Shailendra Sharma

Youth and Search for a Guru

Shailendra Sharma was born in Bhopal (India). After university (1978, Master’s degree in Political Science), Shailendra was all set to join Indian Army. But a chain of events led to a change in plans. Some of his relatives died an untimely death at that time. This led Shailendra to wonder what happens to immortal soul after death. Around the same time, he came across the information on the kriya yoga and its lineage. He began to look for a Kriya Yoga Guru. He traveled all over India and met hundreds of sadhus and so called yogis. On 1 October 1982, he was initiated as a disciple by Satyacharan Lahiri, grandson of Lahiri Mahasaya. He entered samadhi for the first time in 1984.

Kriya Yoga Guru

After two years of ardent practice, on 28 April 1984, Shailendra was eventually authorised by Satya Charan Lahiri to become the next Guru in his lineage. He thus became the 5th Guru in the Lineage started by Babaji with Lahiri Mahasaya as the second Guru. He was now qualified to initiate the disciples. Shailendra claims that he first met Babaji Maharaj on 2 April 1988 in Benaras. Babaji taught him some special Kriya yoga pranayamas. He describes Babaji as follows:

"Babaji has a very slim figure. Almost average height, 5’ 9. But he looks strong physically. For the first time I saw him on 2 April 1988. He was dressed like a Bengali - in a dhothi and а shirt. White dhothi and lightly creamish shirt. And then after seven years he came here on 21 December night, or rather it was morning of 22nd. He wore only a white cloth around the hips. His body has no hair - no hair on the chest or legs."

Shailendra wrote commentaries on Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta in a span of 14 months between January 1992 to March 1993. He wrote the commentary on Bhagavad Gita merely in 21 days; that on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in 4 days; and on Shiva Sutras of Vasugupta in a day alone. He also wrote a collection of 53 poems in 3 days.

Shailendra Sharma has been living in Govardhan Hill shmashan since 6 June 1993 as a keeper of the shmashan and the palace that previously belonged to The Kings of Bharatpur.

Teachings

Shailendra Sharma emphasizes on the ardent practice of Kriya Yoga to achieve realization. Through his works, he propunds that certain pranayamas and mudras can expand the consciousness of human mind beyond the limits of the body. Beginning with a physical level (understanding of physical limitations is a key to comprehending the infinite consciousness), at high stages Kriya practice allows a yogi to achieve a level of Pure Thought that is beyond any words and images. Consciousness no longer needs rough (physical) perception of a manifested world because it experiences unity with immortal source of creation that gives birth to everything. Body ceases to be a boundary to consciousness and turns into its creative instrument.

Works