My Father, Shri Raghunath Shenoy and Bhagavan

My Father

Raghunath Shenoy with folded hands near Baba’s head.

On the evening of June 6th, 1986, my father passed away. His departure marked the end of a chapter deeply interwoven with the presence and guidance of Bhagavan Nityananda. For nearly 30 years, my father had lived under the spiritual shadow of Bhagavan, drawing sustenance, direction, and strength from Him. But the loss he experienced on August 8th, 1961, when Bhagavan took Mahasamadhi, left him utterly devastated. That moment shattered something within him. Although physically alive, a part of him seemed to have died that day.

His life had become so fully integrated with Bhagavan’s presence that he could no longer imagine a world without Him. The very core of his being was oriented around Bhagavan’s guidance and grace. With Bhagavan’s physical departure, he felt orphaned—adrift, unable to bear the immense spiritual and emotional void. For the entire Shenoy family, it was a moment of collective disbelief. What had always seemed eternal, unchangeable, and beyond time suddenly appeared bound by mortality.

Sandalwood Krishna and Suvarna Saguna Paduka given to Raghunath Shenoy

Over those three decades, Bhagavan had given them more than they could ever have asked for—bestowing Shaktipath, awakening Kundalini, nurturing their devotion (Bhakti), imparting Jnana (spiritual wisdom), and guiding them with profound simplicity through the trials of worldly life. His presence was not only magnetic but transformative. So radiant and immersive was His being that none among them ever considered the possibility that He might one day depart from their midst.

Though Bhagavan had subtly hinted—again and again—at the inevitability of His departure, reminding them of the many Mahavatars before Him who had relinquished their physical forms to return to subtle consciousness, their love for His saguna (form) blinded them to this higher truth. They could not let go. It was only through the loving shelter of Swami Janananda that the family found some solace in the years following Bhagavan’s Mahasamadhi—until Swamiji himself merged with the Infinite on December 27th, 1982.

Life size picture of Bhagavan in the home od Raghunath Shenoy

What drew Bhagavan so closely to them? By worldly standards, the Shenoys were ordinary people—laden with the same weaknesses and attachments as most others. Their connection to Bhagavan was not initially motivated by lofty spiritual ideals, but rather rooted in daily needs, familial concerns, and the constant ups and downs of life. Bhagavan often admonished them for this, gently pointing out their distractions and dependence. Yet, He never turned them away.

Paradoxically, it was this relentless, albeit imperfect, connection that slowly transformed them. The Sadguru works silently, often without dramatic signs. Though they may have appeared worldly outwardly, inwardly they were undergoing a silent alchemy—one that only the Sadguru’s proximity can bring about. Their lives became permeated with thoughts of Him, conversations with Him, and dreams of Him. What many seekers strive to attain through rigorous sadhana, the Shenoys received effortlessly, merely by staying near Him. As the Guru Gita affirms: “Guru-sannidhau vaasa, moksha-pradam”— mere residence near the Guru is enough to bestow liberation.

Raghunath on the left of Bhagavan Nityananda

From Shri Sitaram Shenoy to Raghunath Shenoy, through five brothers, their father, and grandfather—all were direct devotees of Bhagavan. Through their blessings, this sacred connection extended across five generations of our family. Each generation received its own glimpse of His unparalleled grace, love, and compassion.

In their final moments, those closest to Him bore witness to a singular truth:
“Second to none—none like Him was this Mahavatar Nityananda. Such a God as Him, we can never find again. He is a standalone Being—Whole, Infinite, and Complete. A manifestation of perfect Vairagya, of unbounded Love and Compassion. In Him, I rest.”

Raghunath’s favourite picture of Bhagavan