Yoga and Total Health — February 2018

YOGA AND TOTAL HEALTH • February 2018^39

ogis of India

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Yogi Hariharananda Aranya

Yogacharya Hariharananda Aranya (1869 - 1947) was a renowned Yogi who

founded the Kapil Math in Madhupur, India. Kapil Math is the only monastery in

the world that actively teaches and practices Samkhya philosophy.

Not much is known of the early life of Swami Hariharananda Aranya, for it was

his wish that only the teachings live on - he forbade his disciples to write any

biographical accounts on him. Only a little of this great master’s life is revealed by

his immediate disciple Swami Dharmamegh Aranya.

Swami Aranya came from a very wealthy, educated Bengali family. In his student

days, he felt the urge to renounce the world and become a Sanyasin. He met many

spiritual masters, but was not satisfied, until he chanced upon a copy of an ancient

text on Samkhya Yoga in a library. It resulted in his leaving home and becoming a

mendicant.

He spent the early part of his monastic life, in utter seclusion, in the Barabar

Caves in Bihar. He lived with bare minimal possessions and devoted his time to

intense spiritual practise. Later he spent some years in Triveni, Bengal on the banks

of the river Ganges, and a large part of his life in Haridwar, Rishikesh and Kurseong.

He entered a cave in Kapila Math in 1926 and lived there for the last twenty

years of his life. The only means of communication with his disciples was through

a small window. It was during this period that he wrote many of his philosophical

treatises, some of them being in Sanskrit and Bengali too.

Some of the theories that he propounded had much in common with the

‘mindfulness’ concept in Buddhism. His book, ‘The Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali

with Bhasvati’ is considered to be one of the most authoritative expositions of the

Yoga Sutras and is a part of the syllabus of most yoga schools in India.

Acharya Aranya established the Kapil Math in 1927-28. The Math is still considered

to be a place for the most sincere students of Samkhya Yoga. Acharya Aranya’s

Samadhi day is celebrated every year at the Kapil Math. Every year on this day the

devotees of the Kapil Math offer their respect to the Acharya by reciting Shlokas

and reading verses from his books and scriptures.