I am an ordinary individual born with a dream of reaching my highest potential in life. I still have no clear vision of what that highest potential is but have been fortunate enough to get a gist of what it can be. Thanks to my mentor and role model Professor Keshav Vishnu Belsare! He has been the single largest influence on me and is the source of constant inspiration!

Professor KV Belsare was a professor of “Philosophy” and “Logic” in Siddharth College of Arts & Science in Mumbai in 1950’s and 1960’s. He was a teacher par excellence! Students not only from his own class but from other colleges also used to overcrowd his classroom accommodating themselves wherever they found place. The students literally adored him to the extent of reverence for his simplicity, subject expertise, insights and exceptional clarity of thought.

In pre-independent India, KV Belsare, a young man then, was pulled into revolutionary activities due to his strong conviction of freedom for the country and betterment of countrymen. However, his life took a complete turn when his mentor asked him the true meaning of “revolution” and hinted saying “the real revolution is only inner revolution”. From there on, this hard-core Logician and Revolutionary took a leap of faith and underwent a complete transformation through decades of practice of meditation!

He emerged as a great philosopher, writer, public speaker, a powerful spiritual leader and guide to thousands of people in India and abroad. His discourses, books, workshops and interactions had only one single mission of helping and guiding people from all walks of life on the paths of their personal development. He grew beyond the known parameters of worldly success – position, social status, material wealth, and recognition.

There are countless instances of people got drawn to him and of people who were sent to him for mentoring and guidance. “The Mother” of Pondicherry had directed one of her followers named Mr Deshpande to KV Belsare for guidance. “The Mother” was the disciple and spiritual collaborator of the great saint and freedom fighter Shri Aurobindo. In 1960’s, Mr Deshpande shifted his base to Mumbai permanently and asked “The Mother” as to who should he look up to for guidance going forward. The Mother directed him to KV Belsare. KV Belsare and The Mother never knew each other directly.

Today, we live in a fragile world where true values, empathy, kindness, tolerance, co-existence, humanity and brotherhood seem to have been lost and replaced by superficial standards such as money, possessions, position, power, network, competition and material achievements! Globalisation and technology have made our lives dependent and complicated. Life doesn’t seem interesting without indulgence and external stimulus through gadgets and technology! One really wonders whether we are in an era of “illusion” as one observes the events happening world over, one sees only disbelief, denial of truth, denial of reality, be it conflicts and violence, corruption or behavioural degradation, climate degradation and change! As if modern education, developed society and life style have taken us far away from Nature! We seem to have lost the ability to sense the “reality” leave alone standing up for it! In such a scenario, when the so-called security of the superficial standards falls apart, you are straight away taken in the deep pit of failure, disillusionment and frustration!

So, who is the saviour? Who does one turn to? Yes, there is immense amount of information and guidance available everywhere through motivational books and other literature. Buts its easier said than done! No theory can replace a hard-core teacher, a strong leader and an experienced mentor and guide! I was very fortunate to have an exceptional mentor and guide in Professor KV Belsare.

He was not only the master of philosophy and mysticism in theory but also the master of its implementation in every aspect of his day to day life. He practiced simplicity, not only in living but also in thinking, he practiced highest integrity, giving unconditional love and support to anyone and everyone he met, he practiced surrender to the “universal energy” and being in the state of “not wanting anything”, the state of being “present” closest to the “reality”.

KV Belsare shared a deep relationship with the legendary businessman Mr Ghanashyam Das Birla. They both used to share ideas and debates on various subjects, especially on spirituality and mysticism. On one such occasion, when both were deep into conversation, Mr Birla asked, “Belsareji, you talk so fearlessly. People are scared to even speak to me!” KV Belsare’s reply to this question became his famous words later “I have nothing to take from you and nothing to give you. Why should there be any fear at all?” The best example of his state of “detachment”!

He had a fierce determination to dedicate himself to his purpose of life for which he put aside whatever came in his way! While working at Siddharth Colleage, Dr BR Ambedkar offered KV Belsare various leadership positions at large educational institutes established by him. KV Belsare refused all the offers as accepting them would have meant attaining the position of power and status but no time for the pursuit of studies and practice of meditation. His relinquishment of external sources of power itself was so powerful that it showed the way, to me and to thousands of people!

I witnessed the power of purpose, dedication, simplicity, integrity and the power of letting go of all achievements, at the end of the day. I understood that “contentment” is the most powerful state of mind, which leads to true happiness! Professor KV Belsare was my father’s father, my grandfather and I witnessed him putting all the true virtues of life into practice in his own life. Therefore, he is my constant source of inspiration!

I am aware that I have a long way to go and haven’t even taken a baby step in that direction. But I know that my mentor will always be there to guide me through the entire process of inner transformation!

– Vaijayantimala S Belsare, Mumbai.

I was lucky to have been in Shri. Baba’s sphere since the very beginning of my life. That’s what everybody called Shri. K.V.Belsare lovingly. “Baba “(Dad) also describes the relation that every person shared with him.

Anyone meeting him outside, would think of him as a very knowledgeable professor; a rare one who’s lectures are thronged by students. But if you ask anyone who frequented his Discourses, they will refer to him as a complete friend, philosopher and guide. His teachings were not only theoretical but he actually led everyone by example.
The simplicity in which he decoded the “Dnyaneshwari” is ethereal. Baba was the disciple of Shri Bramhachaitanya Gondavlekar Maharaj and continued his preaching’s of Naamsmaran i.e. recital of God’s name. They were also firm believers in “The Will of God.

Even today we strongly feel his presence in our lives. The knowledge he has left behind, is still a guiding force at every step of our lives. Never have I seen a person with such a magnanimous personality, who is least worried for himself. He dedicated his life to Naamsmaran and guiding others to the same. We feel fortunate and blessed to have met this towering individual, who is still guiding us by literally holding our hand like a child.

–  Mrs. Radhika Borkar (Singapore)

Baba (Prof.K.V.) Belsare was a very unique spiritual mentor, who inspired us to lead a life beyond what we see, hear, smell, and taste, by giving us an inner strength for a better tomorrow. Baba was a union of Saraswati (Divine knowledge) &Ganga ( Purity). His amazing reservoir of spiritual knowledge coupled with intense purity of thoughts and deeds reflected in his way of being . His mastery in simplifying the most difficult transcripts like Veda, Upnishada, Bhagavad – Gita and Dnyaneshwari left us spell bound and awe – struck. His discourses captured refrences from all over the world .We used to test ourselves after his discourses and we often failed in remembering them.The beauty was all this difficult one was full of humour. Hats off to you Belsare Sir for your great sense of humour which enabled us to effortlessly swim in the divine water!

In our management jargon we spend so much resources to influence people to practice what you preach. Baba is an ideal example of practicing what he preached. His total surrender to his “Sadguru” (Shree Maharaj) is a class by itself. His ideals were Shree Gurudev Ranade, & Shree Bhausaheb Ketkar and he lived life on the path laid by his ideals.

He was so humble that he always positioned himself as” Loud speaker”of Shree Maharaj. This was the height of humility of this himalayian personality. He practiced 24 x 7 Namasmaran. In one of his conversation with his core group member he had said that he has distilled FourThousand books and came to the concusion that there is no substitute for “Nam smaran”. He was a divine soul evolved so much that his mere presence used to transform everything around him into divinity.
Penning down thoughts about him by me is like measuring the dimensions of an ocean using a bucket. It is difficult to meet with such an evolved soul again whose height is unmatched by anybody & that is what we are experiencing for last 20 years after his demise.

The memory of his stellar spiritual leadership continues to be a beacon for all of us.

–  Mr. Ajit Pendharkar (Thane)

Dear Baba,

The first time we met it was upstairs. My life was in a total mess and Ashok introduced you as a philosophy professor.

Meeting was so overwhelming just forgot myself. Don’t even remember what was said. Just didn’t matter! Can say I was in seventh heaven.

All problems dissolved. All answers given. Only one mystery left. What is HE. Where is HE.

Why not the urge to find Him? Why am I still wallowing in this muck? Same questions same answers.

Bal, just let go. Surrender. Let Ram do what he will. Do nothing. Be quiet. What you really want, really need will come on its own.

Amen!

–  Mr. Ravindra Thosar (Mumbai)

|| Shreeram Samartha ||

My Experiences with Prof. K. V. Belsare

I first met Prof. K. V. Belsare – or “Baba”, as he was fondly called – in December of 1994. He had stopped over in Pune on his way to Gondavale, where he was heading for the annual “Punyatithi Utsav” of Shri Brahmachaitanya Maharaj Gondavalekar (Shri Maharaj).

