Today, Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj of Vrindavan dham has brought a remarkable revolution in the Youth Generation of India. People come from far and wide to see him once, to listen to his Satsang, and to have one-on-one conversations (Ekantik Vartalaap) with him. People of all religions, sects, and age groups are attracted to him and benefit from his true advice, shunning all bad company and dirty thoughts and living a happy life.
We are all surrounded by truths, but we cannot grow in faith until we realize and experience them. It's like the fragrance of a flower, which is inherent within it, but until the air circulates, it cannot be sensed by others. The gradual increase in interest and involvement of today's young generation in devotion and spirituality acted as the air that has spread the Real Knowledge and Purpose of life, taking the form of the Words of globally renowned Rasik Saint who lives in this Vrindavan Dham, His Holiness Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj, who is a worshiper of Shri Shyama-Shyam initiated by Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu Ji, the embodiment of supreme love.
Maharaj Ji was born in 1972 into a pious and religious Brahmin (Pandey) family in Akhri village, Sarsaul block, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His given name was Anirudh Kumar Pandey. His grandfather was a Sanyasi, and his family environment was very virtuous, devotional, and peaceful. His mother, Smt. Rama Devi ji was a housewife with deeply religious thoughts. His father, Shri Shambhu Pandey ji, was also a very religious man and a great saintly person who later accepted Sanyasa Ashram.
The household frequently welcomed visits from saints and great men. Maharaj Ji's parents used to wash the lotus feet of saints with great respect and love; the family used to take the nectar (the Charanamrit). The parents held great respect for the saints, served them with prasadam, and listened to their good thoughts with devotion. From a young age, he was engaged in serving saints and various devotional services.
Maharaj Ji started reciting various prayers (Chalisa) at a very early age. Since childhood, Maharaj Ji had great devotion to the name of God and in the company of saints. He was very fond of chanting 'Shri Krishna Govind Hare Murare, Hey Nath Narayan Vasudevay' or 'Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.' The pious atmosphere of the family and the Satsang intensified the latent spiritual spark hidden within Maharaj. When he was in 5th class, he started reading the Gita Press publication, Shri ShukSagar.
Due to the wisdom gained from self-study of good scriptures and the influence of the sanskars of the devotion of his previous births, questions started arising in his heart at an early age about the basic purpose of human life - 'What is the purpose of this human life. One day, everyone will have to die, even if it is the parents; they will also die one day, then who will love me, that is, who will be my protector?', etc. Due to these captivating thoughts, he never indulged in childish games and did not indulge in any social activities at home. What should I do in his mind? Whose shelter should I take? Who will never leave me? Whoever saints came to their house, they would put their questions before them and listen to their deep knowledge with concentration and meditate on them.
Gradually, his disinterest in schooling, that is, in acquiring material knowledge, also started increasing because it had settled within him that the attainment of everlasting happiness and imperishable status is not possible through material knowledge.
By the time he was in the 9th class, he was determined to live a spiritual life in search of the path leading to God and was ready to leave his family to achieve that goal. He told his mother about his thoughts and decisions. When Maharaj Ji was just 13 years old, he left his home one night at 3 am with a strong desire to discover the truth behind human birth, break the cycle of life and death, and attain the ultimate state of bliss known as Sat Chit Anand - the God.
The beginning of the spiritual journey started from there. Maharaj ji was given initiation into Naishtik celibacy, and then he was named Anandswaroop Brahmachari and then later he accepted Sannyasa. On accepting the Mahavakya, he was named Swami Anandashram. Maharaj ji lived a life of complete renunciation, following the strict principles of rising above the physical consciousness. During this time, for his survival, he accepted only Akaashvritti, which means accepting only the things that come by the will of the Lord without any personal effort.
As a spiritual seeker, most of his life was spent on the banks of the river Ganga because Maharaj Ji never accepted the hierarchical life of the ashram. Soon Ganga became a second mother for him. Without caring about hunger, clothes, or weather, he started living on the ghats of Ganga in Varanasi. Even in severe winter, he never gave up his daily routine of bathing in the Ganges thrice.
He would fast for many days and remain engrossed in the practice of Brahmakarvritti every moment. After a few years, he got the darshan of Lord Shiva and his blessings on the banks of Ganga in Kashi.
With the blessings of Lord Shiva, Maharaj Ji continued to walk on the spiritual path for a higher purpose. One day, while meditating under a huge Peepal tree in Banaras, by the grace of Shri Shyama-Shyam he was attracted towards the glory of Vrindavan. Suddenly this question came to his mind that how would Vrindavan be? Then, the very next day, a saint asked him to go and watch RaasLeela. Despite Maharaj ji's refusal several times, that saint kept insisting. Finally, Maharaj ji considered it as God's will and agreed to go. From here, his next journey to Vrindavan started.
