The Great Advent - Biography of Shri Shri Anandmurti

Preface Since early years, the compulsive urge led me to look for righteous company and spiritual writings which, in my later years, matured into conscious quest for a guide who could help me to move along the path of goodness and perfection. By the grace of Almighty I had the opportunity to work as a frontline worker in many a spiritual organization. I had something unique to learn and imbibe from 'every following' which whetted my hunger to look for a system for self-cultivation. As a student of philosophy I developed rational temper and consequently, a cynical mindset which made me averse to dogmas and superstitions in social and religious denominations. I was indeed, torn by conflict of the rational and believing self in me.

In one of the prime days as a Lecturer in Logic and Philosophy at Government college, Angul, Odisha in 1977, while glancing through different titles in the library I chanced to get hold of the book Idea and Ideology, authored by Shri Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar. The content of the book made me read it between the lines. It was so very engrossing that I read the book at lea t three times. I got at the missing links in my understanding and ponderings about Creation, Life and Death, nuances of Mind, besides a cursory vision of future humanity. I was deeply moved by the depth and ingenuity of the author who could compress such wide plectrum of reflections in short compass of a book running over ninety six pages, without sacrificing the content and clarity.

It would not be out of place to mention that I was driven by the compelling inquisitiveness to understand Shri Sarkar and his organization because of the storm of controversy they raised and successive self-immolations by monks and nuns of Ananda Marga in different parts of the world as protest against the heinous act of administration in administering poison to their Guru through medicine.

During one of my occasional visits to the capital town Bhubaneswar, I passed by a saffron clad young monk on a cycle. I thought aside 'Perhaps, he is the one about whom I heard from fellow devotees in different organizations. Is he the same monk they were eluding to, urging me to enter into a philosophical encounter with him?' He was the principal of Ananda Marga School nearby. I had several exclusive interactions with him. I was greatly touched by his erudition and the spiritual height from which he was addressing the nagging questions in me. He suggested me to learn the meditational practice (sadhana) so that I could have answers to the queries and doubts for myself. But I was not very keen to follow any particular path and be branded as a follower of a particular order or Guru. But the momentous encounters with the monk left me deeply preoccupied and pensive, thinking that given the unique blend of scholarship, devotion, magnanimity and warmth of love in him, I should at least, follow him as my role-model, irrespective of the Guru to whom he pledges his unconditional surrender and for whom he has embraced the life of a enunciate, throwing coveted prospects of life to fore-winds and left home, having been declared qualified for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

Book's Contents and Sample Pages