Brahmachaitanya (also popularly known as Gondavalekar Maharaj) (19 February 1845
– 22 December 1913) was an Indian
Hindu saint and spiritual master. Brahmachaitanya was a devotee of the Hindu deity
Rama
Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
and signed his name as "Brahmachaitanya Ramdasi". He was a disciple of Tukamai,
and advocated for
japa meditation with the () of
Rama
Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
to attain spiritual progress and
liberation
Liberation or liberate may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Liberation'' (film series), a 1970–1971 series about the Great Patriotic War
* "Liberation" (''The Flash''), a TV episode
* "Liberation" (''K-9''), an episode
Gaming
* '' Liberati ...
.
The mantra is " ()" which is also known by other names such as () and ().
Biography
Early life
Brahmachaitanya Maharaj was born on 19 February 1845
to Raoji and Gitabai Ghugardare (Kulkarni), a
Deshastha Brahmin
Deshastha Brahmin is a Hinduism, Hindu Brahmin caste, subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh, Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Brahmins a ...
couple from
Gondavale Budruk, a village in present-day
Satara district,
Maharashtra, India
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to the so ...
. His birth name was Ganpati Raoji Ghugardare (Kulkarni). His family were devotees to Lord
Vitthala
Vithoba (IAST: ''Viṭhobā''), also known as Vitthala (IAST: ''Viṭṭhala''), and Panduranga (IAST: ''Pāṇḍuraṅga''), is a Hindu deity predominantly worshipped in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. He is a form of the Hindu ...
, a Hindu deity considered an incarnation of
Krishna
Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
. His grandfather, Lingopant held the title of
Kulkarni
Kulkarni is a Marathi Brahmin surname common amongst Deshastha Brahmins, the CKP community, and Karhade Brahmins of Maharashtra. “Kulkarni” is also a Brahmin surname in a few parts of northern Karnataka. The name "Kulkarni" is a combinati ...
(rural record-keeper) of
Gondavale during the
Maratha Empire regime, which later also became the family name.
During childhood, Ganpati was said to have memorized the Hindu text ''
Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita (; ), often referred to as the Gita (), is a Hindu texts, Hindu scripture, dated to the second or first century BCE, which forms part of the Hindu epic, epic poem Mahabharata. The Gita is a synthesis of various strands of Ind ...
.'' He was bestowed the title of "Brahmachaitanya" by his master Tukamai. He is believed to have attained enlightenment at a very young age of 5.
Initiation

He arrived in Yehalegaon, a village near
Nanded
Nanded is a city in Maharashtra state, India. It is the List of cities in Maharashtra, tenth largest city in the state and the List of cities in India by population, seventy-ninth most populated city in India. It is the second largest city in ...
, and met Tukamai, who was considered a living synthesis of the three paths to self realization i.e.,
Jnana Yoga,
Bhakti Yoga
Bhakti yoga (), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of '' bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014), The Embodiment of Bhakti, ...
, and
Karma Yoga
Karma yoga (), also called Karma marga, is one of the three classical spiritual paths mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, one based on the "yoga of action", the others being Jnana yoga (path of knowledge) and Bhakti yoga (path of loving devotion ...
. Ganpati stayed with Tukamai for nine months and would obediently follow the latter's instructions. On the occasion of
Ram Navami
Rama Navami () is a Hindus, Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Lord Ram, Rama, one of the most popularly revered deities in Hinduism, also known as the seventh avatar of Vishnu. He is often held as an emblem within Hinduism for being a ...
, Tukamai initiated Ganapati with the mantra "Śrī Rām Jai Rām Jai Jai Rām" ("श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम"),
and bestowed upon him the title of "Brahmachaitanya."
Brahmachaitanya later traveled across India to Ujjain, the Himalayan , Ayodhya, Kashi, Calcutta, Indore and Nasik. During March 1866, Brahmachaitanya returned to Gondavale and accepted ''gṛhasthi'' or a material lifestyle.
