Vedant Bhaskar / Work
Dr. S. D. Deshmukh - Person and Mission
जो जनांमध्ये वागे । परी जनावेगळी गोष्टी सांगे । ज्याचे अंतरीं ज्ञान जागे । तोची साधू ॥ "A true saint is one who lives among people but speaks of higher spiritual truths, keeping divine wisdom alive within his heart."(दास. ६-१-१८) Dr. Shrikrishna Dattatraya Deshmukh, fondly known as Doctor Kaka, is the living embodiment of this verse. Through his very presence, we are granted the rare privilege of witnessing a profoundly exalted and fully liberated soul, even in these present times. It is our joy to share a brief glimpse into his life and his extraordinary mission.
He is a family man by status, a detached observer by conduct, and a monk by nature. The divine qualities of an ideal soul described by Samarth Ramdas in the Sadvidyanirupaṇ shine brilliantly within him. For example: भाविक सात्विक प्रेमळ । शांती क्षमा दयाशीळ । लीन तत्पर केवळ । अमृतवचनी ॥ "Devout, pure, and loving; filled with peace, forgiveness, and compassion; deeply humble, ever-attentive, and speaking words as sweet as nectar"(दास. २-८-३). In that same chapter, Samarth mentions that certain great qualities rarely exist in the same person at the same time. Yet, astonishingly, these virtues reside together in perfect harmony in P.P. Dr. Deshmukh. He is a master of supreme knowledge, yet acts as a humble devotee; a towering intellectual, yet completely unattached; a man of intense spiritual austerities, yet profoundly calm; an eloquent speaker who does not chase wealth; incredibly wise, yet always ready to hear the opinions of others; supremely elevated, yet grounded in humility. Introverted, soft-spoken, and holding spirituality as his sole life-commitment, P.P. Dr. Kaka teaches the core secrets of spiritual practice from the Upaniṣhads, such as: "यदेव विद्यया करोती श्रद्धयोपनिषदा तदेव वीर्यवत्तरं भवतीती" छांदो. १. १. १०॥"
His outward appearance is tall, majestic, and radiantly joyful. His inner self is adorned with qualities like affinity, courtesy, compassion, and a beautifully accommodating nature. Just catching sight of him draws people in, and being in his presence brings an experience of absolute tranquility. In his persona, the ideal Sattvic Satpurush (pure and enlightened being) conceptualized by Samarth Ramadas and Sant Dnyaneshwar manifests in the contemporary world. To understand why Dnyanadev might have composed this beautiful prayer: चंद्रमे जे अलांच्छन । मार्तंड जे तापहीन । ते सर्वांही सदा सज्जन । सोयरे होतू ॥ "May saints, who are as soothing as a spotless moon and as bright as a heatless sun, be close companions to all." becomes self-evident upon witnessing the effortless, divine grace with which Doctor Kaka lives every single day! this one also
Social awakening is undeniably necessary. If one desires the upliftment of society or the individual, appropriate guidance must be provided for the purification of the minds of both. Then, gradually, vices are discarded. Inner detachment dawns, and people turn to the righteous path. Since society is composed of individuals, the society itself transforms. Even in the spiritual realm, bound souls become seekers of liberation, seekers become practitioners, practitioners become perfected beings, and perfected beings evolve into revered saints. They just need to meet a Guru who enlightens them with authority and guides them with love. This noble work is done only by a saint who has liberated himself through systematic scriptural study and who has a deep inner yearning to hold the hands of worshippers and lead them to salvation. Presently, among such respected and venerable sages, the name of Dr. Shrikrishna Deshmukh must be specially mentioned!. Do this one also
By profession, he is a medical doctor. He practiced for many years in the village of 'Murgud,' situated on the banks of the Vedaganga river in the Kolhapur district. Alongside his professional excellence, he was renowned across a fifty-kilometer radius as an extremely compassionate, detached, pure, and god-like human being. While rendering medical service, he never adhered to the boundaries of time, nor did he ever refuse to visit a patient's home for an examination. He considered it his absolute duty to reach the patient by any available vehicle or even by walking. He never harassed anyone for the sake of money. On numerous occasions, he gave money from his own pocket to impoverished patients to bring them medicines or meals. He practically implemented this famous saying of Samarth Ramadas: उत्तम गुण तितुके घ्यावे । घेवून जनास शिकवावे । "Absorb every drop of goodness you see in the world, and use it to uplift the people" in his own life. The Government of Maharashtra honored him with an award for his professional work and skill, with a special emphasis on his family planning initiatives.
