Swami Rajarshi Muni

1931. On the 11th of February 1931 at 11:20 in the night a child was born in the household of Devisinhji Samatsinhji Jadeja, then serving as Aide de Camp to the Maharaja of the then princely State of Porbandar in Saurashtra. Devisinhji was a scion of the illustrious house of the Jadejas of Shapar, descendents of the legendry Sahibji, younger brother of Khengarji the First of Katchh. The mother was Monghiba, a daughter of the Jhalas of Mojidad in the then Limbdi State.

1933. The child’s early grooming was under the guidance of his pious parents. The first two years of his life were spent in Porbandar, where he was born. In 1933 he moved to his native village Shapar where he completed his primary education. Good fortune continued to stay with him when he transferred in 1938 to the Rajput Hostel at Limbdi from where he matriculated in 1946 from the Sir J High School.

Young Yashwantsinh bloomed at the school, showing as much prowess in the classroom as on the playfield where he particularly excelled at cricket and tennis. There too he also first showed the qualities of love and compassion that would later distinguish him when he rose to sainthood. As evening fell on the playfield and child after child deserted the fields on completion of his ‘innings’, Yashwantsinh continued to linger there, ensuring that the last and least of his playmates had had his turn at the ‘bat’ in whatever might be the sport of the day.

So time passed and Yashwantsinh passed from School to Shamaldas College in Bhavnagar, affiliated with the University of Bombay.

1951. In 1951 young Yashwantsinh graduated from Shamaldas College and moved next year for post-graduate studies to the Deccan College of Bombay University in what is now Pune City. In a chain of events that could only have been divinely ordained, his former teacher of Shamaldas College who had much influence on his life, Professor Desai was now once again a Professor here and former mentor and student met again, their already cordial relationship of mutual respect further cemented by regular games of tennis on the College tennis courts. The relationship was still destined to spill over into the final phase of young Yashwantsinh’s life before he renounced the world and donned the saffron robes of a renunciant.

1953-1962. He graduated from Deccan College in 1953 of the University of Bombay with a Masters degree in Sociology. He was preparing for Ph.D. studies when he was selected for service in the Government of Saurashtra in 1954. He served the State Government as an Officer during the period 1954-1962.

1962-1969. In 1962, he was selected to serve Government of India as a Training Officer in a training institution imparting development training to Government Officers from the States of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Before reverting to Government of Gujarat in 1967 as Project Development Officer, he had received promotion to Class I and then went back in 1969 to the Officers’ Training College in Junagadh which imparted training to Officer Cadres of the Government of Gujarat.

His fame as a practitioner of yoga was already well established by now. It was based on a life of simple frugality and abstemiousness, total dedication, ideal conduct, rigorous discipline and the assiduous practice of yoga. Each morning he rose before dawn and went the rounds of the trainees’ quarters, compelling them to rise and fall in for a daily morning session of yoga.

One such trainee was a person named Ratilal Suthar, then serving in the development administration. Ratilal saw his senior’s interest in yoga and, when he returned for a second round of training, brought along some publications of his own spiritual Guru Swami Kripalvanand, an advanced yogi quietly pursuing his sadhana in an ashram in far away Malav village in the Panch Mahals District.

Young Yashwant read these books and instinctively, intuitively, found the Guru that he had been in search of. For though a serious and ardent practitioner of yoga himself he now felt the need of a Guru to take him further on his chosen path. He understood and appreciated that the doorway to the higher mansions of yoga was through spiritual initiation by a Yogi Guru. His own practice of yoga was so well and far advanced that nothing short of a Yogi Guru could meet his further needs. That Swami Kripalvanand was that Guru became clear to this Government Officer of considerable achievements when he read the former’s books, in particular the definitive ‘Asan Ane Mudra”. A scholarly treatise on Hatha Yoga based on personal practice, this work introduced the young Officer to the loftiest heights of yoga. There were things in the works of Swami Kripalvanandji that no one had dared speak of in modern times, particularly the Khechari Mudra and the principle of the Divine Body immune to the human condition of old age, disease and death. What was more to the point, this Master spoke on the basis of personal experience. Yashwantsinh Jadeja had found his Guru.  