His first wife Saraswati and his son passed away prematurely, and he remarried a daughter of the Deshpande (district record-keeper) of Atpadi. His second wife was blind from birth and later became known as Aaisaheb. After given up all their belongings, Brahmachaitanya took his mother, Gitabai, on a pilgrimage to Varanasi and then Ayodhya. Gitabai is believed to have died in Ayodhya
Return to Gondavale
During later years, Brahmachaitanya continued to expound spiritual methods revolving around devotion to Rama. Initially, he had a Rama temple built as an extension to his residence.

With time, the number of his disciples and followers increased. To cater to an increasing number of devotees, he arranged for the construction of Rama,
Dattatreya
Dattatreya (, ), Dattā or Dattaguru, is a paradigmatic Sannyasi (monk) and one of the lords of yoga, venerated as an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Three Hindu gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, who are also collectively known as the Trimurti, incarna ...
, and
Shani
Shani (, ), or Shanaishchara (, ), is the divine personification of the planet Saturn in Hinduism, and is one of the nine heavenly objects ( Navagraha) in Hindu astrology. Shani is also a male Hindu deity in the Puranas, whose iconography cons ...
temples with an accommodation facility at Gondavale. He also had Rama temples built in other rural regions of
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
.
Final years
Brahmachaitanya breathed his last on 22 December 1913, in Gondavale.
Philosophy
Brahmachaitanya was a proponent of Bhakti Yoga. His teachings were aligned with that of
Samarth Ramdas
Ramdas (c. 1608 – c. 1682), also known as Samarth Ramdas Swami or Ramdas Swami, was an Indian Hindu saint, philosopher, poet, writer and spiritual master. He was a devotee of the Hindu deities Rama and Hanuman.
Early life
Ramdas or previous ...
. The Ram Nam mantra, originally attributed to Ramdas, was adopted by Brahmachaitanya, and was central to his teachings.
According to S. G. Tulpule, Brahmachaitanya, like saints
Mirabai
Meera, better known as Mirabai, and venerated as Sant Meerabai, was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. She is a celebrated Bhakti saint, particularly in the North Indian Hindu tradition. She is mentioned in '' Bhaktama ...
, Ramdas,
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (; ), born Vishvambhara Mishra () (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534), was an Indian Hindus, Hindu saint from Bengal and the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mode of worshipping Krishna with bha ...
, and
Tulsidas
Rambola Dubey (; 11 August 1511 – 30 July 1623pp. 23–34.), popularly known as Goswami Tulsidas (), was a Vaishnavism, Vaishnava (Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramanandi) Hinduism, Hindu saint and poet, renowned for his devotion to the deity Rama. H ...
, was a well-known practitioner of reciting the divine name as an incarnation of
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
.
Brahmachaitanya frequently used ''
pravachan
Pravacana () is a term for any exposition of a doctrine or treatise, or to the recitation of a scripture or text in Jainism and Hinduism traditions.Monier Monier WilliamsSanskrit English Dictionary with Etymology Oxford University Press, page ...
'' and ''
bhajan
Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...
'' to engage people along the path of devotion. He encouraged cow protection and food donation. He was also one of the key figures in the revival of
Vedic ritualism (''
vaidik anuṣṭhān'') in Maharashtra.
Teachings
Bramhachaitanya advised
seekers that one can achieve God through spiritual practices. The two proven ways for the worldly people to be able to attain eternal bliss with the purity of heart are सत्संगती (company of saints) and नाम (chanting the name of God). Brahmachaitanya spent his lifetime teaching the importance of Naam Japa.
He advocated the continued remembrance of God through Naam Japa as a means to happiness, contentment and peace.
Brahmachaitanya's teachings are summarized in his ''subodh''
[ Published by Anmol Prakashan, Pune] (sound advice), which is recited in Gondavale and by his followers across the world.
Subodh teachings include:
* Chant the name of God and share the importance of chanting with everyone you meet.
* Naam alone is the ultimate truth.
* Naam is the means and the end.
* Be soaked in the blissful chanting while enjoying worldly pleasures.
* Be happy and stay away from laziness, fear, and hate.
