Swamiji graced Bengaluru with his presence from March 20th to 24th 2025

From March 21st to 23rd, seekers from across Bengaluru came together at Shalini Grounds at the heart of Jayanagar to participate in the Bharat Yoga Yatra. Guided by the living wisdom of Paramacharya Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati and supported by a loving team of swamis and sevaks, this Yatra became more than a program – it became a living experience of inner transformation and living yoga moment to moment. Through mantras, asanas, inner silence, and satsangs, we stepped into the sacred space of atmabhava – the sense of oneness with all of life.

The light is within you

The Yatra opened with Swami Niranjan reminding us to ‘feed the white dog’ – nurture awareness over distraction. The morning session by Swami Shivadhyanam led us through asanas starting with the Pawanmuktasana Series, anchoring movement in awareness. The physical practices were not mechanical – they were alive with breath, presence, and inner stillness. Yogic breathing in shavasana and seated posture awakened the parasympathetic nervous system, settling our scattered energies. Through nadi shodhana and bhramari pranayama, the mind began to still. A short yoga nidra followed.

The evening satsang introduced key spiritual truths: spirituality is discovery, not belief; joy and peace are symptoms of spiritual awareness. Swami Niranjan spoke of the evolution of aradhya – how as the mind matures, the form of the Divine we relate to may change, but the bhava remains. He shared how vikaras must be transformed to express our true akara. Indian culture was beautifully described by him as ‘connecting with sat gunas’. Yoga was described as a process of refining the mind – turning tamas into sattwa, and negativity into creativity.

Grace amidst storm

The second morning began with mantra chanting and PM2 practices, gradually deepening into surya namaskara and yogic breathing. We moved through spinal breathing in makarasana and marjari asana into deep relaxation. Pranayama continued with nadi shodhana and bhramari. Ajapa japa brought us into connection with the subtle sound of the breath along the psychic passage.

The evening brought a heavy thunderstorm just before the start of the session, washing away most of the seating area in the pandal. Yet the session continued with kirtan, joy, and resilience. Swamiji reflected on how the storm brought us closer and settled the dust – literally and symbolically. The calmness, equanimity and adaptability to deal with real world adverse situations was a true example of living yoga moment to moment. Swamiji shared a story of a devotee crossing a river in spate by reposing faith in a mantra given by the Guru. The moment doubt crept in, the devotee started drowning, showing how the intellect can interfere with surrender.

Swamiji emphasized that yoga is cultivating the qualities of head, heart, and hands – intelligence, emotion, and action. He elaborated on the ‘yoga chakra’ – the six-spoked wheel of yoga consisting of hatha yoga for body and breath, raja yoga for pratyayas, kriya yoga for inner awakening and beyond. We were invited to observe the vrittis with sakshi bhava. Every mood – anger, jealousy, desire – is a vritti, Swamiji said, which needs to be witnessed and the opposite quality nurtured. Yoga is not about suppression, but transformation.

Awareness is the key

The final day began with meditation on a flame at the eyebrow centre – its light spreading through every cell of the body. Kaya sthairyam anchored us into stillness. Inhalation formed an inverted ‘V’ at the nostrils, guiding awareness inward. Adapting to the wet conditions, ‘chair yoga’ and eye exercises made the practices practical and deeply effective. In the practice of samiksha, we reviewed our day in chidakasha – witnessing, learning, and resolving to do better. Ajapa japa visualized the breath along the psychic path, and So-Ham revealed its natural rhythm.

In the evening, Swamiji gifted us five daily yogic capsules: mantra, asana, pranayama, relaxation, meditation – spread throughout the day to maintain awareness.

Behind the scenes at Atma Darshan – a symphony of seva

Preparations at the ashram began many months ahead of the Bharat Yoga Yatra. Major renovations were undertaken to elevate and preserve the sanctity of the space. A new Annapoorna dining hall, an office ‘with a view’ and admin block, an upgraded kitchen, additional spaces in the terrace area, new toilet facilities with dedicated shatkarma space, a refreshed garden and lawns along with a new Tulsi mandap – all came up swiftly, gracefully, and in record time. This transformation was steered with quiet strength and devotion by Sn. Krishnaroopam and Sw. Yogamaya, under whose watchful eyes every detail was lovingly cared for.

In the lead-up to the Yatra, Saturdays at the ashram saw a steady stream of sevaks and devotees from across Bengaluru. Mala-making, sewing shoe-bags, organizing prasad, distributing invitations, preparing the garden, setting up the new spaces, rehearsing kirtans – the air buzzed with anticipation, as if preparing for a divine wedding. There was joy in every corner and a quiet urgency in every hand. Seva was not a task, it was an offering.

On the eve of the Yatra, every part of the ashram came alive in a quiet yet purposeful dance of coordination. From transport and accommodation arrangements to kitchen, cleaning, program setup, finance, office support, invitations, stage decorations, lighting and sound, havan, pooja, photography, video — each domain was tended to by teams of sevaks who served from a space of love and Guru seva.

In a true spirit of collective harmony, everything fell into place like clockwork – with the grace of Guru and the Divine gently guiding every step.

Swamiji arrives

When Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati arrived at Atma Darshan Yogashram after 18 years, the moment was soaked in emotion. In his satsang at the ashram, he traced the events that brought us all together from the Sannyasa Day of Swami Sivananda to the unfolding of the next chapter of yoga post the Golden Jubilee of Bihar Yoga in 2013 and the genesis of the current Bharat Yoga Yatra in 2025 as a mandate received from our Param Guru.

The highlight for many was the moment of mantra diksha on the 22nd afternoon, where over 400 seekers took their first sacred step into spiritual life. In a setting vibrating with purity, while a havan took place on the stage with Mahamrityunjya mantra and Sadguru Gayatri, they received their mantra and mala from Swamiji, and a glimpse of Guru tattwa, marking the beginning of an inner journey. It was a sight to behold – eyes closed, hearts open, and a quiet resolve to walk the path of yoga.

The Sunday morning of 23rd March will remain etched in the memory of the children of Bal Yoga Sangha. Swamiji met them in a special session at the ashram, which was steeped in innocence and insight. He shared stories from his childhood, of learning through yoga nidra under Gurudev. He encouraged the children to practise Gayatri mantra, surya namaskara, pranayama, and recite Chapter 15 of the Bhagavad Gita regularly. And then, all joined in for the ‘Happy Song’. In that moment, surrounded by trees and love, the time to be happy was now – and the place, the sacred grounds of ADY in the loving presence of Swamiji.

Satsang at Ramakrishna Math, Basavanagudi

On a special invitation by Vedanta Bharati and Ramakrishna Math Bangalore, Swami Niranjan delivered a satsang on Adi Shankaracharya and his profound impact on the Indian culture. He shared how yoga is the staircase and Vedanta is the roof. Quoting Adi Shankaracharya’s Yoga Taravali, he reminded us that asana alone is not yoga – sadhana is the inner journey. Vedantic truths like ‘Aham Brahmasmi’ must move beyond intellect into living experience. He offered Swami Sivananda’s life as an example of practical Vedanta: seva, vairagya, viveka, dhyana, atmavichara. Swamiji said: “Even thirst and hunger are expressions of the Divine. Recognize and respect that”. The different aspects of Yoga Chakra were further explored: hatha (balance of solar-lunar energies), raja (clearing pratyayas), kriya (awakening kundalini), bhakti (soft qualities), jnana (absorption in the truth beyond theoretical notes). He reminded us that desire-driven karmas bind the mind. Seva is not social work – it is the expression of atmabhava. Vairagya is detachment from sensory pull. Tapasya is unwavering commitment.

The closing satsang – building in Akasha

Sn Krishnaroopam, as President and Managing Trustee of ADY, gave a heartfelt vote of thanks to start the evening session. Swami Shivrajananda in conclusion put forward a vision: build not on earth, but in Akasha. ‘Ek baar me ek baat sochna’ – one-pointed focus can achieve anything. He urged us to live the yogic life every day, to build our lives not in fleeting achievements but in the vastness of akasha, which comes by awakening sushumna, practising one-pointedness, and remembering that ‘time is everything’.

With the bhajan ‘He Ishwar, he paramatma, antaryami tujhko pranam’, we paid homage to the indweller in all beings, sentient and insentient.

