Dr.Hedgewar

Dr.Kesava Baliram Hedgewar
Dr Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS was born on Ugadi day [New Year's Day] in 1889 at Nagpur. He was a born patriot. Even when he was studying in primary school, he refused to eat sweets distributed on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria on June 22, 1897. When he was studying in Neel City High School, Nagpur, he was rusticated for singing "Vande Mataram" in violation of the circular issued by the then British government. As a result he had to persue his high school studies at Yeotmal. He participated in the freedom struggle under the leadership of the Indian National Congress and participated in the Non-cooperation Movement of 1921 and was jailed. He was released on July 12, 1922. After making an in-depth study of our history, he came to the conclusion that lack of patriotism and disunity among the Hindus was the reason for our defeat at the hands of foreign invaders and enslavement under foreign rule. He, therefore, felt that unless a sense of patriotism, selflessness, sterling character, national consciousness and sense of unity, selfless service, self-realisation and discipline were inculcated in a substantial number of individuals, it would be impossible to uplift the nation and secure political freedom.

After making an in-depth study of our history, he came to the conclusion that lack of patriotism and disunity among the Hindus was the reason for our defeat at the hands of foreign invaders and India's enslavement under foreign rule.

He, therefore, decided to start a unique organisation to solve the problems. He took a vow to remain a bachelor and devote his entire life and energy to the aforesaid noble cause. For this purpose, he founded the "Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh" on Vijayadashami day September 27, 1925. He evolved a unique technic which was unprecedented, simple and inexpensive. He selected a group of young boys who would assemble in an open field every day for one hour. During that time, in addition to playing national games, he began to inculcate in them a sense of patriotism, unity, discipline, love for the country and selflessness, by singing of patriotic songs and narration of stories of patriots. He appealed to the youth to spare one hour a day for the Nation by attending the Shakha (the meeting). He visualised that the one hour programme in the Shakha would ultimately transform the youth to devote greater time and energy in the service of the nation. He, therefore, undertook the Himalayan task of organising the Hindus, who despite having a common cultural bond and fundamental unity had come to be divided into various castes, religions, regions and language groups.

Bharat Mata as common deity

Dr Hedgewar felt that it was necessary to have a common deity to be worshipped by all and a common ideal which all should strive to achieve and a common prayer (mantra) for all. He declared that irrespective of castes, religions and languages, etc, we are all children of Bharatmata who shall be the common deity to be worshipped by all of us and the common ideal of all shall be to strive for all-round progress and development of the nation and for taking the nation to the pinnacle of glory. These two ideals were incorporated in the common prayer to be sung by all the members at the Shakha every day. The first line of the prarthana says "Namaste Sada Vatsale Matrubhume"Oh my beloved motherland salutation to theeand the last line of the prayer says "Oh God, please give us strength and bless us to enable us to take our nation to the pinnacle of glory" (param vaibhavamnetu metat swarasthram) and concludes with the all unifying slogan "Bharat Mata ki jai" (Victory to Bharat Mata). Having decided about the common deity to be worshipped, common ideals to be achieved, a common prayer to be made and the common slogan, Dr. Hedgewar started contemplating on who should be placed in the position of Guru.

Bhagwadwaj as Guru

It is well known that in our culture the highest place is given to the Guru and he is regarded as equal to God. It is the Guru who with the instrument of his intellect and wisdom opens the eyes of his disciples and enables them to proceed from darkness to light. Therefore, every year the people worship their Guru on Guru Poornima day. Dr Hedgewar wanted to choose a Guru befitting the divine task of national reconstruction.

What Dr Hedgewar did is comparable only to what Guru Govind Singhji did in respect of Sikhism, who put an end to a human person being a Guru and substituted the Guru Granth Sahib in place of a living Guru.

After founding the RSS, he announced that the members have to perform guru pooja on the specified day and offer gurudakshina which alone shall be the financial resource of the Sangha. The Swayamsevaks began to think as to who could be installed in the position of Guru other than Dr. Hedgewar himself. But on Guru Poornima day there was a surprise. Dr Hedgewar declared that Bhagwadwaj under whose auspicious presence Shakhas were being held every day shall be the Guru. He stated that Bhagwadwaj represents our glorious history and cultural heritage. It reminds us of Sri Rama, Sri Krishna and Gitopadesha and also reminds us of great empires like the Maurya, Gupta, Vijayanagara, etc. It also represents the gurus of all religions and religious sects born in the country. It reminds us of Mahavira, Buddha, Shankara, Basava, Tiruvaluvur, Ramanuja, Madhwa-charya, Guru Nanak, Guru Ramdas and Vidyaranya under whose guidance the great Vijayanagara empire was established. It also represents those who fought valiantly to protect the freedom and honour of motherland such as Maharana Pratap, Chatrapati Shivaji, Guru Govind Singh and Rani of Jhansi. Further it also represents our cultural heritage, all good values of life of great heroes and saints. More than all the saffron colour of Bhagwadwaj has been the symbol of sacrifice.

