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WHEN he was only 14 years old
and still at school, Hindu sage and philosopher Saint Mahatma Shri
Yogeshwarji Maharaj became interested in, yoga and meditation.
Five years later he dropped
out of university and, inspired by the written works of great Indian sages,
he began his quest for self realization by living as a hermit in a remote
Indian forest.
HERMIT YEARS IN A FOREST AND THE MOUNTAINS
Shri Yogeshwarji spent seven
years living as a hermit in Devprayag Forest meditating and practicing yoga
– without once going to sleep.
Shri Yogeshwarji, 62, arrived
in Durban last month to begin the first leg of a South African lecture tour.
This week he spoke of his life in the forest and of the more than 30 years
he spent at an Ashram high up in the remote Himalaya Mountains.
"I went to the forest in order
to educate myself further in the spiritual field” 'the sage, who speaks
fluent English, said.
'I did not sleep for seven
years. I spent 18 hours a day in meditation and, every day at noon I would
spend about a half hour relaxing -but only relaxing, not slumbering. Such
was my thirst and enthusiasm for self-realization that sleep disappeared
automatically."
In the years spent in the
forest, the sage rarely saw other people. "The only people I saw were
travelers who came to my hut to offer me food." After I left the forest, I
went to live at an ashram (temple), high up in the Himalaya Mountains where
I practiced meditation and observed strict silence for many years," he said.
"There were many wild animals
in the mountains but one who has faith is not afraid. It was very peaceful
up in the mountains, there was solitude everywhere."
Shri Yogeshwarji said he left
his Himalayan ashram after he felt the need to serve humanity. "I finally
realized the Self after so many years of spiritual austerity so I decided to
serve humanity."
"In India I travel to many
universities and lecture to the students. I talk with them about character
building, national outlook and service to humanity."
"My lectures are not merely on religious scriptures although most of it is
based on religion."
"I lecture on Indian
philosophy to the people who need spirituality. I lecture for the common
people, irrespective of creed, sect, or race."
INSPIRED
Apart from lecturing at Indian
university campuses, Shri Yogeshwarji has been on several lecture tours to
the United States, Canada, Britain and Zambia.
Shri Yogeshwarji said he was
greatly inspired by Mahatma Gandhi who he met at Birla House in Bombay in
1940.
"I was highly impressed by
him. What struck me most at first appearance was how simple, humble and
straightforward he was. He had sympathy for all and a special sympathy for
the poor and his heart burned for the miserable people,"
Shri Yogeshwarji has written
80 books, many of them translations of Hindu religious works. He has also
written special commentaries on Hindu religious scriptures.
"Most of our ancient Indian
scriptures are written in Sanskrit and many people in India, especially the
youngsters, do not read Sanskrit. So I decided to translate books from
Sanskrit into Gujarati.
"About 10 to 15 years from
now, most people in India will not know Sanskrit because the trend in
education nowadays is not to teach it. Sanskrit should not be neglected."
Shri Yogeshwarji began his
latest translation of the Mahabharata- when he arrived in South Africa last
month. He spends five hours a day on the book, written in longhand and
expects to take two years to complete the work.
"I do not merely translate the
book; I use old text and give it a modern interpretation. I take the modern
man's view when writing; as the problems mentioned in the ancient books have
changed since they were written."
He is also busy on a book
about his South African visit which will be published when he returns to
India.
"I have also written a book of
poetic prose in two volumes. It's called "Tunes unto the Infinite" he said.
Accompanying the sage on his
South African tour is his long-time devotee and companion Shri Sarveshwari
Mata. The former school head mistress, who holds two university degrees,
travels with the sage on all his tours. She composes and recites bhajans
(devotional songs) and has recently published a booklet of 51 bhajans in
Gujarati.
This is the sage’s first visit
to South Africa and he is very impressed with the country.
“ I like the land very much,
taking into account the cleanliness, the beauty of the nature and the vast
oceans. It is very picturesque. Yes, we would like to return if we are
invited again.
“Someone in Bombay asked us:’
why do you visit South Africa? We have no sound ties with them and there is
some sort of racial discrimination.”
I replied that whatever we
visit, we talk about spiritual welfare and the betterment of the masses.
Where there is disease the doctor is near. “People want peace everywhere,
light and guidance. The spiritual doctor has to be there, so we will visit.”
“We have faith in the
fundamental nobility of all people” he said. |
