Baba Ayodhya Nath
A Grihastha Sage of the Sarayu Parampara
Sadhu Ayodhya Nath, the son of Acharya Shanti Prakash, carried forward the living current of the Sarayu Parampara. Affectionately known within the family as Baba, he embodied both depth of realization and simplicity of life.
From a young age, he was drawn to the central inquiry of Advaita Vedanta: Who am I? Immersed in the Upanishads and guided by his father’s example, he pursued direct knowledge rather than intellectual accumulation.
The Himalayan Years
In early adulthood, Sadhu Ayodhya Nath withdrew into the Himalayas for nearly four years, choosing solitude over recognition. He lived simply in the high mountains, sustained by sparse provisions and long hours of meditation.
His days were shaped by silence, scriptural recollection from memory, and relentless inquiry into the question, Who am I? There were no disciples, no audiences, only vast sky, cold wind, and the uncompromising stillness of the peaks.
When he returned, he spoke little of what had transpired. Yet those who met him sensed a settled clarity. The mountains had refined him. The silence he entered there never left him.
The Householder Yogi
Choosing the path of the Grihastha Sadhu, he entered family life while remaining inwardly free. He worked to support his household, taught students in the mornings, and led satsangs in the evenings. His life demonstrated the seamless integration of Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga: active in the world, yet unattached; responsible, yet inwardly established in the Self.
Even through profound personal loss, including the passing of his youngest adult son, he remained anchored in the understanding that birth and death do not touch the eternal Self.
A Life of Stillness
Having lost his mother at birth, he was raised in an atmosphere of austerity and spiritual discipline. From childhood, he spoke little and observed deeply. A serene smile and unshakable composure marked his presence.
He left this world seated in meditation, the sound of Om upon his lips.
Through Baba Ayodhya Nath, the wisdom of Acharya Shanti Prakash was not only preserved but embodied in daily life.
Atma Vidya Sadan
A Seat of Advaita Study
In 1955, Sadhu Ayodhya Nath founded Atma Vidya Sadan, a center devoted to the disciplined study and contemplation of Advaita Vedanta. It was established as a space for serious dialogue, scriptural inquiry, and sustained reflection on the Upanishads and other foundational texts.
Under his guidance, study was meticulous and uncompromising. Texts were unfolded word by word, verse by verse, in the traditional manner of transmission.
During his tenure as Acharya, he quietly expanded the reach of Vedic education. At a time when formal scriptural study was largely reserved for young boys preparing for monastic life, he began initiating young girls into the Gurukulam, with the blessings of their families. Though few stepped forward, the gesture marked a significant shift.
He also welcomed sincere students from communities traditionally excluded from orthodox Vedic institutions, guided by the Advaitic conviction that the One Reality dwells equally in all.
Through these steps, Sadhu Ayodhya Nath upheld the integrity of tradition while widening access to its light.
Arogya Mandala
Service Rooted in Ayurveda
The Arogya Mandala, first established in 1900 by Baba Ayodhya Nath’s father, was expanded and organized under Baba’s leadership into a living movement of service.
Students trained in Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vedanta traveled to surrounding villages offering free herbal medicines, seeds, and practical healing knowledge. Much of this work took place during epidemics and seasonal flooding along the Sarayu.
The effort restored health while reviving confidence in indigenous healing traditions. Baba’s contributions to public health and the renewal of Ayurveda were later recognized by the Government of India.
For him, service was simply Dharma lived.
Guru and Lineage Transmitter
Sadhu Ayodhya Nath became the direct Guru of Acharya Shunya. From her early childhood, he guided her personally in the disciplined study of Advaita Vedanta, alongside her formal education.
For fourteen years, she trained under his close supervision, receiving instruction in the traditional manner, word by word and verse by verse. Observing her steadiness and commitment, he prepared her for responsibilities beyond scholarship.
Though he had sons and many dedicated male disciples, he entrusted the future of the Sarayu Parampara to his granddaughter. This decision reflected his conviction that spiritual authority rests on realization and fitness, not on custom alone.
Through this transmission, the lineage moved forward into a new century, intact in its essence.
In Reverence to the Guru
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया।
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः॥
Ajnana-Timir-Andhasya Jnana-Anjana-Shalakaya।
Chakshur Unmilitam Yena Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah॥
Salutations to the Guru who has opened the eyes of the one blinded by the darkness of ignorance with the collyrium stick of knowledge.