Sri La Sri Paramhamsa Dhasar (1941 - 1996)

Sri La Sri Paramhamsa Dhasar or popularly known as Sri R. Govindasamy, lovingly called “Sir” or in tamil “Saar”, was born on September 17, 1941 in the small town of Semenyih in the State of Selangor, Malaysia. Swamiji over the span of 30 years spread the teachings of Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna, Holy Mother Sri Saradha Devi and Swami Vivekananda throughout Peninsular Malaysia. In the early days, in Malaysia the followers of Bhagwan Sri Ramakridina were confined to only the rich and the educated such as teachers, lawyers and doctors. The poor and the uneducated had no access to them and had little knowledge of Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna. It was Sri R. Govindasamy who spread the teachings of Bhagwan among the poor especially the estate workers in this country. In fact, the present day propagators and those who have now established ashrams and centers in the name of the Holy Trinity to spread Bhagwan’s teaching have found it easy to do so because he had paved the way for them. Swami used to say the estate workers used to hang movie actors photographs such as Sivaji Ganesan, MGR, Savithri, Saroja Devi in their homes. I gave them Ramakrishna, Saradha Devi and Vivekananda to replace them. As such, Sr. R. Govindasami was responsible for the revivalism of Hinduism in this country and for the spread of Ramakrishna’s teaching.

The Ramakrishna Ashram (SRA) in Melaka was established in 1964 by Dr. Rama with the noble objectives of spreading the teachings of Vedanta and also with the objective of helping the poor and the needy while Dr. Rama founded the SRA it was Sri R. Govindasamy who revitalised and was the man who made it grow to what it is today. SRA at its initial stages operated from his humble 2 room house in Limbongan, Melaka. It was from this home that he did his work to spread the bhakthi movement through his Bhajans and poojas. He used these bhajans and poojas as the vehicle to spread the teachings of Bhagwan. His melodious and beautiful voice tantalized people and thus he attracted devotees like ants that were attracted to sugar.

The early days of his religious life was spent making speeches and giving discourses. He was a member of the Hindu Dharma Mamandran and the Malaysia Hindu Sangam. Once he came in touch with Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna he totally immersed himself in his teachings. He used to spend all his time reading everything he could get on Ramakrishna. He used to say I just couldn’t stop myself the more I read the more I wanted to know. He forgot himself to such an extent that he neglected himself. He started growing a beard and started to look like Ramakrishna. The people used to tell him why do you want to follow a Bengali guru when there are plenty of South Indian gurus. To him, Ramakrishna was the only source and inspiration of knowing Mother. He would say it was only Ramakrishna who said I have seen Kali, and as such he instinctively felt that Ramakrishna will show him the way to the Holy Mother. He used to say Ramakrishna was the most poisonous snake once bitten you can never leave him. As he read, sang his bhajans and did his poojas and as the years passed by Sri R. Govindasamy’s features changed. He began to look like Ramakrishna and it came to a point when he used to give small photos of Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna, people would question whether he was giving his own pictures or was it Bhagwans. It was to such an extent that Sri R. Govindasamy was devoted to Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna that he becameone with Bhagwan.

Sri R. Govindasamy’s main attraction was his melodious voice. His bhajans and the songs he sang really mesmerised people. It is this that attracted thousands of people who became his followers and thus Bhagwan’s followers. In his early days, he found that the Hindu’s found it hard to relate to Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna. Many a time the people would not come to his prayers as they would say that Sri Ramakrishna was a Bengali and as such they could not accept him. It was at this stage that he decided to use Hinduism’s popular gods such as Ganesha, Murugam and Ambal to attract them and in the process he interjected the prayer sessions with Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna’s teachings.

It was this pooja which came to be known as “Vigraha Abhishega Arathanai” that formed the basis of the revivalism of the Bhakthi movement. Songs sang in a bhajan fashion and at the same time conducting the abhishegam (bathing) of the gods Ganesha, Murugan and Ambal that plunged his followers deeply into poojas and prayers. This pooja conducted weekly initially at homes than slowly in temples was really a powerful force for it attracted thousands of followers from all over the country. His main pooja was on Ambal, initially it was Mariamman which later became Ambal Kamachi. Songs on mother really was soul reaching and the people found in him a guru who was prepared to be always with them. Swamiji went down to the masses. He did not see rich, poor, educated or uneducated. To him all were his followers. He guided them on prayers. He showed them who Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna was. He distributed pictures of Bhagwan Sri Rawakrishna, Holy Mother Saradha, and Swami Vivekananda free of charge. Pictures of Ambal Kamachi too were distributed. He would say, we cannot sell our mother and as such we cannot do business with Holy Mother. To him business and religion (ie. using holy pictures and other paraphenalia to collect money) cannot and should not be done.

This movement grew and at the peak of his life he had a few hundred thousand followers. To devotees who went to see him, he would say, “If you have a headache you must take the medicine and as such if you want god’s help or love you must do the prayers yourself”. Recite the mantras yourself and you will realize the difference. For him “love” was the basis of his teachings. For he would say we have heaps and heaps of love in our heart. It is free and we can give to all free of charge and it will keep on coming. Seeing Sri R. Govindasamy itself was love embodiment. He showered his love to all his followers and they too loved him. He would do anything for them and they too would do anything for him. He bought the Ramakrishna Ashram at 451, Jalan Tengkera with their love and support. He would not take “no” for answer. He will do everything possible for the Sri Ramakrishna Ashram.

At another level, while the poojas were going on he decided to establish a home for orphans and the needy. This he did when he bought the Sri Ramakrishna Ashram building located at 451, Jalan Tengkara, Melaka. He started with 6 children and now there are 42 of them. His noble work continues. It can be said, it is his poojas and bhajans that is keeping this ashram alive. He had a dream to establish a home for girls under the name of Holy Mother Saradha and this too became a reality after his samadhi in 1997.

He continued his work of poojas and prayers vigorously without fail. He conducted yearly “pilgrimages” to North and South India . He would take as many followers as possible. Doing a yatra with him was a unique experience. He would visit temples Ashrams and spend hours there. Bhagwans birth place Kumarpukur, Mother’s birth place at Jayarambad’s and Calcutta ’s Belur Math, and Swami Vivekananda’s birth place were always on his agenda. At mother’s temple he would sing and cry for her. Often he wanted to remain behind but he could not. He had such a burning devotion that his followers found themselves lost in his devotion. Haridwar, Rishikesh, Gaya , Varanasi , Bodhgaya and other holy places were also his soul. Despite his religious fervour he never neglected those who followed him in terms of their material needs.

As the years went by, and as he continued his work vigorously his health began to fail. In 1993 he was diagnosed to have cancer. An operation was done and once he had recuperated he was back at his bhajans poojas and other religious activities. He traveled the country and also went on religious pilgrimages to both North and South India . Others would have rested on knowing they had cancer but he never surrendered himself to that disease. However, within 3 years the disease ‘cancer’ reappeared. He was operated again and he survived. He was back to his normal routine of pooja, bhajans and travels. However, cancer began to take its toll. His followers, seeing his health dicided to send him to India for treatment. First, at Kottakkal, Kerala and his last stop at the Apollo Cancer Hospital in Chennai. As the doctors saw no hope, he returned to Malaysia and was admitted at the Southern Hospital in Melaka.

At the Southern Hospital, Melaka, thousands visited him and would gather at the Ashram to pray for his health and survival. He, too left his survival totally to Holy Mother Kamachi and Bhagwan. Just as Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna died of cancer, Sri R. Govindasamy succumbed to this disease on 23 March 1996 . That fateful day too was a full moon day (Pouranami). As his life left him the only utterance that could be heard from him was “ammah…..ammah “. However, while we can say he is bodily no more, Sri R. Govindasamy is still with us. He is the guiding force and the power behind Sri Ramakrishna Ashram and the Saradha Devi Illam. He is always there to teach, guide, help and most of all be the guru that he wants to be to all who came in search ofhim. He attained samadhi on 23/3/1996 and he was cremated on 25/3/1996 . Thousands came to pay homage, the rich, the poor, politicians, religious leaders and most of all his devoted followers. Bhajans and prayers was held throughout the 3 days. The cries of Om Shakthi….Om Shakthi reverberated in the air. There was no stopping of tears and outpouring of love for this man who had sacrificed his whole life for Bhagwan Sri Ramakrishna. It is with the cries of “ Om Shakthi..Om Shakthi his mortal body was engulfed in the flames of death as thousands watched and cried. His last remains were partly buried at his samadhi in the Ashram, while a portion of his ashes was scattered in the seas at Rameshwaram and the remaining at Varanas. All this was done by his closest devotees who were his life and soul, Sri R. Govindasamy life came to an end but his dream lives with us and his work will continue in his name.

As I write this short biography I feel a deep loss within me and an emptiness that cannot be fathomed. I have vision of him as I write but yet I feel wanting and feel the need for him, his love and his compassion. Oh God, when will this end for me as my inner soul craves for him who had been my guru, my father and most of all my friend. There is now no one for me, but I have him in my memory, in my soul and in everything. I have done, I am doing and in everything I will do.