Raghunath Shenoy with folded hands near Baba's head.

Raghunath Shenoy with folded hands near Baba’s head.

My Father: On the evening of 6th June 1986, my father passed away. Having had a long association with Bhagavan for about 30 years, the loss he experienced on 8th August 1961 left him devastated. For the major part of his life, he lived under the spiritual guidance and shadow of Bhagavan. With Bhagavan’s Mahasamadhi, he suddenly felt like an orphan and could not handle his life without Him. My father’s life was so deeply integrated and dependent on Him that he could not face the immense void left by His passing. The entire Shenoy family was in disbelief; what seemed eternal suddenly appeared mortal.

During those 30 years, Bhagavan had taught them all, including Kundalini shaktipath, Bhakti, Dnyan, and practical lessons on managing their worldly lives. They were so mesmerized by His aura and personality that it never occurred to them that His passing would happen during their lifetime. Time and again, He indicated the inevitable, reminding them of the many Mahavatars of yore who at some point relinquished their gross form to regain their original subtle consciousness. However, their love for His form was so strong that they remained blind to this reality. It was then that Swami Janananda took them under his wing, providing much-needed comfort until his own Mahasamadhi on 27th December 1982.

What made them so close to Him? Despite having all the weaknesses that lesser mortals possess, the Shenoys were constantly connected to Him, more for their worldly needs than for spiritual growth. He admonished them for this, but the world’s pull seemed greater. Yet, this ceaseless connectivity, even for so-called wrong reasons, still transformed them, as a Sadguru does. Internally, they evolved, though outwardly they appeared worldly. Every moment of their lives was imbued with thoughts of Him, conversations with Him, and absorption in Him. What others attain through arduous penance, they received effortlessly by remaining close to Him. As stated in the Guru Gita, ‘Guru Sanhiddho’ is enough to bring Moksha. Everything a Guru teaches his disciples, He imparted through practical demonstration and examples.

From Shri Sitaram Shenoy to Raghunath Shenoy, the five brothers, their father, and grandfather were His direct devotees, and through their grace, this connection extended to three more generations, covering five generations who experienced His extraordinary grace, love, and compassion. In their final moments, every member of this family declared, “Second to none, none like Him was this Mahavatar Nityananda. Such a God like Him, we can never find again. He is a standalone entity who is Whole and Complete, a manifestation of Vairagya, of Compassion and Love, and in Him, I rest.”