The Yatra concluded with a soul-stirring final satsang by Swami Niranjan. Swamiji reinforced the Yoga Chakra once again, tying together the strands of hatha, raja, kriya, bhakti, and jnana yoga as a magnificent garland as envisioned by Sri Swami Satyananda. Equipoise and inner balance – Samatvam yoga uchyate – remain the guiding compass as we return from this Yatra into our daily lives.

In gratitude

We bow with folded hands to Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati – for being the luminous flame at the heart of this Yatra carrying the teachings and inspiration of Swami Satyananda and Swami Sivananda.

We offer our love and gratitude to Swami Shivarajananda – the anchor and convener of the entire event who kept all of us on our toes. Swami Shivadhyanam – who eloquently guided the practices. The sannyasins from Munger and other parts of the country – who carried smiles in service, always: Sannyasis Sivachittam, Sivadhara, Chandramani, Gyandharma, Mantradharma, Vaidehi. Swami Yogamaya – whose precision and presence kept everything at Atmadarshan flowing smoothly. All our sevaks and Atma Darshan Yogashram trustees – for months of un-tiring, loving seva. And to the dear participants whose presence gave life to the Yatra.

Key learnings

Live atmabhava. Feel God even in your hunger and thirst. Recognize Him in all. Work with awareness. Balance your inner energies. Refine your mind. Serve with softness. Meditate deeply. And keep walking – with happiness, kindness and understanding.

The Yatra has begun.

EXPERIENCES

A glimpse of the path of happiness

A sincere thank you for giving us an opportunity to share our experiences with Gurudev visiting us. The brief verbal exchange with Pujya Gurudev consisted of two words. “Be happy”, he said, with a beaming smile! Simple yet profound! As all the Revered Gurus advise - “Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. But don’t seek it on the outside but within yourself.” This would only be possible if I continued on the path of dis-identifying, being non-judgemental and detaching myself from the mental river of thoughts and emotions (the ego’s preoccupation with the past and future), or else it would result in a disconnected and fragmented existence. To connect with the profound Silence and peace of the Pure, Infinite, unchanging Awareness alongwith being desireless and content would lead to the state that Gurudev said, bestowing a glowing smile with His twinkling eyes.

Countless times have our Gurus advised us to cultivate the ‘drashta bhava’ of this mental flow, and not identifying with the river itself which is a conditioning defining us as this body and mind. The key is to be grounded in Awareness which helps to be in the ‘Present’. I didn’t need to silence the mind but to observe it without any fear or attachment. This requires turning the attention inwards rather than outwards onto the objects in time and space, a mental projection.

Sharing whatever we have been blessed with and heeding Gurudev’s advice leads to peace and happiness. Everything has been given to us for a ‘time period, and how we share those blessings with others is the route to embark upon. I wholeheartedly pray we are all blessed with the strength, insight and dedication to continue on this path shown by our compassionate Gurus to us.

—Kusum Gill

Stepping into seva: a journey of reflection and growth

Participating in BYY 2025 was a new experience for me. When the opportunity to engage in seva arose, I initially hesitated to step out of my comfort zone, as I was recuperating from a recent illness. However, my apprehensions were unfounded, and I realized that stepping forward in seva was an expression of puruṣārtha—aligning good intention with effort, despite challenges. It was both humbling and fulfilling to witness the coming together of people from diverse social, cultural and religious backgrounds - all united as one by love and reverence for our Guru.

Inspired by the presence of Guruji, I took a leap of faith and received mantra diksha—a big step for me - that felt both profound and deeply personal.

A highlight of the experience was listening to Guruji’s elucidation at The Ramakrishna Math on the ‘Impact of Adi Shankaracharya’s Teachings on Indian Culture’. The discourse was clear and insightful, offering a fresh perspective on how Adi Shankaracharya’s teachings continue to shape Indian thought and traditions.

The satsang sessions on different aspects of yoga further added to this learning, providing a broader understanding of its spiritual and philosophical dimensions.

Looking back, what began as an act of seva for me became an opportunity for reflection and growth. The experience reinforced the value of stepping beyond personal limitations and engaging with a larger purpose. It offered a deeper understanding of community, discipline and spiritual learning—lessons that will stay with me as I step forward from here, inspired and grateful, ready to embrace the path ahead.

With gratitude to the Gurus and the Guru Parampara and a special thanks to Atma Darshan Yogashram for blessing me with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

—Faria Feroz