I was a college student then – a free bird with no restrictions! Fascinated by Shri Maharaj’s biography (authored by Baba) – a book I had casually picked up from a friend just a few months earlier – I had boarded the bus to Gondavale one fine day to “check the place out”. No planning. No one knew. Pure sense of adventure. That sense had disappeared quickly on my return, as I had faced choice-words of my mother.
My mother called an emergency meeting with her mother – a disciple of Shri Maharaj – and the two wise ladies concurred that I needed to be in “safe hands”. My grandmother in turn called her close friends and neighbors – Mr. & Mrs. Patankar – at whose place Baba used to stay when in Pune. So here I was, back to the wall, the world conspiring against me, sitting in front of Baba – waiting to be reprimanded.

Baba gave a patient listening to my mother. He then turned to me, smiled and said “A student’s duty is to concentrate on studies. You can go to Gondavale whenever you wish, but if you neglect your studies, Shri Maharaj will not like it.” Turning to my mother, he said, “It’s fine for him to visit there once a month”. We both were happy. Baba had won us over in first meeting itself.

During those formative years of student life, I had a brief encounter with individuals who were proponents of Kundalini Yoga, which, according to them, was a timeless, powerful and fast-track approach to self-realization. These individuals belonged to the tradition of renowned yogis and had hundreds of disciples themselves. But they trivialized Naamsmaran (Contemplation of God by Devotion through chanting His Divine Name) – which is the path advised by Shri Maharaj. They were also quite dismissive of the “Anugraha” imparted at Gondavale on “Samadhi”, objecting that it was nothing more than a mere act of mental satisfaction, as Shri Maharaj was no longer physically present. I was confused. It was all diametrically opposite to Shri Maharaj’s teachings.

Predictably, my mother sent me to meet Baba again during his next trip to Pune. It was a pleasant summer morning and only Baba, Ti. Aai (Mrs. Belsare) and myself were present in the room. I narrated my dilemma to him. Baba told me calmly that Kundalini Yoga was a high-risk path with many pitfalls along the way, such as disproportionate awakening of one’s senses. Naamasmaran, on the other hand, was the safe path. He retorted strongly on hearing the negative comment about the Samadhi-based Anugraha at Gondavale. And he reassured me with substantiated counter examples of multiple Varkari Tradition Saints – such as Shri. Sonopant (Mama) Dandekar – that had received Anugraha on the Samadhi of Shri Dnyaneshwar Maharaj in Alandi. I was relieved. My faith in Shri Maharaj had solidified as a result.

There was something about Baba’s presence and his sphere of influence. A sense of instant calm used to prevail over you whenever you were in his company. I experienced it every time. Typically surrounded by many devotees, this time, I had him all to myself. So, although he had addressed my queries, I didn’t want to leave the place and I distinctly recall asking him the same questions over and over, just so the company wouldn’t end. Such was the rejoice and magnetism of his presence.

As I finally got ready to leave, Baba said (about Shri Maharaj), “It is rare to encounter such a compassionate and blessed soul (“Dayaalu Mahatma”)”, implying that I keep the faith in Shri Maharaj and follow his teachings.

To be sure, Baba was never against any path to self-realization – Kundalini or otherwise. He often spoke of multiple paths with great respect. But his principle for a Seeker (“Sadhak”) was simple – “Head as high as your please, feet always on ground”. In other words, the path you choose should pass the test of practicality, individual ability (physical, mental, spiritual), aptitude and steady, definitive progress. For most people in today’s times, this would boil down to the path of Naamsmaran.

On multiple subsequent occasions, Baba gave me extremely personal, specific and pointed advice. He once said to me “Discretion (“Vivek”) is superior to emotion. Emotion has a subordinate place in life”. This eternally important advice has helped me make the right choices in many difficult, emotionally charged situations.

Baba’s guidance soon brought about a transformation in me as I developed a strong resolve to follow his direction. Studies became my sole focus and my squandering academic performance improved to exceed my (and everyone else’s) wildest expectations. Having completed my Engineering degree a year later with the Top Rank in college, I was on cloud nine when I went to see him before heading to the US for further education. But Baba had a discerning eye. It didn’t take long for him to spot my over-excitement and big talk about super-specialization in certain subjects. Baba said to me, “Don’t be so adamant about learning specific subjects. Learn whatever you get to learn”.

