Mahāsamādhi

Mahāsamādhi, the great and final samādhi, is the act of consciously and intentionally leaving one's body at the moment of death. When the spirit leaves the body at the moment chosen by an ascended master.[1][2] A realized and enlightened (Jivanmukta), yogi (male) or yogini (female) who has attained the state of nirvikalpa samādhi, will, at an appropriate time, consciously exit from their body and attain Paramukti. This is known as mahāsamādhi. This is not the same as the physical death that occurs for an unenlightened person whose death comes when it may. In Hindu or Yogic traditions mahasamadhi or the great samadhi means that a realized master has consciously left their body; often while in a deep, conscious meditative state.[3]

Enlightened yogis often accomplish their mahāsamādhi during their final practice of samādhi: Choosing to make transition during this, their final sādhanā practice. Therefore, mahāsamādhi is a choice to consciously exit from a current lifetime. To choose the time and place of death, the yogi consciously casts off their mortal frame. It is believed that their karma is extinguished upon death. An enlightened or realized yogi is one who has attained the nondual state of nirvikalpa samadhi where duality of subject and object are resolved and the yogi becomes permanently established in the unity of full enlightenment (Paramukta).

Each realized yogi enters and prepares for mahāsamādhi in a unique fashion. Some enlightened beings who live a very public life, giving freely of their teachings and methods to attain enlightenment, declare beforehand, the day of their attaining liberation and attain Mahasamadhi at that specific time. On September 26, 1895 Lahiri Mahasaya consciously entered Mahāsamādhi. He had informed many of his disciples beforehand, and when the moment arose, he stood up and turned around three times, and then resumed sitting crossedlegged in the lotus posture, facing north.[4][3]

On March 7, 1952, Paramahansa Yogananda chose to enter the state of Mahāsamādhi.[5] Daya Mata, one of Yogananda's direct disciples, shared that Yogananda had informed her with a question, "Do you realize that it is just a matter of hours and I will be gone from this earth?"[6]

References
  1. "Mahasamadhi —". Writespirit.net. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
  2. "Glossary Of Siddha Yoga Terminology - Siddha Yoga Meditation". Siddhayoga.org. 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2012-05-07.
  3. Blackman, Sushila (1997). Graceful Exits: How Great Beings Die: Death Stories Of Tibetan, Hindu & Zen Masters. New York: Weatherhill. ISBN 0-8348-0391-7.
  4. Yogananda, Paramahansa (1997). Autobiography of a Yogi - Chapter 36. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship. ISBN 0-87612-086-9.
  5. "Mahasamadhi —". Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
  6. Goldberg, Philip (2018). The Life of Yogananda. California: Hay House, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4019-5218-1.
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