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After studying a great number of different philosophies and religions he discovered, in
the depths of his soul, an indescribably deep love and relation, from previous lives, with
Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion. His first encounter with an established
religion was, in 1977, with the Vaishnava religion, according to the Bengali Gaudiya
tradition of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the temple of Puente Alto, Chile. It
was here where he started his studies of Bhakti-yoga directly with His Holiness Sri Srimad
Atulananda Acharya, studies that would later continue with His Holiness Sri Srimad Bhakti
Aloka Paramadvaiti Swami Maharaja, who personally granted him the title "Bhakti Shastri
" and "Tridandi Bikshu". These two outstanding masters of Bhakti Yoga, founders of the
organization "Vrinda", are direct disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada. His Holiness Sri Srimad Swami Vishnu Devananda, a direct disciple of His
Holiness Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati, granted him first initiation or "diksha" in the
Maha Mantra with the name of Ramakrishna.This Swami would be for him a guide and
a source of inspiration in his first years of studies of Integral Yoga, in all its varied aspects.
From that first initiation, the Maha Mantra has never left Swami Ramakrishnananda. In
1988 Swami Vishnu Devananda, under the spiritual authority conferred to him by his own
spiritual master, Sri Sri Swami Sivananda, in recognition of his erudition, love and
devotion for Their Lordship Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, and of his wisdom and authority in
the field of Bhakti-yoga, honored him with the special title of "Krishna Bhakta". This was
the first and only time that Swami Vishnu Devananda had ever given this very rare title to
anybody in the wisdom of Bhakti Yoga. Swami Ramakrishnananda continued to deepen
his studies of Hinduism, the Vedic religion and Yogic philosophy, and obtained instructions,
guidance and benedictions directly from some of the most famous yogis and masters of
their time such as His Holiness Sri Sri Swami Viditatmananda, His Holiness Sri Sri Swami
Satchidananda, His Holiness Sri Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda, His Holiness Sri Sri Swami
Brahmananda, His Holiness Swami Krishnananda, His Holiness Swami Dayananda
Saraswati, His Holiness Brahmananda Saraswati and others, receiving diplomas and
certificates of instructor, guide and teacher. He received the certificate of "Yoga Teacher"
from Brahmananda Saraswati of the "Ananda Ashram". Finally he reached the highest
degree of "Yoga Acharya" or Master Acharya of Yoga, a title he received personally in
1989 from Swami Vishnu Devananda, the founder of Shivananda centers of Yoga
Vedanta in the Shivananda Ashram of Canada. Years after the title "Yogacharya" will be
granted by the prestigious "Sri Shankarananda Yoga Ashram" from Mysoree, India and
the title "Yoga Praveena" which he received from "The Sri Vivekananda Yoga Pratishan".
In the year 1990 Swami Jyotirmayananda, the founder of "The Yoga Research Foundation", granted him the title "Yoga Ratna" or "The Jewel of Yoga". In August of
1991, he was honored by being officially initiated into the sacred thread and ordained as a Brahmana within the Sanatana Dharma by Kirtanananda Swami. He met His Holiness
Swami Krishnananda of the Divine Life Society in India, a disciple of Swami Sivananda,
with whom he had the great opportunity to delve deeper into the knowledge of Hatha
Yoga. In 1995 His Holiness Sri Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda Saraswati requested from him
to initiate disciples in the sacred Vedic mantras and granted him the order of renounced
life or sanyasi, within the Saraswati order, under the name of Ramakrishnananda Swami.
Swami Jyotirmayananda himself recommends to some sincere seekers, that they see
Swami Ramakrishnananda as their Spiritual Master. During that same year he personally
met His Divine Grace Sri Baba Brahmananda, born in Ishanagar, India, in 1931, a disciple
of the great Siddha saint His Divine Grace Baba Mastramji, and personally received formal
initiation. In one of his journeys to India, in the sacred city of Vrindavan, he met the one
who would later on become one of his most important instructing masters or "siksha
gurus", His DivineGrace Srila Narahari Das Babaji Maharaja, a Vaishnava saint of the
Gaudiya tradition, a pure devotee of Krishna and disciple of His Divine Grace Srila
Nityananda das Babaji. This saintly Babaji gave instructions of great value and very
important guidance in the path of Bhakti Yoga to the restless seeker. The love of
Swami Ramakrishnananda for Bhakti, and his devotion for Sri Sri Radha and Krishna,
pushed him to ask for confirmation of his vows of sanyasi or renounced monk from
a sanyasi in the line of Krishna Bhakti, and in a traditional edic ceremony in the Ashram of
"Vrinda", the very famous Bhakti Yogi, His Divine Grace B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami
Maharaja, confirmed his vows of sanyasi and granted him the title "Bhaktivedanta". In
2001 he was initiated in the mantra of Durga Devi personally by Her Holiness Ma Yoga
Shakti. In the year 2000,Swami Ramakrishnananda arrived in the United States, where
he decided to give himself up completely to sharing what actually happens within his heart.
It was only in the United States, in 2003, that he decided, for the first time, at the
request of many of his disciples, to officially create a formal institution, the
"Ramakrishnananda Yoga Vedanta Mission", a religious Hindu organization. The life
of Swami Ramakrishnananda is an example of perseverance in the search for the
Truth, surrender, respect and service toward his guru and his masters; a life of
incomparable passion for God. His devotion or bhakti and his constant experience
of the Self or vedanta, transform him into a faithful exponent of his title "Bhaktivedanta". His works and activities in the West, his seriousness, wisdom and devotion have
contributed to the fact that Swamiji has generated much affection, appreciation and
respect from both the respectable Hindu community, and the public in general.
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