Vande Guru Parampara

 Vande Guru Parampara

Guru Purnima – Honouring Our Gurus, Upholding the Tradition

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोत्कवानहमव्ययम् ।

विवस्वान् मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत । । (४-१)

In the Bhagavad Gita, while advising Arjuna, Lord Krishna gives an example of the tradition of knowledge. He says, “I imparted this indestructible Yoga to the Sun (Vivasvan), who passed it on to Manu, and Manu, in turn, passed it on to Ikshvaku.”

In the Indian tradition, whenever new knowledge or philosophy is presented, the legacy of the Guru's tradition is also acknowledged—because knowledge flourishes only when its lineage is preserved and passed on.

Jnana Prabodhini has accepted four great personalities—Samarth Ramdas, Swami Dayananda, Swami Vivekananda, and Yogi Arvind—as its visionaries, and pathfinders who have shaped Jnana Prabodhini ideals and direction.

Today, let us learn about Samarth Ramdas. The poet Vaman Pandit praises him with the following verse.

शुकासारखे पूर्ण वैराग्य ज्याचे।

वसिष्ठापरी ज्ञान योगेश्वराचे ।।

कवि वाल्मिकीसारखा मान्य ऐसा ।

नमस्कार माझा सद्गुरू रामदासा ।।

जयजय रघुवीर समर्थ ।।

The meaningful English translation of this Marathi poem is as follows:

One who embraced complete renunciation like Shukadeva,

Who, like Sage Vasishtha, is accomplished in knowledge and yoga,

And whose poetic genius is universally acclaimed like that of Sage Valmiki—

I bow to such a revered Guru, Ramdas.

Victory to the valiant Raghuveer, Samarth!

Why are the three personalities—Shuka, Vasishtha, and Valmiki—mentioned while describing Samarth? Who were these three? Was Samarth given the title Sadguru because he embodied the combined qualities of these great sages?

Who were Shuka, Vasishtha, and Valmiki?

It is natural to think this way when we recite the above verse.

Shuka Muni was the son of Sage Vyasa. Why is he called a recluse? After completing his studies at the ashram, Vyasa asked Shuka to go to King Janaka, who would assess his knowledge. When Shuka arrived at Janaka’s palace, he asked the watchman to inform the King of his arrival. The response he received was to wait there until the King summoned him.

So, how long did Shuka wait? A ghatika passed. A prahar went by. The day ended. Then came the second day, and the third. Shuka waited at the palace gate for three full days and nights without any remorse or resentment.

On the fourth day, the King, accompanied by his officials, ministers, and the sound of a drum roll, came to the gate. He seated Shuka in a golden palanquin and brought him to his court with great honour. Shuka was then accommodated in a separate room, furnished with luxuries—sumptuous meals, soft mattresses, and entertainment through dance and music. However, Shuka remained undisturbed and unaffected. The King observed Shuka’s conduct closely.

The following day, King Janaka invited a group of graceful female dancers to perform in his court. During the recital, he handed Shuka a bowl filled to the brim with milk. Shuka was instructed to walk around the court seven times without spilling a single drop.

Shuka fixed his gaze on the bowl, walked seven rounds of the court, and returned the bowl to the King exactly as he had received it.

Pleased, King Janaka said to Shuka, “O great sage, I tried testing you in several ways. I have nothing to teach you. Your father wished you would learn something from me—but I have realised that it is I who have something to learn from you.”  

Like Shuka Muni, clear minded and resolute on his objectives—Narayan, later to be known as Samarth Ramdas, came to Nashik, undertook self-study for twelve years, travelled extensively, and established an order of knowledge.

This was Samarth Ramdas,

one who never deviated from his goals

and walked the path of a true recluse.

Rishi Vasishtha was the leader of the learned and the revered teacher of Lord Rama—Rama, who was known for his sense of justice, impartiality, and unmatched valour.

Samarth Ramdas,

too, was like Rishi Vasishtha

wise, balanced, and fair in all his actions.

Like Sage Valmiki, who wrote the first epic, the Ramayana, Samarth Ramdas composed the Dasbodh, Manache Shlok, Karunashtaka, and various Aartis.

Samarth Ramdas, like Sage Valmiki,

expressed his thoughts through poetry in many forms.

