Swami Sarvanandji Maharaj

The source of this write-up is BHAGWAT -BHAKTI SADHANA MARG, a book written and published by our late grandfather Seth Balchand Menghraj Pamnani. This rare gem of a book was in the custody of my brother Mahesh.
I have dived into it and am reproducing Swamiji's biography as written in the book.

Lata (Geeta Nichlani.)
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Swami Sarvanandji was born on Thursday, 13 April 1905 coinciding with the month of Vaisakh on RAMNAVMI day.

Swamiji left for HIS heavenly abode on Sunday, 30 July 1961 during the early morning Brahm Muhurat at 3:45am.

Seth Balchand's association with Swami Gangeshwaranandji was first established in the year 1926 when Swamiji had visited Sindh with his group of saints. Swami Sarvanandji in those days was still studying under the able guidance of Swami Gangeshwaranandji and in a short time He Himself became a Master of all shastras. Both Swamijis visited Sukkhur, Gwalior, Delhi and Bombay and in 1936 headed the AKHANDANAND ASHRAM in Ahmedabad at the behest of our Guruji.

Swamiji showed his prowess of the scriptures during His Satsangs at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. The literary as well as the masses applauded His wisdom. Swamiji then visited Mussouri near Haridwar and Patiala. Shri Dayaliramji a respectable citizen and a principal of the high school there was very impressed by Him and took the responsibility of taking Swamiji to different cities to spread Sanatan Dharma.

As Swamiji spent long hours travelling and giving lectures, His health soon started failing. Swami Gangeshwaranandji called Him back from Haridwar to Patiala.

By this time His fever was controlled. On the invitation of Tapasvi Purandasji, they traveled to Chhipad and then to Bhatinda. The famous philanthropist Seth Narayandas was a great devotee of Swamiji but since he had no heir to carry forward the good work started by him, Swamiji blessed him with two sons Rajkumar and Pawankumar.

After a few days stay in Bhatinda and due to the intense summer, they proceeded to Rawalpindi and stayed at the RAMVANA. At the insistence of Swami Gangeshwaranandji, Swami Sarvanandji held a series of lectures on the SHANTI PURVA (this is where Bheesham Pitamaha was lying down on the arrows).

As soon as the Chaturmaas (the 4 months of monsoon) was over, they visited Gujranwala, Fatehganj, Lahore and Amritsar and the people there were blessed with their grace and words of wisdom. Swami Gangeshwaranandji was convinced that Swami Sarvanandji could be a worthy disciple to undertake all His responsibilities.

From then on, He independently visited Jamnagar, Saurashtra, Bhavnagar, Devgarh and Variya, and proved that He had both VIDYA BAL and YOGBAL.

Swami Sarvanandji was very attached to Swami Gangeshwaranandji Maharaj and did not want to stay away from Him.They would meet often in between their visits to various cities.

In 1941, He was sent to Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Kathiawad. The population was curious now to see Swami Gangeshwaranandji Maharaj after hearing and seeing His disciple.

In 1942 was the Prayag Kumbh Mela and they halted at Mount Abu on the way. There was a grand gathering organized to spread Dharma.

From Prayag they proceeded to Lahore, and Karachi. From 1942 to 1947, they toured Sindh, Shikarpur, Sukkhur, Hyderabad (Sindh) Quetta, Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Delhi, Indore, Ujjain, Ratlam, Surat, Baroda, Bombay, Madras, Nagpur, Mysore, Bangalore, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai and Rameshwaram to spread the message of the vedas.

Both Swamijis arrived in Karachi by air at the invitation of Seth Balchand for the marriage of his son Shri Jaikishandas in 1947. The marriage had to be postponed due to partition. Swamiji were well aware of the impending problems of partition and alerted the Hindu community regarding safeguarding their wealth and belongings.

They soon left for Jamnagar for the Chaturmaas fast (mandatory for all saints during the monsoon season).

At the inspiration of Swamiji, the Jamnagar Maharaja and the public donated a sum of Rs. 5 lakhs. They took it upon themselves to rehabilitate the refugees and settled some of them from Orva Port to Beram Gaon. The hours were long and Swamiji hardly slept an hour or two every night in such difficult times.

In 1948, they arrived in Gwalior to attend the marriage that was earlier postponed. The people of Delhi took the opportunity to invite Swamiji to enlighten the people there with their Satsangs.

