Life
Sree Sree Mentu Maharaj was born on December 21st 1921 in Jessore, Bangladesh. His parents, Sailabala and Prakash Chandra Bose, were from noble Hindu families and had both dedicated their lives to the prophet and spiritual master, Sree Sree Thakur Anukulchandra.
When Maharaj was one year old his parents took him to Pabna to their Guru's ashram and it was here that he lived for the next 16 years under the watchful tutelage of Sree Sree Thakur.
From an early age Maharaj had little inclination towards organised religion and was repulsed by the artifice, superstitions, complicated rituals, pomposity and hypocrisy with which it was often associated. He knew nature and found God there, and in his own active service to alleviate the sufferings of others.
When the young Dayamoy, or ‘Mentu’ as he was nicknamed, was six years old there was a huge religious conference held at Thakur’s ashram in Pabna to honour the Master’s birthday. Thousands attended, many religious heads, political leaders, and the householder followers. Various dignitaries followed each other onto the dais to expound their theories and feelings and gave spiritual discourses of great erudition and eloquence. The youngster found the conference boring and dry and felt a strong inner compulsion to say something to the people. He walked up to the President and asked him if he could speak and was lifted up to the microphone. He spoke for a good ten minutes, phrases like, ‘God is in me, God is in you, God is everywhere . . . Love is God . . . God loves us all and we should love each other like God . . . We should always love God '. Many realised then that the young boy was destined for greatness in the spiritual world one day.
By the time he reached the age of twelve his father decided that his son ought to have some formal schooling. The boy was still not interested in sitting still and learning things when he could be out playing sports and enjoying his life in nature. One day a favourite ball of his that he had painted and decorated himself with great artistry fell into the river and was carried away by the current.
Heartbroken, he returned to his teacher feeling he had lost a good friend forever. The teacher explained that since the world was round the ball might come back. Dayamoy became greatly interested in what might happen to his beloved ball. Thus his knowledge of the world began and with it his interest in reading and writing. Within three years he completed the eleven-year matriculation course and passed with honours.
Maharaj never had his head crammed with facts and figures and half-digested truth, with the result that the truth of which he spoke was realised truth, the expression of which came fully from his innermost being.
From school Dayamoy was sent to college and became a first class sportsman, excelling in football, marksmanship, archery, wrestling, kabbadi and boxing. He was highly intelligent, a good actor, writer, orator, mathematician, scientist and artist.
When he was seventeen Thakur announced that his marriage had been arranged with a girl called Minu. On the wedding day Thakur himself garlanded the couple and blessed them. At the time of the marriage Dayamoy announced to some relatives, including his mother, that he felt his wife would not live for more than four years. His prophecy was not taken that seriously. After four years happy marriage, during which the youngsters grew up together at his parents’ house, he lost his beloved wife to smallpox.
Perhaps Thakur had known that by this profound bereavement Dayamoy would lose any attachment to family, friends, or worldly glory that he might have had and realise in his vacuum state that there was something greater to achieve or discover in life beyond the limitations of pleasure and pain, fame and fortune, family and profession.
During the period of his marriage he had accepted his financial responsibilities and firstly taken on the job of school headmaster and latterly joined the army as an officer. Had the shock of his wife’s death not occurred he might have led a very different life in the army or political field. But it happened and Dayamoy left his career, his home and family, leaving his young son in his mother’s care.
Dayamoy wandered around the Himalayas with nothing but the saffron clothes of a monk and a blanket. He realised the secret of different yogas and spiritual practices through love and devotion, energy and spirit, sound and knowledge. He discovered practices for the union of the soul with the supreme soul through love and realisation of the truth, beyond all sense of self. After three years of roaming he had gained many spiritual powers but had still not found The Love. He remembered his beloved Thakur, and returned to his ashram. He was later to exhort those who were tempted by such powers not to be content with semi-precious stones but to gain the diamond on the spiritual path.
Thakur welcomed Maharaj with open arms. He bought new, simple, white clothes for him, made him shave off his beard and with it some of the affectations of the itinerant life he had been leading. He built a bed for the young man in his own room and kept him there for five years, during which time he placed Dayamoy in many different circumstances to adjust his personality and allow the seeds that were dormant within him to sprout.
A true master does not merely cover up the inner darkness in the being with a temporary polish but goes deep into the mire of complexes, unadjusted emotions and ego and, like a doctor operating on a boil, applies heat until the boil of darkness becomes more inflamed, fully ripened, and finally bursts exuding its poison. Only then can he apply a healing balm that is permanent. Thakur was a spiritual surgeon, and taught Mentu Maharaj, as he was now called, to become the same.
He asked him to live under a tree with no shelter from the scorching sun, when others could be seen having all care and comforts, merely saying upon witnessing his protégé’s condition, ‘Does a jasmin flower need much water, or does a banyan tree? But a banyan tree gives shelter to many for many years . . .’
He was constantly set new tasks along with his daily activities of addressing public meetings, discussing spiritual matters with visitors and above all serving Thakur.
