Our Inspiration
Most Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj began his spiritual journey by joining Sri Ramakrishna Math, Basavanagudi, Bangalore in 1977 and received his Mantra Diksha and Brahmacharya Diksha from Most Revered Swami Veereshwarananadaji Maharaj, the 10th President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission and he was initiated into the Holy Order of Sannyasa in 1987 by Most Revered Swami Gambhiranandaji Maharaj, the 11th President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. After his joining the Order, for the next 14 years he patterned his life along the supreme ideals of Renunciation and Service.
At the end of this period he was inspired to practice intense Tapasya in order to achieve the Supreme Goal of Human Life, God Realization as told by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Deva.
Taking due permission and blessings from the Senior Monks of the Order, he entered into solitude in the dense Churna forest of the Satpura Ranges in Madhya Pradesh situated on banks of River Narmada. He got settled in a place of complete isolation free from any human inhabitation, surviving on the naturally available fruits and roots and a bag of beaten rice which would be delivered to him once in every 2 or 3 month by a generous forest officer. Having spent many years in such a manner he took to the life of a wandering monk travelling to the Himalayas and finally came to Udupi in the year 2001 as a part of his sojourns.
Seeing the purity of life, and the noble desire to love and serve all beings manifested in his person, a group of devotees decided to renounce and lead their life along the twin Ideals of self-salvation and service of the world under his guidance. This lead to the genesis of the current Ashrama. It is the life transforming life of Revered Swami Vinayakanandaji Maharaj, who not only inspired us, but made us undergo radical transformation from life in the world to life divine in God; from self-centred living to a life of sacrifice, to love and serve all beings. Filled with Universal Love, Compassion, Knowledge of Science and Technology, matchless capacity to plan, design, implement work and accomplish, absolute perfection, humility, beautiful character and personality above all, a motherly heart, he transformed us. He stands aloof as an uninvolved silent inspirer radiating pure spirituality correcting us when we err, and nursing and nourishing our spiritual infancy.