These are the reasons why the poet Vaman Pandit mentioned the three great sages while praising Samarth Ramdas Swami.

If we examine Samarth’s life, we observe that since his childhood, he questioned two things.

The first question concerned the world around him; samaṣṭi and its Creator. Samarth immersed himself in deep study at Nashik, after which he wrote the Dasbodh. While doing so, he also sought answers through the practice of Jnana yoga.

His second set of concerns was about the Sultan’s soldiers, who would plunder and loot whatever they could. The villagers were unable to resist these attacks. As Samarth travelled across India, he reflected deeply on the widespread slavery, political; social and oppression.  He contemplated the need for freedom.

To raise awareness about these issues, he practised Karma yoga alongside Jnana yoga. He inspired society to become physically strong and mentally alert and awake about freedom. He also established a network of Mathas (monastic centres) to spread knowledge and preserve tradition.

This network not only served as a connection between various mathas but also became a centre for the holistic development of disciples—and a foundation for nation-building.

          In this way, by following Jnana yoga and Karma yoga, Samarth Ramdas upheld the tradition of knowledge established by Shuka, Vasishtha, and Valmiki. Therefore, on the occasion of Guru Purnima, we offer our salutations to him.

Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima.

Who was Sage Vyasa?

'व्यासं वसिष्ठनप्तारं शक्ते: पौत्रमकल्मषम् ।

पराशरात्मजं वन्दे, शुकतातं तपोनिधिम्' ।।

Vyasa, who was the great-grandson of Rishi Vasishtha,

grandson of Rishi Shakti, son of Rishi Parashar, and father of Rishi Shuka;

I bow to this pious ascetic.

Vyasa wrote the Mahabharata and the Shrimad Bhagavatam. He was a master of all the Vedas. He developed a systematic method for studying the Vedas and established a tradition of Vedic learning.

This Vyasa tradition of knowledge is also reflected in language. That is why the podium—or the place from which a speaker shares their thoughts—is called a Vyaspeeth. Society expects the speaker on the Vyaspeeth to uphold this tradition of knowledge, which is self-evident.

Across the world, various lineages, families, and schools of thought have preserved and nurtured rich traditions of knowledge. These traditions have flourished over generations, sustained by the contributions of thinkers and seekers committed to sharing and expanding human understanding.

In the field of atomic science,

J. J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford, and James Chadwick

each played a pivotal role in unfolding the structure of the atom.

All three were associated with the Cavendish Laboratory

at the University of Cambridge, a historic centre of physics research.

Their groundbreaking work

discovering the electron, the nuclear model of the atom, and the neutron,

form the foundation of modern atomic theory.

They exemplify the enduring

Knowledge tradition of scientific inquiry and discovery

 that is passed from mentor to student, generation after generation.

 

In the realm of primatology,

Louis Leakey, a paleoanthropologist mentored his students

Jane Goodall (who studied chimpanzees), Dian Fossey (gorillas),

and Biruté Galdikas (orangutans) did pioneering in study of primates.

They established a powerful tradition of observational field research.

Their work, often referred to as the Leakey School,

expanded our understanding of primate behaviour and human evolution.

The Leakey School of Primatology, represents a deeply rooted

knowledge tradition grounded in observation, patience, and empathy.

 

In space science, Indian visionaries like

Vikram Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan, Vasant Gowarikar, & A. P. J. Abdul Kalam founded and nurtured

 a knowledge tradition of scientific excellence

at ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), an institution

that remains a symbol of India's innovation and aspirations

 in space exploration.

 Through their leadership and mentorship,

they created a vibrant knowledge tradition

 that continues to inspire

future generations of Indian scientists and engineers.

 

We may send several messages wishing a happy Guru Purnima to our teachers and gurus to express our gratitude. But we must remember that

Guru Purnima is not only a day to feel grateful to our gurus,

it is also a time to bow wholeheartedly to them

and to the tradition of knowledge, they have upheld and nurtured.

On this day, let us resolve

 to become torchbearers of this grand tradition of knowledge—

to preserve it, to pass it on, &

to keep alive the ever-flowing river of timeless wisdom.

Prashant Divekar

Jnana Prabodhini, Pune