Sitaram Saptaayanam

About the Book Sitaram Saptayanam is a rare glimpse into seven years (1971 - 1977) in the life and times of Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath `Baba', a surging river of compassion that refused to be dammed by limitations of his frail physical frame, or be restrained by the hands of the clock.

Baba criss-crosses India with his entourage, planting the seed of awakening in the hearts of millions. His leela and his effortless transcendence of human limitations can be clearly witnessed in the pages of this book.

Chronicled by Bhola Nath Mullik, Padma Bhushan awardee, an Indian civil servant, spymaster and the second director of the Intelligence Bureau of India (IB), this text is enlivened by legends of land of Rajasthan. Rough an account of seven years, it offers enough nectar to fill several lifetimes for ordinary mortals.

About the Author At the young age of six, Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath, one of the greatest saints of modern times, had a vision of Lord Shiva. Twenty years later, the Lord visited Him again and gave Him His Ishta Mantra. He acquired proficiency in Sanskrit and Yoga, and easily mastered the subjects of Vyakarana, Upanishads, Puranas and Vedanta.

While in his forties, He formally became a renunciate and assumed the name Sitaramdas Omkarnath. He wrote a number of books that were to give the world a glimpse into His deep spiritual experience.

Swami Chidananda of Divine Life Society hailed him as the Naam Avatara. All the leading lights of the day such as Sufi Pir Inayat Vilayat Khan, the Buddhist master Dalai Lama, Ma Anandamayi, Daya Ma of the Yogoda Satsanga, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and other mystics, experienced divine bliss on contact with Him. A proponent of the doctrine of Omkar, Sri Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath said that all the streams of spirituality culminate into Omkara. He mainly preached the chanting of Naam or the Mahamantra i.e. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Ram Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare. His teachings had a universal appeal.

He wrote a unique commentary on Gita titled Pranav Prem Piyush and his commentary on the Upanishads, especially the Brihadaranyaka and Chhandogya and Katha Upanishad is the 11 volume Magnum Opus titled Sri Sri Namamrita Lahari. He wrote 200 original books in his lifetime; built 76 ashrams all over the country, from Kanyakumari to Utrakashi Himalayas; initiated lakhs of followers and preached Sanatana Dhara tirelessly through ninety years of his mortal existence.

Preface The author of this book Late B. N. Mullik (Kinkar Vishvananda) was the creator of ITBP and BSF, the two most important security institutions of the country; he was most dear to Pundit Nehru and greatly respected by Indira Gandhi who used to call him uncle.

Every book of or about Thakur (Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath) brings tears to the reader's eyes; but this one, with a masterly account of Thakur's journey in various parts of the country, especially Rajasthan, evokes a myriad of emotions - awe, amazement, pride, reverence, humility, devotion, and of course a deep satisfaction. Kinkar Vishvananda's vivid and poignant narration mesmerizes the reader and sucks him in completely; the pages keep turning, and suddenly one realizes that it's over, there is nothing more to read. We are left wanting for more. There is no real war as such, but one feels a great war has just concluded.

When the dust of a holy man's feet touches the ground that was once a field of heroic battles and a site of remarkable and spectacular exploits, wisdom arises spontaneously. In the profound bowing down of a scion, a profound rising of wisdom is inevitable. The high and mighty do not bend or bow, they'd rather be destroyed than bow their heads. But when they do, what stands in front of them must be nothing short of a Lord and a Master. When the whiskered Rajputs and Bhils, scions of great warrior families with long traditions of martial exploits and heroism, prostrate themselves at someone's feet, it must be an Emperor.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages