Durga Charan Mohanty


Durga Charan Mohanty.

Family

He was born in an aristocratic Karan family. His father Gunanidhi Mohanty was a Jamindar and mother Sundarmani Mohanty was President of Nilachala Saraswata Sangha.

Spiritual career

After reading Yogiguru and Premikaguru respectively, authored by Swami Nigamananda, at Raghunandanan Library, Puri, the vigraha of Swami Nigamananda present in the books attracted him very much. At the same time he began worshiping this portrait and considered Nigamananda as his spiritual master and revered God. He began to search Nigamananda and finally met him in Nilachala Kutir Puri on 20 March 1930, Thursday. At that time he was only seventeen years old and a student of class IX in Puri district School. On first meeting he was overwhelmed by his appearance and realised Nigamananda as Ishwar. Since that day, he became a regular visitor to Nilachala Kutir for his darshan. He used to note down guru Nigamananda's sayings, later he published these "upadesh"in books like Nilachala Vani and Nigama Upadesh. Subsequently, he wrote many books for Nilachala Saraswata Sangha and translated Nigamananda's originally written Bengali books, ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ୟ ସାଧନା, ଯୋଗୀଗୁରୁ, ଜ୍ଞାନୀ ଗୁରୁ, ତାନ୍ତ୍ରିକ ଗୁରୁ, and ପ୍ରେମିକଗୁରୁ, into Odia language. On Trilochan Ashtami, 5 June 1934, he was initiated as disciples of Swami Nigamananda. Being a disciple of Nigamananda, Mohanty spent his entire life on his service. Due to Mohanty's pioneer efforts over a hundred Nigamananda Ashrams were established and survive in Odisha. He continued to preach Nigamananda's philosophy till he left his physical body on 7 December 1985 at Biratunga.

Books on Durga Charan Mohanty

The following books in Odia are published by Nilachala Saraswata Sangha on Durga Charan Mohanty's life, works, achievements :
  • ଉତ୍କଳରେ ଠାକୁର ଶ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ନିଗମାନନ୍ଦ ଓ ଭାଇ ଦୁର୍ଗାଚରଣ.
  • ଭାବ ବିନିମୟ.
  • ଆଦର୍ଶ ଗୁରୁପ୍ରାଣ ଦୁର୍ଗାଚରଣ ଭାଇ.
  • ସାର୍ବଭୌମ ଗୁରୁ ଶ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ଠାକୁର ଓ ପରିଚାଳକ.
  • ଭାଇ
+ ପରିଚାଳକଙ୍କ ବାଣୀ – By Banchhanidhi Mishra

Works

;School
The High School, Saraswata Bidyapitha was established by him in 1964 at Biratunga his own village.
;Books and publications
The series of books written/translated by him for Nilachala Saraswata Sangha in Odia are listed here:
  • ସାରସ୍ୱତ ଗ୍ରନ୍ଥାବଳୀ
  1. ଯୋଗୀଗୁରୁ -YogiGuru-योगीगुरु
  2. ପ୍ରେମିକଗୁରୁ-PremikaGuru-प्रेमिकगुरु
  3. ତାନ୍ତ୍ରିକ ଗୁରୁ-TantrikGuru-तांत्रिकगुरु
  4. ଜ୍ଞାନୀ ଗୁରୁ-Gyaniguru-ज्ञानीगुरु
  5. ବ୍ରହ୍ମଚର୍ୟ ସାଧନା-Brahamacharya Sadhana-ब्रह्मचर्य साधना]
  • ନିଗମ ଗ୍ରନ୍ଥମାଳା -Nigama Granthamala
Odia Sahitya Akademi winner book Bhagwan Shankaracharya written by Durga Charan Mohanty
  1. ଶ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ଠାକୁର ନିଗମାନନ୍ଦ – Shree Shree Thakur Nigamananda
  2. ନିଗମ ଲହରୀ – Nigam Lahari
  3. ନିଗମ ତତ୍ୱ – Nigam Tatwa
  4. ଶ୍ରୀ ନିଗମାନନ୍ଦ କଥାମୃତ – Shree Nigamananda Kathamruta
  5. ନିଗମ ଉପଦେଶ-Nigam Upadesh
  6. ନୀଳାଚଳ ବାଣୀ – Nilachala Vani
  7. ଶ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ଗୁରୁ ଗୀତା-Shree Shree Guru Gita
  8. ବେଦାନ୍ତ ବିବେକ – Vedanta Bibeka
  9. ନିଗମାନନ୍ଦ କଥା ସଂଗ୍ରହ – Nigamananda Katha Sangraha
  10. ସଂସାର ପଥେ – ଭାବନା – Sansar Pathe
  11. ସଂସାର ପଥେ – ସିଦ୍ଧି – Sansar Pathe
  12. ସଂସାର ପଥେ – ସାଧନା – Sansar Pathe
  13. ସଂସାର ପଥେ – ସଂଗ୍ରାମ – Sansar Pathe
  14. ଭକ୍ତ ସମ୍ମିଳନୀ – Bhakta Sammilani
  15. ସାରସ୍ୱତ ସଂଘ ନୀତି – Saraswata Sangha Nitti
  16. ତତ୍ୱ ମାଳା – Tatwa Mala
  17. ନିର୍ଜନ – Nirajana
  18. ସଂଘ ସେବକ – Sangha Sevaka
  19. ସତୀ ଚରିତ୍ର ମାଳା – ଆଦର୍ଶ ନାରୀ ଜୀବନ – Satti Charitra Mala
  20. ସତୀ ଚରିତ୍ର ମାଳା – ଆଦର୍ଶ ଗୃହିଣୀ – Satti Charitra Mala
  21. ସତୀ ଚରିତ୍ର ମାଳା – ଆଦର୍ଶ ନାରୀ ତତ୍ୱ ସାଧନା – Satti Charitra Mala
  22. ସତୀ ଚରିତ୍ର ମାଳା – ଆଦର୍ଶ ଜନନୀ – Satti Charitra Mala
;Other Writings
  • ଭଗବାନ ଶଙ୍କରାଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟ – Bhagwan Shankaracharya Odia Biography-Travelogue
  • ବଳି ଭେଟ – Bali Bheta.
  • କଣ ହେଲା ରେ ! – ସାମାଜିକ ନାଟକ – Kan Hela Re! -Samajika Nataka.
  • କିଚକ ବଧ – Kichaka Badha.
  • ଗୋ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ – Go Brahamana.

Honors

Sri Durga Charan Mohanty was awarded with the prestigious Oriya Sahitya Akademi award by Oriya Sahitya Akademi for his outstanding contribution in the form of a written book Bhagawan Sankaracharya which was published in 1956–58.

Social activities

According to few sources, he was also a notable social leader in Odisha.

News and updates

Nilachala Saraswata Sangha celebrated 100th Birthday of Sri Durga Charan Mohanty with much fervor and spiritual enthusiasm on 9 November 2011 with approximate 3500 Nigamananda devotees at Biratunga. This function is started on 9 November 2011 and said to be continued till November 2012.