Sattkaryottejak Sabha
Vagdevata Mandir

Vagdevata Mandir

Shri Samarth Vagdevata Mandir is a glorious branch of the Mother institute Satkaryottejak Sabha. It is established in 1935. it is a temple where literature of Samarth School is worshipped in the form of an idol. The only way to worship this Goddess of literature ( Vagdevata ) is to study that literature and do some research work in literature. The devotee of Shri Samarth, Late Shri Nanasaheb Deo did monumental work of collection, research and publication of literature of Shri Samarth School and other contemporary saints. The catalogues ( Suchi ) of bunch of manuscripts – popularly known as Badas – is published in four volumes with more than 1400 pages. This institution is a treasure of source material for research work. Indian and Foreign research scholars have rightly remarked that study of Indian saints of any stream is incomplete without reference to the source material preserved in Samarth Vagdevata Mandir. This institution has become a modern holy place ( Adhunik Tirthkshetra ) for taking bath in the knowledge of sea. Maintenance and preservation of all these historical documents is done in this institute.

Shri Samarth Vagdevata Mandir is an invaluable and priceless treasure house of manuscripts, letters and chronicles of historical importance and awaits the researchers from various fields to come and explore the depths of Badas and thereby unfold the mysteries written on the pages of history.

Late Nanasaheb Deo and his colleagues felt it a need to have a different store house for the collection of precious treasure and his dream came true in the form of Shri Samarth Vagdevata Mandir – an unparalleled and splendid architectural glory with simplicity and purity where we see Samarth Ramdas Swami, incarnated in his literature.

The Mandir was erected on 75 X 48 sq. ft. plot owned by Late Nanasaheb Deo who gifted it to the Mandir in no while. Shri Vasudeo Gopal Gogate – an architect – built the temple and on the auspicious day of Jeshttha Shuddha 13 in 1935, the collection of the treasure was kept here to welcome the scholars, the learned and the learners also.

The treasure contains researched and non researched as well, the manuscripts, papers, letters and badas. The copy of the Valmiki Ramayan rewritten by Samarth Ramdas in 1622 A. D., a letter by Swami Ramdas to the Raghunath Bhatt in Modi script, 30 copies of the holy Dasbodh. The manuscripts by Kalyan Swami, Uddhav Swami, Giridhar Anubhavamrit written by Diwakar, the ninth chapter of Dasopant’s Geetarnav, the pre Samarth period Eknathi Bhagwat, Samarth’s poems. Moreover historic letters by Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji, Rajaram, Moropant, the handwriting of Ramchandra Nilkanth, the smaller and beautiful copies of the Dasbodh, the manuscripts with refreshing colorful pictures of the Geeta and the Geet Govind, the photocopy of the authorization to Ramdas Swami by Shivaji Maharaj wallwt, the two smallest copies of Geeta that can be held in pinch, 205 Manache Shlok’s in ligible and slim writing on a single paper, two copper plates and Tadpatries – all this is an asset preserved safely and carefully in showcases.

The papers of these manuscripts are old and worn out and hence dangerous to handle. So, the Xerox copies are given to the researchers. Some of the papers are preserved with lamination and not a single sheet of paper is allowed to be taken out.

Apart from the Samarth literature there is a literature by 300 saints. There are historical original letters and papers of judgments given by the then kazis. There are some manuscripts written 550 years ago in different languages – Marathi, Farsi, Hindi, Arbi, Hindusthani, Tamil, Telgu Gujrathi and Sanskrit. Of all the Badas almost about 3000 ones are studied and many other are waiting for studies by scholars. There are manuscripts on various different subjects – Literature, Science, Fine Arts, Ayurved, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Social Sciences, Psychology, Drawings, Paintings, Music, Astrology, History, Charms and Spells etc.

Late Nanasaheb began with his research work from 1903 and is still going on. Almost 250 researchers from all over the country and from abroad have come here in their persuits either for MPhil’s and PhD’s or for their own pleasure and writing books.
 

