Episode 11: Yogacharya Nisha Pandey

In this episode, Marydale Ma speaks with Yogacharya Nisha Pandey about a lifetime of devotion shaped by the living presence of Paramahamsa Hariharananda. Born in Amritsar into a family steeped in prayer and pilgrimage, Nisha Ma shares the story of her first journey to Jagannath Puri as a young woman of 17, the extraordinary moment of her initiation, and the nearly 25 years she spent in close association with Gurudev — accompanying him on travels, receiving his personal guidance, and ultimately being entrusted with the orange scarf that would mark her as a Yogacharya. She speaks with deep tenderness about Gurudev’s motherly love, his humor, his punctuality, and the way his presence made an ordinary house feel like a temple. She also reflects on her encounters with Mother Teresa, her discovery of Kriya techniques inscribed on the walls of the Potala Palace in Tibet, and how she continues to integrate her practice into the fullness of daily life. A quietly profound conversation about the guru-disciple relationship as living fire — one that does not end when the master leaves the body.

Yogacharya Nisha Pandey was born in Amritsar, India and has been a seeker of truth from childhood. Her quest for spirituality brought her to Kriya Yoga in 1978, when she was initiated by Shri Gurudev Paramahamsa Hariharanandaji in Puri. She remained in close association with him, practicing under his guidance and unceasing love until 2002.

Nisha Ma immigrated to Canada in 1998, and in 2017 became a Yogacharya under the guidance of Shri Guruji Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji. She has been teaching and initiating since 2018, and today serves the community in Vancouver with heartfelt dedication and love.

Marydale Ma: Greetings and salutations to you. Before we begin, let us take a moment to anchor ourselves in the present and in the presence of the divine.

Join me with a nice deep breath. Exhaling with ha. Again, deep breath, and relax as you begin to decompress, if you will, and bring your whole attention just here, now.

Continuing to follow the sweetness of your own breath. Perhaps close your eyes.

Om, beloved Father, divine Mother, Sri Gurudev Paramahansa Hariharananda Giri, beloved Guruji Paramahansa Prajnanananda, our Paramguru Paramahansa Yogananda, we bow at your feet.

May this conversation be sacred. May remembrance become presence. May devotion awaken in every heart listening.

Please guide our words, open our hearts, and let love speak. Om Shantihi, Om Shantihi, Om Shantihi, Amen.

Wonderful. And now, welcome, beautiful souls, to Living in Joy. Today is not simply an interview. No. Today is a pilgrimage. We are so blessed to sit with Yogacharya Nisha Pandey, born in Amritsar, India — a seeker of truth from childhood, initiated into Kriya in 1978 by our renowned, beloved Sri Gurudev Paramahansa Hariharananda when she was in Puri. And Nisha remained then in his close association for nearly 25 years, bathed, as she says, in his unceasing love.

Nisha Ma, what an honor to sit here with you today. Welcome, welcome, welcome. Now, Nisha Ma, before Gurudev, before Puri, before initiation, there was a little girl in Amritsar. What was stirring inside of her? What did seeking feel like in your childhood heart?

Nisha Ma: First of all, my heart feels gratitude for inviting me to be a part of this sacred podcast. It is truly, really, my honor to be here.

As we begin, I look forward to sharing this sacred journey with you and with all of us.

Now, since you asked me about my childhood — my childhood was shaped by a religious atmosphere, filled at home with prayers, reading the Bhagavad Gita, reciting the Hanuman Chalisa by my father before going to work. He taught us these values not through lectures, but by the way he lived his life each day, and he showed us what it means to live in Dharma.

And surprisingly, I learned the Hanuman Chalisa at a very young age just by listening to him, and I did not even know the meaning of it. And these childhood influences, they nurtured a sense of devotion in me and they planted seeds of spirituality and curiosity in me, which continued to grow.

And in my youth, I went on several pilgrimages with my father to the holy shrines of Bajinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, on the foothills of the Himalayas. The Himalayas always attracted me like a magnet. And I had the blessings of many saints and sages who lived in the caves and mountains, and that left a very deep impression in my mind. And I found solace in their presence. And this was the inner call that attracted me towards the spiritual path, until I met Gurudev.

And that was the turning point in my life. I met Gurudev while I was studying in school, at a very, very young age — I was hardly 17 years of age.

The turning point in my life came when I met Gurudev. My eternal gratitude to Gurudev, who has been a source of inspiration and guidance throughout my life. He was a unique, self-realized spiritual master — a river of compassion, a father, a mother, a friend, and an image of humility. His presence inspired me. His teachings illuminated my path, and his constant direction towards the goal of my life — Gurudev helped me to navigate life with wisdom and inner strength.

Marydale Ma: Now, Nisha Ma, was that before you were introduced to Kriya in 1978? When did you actually meet Gurudev for the first time? What was your first sight of him?

Nisha Ma: I came into contact with Kriya Yoga in 1978. We were living in a small town in central India. And when I saw the picture of the lineage in that ashram, I was taken aback. I stood motionless in front of it. I had a very deep feeling and a very deep connection. And I was told that the present master lives in Jagannath Puri.

And that was the biggest urge I had in my life — to go to Puri and have his blessings. So it was in 1980 that I met Gurudev at Karar Ashram in Jagannath Puri.

My sister had met Gurudev a year before and shared her experiences. And day and night I would think, how would I make it possible? The city where we were living was very far from Puri, and my parents at that age would not allow me to travel on my own. So I prayed devotedly, and finally my prayers were answered and I found a way out. My father said, after you do well in your exams, I will let you go and visit your sister.

So after my exams, I made a plan with my sister secretly. I told her that I was coming to take her and that I wanted to go to Jagannath Puri. I boarded the train to Cochin — the city was closer to Puri than Delhi. She boarded the train from there and both of us left for Puri.

It was a very long journey of two days because of the slow-moving trains, but my excitement knew no bounds. I just wanted to go and have the darshan of Guruji.

So when we reached Puri, leaving the luggage outside the meditation hall, I stepped in. The very first look of Gurudev was so blissful — tall, with deep eyes and radiance almost emanating from him. And at that very first sight, I knew that he is a true self-realized spiritual master and that God has sent me this master to be my Guru.

So as we entered the hall, Gurudev looked at us. He was initiating people, and then he left — he looked, and looked back again. And at that particular moment, a thought came to my mind: why is he touching the spine of people? Is that necessary to realize God, or to see God? And Gurudev at once caught my thoughts. And pointing at me, he said, so you have come here to judge me?

I probably thought he was talking to somebody else. But then he looked at me — you, you, you, I’m talking to you. So you have come to judge me.

Oh my God, I was so embarrassed. And he said that he wanted me to go to the Samadhi temple of Sri Yukteswar Giri and meditate.

So with a lot of embarrassment in me — and there were almost tears in my eyes — I was asked to go instead. I had been thinking that I would get a very warm welcome there. As I stepped out, my sister consoled me and she said, do not get disheartened. There must be a reason.

So as we walked towards the Samadhi temple, and when we reached it, it was so beautiful, so serene, full of divine vibrations inside. So I composed myself, and I knew that there was some doubt in my mind which was keeping me away from experiencing all the divinity I was feeling in this temple.

So as I composed myself, both of us sat down to meditate. And after some time, I felt something very, very strange happening to me. There was a dazzling light which enveloped me, and there was so much light that I couldn’t open my eyes. My hands and legs were still, and I was in such a blissful state as I had never experienced before. And the vibrations inside the temple were so strong that I felt the earth almost moving. And there was nothing but tears and tears and tears that fell from my eyes.

This lasted for some time until my sister patted my shoulders and said, it’s time to leave. And to my amazement, I found that almost 45 minutes had gone by.

And as we stepped outside the temple, we saw Guruji standing. And I bowed to seek his blessings. And he blessed me and he said, Mother, you have come. I’m very happy to see you. I’m very happy to see you. And the most amazing thing he said is that he had wanted me to have that experience which I had just had, before I accepted him as my Guru.

Oh my God, I was totally astonished to hear those words. And he said, follow me. And he took us to his room. We had planned to stay outside, but he insisted that we stay in the ashram with him. And he called the sannyasis and told them to make arrangements for our stay. And before I left the room, he said, you will be initiated tomorrow morning.

And the whole night — I was just imagining, I was thinking, where have I come? Such a divine, beautiful place. I had never thought of it and had never even imagined it. I had read so many books, but this was something very, very special. It’s something very spiritual.

So the next morning was the initiation. And this initiation was done in a very Vedic way. He chanted all the Vedic mantras and he wrote Om on the tongue and on the fontanel with a honey-dipped stick.

And after the initiation, he made some remarks about my past life. He said, I see the auspicious tilak on your forehead, Ma. And I see the sadhana of your past life. You are ready for the second level. And I at once told Gurudev, I cannot come to Puri in 10 days.

So he looked at me with a very stern look and said, never question your Guru. If I want, I can even come and initiate you in your dream.

This was another wonder to me. But anyway, after the initiation, we spent almost a week in the ashram. It was such a beautiful time of my life. Most of the time was spent in meditation with Gurudev. He made sure that we sat in front of him when we meditated and we did the practice. And he would sit on the bed and with his stick, he would point out all the chakras and where the blockages were.

And the rest of the time we spent in the ashram was preparing meals, helping out in the kitchen, and long walks along the shores of Jagannath Puri.

And then came the time to leave. I had no interest in going sightseeing or going anywhere outside. I just didn’t want to leave that sacred place. It had glued me like a magnet.

And Gurudev spent so much time with us. Although I had met many saints and sages and gurus, Baba was so different. Instead of us getting after him — please teach us this, please teach us that — he would make sure that we meditated in his presence.

So when the time came to leave, I pleaded, can you leave me behind? I don’t want to go home. My sister complained to Guruji. She said, we haven’t told our parents that we are in Jagannath Puri, and now Nisha doesn’t want to go home. Baba, what should I do?

So Guruji said, Ma, I will always be in touch with you. Whenever you meditate, you will feel my divine presence.

And even today, whatever trouble or problem came in life, Gurudev was always there. There was an answer which came during meditation.

And then on the day when we had to board the train, we had asked for a rickshaw to go to the train station, because the train started from Puri. And suddenly, that morning, two rickshaws came. I was wondering why two. And suddenly I saw Gurudev sitting in one of them. And he said, I’ll come to the train station and see you all off.

So Gurudev came to the station. He came inside the coach and he made sure that all of our luggage and everything was safely secured. And then he told the people around that these girls are traveling on their own. It’s a very long journey. Do not let them get off the train to buy food. And very sweetly, he put his hand in his bag and took out a packet of food — and that prasad lasted us almost until we reached home.

So when we reached home, my mind was in Puri. Day and night I would think, why did Baba say 10 days? What will happen in 10 days? I cannot go to Puri. And there was some confusion and some doubt in my mind. My sister said, maybe just because you are not willing to come, he said that to make you feel happy. I took it with a pinch of salt.

But on the ninth day, surprisingly, a call came from Dr. Tyagi, whom I had never seen in my life and never heard of. And she said, I’m Dr. Tyagi speaking, and Guruji is in Delhi and he wants to see you tomorrow at 11 o’clock.

There was so much excitement in me. I quickly noted down the address and the telephone number and everything. And the very next morning, we headed to Dr. Tyagi’s house and Gurudev was waiting for us. Seeing him brought so much joy. It was like a long-lost child suddenly feeling the comfort of the mother.

And Gurudev lovingly blessed us, and then initiated the second level. Gurudev stayed in Delhi for almost three or four days. And there was daily meditation at Dr. Tyagi’s house. Being in Gurudev’s presence was meditation itself. He would spend hours rectifying and explaining the techniques. And he would always say, meditate according to my advice, according to my directions, and do not waste time. Life is very short. Make use of this human opportunity, for it might not come back again.

Then from Dr. Tyagi’s house, he left for Germany. And when he left, I humbly asked him, Gurudev, would you come and stay with us on your return? Even if it is for a couple of hours or a day? He said, definitely, Ma, I will come and stay with you.

So while Gurudev was away, he would write a long letter posted to my address. And in this very letter, he had small letters written to various disciples in Delhi or elsewhere in India, with their addresses. And I would cut those pieces which had their name and their address, put them in an envelope, and post them to the appropriate addresses. And all these messages and letters were about nothing but: meditate, meditate, and meditate. Watch your transformation.

And then on his return, Baba came to our house. And there was so much joy and the whole house was filled with this divine energy. There was laughter and the house almost looked like a temple.

And when Baba brought his suitcase and everything, we brought it to his room. I was trying to help him unpack. I had never seen a suitcase so neatly and meticulously packed. And in a very short time, he had mingled with the whole family like a family member. It looked as if grandfather had come home. Everybody was so full of happiness and everybody was eager to do something for him.

