User:Musafir57

Swami Sharnanandji of Vrindavan. Not much is known about the life of Swami Sharnanandji other than that he died in 1974 and that he lost his eyesight when he was about 10 years old. We learn from listening to one of his discourses that he became a sadhu (a hermit) at the age of 19. According to his key disciple, Devakiji, 'Based on what was heard—in his own words, from time to time on various occasions regarding his life events—we come to know that Swamiji lost his eyesight when he was about ten years old. Due to the deep sorrow caused by his blindness, the whole family became grief-stricken. However, due to the beneficent influence of this sorrow, a question arose in Swamiji’s mind: “Is there such a happiness which is free from pain?” He received the answer that such a happiness, which is free from pain, is only accessible to Sadhus and Saints. In this answer, Swamiji found the path of his life. His mind started constantly dwelling on the thought of becoming a sadhu. A Sat-Guru Saint met him. They talked. The Saint advised him to take refuge in the Divine protection. Saint’s words left an indelible impress on his young, tender heart. Immediately upon accepting God’s refuge, there arose in his heart an intense longing to meet God. This longing loosened the noose of all relationships with the body and the world. At the age of 19, he undertook the formal vow of renunciation (sanyaas). From that time onwards, he gave up all dependence upon objects and companions and, observing the strict discipline of sanyaas, started living relying solely on God. Based on events during the period pertaining to Swamiji’s spiritual practice, it becomes very clear that the feeling of God’s Refuge become so overwhelmingly powerful in him that the expression of truth—that Almighty God is always with us—took no time. Once, Swamiji was traveling on foot alone from Mathura city to Agra. The earth was sunken at one place. Swamiji fell in the water. The river was brimful. The walking stick fell away from his hand. He knew how to swim but, without being able to see, it was difficult for him to know in which direction he should swim. He remembered his Divine Guardian and, under His protective care, he relaxed his body while he was getting drowned in the water. Immediately he felt as if someone, lifting him up from inside the water, has put him on the dry land. When he placed his hand on the earth in order to get up, he found a new walking stick in his hand! His heart melted away, so to speak, having directly received God’s Divine Protection. Adorned with God’s grandeur, and intoxicated with Divine Love, he got up and started walking. There are many such happenings in Swamiji’s life from which one comes to know about Swamiji’s unshakeable trust and single-minded Refuge in God. Whenever he happened to be in Vrindavan, Swamiji would go to Baankey Bihari’s temple for Darshan purposes. One day a friend asked him, “Swamiji! You are not able to see anyway. You cannot have Darshan; then why do you go to the temple. Swamiji replied, “My dear, think about it—I am not able to see, but does God also not have eyes. I am not able to see Him; but He is able to see me. It gives my Lord pleasure to see me; and that is the reason I go to the temple. What a lively trust in God.’ Devaki, Prabodhani, A Manav Seva Sangh Publication, p. 2.

The essence of Sharnanandji’s views is: There is no thing which is our personal thing. And there is nothing else besides one Reality. According to Swami Ramsukhdasji, "In Sharnanandji’s books, it becomes evident that he wants the readers to attain realization, not merely to ‘teach’ the readers. His words have the effect of a bullet of a gun. He states his position in an indirect manner so that the spiritual aspirant may not just learn empty words. Instead of making the seekers go through the drill of 'practice,' he used to have them 'acknowledge' (Truth); instead of the 'intellectual exercise,' he used to let the seekers 'experience” (Truth) directly." Once Swami Ramsukhdasji asked Swami Sharnanandji, "Maharaj, what is the touchstone that a person has realized God?" Sharnanandji replied, tersely: "Obliteration of the sense of individuality."

Sharnanandji established an organization called “Manav Seva Sangh” or "A Community to Serve Humanity" that still exists in Vrindavan, a holy town that is about 10 kms from Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna.