DADA GURU

Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj is the guru of Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu and Sant Sri ManohardasJi Maharaj (Ajmer). His Holiness practiced complete celibacy throughout his life.

Biography

Swami Leelashah was born in Hyderabad, Sind in a small Village Mehrab Chandni of Tanda Baga Taluka, on march 1880. His father's name was Topandas and mother's name was Hemibai. His birth name was Lilaram . At the age of ten, his parents died and he was brought up by Lakhumal . Swamiji was religious right from his childhood . He refused to marry and opted to live like a sant and pray to God. He decided to work for the upliftment of the people living in Laad (south of sindh) for they were illiterate and downtrodden. Lilaram was made president of Bhagat Ratan Darbar , but he left the post in search of truth. He learnt Hindi, studied Religious & Vedic books and lived amongst sants. He became a disciple of Vedic Acharya Sant Shri Keshavaram, who filled in him a light of knowledge and philosophy and named him Leelashah.

Thereafter Swami Leelashah Maharaj travelled in North India and visited Haridwar, Rishikesh, North Kashi , Kashmir, Tibet and the Himalayas. There, he lived in caves, meditated for many years and did bhakti. Swami had started helping people in Sindh and started publishing religious monthly magazine Tatwa Gyan . After Indo-Pak partition he solved the problems of the Sindhi community by going to various places in India. He travelled to Ahmedabad, Alwar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Agra, Bombay, Baroda, Gandhidham and helped people to establish themselves.

He contributed greatly towards mankind. He also established many schools, dharmshalas, gaushalas, hospitals, vridhshrams, libraries, and satsang halls. By the initiation of swamiji, a religious book was started on Atama Darshan from Ajmer. Swamiji also travelled abroad and conducted satsang lectures and helped people remain healthy through Nature Cure. In the last few years of his lifetime, he propagated against the dowry system and encouraged group marriages. Swamiji never tried to expose himself. He lived simple life. He also did not establish himself as Guru, but helped everyone heartily. Swamiji's capital was religious book and a bed of Tat. He was a Brahma Gyani, a great sant. On 4 November 1973, he passed away at the age of 93 years. Swamiji's disciples are spread throughout the country. Sant Leelashah's Samadhi is situated at Adipur.

He believed in and practised simple living and high thinking. Inspired by his noble and benevolent thoughts, through his divine blessings, Vedant ashrams, dharamshalas, gaushalas, pathshalas, satsang sabhas, hospitals, libraries, shelter homes for widows and elders are established all over the country.

He was endowed with a lustrous personality. He was a great philosopher, social reformer and a scholar of Vedanta. He was the editor of a great philosophical work named "Atmadarshan".

Disciples

Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu is among the many disciples of Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj. He was inspired to go to the ashram of the Great Guru at Nainital, Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj. He had to wait for 40 days in the Ashram to get the glimpse of Gurudev.

A few words spoken by Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu with reference to Swami Sri Lilashahji Maharaj:

“

I met Pujya SadGurudev (Swami Shri Leela Shahji Maharaj) in the forests of Nainital for the first time. I got the wonderful opportunity to stay near the lotus feet of Pujya Gurudev for 30 days. Later on when I used to visit Guruji on various occasions, I could see & experience the divinity of his attitude, his supreme knowledge, his magnanamity & his subtle vision .. I could see his eyes showering divine love always. I could see the divine qualities like never-ending patience, cheerfulness, infinite capabilities, strong determination & affection for all in his day to day dealings. Even now when I'm reminded of those wonderful days spent with Guruji, my heart is overwhelmed. One can experience divine bliss only at the lotus feet of Guruji! I'm reminded of the pure love of SadGurudev again & again. SadGurudev opens the door to salvation...