He said he was not in favour of placing any human being in the place of Guru, as it is quite possible that on account of some pitfall or shortcomings in him, which is natural in human beings the followers might get disappointed or frustrated at some point of time. He also indicated that he was placing Bhagwadwaj, which represents the noble ideals of the RSS in the place of Guru as he desired that there should be "tatvanishta" (loyalty to ideals) and not "vyaktinishta" (loyalty to any individual).

What Dr Hedgewar did is comparable only to what Guru Govind Singhji did in respect of Sikhism, who put an end to a human person being a Guru and substituted the Guru Granth Sahib in place of a living Guru. Thus Guru Govind Singh transformed an inanimate object into a powerful Guru who is guiding the entire Sikh community. Similarly, Dr Hedgewar transformed Bhagwadwaj an inanimate object into guru. He said it is only after a Bhagwadwaj is presented to a shakha after it is well established that it becomes a recognised shakha and that only after hoisting the Bhagwadwaj in a Shakha, activities of national learning commence and all functions of RSS commence.

Metamorphosis through shakha

In order to transform an ordinary individual into an extraordinary patriot ready to sacrifice everything in the service of the motherland and in order to completely erase selfishness, ego and divisive factors such as high and low castes, rich and poor, he invented a simple inexpensive technique called Shakha, a method of get-together for one hour at a specified place and time every day. His appeal was simple in that he asked the youth to spare one hour out of 24 hours for the Nation. Accordingly, he attracted a handful of youths for attending Shakha which was comparable to ancient Gurukulas. Shakha programmes were such as would bring about an all-round development of an individuals i.e. physical, mental, moral and intellectual. Physical fitness through physical activities solely comprising of national games and physical exercises, character building, inculcating patriotism through stories of heroes, saints social reformers, etc, as also through patriotic songs and intellectual development through periodic Bhaudhiks. The whole process was called Samskara. Important aspect of programmes of Shakha has been to treat Bharatmata as the common deity, Bhagwadwaj as the common Guru and Sangha prarthana as the common mantra for all the swayamsevaks. Through this methodology Doctorji sought to demolish all fissiparous tendencies afflicting the nation. The prarthana contains an oath by every swayamsevak that he will lay down his life in the service of the nation. There is also a prayer to God to confer invincible physical strength and excellent character and finally blessings of almighty is sought to enable them to take the motherland to pinnacle of glory.

Doctorji also said that one hour Shaka was to initiate Swayamsevaks to inspire them to dedicate themselves to the noble and onerous task of nation building. But moulding of character of swayamsevaks was a whole time job after shakha hours to be performed by the Karyakartas of the RSS. He advised and encouraged swayamsevaks to undertake higher education and for that purpose to go to different places in the country. He said higher educational attainment by Karyakartas would confer better suitability and capacities to spread the work of the RSS and going to different places was necessary to spread the work of RSS throughout the country.


Gandhiji and Dr.ji
In 1934 at Wardha, Gandhiji had the following conversation with Dr. K. B. Hedgewar, the founder of the R.S.S.:
Gandhiji: Doctor Saheb, what made you start an independent organisation like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh? You were in Congress and surely you could have built up such a voluntary body in the Congress itself. By the way, did you feel dearth of funds in the Congress?
Hedgewar: Oh, no, not at all. Fact is, that creation of the kind of Swayamsevaks I had in mind, was simply not possible through the Congress.
Gandhiji: Why so?
Hedgewar: Because, the Congress, after all, is a political party and its volunteers are just boys of errands, arranging chairs and tables, saluting and cheering the leaders, looking to their arrangements and such other sundry jobs, whereas my concept of a Swayamsevak is altogether different.
Gandhiji: What is your concept, Doctor Saheb?
Hedgewar: One who offers himself, voluntarily in the cause of national upliftment in a spirit of total selflessness - such a person alone is a Swayamsevak. I also believe that, it is only on the strength of such Swayamsevaks, that our nation can ultimately rise to its full glory.

