Asaram Bapu (born April 17, 1941) is a Hindu spiritual guru from India, who is a self-realized saint of India and called as Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu (Hindi: संत श्री आसारामजी बापू),(Sindhi: سنت شري آسارام باپو) or Bapuji.
Travelling extensively in India and abroad, he preaches the message of Vedanta, Yoga, divine love, Bhakti (devotion), and Mukti (salvation) through his teachings and Satsangs. In 1993, at the Parliament of the World's Religions, Bapu was elected as a committee member of the Assembly of Global Religions.
Bapu preaches the existence of One Supreme Conscious in every human being; be it Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh or anyone else. Bapu's satsang represents a confluence of Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Karma Yoga.
Biography
Birth
Asaram Bapu was born to father Thaumal Sirumalani and mother Menhgiba. He was born in Berani village of the Nawab district in Sindh (Un-Partitioned India) on the sixth day of Chaitra month (Hindu Calendar), April 17, 1941 (Gregorian calendar), as Aasumal.His father was a wealthy businessman named Thaumal Sirumalani and his mother was Mehngeeba. He was named Asumal.
Aasumal was the fourth child in the family. First brother to the three sisters.
Childhood
As a child, Asumal was quite inclined towards religious epics. Asumal would listen to stories of Ramayana, Bhagwavata and other scriptures from his mother. The first seed of spiritual life was sown in his life during this period.
Due to the unfortunate partition of India the whole family had to migrate from Sindh in Pakistan to Maninagar near Ahmedabad, in Gujarat.
Asumal started going to school again in Maninagar. Six year old Asumal was brilliant in studies. The teachers used to praise Asumal for being cheerful, pure-hearted and intelligent. Teachers used to call him Hansmukh bhai (the one who keeps smiling always.
Mother Mehgiba developed Asumal's interest in dhyaan-bhajan (meditation and prayers) right from his early childhood.
When Asumal saw that school education could be used merely for the purpose of winning bread and fulfilling worldly enjoyment, he became disenchanted to education. Nevertheless he continued going to school. Whenever there was any time to spare, he would go to a lonely place and meditate.
Youth and spiritual quest
At a very young age Asumal lost his father and the family business started dwindling. Asumal had to discontinue his education and shoulder on the family's responsibility along with his elder brother. Asumal's presence in the business improved the profits, but his mind was far away from the business. He always yearned for spiritual knowledge.
After his father's demise Asumal's discrimination towards life intensified. He increased the time for mediation and realized that God alone is one reality and essence of life. His concentration increased greatly due to regular, pure meditation. Asumal's growing detachment to the world worried his family and they decided to get him married. Asumal's family got him engaged.
Marriage
Aasumal kept postponing marriage for two and half years. Eventually, his family fixed a date of his marriage but he ran away from his home eight days before the day of marriage. His family started searching for him and found him in Ashok Ashram in Bharuch and took him back to home. After reaching home Aasumal was married to Lakshmi Devi.
Aasumal told his wife that his ultimate goal is to self realise. He made her understand that he'll come back to home for a normal life after getting the state of self realisation.
Journey to spirituality
Asumal then went to Vrindavan, the land of Lord Krishna. Here he was inspired to goto the ashram of the Guru, Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj. He had to wait for 40 days in the Ashram to get the glimpse of the Guru. There he stayed and served his Guru with devotion. He waged war with so many troubles. He used to take just boiled Mung as food, sleep in a small 4.5 foot room. Lilashahji made Asumal go through several hardships for another 30 days and then finally Asumal was blessed. Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj asked him to go back to home and continue his spiritual practices at home.
While coming back to his home, he left the train and went to Moti Koral (A place in Gujarat). His mind was supposedly attuned to only self-realization. No one can stop a man who is on his way to Paramapada (Ultimate Realization). He started doing dhyaan at the bank or river Narmada. A local saint Shri Lalji Maharaj got impressed by Asumal's intense spiritual practices. Lalji Maharaj made arrangements for Asumal to stay in Datt Kutir of Ram Niwas (Lalji Maharaj's Ashram). Asumal started the 40 day Anushthan here.
When Asumal's wife and mother came to know that he was staying at Moti Koral they visited him. They requested him to come back. But Asumal told them without completing the Anushthan he cannot come. He successfully completed the Anushthan. The whole village and Lalji Maharaj himself came to the railway station to see them off to Ahmedabad. As soon as the train started moving from Miyagaun junction, Asumal jumped out and boarded a train towards Bombay to meet Guru Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj.
Self-realisation
Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj instructed Asaram to serve the humanity by staying as a householder. After Self-Realization Asaram Bapu stayed in solitude for seven years. Asaram Bapu used to give religious discourse to all those who came to meet and see Bapu. Bapu spent His solitude in various places like Disa, Naareshwar Dhaam, the Himalayas, Mount Abu, and so on.
Life as a householder
Asaram Bapu met Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj in Haridwar in Vikram Samvat 2028 by the commands of Guru in order to provide a good example to common householders, Bapu entered the life of a householder. It was the day of Guru Punam in Vikram Samvat 2028 when Asaram Bapu reached Ahmedabad after staying in solitude for seven years.
Asaram chose a peaceful place in the Motera village on the banks of Sabarmati river. Later on some of the devotees constructed a small room for him which is known as "Moksha Kutir". Slowly, the number of devotees coming to Motera kept on increasing and in a very short time the place became a great spiritual centre. Today Motera is the main spiritual centre for the devotees coming to Sant Sri Asaramji Ashram.
