On an recent post 'The Old man of Hassan', about the possibility of a lost student of Krishnamacharya's pre Mysore teaching, it was suggested in a comment that I should just get in touch and check the facts. Good advice indeed and I usually tend to spend quite some time researching most of the historical posts I put up here, they are still always full of speculation but not without some supporting evidence at least.
The Old man of Hassan post was a bit of fun though, here's my response to the comment.
"I could (get in touch and check the facts) but where's the fun in that Enrique, there is a time for facts and a time for romance, the idea of 'The old man of Hassan' is romance.,
Here's a thought, what if Krishnamacharya had never met the Maharaja, perhaps HE, Krishnamacharya, would have been the Old man of Hassan, or if the young Pattabhi Jois hadn't run off to Mysore, maybe the old man of Hassan would have been him (Pattabhi Jois went to High School in Hassan), or perhaps going by yoginigabi's comment above it could be an old Woman of Hassan rather than an old man. Besides I've been in this game long enough to not lay much store by facts, I've come to the conclusion there are stories and there is practice.
Ransom Stoddard: You're not going to use the story, Mr. Scott?
Maxwell Scott: No, sir. This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.
Romance, stories, facts and legends..... does anything sum that up better, in our line of work/interest, than the Story of the young Krishnamacharya going to the Himalayas, to find his guru in a cave by Lake Manasarova and studying Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga with him for seven and a half years.
It is the source of our Ashtanga Vinyasa lineage ( and of many of the other spin-off styles), Pattabhi Jois was taught by Krishnamacharya who was taught by Rama Mohana Brahmacharya in a cave in the Himalaya's, Rama Mohana Brahmacharya was taught by...... well, we don't know.
But is this Seven years in Tibet fact, fiction, a little of both....
I stumbled across this stunningly beautiful video of the lake recently and there's a cave! The first thing to go through my mind was Rama Mohana Brahmacharya cave?
Below we have the story supposedly in Krishnamacharya's own words, or in translation at least.
The Final Goal
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"The Viceroy sent three aides with me. This was some time in 1919. The expense of the journey was covered by the British government. Clothes of leather were made to order to protect us from the cold. On the trail we came across a recluse named Pilmugi living in a cave. We stayed in the cave with him for several days, and then continued on our journey. We reached Manasasarovar and from there went on to Mela Parvatham. We had dharsan of Thirayambaka Narayana and finally reached the dwelling place of Rama Mohana Brahmacharya who was to be my Guru. We had been walking for two and a half months".
from The King and the Young Man
AYS Ashtanga Yoga Sangha
I've always had the romantic image of Krishnamacharya living in a cave for seven and a half years with his guru learning about yoga, doing his practice down by the lake, melting the snow with his pranayama. But look again at the passage from the interview.
"We reached Manasasarovar and from there went on to Mela Parvatham. We had dharsan of Thirayambaka Narayana and finally reached the dwelling place of Rama Mohana Brahmacharya who was to be my Guru".
Interestingly this is left out from the old KYM biography of Krishnamacharya (Yogacarya Krishnamacharya - The Purnacarya. Edited by Mala Srivatsan) which seems to have been based on the same interview. Instead we get
"Krishnamacharya set out for nepal and visited the MUktinarayana Shrine and bathed at the origin of the river Gandaki. here he picked a Saligrama. He continued his journey and reached Manasarovar after twenty two days having trekked 211 miles
Krishnamacharya went searching for the ashram of Rama Mohana Brahmacari. In a cave, a very tall hermit with a long beard, wearing wooden shoes, stood at the entrance. it was evident to krishnamacharya that this was his guru"
The next paragraph begins with "The master took Krishnamacharya to the Manasarove Lake and showed him round the place".
When the legend becomes fact, print the legend?
No mention of Mela Parvatham ( Parvatham festival) not in Desikachar's Biography of Krishnamacharya or the one by the grandson either.
