Swami Madhav Tirthji
H.H Swami Madhav Tirthji Maharaj was born on January 15, 1934 in Lahore, in a conservative bramhin family. The family was religious and all the rituals were, therefore, followed very strictly. Uptil the age of 14 years, Swamiji was a normal boy. As Lahore was in the north of India, winters were very cold. He used to sit near the fire side and put papers, wood etc. in the fire to keep it going. During one such occasion he came across some loose papers of Yoga Vasihista, Vairagya Prakran (Chapter on Renunciation) (Yoga Vashisht contains the knowledge imparted to Lord Rama by Vashishta Rishi). After reading these pages, Swamiji lost his interest in the materialistic world and the desire the meet God became very intense. At that time Lahore was a spiritual centre and many saints used to visit that place. H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji used to attend satsangs (spiritual discourses) and felt that persons wearing the saffron robe meet God and therefore the same path should be followed.
It was start of year 1947, the day before india became from British rule. The Lahor was passing through the phase of terrible communal riots between Hindus and Musliams. H. H. Swamiji’s family decided to leave the Lahor and migrate to the present part of the India. After facing lots of trouble family reach to Gurudaspur.
Swamiji, therefore, left his home one day and reached the Sivananda Ashram in Rishikish. H.H. Swami Sivandaji Maharaj felt that the child might have left his home without informing his parents. The Maharaj, therefore, took the child into confidence and obtained information about his parents, and their address. The parents were thereafter informed about the child’s whereabouts. The parents visited the Sivanda Ashram and took him back. Even after returning to Gurudaspur, the child’s longing to tread on the spiritual path remained. In this state of mind Swamiji appeared at his matriculation exams and again left for Sivanda Ashram. Knowing that the child might have again left for Rishikesh, the parents also reached Sivanda Ashram soon after and took the boy back to the home. But before results of matriculation were declared H. H. Swamiji left the home again and reach to the Shivanand Ashram again for the third time. This time around H.H. Swami Sivanandji Maharaj realised that the child must be a Jivatma and, therefore, convinced his parents to leave the boy alone.
Swami Sivandaji sent the boy to one of his spiritual brother in Devaprayag, who was a Hatha Yogi. Here the boy learnt the lessons of Hata Yoga and extensive mantra jap (chanting of holy name). The Yogi was very strict and at the same very caring as well. After chanting of mantra for long time, the boy used to lose his consciousness for 3 long months due to the power of the mantra. He used to see a fire ball of power in such a state. In the spiritual path, such a state is considered to be an achievement. The boy was not content with such a stage and his yearning to meet God increased. He therefore returned to the Sivananda Ashram and started took admission in a Sanskrit pathshala (school) and inter college (science stream).
His Holiness Omkar Swami of Abu used to visit Sivanda Ashram. He was in search of a Bramhachari who could serve him. He chose H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji as his Bramhachari amongst several contenders. H.H. Omkar Swami Maharaj thereafter initiated H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji to the Bramhachari order.
While moving across the country, H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji came to the Narayankuti Ashram at Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. During interaction with H.H. Swami Vishnu Tirthji Maharaj, Swamiji came to know about the Shaktipat system of Yoga. H.H. Swami Vishnu Tirthji Maharaj initiated Swamiji in the Shaktipat parampara (system) in the year 1954. In this way, a new world of Sadhan (meditation) opened in the life of H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji Maharaj.
H.H. Omkaranand Swamiji was initated into Shaktipat system by H.H. Omkar Swami Maharaj (Bramhachari Diksha Guruji of H.H. Swami Madhav Tirth Maharaj). Omkaranand Swamiji used to visit Abu regularly. After H.H. Omkar Swamiji Maharaj left his mortal body, Swamiji went with H.H. Omkarananad Swamiji to his Ashram in Junagarh. It is here that H.H. Omkaranand Swamji Maharaj initiated H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji to the Sanyasi Order in the year 1958.
It is pertinent to note here that all the 3 Gurujis of H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji Maharaj came from the Shaktipat lineage of H.H. Swami Gangadhar Tirthji Maharaj/H.H. Narayan Tirth Dev Maharaj and all of them had reached the supreme stage of meditation.
Looking to his interest in pursuing the path of Sadhana and spirituality and his devotion, H.H. Swami Vishnu Tirthji Maharaj authorised H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji Maharaj to initiate others in the Shaktipat system. He also directed H.H. Madhav Tirthji Maharaj to go to Gujarat. This is how H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji Maharaj landed in Gujarat. Uptil 1980 he used to travel all over Gujarat from Saurashtra to the banks of Narmada river. During this travel Swamiji came across Mr. Ravjibhai Patel in Badrika Ashram on the bank of Narmada river. Ravjibhai Patel ask swamiji to came to Anand at the location of the present Ashram (farmhouse at that time) in 1981 for Chaturmas (two months of monsoon for the monks).
During one of his several visits to the holy place Nareshwar on the banks of the river Narmada, H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji came in contact with a spiritual old lady by the name Muliba who came to like the Swamiji and treated him like his son. She also played an important role in the spiritual life of H.H. Swami Madhav Tirthji Maharaj.
Ravjibhai Patel, other devotees of the Swamiji and Muliba requested him to consider creating an Ashram at Anand. After long perusal and with the condition that H. H. Swamiji will remain free from the management of the Ashram agreed for setting up of Ashram. This is how the present Ashram came into being on January 26, 1983.