Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati Tembe Swami Maharaj

A compact Biography.

Seekers : Seekers of Truth>Sanyasi disciples>The eight-fold yoga of Patanjali>Karma Yoga >Shri Keshavrao>Vedas and Scriptures>Bhakti>

• Bhakti
  Shri Maharaj propagated the path of devotion and Love on the largest scale. In this path, the seeker establishes an emotional relationship with the Lord and progressively focuses his mind on to the Divine. The relationship can be any, e.g., Father, Mother, Son, Brother, Master, Lover, Husband, etc. As the seeker advances, this relationship grows in intensity and obscures all other relationships. Finally, the whole world becomes unreal and the seeker’s mind gets immersed in the Divine and finally merged into it. This path can be followed by all human beings and has the maximum latitude in terms of conduct. What matters is the intensity of Love for the Divine and unconditional surrender to the Divine will. Actually, in most cases, the path of Bhakti starts as supplication to the Divine for some desire or longing (Sakaam Bhakti), Thus, the above-described instances of relief from distress or fulfilment of desire are actually examples of Sakaam Bhakti. This will intensify the faith of the seeker propelling him on to the Path of Devotion sans desire (Nishkaam Bhakti). As mentioned earlier, this path is open to all, men and women, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, race, education or the lack of it. In Puranas, there are examples of even non-human Bhaktas. A few examples will suffice to illustrate the point. 

• Jagala: -  When in Shinor, Shri Swami Maharaj was stopped by a fisherman, named Jagala, who had run away from home immediately after his marriage was arranged. He was staying in Shinor for two years. He was totally indifferent to physical discomforts and harsh climatic variations. Shri Maharaj just looked at him once and said, “So you are staying here? Come to Markandeya temple at nightfall” and proceeded with his routine. He then called the devotees in Shinor and told them that from that night, he will give discourses on Gita. At the nightfall, the people gathered for the discourse. Jagala too came and sat in a corner. The nightly discourses continued and Jagala attended those regularly. After the penultimate chapter (Ch.17) of Gita, he said that he did not want to listen any more and return. Jagala died two months later. 

• Saraswati Bai: - A prostitute named Saraswati Bai repented and came to stay in Narsobawadi. She used to sing Karunatripadi before the Padukas on instructions of Shri Dixit Swami Maharaj. Once she sang the prayer before Shri Maharaj. Pleased by her sincerity and devotion, Shri Maharaj composed a hymn in praise of Shri Guru (Gurustotra) for her and imparted some training in meditation. The lady spent the rest of her life pursuing the path of devotion and leading a pious life.