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about in the Himalayas with an ardent wish to see God, to lead
a spiritual life. Wandering from place to place in the high
mountains, he settled down in the Sargachi Ashram.
Guruji had studied up to M.Sc., and knew the secrets of
science well. His ideas were a fine blend of science, religion
and culture. So only a spiritual person once commented:
“Human progress depends on the development of science.”
His curiosity for spirituality was quenched by a guru,
Swami Akhandanand, who was one of the eleven pupils of
Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Swami Vivekananda and Swami
Akhandanand lived together in the Sargachi Ashram. Once
tapping Guruji’s head, Swami Akhandanand said, “Madhav, the
hair on your head, your beard, they appear to me magnificent,
they are illuminating your personality. Madhav, never should
you shave your hair and beard.” Guruji never disrespected what
his Guru said. Right until the final breath of his life, he took
care of his hair. Therefore, his personality continued to
illuminate brightly like a spiritual person.
It is easy to say something. If somebody were to tell you or
me, “Brother, your hair looks good, don’t get them cut.” You
will feel that it would be better not to get it cut. However, the
life of Guruji was not blocked at this point. Swami Akhandanand
asked him to grow hair, and he grew it in all spontaneity. Once,
Dr. Keshavrao Baliram Hedgewar said to him: “Madhavrao, you
have to control the reigns of the Sangh work.” Dr. Hedgewar
was on his deathbed then. He was breathing his last then. The
death was imminent. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh that
was founded in 1925 had expanded to the whole length and
breadth of the country by 1940. The responsibility for this
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh had to be handed over to a young
man aged just thirty-four years. At that time, he said to Guruji
in all innocence: “Madhav, you have to take responsibility for
this work.”
Dr. Hedgewar’s Faith
After they kept awake the whole night, Dr. Hedgewar had
not yet divulged to Guruji anything about the prevailing