Besides his profession, he undertook many other initiatives in the village. He tried to eradicate incorrect and harmful beliefs in society regarding spirit possession, black magic, etc.. To prove this, he would practically demonstrate by making and drinking lemonade from lemons discarded on the street after superstitious rituals, and deliberately stepping on ritualistically discarded chilies. The deeply rooted myth that 'even touching such objects brings affliction' was perfectly countered by his direct actions. While preserving our culture, he seamlessly embraced appropriate modernity. Recognizing the social need and as a spiritual service, he took the initiative to build a Vitthal temple in the village. At the time, Murgud lacked a kindergarten. Understanding the importance of value-based early education, he collaborated with two like-minded colleagues and established three kindergartens. He helped poor students with their education without looking at their caste, and he even funded one boy's education until he became a doctor. this one also
Because of such a compassionate nature, he attained an unwavering position in the minds of the masses as 'a divine soul, a saint.' His wife, Mrs. Vasundhara Deshmukh (Kaku), is just as energetic, cheerful, and kind-hearted. Being the life partner of such an exalted individual is not easy. Mrs. Kaku has upheld this vital role with exceptional competence and genuine happiness.
Along with the professional and social service he was rendering selflessly, P.P.Dr. Deshmukh regularly continued reading, contemplating, and meditating on spiritual texts. Because he had a huge professional workload, he reduced his sleeping and resting hours during that period to get time for his studies. As a direct result of this dedicated Karma Yog and constant studying, the deep knowledge of the Upanishads was translated through him into the Marathi 'Ovi' poetic format. While still actively running his clinic, he wrote poetic analyses of the ten primary Upanishads as well as numerous articles focused on spirituality. During this exact time frame, he initially conducted lecture tours in the three surrounding counties and eventually began traveling to multiple locations within Maharashtra. Around 1975, on the occasion of seeking a preface for his critique on the Ishavasyopanishad, Dr. Deshmukh encountered the guiding light of the Varkari tradition, P.P. Shri Shankar Maharaj Khandarkar, and achieved the grace of spiritual initiation.
Subsequently, in 1981, Doctor Deshmukh was granted the sacred command to grow the sect - specifically, to grant spiritual initiation. Nevertheless, he commenced the actual granting of this divine grace around the period of 1987-1988. Due to his acceptance of the Varkari sect, many people approached him for the ritualistic 'donning of the rosary' as prescribed by sectarian methodology. With the thought that wearing the rosary would at least make them quit alcohol and non-vegetarian food, he took up the task of initiating even ordinary folks into the spiritual fold by placing the sacred rosary around their necks. Meanwhile, spiritually qualified individuals started receiving initiation. He ascended to the position of Sadguru.
At the age of fifty-two, after having perfectly fulfilled all family responsibilities, he retired from his profession, which was a source of worldly progress, and dedicated the rest of his life to the divine work of social enlightenment. He now devotes himself to the sacred task of sharing this acquired nectar of divine wisdom with everyone through his loving discourses and profound writings. His divine mission to bring the Vedant philosophy - taught by the great Adi Shankaracharya to reveal the pure path of spiritual truth - into the hearts of the people using a modern, understandable language continues relentlessly to this very day.
He meticulously adheres to this directive of Shri Samarth: शाहाणे करावें जन । पतित करावे पावन । सृष्टीमधें भगवद्भजन । वाढवावें ॥ "Make people wise, uplift the downtrodden, and expand the devotion of God across the world" (दास. १४-६-३३). His discourses are scripturally accurate, logical, and at the same time nourishing to devotion and full of faith. Hearing directly from his mouth the coherent interpretations he provides for seekers regarding the most subtle principles, born from his profound study, contemplation, and reflection, is truly a spiritual feast. His speech is mature, profound, and full of grace. It is enriched with qualities like cheerfulness and outspokenness. He has never allowed any room for the narrowness of caste, religion, cult, or sect. He explains how the literature of the saints has a perfect foundation in Vedant and how one should study the saints' literature for that purpose. He removes the misconceptions in people's minds regarding the words 'Adhyatma' (spirituality) and 'Paramartha' (highest truth) and explains the nature of pure spirituality. He reveals the secret of how to perform worship infused with devotion, action, knowledge, and meditation. He never abandons his central guiding principle:"शुद्ध विवेके परमेश्वर ओळखावा" To achieve this awakening, he preaches not only in Marathi but also in Hindi and English.