Mahatma gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (1869-1948), also known as Mahatma Gandhi, was born in porbandar in the present day state of gujarat in India on October 2, 1869. He was raised in a very conservative family that had affiliations with the ruling family of Kathiawad. He was educated in law at University College, London. In 1891, after having been admitted to the British bar, Gandhi returned to India and attempted to establish a law practice in Bombay, without much success. Two years later an Indian firm with interests in South Africa retained him as legal adviser in its office in Durban. Arriving in Durban, Gandhi found himself treated as a member of an inferior race. He was appalled at the widespread denial of civil liberties and political rights to Indian immigrants to South Africa. He threw himself into the struggle for elementary rights for Indians
Gandhi remained in South Africa for twenty years, suffering imprisonment many times. In 1896, after being attacked and humiliated by white South Africans, Gandhi began to teach a policy of passive resistance to, and non-cooperation with, the South African authorities. Part of the inspiration for this policy came from the Russian writer Leo tolstoy, whose influence on Gandhi was profound. Gandhi also acknowledged his dept in the teachings of christ and to the 19th-century American writer Henry David Thoreau, especially to Thoreau's famous essay "Civil Disobedience." Gandhi considered the terms passive resistance and civil disobedience inadequate for his purposes, however, and coined another term,satyagraha (from Sanskrit, "truth and firmness"). During the Boer War, Gandhi organized an ambulance corps for the British army and commanded a Red Cross unit. After the war he returned to his campaign for Indian rights. In 1910, he founded Tolstoy Farm, near Durban, a cooperative colony for Indians. In 1914 the government of the Union of South Africa made important concessions to Gandhi's demands, including recognition of Indian marriages and abolition of the poll tax for them. His work in South Africa complete, he returned to India.
Gandhi became a leader in a complex struggle, the Indian campaign home rule. Following World War I, in which he played an active part in recruiting campaigns, Gandhi, again advocating Satyagraha, launched his movement of non-violent resistance to Great Britain. When, in 1919, Parliament passed the Rowlatt Acts, giving the Indian colonial authorities emergency powers to deal with so-called revolutionary activities, Satyagraha spread throughout India, gaining millions of followers. A demonstration against the Rowlatt Acts resulted in a massacre of Indians atAmritsar by British soldiers; in 1920, when the British government failed to make amends, Gandhi proclaimed an organized campaign of non-cooperation. Indians in public office resigned, government agencies such as courts of law were boycotted, and Indian children were withdrawn from government schools. Throughout India, streets were blocked by squatting Indians who refused to rise even when beaten by police. Gandhi was arrested, but the British were soon forced to release him
Economic independence for India, involving the complete boycott of British goods, was made a corollary of Gandhi's Swaraj (from Sanskrit, "self-governing") movement. The economic aspects of the movement were significant, for the exploitation of Indian villagers by British industrialists had resulted in extreme poverty in the country and the virtual destruction of Indian home industries. As a remedy for such poverty, Gandhi advocated revival of cottage industries; he began to use a spinning wheel as a token of the return to the simple village life he preached, and of the renewal of native Indian industries.

Gandhi became the international symbol of a free India. He lived a spiritual and ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and meditation. His union with his wife became, as he himself stated, that of a brother and sister. Refusing earthly possessions, he wore the loincloth and shawl of the lowliest Indian and subsisted on vegetables, fruit juices, and goat's milk. Indians revered him as a saint and began to call him Mahatma (great-souled), a title reserved for the greatest sages. Gandhi's advocacy of nonviolence, known as ahimsa (non-violence), was the expression of a way of life implicit in the Hindu religion. By the Indian practice of nonviolence, Gandhi held, Great Britain too would eventually consider violence useless and would leave India.

The Mahatma's political and spiritual hold on India was so great that the British authorities dared not interfere with him. In 1921 the Indian national congress, the group that spearheaded the movement for nationhood, gave Gandhi complete executive authority, with the right of naming his own successor. The Indian population, however, could not fully comprehend the unworldly ahimsa. A series of armed revolts against the British broke out, culminating in such violence that Gandhi confessed the failure of the civil-disobedience campaign he had called, and ended it. The British government again seized and imprisoned him in 1922.

