Kundalini Awakening - Shaktipath Lineage

As mentioned in the introductory article of Kundalini awakening, the dormant Kundalini can be awakened either by the yogic practices of the disciple or by the divine grace of Guru through the Shaktipath initiation.

This tradition of shaktipath initiation to awaken the Kundalini is more than 1000 years old. However, the first Guru in the Lineage known to us today is Swami Gangadhar Tirth Maharaj who lived around few hundred years ago. His only disciple to whom he gave Shaktipath(Descent of Divine Grace) initiation was Swami Narayan Tirth Dev Maharaj. How and when Swami Gangadhar Tirth Maharaj got initiated into Shaktipath is not known.

Swami Gangadhar Tirth Maharaj was known to be leading a simple life in a small cottage near a pond called Chandan Talab in Jagannathpuri in the eastern part of India. He was so much in union with the supreme bliss that he did not mingle with people or gave any discourses or any kind of social activity. He was aloof from the busy life and was engrossed in divine ecstasy all the time.

The only disciple Swami Gangadhar known to have had is Swami Narayandev Tirth. Swami Narayandev Tirth had the spiritual yearning right from the time when he was a small boy. Though got married at a very young age, he was not happy or satisfied with the family life. Rather, his quest for inner freedom and joy grew more and more. He left behind his family and wandered around in search of the ultimate truth. That is when he found Swami Gangadhar Tirth and got initiated into Shaktipath tradition by Swami Gangadhar Tirth Maharaj on April 25, 1889. However, as per his Guru's instructions, he went back to his family and led a life of simple family man for more than 19 years after his powerful initiation from a great yogi. After completing all his family duties, he returned back to practicing Shaktipath full time and initiated many disciples into this tradition.

Of all the disciples, a noted disciple of Swami Narayandev Tirth Maharaj whom we know in the lineage as of date is Shri Yoganadhaji Maharaj. Shri Yoganandhaji Maharaj or otherwise known as Yogendra Vigyani, came to Swami Narayandev Tirth Maharaj with the help of Shri Krishnanandha Maharaj who was his spiritual Guru. Through Shri Krishnandha Maharaj, Shri Yoganandhaji Maharaj got initiation from Swami Narayandev Tirth for Shaktipath after which he also initiated many other people into Shaktipath including Swami Vishnu Tirth Maharaj and Swami Shankar Pururushottam Tirtha. He also wrote an excellent book in Hindi called Mahayog Vigyan.

Swami Vishnu Tirth Maharaj was a lawyer by profession and was very well educated. He was drawn into spirituality from very early days of his life and has had mystical experience when he was very young. He came to know about Shri Yoganandhaji through one of his colleagues who was also the disciple of Shri Yoganandhaji Maharaj. By that time, Swami Vishnu Tirth had completed his family duties as husband and father. So, he readily got initiated into Shaktipath by Shri Yoganandhaji. Later he was initiated as a Sanyasin by Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha who was also the disciple of Shri Yoganandhaji. Swami Vishnu Tirth wrote many books of which "Devatma Shakti" is very famous book for understanding the science of Kundalini or Shakti path. It is through Swami Vishnu Tirth Maharaj, the tradition of Shaktipath became well known among many people.

Swami Shivom Tirth Maharaj was the favorite disciple of Swami Vishnu Tirth Maharaj. Born in a small village in the present-day Pakistan, he was a normal householder until the late 1940s. He had to relocate to India after Independence and the partition. After he met Swami Vishnu Tirth, he took the Shaktipath initiation and later took the initiation for Sanyasin from Swami Narayan Tirth of Kashi. He was known was his dedication and surrender to his Guru Swami Vishnu Tirth. He established ashrams at Dewas and Rishikesh and spread the Shaktipath tradition beyond India as well. He has written numerous books of which "The Guide to Shaktipath" is a famous one for its excellent explanation on Shaktipath. In his later years, he gave up his ashrams as well and lived in a secluded place in Indore. He left his mortal body on April 6, 2008 at Coimbatore.

Sri Madabusi Subramaniam ji took Shaktipath initiation from Swami Shivom Tirth Maharaj in the year 1975 and has since then been initiating many people into Shaktipath tradition and has been awakening dormant Kundalini Shakti in many disciples with his Guru's blessings.