Swami Rama Tirtha (
Punjabi: ਸਵਾਮੀ ਰਾਮਤੀਰਥ,
Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
: स्वामी रामतीर्थ 22 October 1873 – 17 October 1906
[Verma, M.L. ''Swadhinta Sangram Ke Krantikari Sahitya Ka Itihas''. Vol 2. pp. 418–421]), also known as Ram Soami, was an Indian teacher of the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
philosophy of
Vedanta
''Vedanta'' (; sa, वेदान्त, ), also ''Uttara Mīmāṃsā'', is one of the six (''āstika'') schools of Hindu philosophy. Literally meaning "end of the Vedas", Vedanta reflects ideas that emerged from, or were aligned with, t ...
. He was among the first notable teachers of Hinduism to lecture in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, travelling there in 1902, preceded by
Swami Vivekananda in 1893 and followed by
Paramahansa Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh; January 5, 1893March 7, 1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi and guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowsh ...
in 1920. During his American tours Swami Rama Tirtha spoke frequently on the concept of 'practical Vedanta'
and education of Indian youth.
He proposed bringing young Indians to American universities and helped establish scholarships for Indian students.
Biography
Rama Tirtha was born in a
Punjabi Brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...
family to Pandit Hiranand Goswami on 22 October 1873 (
Deepawali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...
Vikram Samvat 1930) in the
village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...
of Muraliwala in the
Gujranwala District
Gujranwala District (Punjabi and ur, ), is a district that is a part of the Majha region in Punjab, Pakistan. Gujranwala District is bordered by the districts of Gujrat, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad and Sheikhupura. Gujranwala dist ...
of
Punjab, Pakistan
Punjab (; , ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in central-eastern region of the country, Punjab is the second-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the largest province by population. It shares land borders with the ...
.
[ His mother died when he was a few days old and he was raised by his elder brother Gossain Gurudas. After receiving a master's degree in mathematics from The Government College of Lahore he became professor of mathematics at ]Forman Christian College
Forman Christian College is an private liberal arts university in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was founded in 1864 and is administered by the Presbyterian Church. The university follows an American-style curriculum.
Founded in 1864 by America ...
, Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city ...
.
A chance meeting with Swami Vivekananda in 1897 in Lahore, inspired his later decision to take up the life of a sannyasi
''Sannyasa'' (Sanskrit: संन्यास; IAST: ), sometimes spelled Sanyasa (सन्न्यास) or Sanyasi (for the person), is life of renunciation and the fourth stage within the Hindu system of four life stages known as '' A ...
. Having become well known for his speeches on Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
and Advaita Vedanta
''Advaita Vedanta'' (; sa, अद्वैत वेदान्त, ) is a Hindu sādhanā, a path of spiritual discipline and experience, and the oldest extant tradition of the orthodox Hindu school Vedānta. The term ''Advaita'' ( ...
he became a swami
Swami ( ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to a male or female ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (''sanyāsa''), or has been initiated into a religious monastic order of Vaishnavas. It is used eit ...
in 1899 on the day of Deepawali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...
,[ leaving his wife, his children and his professorial chair.
"As a sannyasi, he neither touched any money nor carried any luggage with him. In spite of it he went round the world." A trip to Japan to teach Hinduism was sponsored by Maharaja Kirtishah Bahadur of Tehri: from there he travelled to the ]United States of America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...
in 1902, where he spent two years lecturing on Hinduism, other religions and his philosophy of "practical vedanta". He frequently spoke about the iniquities of the caste system in India and the importance of education of women and of the poor, stating that "neglecting the education of women and children and the labouring classes is like cutting down the branches that are supporting us – nay, it is like striking a death-blow to the roots of the tree of nationality." Arguing that India needed educated young people, not missionaries, he began an organization to aid Indian students in American universities and helped to establish a number of scholarships for Indian students.
He always referred to himself in the third person, which is a common spiritual practice in Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
in order to detach oneself from Ego.
Though upon his return to India in 1904 large audiences initially attended his lectures he completely withdrew from public life in 1906 and moved to the foothills of the Himalaya
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
where he prepared to write a book giving a systematic presentation of practical vedanta. It was never finished: He died on 17 October 1906 (Deepawali
Diwali (), Dewali, Divali, or Deepavali (IAST: ''dīpāvalī''), also known as the Festival of Lights, related to Jain Diwali, Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, Swanti, Sohrai, and Bandna, is a religious celebration in Indian religions. It is on ...
Vikram Samvat 1963).
Many believe he did not die but gave up his body to the river Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
.[
A significant prediction made by Swami Rama Tirtha for future India is quoted in Shiv R. Jhawar's book, ''Building a Noble World''. Rama Tirtha predicted: “After Japan, China will rise and gain prosperity and strength. After China, the sun of prosperity and learning will again smile at India.”