After his release from prison in 1924, Gandhi withdrew from active politics and devoted himself to propagating communal unity. Unavoidably, however, he was again drawn into the vortex of the struggle for independence. In 1930 the Mahatma proclaimed a new campaign of civil disobedience, calling upon the Indian population to refuse to pay taxes, particularly the tax on salt. The campaign was a march to the sea, in which thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from ahmedabad to the arabian sea, where they made salt by evaporating sea water. Once more the Indian leader was arrested, but he was released in 1931, halting the campaign after the British made concessions to his demands. In the same year Gandhi represented the Indian National Congress at a conference in London.
In 1932, Gandhi began new civil-disobedience campaigns against the British. Arrested twice, the Mahatma fasted for long periods several times; these fasts were effective measures against the British, because revolution might well have broken out in India if he had died. In September 1932, while in jail, Gandhi undertook a "fast unto death" to improve the status of the Hindu Untouchables. The British, by permitting the untouchables to be considered as a separate part of the Indian electorate, were, according to Gandhi, countenancing an injustice. Although he was himself a member of an upper caste, Gandhi was the great leader of the movement in India dedicated to eradicating the unjust social and economic aspects of the caste system.

In 1934 Gandhi formally resigned from politics, being replaced as leader of the Congress party by Javaharlal nehru. Gandhi traveled through India, teaching ahimsa(non violence) and demanding eradication of "untouchability." The esteem in which he was held was the measure of his political power. So great was this power that the limited home rule granted by the British in 1935 could not be implemented until Gandhi approved it. A few years later, in 1939, he again returned to active political life because of the pending federation of Indian principalities with the rest of India. His first act was a fast, designed to force the ruler of the state of Rajkot to modify his autocratic rule. Public unrest caused by the fast was so great that the colonial government intervened; the demands were granted. The Mahatma again became the most important political figure in India.
When World War II broke out, the congress party and Gandhi demanded a declaration of war aims and their application to India. As a reaction to the unsatisfactory response from the British, the party decided not to support Britain in the war unless the country were granted complete and immediate independence. The British refused, offering compromises that were rejected. When Japan entered the war, Gandhi still refused to agree to Indian participation. He was interned in 1942 but was released two years later because of failing health.
By 1944 the Indian struggle for independence was in its final stages, the British government having agreed to independence on condition that the two contending nationalist groups, the Muslim League and the Congress party, should resolve their differences. Gandhi stood steadfastly against the partition of India but ultimately had to agree, in the hope that internal peace would be achieved after the Muslim demand for separation had been satisfied.india and pakistan became separate states. when the British granted India its independence in 1947. During the riots that followed the partition of India, Gandhi pleaded with Hindus and Muslims to live together peacefully. Riots engulfed Calcutta, one of the largest cities in India, and the Mahatma fasted until disturbances ceased. On January 13, 1948, he undertook another successful fast in New Delhi to bring about peace, but on January 30, 12 days after the termination of that fast, as he was on his way to his evening prayer meeting, he was assassinated by a fanatic Hindu.

Gandhi's death was regarded as an international catastrophe. His place in humanity was measured not in terms of the 20th century, but in terms of history. A period of mourning was set aside in the United Nations General Assembly, and condolences to India were expressed by all countries. Religious violence soon waned in India and Pakistan, and the teachings of Gandhi came to inspire nonviolent movements elsewhere, notably in the U.S.A. under the civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and in South Africa under Nelson Mandela

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is the creator of the transcendental form of meditation, along with being the leader of the Transcendental Meditation Movement. One of the most renowned spiritual Gurus of India, he is highly influenced by the principles of Adi Shankaracharya. The main aim of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is to promote the use of the Vedic ways in daily life. Read on to explore the biography of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi further…

Maharishi Yogi was born in the year 1911, in Allahabad town (in Uttar Pradesh). After graduating from Allahabad University (in physics), he spent 13 years under the tutelage of Swami Brahmananda Saraswati. During this period, he developed an inclination towards the ancient Vedic Science of consciousness. At the same time, he started practicing intense meditation. He is also credited with making efforts towards the restoration of the thousand-years-old scattered Vedic Literature. He is responsible for organizing it as a complete science of consciousness.

As per the life history of Maharishi Yogi, he assumed the title "Maharishi" in 1955. From then onwards, began his journey as a teacher of traditional meditation technique, now known as Transcendental Meditation.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi aims at developing a society in which there is good all around. The first step that he took towards the fulfillment of his aim was the starting of the Transcendental Meditation Movement. Transcendental Meditation is a mental technique that helps a person in achieving consciousness. It involves the use of a mantra or sound, through which the mind becomes alert, but the body feels relaxed. He has also established a number of foundations to support his movement, one of which is The Spiritual Regeneration Movement, founded in 1957.

