18. Who is His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda?

public in India and garner Hindu votes.

His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda is a world-renowned humanitarian, universalist and a scientist who is giving superconscious breakthrough to humanity, by manifesting extraordinary powers that are inherent in every human being, physically and scientifically demonstrable and measurable, and stands the scrutiny of rational logic in thousands of human beings around the globe.

As a well-known grassroots Hindu spiritual leader, belonging to the minority Hindu sect of Adi Shaivam, His Divine Holiness heads the worldwide mission to revive authentic Hinduism based on the highest human values of peaceful co-existence and oneness, as revealed in the ancient texts, the VedaAgamas.

More than 20 million people in 347 cities in 196 countries over 6 continents revere and follow His Divine Holiness. In just 16 years of public life, His Divine Holiness has delivered 3 peta byte (30,00,000 GB) storage worth discourses. His Divine Holiness, through His high activism in serving humanity, is recognized as a renowned leader who has raised the lives of millions, from the grassroots to the decision makers.

His Divine Holiness has been talking about creating an authentic Hindu nation since 2005. This has been one of the significant reasons as well for the persecution, as forming another Hindu nation means the anti Hindu and anti national forces will not be able to cheat the

How the Avatar was recognized

His Divine Holiness was born in a small temple town called Tiruvannamalai in South India, where He spent His childhood.

1982 : His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda at tender age of maybe four, in sanyas (Hindu monk) robes, in front of sacred Arunachala Hill, Tiruvannamalai.

The Arunachaleswarar Temple in front of The sacred Arunachala Hill, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, South India. It is more than 6000 years old. The present masonry structure was built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century. Different masters linked with this temple educated Him, in various spiritual sciences.

He was recognized as the Avatar (incarnation), and raised by a group of spiritual leaders of the place, belonging to the Hindu ethnic minority group of Adi Shaiva.

His spiritual leadership potential was recognized by the gurus of the community. From the age of 3 years, the gurus (spiritual masters) of His community started training Him for His future spiritual responsibilities. His accession to the throne of several ancient religious monasteries of the community was pre-decided by the leaders.

(Both Images) His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda with 232 nd Guru Maha Sannidhanam of Thondaimandala Aadheenam (232 nd Pontiff Thondaimandala Temple-Monastery). Maha Sannidhanam is the Kula Guru (spiritual master of the lineage) of more than 5000 year old Saiva Vellalar ethnic community . Maha Sannidhanam is a father figure for Paramahamsa Nithyananda and has guided Him since He was 8 years old . He coronated His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda as His successor as the 293rd Pontiff (Guru Maha Sannidhanam) of the ancient Thondaimandalam Aadheenam (Monastery).

METHODS TO RECOGNIZE INCARNATIONS

The method to test and recognize the incarnations are many in Hinduism. The rare qualities of an incarnation do not remain hidden for long. Yet, it is those with divine insights from ancient knowledge that 'see' and precisely identify them.

By means of their birth circumstances, by means of evolved and enlightened spiritual masters, by means of astrological divinations from Hindu Cosmology, by means of extraordinary occurrences, by means of body symbols, body language and characteristics, the Avatar is recognised.

Spiritual leaders performed tests to recognize the Avatar

His spiritual leadership potential was recognized by the leaders of the community. The spiritual leaders performed some tests to the young children to recognize the next spiritual leader.

As an infant, He was tested to choose amongst various objects. Amongst them were highly spiritual sacred items like rudraksha (rosary) bead, amongst various precious stone jewelry items. He was seen to pick only sacred items like rudraksha.

Recognized as The Incarnation from Childhood

ASSUMING BODY IN THE DIVINE LAND

His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda was born on January 1, 1978 in the pilgrim temple town of Tiruvannamalai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. It is the primeval divine land, where divinity exists in three primordial forms, eternally.

• 1. as the mountain personified 'Arunachala', the spiritual incubator for incarnations,
• 2. as the form of the living deity of Arunachaleshwara (presiding at the Sri Arunachaleshwara temple),
• 3. as the living Guru (spiritual leader) through the successive unbroken lineage of enlightened beings.

(Left) Sacred Arunachala Hill, (Right) Sri Arunachaleswara - presiding deity of the Arunachaleshwara temple.

His spiritual leadership was foreseen by His predecessors

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi - described His next two incarnation successors

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (December 30 1879 – April 14 1950) had declared Yogi Ramsurat Kumar (December 1, 1918 – February 20, 2001) as the successor Avatar, who's happening Bhagwan had described as "A Saint with a fan."

Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi (sitting) with his disciple Annamalai Swamigal. Annamalai Swamigal had given a technique to His Divine Holiness which upon practise for 2 years gave Him a spiritual experience of being able to see in 360-degree all directions with eyes closed.

(Left) Yogi Ramsurat Kumar, (also known as Visiri Swamigal which meant the saint with a fan). (Right) 1993, 2 June, His Divine Holiness seen behind enlightened master Yogi Ramsuratkumar (bearded Saint in the center). This was taken in Oya mutt in Thiruvoodal street (Tiruvannamalai) when He was 15 years old.

When Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharishi was asked who would come after Yogi Ramsurat Kumar, he assertively said, "A laughing young boy sitting under a banyan tree."

(Left) His Divine Holiness at the age of eleven in Tiruvannamalai. (Right) His Divine Holiness at the age of sixteen near Skandashram in Tiruvannamalai.

His predecessor Incarnation identified Him as successor before leaving His body

His Divine Holiness was also recognized by Sri Yogi Ramsurat Kumar (December 1, 1918 – February 20, 2001) as His successor.

Enlightened sages of Tiruvannamalai

Mataji Vibhudananada Puri, Yogananda Puri, Isakki Swamigal, were the enlightened sages of Tiruvannamalai, who recognized His Divine Holiness as an Avatar and trained Him.

