Pujya Sri Nirbananandaji Maharaj
Current President of Dibyadham Yogashram
For a sadhak (spiritual practitioner), every moment is a new beginning.
If you remain connected with Guru and God,
They will always grant you fresh awareness and a renewed start.
-Sri Nirbanananda-
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The strength of a spiritual community depends on its ability to remain rooted in the Guru’s will. The Guru parampara is like a sacred chain of carriages joined to the Guru, the divine engine that draws us towards God. When we hold on to this chain with faith, we do not lose our way. We remain united as one spiritual family, guided by divine grace.
Our ashram, the institution as a whole, is the living, physical form of Guru-Maa’s presence. The ashram is Her body on earth.
Holy Mother used to say that our spiritual brothers and sisters are the thread that connects us to the Guru. Only when we are properly connected to one another and to the engine, that is the Guru, can we move forward. So let us keep our bond of love and trust with our spiritual brothers and sisters strong, for that supports our connection with the Guru.
A tree lives by remaining connected to its root. When that connection is intact, nourishment flows naturally and the tree is renewed at every moment. In the same way, a sadhak lives by remaining rooted in Guru and God. When we stay connected to Guru and God, grace brings fresh awareness, and each moment becomes a new beginning.
Many advanced souls yearn for even a glimpse of a chance to serve the Sadguru. We have been granted the rare opportunity of serving Holy Mother directly; therefore, we are most fortunate indeed. To let slip this opportunity is to harm ourselves.
Sadhana is the process of preparing ourselves to receive and retain divine grace. Every effort, even the smallest, when made with sincere devotion, is received by Mother with love.
When a sadhak keeps constant remembrance of the Goal of life, that is, God-realisation, he lives in a pilgrimage towards the Divine. Whatever work we undertake, wherever we go, let us keep Guru and God always in our hearts. It is this single-minded devotion—the love, trust, and unwavering commitment to Guru and God—that leads us to the Divine and allows us to merge into It.
– SRI NIRBANANANDA –
Sri Nirbananandaji was born on 11th January 1955 in a small village on the outskirts of Puri, in the state of Odisha, India. By his own account, his family was only moderately well off, yet he never felt any sense of lack. From an early age, he was drawn to silence and simplicity, and he found deep joy in solitude, in the tranquillity of nature, and in its quiet beauty.
In May 1972, while still a college student at the age of seventeen, he first came to Holy Mother. On the very first day he arrived at the ashram, Mother gave him a bag and some money, and asked him to go to the market to buy the daily necessities. He accepted this small service with joy and simplicity. From that very first meeting, there was a natural trust and an eagerness to serve. Soon afterwards, he began to live in the ashram. Looking back, it is clear that this meeting was not an ordinary occurrence but divinely ordained. From that first day until today, Sri Nirbananandaji has served Holy Mother with his whole heart.
After completing the second year of higher education, he joined Paralakhemundi Gajapati College to pursue an honours degree. Yet being away from Holy Mother during the weekdays was difficult for him, and Mother Herself continued to watch over him with loving care. In a letter to him, Mother wrote, “Wherever you are, you are mine. So there is no need to worry. Be ideal, be good, and you will do well in everything.” Later, by Mother’s grace, a vacancy arose at SCS College in Puri, enabling him to continue his studies there.
After graduating, he took up a job in a bank and worked there for some years, commuting daily from the ashram. In those days, on every working morning, Holy Mother Herself would lovingly tie his necktie for him before he left. In hindsight, it seems that this period, too, was part of Mother’s training, preparing him through practical experience for the responsibilities he would later shoulder in the service of the ashram.
Sri Nirbananandaji resigned from his bank job in 1991 and devoted himself entirely to Mother’s service. From then on, he served Her intimately as Her closest attendant, while also taking on many responsibilities in the ashram. Mother Herself would often introduce him as Her “personal secretary”, lovingly using the English word. He served Holy Mother day and night, hardly allowing himself any rest. Yet, looking back, he recalls that he never felt tired at all, for his heart was filled with joy and bliss throughout those years of service. He always adds that it was only by Mother’s causeless grace that he was given such an incredibly precious and sacred opportunity.
After Holy Mother’s Mahaprayana in May 2002, he continued to serve the ashram with the same spirit, supporting Swamiji, the President, with unwavering dedication. After Swamiji’s Mahasamadhi in April 2025, Sri Nirbananandaji took up the responsibility of serving as the President of Dibyadham Yogashram, offering himself to this task with deep devotion and commitment.
What shines most clearly in Sri Nirbananandaji is his complete trust in his Guru, the Holy Mother, his humility, and his spirit of surrender. Seeking nothing for himself and relying entirely on Mother, he offers his life in devoted, selfless service. Through this dedication and complete submission, Her grace flows freely through him, guiding and sustaining the life and activities of the ashram.