Yogi Ramsuratkumar (December 1st, 1918- February 20th, 2001) (யோகி ராம் சுரத் குமார் in Tamil )was an Indian saint and mystic. He was also referred to as "Visiri samiyar" (In Tamil விசிறி சாமியார் ) and spent most of his post enlightement period in Thiruvanamalai, a small town in Tamil Nadu which is famous for attracting spiritual seekers worldwide and has had a continuous lineage of enlightened souls. He acknowledges the contribution of three of the most well known saints of his time in his evolution to enlightenment. These individuals were Sri Aurobindo, the founder of Integral yoga, Ramana Maharishi, one of the "spiritual superman" of his time, and Papa Ramdas, Yogi's eventual guru.
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Yogi Ramsuratkumar (யோகி ராம்சுரத்குமார் in Tamil) was born in a village Nardara near Kashi on December 1, 1918. In his childhood, he loved very much to meet the yogis and monks. He was befriended by a number of holy men who built their huts on the Ganges shore or simply wandered nearby.
He grew up as a Grihasta but eventually, the tugs of spirituality in his heart took over. In search of his "guru", he visited and spent time in the ashrams of both Sri Aurobindo and Ramana Maharishi. He later moved to Kerala at the ashram of Swami Ramdas. In his own assessment, Sri Aurobindo gave him Jnana, Sri Ramana Maharshi blessed him with tapas and Swami Ramadas gave him the nectar of Bhakti. Swami Ramadas initiated him into the holy mantra : " Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram ", by pronouncing it thrice in his ears. Yogi Ramsuratkumar often refers to this instance as his "death", since from this moment on, his ego no longer existed, and he had a profound spiritual experience.
Yogiji travelled across the country from 1952 to 1959. Not much is known about the exact whereabouts of the yogi in this period. He finally reached Thiruvannamalai in the Southern India in 1959. He was a "hidden" saint during this early period, with not too many individuals realizing that this "beggar" was someone who would bring riches to the lives of countless many. He was seen near the Temple chariot, at the corners of the Road,under the trees of the Temple. As more and more people started acknowledging the divine presence in him, Swamiji then began living in a small house in Sannadhi Street beneath the Temple. He continued to bless the devotees who thronged at thousands to his house at the Sannadhi Street. At a point, his devotees became too many to be handled in a small house and the devotees wished him to have an Ashram which he gently accepted after much persuasion for the sake of his devotees. The Yogi Ramsuratkumar Ashram is constructed at Agrahara collai with a total area of 3.5 Acres.
"VISIRI SAMIYAR" attained Siddhi on 20.2.2001 at Tiruvannamalai in the Ashram premises.
Yogi Ramsuratkumar was a true saint and he has affected the lives of thousands of people towards incorporating the divine presence in their lives. To his followers, he assures that the mere thought of him and meditation with the repetition of the following mantra would address any difficulties that they have in dealing with their day to day problems.
Yogi Ramsuratkumar Yogi Ramsuratkumar Yogi Ramsuratkumar Jaya Guru Raya
The following excerpts are taken from one of his addresses to his followers. He often referred to himself as a "beggar" as a message for followers to not take their egos seriously.
"This beggar learnt at the feet of Swami Ramdas the divine name of Rama, and beg, beg all of you not to forget the divine name Rama. Whatever you do, wherever you are, be like Anjaneya -Maruthi thinking of Rama and doing your actions in this world. Live in the world and the problems will be there. If we are remembering the Divine name, we are psychologically sound. May be, we may feel a little some of the problems. Even then the intensity with which we feel if we don't have faith in God is much more than a man of faith - a man who remembers the name of Rama. So this beggar is always begging, begging for food, begging for clothes, begging that you should compose songs on this beggar, build a house for me - a cottage for me - this thing - that thing - so many things. But this beggar will beg of you this also, and you are always giving what this beggar has begged. So this beggar begs please don't forget the name of God. This Divine name has been always of great help to all in the world. You read Kabir, Tulsi, Sur, Appar Swamy, Manickavasaga Swamy - how they emphasized Namasivaya. Don't forget it- this is your heart- this is your soul. Whether it be Om Namasivaya or Om Namo Narayana whether Rama, Siva or Krishna whatever name you choose, whatever form you choose doesn't matter.
But remember the lord with any name, with any form of your choice. Just as when there is heavy rainfall, we take an umbrella, and go on doing our work in the factory, in the field, wherever we go for marketing and catching hold of the umbrella we go though the rain is falling there. But still we work-still we work-do our work. Similarly we have got so many problems all around. This divine name is just like an umbrella in the heavy rainfall. Catch hold of the divine name and go on doing your work in the world. This beggar begs of you and this beggar has received all he has begged of you. So I think none of you will shrink away, when this beggar begs of you, don't forget the divine name. This beggar prays to his father to bless you all who have come here. My Lord Rama blesses you- My Father blesses you. Arunachalaswara blesses you. It doesn't matter to me what name it is. All the blessings of my father for all of you! Well, that is the end. That is all."
Yogi Ramsuratkumar's ashram is one of the most unique ashrams in the sense that he was completely involved in every aspect of its conceptualization and creation. It is highly recommended that anyone who visits Thiruvanamalai have a pilgrimage to this ashram along with that of Sri Ramana Maharishi and Shesadri Swamigal.
Yogi Ramsuratkumar's most promient Western students were Lee Lozowick, who founded "Western Baul" communities in the United States and Europe[1], and Krishna Carcelle (Gaurakrishna), who published the Vedantic monthly magazine 'Rama Nama' and created the website of 'Yogi Ramsuratkumar Bhavan' with the blessings of his Master, and publishes free ebooks on Yogi Ramsuratkumar.