Swami Rama Tirtha

Swami Rama Tirtha (also known as Swami Rama Tirath and Swami Rama) (October 22, 1873 - October 17, 1906), was an Indian teacher of the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. He was among the first notable teachers of Hinduism to lecture in the United States, traveling there in 1902—he was preceded by Swami Vivekananda in 1893, and followed by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1920. [Brooks, p. 72.] [Frawley, p. 3.] During those tours Swami Rama Tirtha spoke frequently on the concept of 'practical Vedanta' [Rinehart, p. 1.] and on education of Indian youth.Bromley, p. 82.] He proposed bringing young Indians to American universities, and helped established several scholarships for Indian students. [Singh, appendix, article from Minneapolis Tribune: "Would Save Countrymen: Swami Ram Plans the Redemption of the Ignorant Masses in India—American Education: He Would Have Them Come Here, as Did the Young Japanese".]

Biography

Rama Tirtha was born in Murariwala, Gujranwala district, in Punjab (now in Pakistan). [Sivananda.] When he was a few days old his mother died, and he was raised by his elder brother Gossain Gurudas. After receiving his Masters degree in mathematics from Government College of Lahore, he became Professor of Mathematics at Forman Christian College in Lahore. A chance meeting with Swami Vivekananda in 1897 in Lahore inspired his later decision to take up the life of a sannyasi. [Khular.]

In the late 19th century, he became well known in Punjab for his speeches on worship of Krishna and later through lectures and essays on Advaita Vedanta. He eventually entered the monastic swami order in 1901, leaving his life as a math professor, husband, and father. A maharaja sponsored a trip by Rama Tirtha to Japan to teach Hinduism. From Japan he traveled in 1902 to the United States, [ [http://www.indopedia.org/Swami_Rama_Tirtha.html Swami Rama Tirtha] www.indopedia.org. The Indology.] where he spent two years lecturing on the essence of Hinduism and other religions, and a philosophy he called "practical Vedanta." [Rinehart, p. 1.]

He frequently spoke about the inequities of the caste system in India and the importance of education for women and the poor, stating that, "Neglecting the education of women and children and the labouring classes is like cutting down the branches that are supporting us, nay, it is like striking a death-blow to the roots of the tree of nationality." [Khular.] Arguing that India needed educated young people—and not missionaries—he began an organization to aid Indian students in American universities. [Bromley, p. 82.] To solve the problem of poverty in India, he suggested bringing young Indians to the U.S. for higher education, and helped to establish a number of scholarships for Indian students during his tour of America. [Singh, appendix, article from Minneapolis Tribune.]

Upon his return to India in 1904 he was received with great acclaim—large crowds thronged to his lectures. In 1906, weary of the adoration, he completely withdrew from public life and moved to the foothills of the Himalaya. There he prepared to write a book giving a systematic presentation on practical Vedanta, which was never finished. He died on October 17, 1906 on the day of Diwali—drowning while bathing in the Ganges. [Rinehart, p. 1.] [Sivananda.]

Legacy

Two of his closest disciples were Narayan Swami and Puran Singh, who wrote biographies of Rama Tirtha. Puran Singh's "The Story of Swami Rama: The Poet Monk of the Punjab" [cite book | last =Singh | first =Puran | title =The Story of Swami Rama: The Poet Monk of the Punjab | publisher =Ganesh & Co. | date =1924 | location =Madras | isbn = ] appeared in 1924 and has been printed in English and Hindi. Narayan Swami's untitled account was published in 1935 as part of Rama Tirtha's collected works. [Rinehart, p. 2.]

Paramahansa Yogananda was a great admirer of Rama Tirtha, translating many of Rama Tirtha's poems from Bengali into English, and putting some of them to music. [Satyananda, p. 20.] One of Rama Tirtha's poems, titled "Marching Light", appeared in Yogananda's book of Hindu chants, "Cosmic Chants" as "Swami Ram Tirtha's Song". [Yogananda, p. 78]

Swami Ram Tirtha Mission Ashram is located at Kotal Goan Rajpur, near Dehra Dun in Uttarakhand, India where his teachings are practised.

Notes

Further reading

* "In Woods of God Realization: The complete works of Swami Rama Tirtha". Rama Tirtha Pratisthan. [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006CXNG0]
* "Parables of Rama by Swami Rama Tirtha". Rama Tirtha Pratisthan. [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007C11PY]
* "Practical Vedanta Selected Works of Swami Rama Tirtha: Selected Works of Swami Rama Tirtha." 1978, Himalayan Institute Press. ISBN 0893890383.
* "Yoga and the Supreme Bliss : Songs of Enlightenment." Swami Rama Tirtha, 1982, trans. A.Z. Alston. ISBN 0950801909.
* "Life, Teachings And Writings Of Swami Rama Tirtha", by Prem Lata. Sumit Publications, ISBN 8170001587.
* Swami Rama Tirtha - A Great Mystic Poet of India. [http://www.vedicbooks.net/swami-rama-tirtha-a-great-mystic-poet-of-india-p-14504.html]

References

*cite book | last =Bromley | first =David G | authorlink =David G. Bromley | coauthors =Larry D. Shinn | title =Krishna Consciousness in the West | publisher =Bucknell University Press | date =1989 | isbn =083875144X
*cite book | last =Brooks | first =Douglas Renfrew | authorlink = | title =Meditation Revolution: A History and Theology of the Siddha Yoga Lineage | publisher =Motilal Banarsidass Publishing | date =2000 | location =India | isbn =812081648X
*cite book | last =Frawley | first =David | authorlink =David Frawley | title =Vedantic Meditation: Lighting the Flame of Awareness | publisher =North Atlantic Books | date =2000 | isbn =1556433344
*cite web | last =Khular | first =K. K. | title =Swami Ram Tirath:The Unfettered Thinker | publisher =India Government Ministry of External Affairs | date =November, 1999 | url =http://hinduwisdom.info/articles_hinduism/82.htm | accessdate =2008-03-05
*cite book | last =Rinehart | first =Robin | title =One Lifetime, Many Lives: The Experience of Modern Hindu Hagiography | publisher =Oxford University Press | date =1999 | location =United States | isbn =0788505556
*cite book | last =Satyananda | first =Swami | authorlink =Swami Satyananda Giri | title ="Yogananda Sanga", from A Collection of Biographies of 4 Kriya Yoga Gurus | publisher =iUniverse, Inc. | date =2006 | isbn =978-0595386758
*cite book | last =Singh | first =Puran | title =The Story of Swami Rama: The Poet Monk of the Punjab | publisher =Ganesh & Co. | date =1924 | location =Madras | isbn =
*cite web |url=http://www.dlshq.org/saints/ramatirtha.htm |title=Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906) |accessdate=2008-07-29 |title=Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906) |work=Life of Saints |author=Sivananda, Swami |publisher=Divine Life Society |date=2005
*cite book | last =Yogananda | first =Paramahansa | authorlink =Paramahansa Yogananda | title =Cosmic Chants | publisher =Self-Realization Fellowship Publishers | date =1974 | isbn =978-0876121313

External links

* [http://www.ramatirtha.org/rama.htm Swami Rama Tirtha website]
* [http://www.hinduwiki.com/index.php?title=Rama_Tirtha Swami Rama Tirtha at Hinduwiki]
* [http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Print%20Size/2.54%20X%202.5/SWAMI%20RAMA%20TIRTHA Indian Postage Stamp on Swami Rama Tirtha, 1966]