And Baba said, Maji, on the left-hand side, two inches deep, there is an orange scarf. And exactly two inches inside the suitcase was the orange scarf. So I took out the scarf and handed it to Gurudev. And Gurudev put it on my shoulders and said, you will be a Yogacharya in the West.

My God. I was quite surprised to hear that. And that scarf is still with me. Whenever I do the initiation, I always put it on. It is the most precious thing I own.

And during mealtime, I would often make an excuse and step away from the table. And my father complained to Gurudev — he said, this girl gives me a lot of trouble, she doesn’t eat enough. So as long as Gurudev stayed, he made sure that I sat beside him at the dining table. He would take food from his plate and put it on mine, saying, Maji, this is prasad. And once you get prasad, you must eat it without waiting a minute. And that was his motherly love. You know, which guru would do something like that for you? His love was from the heart.

And when he was in a joyful mood, he would sing. He had a very melodious voice and he would sing in Bengali. And most of his songs were from the writings of Rabindranath Tagore.

And from 1980 to 1987, I visited 44 times.

And during one of my visits, I met Gurudev’s elder brother, who was initiated by Gurudev, his nephew, and his sister-in-law. He comes from a very aristocratic family of doctors and lawyers. And Gurudev had learned astrology, astronomy, and palmistry from his father. And he would read our horoscopes very attentively. And he would write mantras to rectify the malefic effect of stars and planets. Not leaving it there, he would make us repeat the mantras several times and would check our pronunciation, and correct us if we were missing anything.

And Gurudev was a wonderful lover of nature. He loved flowers, fruits, trees. Gurudev had planted many mango trees in the ashram — in the Miami ashram — and had given them each a name. And surprisingly, when the mangoes were served to him, he knew exactly which piece of the mango came from which tree. He had that beautiful insight in him, and he was a gifted gardener.

And at the same time, he was a symbol of punctuality — always ready before time. If there was a doctor’s appointment or if he had to go for a lecture or somewhere, he made sure that he was ready five minutes before leaving. And a very wonderful listener too. Whenever Gurudev heard something new, something worthwhile and important, he would at once take out his notebook and make special notes. And that notebook he always kept under his pillow.

And from 1990 to 1997, I was away in China. And during that time, I did not get to meet Gurudev personally. But then God paved the way and we came on immigration to Canada. And the very first thing I did was to contact the ashram. And Gurudev came on the line.

And he said, Nisha Ma, I’m so happy to hear you. I’m so happy. Where are you? I said, Baba, I’m in Vancouver, in Canada. And my voice almost choked. I was crying, being very emotional. And Gurudev knew that and asked me to come. He said, come. I want to see you.

So I flew to Miami in 1998, just a few months after we had landed in Canada. And the fire ceremony was going on. And I think it was that particular day when Guruji was honored with the title of Paramahansa by Gurudev.

And after the ceremony was over, he called me and he inquired about the family. He said, I want to know about your family now. And I told Gurudev that I have a son. My son was, I think, five years old at the time. And I took out the picture and showed it to Gurudev. And Gurudev looked at him very attentively. And then he put it on his head and blessed it. And he said, Ma, I’m going to make him a doctor.

Again, I had a little giggle. I said, Guruji, he’s only five years old. He said, you wait, he will be a big doctor one day. And with Guruji’s grace and blessings, today he is a specialist. And I always tell him that whatever you do in your life, however big you become, be humble like him. And he makes it a point to go and bow in the temple, where we have Gurudev along with all the other deities in the house.

Then during my second visit, when I went to Puri, the flight was delayed. The flight normally used to land at about 7, 7:30. And because of all the hurricanes and everything, it was delayed for quite a number of hours. Gurudev always sent somebody to the airport to receive visitors. He would say, Ma, if you see somebody carrying my picture, just follow that person.

So I came to the ashram. When I reached, it was almost 10, 10:30 at night. And I was told, Gurudev is waiting for you. I said, at this time? He goes to bed very early. But they said, no, he told us, tell Nisha Ma to see me before she retires to bed.

So I went to Gurudev’s room, and so beautifully, so sweetly, a plate of food was set aside for me. And Gurudev had waited. I had no appetite. But he waited and said, you must eat before you go to bed. Such was his love. And you will find that it was not only for me — people who were very close to Gurudev, he had the same affection and same love for everybody. For him, his devotees were so precious. I think he loved each and every one of them. And wherever he found that any trouble would come in their lives, before it came, he took it in through prayers and made everybody’s life so easy, in spite of all the troubles and turmoils of life.

