SWAMI SWAROOPANAND (Pawas)

         AN INCARNATION OF SANT DNYANESHWAR

Almighty has his design cast to spread words of wisdom & spiritual awareness through enlightened beings like Sant Nivruttinath-Dnyaneshwar or Ganeshnath-Swaroopanand like Guru-Shishya for ages. Advaita Vedanta is cornerstone of Guru-Shishya Parampara and is thus being passed for centuries.

                      SWAMI SWAROOPANANDA(PAWAS) 

                                       Life in   Brief 

‘Pawas”, a small village in Ratnagiri district, adorned by panoramic beauty, is no doubt famous for its tasty alphanso mangoes not only in India but almost the world over now.

However, the credit to bring Pawas on the pilgrims’ map goes entirely to Swami Swaroopananda, the ‘Paramhans of Pawas’, the title bestowed on him by his devotees.

Born in a very pious and ascetic Godbole family of Pawas on 15th Dec. 1903, he was named Ramchandra, by father Vishnupant and mother Rakhmabai. For a long time he was popularly known by his family name ‘Appa’.

He completed his early education at Ratnagiri. In 1919 he joined Aryan Education Society High School at Mumbai

Lessons in religious scriptures, he got in this School were conducive to his inclination. He soon became exponent of Geeta, and developed interest in Upanishads. He was higly influenced by the Nationalist views/movement of Lokmanya Tilak & Mahatma Gandhi. After the demise of Tilak, he left his studies and returned to Pawas He set up a school ‘Swavalambanashram’ with Nationalist aim at an age of just 18 ½ years.

An apprehension, that his school may attract Government wrath, adversely affected admissions / attendance in the school, forcing Appa to close it in 1927. He moved to Pune with remaining 3 students, including my maternal uncle, N.V.(Baba) Desai & made them appear for Tilak Maha. Vidyapeeth entrance examination.

Meanwhile, Appa was fortunate to get initiated in Dnyaneshwar Maulee’s Nath Sampradaya, by Sadguru Babamaharaj Vaidya (Ganeshnath) of Pune, in 1923.

His move to Pune provided an impetus to quench and channelize his spiritual quest.

Baba Maharaj was overwhelmed to see young Appa’s herculean efforts and devotion in copying Dnyaneshwari in own hand to save him from straining his eyes in reading his old soiled copy. The manuscript of this handwritten Dnyaneshwari is preserved as relics & printed copies aptly titled, “SWAROOP-DNYANESHWARI” are readily available.

Possessed by nationalist thoughts, Appa left Pune and plunged into freedom struggle. He was arrested / jailed more than once. In Yerawada jail, he came in contact with veteran freedom fighters like S. M. Joshi, Shankarao Deo and Raosaheb Patwardhan. They used to vociferously discuss about the political situation in the country. Young and socially less recognised Appa seldom took part in such discussions. He took the sentence as a blessing in disguise and spent most of his time in meditation. He used to be fondly called ‘Swami’ or ‘Muni’ by jail mates.

Appa got rare spiritual experiences in Yerawada Jail. Narrated in spontaneously worded nine stanzas, titled ‘Navratnahar’ & he submitted it to Baba Maharaj. He was ecstatic to discern Rambhau’s level of perception, and his potential. You have mastered the Bliss Technique, said Sadguru Ganesh Nath, you are “SWAROOPANANDA”. Overjoyed he blessed Appa to carry the baton & be the flag bearer of the Sect. Thus was born 20th Century heir apparent of Nath Sampraday

Appa returned to Pawas in Apr.1934. After recovery from malaria, one day while returning home from brief walk, he felt very tired & exhausted . He was gripped by fear of death. He was unable to even open his eyes. Dr. Baba Desai who was by then a practicing physician rushed to Godbole’s house.

Besides administrating medicines, Baba, kept chanting ‘AUM RAM KRISHNA HARI’ at Appa’s behest throughout the night. The Fri-Sat night of Ashadha Shukl 9th of Shaka-1856, proved to be the DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL for Appa. He got rid of the shackles of the mortal, due to manifestation the divinity within.

Ample evidence of this metamorphosis / transcendence, is found in Sakees 27, 28, 29, 54 and 55 of his lyrical composition of 162 Sakees titled ‘AMRITDHARA’. Small in size, but rich in philosophical and poetic value. It is a spontaneous narrative of an enlightened and evolved poet saint of 20th Century.