The noted names are Rai Sahab Rudamal, Seth Gulraj Marawari, Valaytilal Kohli, Dewanchand Bhatia, Ishwardas Sethi and Kishinchand Wadhwa. On the ghats of Kudusia, the Geeta Gyan was started from 1948 to 1960 -- for thirteen long years, the sermons and lectures were held all over India.

Swamiji with his great oratory powers were able to make non-believers into believers of the Lord.

In February 1960, the Tulsi Nivas Satsang Hall was established with the total support of Bombay disciples.

The first series of satsangs was on the Bhagwat Geeta and the people of Bombay were very impressed with the recitation and explanation given by Swami Sarvanandji.

In order to make Delhi the spiritual capital as well, a plot was purchased in Karol Bagh to build an ashram at the insistence of the disciples in Delhi.

On 28th April 1960, the foundation stone ceremony of the ashram was held.

Swamiji was also the Organizer and active member of the All India Sadhu Samaj and the President of All India Udaseen Parishad. The immense load of work for the noble cause of Sanatan Dharma and the frequent traveling took its toll on Swamiji's health and they developed high blood pressure. With the able treatment of Dr Behl, Swamiji?s health was soon restored and He was back again in active Karmas.

On 30 June 1960 while in Mount Abu, Swamiji was advised by Ayurvedacharya Shri Ramdasji and Hakim Motiram to take rest and retire from active participation of various responsibilities.

After a 10-day stay there, Swamiji arrived in Bombay at Warden Road on 16 July 1960. On July 27th there was a group Recitation of the Bhagwat Geeta at Tulsi Nivas as well as Satyanarayan Katha.On the 28th and 29th too there were several lectures/pravachans and on the night of 30th July at about 10:25 pm, their blood pressure shot up very high and He was unable to even say what he wanted to. All the people gathered there and Swamiji were able to speak just five words.

The five words were:
HIMALAYA
GAOON (cow)
GURU
KAILASH
SHANKAR
To the people in attendance there, the words were not understood but Swami Gangeshwaranandji explained to all the last message of the Great Saint who was a true Karma Yogi.

Swami Gangeshwaranandji had to counsel all the devotees not to be unhappy, as this Great Saint had merged with Brahm after being a tireless worker, while He was here amongst all of us.

The last message was loaded with meaning.

Himalaya - By saying the word Himalaya Swamiji meant that as the great saints do their sadhana in the Himalayas, all of you devotees should always be engrossed in the Lord's name.

Gaoon (cow) - was in the context of the Cow Slaughter movement Swamiji was actively involved in for many years. His last wish was that this work be continued till such time the slaughtering of cows is banned in India, as we consider the cow sacred and the symbol of all the 33 crores devtas. In the year 1957, Swamiji had even met the then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to appeal against cow slaughter at Prayag during the Kumbh Mela.

Guru - The word was to pacify the devotees not to be dejected as His Guru (Swami Gangeshwaranandji) was amidst them to take them forward on the path of Dharma.

Shankar - The word meant that I am going to Shiv Dham (the abode of Shankar) and am going to merge with Him.

The land of India is really blessed as time and again great people descend here to show the right path to all and uplift the miseries they are having. Shankar Swarup JagadGuru Acharya Shrichandraji Maharaj had sent Swami Saravandji amongst us as the Dharma Sevak.

His qualities were many and the number of telegrams recieved was enormous. Swamiji's mortal remains were taken to Delhi by air and at the airport, several disciples had already gathered to pay their homage.

Swamiji's remains were merged in the Ganga at the Neel Dhara Ghat in Haridwar amongst chanting of Ved Mantras and kirtans at 11 am in the morning. There was later an assembly to pay homage to this Shivroopi saint at Haridwar and later at all the ashrams namely, Ved Mandir in Ahmedabad, Menghraj Bhavan in Bombay, Shrout Muni Nivas in Vrindavan, Udaseen Sanskrit Vidyalaya in Varanasi, Gangeshwar Dham in Delhi, Ram Dham in Amritsar and Om Prakash Bungalow in Nasik.

Bhagwat Saptah, Ramayan and Geeta Readings were rendered in Swamiji's memory.

The date was 30th JULY
The month was SHRAVAN
Tithi was TRITITYA Krishna Paksh
In the early hours of the BRAHM MUHURAT
Let us all remember Him this year that shall be 45 years in 2006.

I still remember as a small girl witnessing all this at our home in Warden Road. That was the first time we saw or heard of someone PASS away.

It is very rightly said PASS away and not Gone away because those who PASS away are sure to PASS BY AGAIN.

SHREERAM.
(as told by Lata(Geeta Nichlani))