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This article concerns only the Tirtha lineage of Siddhayoga. For other uses see Siddha Yoga (disambiguation)
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The Tirtha lineage of Siddhayoga is a mystical sect of Shaivite Hinduism that relies on direct experience of life-force or Kundalini Shakti and understanding of Tantric scriptures (shastras). It holds the guru-disciple relationship to be of primary importance. Shakti is said to be automatically infused into the disciple (shisya) by the Guru in a process called Shaktipat. (see also Satguru)
There are many Siddhayoga lineages and many other groups not using the name that speak in terms of the infusion of kundalini shakti. Some lineages originated from the same source, others are completely unrelated. Siddhayoga is similar to sahajayoga, mahayoga or siddhamahayoga. Similar teachings may be traced back at least to the Tantric masters such as the scholar Abhinavagupta. Shakti is held to be the energy of a universal soul, of which direct experience is available regardless of religion; thus siddhayoga is sometimes considered a universal rather than a strictly Hindu practice.
Siddhayoga lineage
Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha descended from two monastic lines. He was first initiated into Siddhayoga by Swami Narayana Dev Tirtha [born circa 1879], whose own spiritual lineage was through Swami Gangadhara Tirtha. Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha then took sannyas under Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Bharati Krsna Tirtha in Puri. During Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Bharati Krsna Tirthaji's visit to America, Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha was asked to maintain the holy seat of Shankaracharya of Puri Govardhan Mutt. Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirthaji was not keen to be bound by the obligations pertaining to the office of Shankaracharya, including administrative responsibilities. His greater objective was to spread the thought of God among all people. As a result, brushing aside the honour of and fascination for the position of Shankaracharya, he set out, proceeding to the north in the direction of the Himalayas, always an attraction to yogis, seers, and sages as the ideal place for sadhana. The The king of Tehri Garhwal, appreciative of the blessings he received from Swamiji, expressed his desire to donate a vast stretch of land by the Ganga, but Swamiji accepted only a modest plot after repeated entreaties of the king. Thus, the ashrama named "Shankar Math" Uttarkashi was established in 1933. Later, another Math in Varanasi's Chhoti Gaibi, named "Siddhayogashram" was founded in 1934. Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha wrote several books such as Yogavani, Japa Sadhana, and Guruvani which were originally written in Bengali, later translated into Hindi. He also wrote a short treatise in English, entitled Who Am I?
Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha [1888-1958] was the guru of Swami Narayana Tirtha [ -2001]. Swami Vishnu Tirtha was another disciple of Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha. He was initiated in 1939. Swami Shivom Tirtha, a disciple of Swami Vishnu Tirtha, has a website dedicated to him that explains the Tirtha Siddhayoga lineage tree in more detail.
The Tirtha lineage of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Bharati Krsna Tirtha [1884-1960] traces itself back to Sri Adi Shankaracharya. In legend the lineage (parampara) began when Lord Narayana passed the eternal Vedic wisdom to Brahma, Brahma to Vasishtha, onto Shakti, to Parashara, to Veda Vyasa, and to Shuka. Thus far the lineage was from father to son. From Shuka it was passed on from guru to shishya, to Patanjali, then to Gaudapada, Govinda, Chandra Sharma and so to Adi Shankara. This began the tradition of wandering monks. Vyasa told Govinda of the advent of the incarnation of Shiva as Adi Shankara, to meet and give him sanyas diksha, Shankara's purpose in incarnating was to comment on the Brahma Sutras. Shankaracharya set up four religious seats in the north, south, east and west of India to act as a lighthouse to guide religious seekers towards the truth for the millennia to come and also set up the ten monastic orders. 1) Tirtha, 2) Ashrama, 3) Vana, 4) Aranya, 5) Giri, 6) Parvata, 7) Sagara, 8) Saraswati, 9) Bharati, 10) Puri.
As with much Hindu or Vedic mysticism, Siddhayoga's goal of life is to realize one is eternal soul and not this body. Suffering is said to be caused by identifying with body, emotions, or thoughts, rather than with true nature.
The rules of a discipline may become unnatural because they are artificially imposed: even when doing one's best to remain balanced and free one often finds oneself once again bound. Siddhayoga says that through the grace of a Siddhayoga guru all the work is done for you. You do not force anything; you are not charged anything or asked for anything by the guru – so there is no conflict of interest. One gains peace through direct experience of peace, not from intellectual knowledge of peace. Once peace is felt, the intellect confirms it.
This does not suggest people get a 'free ride' by following a Siddhayoga guru. Siddhayoga is said to be for those people who take responsibility for their lives, who are self-reliant, whose focus in life is to help others, the creatures, and Mother Nature, who aim for inner and outer balance in life, eat sensibly and healthfully, live a life of moderation and seek to be purposeful in life.
India
On 2 March 2001, Swami Narayana Tirtha died at Siddhayogashram in Varanasi.
Swami Atmananda Tirtha, who is a disciple and successor of Swami Narayana Tirtha, is the current Mathadhyaksha of all the ashrams in India – including the Siddhayoga Ashram in Varanasi and the Shankar Math in Uttar-Kashi. He speaks and writes fluently in Bengali, Hindi, and English.
Shankar Math is located in Uttarkashi, in the Himalayas (State: Uttaranchal). It was donated to Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha by the raja (king) of the region, who received blessings from Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha. Siddhayogashram is located in Chhoti Gaibi, Varanasi, and was built by Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha's disciples who wished him to live closer to them, since, in those days, a visit to Shankar Math in Uttarkashi required one to walk for 2 weeks from Rishikesh.
Siddha Ashram is located in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh of Central India. The spiritual preceptor is Mahamandaleshwara Swami Nardananda Tirtha, a senior disciple of the late Swami Shivom Tirtha. Swami Nardanand is famous for constructing the world's largest mercury Shiva Lingam, Paradeshwar Mahadev weighing 2500 kilograms. He teaches Kundalini Yoga, Advaita Vedanta, and Tantra around the world.
America
Swami Narayana Tirtha's successor in America is Swami Sadashiva Tirtha, who also runs the ashram website, SwamiNarayanTirtha.org. He speaks English, Hindi and Bengali and has studied Ayurveda, Jyotish, and Vastu shastras. He is the author of Bhagavad Gita for Modern Times, and the Ayurveda Encyclopedia. Swami Narayan Tirtha Math was founded by Swami Sadashiva Tirtha in New York, USA.