PARAM PUJYA PANDURANG SHASHTRI ATHWALEJI 'S THOUGHT

THE DYNAMIC TRADITION OF GREAT ANCESTORS
It is said that there is no point in tracking the source of river & the ancestry of a 'Rishi' the visionary; as these may be insignificant. But it is also true, that a common man may find source of inspiration in the ancestry of a sage, however insignificant it may be. It also satisfies the inquisitiveness & enables him to interpret the sage's life in a better way. In this we notice the prudence of the omnipotent God & the way He works.
It is great wonder as to how a powerful thought, the pure devotion to God and spiritual philosophy get manifested in one single individual! How is it that a person, the very embodiment of purity and penance could be born only in the family of Athavales' of pen, in this 20th century? God's realm has it's own laws, the coming up of Pandurang among the Athavales' can be explained in the light of sacred linage of God centered ancestors.
The great-grand father of Rev.Pandurang Shastriji bore the same name 'Pandurang'. He was a God centered holy & truthful. His son Parshuram Panth led his life honestly as a stamp vendor. He added glory to his father in personal behavior. He once stood a surety for someone. This resulted in the total sacrifice of his personal possessions. He stuck to his promise till he breath the last.
Rev. Pandurang Shastri's grandfather Laxman Rao use to go to the colony of harijans, who were treated as untouchables, to teach 'Manache Shlok'(a sacred text in Marathi). This incident naturally brings out the memories of the devotional saint, Narsinh Mehta. Dynamic ancestors, exhibited courage of visiting the residence of harijans while their offspring Pandurang Shastri- Rev. Dadaji took harijans closer to him self & lovingly mixed them in swadhyay family. How can we describe the lustrous person Pandurang who gave concrete shape to his thought. 'Bhakti (devotion) is a social force'; a religious reformer or a revolutionary philosopher.