Maha Shakti Bhavan's preceptor, Kalidas, founded the ashram after over a decade of service to his guru, Sri Shankaracharya. After being ordained as an Acharya (priest) in 1997, he began working with devotees in his guru's Nashville, Tennessee ashram. Offering puja, leading chants and imparting the sacred teachings became the focus of his daily life. Later, in a private ceremony in Ojai, California, Shankaracharya empowered Kalidas as Yogacharya (preceptor of yoga), conferring to the blessings to give Shaktipat initiation and guide seekers on the path to Divine Realization.

Sadguru Shankaracharya is a western-born Kundalini Yoga master holding the seat of an ancient lineage in the Chandika Sampradaya. He was initiated into the esoteric practices of this mystical Divine Mother tradition by the respected Himalayan adept Ramesh Moudgil, and was later ordained a monk in the Tantric order of Dakshina Marg.

Shankaracharya closely served the renowned meditation masters Balyogeshwar Maharaj, Swami Muktananda, and Dhyanyogi Madhusudandas, making pioneering efforts in the establishment of their U.S. missions. He also has strong spiritual ties with Anandamayi Ma, Swami Madhavananda and Sri Ramakrishna. In 1981, while in India on pilgrimage, Shankaracharya was blessed with the direct realization he refers to as "God Alone Is".