great light prevail. Let the divine force rejoice in thee.” ~ Paramahamsa Satyananda Saraswati (Book of Rikhiapeeth 2009)

Paramahamsa Satyananda Saraswati took Mahasamadhi on December 5th, 2009 in Rikhia, India. He was a great disciple of Swami Sivanananda of Rishikesh, a Guru to thousands and the founder of the Bihar School of Yoga among other prominent and beneficial institutions.

According to the tradition for Paramahansas a shodashi puja (sixteen day ritual) will be observed at Rikhiapeeth for Paramahansaji which will culminate in the final puja on 22nd December.

Disciples devotees friends and well wishers are flocking to Rikhia to offer shradhanjali.

He reportedly called Swami Satsangi at 11:30pm and said it was time for him to go, he was sitting in padmasana practicing japa and left his body at midnight with a smile on his face.

Swami Niranjan has suggested the following practices be done:

Kirtan

Mahamritunjaya mantra – with havan if possible

Bhagavad Gita chanting

Sankalpa of Paramahansa Satyananda

I am an invisible child of a thousand faces of love,
That floats over the swirling sea of life,
Surrounded by the meadows of the winged shepherds,
Where divine love and beauty,
The stillness of midnight summer’s warmth pervades.

Life often cuts at my body and mind
And though blood may be seen passing,
And a cry might be heard,
Do not be deceived that sorrow could dwell within my being
Or suffering within my soul.
There will never be a storm
That can wash the path from my feet,
The direction from my heart,
The light from my eyes,
Or the purpose from this life.

I know that I am untouchable to the forces
As long as I have a direction, an aim, a goal:
To serve, to love, and to give.
Strength lies in the magnification of the secret qualities
Of my own personality, my own character
And though I am only a messenger,
I am me.

Let me decorate many hearts
And paint a thousand faces with colours of inspiration
And soft, silent sounds of value.
Let me be like a child,
Run barefoot through the forest
Of laughing and crying people,
Giving flowers of imagination and wonder,
That God gives free.
Shall I fall on bended knees,
And wait for someone to bless me
With happiness and a life of golden dreams?

No, I shall run into the desert of life with my arms open,
Sometimes falling, sometimes stumbling,
But always picking myself up,
A thousand times if necessary,
Sometimes happy.
Often life willl burn me,
Often life will caress me tenderly
And many of my days will be haunted
With complications and obstacles,
And there will be moments so beautiful
That my soul will weep in ecstasy.

I shall be a witness,
But never shall I run
Or turn from life, from me.

Never shall I forsake myself
Or the timeless lessons I have taught myself,
Nor shall I let the value
Of divine inspiration and being be lost.
My rainbow-covered bubble will carry me
Further than beyond the horizon’s settings,
Forever to serve, to love, and to live
As a sannyasin.

Swami Satyananda Saraswati

With sincere thanks to Swami Kamalavidya and Swami Yogasagar

For more information visit:

http://svasti.wordpress.com/2009/12/07/the-passing-of-a-great-soul-paramahamsa-satyananda-saraswati/

Complete Yoga passes on prayers and blessings and sends wings to Paramahamsaji for his return home. We will carry a full biography  and In Memoriam in the March 2010 issue.