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Sadhguru Shaligram Swami

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SADHGURU SHALIGRAM SWAMI

” The name Shaligram is not my surname, it is a responsibility bestowed on me by Bhagavan Nityananda. The shakti of lord Shiva and lord Vishnu fuse in Shaligram “

Very little is known about Swami Dayananda Shaligram’s birth and early childhood because it is lost in anonymity and it was also his earnest desire to live and remain in obscurity. But it is believed that he was born in a humble family of devout parents somewhere in an unknown, small village in Kerala state bordering with Karnataka in the year 1929 in the month of Bhadrapad, according to hindu calendar, that is sometime in August. As a child he used to get vivid dreams of mountains and rivers and ashrams. He was quiet and reserved by nature and was sober and contemplative from the time of his birth.

“श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम”

He could foresee that his life was brief and he had to do ghor tapasya, intense penance during this period itself. He was very focused and one pointed in his pursuits and endeavours which ever he undertook. Much against the wishes of his parents, he once set out on a pilgrimage alone as a youth in search of a guru. He reached the banks of river Narmada where he took a holy dip in the sacred waters. It was there in meditation that he got a divine vision of Bhagavan Nityananda and he heard his Guru calling him. He immediately left for Ganeshpuri, pretty directionless but very firm in his resolution to meet his soul mate and beloved master of many lives.

“HARE NITYANAND PAWAN NITYANAND”

He somehow reached Ganeshpuri after an arduous journey and met his Guru. None of them spoke a word! In the divine presence of Bhagavan Nityananda, he could immediately recall his past lives. He could also now recollect when he was in the astral world before he became Swami Dayanand Shaligram, how he had pleaded and prayed to Bhagavan Nityananda to incarnate on the earth as his Guru and he would become his humble devotee and servant for mitigating the woes and sufferings of millions of souls on the earth.

Swami Shaligram took refuge in Bhagavan Nityananda’s feet and expressed his desire to serve him as well as work for him. Nityananda Baba asked him to continue working in his job and along with that do his tapasya, penance.

श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम

After a lapse of a few years, under the direct order of Bhagawan Nityananda, Shaligram Swami had maintained an oath of silence (Mauna Vratha) for three years. By instruction of Baba, Swamiji was to complete this oath by breaking his silence at the feet of Bhagavan Nityananda in Ganeshpuri. He was to do this by uttering the name of baba at his feet. After which he began serving the people of Mahul, a sleepy hamlet of fishermen on the creeks of Bombay. He began living there after the people appealed to him. They also served him in their own ways as a token of service and gratitude. Though Shaligram Swami used to live in Mahul, he made very frequent visits to Ganeshpuri on weekends and other holidays to be with his divine guru for his affection and infallible wisdom.

HARE NITYANAND PAWAN NITYANAND

Shaligram Swami considered Bhagavan Nityananda to be his lord Rama and he considered himself to be Lord Hanuman (Lord Rama’s devoted disciple). On every 30th of November Lord Rama (in form of a murti of Bhagavan Nityananda) goes to the Hanuman temple at Mahul on foot. Mr. Madhav Hegde describes this event as an occasion where Lord Rama, in the form of bade baba, visits his disciple Shaligram (as Hanuman). It is a rare example of God visiting his devotee. The chief deity of Mahul village is Lord Hanuman and there is a small temple dedicated to him at the entrance of the village. People carry the Guru’s Padukas (sandals) on their heads in the morning. In a grand procession, while singing bhajans (devotional songs), they take them from the Mahul Ashram to the Hanuman temple. In the temple the Silver Padukas are received and worshipped.

श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम

In the evening Lord Hanuman (in the form of a murti of Shaligram Swami) takes his Guru Nityananda back to the ashram in great pomp and gaiety. Both murtis are placed on a palaki which is accompanied by music and dancing people. Fire crackers are set off on the way as the procession winds its way in the small lanes of the village. The streets and homes are decorated with colorful lights. At each house, Bhagavan is received and arathi (waving of lights) is performed. People are dressed in their best clothes and there is celebration in every house. The village thus takes on a festive look. The only known place where the birthday of Bhagavan Nityananda is celebrated is at Mahul.

