Spiritual Development
For the next twelve years, Ramdas devoted himself to studying Hindu religious books, to meditation, and to prayers in a place named Takli, near Nashik on the banks of the Nandini River. At the of age 12 as soon as he ran away from his home he took the name "Ramdas", meaning "servant of Lord Ram," an incarnation of God.
Ramdas practised physical yoga exercises as well as meditation. The Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation was his favourite as it involves every part of the body. It is said that he would do 1,200 Sun Salutations every day, believing that no spirituality could be attained if the physical body was not strong.
In addition to his veneration of Ram, Ramdas worshipped Ram's divinely strong servant Lord Hanuman. He established 11 temples of Hanuman in Maharashtra and promoted physical exercise to develop a healthy society.
Read more about this topic: Samarth Ramdas
Famous quotes containing the words spiritual and/or development:
“It was only too probable that among the half-converted Pagans and Jews, any rite, any form, would find favor, whilst yet unable to comprehend the spiritual character of Christianity.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“And then ... he flung open the door of my compartment, and ushered in “Ma young and lovely lady!” I muttered to myself with some bitterness. “And this is, of course, the opening scene of Vol. I. She is the Heroine. And I am one of those subordinate characters that only turn up when needed for the development of her destiny, and whose final appearance is outside the church, waiting to greet the Happy Pair!””
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)