If you are not particularly attached to the yoga of Master CVV you probably won’t have heard about Master MN (Sri Mynampati Narasimham). He was born on 25 August 1883, so we celebrate his 131st birthday (or, in Indian counting, the 132nd) next Monday.
The Master chose to be quite incognito and even secretive. He never wanted his picture to be made available. But Sri Kumar was helped to find some pictures and now we have an idea how the Master looked like:
I came to know about Master MN through the booklet “Master CVV” by Master EK, which I read in the early 90s; there you find a small chapter on Master MN. I felt fascinated. Years later I found an Indian biography – a collection of teachings and memories by his followers – not so easy to read. And it also “disappeared” again soon afterwards – somebody must have borrowed it and not given back…
So I was particularly happy when in January 2013 Sri Kumar gave me his newly published biography of Master MN, and I read it in one go. It is a fascinating book; you find it here as a PDF. If you think you don’t have much time, have a look at this short extract about the initiation of Master MN by Master CVV – beware! afterwards you might want to read the whole book!
I was impressed by the profound changes in the life of the Master: He started his professional career as a teacher, then became a reknown lawyer. Coffee drinking and chain smoking were part of his daily routine. He organised tournaments in billiards and tennis to popularize the games in the town where he lived. Family, games and cards at the lawyer’s club plus cigarette smoking mounted up stress on him. After some heavy ‘blows of fate’ (losing 3 elders and his younger brother in a short sequence) he started searching for the sense of life. While on the outer side his daily routine continued, he felt disgust of life and even depression. Meeting Master CVV through some “mysterious incidents” and getting initiated by him totally changed his life.
There was an influx of life force, and knowledge started coming inwardly. He continued his law cases but started concentrating on yoga. Thereafter, he never charged any money for the cases. He said to the clients, “If you wish to give, you can, if not, it is ok.” He accepted whatever came. “I never handle cash. I do not, as far as possible, touch cash. Money comes in large quantities and goes. Comes according to my needs and goes according to my needs.” Like Master CVV, he also used to offer sumptuous food to people coming to his home.
More and more, he demonstrated the energy of the Master – healing without giving medicine, teaching and initiating people into the Yoga of Synthesis. Three years after the initiation, Master CVV wrote to Master MN, “You are already a master I call you the Little Master, there is no difference between me and you.”
Though he “disappeared” again on 11 March 1940, on the day he had announced already previously, his work is going on behind the scenes. Master EK wrote about him: “Those who are initiated into the Yogic experience by Master MN are now laying the foundation of Yoga in the Western countries. Through the fiery and invisible efforts of Master MN, the presence of Master CVV would again permeate to the East, establishing the spiritual fusion of East and West.”