1969. Muniji received mantra initiation from Swami Kripalvanandji on 26th June 1969. The latter asked him to practice mantra japa and pranayam for a period of fifteen months. Muniji pursued this sadhana regularly, starting from mid-July 1969.

1970. In mid-October 1970, Muniji completed the fifteen month sadhana he was required to do. On dhan teras day, two days before Divali, he took the decision to renounce the world. He proceeded to Malav where on Divali day Swami Kripalvanand informed him of Bhagwan’s instruction to initiate him into yoga and asked him to renounce the world and come to the ashram. Muniji received shaktipat diksha from Swami Kripalvanand in a group shibir organized at the latter’s insistence from 24th to 26th November 1970. By the fifth session of meditation, Muniji had already awakened kundalini. As he was to write later, “Thus, within a week of shaktipat I had come close to the kundalini. Such phenomenal progress was possible only due to the divine power and infinite grace of my guru.  … Only the sadhak who is fortunate to be endowed with Guru’s grace can dare awaken the kundalini”.

1971. Muniji renounced his home on his birthday by the western colander on 11th February 1971 and went to Malav. He stayed there a few days and thence went to Kayavarohan with Swami Kripalvanand. On his birthday by the Indian calendar which fell on 19th February, he was initiated into sannyas by Swami Kripalvanand and given his new name. “Son, henceforth this body of yours will be known as Rajarshi Muni. Be a true yogi and do not be satisfied with any spiritual attainment less than the Divine Body”.

Swami Kripalvanand thereafter proceeded to also grant him the most secret shaktipat initiation which would remove all obstacles from his path and ensure his rapid progress on the spiritual path. Swami Kripalvanand opened his inner eye and blessed him with the ability to discern samadhi bhasha. 

1971-79. Muniji observed fasting and silence for a week as directed by Swami Kripalvanand after the initiation. On conclusion of that week, Swami Kripalvanand directed Muniji to proceed to Malav and take up residence there, take up responsibility for the administration of the Kripalu Ashram and do his sadhana.  Thus, Muniji’s regular and uninterrupted sadhana began at Malav as from 1st March, 1971.

His sadhana made extraordinary progress. When he had been born, a horoscope was got made as was then and still is customary.  The astrologers had written: “The child that has been born has come with extraordinary powers and ability. Therefore the events of the future shall gladden the hearts of all.  He shall bring glory to the names of his father and mother, shall perform outstanding devotions, and shall suffer even extreme pain and suffering in order to practice his devotions”.

When Bhagwan gave darshan to Swami Kripalvanand at Rishikesh in 1949, the two conversed about many matters, including the rebirth of the Swami Pranavanand of the previous life. Bhagwan described the extraordinary qualities and traits of one whose yoga was not completed during the previous lifetime and has been reborn. He said: “Though he looks like a common human being, he possesses some extraordinary qualities. These traits manifest in him especially after he once again takes to the practice of yoga in his new life.”

“In his new birth a deprived yogi appears to be a highly advanced yogi even while he is still in the early stages of yoga practice. Even as a sadhak he makes his spiritual impact felt around. Moreover, his initial yoga experiences will indicate that he inherently possesses vast yogic knowledge”.

All this indeed came to pass in the case of Muniji from the earliest stages of his sadhana after he had received shaktipat diksha. Very quickly, he scaled heights unheard of. In the fourth month of his sadhana the processes of khechari mudra - jivha chhedan, jivha chalan and jivha dohan began. An unheard of plenty marked the manifestation of asans in his sadhana. By 1978, he had already allowed himself to be photographed performing about 800 of these for the purpose of making a photographic record of this extraordinary manifestation of unique yogic prowess. The two-volume ‘Yoga Experiences’ confirmed his phenomenal progress and achievements. 