We are left with the image of Krishnamacharya living with his guru in a cave by a lake but it appears he traveled further on from the cave to meet and live with his Guru. There's reference to Parvatham (five peaks) in connection to the shrines at Kedernath and Jyotirmath both with shrines and temples where festivals are celebrated.
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Perhaps it was here or somewhere like it rather than on the shores of the lake that Krishnamacharya stayed with his Guru.
Notice though that the paths are closed six months a year and yet Krishnamacharya was supposed to have travelled back to visit and 'treat' the British Viceroy every three months as per their (visa) agreement. That would make it difficult. Did krishnamacharya stay with his Guru for an uninterrupted seven and a half years or did he travel back and forth avoiding the winter months when travel would have been almost impossible.
How long did he actually spend with Rama Mohana Brahmacharya an uninterrupted seven and a half years or for a number of months over seven and a half years. Did he visit him perhaps as the Western Ashtangi's visited Mysore in the early days of the old, small shala?
How long did krishnamacharya actually spend with his teacher, just the summer months? he could perhaps have gone in the spring, as soon as the journey became possible come back after three months gone back again for another three months and come back just before winter made the trip impossible. But remember Krishnamacharya was walking, how long would that journey have taken?
"He continued his journey and reached Manasarovar after twenty two days having trekked 211 miles".
The journey from Shimla ( summer residence of British Viceroy) to Manasarovar took 22 days and then a few more days to travel on to his Guru's cave, although he would surely have taken a more direct route now he knew where his teacher lived, either way, what's that a month round trip?
Notice that Shimla was the Summer residence of the British Viceroy.
So perhaps Krishnamacharya left Shimla for the Mountains after winter as soon as the journey became possible, stayed for a couple of months with his teacher, made the trip back to visit the viceroy again before making another trip to his teacher.
"I've come to the conclusion there are stories and there is practice, I love the stories but I love my practice more".
Perhaps the stories don't matter, perhaps origins don't matter, whatever the stories we still have to fit them to our own experience, are they true... to us, in our practice.
But as stories go......
"We reached Manasasarovar and from there went on to Mela Parvatham. We had dharsan of Thirayambaka Narayana and finally reached the dwelling place of Rama Mohana Brahmacharya who was to be my Guru".
Interestingly this is left out from the old KYM biography of Krishnamacharya (Yogacarya Krishnamacharya - The Purnacarya. Edited by Mala Srivatsan) which seems to have been based on the same interview. Instead we get
"Krishnamacharya set out for nepal and visited the MUktinarayana Shrine and bathed at the origin of the river Gandaki. here he picked a Saligrama. He continued his journey and reached Manasarovar after twenty two days having trekked 211 miles
Krishnamacharya went searching for the ashram of Rama Mohana Brahmacari. In a cave, a very tall hermit with a long beard, wearing wooden shoes, stood at the entrance. it was evident to krishnamacharya that this was his guru"
The next paragraph begins with "The master took Krishnamacharya to the Manasarove Lake and showed him round the place".
When the legend becomes fact, print the legend?
No mention of Mela Parvatham ( Parvatham festival) not in Desikachar's Biography of Krishnamacharya or the one by the grandson either.
We are left with the image of Krishnamacharya living with his guru in a cave by a lake but it appears he traveled further on from the cave to meet and live with his Guru. There's reference to Parvatham (five peaks) in connection to the shrines at Kedernath and Jyotirmath both with shrines and temples where festivals are celebrated.
"We reached Manasasarovar and from there went on to Mela Parvatham. We had dharsan of Thirayambaka Narayana and finally reached the dwelling place of Rama Mohana Brahmacharya who was to be my Guru".
"Kedarnath is situated in the Himalayan slopes in the Gharwal district of Uttar Pradesh. The uniqueness and greatness of this temple sees mention in the vedas, ithihaasaas, epics.
The term Kedara for the Lord denotes
* The Lord who holds the holy Ganges in his matted locks & allows it to flow evenly to the world.
