My Life- Its Legacy and Message (The Autobiography of Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya)

The life-play of truly epoch-changing personages (the sages, saints, seers and incarnations) does not appear, on a mere surface look, any different from ordinary persons. Even persons living closest to them, who are not granted the inner vision, mistake them as common human beings. Only the few endowed with intuitive knowledge are revealed the true divine identity and mission of the 'appearance' of such spiritually awakened souls. Such have been the wonderful performances of even the greatest of the incarnations like Bhagvan Ram and Bhagvan Krishna. Although they had 'appeared' with all the divine attributes and powers for the fulfilment of the specific aims of their 'descent' in human form, very few of their contemporaries could comprehend the significance of their incarnation.

Could any of the colleagues and playmates of Bhagvan Krishna who used to steal buttermilk (makhan) and played with the village girls and boys (Gopis and Gwal-bals); killed Pootna and other Asurs sent by Kans; lifted Gowardhan Parvat (mountain); played Ras-lila (eternal dance of hide and seek with Gopis); recognise His Divine Identity? For them all he just remained a Bal-gopal. He left Mathura and shifted to Dwarka as Ranchoda, washed the feet of all the invitees in Yudhisthir's Rajstiya Yagya and acted just like an ordinary human being. Even as close a friend as Arjun could not comprehend fully His Divinity until he faced the greatest crisis of his life just before the start of the great Armageddon of Mahabharat. It was then that the greatest warrior of the age had to beseech for divine guidance, as a seeker and disciple, from the Divine Teacher, enacting as his Charioteer.

With my nature overpowered by weak commiseration, with my mind in confusion about my duty, I supplicate You. Kindly say decidedly what is good for me. I take refuge in You. I am your disciple. So please instruct me. Bhagvan Krishna has appropriately said in Bhagvad-Gita:

Unaware of my higher state (eminence) as the great Lord of beings fools disregard Me, dwelling in the human form.

Such also has been the life-play of Gurudev Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, the Seer, Sage and Prophet of an imminent emergence of the golden era of peace, goodwill, harmony, understanding with a sense of inter-connectedness of all humanity. These few words are being written in the context of the publication of the revised version of. Gurudev's autobiographical work in Hindi: Haman Vasiyat aur Virasat (published in 1986) which had been published in English under the title: "My Will and Heritage" in 1988. Today Gurudev is globally acknowledged as a Brahmaryi (the modem Vishwamitra). He has revealed anew the life transforming significance of Gayatri Mahamantra and has made it available to all humanity, cutting across the barriers of race, caste, creed and sex. He came into public view in his early childhood and adolescence as a multi-talented person endowed with deep compassion, penetrating intelligence and an intense aspiration for serving the needy- the lowliest and the lost.

**Contents and Sample Pages**