Early 1960's

Early film of Shivabalayogi and the first ashram in Bangalore on Bannerghatta Road.  This ashram was inaugurated on August 7, 1963, and served as the main ashram until the International Centre was inaugurated at the J.P. Nagar (district) of Bangalore on August 7, 1977.

As with so many films and videos of Shivabalayogi, one sees many people in bhava samadhi (spiritual trance), particularly during bhajans (spiritual song).  Devotees recall that the intensity of the bhava samadhi during bhajans was so great that visitors would pass into trance while still kilometers away.

The original film has no soundtrack.  The bhajan, Om Namah Shivaya, Shivaya Namah Om was recorded at the Bangalore ashram in 1991.

4:08 minutes 

One Year Tapas

It was at the Bannerghatta Road ashram that Shri Swamiji sat in tapas (meditation in samadhi) for one year for world peace.

The first image is that of Shivabalayogi sitting on his asana (seat) on the eve of August 7, 1968.  Looking at the photo, his mother, Parvatamma Allaka, is on the left, and on the right is Srimati Kailas Kumari Devi, the erstwhile Queen of Patna, (Mataji) in bhava samadhi, holding out her hands to protect Swamiji.

Shivabalayogi sat in tapas and remained in seclusion for the following year.  The doors to his room were kept locked.  Only Adinarayana was permitted entry to give Swamiji a daily cup of milk.

Two films, one color the other black & white, were taken on August 7 of the following year, 1969.  A crowd in the scores of thousands gathered to see Shivabalayogi emerge after completing his one-year tapas for world peace.

The event was widely publicized.  Special schedules of city busses were organized to take people as far as Dairy Circle, a few kilometers from the ashram.

The films show mass feeding, bhajans, and a lot of bhava samadhi as the crowd gathered.  The crowd was so large, a portion of the ashram walls had to be torn down to provide access.  Then we see Parvatamma garu (Swamiji's mother), the royal family of Patna, other dignitaries, and the press gathered outside Swamiji's locked room.  Finally, the doors are opened and we see Shivabalayogi emerge to take his seat on the tiger-skin covered asana in front of the ashram building.

Swamiji gave darshan the entire afternoon and into the evening.  After arthi (camphor flame), he returned to his room where he gave darshan to some of the dignitaries.  Then, a final arthi.

The original films have no soundtrack.  The bhajans were recorded at the Bangalore ashram in the early 1990's.

16:24 minutes