* It could also mean the mark that is left on the Lord's head from the time when Arjuna got the Paasupathastram.
This shrine is located at an elevation of 11,735 feet above sea level. The region of the Himlayas, where the shrine is located is known by several names such as Gandhamadana parvatham, Sumera parvatham, Pancha parvatham, etc. (Pancha parvatham, for this is the spot of five sacred peaks namely Rudra Himalayas, Vishnupuri, Brahmapuri, Udayagiri & Swargarohini.
The exterior of the temple is rather simple, but the interior is adorned with marvellous sculptures. In the garba griha is an irregular shaped conical rock which is about five feet by four feet. Lord Siva in the form of jyotirlingam is worshipped here as Lord Kedareshwar. It is believed that the jotirlingam is actually the rump of the bull, which was the form that Lord Siva assumed, when the Pandavas tried to reach him to atone the sins of the Kurukshetra war. Since it was not time designated for humans to worship the Lord here, Lord Siva tried to go away in the form of a bull. It is believed that temple structure that exists till date was actually the one constructed by the Pandavas.
The sannadhi of the Lord is facing South. There are the idols of Kedaragowri, Krishna, Pandavas, Draupadi, Vinayagar, Veerabadrar, Kaarthikeyan, Nandi.. The shrine is covered by snow for 6 months in a year (closed from Oct-Nov upto Apr-May). It is believed that this is the time when the Devas are worshipping the Lord.
There is mountain path called Sorga Vaasal, through which the Pandavas, Sankaracharyar are supposed to have gone through. he river Mandakini flows down from near this area".
*
Notice though that the paths are closed six months a year and yet Krishnamacharya was supposed to have travelled back to visit and 'treat' the British Viceroy every three months as per their (visa) agreement. That would make it difficult. Did krishnamacharya stay with his Guru for an uninterrupted seven and a half years or did he travel back and forth avoiding the winter months when travel would have been almost impossible.
How long did he actually spend with Rama Mohana Brahmacharya an uninterrupted seven and a half years or for a number of months over seven and a half years. Did he visit him perhaps as the Western Ashtangi's visited Mysore in the early days of the old, small shala?
 |
| A: Shimla ( summer residence of British Viceroy) B: Lake Manasasarovar C: Joshimath (mela parvatham?) |
"He continued his journey and reached Manasarovar after twenty two days having trekked 211 miles".
The journey from Shimla ( summer residence of British Viceroy) to Manasarovar took 22 days and then a few more days to travel on to his Guru's cave, although he would surely have taken a more direct route now he knew where his teacher lived, either way, what's that a month round trip?
Notice that Shimla was the Summer residence of the British Viceroy.
So perhaps Krishnamacharya left Shimla for the Mountains after winter as soon as the journey became possible, stayed for a couple of months with his teacher, made the trip back to visit the viceroy again before making another trip to his teacher.
"I've come to the conclusion there are stories and there is practice, I love the stories but I love my practice more".
Perhaps the stories don't matter, perhaps origins don't matter, whatever the stories we still have to fit them to our own experience, are they true... to us, in our practice.
But as stories go......
Here's the full Himalaya section from The King and The Young Man.
It was surprising to listen as Krishnamacharya recalled these memories of names and places without the slightest hesitation. But how did he master the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali and the Yoga Rahasya of Nathamuni?How is it possible that still today he is a wonderfully expert teacherof Yoga? When asked these questions he answered simply, "For this also Mahamahopadyaya Ganganath Jha has my lasting gratitude."
Ganganath Jha had the title of Yogacharya (Teacher of Yoga). When Krishnamacharya sought his guidance, Jha asked him if he was sure he had a serious inclination to learn Yoga. Krishnamacharya was still hungry and thirsty for more knowledge. He told Ganganath Jha that this indeed was his ambition. It was, after all, his father who had first advised him to master the Yoga Sutra. He recalls today that Ganganath Jha said to him, "If you really want to master Yoga you must travel beyond Nepal for that is where Yogeswarar Rama Mohana Brahmacharya is living. In the Gurkha language there is a book called 'Yoga Gurandam'. In that book you can find practical information such as Yoga practices which give health benefits. If you go to Rama Mohana you can learn the complete meaning of the Yoga Sutra." When he heard this, Krishnamacharya was eager to attain this new goal. He wanted to travel with the speed of thought, but there was to be a delay.
