Svāmimahārāja: An Epitome of Knowledge, Devotion, and Dharma

P. P. Vāsudevānandasarasvatī Svāmimahārāja stands out as a towering figure in the Datta Sampradaya and one of the most revered Sanyasis. He was an epitome of dharma, knowledge, bhakti, and ācāra. This article aims to briefly summarize his legacy, impact, and teachings.

Svāmimahārāja is renowned for his strict adherence to the shastras and unwavering commitment to his svadharma. Born into a Brahmin family, he meticulously fulfilled the duties of both Brahmacharyashrama and Grihasthashrama. Whether it was daily rituals like Sandhyavandana or Smartagni or occasional ceremonies, he performed them without fail. Alongside this, he was a devoted Datta upāsaka. Despite the extremely rigorous routine set for him by Datta Maharaj, he followed it without any complaint.

After the passing of his wife, he was initiated into Sanyasashrama. In this role as well, he continued to follow the stringent rules of Sanyasa. He traveled barefoot, and often, food that met his strict criteria was unavailable. However, he never compromised on his principles. He always upheld the boundaries and responsibilities of each ashrama with utmost respect.

Svāmimahārāja not only adhered to ācāra himself but also imparted its significance to countless others. His biography vividly demonstrates that during his era, many Bramhins had abandoned Nitya and Naimittika karmas. He took it upon himself to personally guide and teach them. As Svāmimahārāja’s conduct was impeccable, his disciples had a living role model to emulate. In a way, during those challenging times when Bramhins were straying from dharma, Svāmimahārāja stood firm like a rock, bringing many back into the dharmik fold. He also guided many significant dharmik ceremonies, such as Svāhākārs. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he delayed the influence of Kali by several decades.

Svāmimahārāja was an ocean of knowledge. He was well-versed in the Vedas and had a profound understanding of their meanings. His proficiency in Sanskrit is beyond question. Upanishads and their commentaries were his forte. He had mastered the Gita, Brahmasutra, and other foundational texts of Vedanta. Additionally, he was an erudite astrologer with a remarkable knowledge of medicinal plants. Alongside these, he was well-versed in the Puranas and Itihasas. His command over yoga, tantra and mantra was well known.

The greatness of Svāmimahārāja lay in his ability to impart knowledge to those who were truly eligible. Many scholars sought his guidance, and some of his disciples rose to become the heads of prominent Advaitic institutions. He nurtured a tradition of Kirtankars, Puraniks, and Pravachankars, personally mentoring them and even sitting among the audience to listen to their discourses. He also authored scholarly works such as Vasudevmanansar and Shikshatrayi, which reflect his profound erudition and deep understanding of dharma and Vedant.

Excessive knowledge of shastras can sometimes lead to a lack of bhakti, but this was never the case with Svāmimahārāja. He was an ardent devotee of Datta Maharaj, and there are numerous instances showcasing his deep devotion. He personally cautioned many scholars and guided them onto the path of bhakti.

The topic of bhakti naturally leads to a discussion of the Datta Sampradaya and the literature of Svāmimahārāja. The Sampradaya revolves around three pillars: devta, guru, and granth. Datta Maharaj is the principal deity, and his three avatars form the core guru tradition of the Datta Sampradaya. The most important book in this tradition is the Gurucharitra.

Svāmimahārāja’s role in the Datta Sampradaya is of paramount importance and uniquely special. Considered an incarnation of Datta Maharaj, he was the guru to many and the author of numerous books that hold immense significance in the Sampradaya. In essence, he embodies the Datta Sampradaya itself!

Any devata has its own Purana or a set of Puranas. In the Datta Sampradaya, the Purana is the Datta Purana, composed by Svāmimahārāja. The structure of the Datta Purana is similar to the Rik Samhita. It consists of 64 chapters and 8 Ashtakas. The beginning of each chapter in the Rik Samhita and the Datta Purana is the same. Svāmimahārāja also translated the Gurucharitra into Sanskrit and wrote commentaries on both works.

Since not everyone is eligible to read the Gurucharitra, he summarized it into 700 shlokas. And, as not all can understand Sanskrit, he translated the Datta Purana into Marathi as the Datta Mahatmya. In addition to these, he composed the Datta Champu, Trishati, the Datta Sahasranaam and the Satya Datta Puja. His books serve as the foundation of bhakti, upasana, and knowledge in the Datta Sampradaya.

There are two other aspects of Svāmimahārāja’s work in the Datta Sampradaya that deserve mention. Svāmimahārāja nurtured Datta Upasana across Bharat, traveling from the Himalayas to Rameshwaram. He rejuvenated sacred places like Pithapur and Kuravpur, which hold paramount importance in the Datta Sampradaya. Additionally, he consecrated numerous Datta Murtis and Padukas and established strict regulations for Pujaris at Wadi.

He imparted mantradiksha to countless people across Bharat. Thousands followed him, beginning to worship Datta Maharaj. Svāmimahārāja also created a tradition of disciples, such as Dixit Swami, Ganda Buwa, Rangavdhoot Maharaj, and Gulawani Maharaj, who continued to carry the flag of Datta Sampradaya. In essence, Svāmimahārāja gave the Datta Sampradaya a grand, structured, and coherent form.

Before concluding, it is important to highlight a few additional points about Svāmimahārāja’s literary contributions. His literature is vast and diverse, encompassing works in both Sanskrit and Marathi. He was a gifted poet, and his compositions carry a mesmerizing beauty, regal grandeur, and effortless simplicity. His poetic works, in addition to those on Datta Maharaj, include stotras, padas, shlokas, abhangas, and more. From Datta Maharaj to Suryadev, from Sadashiv Brahmendra to Narmada Mata, the sheer diversity of his work is astonishing. Many of his stotras, abhangas, and shlokas are chanted daily by thousands of devotees. His prose works, as mentioned earlier, are equally significant.

Svāmimahārāja’s contributions to Marathi literature are a treasure for the language and its speakers. It is noteworthy that although he was proficient in Sanskrit, he always held Marathi in high regard and encouraged many Sanskrit scholars to read works like Gurucharitra and Dasbodh.

Svāmimahārāja is that great sage whose knowledge resembles that of Adi Shankaracharya, whose renunciation mirrors Shukacharya, whose literature is on par with Maharshi Vyas, whose conduct reflects Bhagwan Ramchandra, and whose discernment equals that of Bhagwan Shri Krishna. When dharma was in decline, Svāmimahārāja stood like a rock and proved that, no matter how adverse the circumstances, it is always possible to uphold dharma.

It is futile to measure the sky, just as it is futile to measure the impact and legacy of Svāmimahārāja. The least we can do is follow his teachings, the essence of which is to uphold and respect the Shastras.

This marks the end of the series of articles on Svāmimahārāja. May he grant us the will, courage, and intellect to walk on the path of dharma.