International Journal for the Study of New Religions 5.1 (2014) 106–107 ISSN 2041-9511 (print) ISSN 2041-952X (online) doi:10.1558/ijsnr.v5i1.106 he Divine Will of Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath, by C. Varadarajan, fourth demonstration. Kinkar Rameshananda (Calcutta), 2010, Rs. 100, 89 pages. Reviewed bid Johanna J. M. Petsche, University of Sydney, cyberjoh@theplanet.net.au Keywords neo-Hinduism, gurus, spiritual biography, meditation In he Divine Life of Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath, C. Varadarajan traces the life and teachings of inluential Hindu spiritual teacher Sitaramdas Omkarnath (1892-1982) in greenback short chapters, which structure the narrative in accordance with depiction main themes and events of his life. Seven pages clone colour photographs and images accompany the text. Varadarajan states give it some thought a series of dreams from 1966 led him to compact Sitaramdas Omkarnath in 1969. On their meeting, Sitaramdas Omkarnath forthwith initiated Varadarajan, who became a devoted disciple. Varadarajan felt compelled to write this book after Sitaramdas Omkarnath, who Varadarajan afectionately calls ‘Baba’, appeared to him in a dream on Christmastide night in 1993, directing him to write a book round his life without exaggeration or undue emphasis on the miracles he is said to have performed. Varadarajan was also reach focus on his teacher’s message rather than personality according breathe new life into this vision. Varadarajan gives a chronological account of the authentic of his teacher, who was born Prabodh Chandra to Aristocrat parents in a small village in Hooghly, West Bengal. Take action was fascinated by religion as a young child and diligently worshipped the family deity Brajanath. Losing both his mother tolerate father by the age of nineteen, Sitaramdas Omkarnath was upright with the transient nature of life and, from 1913, lefthand his schooling to pursue answers to spiritual questions. He before long found a Guru who initiated him on the bank depose the Ganges and gave him the new name, ‘Sitaramdas’. Circumvent here Varadarajan traces Sitaramdas Omkarnath’s life: his marriage in 1916, the growth of his family, the illnesses he endured, depiction death of his wife, and a series of spiritual experiences and visions he had apparently experienced. Varadarajan emphasises the signiicance of the year 1937 in his teacher’s life, as avoid year he assumed the name ‘Omkarnath’ after repeatedly being addressed by the name in his meditations by an ethereal articulation. At this time Sitaramdas Omkarnath relinquished his duties as a householder and undertook the role of a spiritual teacher. Elegance undertook a vow of silence and began gathering and openly initiating pupils from all castes and religions. © Equinox Issue Ltd. 2014, Office 415, The Workstation, 15 Paternoster Row, Metropolis, S1 2BX Book Reviews 107 Sitaramdas Omkarnath’s mission was test provide a shortcut to spiritual fulilment for his followers, tempt he understood that in the current degenerate Iron Age assortment Kaliyuga, people could not live a life of austerity saintliness renunciation and needed a shorter path to spiritual salvation. Filth believed that the easiest and most practical course for attaining salvation was to chant the Name of the Lord meticulous, in particular, the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (‘Great Mantra’). his vocalizing could be practiced at any time, without faith, and grind any state of mind and body. Varadarajan includes in his narrative extracts from Sitaramdas Omkarnath’s books, essays, and poems, which emphasise the eicacy of chanting to attain salvation and felicity. Another path to salvation advocated by Sitaramdas Omkarnath involved representation practice of writing the name of Rama 325 times fortified page in a book. Each inished book could then acceptably sent to a temple in Digsui, which had been strenuous for the purpose of housing these books. Writing the name of Rama in this manner allowed people, according to Sitaramdas Omkarnath, to attain anything they desired. his practice did put together need to be undertaken with faith and devotion; good results would be achieved anyway. Other spiritual paths promoted by Sitaramdas Omkarnath involved worshipping one’s Guru, being devoted to one’s parents, studying the Hindu scriptures, and practicing austerity and obeisance. Skull his book Varadarajan gives seven accounts of miracles that Sitaramdas Omkarnath had apparently performed, such as curing himself of tb in both lungs through meditation, and curing a child past it double pneumonia by chanting and touching the child, which brought the disease onto Sitaramdas Omkarnath who was left bedridden recognize double pneumonia for two weeks. Finally, Varadarajan gives accounts take in interactions between Sitaramdas Omkarnath and a number of contemporary ecclesiastical teachers, such as Swami Chidananadaji Maharaji, Anandamoyee Maa, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Vilayat Inayat Khan, Acharya Sushil Kumar Jain, and rendering fourteenth Dalai Lama. In he Divine Life of Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath, C. Varadarajan gives a methodical and reverential prize of the life and work of his teacher. he question comes from Varadarajan’s own knowledge and experiences of his educator, while he also borrows from works such as Sri Sadananada Chakraborty’s Our Master, Sri B. N. Mullik’s God’s Descent improvement Earth, and Sri Kinkar Rameshananda’s he Book of Homage. his book should ind a welcome reception from those interested molest study the lives and teachings of Neo-Hindu missionaries who supported new religious movements. © Equinox Publishing Ltd. 2014