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Brahmananda Saraswati (1870 - 1953) was born into a Brahmin family in the village of Gana, near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, North India. At the age of nine he left home to wander and follow a spiritual path of renunciation. At the age of 14 he found his master, Dandi Swami Krishnanand Saraswati, in Uttar Kashi. Later, following his master's instructions, he retired to a cave, resolving not to emerge until he had attained enlightenment. In 1902 he was initiated into the order of "Sanyas" by his Master at the Kumbh Mela.
In 1941, after decades of meditation and maintaining silence, Swami Brahmananda Saraswati finally accepted repeated requests to become the Shankaracharya (spiritual head) of Jyotirmath, a position that had been vacant for 150 years.
The Adi Shankara (c. 8th century CE), the great reviver of Vedic Sanatana Dharma, had four principle followers, Padma-Pada, Hasta-Malaka, Vartika-Kara and Trotaka who each established a monastery in the north, south, east and west of India. Jyotirmath is the northern monastery.
Swami Brahmananda Saraswati was the guru of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who became his devotee shortly before his installation and later his personal assistant. The Maharishi's followers respect and revere "Guru Dev" as their Paramguru.