For the noble cause of spiritual awakening, he undertook pilgrimages throughout India and also conducted tours abroad. He has delivered more than 10 to 12 thousand discourses in the country and abroad. He himself has never tallied them, nor does he ever mention it. He guides seekers through discourses and study circles in holy places like Shivtharghal, Sajjangad, and Pandharpur. Just like in many such holy places, his discourses continually take place in educational institutions, village temples, and elsewhere. With the cooperation of many, he continuously conducts spiritual gatherings (satsangs), camps, and study circles. The seeker community selects a non-dualistic (Advaita) text and organizes a 5-6 day residential study camp. In these, guidance is provided by P.P. Doctor Kaka and P.P. Mandatai Gandhe (Amravati). Special study classes are also organized for the youth. Through all this, numerous aspirants seeking ultimate salvation have been drawn to him. Through his relentless efforts, he continues his mission to build a beautiful spiritual community of sensible, knowledgeable devotees. The tiny, tender vine that started with just a handful of seekers is now reaching up to embrace the sky. A spiritual family of thousands of seekers surrounds him today. From this very garden, so many wonderful speakers, writers, and devoted practitioners have blossomed today.
By practicing selfless action, devotion, knowledge, and detachment himself, P.P. Doctor Kaka explained them to the people. He taught how to put them into practice. Liberation (Moksh) is not something borrowed to be obtained after death, but it is a festival of uninterrupted joy to be experienced in this very life; the true joy of liberation is "living joyfully and, when the time comes, joyfully leaving the body and the world" - and what exactly must be done to attain that joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction is clearly understood from his teachings. He assertively presents the principle that spiritual practice (Sadhana) is not something to be done for a specific time during the day, but it is a complete way of life. He explains a way of life and encourages seekers on how to achieve liberation while remaining in worldly life, in the existing circumstances, and among the existing people, stating that "thought and discrimination are the true tools of spirituality," and "activity should gradually decrease, meaning the mode of passion (Rajoguṇa) should be reduced and the mode of goodness (Sattvaguṇa) should be increased, because Sattvaguṇa is the means to spiritual practice". A multitude of definitions for spiritual practice emerge directly from his discourses. For example: "The process of eliminating the conditioning of the mind's attributes is called spiritual practice," "The continuous struggle to bring spirituality directly into life without keeping it separate from life is called spiritual practice," "Protecting the mind from distractions that block the spiritual path means spiritual practice," etc. His focus is on how every seeker can progress further from where they are, according to their capacity. His attention is focused on each individual soul based on how genuine and deep their spiritual desire truly is. While taking them forward on the spiritual path, he has never cared about his own hardships, time, money, etc. While traveling anywhere, he has never insisted on using any specific mode of transport. In his view, walking, a rickshaw, a scooter, a motorcar, or an airplane are all the same. He is an authoritative commentator on texts like Dasabodh, Dnyaneshwari, Viveksindhu, the Upanishads, Brahmasutras, and the Gita. Samarth Ramadas has outlined the benchmark of a supreme text: जेणें परमार्थ वाढे । अंगी अनुताप चढे । भक्तीसाधन आवडे । त्या नांव ग्रंथ ॥ " A true scripture is one that deepens your spiritual life, sparks inner transformation, and makes you genuinely fall in love with devotion" (दास. ७-९-३०). Dr. Deshmukh's complete body of literature flawlessly measures up to this benchmark. His writing stems from the deep motivation to foster pure spirituality and to elucidate the core doctrines and pristine wisdom.
Dr. Kaka instructs seekers on how to conduct a "mindful study" of any scripture, skillfully enriching them with profound wisdom. He delegates responsibilities only after carefully assessing each individual's spiritual aptitude (Adhikar). He dedicates himself to the welfare of the masses and inspires his disciples to carry forward this noble work of community building. His monumental work perfectly mirrors the verse from the Dasbodh: महंतें महंत करावे । युक्तीबुद्धीनें भरावे । जाणते करूनी विखरावे । नाना देसीं ॥ "An effective leader trains other leaders, equips them with wisdom, and sends them out to enlighten the world." (दास. ११-१०-२५). He has been diligently carrying out all the duties of a true spiritual leader envisioned by Samarth Ramdas. His state of being perfectly mirrors that of Shri Tukaram: "आता उरलो उपकारापुरता ।" "Now I exist only to benefit others." Yet, he continuously engages in study, learning, meditation, contemplation, and public awakening, recognizing them as divine work. Just as Shankaracharya, Dnyandev, Tukaram, and Ramdas are incredibly dear to him, he has also earnestly studied the philosophies of science-oriented Western thinkers like Freud, Schopenhauer, Berkeley, and Heisenberg. The modern Western perspectives on the mind and intellect, alongside the ancient conclusions drawn from our Vedas and Upanishads, flow effortlessly into his discourses. He passionately advocates for a lifestyle that leads to spiritual freedom (Moksh), constantly emphasizing the absolute necessity of contemplating the Self, the Divine, the Ultimate Truth, and the Guru.