* Always be mindful of the divine presence in life.
* Be polite and nice to people and perform bhakti with complete devotion.
* Purity in thought and action is recommended and refrain from hypocrisy.
* Consider Ram as your friend, guide and master and surrender to him wholeheartedly.
* Give your 100% to everything you do and leave the results of your effort to Ram, thereby dropping the doer ship entirely.
* Control your desires and be righteous in your behavior.
* Ram is the giver of happiness, and one should consider performing worldly duties as a way to serve Him.
* Sing and chant His name and always be content and at peace even if you lose all the worldly belongings.
*
Pride
Pride is a human Emotion, secondary emotion characterized by a sense of satisfaction with one's Identity (philosophy), identity, performance, or accomplishments. It is often considered the opposite of shame or of humility and, depending on conte ...
is the biggest enemy of a seeker, be alert and do not give in to your ego.
* Ram resides in our hearts. He is the epitome of love and yearns for love from all his followers.
The daily discourses of Bramhachaitanya have been compiled into 'Pravachane' book of discourses.
Noted disciples and followers
Shri K. V. Belsare
Shri K. V. Belsare, affectionately known as "Baba" (father), was born in a highly educated family in Hyderabad in 1909. He mastered the scriptures such as the ''Bhagavad Gita'', ''Dasbodh'' and ''
Dnyaneshwari
The ''Dnyaneshwari'' () (IAST: Jñānēśvarī), also referred to as ''Jnanesvari'', ''Jnaneshwari'' or ''Bhavartha Deepika'', is a commentary on the ''Bhagavad Gita'' written by the Marathi saint and poet Sant Dnyaneshwar in 1290 CE. Dnyane ...
'', at an early age and is believed to have memorized all of the 700 ''shlokas'' of the ''Bhagavad Gita'' in one week. He later became a professor of philosophy at Siddhartha college in
Mumbai
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
. His lectures were so popular that students from other disciplines used to line up and the classrooms were often overflowing due to his extraordinary clarity and ability to teach complex subjects in an easy-to-understand manner. He was initiated by Brahmachaitanya in 1931. On Brahmachaitanya's orders, Baba became the cornerstone of propagating Maharaj's teachings to a vast population over 60 years through many discourses on topics ranging from meditation to lectures on the ''Dnyaneshwari'' and ''Dasbodh''. He authored more than 50 books in Marathi. His notable books include the biography of Brahmachaitanya, Upanishdacha Abhyas (studies on Upanishads) and Bhavarthgatha.
D.R. Bendre
D.R. Bendre
Dattātreya Rāmachandra Bēndre (31 January 1896 – 26 October 1981), popularly known as Da Rā Bēndre, is generally considered the greatest Kannada lyric poet of the 20th century and one of the greatest poets in the history of Kannad ...
(1896 – 1981) was a
Kannada
Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
poet and recipient of the
Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is the oldest and the highest Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their "outstanding contribution towards literature". Instituted in 1961, the award is bestowed only on Indian ...
. Bendre credited Brahmachaitanya for bestowing on him the gift of poetry.
Worship
Temples

Brahmachaitanya and his followers built and consecrated many temples around India. There are also temples dedicated to Brahmachaitanya in Maharashtra as well as in other places in India such as
Bangalore
Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...
(Srinivasanagar), and Hebbali in
Dharwad district
Dharwad or Dharawada is an administrative district of the state of Karnataka in southern India. The administrative headquarters of the district is the city of Dharwad, also known as Dharwar. Dharwad is located 425 km northwest of Bangalo ...
. The Ram Nam Japa ritual is held on a daily basis in these temples.
In literature
*''Sri Brahmachaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj'' – biography by K.V. Belsare
[
]
References
External links
Pravachane of Shree Maharaj
Official website of Gondavalekar Maharaj
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maharaj, Gondavalekar
1845 births
1913 deaths
19th-century Hindu religious leaders
20th-century Hindu religious leaders
Bhakti movement
Marathi Hindu saints
Meditation
People from Satara district
Rama
Sant Mat
Vedanta