His devotion for Sri Ma and also for Didima, whom he revered as his Guru, was deep and unswerving. As long as his health permitted, he rendered invaluable service to the Sangha and also for some time as the Vice-President of the Charitable Society, which can never be forgotten.

All along he expounded the Bhagavata during the morning satsang in any Ashram he happened to be in. For some time he taught in our Vidyapeeth. For many years he was in charge of the programme of every Samyam Vrata. Further he took notes whenever Mataji replied to questions. His articles “Matri Satsang” have regularly made Mataji’s teaching available to the readers of “Ananda Varta” in three languages. His translations into Gujarati of Sri Ma’s words and Her life story comprise several volumes. He also wrote in detail about Giriji’s life as well as other articles which appeared in Ananda Värta in Hindi and English.

A samnyasi is dead to the world. His only concern is the contemplation of the Brahman. Swami Bhagavatananda’s life and work will continue to inspire all devotees.

On Sept. 7th 1980, Swami Bhagavatananda Giri, one of the most popular and active samnyasis of our Ashram, left his mortal coil in Bombay, where he had gone for treatment. He had been ailing for the last few years. His body was flown to Delhi and then taken to Kankhal for immersion in the holy waters of Ma Ganga, in the presence of Mahantaji Sri Girdhar Narayan Puri and all sadhus and brahmacharis of our Ashram there.

Kantibhai with Sri Ma and Amulya Data Gupta at Varanasi Ashram

This is what he wrote about his joining Ma:

“From the very first moment I felt great love and veneration for Mataji. Two months later I left home, family, friends and society to seek refuge at Her Feet for the rest of my life. While staying with Mataji, I was vouchsafed many beautiful inner experiences. In Her Presence I felt an abiding deep peace and overwhelming bliss. In spite of this there was some uneasiness in my mind. I was perplexed as to who or what Mataji actually was; some people said she was God Himself, others that she was Devi, yet others that she was Krishna and so forth. Unable to solve the riddle, I once took heart and asked Mataji in private: “Ma, who actually are you? People have varying experience, I am not ready to accept any of them”. Mataji gave me a beautiful reply – “Whatever you think me to be that I am”. This however did not allay my doubts. Therefore, in November 1942, I once said to Ma: “Before deciding finally to remain with you for good, I should like to go on a pilgrimage through the length and breadth of India and get acquainted with the greatest saints and sages, so that later I should not be able to feel I might have made better spiritual progress elsewhere. If you grant me permission I want to try and fulfill this wish of mine”. Mataji said: “Most gladly. And if you find a place that seems congenial to you, remain there; if you feel inclined to take initiation from a competent Guru, you may do so”.

Thus after several conversations of this kind with Mataji, I set out on my pilgrimage. Apart from visiting many holy places, I spend about three weeks at the Ashram of Swami Ramdas at Kerala, another three weeks at the Ashram of Sri Ramana Maharshi and had darsana of Sri Aurobindo in February 1943 at Pondicherry. Proceeding from there to Jagannath Puri and Calcutta, I reached Sri Rabindrath Tagore’s Santinikeitan in March 1943. From there from Puri I had written a letter to Mataji and her reply came to me at Santiniketan. …… After replying to it I went to sleep. Suddenly I felt a powerful urge to go to Mataji. It was as if she were calling me to her. I got up at once and decided to leave by the next train.”