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 and signed his name as "Brahmachaitanya Ramdasi". He was a disciple of Tukamai, and advocated for japa meditation with the 13-character Ram Naam (name) mantra "" to attain spiritual progress and enlightenment.
Biography
Early life
Brahmachaitanya Maharaj was born on 19 February 1845 to Raoji and Gitabai Ghugardare (Kulkarni), a Deshastha Brahmin couple from Gondavale Budruk, a village in present-day Satara district, Maharashtra, India. His birth name was Ganpati Raoji Ghugardare (Kulkarni). His family were devotees to Lord Vitthala, a Hindu deity considered an incarnation of Krishna. His grandfather, Lingopant held the title of Kulkarni (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. 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, and met Tukamai, who was considered a living synthesis of the three paths to self realization i.e., Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Karma Yoga. Ganpati stayed with Tukamai for nine months and would obediently follow the latter's instructions. On the occasion of Ram Navami, 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 Kashi.
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, and Shani temples with an accommodation facility at Gondavale. He also had Rama temples built in other rural regions of Maharashtra.
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. 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, Ramdas, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and Tulsidas, was a well-known practitioner of reciting the divine name as an incarnation of God.
Brahmachaitanya frequently used pravachan and bhajan 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 (sound advice), which is recited in Gondavale and by his followers across the world.
Subodh teachings include: