SWAMI TAPOVANAM MAHARAJ

In 1886 a son was born to Achuthan and Balammal Nair. His name was Chippu Kutty. His father, had great hopes for him and sent him to the best schools to get him educated.

One day, while in high school, Chippu came home and told his father he did not want to attend school any more. His father was very disappointed. “Father, I am only giving up the place and method of education, I am going to get myself fully educated”

Chippu’s father arranged for two tutors to attend to his education. One instructor taught him English while the other educated him in Sanskrit. In time, Chippu began to delve in exhaustive study of Sanskrit and the vernacular Malayalam.

By the age of 17, Chippu was well known among the local writers and speakers. At the age of 19 Chippu’s father died. He looked after his family for 12 years and then, gave all the wealth to his younger brother who had become a lawyer. One day in 1923, at the age of 34 years, Chippu Kutty left the wordly life and took to the life of a roaming monk.

Now a renunciate, known as Swami Tapovanam, he finally settled in Rishikesh and stayed among other renunciates.

Swami Tapovanam was a great poet and wrote many books in Malayalam. His beautiful book, “Ishwara Darshan” is a “garland of spiritual thoughts of a man of realization as he waded through the welter of life”. Some of his other works are, “Wandering in the Himalayas”, “Sri Saumya Kashisha Stotram”, “Himagriri Viharam” – to name a few.

Swamiji never believed in encouraging people come to him or in opening schools. He was always happy to give satsangs to devotees, but did not encourage them to stay on with him. His life was in solitude and quietitude within himself and by himself.

Swami Tapovan gained Mahasamadhi in December 1956. During one of his last visits with his Guru, Swami Chinmayananda heard a story from Swami Tapovanam. “An old man has been waiting to meet me for the past sixty-eight years, and seeing me engaged, with other preoccupations, he did not lose his patience, but waited on in his instinctive goodness all these years. Now that I am no longer so busy, he is trying to come forward to meet me. Should I turn him down? Poor Death has been waiting from the moment I was born. Now that all my other engagements are over, he is trying to come and meet me. I am anxiously waiting to meet him and give him the interview….”

Swami Tapovanji Maharaj was a self realized master who could explain the Highest Truth to others. His method of teaching was unique. He regarded every human being as the temple of the Lord. We must discover peace and harmony within ourselves and spread love and positive values to the outside world. This would be our true dedication to the Guru that gave us Swami Chinmayananda.