Five years passed as Thakur dived deep into Maharaj and Maharaj remained in constant meditation about his beloved Master, observing his every look, word and action, and assessing, understanding and realising the how, when, where and why of every divine impulse of the great man.
One day Thakur indicated that Maharaj should go to the southern state of Kerala to attend a meeting at the university. Maharaj delivered a thundering speech about the common truth behind all faiths and of the journey of the soul from God to man and from man to God, and of man's innate goodness and godliness as his reality. Guru Nathan Atmananda, a local guru of self-realisation, heard reports of this speech from the press and invited Maharaj to visit his ashram.
They spoke privately of the nature of God, self-realisation and many deep truths. Maharaj convinced Sri Atmananda of the necessity of the ways of both dualism and monism in spiritual practice. Maharaj realised the changing truth of the body, mind and the world around and the spiritual practice of self-rectification and self-realisation. He realised that unchangeable truth beyond the body, mind and soul, the state of ultimate truth at the background of all existence, and immediately went into deep trance, lost in a state of bliss and awareness of and identity with pure truth, absolute bliss, eternal joy.
After some months touring India with his messages of love and truth, Maharaj returned to Thakur, feeling he had now attained all he needed. He felt he had a wonderful thing within him, a bubble of supreme joy, peace, bliss, eternal truth that superseded anything of the world. He wanted to share it with anyone who wanted it. He touched many souls, particularly in the steel city of Jamshedpur, and they too went into trance, glowing with joy.
One day Thakur called Maharaj to him and told him not to 'forcibly ripen an unripe jackfruit’. Thus he stressed the need for the individual to work out its karma, overcome its latent complexes and limitations and make the soil ready to hold that state of self-realisation finally.
A time came when Thakur asked Maharaj to start his own ashram in Bhubaneswar, to keep his family there and continue to spread love and truth ‘from Australia to America’. He established an ashram in Bhubaneswar in 1964, and later an ashram in Jamshedpur, and centres wherever he went. Sometimes he referred to these as ‘human garages’ where people’s imperfections were mended and they were then able to live normal, balanced lives.
He continued to serve unceasingly whoever came into his contact in whatever way he could.
Sometimes he would launch into exquisite, melodious songs that resonated with the soul and touched the heart.
Sometimes he would talk of eternal truths and divine love.
Sometimes he spoke strongly to adjust complexes and defects.
Sometimes he would sit quietly, and those in his presence enjoyed the tranquil radiance that emanated from him.
Sometimes practical suggestions and advice were all that was required. Sometimes compassionate affection healed the broken heart.
Maharaj’s spontaneous words have been digitally archived. His songs continue to be recorded by different artists. His words have been published in books.
Maharaj passed on in October 2002.
When Maharaj was one year old his parents took him to Pabna to their Guru's ashram and it was here that he lived for the next 16 years under the watchful tutelage of Sree Sree Thakur.
From an early age Maharaj had little inclination towards organised religion and was repulsed by the artifice, superstitions, complicated rituals, pomposity and hypocrisy with which it was often associated. He knew nature and found God there, and in his own active service to alleviate the sufferings of others.
When the young Dayamoy, or ‘Mentu’ as he was nicknamed, was six years old there was a huge religious conference held at Thakur’s ashram in Pabna to honour the Master’s birthday. Thousands attended, many religious heads, political leaders, and the householder followers. Various dignitaries followed each other onto the dais to expound their theories and feelings and gave spiritual discourses of great erudition and eloquence. The youngster found the conference boring and dry and felt a strong inner compulsion to say something to the people. He walked up to the President and asked him if he could speak and was lifted up to the microphone. He spoke for a good ten minutes, phrases like, ‘God is in me, God is in you, God is everywhere . . . Love is God . . . God loves us all and we should love each other like God . . . We should always love God '. Many realised then that the young boy was destined for greatness in the spiritual world one day.
By the time he reached the age of twelve his father decided that his son ought to have some formal schooling. The boy was still not interested in sitting still and learning things when he could be out playing sports and enjoying his life in nature. One day a favourite ball of his that he had painted and decorated himself with great artistry fell into the river and was carried away by the current.
Heartbroken, he returned to his teacher feeling he had lost a good friend forever. The teacher explained that since the world was round the ball might come back. Dayamoy became greatly interested in what might happen to his beloved ball. Thus his knowledge of the world began and with it his interest in reading and writing. Within three years he completed the eleven-year matriculation course and passed with honours.
Maharaj never had his head crammed with facts and figures and half-digested truth, with the result that the truth of which he spoke was realised truth, the expression of which came fully from his innermost being.
From school Dayamoy was sent to college and became a first class sportsman, excelling in football, marksmanship, archery, wrestling, kabbadi and boxing. He was highly intelligent, a good actor, writer, orator, mathematician, scientist and artist.
When he was seventeen Thakur announced that his marriage had been arranged with a girl called Minu. On the wedding day Thakur himself garlanded the couple and blessed them. At the time of the marriage Dayamoy announced to some relatives, including his mother, that he felt his wife would not live for more than four years. His prophecy was not taken that seriously. After four years happy marriage, during which the youngsters grew up together at his parents’ house, he lost his beloved wife to smallpox.