Various studies have been conducted throughout the world to ascertain the effects of Transcendental Meditation. It has been found out that the places where even one percent of the population practiced Transcendental Meditation, the crime rate was found to be declining. This phenomenon, where Transcendental Meditation is seen as being negatively related to crime, violence and other negative forces, is known as the Maharishi Effect.

sree Narayana Guru

Narayana Guru was born in the year 1854 AD at Chempazhanthy, in the suburb of the city of Trivandrum, the present capital of Kerala State, India. In those days Trivandrum was the capital of a princely state called Travancore. Before Travancore came under the hegemony of the Maharaja Marthanda Varma there were eight feudal chiefs who were politically powerful and opposed to the ruling prince. One such chief was of Chempazhanthy. Narayana Guru's father was Madan Asan and his mother was Kutti Amma. He was the only son of his parents in the family of Vayalvaram, of which a small cottage is still remaining next to a Bhagavati Temple called Manakkal. Even though Madan Asan was not rich, he was of moderate means. His title, Asan, shows that he was looked upon with respect by his villagers. It is not known if he was a teacher. It is likely that Nanu, as Narayana Guru was called by his parents, learnt Tamil, Malayalam, and Sanskrit from his father.

In the days of Narayana Guru the most vital information everyone wanted to know of another person was his caste. This may look ridiculous to the present generation, but no one thought so in those days. Everybody wanted to know caste and everyone revealed his caste also as a matter of course


1854Birth - Vayalvaram House, Chempazhanthi, Trivandrum. Parents named him Narayanan but called him Nanu
1860-71Basic Education started under Chempazhanthi Pillai. Till age 17, education and Farming
1872-77Stayed in Trivandrum and learned Tamil language and literature
1877-79Went to Karunagapally for higher education; stayed at Varanappally . Kummampalli Raman Pillai Asan was the teacher
1879Came back to Chempazhanthi
1881Started a school at Anchuthengu; Nanu became Nanu Asan
1882Marriage to Kaliamma
1882-84Started to wander around - visited Maruthuvamala and Aruvippuram
1884Death of Father - Madanasan
1884-87Left the home. Chattambi Swami introduced Nanu Asan to Thaikkattu Ayyavu Swami and learned Yoga from him. Spent time in Meditation and travel
1888Installed Sivalinga at Aruvippuram
1891Kumaranasan meets Guru
1893Conditioning of Aruvippuram Temple affairs
1895Guru's journey to Bangalore accompanied by Kumaranasan
1898Started Aruvippuram Temple meeting: known as Vavoottu Sangham
1903Wrote 'Atmopadesa Satakam'. The establishment of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam
1904Guru exempted from appearing in the court. The first anniversary of SNDP Yogam, Guru presided the meeting. Presided the meeting at Paravur (Kollam) against bad customs in society
1905Started a evening school, at Vettoor near Varkala, for Parayas
1907C. Krishnan and Kallingal Rarichan Mooppan and C. Krishnan invited Guru to Malabar and Guru went to Malabar
1908Installation of Sree Jagannatha Temple Idol at Thalaserry
1909Traveled to Mangalore. Founded Kudroli Gokarnatheshwara Temple at the request of Billava community
1910Founded Sreekanteswara Temple, Kozhikode
1911Founded Sree Sundareswara Temple at Kannur. Stoppage of 'Kettu Kalyanam' (an unnecessary marriage ceremony) at Karimkulam
1912Installation of Godes Sharada at Sivagiri
1914Reception at Keralyeeya Nair Meeting, Kottayam
1915Establishment of the Adwaita Ashramam at Aluva
1916Started school at Adwaita Ashramam. Went to Thiruvannamalai and visited Ramana Maharshi. Wrote 'Mananamala' and 'Municharya Panchakam'. Celebrated 60th birthday. Went to Madras accepting Justice Sadasiva Iyer's and Justice Krishnan's invitation
1917Stayed at Adwaita Ashramam
1918Journey to Ceylon. Stayed 12 days there and visited many places
1820Installation of the 'lighted lamp' in the Karamukku Temple
1921Installed a slab at Murukkumpuzha Temple with the words: "Sathyam (Truth), Dharmam (Ethics), Daya (Compassion), Sneham (Love)"
1922Rabindranath Tagore came to Varkala and visited Guru. Mahakavi Kumaranasan died on January 16
1924The All Religious Confrence at Aluva. The Vaikom Sathyagraham; Guru visited Vaikom
1925Mahatma Ghandhi visited Guru at Varkala. Guru appointed Swami Bodhananda as his successor. Diwan Watts came to Sivagiri and visited Guru
1926Second journey to Ceylon
1927Installation of a 'Mirror' as the idol at Kadavamkodam Temple
1928The Dharma Sangham rgistered
1928Illness started when Guru was at Vaikom Velloor Madam. The Samadhi at 3pm, on September 20

Sathyananda saraswathy

Birth: September 25,1935 at Andoorkonam village Thiruvananthpuram

Darshan of Lord Krishna at the age of 9.

