Spiritual visionaries who laid the foundation for thought transformation and service to humanity.
In the long and gradual evolution of human consciousness, culture, and civilization, history has witnessed only rare moments when extraordinary, visionary personalities have emerged to elevate humanity to a higher and nobler plane. Such avatar-like, multifaceted geniuses appear at critical turning points to awaken collective consciousness and guide society toward moral and spiritual upliftment. Pandit Shri Ram Sharma Acharya undoubtedly belongs to this rare class of divine luminaries.
Born on September 20, 1911, in the village of Anwalkheda in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, India, Acharyashri devoted his entire life to intense spiritual discipline and selfless service. His life was a Bhagirath-like tapasya, steadfastly working toward the dawn of a new era grounded in universal peace, harmony, goodwill, and the gradual manifestation of divine values on Earth.
Known reverently as Gurudev by his disciples, Acharyashri faithfully carried out the divine injunctions of his revered Himalayan Guru. At the young age of fifteen, he undertook 24 Mahapurashcharans of the Gayatri Mahamantra. Alongside his spiritual pursuits, he actively participated as a volunteer in India’s non-violent freedom struggle, endured multiple imprisonments, and, with the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi, embarked upon the mission of social and moral reform through spiritual awakening.
A sage, visionary thinker, and social reformer, Acharyashri propounded the 100-point Yug Nirman Yojana, a comprehensive blueprint for social, intellectual, moral, and spiritual evolution. He lived a life of simplicity, discipline, and austerity, undertook repeated spiritual pilgrimages to the Himalayas, and attained rare spiritual foresight and realization.
Acharyashri translated the entire Vedic Vangmaya into lucid Hindi, enriched with comprehensive and scholarly introductions. He authored over 2,400 books, offering practical, far-reaching, and insightful solutions to the complex problems of modern life. His monumental contributions include the establishment of the Gayatri Pariwar fraternity, Shantikunj Ashram—the global headquarters and academy for moral and spiritual awakening—Brahmavarchas Research Institute, dedicated to harmonizing science and spirituality, and institutions such as Akhand Jyoti Sansthan and Gayatri Tapobhumi, along with thousands of Shakti Peeths and spiritual centers worldwide.
Millions of people in India and across the globe have drawn inspiration from Yugrishi’s message, transforming their personal lives while working selflessly for social betterment. On Gayatri Jayanti, June 2, 1990, Acharyashri voluntarily relinquished his physical body. Yet, even after his physical departure, the mission expanded to global dimensions, with 41 Ashwamedh Yagyas—32 in India and 9 across countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa—conducted to carry forward the sacred work initiated by the Yugrishi.
When Gurudev attained Mahasamadhi on June 2, 1990, on the sacred occasion of Gayatri Jayanti, Mataji assumed complete responsibility for the mission with remarkable courage, faith, and unwavering dedication. Guided by her deep spiritual resolve, she ensured that the vast legacy of Gurudev not only continued but grew stronger in purpose and reach. Her leadership marked a new phase of dynamic expansion rooted firmly in the foundational ideals of Gayatri and Yagya.
In October 1990, under Mataji’s inspired guidance, a Grand Shraddhanjali Samaroh was organized to pay collective homage to Gurudev. This historic gathering witnessed the participation of over 1.5 million devotees from across the world, who united in a solemn resolve to carry forward Gurudev’s mission of spiritual awakening, social reform, and the dissemination of the philosophy of Gayatri and Yagya. The event became a powerful reaffirmation of collective responsibility toward the continuation of the Yugrishi’s vision.
On Gayatri Jayanti in 1992, Mataji revealed profound guidance received from Gurudev from the subtle and astral realms, calling for the global spread of Dev Sanskriti—the divine Indian culture rooted in spiritual values and universal ethics. To fulfill this sacred directive, a worldwide series of Grand Ashwamedha Yagyas was envisioned as a spiritual catalyst for global transformation and collective consciousness.
The historic series of Ashwamedha Yagyas commenced in Jaipur in November 1992, marking the beginning of an unprecedented spiritual movement. Since then, twenty-seven grand Ashwamedha Yagyas have been organized across India and overseas, reinforcing the ideals of peace, moral upliftment, and thought transformation. Among these monumental events was the Pratham Poornahuti Samaroh in 1995, held at Anwalkheda, the birthplace of Acharyashri near Agra, symbolically completing a major phase of the mission’s global spiritual endeavor.
Through Mataji’s visionary leadership, selfless service, and spiritual strength, the mission has continued to flourish—bridging tradition with modern relevance, and carrying the light of Gayatri and Yagya to every corner of the world.
© 2025 – AWGP ORLANDO