Side by side with his sadhana, Muniji was inevitably drawn into other activities and responsibilities. Swami Kripalvanand conducted five dhyan shibirs in all.  After the last one, he made a public announcement that participants in all the shibirs requiring any clarifications and further guidance should approach Muniji for the same. Muniji was thus required to correspond with such sadhaks and this took some of his time. Later, in order to save labor, he started to write articles in “Shri Kripalu Vak Sudha” and “Urja”, the mouthpiece of the Kayavarohan Teertha Seva Samaj.  On Swami Kripalvanand’s bidding, he wrote “My Yoga Experiences” in 1972, to be followed by a second volume, “Yoga Experiences Part 2” in 1975. At the Gurupurnima celebration of 1972 held at Ahmedabad, Swami Kripalvanand declared that he would no longer give any class of initiation but Muniji would do so if he wished, as service to humanity. During his annual visit to Malav in 1972, Swami Kripalvanand asked Muniji to edit and compile his articles on yoga and meditation into a book so that it could be useful to sadhaks. As a result, a beautiful volume Dhyan Vijnan was prepared and published. By    this time the new temple at Kayavarohan was in its middle stages. Swami Kripalvanand called Muniji to Kayavarohan and asked him to now take over all responsibilities for the completion of the temple. It was also decided to celebrate the temple inauguration and Swami Kripalvanand’s 60th birthday simultaneously. Muniji wholeheartedly threw himself into both projects with the help of  Nanubhai Amin, newly nominated Chairman of the Kayavarohan Teertha Seva Samaj.  The temple was duly inaugurated.  Bhagwan gave darshan to Swami Kripalvanand when he went into the temple and said, “This holy place is mine and I shall always remain here. My divine energy shall enter into the idol in a very special subtle form after it has been ritually installed”. Bhagwan also reminded Swami Kripalvanand of unfinished work to be done: “Swami! You have finished one task but now resume immediately the other task I have entrusted to you, that of cultural revival”. The idol installation took place on 3rd May, 1974. Swami Kripalvanand’s birthday celebrations were also performed with due and befitting ceremony on the next day, 4th May, 1974. Next year, “My Yoga Experiences Part 2” was published.

Till now, three activities had been given prime importance in the planning of the Kayavarohan Teertha Seva Samaj, completion of the new temple and installation of the idol, creation of boarding and lodging facilities and construction of a new ashram for Swami Kripalvanand. The third task was completed on 5th June, 1976 when Swami Kripalvanand entered the new ashram. On that day, Swami Kripalvanand laid the ground for the next task. He told Muniji. “Son, our journey still remains incomplete. There is no time for rest. Now we have to establish a yoga institute as quickly as possible. Through it we should offer a systematic program of yoga education to society. This will be our main program for cultural revival”. Muniji worked out the detailed plans for a yoga institute having a teaching and a research wing and equipped with a library and an exhibition hall. He also designed the courses, syllabi, curricula, evaluation criteria and all details and offered to personally undertake the training of the first batch of teachers who would assume the responsibility for the training wing of the institute. The institute was duly inaugurated on 13th November 1976. Immediately after the inauguration, the Institute’s first yoga class was conducted.

In January 1977, Swami Kripalvanand received an invitation to go to the United States. He decided to accept it.  He asked Muniji to translate one of his books into English to enable people there to understand his views on yoga. Muniji translated Dhyan Vijnan just in time to enable Swami Kripalvanand to carry copies with him to America. It was printed under the title “Science of Meditation”. Swami Kripalvanand left for America on 18th May, 1977.

In 1978 Muniji allowed himself to be persuaded by Nanubhai Amin to perform all the asans that had manifested in his sadhana for making a photographic record of the extraordinary phenomenon of nearly 800 spontaneously manifested asans. There was no known previous record of any such extraordinary achievement by anyone. This was accordingly done in the first half of 1978. Thereafter, in addition to his sadhana, Muniji spent time in penning down an extraordinary encyclopedic work on yoga. This eventually took the shape of about 1400 pages of neatly hand-written and orderly material on yoga.   This was done during mid-1978 to 1981.