Excellent student,competent teacher,gifted poet,orator par excellence,social activist and promotor of classical arts.

Summoned to the ashram by Gurupadar.The Guru-Shishya relationship between them was a living experience and expression of the classical definition in Guru Geetha

Guru spoke very little and communicated through symbolism and eye-movements;the ever-attentive disciple fulfilled every duty in an impeccable manner.

Took the reigns of a humble institution and single -handedly built it into an organization of international significance.

Observed extreme hardship and penance for fourteen years and realized the Divine Mother.

At Her Divine command stepped out of the ashram to spearhead the Dharma samara against conversion,false propaganda and distortion of truth by the proselytizing religion and the communists.

A unique confluence of the four paths;Jnana Yoga,Bhakti Yoga,Raja Yoga and Karma Yoga.

AVeritable treasure of spiritual wisdom and ecstatic devotee of the Divine Mother, a yogi par excellence and the greatest Karma Yogi to uphold Sanathana Dharma since Swami Vivekananda.

Restorer of numerous old temples,consecrator of new ones across the globe.

Founder of more than 13 institutions in India and abroad;establishment of Kutumba Samithis in 1980;organization of Acharya Sameeksha and Jyotiprayana in 1985.

Founder Chairman,Hindu Unity Forum;Executive member Kendra Marg Darshak Mandal and Rama Janmabhoomi Nyas Manch.

Progenitor of the Harivarasanam Project at Sabarimala.

Visionary behind Punnyabhoomi; International Sanathana Daily(A World Hindu Newspaper).

Hitherto unparalled Sathakoti Archana(1 Billion chants) in 2000 to commemorate the centenary of Brahmasree Neelakanta Gurupadar.

Dwi-Sathakoti Archana(2 Billion chants) at Sri Kshetra,Narayanpur,nera Pune.

Delivered the keynote address at the World Hindu Conference 2000,Port of Spain,Trinidad and Tobago,in August 2000.

Led the Indian delegates in the sessions on Elimination of Poverty at the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders at the United Nations ,in August 2000.

Inspired the formation of Kerala Hindus of North America aimed at integrating the future generations with their cultures and provided Divine patronage;inaugurated the first,second and third biennial National Conventions of Kerala Hindus of North America at Dallas(2001),Houston(2003) and Chicago(2005).

Sree Ramanavami Rathayatra since 1989 covering the southern states;Sree Rama Navami Hindu maha Sammelan at Thiruvananthapuram since 1991.

Jyotikshetram--Swamiji's Vision

A circular light forms through the horizon.It lights up keeping the sky as the background at the place where the sky joins the sea.Like keeping a lot of lighted lamps,lamps that lightup without movement.To this side of the lights there,are more lights,like the lights of a chuttambalam,that reaches upto the horizon.I remain at the center and envision the lights around me.Then the lights will reach unto the horizon.The sanctum sanctorum at the center is Myself. This is the Jyotikshetram.Countless lights lightup in it.countless number of Jeevathmas are there; these lights represent them.Accepting the divinity of gurutvam of these,each Jeevathma is represented by each light,total representation of the jeevathmas ,centralised ,is it's lamp.That is the reason why it is brought from the respective holy places.Without depending on holy places or holy concepts no jeevathma can rise to the Paramathma level.The Chuttambalam around symbolises prayer.This is the pradikshina patham for our jeevea to enquire about the concept of God that stretches upto the limits of the horizon It is an external expression or symbol to realize that this is all pervading.There is a horizon in our mind.That horizon is the end of all expansions.It is chaithanya that is the basis for arriving that far.Otherwise it will not expand to that extent.While expanding, again,what we perceive when we arrive is saturated with the chaithanya of the same great souls or Guru tradition.Thus the expansion from the state of mind to Chaithanya,when it reaches the limits of the horizon,the universe exists only within that.The Universe exists only within the horizon of cogniscence,including the Sun.what is exhibited here is a symbol of that.