Then on the second visit, in the morning, I went to say goodbye to him. And Guruji was not well. He was lying in bed. Immediately he got up. He looked for his stick and looked for the wheelchair. He said, I’m going to see you off. I pleaded to him — Baba, please, you’re not well, do not expose yourself. And he said, no, Maji. He insisted, and he sat on the wheelchair and the others followed him. And Gurudev came to the gate.

And he said, Ma, this will be the last time when you will see Hariharananda.

And his words pierced through my heart. He said, Maji, don’t worry. Your Guru will always be with you. I will always be with you. I will not leave you. But try and be like Hariharananda, so that whenever anybody sees my devotees, they will say: these are Hariharananda’s.

Then the third visit — when I went, Gurudev had already left his body. And that day also was a very different day. I got a call in the morning from the ashram that Gurudev’s health was declining. I got very much worried and I contacted all the other devotees who were very close to him in Vancouver. And we all planned to get together to pray and meditate for him.

So before leaving, there was a red rose which was in the garden. I plucked that red rose and took it with me and placed it on Gurudev’s picture. Just after the meditation, that rose fell from the picture — as if Gurudev had come to tell me that he had left his body. I got this hint, but I didn’t want to admit it.

So anyway, we left the hall. Nobody wanted to talk. Everybody was silent. Everybody had moist eyes. And I drove — it was very hard for me to drive from that place to come home. And when I reached home, my husband shared the news that Baba is gone. I was almost frozen.

I felt like a child. I felt as if I had become an orphan. I was so used to Gurudev. There wouldn’t be a few days that would pass when I would not talk to him. He was like a pillar of my life. Any decision, anything I wanted to do in my life, I always took his advice.

And sometimes I feel that whatever I received from Gurudev, I am not worthy of it. And I pray to God and the Gurus with the utmost gratitude and love for having given me this beautiful, beautiful opportunity to serve such a great master of this world.

I always say that I am not worthy. I am absolutely not worthy. I have yet to reach where my Guru was. I always pray to God to give me the strength to live up to his expectations. And that is what Gurudev was.

Marydale Ma: Well, we know sometimes the Guru leaves the body so we can discover that he never truly leaves. And so even though you can’t contact him physically now, you contact him all the time through your meditation and through your heart. He’s always with you.

Nisha Ma: That’s very true, Ma. Very true. Many times, after meditation, any doubt which is in my mind — I just pray to him and I find a direction, someone to guide me. And sometimes, surprisingly, I hear his voice in Bengali. Many times. And I feel that he has never left. He’s always there. When I see anything which he admired or which he liked, it always reminds me of him. And on his birthdays, I cook that special meal which he enjoyed eating. He was a lover of sweets. He loved Bengali sweets.

But life without him is still so empty — and yet no regrets, because he is there with me constantly, like a shadow.

Marydale Ma: Of course. And Ma, how did your relationship with Guruji evolve after Gurudev left his body?

Nisha Ma: I met Guruji in 1980, a long time back, in Karar Ashram, Jagannath Puri, not knowing that he would be representing the lineage after Gurudev.

What Swami Vivekananda was to Ramakrishna, what Arjuna was to Lord Krishna — Guruji stands distinguished and unique among the saints and sages of this era. He is a unique, self-realized spiritual master representing this unbroken lineage, an esteemed scholar who has authored over 150 books.

When I see Guruji, he reminds me of Gurudev. I see Gurudev’s presence in him. Gurudev has molded him in his own image, with the same amount of compassion, love, and dedication. He works and travels tirelessly to spread the message of his Guru. Following in the footprints of Gurudev, Guruji has dedicated his life to the service of humanity. I admire him as my Guru.

His simplicity, his discipline in life, his humility, his punctuality — it is very rare to find in a Guru of this era, I would say.

At the same time, I cherish a very beautiful relationship with Guruji. Although he is my Guru first, there is also the relationship of a sister and a younger brother. So this time when Guruji came home and I addressed him as Guruji Maharaj, he checked me. And very innocently and lovingly, he said, don’t call me Guruji Maharaj. I’m not Guruji Maharaj. I’m your younger brother. These words, which were full of love and full of innocence, they brought tears in my eyes. And I felt so fortunate that we have a Guru of that stature in our life.