The work spans the essence of the philosophy, metaphysics, theory, content, technique and practice of the ancient discipline of Yoga. This was no mere matter of theorizing or re-telling of garnered available information but a reaffirmation of the knowledge of masters of the past as revalidated by his own single-minded pursuit of the practice of yoga as a spiritual discipline to which he applied himself exclusively since his initiation. This vast work consists of clearly distinguishable orderly parts of a holistic work. These were:

The History, Philosophy, Psychology and Metaphysics of Yoga.

The Tenets for the spiritual life to be observed by a yoga aspirant.

The Components of the eight-fold path of Yoga.

Techniques and Practice of Classical Hatha Yoga.

Of the above, the first has been published by Llewellyn, St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.A., first in 1994 as ‘Awakening of the Life Force’ and reprinted in 2001 as ‘Yoga: The Ultimate Spiritual Path’. Indian and Russian editions have also since been published. The work was judged as the year’s best work of Yoga in 1997 by the National Institute of Naturopathy. The second part of the work has been published in 2007 and parts three and four have jointly appeared as a single work “Classical Hatha Yoga” in January 2007.

Not since centuries has a new text on the classical hatha yoga of India, consistent with the established classics and based on personal experience born of personal practice of the complete yoga, been made available in any language by a realized master. This is the first. This alone is sufficient claim to unsurpassed uniqueness: none other should be necessary.

When the Lakulish International Enlightenment Mission was set up, one of the cardinal methodologies envisaged for fulfilling its aims and objects was through arranging public and private discourses of renowned spiritual persons on the subjects of philosophy, culture and spirituality, to sensitize and awaken people towards cultural, moral, spiritual and ethical values. In the event, Muniji took it upon himself to discharge this responsibility. Muniji gave originally three and thereafter four discourses to the parivar each year. He gave vastly illuminating addresses on these occasions, presenting the most complex spiritual truths in sweet and orderly language that went home to even the most unlettered of his listeners. He was heard in rapt attention as he uncovered rare and hidden treasures for the spiritual upliftment of those he had taken under his wing. There is much that has occurred in their lives that the followers will forget, but none who has heard Muniji will ever forget his discourses and their sublime content. He has laid lasting samskars that will undoubtedly stay with the souls he took under his wings till he has guided them to liberation.

Spreading cultural, social and spiritual enlightenment through production and dissemination of appropriate literature and other instruments in different languages was another of the cardinal planks of the methodology chosen for the furtherance of the Lakulish Abhiyan. So, in due time, these teachings of the discourses overflowed into a flood of publications.  (For more details on the publications, read Life Mission Publications).  

1979-81. Following Swami Kripalvanand’s departure for America, Muniji began living in total seclusion from 1st November, 1979 and this continued substantially till 1981, when Swami Kripalvanand returned home in a very sick state and eventually passed away.  Swami Kripalvanand returned to India on 1st October, 1981. He passed away on 29th December. The mantle of kulguru of the parampara now passed to Muniji. 

1981-1993. The period 1981-2007 that followed has to be divided into two parts with 1993 serving as the watershed year. Like Bapuji, Muniji too is a traveler of the Complete Path. Bapuji had told him at the time of giving him yoga diksha, “Be a true yogi and do not be satisfied with any spiritual attainment less than the Divine Body”. And this is indeed what Muniji turned to most seriously in a regimen of sadhana that stretched to at least ten hours daily throughout all the years.

After the departure of Bapuji for America, Muniji went into total seclusion from 1.11.79 to concentrate on his sadhana. This was briefly interrupted by events surrounding Bapuji’s return and nirvan but resumed thereafter and maintained substantially till 1993.