Guruji golwalkar

Sri Guruji

Let us look at the brief answers to these questions. Shri Guruji was the second all-Bharat Chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He was born in 1906. The special occasion round the corner is the celebration of his birth centenary. ‘Guruji’ was not his original name. This name was used out of regard, by his students in Banaras Hindu University where he taught. He is better known by this name even today throughout the Sangh and the nation. His name was Madhav Sadashivrao Golwalkar. His father’s name was Sadashivrao and his mother was Lakshmibai. They lived in Nagpur. In his childhood, Shri Guruji was called lovingly as Madhu. Eight progenies of his parents before him had met a premature death. Those days, Nagpur was a province of modern Madhya Pradesh. His father was a teacher. He was continuously posted in Hindi speaking areas. Although, his mother tongue was Marathi, since Hindi was the general spoken language, Madhu had a firm grip on Hindi as well. And as his school was managed by the Christian missionaries, Madhavrao (his name in school) developed mastery in English, too.
The atmosphere in Madhavrao’s house was pious and religious. Right from his childhood, his mother would wake him up with devotional songs, rendered in her melodious voice. This left a deep cultural imprint on him. He would cherish her songs very fondly, when he grew older.

Prodigious Intellectual Talent
Madhavrao was a sharp boy with prodigious memory. Once, his school teacher Prof. Gardener was teaching the Bible. Madhavrao interrupted saying, “Sir, the reference given by you is not correct, actually it should have been like this....” And saying thus he uttered another sentence. All the students and Prof. Gardener were amazed. But when it was cross-checked with the Bible, he was found to be correct. At the end of the class, the Professor gave him a fond pat on the back. This incident served as a witness to his qualities, like exceptional memory, courage and unshakeble self-confidence. His memory served him till his last day. Even today, throughout the country, people recall anecdotes of his phenomenal memory.

Extraordinary Forbearance
In 1924, having completed his studies up to Intermediate, Madhavrao left for the famous Banaras Hindu University, to finish his B.Sc. The huge repository of invaluable books in the library there was as if waiting to quench his thirst for knowledge. Madhavrao started reading the books, through and through, one by one. One day, his toe was bitten by a scorpion, but he very casually cut that portion of his foot, dipped that foot in potassium permanganate solution and resumed his study. Amazed at this, one of his friends asked, “How do you manage to study despite such severe pain?” Madhavrao replied, “Well, the scorpion has bitten my foot, not my head!” Later on also, people have many a time witnessed his tranquil tolerance under most excruciating physical pains.

Disciplinarian
Madhavrao returned to Nagpur after completing his Masters in Zoology with first class from Kashi and a few months later, left for Chennai for research in aquarium. There also, people experienced his passion for strict discipline. Once, the Nizam of Hyderabad paid a visit to the laboratory. All the visitors were charged with entrance fee. The managers, however, thought it inappropriate to ask for entrance fee from a big shot like the Nizam. But Madhavrao insisted and the Nizam could enter only after paying the entrance fee. In 1929, his father retired from service and this led to a financial crunch. Money could no longer be sent for pursuance of Madhavrao’s studies and ultimately, he left research work and returned to Nagpur. In his correspondence of those days, to his friends, Madhavrao expressed his sentiments as to how he felt in consonance about the incidents of the aggressive patriotism of revolutionaries.

Boundless Love for Students
From August 1931, Madhavrao began teaching at Banaras Hindu University. During this period, many of his hidden talents came to light. His unfathomable love for his students drove him to help them at studies in every possible way; often he would purchase the necessary text-books for needy students or financially assist them to pay their examination fees. He would be happy spending a large sum of his salary to this end. He would delve deep into other subjects also, so that he could help students in those subjects. Doing all this, Madhavarao had no expectation in return at all. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya noticed his talent as well as his deep affection for the students, and grew fond of him. It was through a Swayamsevak from Nagpur, Shri Bhaiyyaji Dani, who was sent there as a student by Doctorji, (Dr. Hedgewar, the founder of RSS) that Shri Guruji came into contact with the Sangh. He also became the Palak (guardian) of that Shakha.
In February 1933, on the expiry of his teaching term, Shri Guruji returned to Nagpur and by 1935, completed his study of law.

What If The Family Tree does Not Branch Out Further?
Meanwhile, having seen Shri Guruji from closer quarters, Doctorji tried to maintain contact with him. Recognizing his extraordinary working capacity and intellectual talents, he started delegating greater responsibilities to him. In 1934, Shri Guruji ably discharged the duties of Sarvadhikari (officer-in-charge) of Sangh Shiksha Varga (Officer's training camp) in Akola. By now, it was very natural for his parents to think of his marriage. Shri Guruji’s mother put forth the proposal for his marriage and said if he decided against marrying, their Golwalkar family lineage would cease to exist - he being the only surviving son. Shri Guruji replied, “In the present situation it is necessary, that, for the welfare of the society, if the family lineages of not only me, but several others like me are terminated, I am not in the least worried.” The debate over his marriage ended then and there.