And I pray to God with utmost devotion to bestow whatever remaining years of my life to Guruji. Because it is very difficult to find such a pure soul in this era. And I always pray — I do not disturb him too much by coaxing him with phone calls or anything. But from the inner core of my heart, I pray to God and the Gurus to give him sound, good health. So that we can have his blessings till the end of our lives, and that we could be of some use to him.

Like, how much we have gained from Kriya Yoga — if we can give back something… I know we cannot give back. That is not possible. But whatever little seva we can do, we feel very happy to do that.

Marydale Ma: Beautifully said. And he fulfilled Gurudev’s promise to you, that you would indeed become a Yogacharya. And Guruji appointed you in 2017. That’s pretty remarkable, when you really didn’t think that was going to happen.

Nisha Ma: I’m not worthy of it. I’m really not worthy of it.

Marydale Ma: It’s very humbling. It’s just amazing. Well, Ma, you’re just a wonderful soul, and you wouldn’t be a Yogacharya if God and the Gurus didn’t want you to be. And I know firsthand that all those that you initiate feel the presence of Gurudev when you touch them. So my question is — when you are initiating, do you feel Gurudev’s presence with you? And do you feel his energy flowing through you into the students? What is that like for you?

Nisha Ma: Before initiation, when I go in front of the altar and I put that orange scarf on me, I feel as if Gurudev enters into my body. And when the initiation is going on, I do not know myself, that I even exist there. It is this energy — it is the Guru’s energy. I’m just a tool. It is this energy which works through me. And whatever people feel, it is Guru there. It’s not me. I’m not worthy of it. His energy is so powerful that sometimes I cannot hold myself together.

Marydale Ma: Wonderful. Well, with no disrespect to our flow of honoring Gurudev, I’d like to just segue for a moment or two and give you a platform to speak to us about your time spent with Mother Teresa. Could you do that?

Nisha Ma: Yes, definitely. In 1987 I got an opportunity to spend a couple of hours in Mother Teresa’s orphanage in New Delhi. It was called the Nirmal Hriday. And the wonderful time I spent with these children is still so fresh in my mind — playing hide and seek, telling stories, the laughter, the twinkle in their eyes, and their warm hugs. It would melt my heart and we would both look forward to the next meeting.

And this beautiful time which I spent there led me to meet Mother Teresa in person and seek her blessings. Her deep compassion, her selfless service, her dedication and humility — they are beyond words. She inspired me and left a very deep impression in my mind. She was like an angel. This world is full of beautiful people also.

Marydale Ma: Yes. Yes. And you’re one of them. And I’m so happy to know that you actually met Mother Teresa, as she has always been a guiding light in my life. And I believe in the six degrees of separation. So since you met her, it’s only one step away from me. Jai Guru.

Nisha Ma: Jai Guru. And Ma, I know you also spent quite a bit of time in Germany, China, and Tibet. We went to China in 1988–89.

Marydale Ma: Can you share those experiences with us a little bit?

Nisha Ma: Yes. Being a communist world in 1988–89, there were no temples. And all the old temples which were there were almost destroyed, I would say.

But living in China, I got an opportunity to go to Tibet. And my goal of going to Tibet was to go to Kailash Mansarovar. That was my goal. So when we went to Tibet, we went to the Potala Palace. And to my surprise — it is a huge palace — when I went from one room to another, I found that our Kriya techniques were inscribed on the walls.

I was totally astonished. How could these Kriya techniques be inscribed on these walls? And it gave me the understanding that we come from a very strong lineage.

Although I couldn’t go to Kailash Mansarovar — there was a landslide, so we had to return back from Tibet. But this is one of my desires, that I would love to go to Kailash Mansarovar once. I really, really would.

Marydale Ma: That would be great. That would be great. And knowing you, you will make it so, for sure. And you spoke about being married and then becoming a mother. And I know that you are very devoted to your practice. How do you balance everything in your life?

Nisha Ma: What I do is I integrate my spiritual life with my daily routine. Rather than seeing it as something separate, for me, balance comes from treating them as one flow.

My path of Kriya explains it very beautifully. It says that Kriya has two words — Kri and Ya. Performing action is Kri. Feeling the presence of God, or the soul, as the doer of all action is Ya. It is that power — our soul, our breath, the divinity within us — without which we cannot perform any activity. With the constant awareness of the divine, when we do any action, it becomes worship. Whether it is eating food — it becomes feeding God in the human body. Working in the house or working in the office — it becomes like service to God in different names and forms.

The more I watch the breath with the constant awareness of the divinity in me, it gives me the strength. I stay centered. It gives me the strength to navigate through all the challenges, whatever the day brings.

Then I prioritize my routine. My spiritual practice comes first, early in the morning when the rest of the family is still in bed. This meditation fills me with a tremendous energy to handle the rest of the day smoothly. And at the same time, I weave small sacred pauses throughout the day — mindful breathing, listening to bhajans, short meditation, and a prayer before going to bed. These little acts, they keep me aligned and connected, even in a busy schedule. For me, my practice is the most important thing. I cannot live without it.

Marydale Ma: Well, it sounds to me like you live Kriya. And that’s what Kriya is all about — it’s not to segment it into parts of our life when it’s convenient, but it is a 24/7 practice. And you’re an example of that, which I really honor and cherish, Ma. That’s so beautiful.

And for our listeners, Ma, who might be longing for spiritual intimacy — which you have certainly embraced and experienced throughout a lifetime — for these individuals who hesitate from surrendering, what would you say to them about trusting the Guru’s love?

Nisha Ma: You know, when we start our spiritual journey, it’s very important to understand and remember that spirituality is not something outside. It is the awakening of the light that is already within you. And spirituality is not about adopting other people’s ideas or other people’s path. It is about uncovering your own. And it’s a very slippery path of highs and lows. Sometimes you feel deeply connected. Other times, not at all.

But listen, honor your intuition. Find a path which feels right for you and stick to it. Do not change it. Have faith. Listen, read. And connect with spiritual groups. Connect with other women, as there is something very powerful in women supporting each other. Find a group, or even a friend, who shares your interest. Listen to your body — what energizes you and what drains you.

And let joy be a part of your spiritual journey, because it opens your heart more than any other effort. And above all, trust that a living power is guiding and directing you in your life. And then God makes a way for you to move ahead.

Marydale Ma: Beautifully said, beautifully said. And now we had the privilege of beginning this time with you, Nisha, by remembering and honoring the child who was seeking God and the masters, and had so much influence and opportunity and grace that brought you to the feet of your true Guru. And the rich relationship that you had with Gurudev — he pointed out that meditation is the path for all of us to take. But you surrendered to that and you lived that life. And now you have grown into a perfect example of how beautiful a life can unfold by trusting the Guru and their word and guidance.

So now, as we come all the way back to Gurudev — if you had to describe your life with him in a single word, what would it be?

Nisha Ma: My life with Gurudev was living in divinity itself.

Marydale Ma: Wonderful. Wonderful. And now Guruji is carrying on for him in such a magnificent way.

Nisha Ma: Yes. Beautiful. He’s so selfless.

Marydale Ma: So selfless and so sincere and so humble — and yet a great master in every way.

Well, Nisha Ma, I cannot thank you enough for finding a little opening in your very busy life to take this time to enrich all of our lives with your true story. It’s been a treasure to glimpse how you have managed to live. And listening to you today, we’re reminded that the Guru-disciple relationship is not a theory. It is living fire. It is surrender. It is refinement. And it is love that outlives the body. So we thank you for allowing us into that sacred space, Nisha Ma.

Nisha Ma: Thank you for having me. And I enjoyed this journey with you, Ma. And blessings to all who have been listening. Thank you for giving this opportunity, so that whatever I had, I could share it with people.

Marydale Ma: Yes. Thank you. What a voice. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

And we will close with a little quote from our Paramahansa Hariharananda, our beloved Gurudev.

He wrote that if you deeply love God and sincerely practice meditation, you will feel the Guru guiding you from within. The outer form may disappear, but the inner presence never leaves.

And with that, if this conversation has touched your heart, our dear listeners, we invite you to stay connected with our growing circle of love and inspiration. You can find Living in Joy on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Please like, subscribe, and leave us a comment, because it helps these stories to light others on fire with truth.

Please visit our website, which is womensministryofkriya.org. And until we meet again, may you walk in grace, live in joy, and remember the quiet power of your own beautiful soul.

Jai Guru, Om Shantihi, Om Shantihi, Om Shantihi. Amen.