So it follows that very little was visible of Muniji and his activities between the period 1979 to 1993. But unseen by ordinary mortals events of the greatest momentousness were taking place behind the silent walls of the sadhana room transforming Muniji into an extraordinary immortal who had awakened kundalini within three days of commencing sadhana after shaktipat initiation, had commenced entry into the Khechari Mudra within four months and had accomplished the same within four years. In his fourth year of sadhana Muniji had achieved what no yogi in centuries has claimed to have achieved, and certainly never in modern times.

Bhagwan Gives Darshan to Muniji, 1993

In 1993 Muniji’s birthday by the Indian calendar fell on 15th February. It was also Mahashivratri. That night, at 11:20, the time of Muniji’s birth, Bhagwan Lakulish gave darshan to Muniji and the two conversed for forty minutes. Muniji made the matter public in a discourse at Kayavarohan on the day of Mahashivratri, 19th February, and thereafter at a Gurupurnima public discourse at Ashi Village on 3rd July 1993. Following two years of planning all the details and making all the necessary arrangements, he finally presented the blueprint of a fully conceived prabodhan abhiyan which has since been printed as “Lakulish Prabodhan Abhiyan”.

Guru and disciple spoke of many matters. The printed document is available and its content is also included in Swami Rajarshi Muni’s book “Infinite Grace”. Among other things, the Lord commanded Muniji to undertake a worldwide campaign to propagate the moral, ethical, spiritual and cultural values of the Sanatan Dharma.  This is what he said:

“Understand my command well. You have to launch an enlightenment campaign through the instrumentality of my spiritual tradition for the re-establishment of the highest values of human culture. The field of this campaign is not to be kept limited to Gujarat or India alone but is to embrace the whole world. In modern times the work of cultural resurgence is necessary for all of mankind. All works must start at the appropriate time. The time has now ripened for starting the campaign for enlightenment of humanity. This work awaits your active participation. Therefore, shake off your inactivity and be active to conduct this campaign”.

“A campaign cannot be conducted by a few people.  The Enlightenment campaign requires workers in large numbers. The campaign can succeed only if enthusiastic, hardworking and devoted workers are available to keep activities alive.  For this a fellowship should be established which may have two wings, namely, renunciant and worldly (nivrutti and pravrutty).  In both the wings have different categories of initiated ones.  In the renunciant wing the following four categories may be kept in descending order: 1. Sannyasi (ascetic), 2. Parityagi (Relinquent) 3. Brahmchari (Celibate) 4. Antevasi (Resident Disciple).  In the same way in the Worldly wing also have four categories of initiated ones in the following descending order: 1. Acharya (Preceptor) 2. Shreyarthi (Religious Aspirant) 3. Parmarthi (Altruist). 4.  Sevadharmi (Devotee).  In addition include as Anuyayi (followers) all those associated with our spiritual tradition through mantra initiation. To all such people entrust the work of the enlightenment campaign according to their ability, skills and convenience.  In the beginning start some concrete activities on a small scale, then extend the area of activities gradually.  In this manner you will secure the services of devoted workers and at the same time the work of the campaign will also make progress”.

Implementing the Command

Muniji accordingly came out of seclusion to undertake this work divinely commanded to him. Those who have been in his constant service since he came out of seclusion bear witness that, apart from the time given to the body’s normal  needs, not a moment of his  time since then has been spent on anything other than sadhana or activities aimed at furthering his newly accepted life’s mission. He set up the Lakulish International Fellowship’s Enlightenment Mission [Life Mission], in 1993 and later had it registered as a Public Charitable Trust. Arrangements were made and set in motion for the establishment of a permanent Mission Headquarters, to be called “Rajrajeshwadham”, since commissioned in January 2007. Detailed information on Muniji’s work in the world between 1993 and 2007 is contained on this website. Swami Rajarshi, knower of kundalini and master of Khechari mudra has resumed secluded sadhana from February 2007 to attain the Divine Body and complete his yoga.