premanand ji maharaj story in description

Premanand Swami was born to Hindu (Brahmin) parents in the town of Ogan, Viramgam in 1784 and named Hathiram on birth. Premanand Swami was born to Hindu (Brahmin) parents in the town of Ogan, Viramgam in 1784 and named Hathiram on birth. His parents abandoned him at a young age.

Premanand Swami was born into a Sathodara Nagar Brahmin family in a village near Nadiad (some say that he was born in the village Dora, near Bharuch) around 1784 CE (Samvat 1840). His mother was very beautiful but his father was treated as a lunatic by the people. So, after his birth, people started slandering the mother. They said, “This child is illegitimate, so the mother should either disown him or kill him. We are not going to accept it in our family.” This caused great pain to the mother. However, bowing to social pressure, one early morning she pressed the child against her chest, went out of the village and left the child in the hole of a tree. After some time a carder passing by suddenly saw the child lying in the hole of the tree. His joy knew no bounds on seeing the child. He thought, “I have no child of my own; here is God’s gift.” He carried the child home and said to his wife, “Look here. God has sent this child to us. Let us rejoice.’’ With these words, he handed over the child to his wife.

Some years later this carder visited Jetpur with his son, who was then eleven-years-old. At that time, Ramanand Swami was handing over the reins of the Sampraday to his spiritual heir, Sahajanand Swami. A grand festival was being celebrated to mark the spiritual coronation of Sahajanand Swami. Thousands of devotees had come there from different parts of the country. The carder felt that he was lucky to have this opportunity of witnessing a Hindu festival.

On the day of the coronation Sahajanand Swami mounted a horse and he was taken out in a colourful procession through the streets of the town. The carder also turned up to watch the holy procession. His son, too, watched while holding the hand of his foster father. All of a sudden, the boy freed himself and made his way through the jostling crowds up to the horse of Sahajanand Swami. He held the stirrup of the horse and started walking alongside. Shriji Maharaj saw the boy walking by the side of his horse holding the stirrup. The boy walked like this throughout the town until the procession came to a halt at Unnad Khachar’s darbar. Here, in Unnad Khachar’s darbar, was the ashram of Ramanand Swami. The procession terminated here and after dismounting his horse Sahajanand Swami immediately went inside the ashram. The boy was so tired that he soon fell asleep on the steps of the ashram. After some time Maharaj remembered the boy, came out to look for him and found him sleeping on the steps. Maharaj stroked the boy’s head and when he awoke offered him food and water. Meanwhile, his father accompanied by some relatives came there looking for the lost child. He was very happy to see his son. He said to Maharaj, “This is my son and I am taking him home.” Maharaj gave his consent, but the boy refused to budge from the spot. The father tried his best to persuade him; he even threatened to beat him, but the boy refused to accompany the father home. At last the father gave in and went away thinking,

“After all he was not my son.” Shriji Maharaj then asked the boy, “What have you decided?” The boy replied, “I want to stay with you.” The omniscient Maharaj knew about his past samskars and so he said to him, “You go to Ujjain. There is a school of music on the opposite bank of the river Kshipra. You go there and learn music. After attaining this knowledge return to this region and meet me.”

In accordance with this command of Shriji Maharaj the boy set out for Ujjain and arrived at the music school. The principal of the school inquired about the purpose of his visit. The boy expressed his desire to stay there.