Mobile, tripod, selfie stick in hand… you would not have seen such a monk, know who is Digital Baba

New Delhi:Ocher clothes, long hair and beard, kamandal in hand, trishul, tongs, cloth bag and religious books in it. Thinking of a monk-sanyasi, the first image that comes to mind is something like this. In such a situation, one gets shocked once someone sees a monk or a monk in a dress other than this. Swami Ramshankar of Gorakhpur also surprises with his different things, behavior and costumes. Be it a deserted place or a crowded place like a railway station, when he appears with his mobile, laptop, tripod, selfie stick, collar mic, the onlookers feel that he is a monk, at first glance their eyes are deceiving. Is. That’s why Swami Ramshankar is better known as ‘Digital Baba’ than his real name. Active on social media as well as society, Digital Baba has recently completed Narmada Parikrama in 108 days, after which he is once again in discussion. Do you know about this young monk?

When everyone saw the live parikrama

Swami Ramshankar aka Digital Baba grabs everyone’s attention at the Nageshwar Mahadev Temple in Baijnath Dham, Himachal Pradesh, as he streams his discourses on YouTube or live on Facebook while addressing the devotees. Regarding his digital avatar, Swami Ramshankar says that while physically he is able to connect with only a few devotees, in a virtual way he is with lakhs of people at the same time. Spirituality is not such an action, which can be done from the front itself. We can be anywhere, being anywhere, this is what spirituality is, isn’t it? Then if we are communicating with any of our devotees present in any part of the world from Nageshwar Dham, then how is it against spiritual activity? Instead of distancing ourselves from digital medium, we should learn to use it for religious purpose. Digital Baba says, even during the Narmada Parikrama, I used to give divine darshan to the devotees there from time to time. Kept telling its importance as well. Think, how good it is that someone living anywhere was able to join the Narmada Yatra through me. Many people were even getting inspired by it.

one day suddenly left home

Why does a young man studying in Gorakhpur University suddenly drop out? Leaving home and living the life of an ascetic in Himachal? Swami Ramshankar tells about his journey from householder to sannyas, I am a resident of village Khajuri Bhatt in Deoria district of UP. Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University B.Sc. com. I was studying but I was getting inclined towards spirituality. Then I was only 20 years old. Seeing my condition, one day my acquaintance Manoj Sharma said that when you live like a monk then why don’t you become one? In this way, if you live in the cosmic world against the mind, then you will not be able to live. He told us the address of Gurudev, so we went to meet him. On November 11, 2008, I left my B.Com final year studies and dedicated my life to the devotional path of Vairagi tradition after receiving Diksha from Mahant Swami Shivcharan Das Maharaj of Lomash Rishi Ashram, Ayodhya.

inclination towards spirituality

I was already inclined towards spirituality, because father Nandkishorji is a master of rituals. Since July 2017, I am doing spiritual practice at Nageshwar Mahadev Temple, Baijnath Dham, Himachal Pradesh. Have you found the one whose search has given up your studies? Digital Baba says that at first it seemed that by going outside I would be able to get answers to the questions arising in my mind that why am I and what am I. But, now I have understood from the gurus that no matter how much you wander outside, no matter how much you pull yourself with the pleasure of the subjects, but until the juice of the universe is not tasted, there will be lack of satisfaction in life. This human body is accessible only by Harikrupa. Now that this rare opportunity has been given, it is an effort to engage it in every satsang and self-reflection. According to Digital Baba, it is necessary to know the scriptures to understand religion. That’s why I have done eight through Darshan Yog Mahavidyalaya Rosed Gujarat, Kalwa Gurukul Jind Haryana, Gurukul Sandipani Himalaya run by Chinmaya Mission, Tapovan Kangra Himachal, Rikhia Peeth of Bihar School of Yoga Deoghar Jharkhand, Kaivalya Dham Yog Vidyalaya Lonavala Maharashtra and Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya Khairagarh Chhattisgarh Studied Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana, Bhagavadgita, Yogashastra and music for years.

How to do Narmada Yatra?

Digital Baba, who came into limelight with his Narmada Parikrama, said that this Parikrama is a spiritual practice, which is important for spiritual progress. I covered a total distance of 3600 kilometers on both the banks of river Narmada by walking. On the day of Dev Uthani Ekadashi, I started circumambulation of Maa Narmada from Omkareshwar and reached Omkareshwar on March 1, 2023 after walking for 118 days, where I completed the circumambulation after worshiping according to law. Highlighting the importance of circumambulation on foot by all means, Baba says that we circumambulate Lord Shiva and temples, but the circumambulation of Narmada is the biggest in the world. It is synonymous with our will power, spiritual energy, religious curiosity, devotion. During this parikrama, we also have to take care of many rules, which give strength to our sadhna. Narmada originated from the glory of Lord Shiva. Every stone of Narmada is considered as the form of Shiva. In such a situation, the devotees of Shiva must do this yatra at least once. Narmada originates from Amarkantak and enters Gujarat via Omkareshwar and meets the Gulf of Khambhat. Madhya Pradesh government is also serious about Narmada Parikrama and is taking initiative of tour package. But, I believe that it is better if the circumambulation of Goddess Narmada, the presiding deity of quietness, is done on foot. The yatra begins and ends at the pilgrimage cities of Amarkantak, Omkareshwar and Ujjain. During this time one gets the privilege of visiting the temples located on the banks of the Narmada.