It happened that at that time Lord Irwin was Viceroy. His Headquarterswere in Simla. Ganganath Jha wrote to the Viceroy recommending hist oung friend Krishnamacharya for his proficiency, ambition and knowledge of the Sastras as well as for his personal qualities. He requested the Viceroy's help in obtaining the necessary documents to travel into Tibet. But, as luck would have it, the Viceroy was ill with diabetes. The military doctor, Devendra Bhattacarya, was in charge ofthe case, but could not bring about a complete recovery. This doctor was, as we have seen, the son of Krishnamacharya's teacher at Kasi,Vamadeva Bhattacharya.
One day Krishnamacharya was surprised to be visited by an aide of the Viceroy hand carrying a letter from the Viceroy to him, and requesting him to come to Simla. He stayed in Simla for six months teaching the Viceroy yogic practices. The diabetes was largely controlled. TheViceroy was extremely pleased and developed respect and affection forthe young man. He was happy to make all the necessary arrangements for Krishnamacharya to cross the Himalayas, out of India, across Nepal, and into Tibet. Here is the story of that voyage as retained in Krishnamacharya's memory:
"The Viceroy sent three aides with me. This was some time in 1919. The expense of the journey was covered by the British government. Clothes of leather were made to order to protect us from the cold. On the trail we came across a recluse named Pilmugi living in a cave. We stayed in the cave with him for several days, and then continued on our journey. We reached Manasasarovar and from there went on to Mela Parvatham. We had dharsan of Thirayambaka Narayana and finally reached the dwelling place of Rama Mohana Brahmacharya who was to be my Guru. We had been walking for two and a half months.
"On meeting my Guru I prostrated myself before him. It was evident that Ganganath Jha had written to him about me. He received me with great love and kindness. I noted that even though he was called' Brahmacharya,' he was living with his family. His eldest son, Ramachandra Brahmacharya, is still alive today, about eighty years old. Our food was puri (Indian bread), halwa (a paste of vegetables or fruits with sweetening and ghee) and tea. My period of gurukulam here in Tibet lasted for seven and a half years. Rama Mohana made me memorize the whole of the Yoga Gurandam in the Gurkha language. Thevarious stages of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra are dealt with in that book in a very precise but extensive commentary. That is necessary because Sutras are by definition very concise. In the Yoga Gurandam, the various kinds of Yoga poses and movements are described with great clarity. Only after studying this book can one understand the inner meaning and science of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali."
After Krishnamacharya's return to Kasi as an outstanding scholar and Yoga expert, the Maharajah of Jaipur called him to serve as principalof the Vidya Sala (Centre for instruction in philosophy and Yoga) in Jaipur. This situation, with its regular schedule of classes and the requirement of being answerable to various people, did not suit the free spirited Krishnamacharya. The Sradha (annual homage) of his father was approaching, so, with this pretext, he returned to Kasi. He enjoyed meeting and holding conversations with the various pandits who had studied with him in Kasi. Impressed by Krishnamacharya's newly mastered techniques, Amarnath Jha, the son of Ganganath Jha, introduced him to various monarchs and he was widely honored.
At this time the Maharajah of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wadiyar, appeared in Kasi to celebrate the Shastiabdapurthi (60th birthday) of his mother. On hearing of Krishnamacharya, he invited him to come to the Palace at Mysore. The Maharajah was greatly impressed by the young man's demeanor, authority and scholarship.
******
*
And what do I think, my own best guess, my version of the story?
How about this
Krishnamacharya was with his guru off and on over a period of seven and a half years. In that time he encountered, was taught or came up with this interpretation of the yoga sutras.
