• Jan 25 2016
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Swami Swaroopanand Samadhi Math

During the year 1949, Shree Maharaj met Shree Swami Swaroopanand at Pawas, in Ratnagiri, who was staying in the house of Shri Desai. The original name of Shree Swami Swaroopanand was Shri Ramchandra Vishnu Godbole.

Within the next two months, Shree Swami Swaroopanand, as per the visionary instructions of his Guru (preceptor) Shree Ganeshnath Vaidya, expressed his desire to handover the tradition of nath religions sect, alongwith all the power and authority, to Shree Maharaj (Shree Digambardas Maharaj). But Shree Maharaj was not ready to take over this responsibility. Shree Swami Swaroopanand told Shree Maharaj that this was being done as per the instruction of his Guru (preceptor) Shree Ganeshnath Vaidya.

Shree Maharaj passed on this information to Shree Sadguru Baba Maharaj for advice and orders. After listening to this information, Shree Baba Maharaj said “We are not going to take any such responsibility.” Afterwards, Shree Baba Maharaj went in deep meditation for nearly one and half hours. After returning from meditation he said “Vithoba, to take the responsibility of Nath religious sect (Nath Sampradaya) has come to us from the ancient times. It has to be done now. Hence you should take the responsibility of Nath sect.”

The inspiration, the energy and raising of public contribution in the publication of Jnaneshwari (commentary on Bhagvad Gita) in the form of poetic stanza written by Shree Swami Swaroopanand was planned entirely by Shree Maharaj. In this Jananeshwari, Shree Maharaj had written the introductory by name “Sumanjali” Shree Swami Swaroopanand always used to respect Shree Maharaj.

During that time, Shri Raghunath Keshav alias Shri Nana Joshi Shri Vinayak Keshav alias Shri Dada Joshi and Shri Bapu Khandekar were the close friends of Shree Maharaj . Shri R.K. Joshi was a Mamlatdar (Taluka Magistrate). Shri V.K. Joshi and Shri Bapu Khandekar were always requesting Shree Maharaj for getting them spiritually initiated (anugraha). But Shree Maharaj was onlyinterested in initiating Shri R.K. Joshi. But Shri R.K. Joshi used to tell Shree Maharaj, “Shree Maharaj, I dont want the initiation from you. I will not able to maintain the Guru-Shishya (preceptor-disciple) relationship at present. I would like to maintain this relationship of friendship and love between us.”

Once all the three friends alongwith Shree Maharaj had been to Pawas, near Ratnagiri, to get the blessings from Shree Swami Swaroopanand and after the meals, again, when the question of initiation came up, Shree Swami Swaroopanand told Shri R.K. Joshi ” Raghunath, Shree Maharaj desires to initiate you. This is a rare occasion. This requires the merits of past life. Hence donot miss this opportunity.”

Besides this, his two friends also convinced Shri R.K. Joshi and ultimately Shri R.K. Joshi agreed to take the initiation. Then Shree Maharaj blessed Shri R.K. Joshi with initiation. Simultaneously Shree Maharaj also blessed Shri V.K. Joshi and Shri Bapu Khandekar with initiation alongwith Shri R.K. Joshi.

As per the orders of Shree Sadguru Baba Maharaj , Shree Maharaj spread the Nath Sampradaya (sect) received from Shree Swami Swaroopanand, alongwith his own swaroop religious sect. After some time, during the year 1960, Shree Maharaj stopped this activity because of the following reason :-

Once Shree Swami Swaroopanand critcised Shree Maharaj on one of his works. On that issue Shree Maharaj addressed Shree Swami Swaroopanand like this “How you are criticising about my working ? You are a saint. You have got divine foresight, so without using the foresight, how have you criticised me ?. I am not doing anything on my own, without the permission of my sadguru. You have failed to understand me even after so many years”

After this incident, Shree Maharaj discontinued the relationship with Shree Swami Swaroopanand and he never again went to Pawas. After this, Shree Maharaj spoke to Shree Baba Maharaj “I will not continue the spread of Nath Sampradaya (Sect) again and I will return the same to sadguru Shree Ganeshnath Vaidya.” Then Shree Baba Maharaj spoke “You donot return the Nath Sampradaya. You surrender the same sect at my feet. After some time, we will again spread the same along with our Swaroop Sampradaya (sect.)”