Along with all the above work, he served as the co-organizer of the great initiative "Study of Dasbodh by Correspondence". He created the question papers for its third examination called "Prabodh". He worked for many years as a respected trustee of the Shri Samarth Seva Mandal, Sajjangad. In due course, many magnificent and uplifting books like Dasbodh Chintanika, Atmaram (Vivaran), Dasbodh - Sartha Va Satik, and Panchadashi Bhavadarshan were published by him. The quarterly journal ‘Bhaktiyoga' was inaugurated by his spiritual fraternity. Through this periodical, his literary contributions, the elucidation of aspirants' queries, and related activities continuously persist. (Inspired by this quarterly, numerous practitioners commenced independent philosophical reflection and writing). A highly systematic structuring of the subject matter, combined with bold and distinctly clear opinions, are his recognized hallmarks. The insistence that the text of any book, as well as the events happening in life, must be transformed into actual spiritual practice is a characteristic of his discourses and writings.
His book "संसारसागरातील गीतादीपस्तंभ" (The Gita as a Lighthouse in the Ocean of Worldly Life) is ideal from that perspective. He constantly teaches that the principle, teachings, and ultimate goal are one and the same across various non-dualistic sects like the Warkari sect, Samarth sect, Datta sect, Nath sect, Chinmaya sect, etc.. He points out that the superficial differences seen among sects are merely due to the differences in the spiritual practices and worship methods prevalent in those respective sects, and by saying this, he constantly strives to eliminate the differences among various opinions.
It is solely due to this spiritual grandeur that the prestigious presidency of the All India Marathi Sant Sahitya Sammelan in Ujjain was naturally bestowed upon him. In 2003, the Yadav Math of Kolhapur respectfully honored him with the title 'Dnyanbhushan'. The scholarly award 'Shri Mukundacharya', sponsored by Shri Nilangekar for exemplary literary creation in the spiritual realm, was awarded to his book "पंचदशी भावदर्शन" in February 2006 by the Eknath Sanshodhan Mandir of Aurangabad. The Narsobachi Wadi (Narasimhawadi) Sansthan has also felicitated him in a similar manner. He is adorned with many other such awards and honors. In this way, Doctor Kaka, who has dedicated his body, mind, and wealth to the divine cause, does not merely preach the essence and philosophy of the Shrutis and Smritis. Rather, it is as if that very philosophy has taken a physical form and manifested before us through his very being: परी श्रुतिस्मृतींचे अर्थ । जे आपण होऊनी मूर्त । अनुष्ठानें जगा देंत । वडील जे हे ॥ "Like the revered elders who become the living embodiment of the scriptures, demonstrating its practice to the world" (ज्ञा. १७-८६). Those who witness the presence, listen to the enlightening words, and receive the grace of such a scripturally wise, God-realized, compassionate, and joyful great soul are all truly blessed.
His Work in Brief:
- Spreading pure spirituality to the general public.
- Publishing Vedantic texts and regular spiritual columns in periodicals.
- Dispelling societal myths about spirituality.
- Training numerous preachers and authors to globally share spiritual science, saintly wisdom, and daily practices.
- Guiding all spiritual seekers toward their ultimate liberation.
- Unifying various Advaita traditions by removing superficial sectarian differences.
- Demonstrating true spiritual discipline, dispassion, and detachment through his own pristine conduct.
- Writing over 30 deeply philosophical Vedantic books.
- Conducting more than 12,000 spiritual discourses.
- Traveling vastly across India and the globe to guide international devotees.
- Contributing prolifically to spiritual magazines like Jeevan Vikas, Sajjangad, Prasad, Bhaktiyoga, and Pandhari Sandesh.
- Honored with countless awards and citations.
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