The Description of Badas

Subjectwise Badas

Areas open to Researchers

Languages wise Badas

Badas Chronological 
 

The Samartha Vagdevata Mandir celebrates its inauguration day ( 1935 ) as the Annual Day with the annual General Meeting of the members and arrnges Late Gopalraoji Gogate series of lectures.

The Mandir has launched a project for moral education since 1978 and has established Reference Library in 1953.

Moral Education Project
Moral education is now a days the need of the hour. So the Mandir has undertaken the project of moral education since 1976. The Govt. of Maharashtra is also implementing the project through primary and secondary schools with the set of values—

1) Cleanliness, body and surroundings
2) Purity -- Mind
3) Fearlessness
4) Self – reliance
5) Faith in Religion
6) Faith in Science
7) Respectfulness
8) Dutifulness
9) Brotherhood
10)Equality
11) Sportiveness
12) Kindness and Pity
13) Love for Nature

Apart from these values, the Mandir has strived to initiate into students the values set by Samarth Ramdas such as —

1) Truth and its realization
2) Conscience
3) Efforts
4) Duties
5) Love for Nature
6) Faith that all religions are equal with the same fundamental principals.

The mandir started the work from 1978 as having the social commitment and implemented a project in the schools where the students learn the mythological stories, the Ramayana, the Subhashitas, Balbodh, Manache Shlokas and appears for tests based on the teachings of the values. The competitions are held and participants are duely rewarded.

The mandir intends to run the various “ Sanskar Varga “ throughout the year and bring up a student with full of strength, patience, righteousness, truthfulness and nationality into prospective citizen of our motherland.

The mandir believes that the moral education helps a soul at every stage where he needs, in his journey towards being the supreme soul.

 

Hundreds of dignitaries visit Vagdevata Mandir. Just a few are noted below.

Viewers Opine

1) I was very much pleased to have an occasion to visit Smartha Vagdevata Mandir
XXXXX institutions like these ought to inspire Maharashtrian to think & act according to their forefathers who under the inspiring guidance of the teaching of Shree Smartha Ramdas established and organized the National Swaraj for the Hindus of Hindustan... (5-3-1935)
Dharmaveer B. S. Moonje


2) Astonishing research of a devoted Scholar...(15-3-1936)
V. D. Chitale
(B.H.U. International scholar)


3) Nice maintenance of Valuable books written by swami Ramdas and other Saints. My Salutations to all Concerned.
Kantaben Desau
(Yog Chetana Sant, Sahitya Publication Trust Bombay)


4) It was a very great pleasure to visit this institutions of which heard so much. It affords very valuable faculties for the Study of old Marathi literature & I hope many Scholars will take advantage of them, The institution is a realization of the ambition of Shri Deo to put the study of Ramdas and his work prominently before the public and he is to be Congratulated on the success of his efforts...(17-10-1939)
Wrangler R. P. Paranjape

5) Coming from a distance place like Shanghai to this City of my birth the only thing I found here of absorbing interest was Shree Smartha Ramdas Vagdevata Mandir braught into existence by genuine Zeal and lifelong labour of Shri Shankarrao Dev who so kindly showed around hundreds of manuscripts collections gathered from all the available places round about India.
This is an institute that will be of utmost importance in gathering facts for the future Students of Maharashtrian History and is really worthy of all possible support specially from all the Maharas htrians...(14-10-1941)
M. N. Satha
(Textile Engineer, Shanghai)

6) My heartfelt thanks for your holy institution The material I have gathered here is of inestimable value for my work on Sant Movement in Maharashtra. The contents of your archive as well as orderliness of their arrangements are unique among the museums of libraries in India...(25-5-1990)
Dr. Hugh Nan Skynaul
(South Asia Inti., Heidel burg University, West Germany)
 

Website Designed & Powered by Multiversity.                                     Copyright © 2007 Sattkaryottejak Sabha, Vagdevata Mandir.