Scriptures and books give us knowledge. But it becomes Wisdom only when that knowledge is contemplated and practically applied in everyday life. While such determination and dedication for wisdom are seen in a few, even rarer are those who having experienced the truth themselves can further propagate it to the masses. Gaining wisdom makes One a ‘Saint’, but the ability to elucidate, express and explain it effectively makes Him a ‘Sadguru’ who can be instrumental in spiritual upliftment of many a souls.

We are immensely blessed to have the refuge of a ‘Sadguru’ par excellence, Pujya Gurudevshri, who with His supreme wisdom and guiding skills is leading us to our ultimate destination – liberation. Looking at Pujya Gurudevshri’s life it is evident that He has carried forward with Him, spiritual accomplishments of past lives in this birth. This helped Him effortlessly master scriptures and texts of varied fields and subjects, be it as a part of His academic career of M.A. (Philosophy) and Ph.D. or His personal sadhana. Carrying the flame of self-realisation, adorned in a beautiful lantern of scriptural wisdom, Pujya Gurudevshri is enlightening numerous lives wandering in the darkness of ignorance.

Let us ruminate the outstanding qualities that make Him an ideal friend, philosopher and guide for those seeking liberation and thereby deepen our devotion for Him:

Logical and Scientific Approach:

A goal focused and scientific approach reflects in Pujya Gurudevshri’s way of imparting knowledge. He always inspires to seek logical and practical explanations for the beliefs one harbours. This has ensured that blind faith or dogmatic principles do not mar the aspirants’ spiritual progress. Moreover, His rational approach, free of any preconceived notions or prejudices for any religion, sect or concept, has encouraged seekers to identify the universal truth in different philosophies and foster harmonious relationships with followers of different faiths.

Practical Application: Upon learning any new thing, Pujya Gurudevshri emphasises that one should ask himself the question, ‘How is this knowledge going to help me make my life better?’ With such clarity of purpose always on the surface, the seeker’s life becomes a laboratory where the principles of religion are put to test and their essence is experienced first-hand. It is thus that Pujya Gurudevshri has been successful in redefining religion as a joyous, heartfelt experience and not a mere dry ritual.

Adapting to the Situation:

Pujya Gurudevshri has a unique ability to adapt to the situation at hand and frame His replies accordingly. He can elaborate on a topic for more than 2 hours, that too in such a gripping manner that the audience does not even realise the amount of time gone by. But He can also encapsulate the same message in a 1-2 line Autograph or a Sadguru Whispers. Like He beautifully explained the difference between Death and Moksh in a concise manner saying, “If breaths are exhausted before wants, it is Death; whereas if wants are exhausted before breaths, it is Moksh.” He is also an excellent judge of the immediate physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state of His listeners. Based on the level from which the guidance is sought, He replies spontaneously such that they will optimally benefit the listeners.

Connecting to a Wider Mass:

Age, race, culture, etc. of the audience do not pose any limitation to His delivering wisdom. Be it a child or an elderly person; a learned scholar or someone who is hearing the word ‘soul’ for the first time, He can effortlessly satiate the thirst for knowledge in all. His clarity empowers Him to satisfactorily cater to inquisitive minds from diverse backgrounds, drawing them closer to the Truth. His quick wit and humour drive home the message powerfully without making it heavy.

Pujya Gurudevshri’s wisdom attracted several souls to His pravachans. As the numbers escalated, the pravachans were shifted to larger and larger venues in Mumbai. During the JAINA Convention in USA attended by Pujya Gurudevshri for the first time in 2005, crowds were drawn to His pravachans in such huge numbers that the organisers had to arrange for a bigger hall. An increasing number of people from various castes and religions are making their way to the Ashram just by watching His discourses on TV Channels. Such examples bear testimony to the fact that His captivating presentation of wisdom is proving to be beneficial for numerous souls. Indeed, He is ‘Wisdom Personified’, ‘A Speaking Scripture’!

Let Us Be Like Him!

Let us not stop at just applauding His qualities but take steps to cultivate them within us.

• ADOPT A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH – Check your beliefs. Do they stem from blind faith or do ye have a logical explanation for them?
• EXPERIMENT – Let not the knowledge gained reside just in memory. Apply the knowledge in your life and make it experiential.
• CONNECT, BEFORE YOU SPEAK – In your daily interactions, make an effort to connect with the other, understand his state and then communicate in a manner that would be beneficial to him.