Swami Shantananda Short Biography:
Swami Shantananda Puri was a great Mahatma, an Advaitin of the highest order. At the age of four, he had the fortune of coming into contact with Paramacharya of Kanchi. In 1950 after joining the government service he came across the ‘Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’ which resulted in a deep attraction to the life and teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. In 1957, Swamiji met his Guru Sri Purushottamanada Puri Maharaj (of Vasishta Guha, Himalayas) a disciple of Swami Brahmananda (Rakhal Maharaj), the mentally adopted son of Sri Ramakrishna. In 1959 after getting mantra diksha from Swami Purushottamananda, Swamiji had to enter worldly life by establishing a family, as ordered by his Gurudev. As predicted by his Guru, he had to wait 32 years to get Sanyasa. On 2nd February 1992 (Sivaratri day) Swamiji was ordained into Sanyas by his Guru Bhai Swami Shankarananda at Mangalashram, Uttar Kashi.
He was a Srotriya (One who had mastered all the Vedic scriptures and understood the true purport) and Brahmanishta (One who was always established in Brahman, the Ultimate Reality). He was a scholar par excellence in Vedic scriptures, Mantra Sastra and Puranas. His deep knowledge and lucid exposition of scriptures like Srimad Bhagavatham, Ashtavakra Gita and many other scriptures made him a popular guide to spiritual aspirants. From 1998 to 2014, Swamiji wrote 33 books on various spiritual topics. Several of these books (originally written in English) were translated into various Indian languages. Swamiji was proficient in Sanskrit, English, Hindi, Bengali as well as several South Indian languages. He came down to the level of a spiritual seeker in order to explain profound truths in a simple manner. Swamiji attained Maha Samadhi on October 14th 2014.
His guidance was the complete outpouring of love, without any expectation, and out of sheer compassion for the devotees to discover the Truth; and discovery of the Truth being the only aim of life to be able to come out of the imagined suffering that we go through.
Swamiji wished well for everyone and wanted people to realise that there is unlimited happiness in store for us. Forgetting our true nature, we are continuously alternating between small joys and sorrows and undergoing sufferings and tribulations. He constantly guided us to make the goal one-pointed and firm and be clear about what we want from life.
All books and articles written by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj are available for free download on the website www.swamishantanandapurimaharaj.org