Dinesh Z. Shah
Jain Vishva Bharati London held a prayer meeting on Sunday, 31st January 2016 at Kingsbury, London in memory of Swami Dharmanandji who left for heavenly abode on 24th January 2016.
Samani Pratibha Pragya gave a background of Swami Dharmanandji’s life and training. He was born in 9 June 1935 in Taranagar, Rajasthan, India. Swami Dharmanandji started learning yoga in 1955 while enrolled as a Bachelor of Commerce student at Calcutta Unversity. Swami Dharmanandji received his guidance and training from Acharya Tulsi, Acharya Mahapragya, Swami Yogeshawarananda of Rishikesh and Swami Naryan Giri of Pandukeshwar (Himalaya).
During his life Swami Dharmanandji conducted thousands of workshops on various aspects of yoga, meditation and health. He soldiered on from the snows of Ladakh to the sands of Kanyakumari and travelled from Kolkata to Ahmedabad to fulfil his mission. He attended many seminars pertaining to these matters as well as Jain philosophy. However, as a practicing Jain he never lost sight of the fundamental principles of Jainism. In a Paper on - “Life after Death” at an International Conference on Science and Spirituality in New Delhi 2010, mindful of the principle of anekaantvaada he covered the topic from various viewpoints - philosophy, parapsychology, memories of past lives, astral photography, aura photography- before concluding it from a Jain perspective!
During the prayer meeting a member of the audience in his brief reflection on the life of Swami Dharmanand stated that Swamiji and his family could have emigrated to USA or UK and like other Indians who left India could have started yoga and meditation centre. However Swami Dharmanandji did not chose that route because of his awareness that the benefit of his knowledge and experience would have a far bigger impact on a much wider cross-section of the society in India. On the other hand his centre in the West would benefit a small number of followers comparatively. Mindful of this deprivation, he travelled extensively throughout the world to bring awareness of the long term health benefits of yoga and Preksha Meditation and also to propagate the message of Jainism. He travelled from Japan in the east to Canada and USA in the west and along with that visiting many countries in Europe. However, he always used to mention that London was his favourite city and his wife Nirmalaji accompanied him on his many trips.
From 1975 to 1985 Swami Dharmanandji was a director of Tulsi Adhyatma Nidam in Ladnun, Rajasthan. In 1986 he moved to New Delhi as a director of Adhyatma Sadhna Kendra and continued in this role till the end. As a trusted lieutenant of Acharya Tulsi and Acharya Mahapragya, Swami Dharmanandji also took on a role of Jain Vishva Bharati’s trouble shooter in New Delhi. As interest in Jainism and meditation was taking on a new fervour in the West, Swami Dharmanand was ideally located to act as a conduit for overseas visitors to Ladnun in Rajasthan. Being aware of the earlier meetings of Acharya Tulsi with President Dr Rajendra Prasad and Prime Minister Pandit Nehru, Swami Dharmanandji played his part in ensuring that the contacts with the incumbent presidents and prime ministers continued.
During the prayer meeting few members of the audience briefly gave accounts of their interactions with Swamiji.
The lives of Acharya Tulsi and Acharya Mahapragya had a deep effect on Swami Dharmanandji’s psyche. Swamiji’s towering personality was equally matched by his humility and simplicity of attire. Cognisant of the ultimate aim of our birth in this world Swami Dharmanandji was a true example of a Jain who balanced material living with spiritual practice.