Shri Sitaram Shenoy

(This biography was drawn in the early 1960s)

In a part of Bombay City, where the majority of the population is drawn from labor and mostly illiterate, Shri Sitaram Chardappa Shenoy dedicated his life to their upliftment. Born on 4th May 1898 in a small village, Mulki in South Kanara (Karnataka), he had four brothers, Venkatesh, Vitthal, Raghunath, and Ramkrishna, and one sister, Gulabi. His father, Shri Chardappa Anant Shenoy, and mother, Smt. Laxmibai (second daughter of Shri Ganapati Gopal Kamath of Mulki), along with his grandfather Anant Shenoy, lived in Padubidri, some 16 kilometers from Mulki.

Sitaram began his working life in Solapur at the age of fifteen, but the opportunities in Bombay soon drew him to the city, where he established his permanent residence. His dedication and perseverance won him a permanent place in the hearts of all who worked and lived with him.

The Shenoys were part of a large joint Hindu family, living with many relatives under one roof. This close-knit arrangement had both advantages and disadvantages. A significant disadvantage was the frequent conflicts among the women of the house, particularly between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. Sitaram’s wife did not get along with his mother, both being very headstrong.

In a fit of anger, Sitaram’s mother left their Mumbai house and returned to her native town of Padubidri in South Karnataka state. Sitaram could not persuade her to return, leading to a rift between them, and they stopped speaking to each other.

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Sitaram had a long-standing spiritual desire to build a house near his Guru, Baba Nityananda. During the late 1940s, Baba Nityananda stayed at Vajreswari, about a kilometer from Ganeshpuri, sitting opposite the Vajreswari Temple where the Samadhi Shrines (tombs) of several saints of the Natha lineage were located.

Baba recommended this sacred place for Sitaram to build his house. Sitaram leased the land from the Trustees of Vajreswari temple, and Baba had moved his ashram to Ganeshpuri. With great devotion, Sitaram decided to build a house and a motel with lodging and boarding for devotees visiting Ganeshpuri. He visited Ganeshpuri to invite Baba for the Bhumipujan (groundbreaking) ceremony. Baba was then living in the old Ganeshpuri ashram, called Vaikuntha.

Before beginning construction, Sitaram prostrated himself before Baba and said, “Dear Deva, I have decided to construct my house and hotel as per your recommendation, opposite the Vajreswari Temple. I have one desire: that you, as my Guru, should grace the ceremony of Bhumipujan.” Baba replied, “Go get your mother and ask her to grace the ceremony.” However, Sitaram, driven by his ego and stubbornness, refused. He considered Baba as his true mother and argued, “You are my God, my Mother, my Guru, and my everything. None other than you can grace this great event in my life.”

Baba, unwavering, insisted, “Only your mother should be given this honor.” Sitaram retorted, “I will not go and surrender to my mother. If you do not accept my invitation to grace this ceremony, I shall still hold it, keeping your photographs at the ceremony and offering my respect to you alone.” He left Ganeshpuri in a huff.

This interaction underscored the deep, complex relationship between Sitaram and Baba. Sitaram’s devotion allowed him to challenge Baba, whom he considered his everything. Baba’s immense love for Sitaram tolerated his outbursts, aiming to teach him a profound spiritual lesson: the importance of humility and the foundational respect for one’s mother. Baba sought to dissolve Sitaram’s ego and heal the spiritual rift caused by his estrangement from his mother.

The following day, Sitaram commenced the groundbreaking ceremony, invoking Baba’s blessings through his photograph. However, the constructed walls collapsed repeatedly over three consecutive days. Realizing his mistake, Sitaram returned to Ganeshpuri, prostrated at Baba’s feet, and sought forgiveness.

Baba, with a loving laugh, explained, “Mother is the Primary Guru. Only with her consent and blessings can one progress spiritually and worldly. If your mother is hurt, no amount of penance can bring success. You must first pay respect to your mother. Now, continue building your house, but for the housewarming (Graha Pravesh), invite your mother with great respect and honor. Wash her feet, offer her a new sari, and begin your life in your new home with her blessings.”

Sitaram completed his house and honored his mother by bringing her to Vajreswari, seating her in the center of the house, performing her padapooja, gifting her a saree, and prostrating at her feet. He viewed her as Baba’s representative and gave her full honor, thereby bringing positive energy into his home. From that day, Sitaram treated his mother like God, establishing a family tradition of daily performing pada puja and bowing to one’s mother.

This incident beautifully illustrates the deep spiritual truth that respecting one’s parents, especially the mother, is essential for spiritual progress and success. Sitaram’s journey teaches the importance of humility, dissolving the ego, and the transformative power of sincere devotion and respect.