Joy Baba Lokenath

This new series on Zee Bangla starts off with Baba Lokenath’s advent as a new-born child. In 1730, a pious man and his wife, Ramnarayan Ghoshal and Kamala Devi became parents of their fourth child- Lokenath.

Even though Ramnarayan wished to dedicate one of his sons to religious service, Kamala Devi refused to give up on her motherly love. When Lokenath came into the world, Kamala Devi saw a bright halo around him and believed he was the one who took birth to be in the service of the Almighty. On turning 11, Lokenath with his friend Benimadhab became disciples of sage Pandit Bhagaban Ganguli.

First, they took refuge at Kalighat temple. The next 25 years they spent lives of ascetics practicing toughest of tough Yog Sadhanas in deep forests to realise the attainment. Later on, they walked to the Himalayas to spend another 50 years in Sadhana. At 90 he achieved Bodhi or enlightenment. At last he was back amongst the mortals.

In Barodi of today’s Bangladesh, he stood by the commoners and eventually came to be their messiah for his compassion, kindness and divine grace. His path of tolerance, showed millions of downtrodden, fallen and greed-sickens the light of heavens.

Even 100 years after his death, he professed to be remembered by the people for ages, his ideals of equality will be honoured so that a better society can be built. So that, even today his words ‘Whenever you are in danger, whether in ocean or in war or in the wild, remember Me. I shall save you. You may not know Me. You may not realize who I am. Just pray to Me with a little touch of your heart and I shall free you from gripping sorrows and miseries” resonate amongst his disciples and give them the courage to get over every hurdle possible.

God resides in us. To reach to him, all we need is willpower. Because willpower can turn a mortal, divine or the one who brings about the change humanity longs for. ‘Yugavatar’ or Avatar of the era Baba Lokenath is the reflection of that perennial truth. Who sacrificed all he had, walked the path of total abstinence and became a living God, one and all spontaneously revered.

He is believed to be embodiment of Bhagwat Geeta, a godly mélange of Gyana (knowledge), Karma, Bhakti (devotion) and Aashtanga Yoga, the true avatar of kindness for all. Our very own redeemer of troubled and oppressed. The fable of Baba Lokenath is a 160 year-long divine journey against many a daemon of human kind to become a Purnavatar.