In Search of his Life Mission
Shri Guruji was seriously thinking of orienting his life in a definite direction. The pathetic plight of the Hindu society and of an enslaved nation tortured him on the one side; on the other, it was his inborn spiritual pursuit that pulled him. He started visiting the President of Sri Ramakrishna Ashram, Swami Bhaskareshvarananda in Nagpur. There he came in close and friendly contact with Sri Amitabh Maharaj. He came to know through him that in the Sargachi Ashram, in Bengal, there stayed Swami Akhandananda, a direct disciple of revered Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. In 1936, one fine day, based on the information received from Amitabh Maharaj, Shri Guruji quietly left for Sargachi in search of a spiritual guide. Neither his parents nor anybody else knew his whereabouts. When Shri Guruji left for Sargachi, Doctorji who was thinking about entrusting him with more and more responsibilities became equally concerned for him.

Unique Personification of Service
Sargachi witnessed another brilliant aspect of Shri Guruji’s personality. He immersed himself in the service of Swami Akhandananda, who was quite old and indisposed. Shri Guruji would daily bathe him, wash his clothes, offer him tea and meals, and put him to bed. Often Shri Guruji would sit through the night at his bed-side and serve him. About six months passed in this manner. His untiring dedicated service and his spiritual orientation pleased Swamiji so much that he decided to initiate him into the Order. Shri Guruji was overwhelmed after getting initiated. Later, he described the moment thus, “I have received the blessings one gets after innumerable births. My body felt thrilled all over and I am finding myself an altogether changed person.” 13th January, 1937 (Makar Sankranti) was the auspicious day of initiation. A few days later, on 24th January, Guru Maharaj gave his blessing to Shri Guruji, saying, “Whatever good I have, I am giving it to you; and whatever bad you have, you give it to me.” That day, till 3.30 a.m. Swamiji disclosed the secrets of spirituality to Shri Guruji and Amitabh Maharaj. One day, Swamiji told Amitabh Maharaj, “It seems that Golwalkar would work in association with Dr. Hedgewar.” As a mark of his memory, Swamiji gave his personal belongings like Kamandal etc. to Shri Guruji. After a short while, in February, 1937 the revered Swamiji left his mortal coil. Later, Shri Guruji spent some time in Ramakrishna Ashram, Belur Math and then along with Amitabh Maharaj returned to Nagpur.
In Nagpur, Shri Guruji’s, life took an altogether new turn. In Doctorji, he saw a personality intensely motivated and dedicated to the nation. On being asked by some gentleman on the subject, Shri Guruji replied, “Like spirituality, organization of the Nation has also been my inclination from early days. I believe that I would be in a better position to achieve it successfully being a part of the Sangh. Hence, I have dedicated myself to the activities of Sangh. In the light of the insight and practical approach of Swami Vivekananda, I think my decision is appropriate.”
Shri Guruji was also closely observing Doctorji, who had put his heart and soul into this work. From 1938 onwards, Shri Guruji identified the work of Sangh as the sole mission of his life. In the close company of Doctorji, he focussed his entire attention on the activities of Sangh. This also relieved Doctorji of his worries.

SWAMIJI

A spiritual genius of commanding intellect and power, Vivekananda crammed immense labor and achievement into his short life, 1863-1902. Born in the Datta family of Calcutta, the youthful Vivekananda embraced the agnostic philosophies of the Western mind along with the worship of science.

At the same time, vehement in his desire to know the truth about God, he questioned people of holy reputation, asking them if they had seen God. He found such a person in Sri Ramakrishna, who became his master, allayed his doubts, gave him God vision, and transformed him into sage and prophet with authority to teach.

After Sri Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda renounced the world and criss-crossed India as a wandering monk. His mounting compassion for India's people drove him to seek their material help from the West. Accepting an opportunity to represent Hinduism at Chicago's Parliament of Religions in 1893, Vivekananda won instant celebrity in America and a ready forum for his spiritual teaching.

For three years he spread the Vedanta philosophy and religion in America and England and then returned to India to found the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Exhorting his nation to spiritual greatness, he wakened India to a new national consciousness. He died July 4, 1902, after a second, much shorter sojourn in the West. His lectures and writings have been gathered into nine volumes.