OUR GURU TRADITION
Our Gurudev Yogacharya Sri Raparthi Ramarao garu belongs to the Guru tradition of the great Himalayan Yogi Sri Sri Sri Ramlal Prabhuji Maharaj.
Sri Ramlal Prabhuji is a great master, who with his astounding spiritual powers, not only elevated many spiritual aspirants through shaktipath, but also saved many erring individuals who were exhibiting their occult powers for attracting the people by showering his grace and brought them onto the right track of seeking the knowledge of soul. He cured many patients through his powers.
The greatest yogi stayed in his mortal body for 51 years and left it in 1938 and merged in the Universal Consciousness. In accordance with the divine plans of the Almighty, Sri Ramial Prabhuji, directed by the Guru tradition, mastered all yoga and followed the path of Raja Yoga in order to uplift the common man spiritually. To continue his Guru tradition, which has been there for ages, he chose Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji as one of the eligible and worthy disciples for spreading Raja Yoga.
Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji took birth in an ordinary family. His fore
fathers migrated from Andhra Pradesh (India) to Rangoon (now in Myanmar). Such was the greatness of this man that he used to emanate spiritual fragrance from his childhood itself. He learned Hatha Yoga by serving the sages with full devotion and respect. He could achieve the dexterity in Yoga Vidya in a short period. During these times, he used to serve the people through his herbal medicines. He followed strict austerity measures and celibacy and served yogis and rishis in order to acquire spiritual progress. He was trained seriously to gain Samadhi state through yoga practices.
One day, while meditating he experienced the presence of a great yogi,
who directed him inwardly to visit Raja Yoga Sadhana Ashram at Rishikesh where his spiritual aspiration would be fulfilled. As directed, Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji reached Rishikesh Ashram. From the photos exhibited on the walls of the Ashram he could recognize the great yogi whose form he saw in his meditative state (Dhyana) as Sri Ramlal Prabhuji. There, Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji learnt that Sri Ramlal Prabhuji was away in penance along with his disciples somewhere in the caves of Himalayas. Sri Ramlal Prabhuji directed Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji not to come to him to the caves, instead stay there and meditate.
So Narayana Rao Prabhuji went into meditation and he could attain
Nirvikalpa Samadhi instantly and remained in that state for three days. This is the best example for his meditation power and devotion towards his Guru. Though Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji never met his Guru in person. he was always in tune with him internally. Later Narayana Rao Prabhuji left Rishikesh. On his way to South India he stayed at Berhampur of Orissa (now known as Odisha) state and gave discourses. One day a tall hefty and well-built middle-aged person by name Sri Kundala Gangaiah garu who got inspired with the lectures of Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji approached him and requested to teach him Yoga Vidya. Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji realized that the stranger who approached him for Yoga Vidya as his disciple for whom he was eagerly looking for. Immediately he decided to teach the secrets of Yoga Vidya to him.
Sri Narayana Rao Prabhuji taught him Nouli, Bhastrika, etc. of Hatha
Yoga. He used to teach Atma Vidya (science of Real Self) to Sri Kundala Gangaiah at different places like cross roads, by the side of an open drainage canal, and sometimes in secluded places and in very late nights. He was satisfied with the capabilities and steadfast efforts of Sri Gangaiah and used to teach him the intricacies of Yoga Vidya. Sri Gangaiah took his Guru Narayana Rao Prabhuji to his permanent residence at Icchapur( in Andhra Pradesh), where he practised rigorously and reached highest states, under the guidance of his Guru. He worked as a newspaper agent to earn his livelihood.
Our Gurudev Yogacharya Sri Raparthi Rama Rao garu was working as a High School teacher at Icchapur, a small town near Orissa around 1948. He was a householder. Since his childhood, Guruji was an ardent devotee and spiritually oriented. Knowing about his yoga practices Sri Kundala Gangaiah garu came to meet him at his residence in Icchapur, and then initiated him into Yoga Vidya. Though our Gurudev was transferred to another town Rajam (near Vizianagaram), their relationship continued and Sri Gangaiah garu visited him frequently for completing the higher course of Yoga Vidya.
Then, after six years after initiation , Sri Gangaiah garu came to Rajam.
He made Guruji to sit for 3 hours every day morning for the practice of Thrataka for 40 days. On 41st day he made our Guruji to experience a sensation at the eyebrow centre, i.e., Chaitanya Darshan which is not easily perceptible. He instructed our Gurudev to maintain and retain that Chaitanya in all states and at all times for 24 hours of the day. He then left to Icchapur.
It took Gurudev one year and three months of practice to retain that
Chaitanya, at all times and in all states of consciousness. Immediately after this, Sri Gangaiah garu came again to our Gurudev and taught him the practice of Dhyana (7th step in Ashtanga Yoga) and left again. After our Gurudev completed practicing Dhyana for 15 days with all the sincerity and devotion, Sri Gangaiah garu came again and taught the practice of ‘Atma Swaroopa Dhyanam’ and ‘Virata Swaroopa Dhyanam’.
Our Gurudev, in the process of Dhyana, attained Samadhi. After this, Sri Gangaiah garu taught him the true knowledge of the reality in a practical way. One day, he said, “From to-day, neither am I the Guru nor are you the Sishya (disciple)” and left him, indicating thereby that the duality of the Guru and disciple ceased from then on. Since then, our Gurudev was in his Sahajavastha (Natural state of Yogi) and continued to perform his daily activities as directed from time to time by the Super Consciousness till he attained Maha Samadhi on 8th October 2014.
–Yoga Consciousness Trust