Draft:Swami Swaroopanand, Pawas

Swami Swaroopanand
Born	(1903-12-15)December 15, 1903 Pawas, Ratnagiri, India
Resting place	Pawas, Ratnagiri
Alma mater	Tilak maharashtra university
Notable work	Amrut Dhara, Sanjeevani Gatha, Abhanga Dnyaneshwari, Abhang Amrutanubhava, Three Discourses
Parents	Vishnupant (father) Rakhamabai (mother)
Website	https://swamiswaroopanandpawas.org/

Paramahansa Swami Swaroopananda (Ramchandra Vishnu Godbole, December 15, 1903 – August 15, 1974) was among the foremost spiritual luminaries of 20^th century India. His keen interest in religious scriptures was evident from childhood and was fostered by his teachers at the Aryan Education Society at Bombay. He graduated from the Tilak Maharashtra University, Pune.

Whether through his participation in India’s freedom movement, his contributions as an educationist, or his relentless pursuit of the metaphysical, Swamiji embodied a higher calling—one that sought to transcend the limitations of the material world and attain the blissful state of Sat-Chit-Ananda (absolute existence, consciousness, and bliss).

Biography

Bharatvarsha: The Cradle of Enlightenment

Bharatvarsha, the sacred land of saints, sages, and Rishis, has been home to countless realized beings who transcended bodily existence while still present in human form. Walking the eternal path to the Ultimate Reality, these enlightened souls became one with boundless Truth, guiding seekers toward self-realization. Among the foremost spiritual luminaries of 20^th century India was Paramahansa Swami Swaroopananda.

A Confluence of the Four Spiritual Paths

Rooted in the Nath Sampradaya of the Dnyanadeva tradition, Swamiji was a living confluence of the four great paths to liberation:

·        Karma Yoga – Selfless action performed without attachment and expectation of fruit

·        Dnyana Yoga – Transcendental realization of the Supreme, the Atma Vastu (Real Self) or Brahman.

·        Bhakti Yoga – Devotion where the seeker and the Divine remain in duality, yet unified in essence.

·        Raj Yoga – The disciplined yogic path where Prana dissolves into Pranava, and the mind transcends into Unmani (absolute stillness beyond thought), where the triad of seer, seeing, and sight ceases to exist.

The Harmony of Nirguna and Saguna Worship

Swamiji preached Nirguna Sadhana (worship of the formless Atman) through Soham Bhajan, a meditative practice aligned with the Yoga Marga of the Nath tradition. Simultaneously, he upheld Saguna Upasana (worship of the Divine in form) through the Nam Mantra - "Om Ram Krishna Hari" - as a means of spiritual realization. He harmonized these two approaches, affirming that both lead to the same ultimate truth. He proclaimed that God, the Devotee, and the Nam should merge like the Triveni Sangam (the confluence of three sacred rivers), signifying the unity of Nirguna and Saguna aspects of the Divine.

Beyond Discrimination: The True Path of Devotion

Swamiji rejected discrimination based on class, caste, intellect, or gender, emphasizing that for the Divine, it is only deep devotion (Bhava) that matters. True spirituality, he taught, is not determined by external identities but by the innate emotive disposition or bhava.

Technology, Righteousness, and the Search for Truth

While acknowledging the transformative potential of modern technology, Swamiji warned that without kindness and righteousness, it could degenerate into a demonic techno-culture, reducing humanity to mere dust instead of ushering in an age of peace. He emphasized that without a sincere search for the Real Self, the knowledge of techno-pundits remains futile—mere intellectual vanity devoid of true wisdom.

Published works

A Literary Legacy of Spiritual Wisdom

Swamiji’s literary contributions are as profound as his spiritual presence. His Bhashyas (commentaries) in Abhanga meter on Sant Dnyaneshwar’s Dnyaneshwari and Amrutanubhava are treasures of 20th-century Marathi literature. His own compositions, including:

• Sanjivani Gatha (a collection of Abhangas),

• Swaroopa Patra Manjusha (a collection of his letters), and

• Amrut Dhara, a deeply evocative spiritual work,

• Bhavartha Gita

• Abhanga Dnyaneshwari

• Abhang Amrutanubhava

• Three Discourses

Samadhi

Swamiji’s final journey to the ‘Abode of the Self’

In October 1972, Swamiji finalized the place for his Maha Samadhi, where he desired his mortal body to be kept. It was near his ancestral home, his birthplace.

On the 8^th of March, 1974, he composed a poem, Swami Nija Dhami Chalale (Swami - Travelling to the Abode of the Self).

His deep trances—lasting 19, 38, and 20 hours—leading up to his Maha-Samadhi signify his mastery over the physical and spiritual realms, demonstrating his deliberate departure from the mortal plane. At 9:45 AM on 15^th August 1974, he merged into infinity, yet his divine presence remains ever-accessible to seekers.

Swami Samadhi Mandir or The Temple of Swamiji’s Final Abode is at Pawas. It stands as a sacred testament to his enduring guidance and divine grace, drawing hordes of devotees every day, who seek his blessings and inner realization.

The Eternal Presence of Swamiji

Before attaining Maha Samadhi, Swamiji, in a state of divine trance, proclaimed that he would continue to exist in Chaitanya Rupa (the form of pure consciousness) upon Bhu Loka (the earthly plane). He assured that when Mauli (Jagadamba, the Mother of the Universe) willed it, he would return again.

Though Pawas remains his Janmabhoomi (birthplace), Swamiji’s spiritual radiance is like eternal moonlight—gracing humanity across generations, illuminating the path for seekers.

See Also

nath sampradaya

Dnyaneshwar

स्वामी स्वरूपानंद सेवा मंडळ (पावस)

रामचंद्र विष्णु गोडबोले

External links

Shri Swami Swaroopanand Shrine Temple - ("Samadhi Mandir")

Swami swaroopanandji's commemorative stamp on indianphilatelics website

Swami swarupanandaji's biography on hinduismfacts.org website

Meeting of Shree Maharaj and Swami Swaroopanand at Pawas