Yoga Sutra II-47 By making the breath smooth (and long), and by concentration or focussing the mind on the breath, the perfection of the posture is obtained. Note: Krishnamacharya interprets this sutra differently than other teachers. he gives the correct technical meaning (in this context) fromn prayatna or Jivana prayatna, or effort of life which is breath. he says that it is the breath that should be made smooth and effortless, not the posture. it is not physical. Ramaswami.
I like to think everything else followed from this, the use of breath in the asana, the kumbhaka.... and with such a focus on the breath, continuing that focus in and out of the posture, the vinyasa method, linking movement to breath....
I dwell on this passage
Rama Mohana made mememorize the whole of the Yoga Gurandam ( Yoga Korunta?) in the Gurkha language. The various stages of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra are dealt with in that book in a very precise but extensive commentary. That is necessary because Sutras are by definition very concise. In the Yoga Gurandam, the various kinds of Yoga poses and movements are described with great clarity. Only after studying this book can one understand the inner meaning and science of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali."
We know that soon after Krishnamacharya came back from Tibet he had an impressive asana practice and was giving the kind of Demonstration of 'jumping from one asana to the next' that the young Pattabhi Jois related many years later. We know ourselves how long such a practice takes to develop, it makes sense then that that was the approach to practice that Krishnamacharya was practicing those seven and a half years.
My own best guess is that the focus on the breath is what Krishnamacharya took to be the key to the yoga sutras and what he took away with him from his Seven years in Tibet.
"While practicing yoga with reverence, one can offer their essence to God during exhalation and during inhalation, imagine/suppose that God is entering your heart. During kumbhaka, we can practice dharana and dhyana. Such practices will improve mental concentration and strengthen silence/stillness. Eliminates agitation and restlessness". Krishnamacharya: Yogasanagalu (1941)
But no doubt you have your own best (better) guess/story.
How about this
Krishnamacharya was with his guru off and on over a period of seven and a half years. In that time he encountered, was taught or came up with this interpretation of the yoga sutras.
Yoga Sutra II-47 By making the breath smooth (and long), and by concentration or focussing the mind on the breath, the perfection of the posture is obtained. Note: Krishnamacharya interprets this sutra differently than other teachers. he gives the correct technical meaning (in this context) fromn prayatna or Jivana prayatna, or effort of life which is breath. he says that it is the breath that should be made smooth and effortless, not the posture. it is not physical. Ramaswami.
I like to think everything else followed from this, the use of breath in the asana, the kumbhaka.... and with such a focus on the breath, continuing that focus in and out of the posture, the vinyasa method, linking movement to breath....
I dwell on this passage
Rama Mohana made mememorize the whole of the Yoga Gurandam ( Yoga Korunta?) in the Gurkha language. The various stages of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra are dealt with in that book in a very precise but extensive commentary. That is necessary because Sutras are by definition very concise. In the Yoga Gurandam, the various kinds of Yoga poses and movements are described with great clarity. Only after studying this book can one understand the inner meaning and science of the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali."
We know that soon after Krishnamacharya came back from Tibet he had an impressive asana practice and was giving the kind of Demonstration of 'jumping from one asana to the next' that the young Pattabhi Jois related many years later. We know ourselves how long such a practice takes to develop, it makes sense then that that was the approach to practice that Krishnamacharya was practicing those seven and a half years.
My own best guess is that the focus on the breath is what Krishnamacharya took to be the key to the yoga sutras and what he took away with him from his Seven years in Tibet.
"While practicing yoga with reverence, one can offer their essence to God during exhalation and during inhalation, imagine/suppose that God is entering your heart. During kumbhaka, we can practice dharana and dhyana. Such practices will improve mental concentration and strengthen silence/stillness. Eliminates agitation and restlessness". Krishnamacharya: Yogasanagalu (1941)
But no doubt you have your own best (better) guess/story.