Swami Samarth Ramdas- An introduction

Swami Samarth Ramdas was the Spiritual Guru of Shivaji Maharaj. He was a great saint and united Hindus at the time of great tyranny of Muslims rulers.

He ran away early in his life to become a Sanayasi. His mother wanted him to marry and lead a regular householder life but he had otherworldly spiritual inclination in his life. He ran away after his thread ceremony ‘Yajnopaveet’.

His mother never forgot him and waited for him for years. He had a elder brother too , who led a householder life , Mother stayed with him.

Swami Ramdas did penance for 12 years continuously.. He use to stand waist deep in the waters of Godavari and used to chant Shri Ram Mantra and mediated on Lord Ram’s eternal ‘swaroopa’.

He attained the grace of Lord Rama. According to the established custom of Sanyasis he had to come once to his birth place after 12 years.

Following incidence happened at that time:

When he ( Swami Samarth Ramdas ) returned from his pilgrimage, somebody told Ramdas that his mother was pining for him, and that she had lost her eyesight on account of extreme sorrow arising out of his separation. Ramdas immediately went to see his mother. He made prostrations to his mother. His mother was exceedingly pleased to meet her son after an absence of many years. Ramdas touched the eyes of his mother. She got back her lost eyesight through the Yogic power of her son.

Swami Sivananda

Mother astonished with the miracle, asked him. “Beta tune koi Bhoot Siddha kar liya hai kya?” (Son have you got control over some ghost or something?).

Mother asked as it was a common practice of local tantriks. She thought him of some ordinary Sadhu or she just wanted to know the real source behind his powers.

Swami Ramdas laughed and replied, ” Maa maine sab bhooton aur jeevon ke bhoot bhavishy aur vartaman Prabhu Shri Ram ko siddha kar liya hai?” ( Mother I have got the infinite grace of past, present and future of all ghosts and beings. )