(The lines in AMRITDHARA quoted below written by Swamiji on 20/03/1935 speak volumes )

“LOOKING AT THY FEET

PLAYING WITH THY POETRY

LIVING IN THY KINGDOM,

O MOTHER, I AM HAPPY.

WRITING THROUGH THY HAND

THINKING THROUGH THY MIND

FEELING THROUGH THY HEART

O MOTHER, I AM FREE.

NOURISHED BY THE NECTAR OF THY KNOWLEDGE

CLAD IN THE ROBE OF THY LOVE

BEFORE THEE I DANCE, O MOTHER,

IN THE TEMPLE OF ETERNITY.”

In February 1935, after slight recovery, Appa acceded to the proposal of my grandfather, late Anna Desai and moved to Anant Niwas, the ancestral house of Desai's, which literally has become SWAMIJEE’s PERMANENT ABODE.

Swamijee spent his entire life for spiritual enlightenment of the masses, through his major contribution to Marathi Poetic literature of saints.

Publication of Abhang Dnyaneshwari in Mrach 1960 and publication of Abhang version of the other two of Saint Dnyaneshwar’s works brought publicity averse Swamiji in limelight.The ever increasing number of visitors and seekers could not be contained. Despite indifferent health Swamiji never disappointed any visitor.

Swamiji used to be in trance while translating Saint Dnyaneshwar’s literature. Swamijee may be the only poet saint who has done the literary hat trick of writing Abhang version of Maulee's major three works, (Prasthantrayee)

During early 1942, Swamijee became so restless for the audience of the Supreme, that Almighty eventually honoured the prayer of his resolute devotee. The description of witnessing the formless in the form as Swamijee desired, is so graphic (Sanjeevani Gatha Abhangs 92-95 ), that, one can even perceive what is beyond experience reminding one of Saint Dnyaneshwari Ovis (6/36, 12/223, 224, 225). Swamiji worshiped Ma Jagadamba. His reverence for Mother Godess is akin to that of Ramakrishna Paramhansa (‘Amritdhara’ Sakees 34 to 47 and 49 to 58).

A rare combination of supramental devotion and enlightened vision, which is characteristic of philosophy in Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta and elaborately propounded in Dnyaneshwari is the basic fiber of Swamiji’s preaching / writing.

The fact that Swamiji was totally influenced by this integrated approach is evident in his literature.  

Highest regards for his Sadguru and humility par excellence, characteristically seen in Saint Dnyaneshwar’s life & literature are the hallmark of Swamijee as well.

Large number of renowned and famous persons like erstwhile Vice Chancellor of Pune University, late MM. D. V. Potdar, Ex RSS Chief late Golvalkar Gurujee, Ex. CMs of Goa Dayanand alias Bhausaheb Bandodkar, Smt. Shashikala Kakodkar, Saint Shreedhar Swami, famous writers and authority on saints’ literature like Dr. S. D. Pendse and S. V. Dandekar have all visited Pawas for Swamiji’s audience. All of them have unequivocally expressed having experienced an identical divine touch as that of Saint Dnyaneshwar in Swamiji’s writing.

Posts and Telegraph Depatment of GOI issued a commemorative stamp & first day cover in recognition of Swamijees contribution to the well being of the society in many ways, during his birth centenary year in 2003.

Yogi Maharshi Sri Aurobindo in his book Essays on the Gita mentions two types of Avatars

(a) One is a descent, the birth of God in humanity, the Godhead manifesting itself in human

form and nature, the eternal Avtar ; ( Like Dnyanadev - "ज्ञानेशो भगवान विष्णु:")

(b) The other is ascent, the birth of man into the Godhead, man rising into the divine nature

and consciousness (मदभावामागत:) it is the being born a new ones in a second birth of

the soul. ( Like Swami Swaroopanand ( Pawas) )

I support my statement quoting Swamijees words from his " Amritdhara "

काल भविष्यत स्वाधीन करूं वर्तमान - करणीने ।' प्रयत्न करितां परमेश्वरता प्राप्त' अशी सद्वचनें ।। अ. धा. ८१।।

( I will master the future by my present deeds ; Maxims say way to Diviniy it leads)

man rising into the divine nature and consciousness (मदभावामागत:)

जगीं जन्मुनी अभिनव जीवन---- । अ. धा. १ ते ६ व ७। (the being born a new one in a second birth of the soul

MADHAV RANADE     

Email : ranadesuresh@gmail.com

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