Golden Jubilee of Bihar School of Yoga
and World Yoga Convention: 23rd to 27th October 2013

From time to time, a special kind of soul is born on earth who leaves society to gain greatness of spirit, and then returns to the world to aid others who are suffering, or who may wish to follow the spiritual life. The world has a great history of such spiritual benefactors, dating back to the vedic rishis, to the biblical prophets and seers, to Christ, Buddha, Mahavira, Mohammed, and more recently Paramahamsa Yogananda, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo and Swami Sivananda Saraswati. One of the greatest saints of recent times is Swami Satyananda Saraswati, who has successfully advocated the integration of yoga with society, and encouraged the spiritual evolution of all people, regardless of caste, creed or religion.

Right from birth, he showed extraordinary spiritual and practical qualities which would one day guide spiritual aspirants all over the globe. In the year 1943, his spiritual yearnings as a young boy propelled him to search for the guru who could guide him. The guru was discovered in the form of Swami Sivananda Saraswati of Rishikesh. There, the youth dedicated himself to the service of his guru with the utmost zeal, and was initiated into the holy order of sannyasa to become known as Swami Satyananda Saraswati. A scholar with sharp intellect and quick wit, he exhibited tremendous organizational, practical, spiritual and leadership qualities.

Recognizing the special God-given talents in him, his guru, Swami Sivananda, blessed him and said of him, “Swami Satyananda is full of the Nachiketa element. Few could have such vairagya at such a young age. He is an ideal sadhaka and nishkama sevak.” After attaining full spiritual maturity, Swami Satyananda left his guru’s ashram and became a paramahamsa parivrajaka sannyasin with a mandate from his guru to propagate the yogic vision ‘From Door to Door and from Shore to Shore’.

In 1963, twenty years after renouncing the world and perfecting his spiritual experiences, Swami Satyananda Saraswati established the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger, which became the focal point of yogic experience for people from all over the world. From here, Swami Satyananda, with devotion to the ideals of his guru Swami Sivananda, matched by his untiring energy, dedicated himself to disseminating this evolutionary yogic culture to the world.

In order to fulfil his guru’s mandate, Swami Satyananda embarked on many world tours, inspiring countless aspirants to tread the yogic path. He also initiated thousands into sannyasa and karma sannyasa, providing them with yogic vision. Under his inspiration, innumerable yoga groups and many centres and ashrams developed in India and in different countries of the world. He became one of the first front line yogic masters to translate the ancient yogic principles and techniques into modern scientific language by inspiring research into the scientific and healing principles of yoga.

The Bihar School of Yoga became the seat of a global yogic renaissance. The Bihar School of Yoga trained and propagated a blend of yogic practices and principles for cultivating head, heart and hands. This system is called the Bihar Yoga or Satyananda Yoga tradition.

In 1983, after fulfilling the mandate of Swami Sivananda and creating a world of yoga, Swami Satyananda handed over all the responsibilities and obligations of a yoga master, guru and guide, to his disciple, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati. He then left all that he had created, never to look back, and took up the life of a paramahamsa sadhaka in Rikhia.

In Rikhia, Swami Satyananda performed the panchagni sadhana as well as other higher spiritual and vedic sadhanas. In 2009, he gave three mandates. The first is to provide one meal a day, every day of the year, to children of the Rikhia Panchayat. The second is establishment of Sannyasa Peeth, a centre for higher spiritual learning in Munger, and the third mandate is development of a home for the aged in Rikhia. As the Peethadhishwari of Rikhiapeeth, Swami Satyasangananda Saraswati is working tirelessly for the children and villagers of Rikhia. She travels nationally and internationally, carrying the light of Sri Swami Sivananda’s and Sri Swami Satyananda’s teachings to all.

From the day that Swami Niranjanananda received his guru’s mantle and took over the reins of the organization, he exhibited the same determined will to fulfil the mandate of his guru, Sri Swami Satyananda. As his guru was leaving the ashram for the last time, he said to him, “Now, the ashram, the mission, all my life’s work, are in your hands. If you are able to look after them well, they will grow.” That is precisely what has happened. Under the inspiring and guiding hand of Swami Niranjanananda, the ashram, the mission and the yoga movement took on a definite shape and moved forward into a new era of yogic and spiritual vision.

In 2008, Swami Niranjanananda handed over the stewardship of the Bihar School of Yoga to Swami Suryaprakash Saraswati and became free to follow the footsteps of his guru, Swami Satyananda. Swami Suryaprakash now oversees the management of the ashram activities and is a shining example of unswerving commitment to the guru’s mission.

The year 2013 will be a landmark year, for it will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Bihar School of Yoga and the vision of yoga which was propagated by Swami Satyananda. To commemorate the achievements of the last fifty years, during which the seeds have been planted for man’s spiritual evolution, a World Yoga Convention will be held in Munger. Spiritual leaders, scientists, doctors, educators and eminent people from all walks of life will attend this meeting to share their knowledge and inspiration.

This noble event will be held under the leadership of Swami Niranjanananda. Its program will include lectures, discussion groups, presentations, practice demonstrations and meetings to discuss yogic principles and techniques, and their influence on the individual and society. An exposition of books on related subjects will also be featured. Further, Swami Niranjanananda, the successor of Sri Swami Satyananda, will give a detailed exposition of the ancient yajnas and kriya systems of yoga.

We invite you to join us in creating the success of this event by helping in any way you can. Feel free to contact the convention committee for any enquiries and suggestions, and most important of all, do come to receive the blessings that the work of dharma bestows on all it touches.

World Yoga Convention: 23rd to 27th October 2013

For information contact:

Bihar School of Yoga
Ganga Darshan
Munger
Bihar 811 201
India

Tel: + 91 (0)6344 222430

Fax: + 91 (0)6344 220169

For reply, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

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