Referring to His Divine Holiness, His Yoga Guru, Yogananda Puri had said, "I know you are an Avatar purusha (incarnation) and I wanted to be the first person to do the pada puja (ceremonial worship) to you."

Recognition by contemporary Avatar - His Holiness Satya Sai Baba

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba coronates Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda as 'the Avatar'

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is revered and worshipped as an Avatar, the Divinity Incarnate by millions of people worldwide.

12th June 2004 - Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba officially recognized His Holiness Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda and formally coronated Him as The Avatar (incarnation) as per Sanatana Hindu Dharma. He personally sent and gifted three divine items to Paramahamsa Nithyananda. The President of the Shri Sathya Sai Trust, along with a group of devotees of Bhagawan Sathya Sai Babaji visited the Bengaluru Aadheenam, Nithyananda Peetham and reverentially performed homa (ceremonial fire ritual) and Paduka Puja (ceremonial worship), and made these divine offerings of Swarna Padukas (two sacred golden sandals) and Kirita (the divine golden crown).

By this ceremonious offering of divine items, Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba formally officiated Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamiji as the Avatar, the direct physical manifestation of divine superconsciousness. In Sanatana Hindu Dharma (Hinduism), the formal offerings made by an enlightened spiritual being or an Incarnation to another, is very rare and holds not just the tradition significance of honoring the Divinity, but also holds the cosmic significance of declaring to the world the spiritual legacy and unbroken lineage of Avatars.

Following are the pictures taken as on 12th June 2004 for this divine occasion of coronation of the Avatar.

Left: The President of the Sri Sathya Sai Trust seen with Sathya Sai Baba, who visited and coronated His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda. Right: The President of the Sri Sathya Sai Trust and his wife, offer Paada Puja (the traditional worship of sacred feet of the Avatar) to Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda on the Swarna Padukas.

(Left) : Pattabhishekam, the formal coronation ceremony as 'The Avatar' through the sacred ritualistic bath offered onto Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamiji by the representatives of Bhagavan Sathya Sai Baba. (Right): Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamiji adorns the Kirita, the sacred crown as the gift offering from Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

His Spiritual Training by leaders of the community

The spiritual leaders of the community recognized His potential spiritual leadership. His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda experientially learnt the complete Vedic education through His spiritual masters and mentors. His places of learning were the great temples where all knowledge systems came alive as applied sciences.

He lived in the temple of Sri Arunachaleshwara and in several other temples where His spiritual masters tested and trained Him, and transmitted the ancient knowledge to Him. They uncompromisingly prepared his physiology, psychology and neurology at all levels – not to be just an adept, but to be the next spiritual leader.

His training by the spiritual leaders of the community continued till the age of 25. During that time, he was staying in the Arunachaleshwara Temple and in various other temples and monasteries within India. He lived most of His early years in various temples and monasteries, and occasionally visited his parents. His parents supported Him to be raised and educated by the group of spiritual leaders of the community. He imbibed the ocean of spiritual sciences from the original source scriptures, which are - VedaAgamas, Yoga, Vedanta, Upanishads, Sri Vidya, Ayurveda, Siddha, Meditation, Nutrition, Vegetarianism, and all the different branches of Hindu philosias.

The Leaders prepared Him to offer ancient knowledge to the whole world

English was not spoken in the community He lived in. His spiritual masters sent Him to a Polytechnic College for Mechanical Engineering (equivalent to university college) to learn the English language. His spiritual leaders wanted Him to be prepared to offer His knowledge to the whole world. Even when He was 12 years old, His masters would suddenly make Him stand amongst an audience to give a spiritual discourse on topics that were considered highly advanced.

Lifestyle and teachings of the Adi Shaiva Tradition

Non-violence

Living with the truth of "you are consciousness. You cannot be violated by anything', based on which being established in true non-violence (Ahimsa) with the self, with every living being, and with the world.

Vegetarianism

Not consuming any animal meat or using any item made with animal in any way.

Worship of Nature and Living Beings

Loving nature and animals as the extension of one's own self. Not cutting trees. Revering and worshipping plants, animals, trees, nature

Organic Lifestyle

The diet is completely organic and natural, without pesticides or genetically modified products.

(Left) His Divine Holiness offers prayers to MahaSadaShiva in form of Banyan Tree in Bengaluru Aadheenam. (Right) Cows of the Aadheenam, decorated with sacred pastes, before they are worshipped.

Temple based Lifestyle

Celebration of deities through various festivals, ritualistic daily worship of deities through chanting vedic mantras (sacred energy syllables), and sacred fire rituals (homas). Study of ancient spiritual texts - VedaAgamas.

(Left): Monastic disciples of His Divine Holiness offer daily ritualistic prayers. (Right) : A homa kunda (sacred fire ritual altar) at the Bengaluru Aadheenam.

Yoga

Lifestyle of Yoga as per original core scriptures (shastras), such as Shivastambha (Pole Yoga) and Kundalini Rajju (Rope Yoga).

Yogic Sciences

Applying the ancient Yogic Sciences of manifesting extraordinary spiritual powers and living it as a lifestyle.

(Left) : A Gurukul (traditional Hindu school) balasant (child saint) practising yoga on the shivastamba as per ancient scriptures. (Right) : A Gurukul balasant manifesting the power of reading without using the physical eyes, using the mystical third eye.

Starting His Divine Mission - 2003

From the age of 23, His Divine Holiness Paramahamsa Nithyananda started to create His own temple monastery and to teach classes. The financing was done from the contributions of His own village town. The monasteries were built as non-profit. In 2003 He started to build His monastery in Bangalore, the land was donated by a devotee.