Twenty years later, this is the single biggest piece of advice that has helped me immensely in my career. As a professional in Technology industry, where new replaces the old every passing day, a “thirst for knowledge” and an “attitude of flexibility in learning what comes my way” has proven to be a time-tested formula for survival and success.

In my last meeting with Baba in August of 1997 at his home in Mumbai, he gave his blessings for my further studies and reminded me to always stay connected to our Gondavale roots and culture, wherever I go.

The blessing sure came in handy soon! Four months later, on a quiet December afternoon, my much-beloved mother succumbed to a sudden cardiac arrest at our home in Pune. It was a bolt out of the blue and our extended family and friends were shaken to the core. With no medical history or anticipation of any ailment, the situation was unfathomable. My father, sister and myself were at the center of the storm and we found ourselves emotionally helpless. As for me, I had to bear the loss and shock all alone in the US, as my exam schedules did not permit me to visit India for the last rites. It was during these trying times that I truly experienced the real value and meaning of the constant companionship of Baba’s (and implicitly Shri Maharaj’s) teachings – some of which I had carried with me on audio tapes of Baba’s discourses. Baba’s many examples of Shri Maharaj’s renowned disciples – particularly, Shri Bhausaheb Ketkar – and how they had handled crises, his logical explanations of the philosophy of death and his down-to-earth tricks for practicing the presence of Shri Maharaj, gave our family the strength to handle the situation with poise.

Baba passed away barely four weeks after that. It was merely three years that I had known him before his passing. In just a few meetings of a few minutes each, he had transformed my life and the life of those around me. His teachings have helped our family maintain balance in the rough and tumble of life, avoid being petty in challenging situations, perform our duty to the best of our abilities and, of course, recall sweet memories of Shri Maharaj – the true glue that binds relationships together.

In summary, I feel like evoking an often-quoted line by Baba in his discourses – That I have been loved so immensely by Baba and Shri Maharaj is itself a matter of great satisfaction.

I will cherish these teachings, values and memories for the rest of my life.

–  Mr. Bhaskar Dani

Prof. K.V. Belsare was friend, philosopher and guide to hundreds of people. He was popularly known as ‘Baba’. He had excellent memory for facts, faces, names and book references. He had deep study of Philosophy and quoted extensively about the studies made in the field by international thinkers.

His personality, manner of conversation, reverence for Shri Gondvlekar Maharaj, humility, command over his subject as also the power to hold attention of spiritual gatherings for several years were unique qualities. His books on various aspects of ‘Sadhana’ are indicative of depth of his own experience in the field. The manner in which he described himself on some occasions betrayed his true spiritual status. Occasionally, he confessed that he was filled with Shri Maharaj and could remember or speak nothing but his thoughts or incidents from his life. The narrations were so powerful that the listener would get the first hand feel as if he was present on the occasion.

His discourses were delivered on the directions of Shri Maharaj. The posture of a messenger was never forgotten by Baba. In fact in the last book recording his discussions with Friday Group, on the last page a reference is made in this respect. He told his Son and Daughter-in-law that before departing from Gondavle for the last time, he prayed before the Samadhi. He enquired of Shri Maharaj, whether His message was properly delivered over the years during the discourses. He got sign of Approval from Shri Maharaj.

During the course of his discourses he narrated several anecdotes. On one occasion he stated that while in Gondavle, an incident occurred: A lady entered the room where few others were present. Baba smelt the scent of ‘Khus’. When others departed, the lady approached him and tears rolled down her eyes. When asked, she said that while performing ‘Manas Pooja’ in the Prayer Hall, she performed the worship of Shri Maharaj and applied khus perfume to Him. At that moment all were asked to vacate the Hall for cleaning and while getting up in hurry, the bottle of scent fell down spilling its contents. She said that she was applying ‘Khus’ to Shri Maharaj. Baba smelling the khus scent applied to Shri Maharaj by a lady sitting far away indicates that he had become One with his Guru. Shri Maharaj is considered as ‘Bhagwan’. By logic if Baba becomes identical in mind what else can he be deemed. Therefore, for me, he embodied what he thought: Aim as high as you like, but feet always on the ground. This is a unique example of someone reaching sky-high and bending for us, so that we could hold his hand. All that I can do in remembering Baba is to prostrate before him.

–  Mr. Ashok Kher (Mumbai)