Short Biography

 

Vishnubuva Brahmachari is known as a great social reformer, Hindu dharma rakshak - pracharak of the 19th century. His original name was Vishnu Bhikaji Gokhale. He was born in a poor family on July 20, 1825 (Nag Panchami - Shravan Shu.5 Shaka 1747) in the village of Shirvali (Taluka - Mangaon) in Raigad district. His mother’s name was Umabarai. His father died when he was five years old. At the age of nine, he started working in the Land Revenue Department. But due to domestic constraints, he had to leave his job and come home to help his mother. Later he worked in a grocery shop at Mahad. At the age of 13 - 14, he started working in the customs department in Sashti Taluka. Further, he was posted at Vasai, Kalyan, Bhiwandi, and Uran. He was religious and spiritual by nature and he used to participate in pravachan, kirtans, and bhajans with great interest. Similarly, he deeply studied many dharmik texts – Shrimadbhagwat, Mahabharat, Ramayan, Paramamrut, Viveksindhu, Dnyaneshwari, Amrutanubhav, Bhavarthramayan, Ekadashaskand, Chatuhshloki Bhagwat, Rukmini Swayamvar, Hasta malak, Dasbodh, Bodh Sagar, Dnyansagar, Vidnyansagar, Anandsagar, Shanti Sagar, Ramvijay, Harivijay, Pandav Pratap, Shivlilamrut, Yogvasishtha, Ramgita.

  

 

At the age of 23, Vishnubuva was inspired by Shri Dattatreya that who was born for philanthropy and resigned from his job, and left for Nashik. There he attained self-realization after performing severe penance at Saptashrigi Mountain. He was convinced that all Hindu brothers and sisters should also be shown the path of the Vedic Dharma which he had inherited and to make them aware of the bright and superior Dharma. He was commanded by Shri Dattatreya to destroy the unreal and immoral things practiced in the name of religion and to re-establish the Vedic Dharma by refuting foreign heresies. Then Vishnububuva came to Pandharpur via Nashik. There he recited Bhavartha Ramayana twice and started telling people about the importance of the Vedic religion. He wrote 'Bhavartha Sindhu' (1856) to reveal the true nature of Vedic religion to the masses. At Pandharpur he was introduced to Mahadev Shastri Kolhatkar. At his request, Vishnubuva gave lectures on Vedokta Dharma in Sangli, Miraj, Wari, Satara, Pune, Ahmednagar, and Kolhapur. Then he came to Mumbai in September 1856 to proceed to Dwarka. In Mumbai, he came to know the devious activities of Christian missionaries in the name of religion and service. Realizing that the British had not only usurped the political power but also continued their cultural and religious invasion of the Hindu society through the missionaries. Vishnubuva was determined to put a stop to it by fiercely resisting it.

 

 

Christian missionaries used to criticize Hinduism by picking out the faults in Hinduism from the manuscripts of Hindu scriptures, which would be useful in the spread of Christianity. In response to this, Vishnubuva started social awareness through small and big meetings. Every Saturday he used to give lectures at Prabhu Seminary in Girgaon. A total of 50 such meetings were held. Through these meetings, he effectively countered the vulgar and mischievous behavior of the Christian missionaries. Vishnubuva's oratory and debating skills were very impressive. From 15th January 1857 to 28th May 1857 public discussions and meetings were held with his Christian missionaries on the seashore of Mumbai every Thursday evening. Christian missionary G. George Bowen used to attend these meetings. He compiled these discussions in the book 'Discussions By The Seaside (1857). It was translated into Marathi as 'Samudrkinaricha Vadvivad' (1872). Vishnubuva went to Calcutta, Chennai, Varanasi, and Gujrat and did a great job of protecting and propagating Vedokta Dharma.

 

Vishnubuva was of the opinion that we Hindus were divided into castes and sub-castes. Hence, we lost our independence and became subjects of invasions, exploitation and torture. He fiercely opposed undesirable customs and traditions like caste system, untouchability and women discrimination in Hindu society. He pressed forth his progressive thoughts on social issues like remarriages, adult marriages, divorce, purification and temple entry etc. It was his firm opinion that women’s education had no option for empowerment of women. His books like ‘Vedokta Dharmaprakash’ (1859) and Sukhadayak Rajprakarani Nibandha (1867) specially exhibit his progressive thoughts. He clearly stated that workers who run the government administration must never be chosen from only one family as a tradition. Vishnubuva gave many important suggestions like - the government must keep a register of birth, death, education, marriage and travel of any person born in the country.

  

During British rule in India, there happened a large-scale automation as was evident from a number of machine - made products. Due to industrialization a labour class was born. Vishnubuva, in his book ‘Sukhadayak Rajyaprakarani Nibandh’ (Essays on Beneficent Government) described the pitiable condition of workers and put forth his thoughts with regard to the same. His said essay bears an ideal concept of government. He got his book translated in English and published in 1869. He printed 10,000 copies of the essay and sent them to respectable personalities in India and abroad including the Queen Victoria of Britain, Some other books worth mentioning and authored by Vishnubuva include ‘Chatuhshloki Bhagawat yacht Arth (1867), and Sahajsthiticha Nibandh’ (1868). Those authored by him and published after his demise include ‘Vedokta Dhrmacha Vichar Va Christimatkhadan’ (Essence of teachings - 1874) and Setubandhani Tika (1890). Setubandhani Tika is a search and investigation in Bhagwad Geeta. It can be described as a bridge leading from ignorance to knowledge. His book ‘Bhavarth Sindhu’ was translated into Gujarati language and ‘Vedokta Dharmaprakash’ into Bhojpuri language. Along with counseling, Vishnubuva took the lead and inspired people in establishing libraries and newspapers. Because of Vishnubuva’s thought – provoking discourses, there was a large awakening in Hindu and Parsi society and they started taking pride in their Dharma. Eventually this also put a break to the speed of religious teacings of Christian missionaries. Their cunning designs were defeated and conversions of Hindu and Parsi society came to a halt.

  

 

Vishnubuva, in his sacred endeavor, received the support of many a great personality like Sir Jeejibhoy Jamshetji, Jagannath Shankarsheth, Hari Keshavaji, Seth Gokuldas Tejpal, Bhau Daji Lad, Vinayraoji Vasudev, Narayan Dinanathji, Dadoba Pandurang and Dadabhai Nauroji. During his stay at Akkalkot, he happened to avail company, guidance, and blessings of Shri Swami Samarth. He breathed his lastat Vitthal Mandir, Girgaon, Mumbai on 18th February 1871 (Mahashivaratri, Magh Vadya Chaturdashi, Shak 1792). In a short life span of only 46 years, Vishnubuva carried out commendable work of social counseling and awakening, leading to the protection of Hindu Dharma. He ignored criticism from fellow Indians and foreign nationals too. He didn’t count insults and focused on his noble objective of establishing Vedokta Dharma. He can be said to be the original voice behind the concept of nationalism and social Hindutva that came to life in the second half of the 19th century.