]
Legacy
Punjabi Indian nationalist Bhagat Singh
Bhagat Singh (27 September 1907 – 23 March 1931) was a charismatic Indian revolutionary*
* who participated in the mistaken murder of a junior British police officer
*
* in what was to be retaliation for the death of an Indian national ...
uses Tirtha as an example of the great contributions Punjab had made to the Indian nationalist movement in his essay "The Problem of Punjab's Language and Script". The lack of memorials to Tirtha is given by Singh as an example of the lack of respect for Punjab's contributions to the movement.
Indian Revolutionary Pandit Ram Prasad Bismil depicted the character of Swami Rama Tirtha in the poem ''Yuva Sannyasi''.[
Two of his disciples, S. Puran Singh and Narayana Swami, wrote biographies. Puran Singh's ''The Story of Swami Rama: The Poet Monk of the Punjab''] appeared in 1924 and was published in English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
as well as in Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
. Narayana Swami's untitled account was published in 1935 as a part of Rama Tirtha's collected works.
A further account of his life was written by Hari Prasad Shastri and published with poems by Swami Rama Tirtha translated by H P Shastri as 'Scientist and Mahatma' in 1955.
Paramahansa Yogananda
Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh; January 5, 1893March 7, 1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi and guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowsh ...
translated many of Rama Tirtha's poems from Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
into English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and put some of them to music: one, entitled "Marching Light", appeared in Yogananda's book ''Cosmic Chants'', as "Swami Rama Tirtha's Song".
Contribution of Swami ji towards his mother tongue Punjabi language
The Swami Rama Tirtha Mission Ashram is located at Kotal Gaon Rajpura, near Dehra Dun
Dehradun () is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislativ ...
in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
.
One of three campuses of Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University
Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University(HNBGU) (formerly known as Garhwal University) is a Central University, established in 1973, located in Srinagar, Uttarakhand in Northern India. The university is named after Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna, ...
, situated at Badshahi Thaul, New Tehri, is known as the Swami Rama Tirtha Parisar(SRTC).
His sister's son H. W. L. Poonja became a noted Advaita teacher in Lucknow
Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...
, while Hemant Goswami
Hemant Goswami (born 1981) is an Indian social activist working on social issues like public health, environmental activism, child rights, child labour and many other civil right issues. He is also well known as a voice against tobacco. He is c ...
, his great-grandson, is a social activist based in Chandigarh
Chandigarh () is a planned city in India. Chandigarh is bordered by the state of Punjab to the west and the south, and by the state of Haryana to the east. It constitutes the bulk of the Chandigarh Capital Region or Greater Chandigarh, which a ...
.
17 . ^ पंडित लाला राम शुक्ल (1949): स्वामी राम तीर्थ का जीवन चरित्र : This is a "Laghu Kaavya" written by late Pt. Lala Ram Shukla (died November '1949). This laghu kaavya was published during '1984 (originally written during ~'1930s).
https://archive.org/details/20210718_20210718_0834
Further reading
* ''Parables of Rama by Swami Rama Tirtha''. Rama Tirtha Pratisthan
* ''Practical Vedanta Selected Works of Swami Rama Tirtha: Selected Works of Swami Rama Tirtha.'' 1978, Himalayan Institute Press. .
* ''Yoga and the Supreme Bliss : Songs of Enlightenment.'' Swami Rama Tirtha, 1982, trans. A.J. Alston. .
* ''Life, Teachings And Writings Of Swami Rama Tirtha'', by Prem Lata. Sumit Publications, .
* Swami Rama Tirtha – A Great Mystic Poet of India
* An article on Swami Rama Tirtha in "The Legacy of The Punjab" by R. M. Chopra, 1997, Punjabee Bradree, Calcutta.
*
* "Rama In The Eyes of Iqbal". 2010 by Dr. Kedarnath Prabhakar & Dr. Akash Chanda ( )
* "Wehdatnama: A Bouquet of Punjabi Vedantic Poetry of Swami Ramtirtha" 2013 by Dr. Kedarnath Prabhakar & Dr. Akash Chanda ( )
* "Muscular Vedanta: The Practical Form of Vedanta Philosophy Propounded by Swami Ramtirtha". 2011 by Dr. Kedarnath Prabhakar & Dr. Akash Chanda ( )
*
Scientist and Mahatma: The Life and Teachings of Swami Rama Tirtha
(2nd ed. 2006) by Hari Prasad Shastri. Shanti Sadan. .
External links
Biography of Swami Rama Tirtha by Puran Singh – free download
Indian Postage Stamp on Swami Rama Tirtha, 1966
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tirtha, Swami Rama
1873 births
1906 deaths
Illeists
Indian Hindu monks
20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians
Vedanta
Government College University, Lahore alumni
Forman Christian College faculty
People from Gujranwala
Deaths by drowning in India
Indian Hindu saints