Perhaps Thakur had known that by this profound bereavement Dayamoy would lose any attachment to family, friends, or worldly glory that he might have had and realise in his vacuum state that there was something greater to achieve or discover in life beyond the limitations of pleasure and pain, fame and fortune, family and profession.
During the period of his marriage he had accepted his financial responsibilities and firstly taken on the job of school headmaster and latterly joined the army as an officer. Had the shock of his wife’s death not occurred he might have led a very different life in the army or political field. But it happened and Dayamoy left his career, his home and family, leaving his young son in his mother’s care.
Dayamoy wandered around the Himalayas with nothing but the saffron clothes of a monk and a blanket. He realised the secret of different yogas and spiritual practices through love and devotion, energy and spirit, sound and knowledge. He discovered practices for the union of the soul with the supreme soul through love and realisation of the truth, beyond all sense of self. After three years of roaming he had gained many spiritual powers but had still not found The Love. He remembered his beloved Thakur, and returned to his ashram. He was later to exhort those who were tempted by such powers not to be content with semi-precious stones but to gain the diamond on the spiritual path.
Thakur welcomed Maharaj with open arms. He bought new, simple, white clothes for him, made him shave off his beard and with it some of the affectations of the itinerant life he had been leading. He built a bed for the young man in his own room and kept him there for five years, during which time he placed Dayamoy in many different circumstances to adjust his personality and allow the seeds that were dormant within him to sprout.
A true master does not merely cover up the inner darkness in the being with a temporary polish but goes deep into the mire of complexes, unadjusted emotions and ego and, like a doctor operating on a boil, applies heat until the boil of darkness becomes more inflamed, fully ripened, and finally bursts exuding its poison. Only then can he apply a healing balm that is permanent. Thakur was a spiritual surgeon, and taught Mentu Maharaj, as he was now called, to become the same.
He asked him to live under a tree with no shelter from the scorching sun, when others could be seen having all care and comforts, merely saying upon witnessing his protégé’s condition, ‘Does a jasmin flower need much water, or does a banyan tree? But a banyan tree gives shelter to many for many years . . .’
He was constantly set new tasks along with his daily activities of addressing public meetings, discussing spiritual matters with visitors and above all serving Thakur.
Five years passed as Thakur dived deep into Maharaj and Maharaj remained in constant meditation about his beloved Master, observing his every look, word and action, and assessing, understanding and realising the how, when, where and why of every divine impulse of the great man.
One day Thakur indicated that Maharaj should go to the southern state of Kerala to attend a meeting at the university. Maharaj delivered a thundering speech about the common truth behind all faiths and of the journey of the soul from God to man and from man to God, and of man's innate goodness and godliness as his reality. Guru Nathan Atmananda, a local guru of self-realisation, heard reports of this speech from the press and invited Maharaj to visit his ashram.
They spoke privately of the nature of God, self-realisation and many deep truths. Maharaj convinced Sri Atmananda of the necessity of the ways of both dualism and monism in spiritual practice. Maharaj realised the changing truth of the body, mind and the world around and the spiritual practice of self-rectification and self-realisation. He realised that unchangeable truth beyond the body, mind and soul, the state of ultimate truth at the background of all existence, and immediately went into deep trance, lost in a state of bliss and awareness of and identity with pure truth, absolute bliss, eternal joy.
After some months touring India with his messages of love and truth, Maharaj returned to Thakur, feeling he had now attained all he needed. He felt he had a wonderful thing within him, a bubble of supreme joy, peace, bliss, eternal truth that superseded anything of the world. He wanted to share it with anyone who wanted it. He touched many souls, particularly in the steel city of Jamshedpur, and they too went into trance, glowing with joy.
One day Thakur called Maharaj to him and told him not to 'forcibly ripen an unripe jackfruit’. Thus he stressed the need for the individual to work out its karma, overcome its latent complexes and limitations and make the soil ready to hold that state of self-realisation finally.
A time came when Thakur asked Maharaj to start his own ashram in Bhubaneswar, to keep his family there and continue to spread love and truth ‘from Australia to America’. He established an ashram in Bhubaneswar in 1964, and later an ashram in Jamshedpur, and centres wherever he went. Sometimes he referred to these as ‘human garages’ where people’s imperfections were mended and they were then able to live normal, balanced lives.
He continued to serve unceasingly whoever came into his contact in whatever way he could.
Sometimes he would launch into exquisite, melodious songs that resonated with the soul and touched the heart.
Sometimes he would talk of eternal truths and divine love.
Sometimes he spoke strongly to adjust complexes and defects.
Sometimes he would sit quietly, and those in his presence enjoyed the tranquil radiance that emanated from him.
Sometimes practical suggestions and advice were all that was required. Sometimes compassionate affection healed the broken heart.
Maharaj’s spontaneous words have been digitally archived. His songs continue to be recorded by different artists. His words have been published in books.
Maharaj passed on in October 2002.