Pujya Swamiji
Swamiji is well-known not only in India but also in distant foreign countries; thanks to His spellbinding discourses on Srimad Bhagwat, Ramayan, Mahabharat, and other ancient, holy books of spiritual sciences. However, this is not all that can describe completely His multi-dimensional and inspiring personality. Hence, an effort is made to briefly introduce Him.
Swami Govind Dev Giriji Maharaj, formerly known as Acharya Kishoreji Madangopal Vyas, (fondly called by his devotees as “Swamiji”) was born on 25th January 1949 into a piousBrahmin family in Belapur, a small village in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
Swamiji inherited the legacy of study of ancient spiritual sciences, devotion and committed religiosity from His parents through a long family tradition.
Swamiji completed His primary education in His native village and joined Tatvagyan Vidyapeeth founded by Shri Pandurang Shastri Aathavale, who pioneered a revolutionary Socio-religious movement called “Swadhyay.”
Swamiji earned HisBachelor’s Degree in Philosophy under the able guidance of Shri Pandurang Shastri Aathavale.
Thereafter, Swamiji went to Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India, for further studies into Vedas, Upanishads and other scriptures of ancient India, under the enlightened guidance of the renowned Vedic scholar, Vedamoorti Dr. Vishwanathji Dev and accomplished the coveted degree of ‘Darshanacharya’.
Alongside His studies, Swamiji gave various discourses, furthering His 120-years old family tradition. His first religious discourse was on Srimad Bhagavat, in His own native village, Belapur. Swamiji was barely 17 years of age, then.
Ever since,Swamijihas been giving discourses for nearly50 years now, on Srimad Bhagavat, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Dnyaneshwari, Dasbodh, Yoga Vasishtha, Shri Devi Bhagavatam, Shiv Puran, Hanuman Katha, Buddha Katha and so on.
An ardent devotee of Saint Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, Swamiji has made Shri Dnyaneshwari (a Marathi equivalent of Srimad Bhagavad Gita),the guiding principles of His life. Swamijihas even founded the Sant Shri Dnyaneshwar Gurukul, to impart to the next generations of India, the priceless wisdom enshrined in Shri Dnyaneshwari.
Blessed by His Holiness Shri Jayendra Saraswati, the chief of Kanchi Kamkoti Peeth in Tamil Nadu, Swamiji was initiated into ‘Paramhansa Sanyas’ (Renouncement of the highest spiritual order), byHis Holiness Swami Satyamitranand Giriji at the holy city of Haridwar, on the banks of river Ganga, on the auspicious day of the 30th of April,2006. Following His sanyas, Swamiji, formerly known as Acharya Kishoreji Vyas,is now formally calledShri Govind Dev Giriji Maharaj, fondly as Swamiji to his followers.
- Understanding and assimilating even a few injunctions laid down by our ancient sages (Rishis and Munis) could release us from the self-imposed bondage that keeps us from realizing the full extent of our personality. It is this knowledge that Swamiji wants to instil in His followers, to encourage them to grow to their full stature as spiritual beings, which in turn brings the zenith of worldly accomplishments within their reach.
- Reiterating that the pearls of wisdom enshrined in our scriptures transcend the barriers of time and space, Swamiji emphasizes the importance of self-discipline and self-restraint in modern lifestyle – values which in the present times are on the decline, and need to be rekindled. Towards this end, Swamiji exhorts His followers to live a balanced life and to practice Swadhyay – to read our epics like Ramayana, Bhagwad Gita, Mahabharat, Upanishads, etc., regularly, in order to keep our minds riveted to positive thoughts and proximity to divinity.
- Inspired by the life of Swami Vivekananda, Swamiji’s mission is to revive interest in the scientific thoughts and practices of our forefathers, by making it easy, appealing and relevant to our present times. Swamiji considers His duty, Karmayog, to influence as many people as possible, to turn to a spiritual way of life.
- This mission keeps Swamiji constantly on the move, in India and abroad, giving discourses, answering people’s queries, getting them to see the world differently, more positively, believe in the goodness of humanity, understanding the laws of Nature and adapting one’s life style accordingly.
- Swamiji has helped establish various organizations namely, Maharshi Vedavyas Pratishthan, Sant Shri Dnyaneshwar Gurukul, Shri Krishna Seva Nidhi, Geeta Parivar, etc., and through these organizations and various discourses, Swamiji endeavours to reach out to a wide section of Indians with the clarion call to return to our roots, as elucidated in our Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas, in order to fulfill the purpose of human birth.
- Devotion to God and love of humanity has blessed Swamiji with inexhaustible fountain of energy, relentlessly working for the all-round development of society, be it education and imparting of Indian values (Bharatiya Sanskars) to children in the various Vedic Schools (Ved Pathshalas) that Swamiji has established from Manipur in northeast India to Gujarat in the West, Kashmir in the North to Karnataka in the South.
- Under Swamiji’s guidance a vast network of volunteers – the Geeta Parivar – have been teaching Bhagawad Gita in our schools very successfully. Hundreds of our shcool children can now not only recite all 700 verses of Srimad Bhagawad Gita by rote, but also understand the overall message of the holy text! This is the best gift one can give our children in their formative age!
- Gita Pariwar also hosts a Spiritual retreat annually in Rishikesh for families interested in learning Geeta and its meaning and message.
- Donations and endowments received during various programmes undertaken by Swamiji are spent for the benefit of the society, on projects, institutions and organizations founded by him.
Swamiji’s life is a saga of service rendered for the revival of the Vedic and Upanishadic wisdom in the day-to-day life of every Indian, in order to mitigate the suffering and heedlessness of modern living. In acknowledgment of His efforts in this direction, even before he accepted Sanyas, awards have been bestowed upon him, some of which are:
Parampoojya Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Maharaj Puraskar
Swamiji was presented this prestigious award by His Holiness Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamkoti Peetham which carries a purse of Rs.1.5 lakhs, silver memento, citation and mahavastra. Swamiji immediately offered the purse to the Free Meal Scheme being carried out in Alandi, (Pune) Maharashtra for the Varkari students.
Dadhich Samajratna Puraskar
Swamiji was presented this prestigious award by Akhil Bharatiya Dadhich Brahmin Maha Sabha. The award ceremony took place in Godmanglod (Nagour) in Rajasthan.
Dadhich Samajratna Puraskar
Swamiji was presented this prestigious award by Akhil Bharatiya Dadhich Brahmin Maha Sabha. The award ceremony took place in Godmanglod (Nagour) in Rajasthan.
Bhring Rishi Puraskar
Swamiji was honoured by this coveted award by the Brahmin Sabha of Bhingar (Ahmednagar) Maharashtra on the sacred occasion of Rishi Panchami in the Saint Dnyaneshwar temple.
Rigved Bhushan Puraskar
Swamiji was presented this award by the Deshastha Rigvedi Brahmin Shikshnottejak Sanstha of Pune, Maharashtra.