स्वामी रामसुखदास जी
Swami Ramsukhdas Ji
The Idol of Renunciation
He refused everything the world could offer, and gave everything God had given him.
“Liberation comes from giving up desires, not from giving up things.”
Life
Born in February 1904 in Madhpur, Rajasthan, Swami Ramsukhdas was consecrated as a sadhu by his own mother at age four. From that moment, his entire life belonged to God.
He spent his youth as a wandering monk, sharing the Gita’s teachings in the simplest language. In 1936, he met Hanuman Prasad Poddar. His magnum opus, Sadhak Sanjivani, is widely regarded as one of the finest modern Hindi commentaries on the Gita. He authored over 235 works.
His renunciation was absolute: he refused photographs, disciples, gifts, and ashrams. He explicitly stated: “I do not consider anyone my disciple.” He passed away on 3 July 2005 at Gita Bhavan, Rishikesh, on the banks of the Ganga, at age 102.
One Heart
“God is not far away. He is the nearest of the near. The difficulty is only that we are looking for Him somewhere else.”
Teachings
Surrender as the Gita’s Core
The entire Gita comes down to one movement: letting go of ‘mine’ and ‘I’ and offering everything to God.
Desire, Not Things, Is the Bondage
You do not need to leave the world. You need to leave your attachment to it. The bondage is internal, not external.
The Innate Freedom
The highest liberated state is innately present in all human beings. Realization is not an achievement but a recognition.
Works & Publications
Sadhak Sanjivani
Landmark two-volume Bhagavad Gita commentary. Available in Hindi, English, Gujarati, and Odia.
Sadhan Sudha Sindhu
A comprehensive collection of spiritual essays on practical sadhana.
235+ Published Works
Including Gita Darpan, Gita Prabodhani, Jeevan ka Satya, and Satsang Muktahar.
An Inspiration
Ananta quotes Swami Ramsukhdas frequently — particularly on surrender, the innate freedom of the Self, and the radical simplicity of giving up desire rather than things.