Saint Bhagwan Gopinathji

Bhagwan Gopinathji is one of the most eminent saints of India. He has the distinction of being acknowledged as Bhagavaan in his lifetime. He possessed all the attributes of a Jeevan Mukta. His was the state of Shambhavi Avastha or what the vedantins term a Brahmasthiti.

Gopinathji was born in a middle class family at Banamohalla, Srinagar on 3rd July, 1898. He lost his mother Haarmali when he was only 12 years old. His father, Pandit Narayan Joo Bhan, also passed away when Gopinathji was in mid-twenties. He was conversant with Urdu, Hindi, Persian and Sanskrit languages besides English. Gopinathji's father had given up his possessions leaving no permanent house for his family to live in. Consequently Gopinathji moved from one rented accommodation to another. During his last two decades of earthly sojourn he lived in his niece's house at Chandapora, Habbakadal. When still in his early teens he had to work in a local printing press as compositor for a couple of years to earn a living for his family. Subsequently, after giving up the job at the printing press, he ran a grocery shop, but there he was mostly oblivious to his surroundings because he was engrossed in meditation and to the advise of insistence of his elders and relatives to marry. He remained a Brahmachari. His friends once tried to lure him to visit a courtesan but they were astonished when the youngman (Gopinathji) chastised the woman for violating norms of morality. He valued celibacy but did not try to object to his devotees' conjugal life as grahesthies.

Bhagavaanji was above any consideration of caste, creed or religion. He traversed the path of divine journey starting with Panchaanga - Upaasanaa, with Mother Sharika as his ideal, of whom he had an intoxicating vision at the age of twenty seven. Then he moved to "nirguna upaasanaa". In his thirties he had the tryst with a seven year old for sacred Sadhanaa, relinquishing intake of food etc.

During his earthly sojourn and even after abandoning earthly coil he cared for his devotees in and outside Kashmir and India. He was seen physically at warfronts guiding and directing our troops in 1948, 1962, 1965, 1971 and 1999 though he was sitting in his room or had already left the physical frame. Bhagavaanji attained Nirvana (Nirguna form (formless form) on 28th of May, 1968.

Bhagavaanji helped earnest seekers experience and realize their spiritual yearnings. One such seeker underwent three long life-cycles in a matter of three terrestrial hours. Other two Sadhaks were helped to have vision of Jagadamba as a Kanya (young girl).

Many devotees were relieved of their mundane problems and difficulties when they earnestly approached Bhagavaanji.

After Bhagavaanji assumed Nirvana, His disciplies built an Ashram at Kharyar, Srinagar, where His marble statue was installed in 1973. This ashram has become a centre for spiritual upliftment for His devotees.

After displacement from the Valley, other Ashrams came up at Udaiwala Road, Bohri Jammu, and at Pamposh Enclave, Greater Kailash-I, New Delhi. At these Ashrams all the activities that were regularly performed in Srinagar Ashram, are being followed. The number of devotees participating in all such activities is increasing day by day.

During last five years the Trust has expanded the activities of three ashrams as well as augmented and added to the infrastructure. With the ever increasing number of devotees across the globe, Ashrams, meditation centres and Satsang Mandals at Vikaspuri, Mumbai, Pune, Australia, Switzerland are rapidly coming up.

Activities of the Trust

Every year the trust organizes a number of socio-religions functions which include Navreh, Zangtrai, Mahayagnya, Painting Competition, and other functions.

Philanthropic Activities: Financial help is being provided under the category of destitute aid, medical aid, education aid and handicapped aid. The aid is provided every month to the destitute, mostly widows, orphans, handicapped, needy students and patients irrespective of caste and creed. Total amount paid upto December, 2010 is Rs. 9,23,800.

O.P.D: An OPD functions at Jammu Ashram on every Sunday when free check up by specialists are provided to the selected patients.

Other Services/Activities:

Mentally retarded and orphan children and inmates of old age home are provided material as per their requirements, in the shape of uniforms, stationery, blankets and clothes.

Medical Camp: The trust conducts medical camps at different places round the year. Free medical checkup and free medicines are provided to the patients in these camps.

Relief aid: In order to provide some sort of succor to victims of Natural calamity due to floods, earthquake, fire etc. The Trust always makes a point to donate relief materials viz., blankets, clothes, medicines, utencils etc. besides cash donation to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Achievements:

Recently the Jammu Ashram has been brought on the pilgrimage destination of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism map by the J&K Govt. Tourism Department alongside Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Shiv-Khori, Sudhmahadev.

On 21st of November, 2010 Vice Chancellor Mata Vaishno Devi, University, Prof. R.N.K. Bamezai and Swami Girishanandji, Secretary, Rama Krishen Mission inaugurated a new developed Heritage Hall at Jammu Ashram. Speaking on the historical occasion, the valued and learned guests remarked that on coming out of this hall, they had the feeling of having performed a pilgrimage.

Heritage Hall: The Heritage Hall depicts various places where Bhagavaanji resided and the pilgrimage centres he visited. The various articles of daily use such as fire-pot (Kangri), the chillum, pheran etc. used by Bhagavaanji form a captivating aspect of the Heritage Hall. Our posterity is sure to be proud of such an ancestor who became a Jagadguru in his lifetime.

Gopinathji was born in a middle class family at Banamohalla, Srinagar on 3rd July, 1898. He lost his mother Haarmali when he was only 12 years old. His father, Pandit Narayan Joo Bhan, also passed away when Gopinathji was in mid-twenties.