HARE NITYANAND PAVAN NITYANAND

Bhagavan Nityananda guided him in his spiritual practices as well as in practical life too. He also asked him to serve the people in Mahul which he did happily. Although he had renounced his family in Kerala, Nityananda baba gave him a much larger family to attend to the old, sick and poor people whom he restored back to life and health. The sick were healed by miracles and divine healings and many peoples unfulfilled desires were fulfilled as and when they approached him.

श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम

And then there were a few who loved Shaligram Swami for his extreme devotion and depthless knowledge. But they were just a few! They arrived not for mercy or miracles or material considerations but for salvation or mukti and bhakti, devotion. Swami Shaligram showed them their path of salvation according to their karmic patterns, capabilities and level of endurance. He would promise and assure the seekers that he will always hold their hand to give them much needed mental support to overcome the difficulties of everyday life as well as tough suffering of karmic bondage which they would have to overcome for salvation. He pledged and promised those true and devoted disciples that he will never forsake them until the destination and goal of attaining mukti and karmic bondage is not attained.

HARE NITYANAND PAWAN NITYANAND

He gave advice to commoners, learned, householders and all those who came for help to him. No wonder he was the most beloved of all the many disciples of Bhagavan Nityananda and they both were inseparable, although they hardly spoke to each other. But their inner communication was enduring and unbreakable. Mahavatar Babaji calls Shaligram Swami as my laadla or very dear one because of his purity and flawless devotion towards his divine Guru.

It holds true even now although he is living no more, that whosoever takes his refuge with a true and pure heart, he will never be disappointed. If we remember him with a pure heart, he responds to our needs without any delay. If we wish to clear our baggage of past lives and find it difficult to carry it out alone, he invisibly lends timely help and rescue. If one is destined to become his disciple due to ones past karmas, then he will definitely become so.

श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम

One day a devotee visited the ashram and presented Shaligram Swami with forty-four thousand rupees. Swamiji called a goldsmith and used the money to have a silver alter designed with all items needed for daily puja. He also purchased gems and a pair of diamond-studded golden sandals. Swamiji placed the sandals in a bag and left for Bhagavan Nityananda’s Ganeshpuri ashram.
When he arrived at the ashram, he placed the golden sandals in front of Bhagavan Nityananda and stood aside in reverence. Bhagavan immediately put his feet in the sandals and Shaligram Swami held a beautiful umbrella over Bade Baba’s head, the way one holds an umbrella over a king. After all, Bhagavan Nityananda was the king of kings. This was a most beautiful sight. It was witnessed by Appa and photographed by Suvarna. This event occurred 12 years after the annual birthday celebrations on November 30th began each year at the Mahul ashram.

श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम

 

Swami Shaligram loved his guru the most, more than anything in this world so much so that he could never even dream of being separated from his master. So when he discovered that Bhagavan Nityanand is about to leave the world, he decided to take
Sanjeevani Samadhi, Sadguru Shaligram swami took Sanjeevani samadhi on 27th of April 1961 in Ganeshpuri with the permission of Bhagavan Nityanand. At that time, Bhagavan Nityanand himself told everyone that Godess BrahmaGayatri has blessed Shaligram Swami. He is a Hathayogi. He wants to take live samadhi. So build a proper and good samadhi with ash and precious items. Seat him in the samadhi facing south. Do not crack his head because sitting in this samadhi he is going to serve the mankind for 500 years.
He relinquished his last breath on 27th April 1961 in Ganeshpuri by chanting ram Rakshastrotra mantra. His samadhi temple was built on that spot and he rests there very close to his master today. He came in this world to show us what should a perfect devotee be like, how should one live in the family as a householder performing his worldly duties and continue doing his sadhana.