SwamiSwaroopanand 1903-1974

Pawas, Ratnagiri

Swami = full possessor of the self, full in command, absolute owner

Now your wish is the only command and nothing else than that. So Aham

Om Ganpateya Namha

While initiating any good work we pray Shri Ganapti to seek his blessing for successful and eventless progress of the task.

This is a picture from Shrimat Abhang Dnyneshwari, written by Swami Swaroopanand.

$So Aham

Aham Brahmasmi !I am one with the

essence of the universe.

This is a description of the one who has realized the truth with complete faith and surrender to the supreme.

Swami always asked devotees to immerse into So Aham sadhana -a ritual to be performed with each and every conscious breath – to help devotee to realize that he is the one who is doer and not anybody else outside of him.

This awareness naturally does away the individual’s dependence on any external power for his desires, sorrows and happiness. He assumes the responsibility and becomes responsible in his life. Seeks the God within himself – the end of the journey!

For time immemorial the Indian culture and religion has been revolving around this principle.

This preaching is for them, who either are in earnest search of the supreme power or they are helpless to find any meaningful interpretation of what is happening to them in their lives.

For those who need solace in their lives Indian myths built up Images of the Godlike powers which are easy to identify with. With this way of relationship worship is easy and effortless – with Puja and Prarthana (Prayers ) along with offerings of worldly belongings - fruits, flowers and water.( Falam, Pushpam ,Toyam).

Each individual has his own way and preference for realization and being one with the God.

When Guru like Swami, with his authority in the ways, advises something; it assumes a great value. One feels cared and looked after emotionally – in the process he understands or accepts his own role in the process.

For those So Aham with all its intrinsic meanings is who wish to go beyond and care for them.

Remember Henry David Thouro on the banks of Walden?

Indian religion has all along been reaching human beings for such realization.

This way one knows himself whether one deserves things he longs for, it motivates him for the ethical struggle that is required.

If one realizes that it is beyond one’s powers, one accepts the situation without grudge or complaint.

A timeless secret of happiness.

In torrential winds – rigid old trees get uprooted, but the resilient grass blades stay and survive.

I saw Swami first time after he opted for predetermined heavenly abode – Sanjeevan Samadhi in 1974.

It was raining heavily, the roads from Kolhapur to Ratnagiri were far from good and there was no bridge on Bhate creek, as it stands today. Crossing the creek there were rickety buses, running on red muddy road, taking hundreds of devotees to Pawas.

Nobody was minding it all – everybody just wanted, deep from heart and heavy mind, to glimpses of Swami’s immortals before it was confined to the deep dug Samadhi sthana – near his own birthplace - which was earlier selected by Swami himself.

A simpleton by all external norms, had unfathomed deep mind filled with devotion, care and concern for people. He had few words of advise (many a times asking to read an Ovi (couplet) from Dnyneshwari or Bhagwat Geeta; and his meaningful blessings.

He never felt need to listen to the story of the devotees, about their grief or worldly problems.

He transformed Dnyneshwari in to simple Marathi, to take it to the masses. His conviction that the Bhagwat Geeta or Dnyneshwari had power to make a person strong to face the realities of this world. Despite his frail health he wrote over 15 books totaling to more than 2500 pages.

Coming from Swami, the messages added, further values to the intrinsic Knowledge.Faith on his vision from vast number of his devotees testify this.

Bhagwat Geeta is a told by Shri Krishna, while in Kurukshetra for Mahabharata war, to Arjuna to motivate him with all the worldly wisdom. Dnyneshwari is a critique in Marathi by Sant Dnyneshwara about 700 years ago.

Swami’s Samadhi is enshrined by picturesque Mandir, at the core of it one can meditate , with Swami’s eternal soul as a witness to your inner prayers. All my

family follows Swami’s guidance and we all are happy.

I was a single minded introvert, always minding my business as a student and then as an Accountant. Never bothered about religion or the Adhytma , except occasionally. Not that I was anti anything or for anything. My in-laws have deep belonging to Swami’s philosophy and they just asked me to come with them to Pawas to witness the Samadhi procession and event.

For me a person willingly spending his life in a corner of the coastally village, attracting rich and poor, literate and illiterate and eventually giving up his life at his own will by reducing his food intake for days and in the end nothing for days – was something out of this world.

We Indians accept and worship concept of God through humanly images; but Swami was a person with Godlike attributes. It was enough of invitation for a thinking mind to go deep inquisitive and learn more about it.

On the way to Pawas from Kolhapur – Amba Ghat ( on Western Ghats of India) - a spiral hilly ways running over 15 Km. Any time in the year one always lightens ones worldly burdens, tensions and ego. One of the trip to Pawas – a longing to revitalize ourselves.

On the way to Pawas – school going children walk miles to prepare for better life.

Life – always tedious and challenging , yet one needs to go ahead

Look for the beauty on the way to refresh and repower yourself for a long journey.

Do not think about the end or destination – have a fulfilled journey

Keep it cool , we have two third of refreshing water on the face of the earth – use it properly.

We can always have what we need and aspire - So Aham

From Pawas – on Mumbai Goa highway and then towards the coast there is Ganpatipule. A small show will be posted shortly.