Atam Katha of Swami Vishwapal
Swami Vishwapal Saraswati and Gurukul Kanwashram
It is believed that in ancient times, there was an ashram of Maharishi Kanva in the dense forest about 15 km from Kotdwar in Uttarakhand and 50 km from Haridwar. This taposthali (place of penance) is where Bharata was born from Shakuntala and King Dushyant of Hastinapur. This mythology was beautifully composed by Mahakavi Kalidasa in "Abhigyan Shakuntalam," which has been translated into almost all foreign languages as "Shakuntala, The Recognition of Shakuntala, or The Sign of Shakuntalam."
Maharishi Kanva, an esteemed sage from the ancient era, holds a significant place in Hindu mythology and literature. He was an ancient sage of the Treta Yuga to whom some hymns of the Rigveda are ascribed. As one of the Angirasas, he was sometimes referred to as a son of Ghora and is considered one of the Saptarishis (seven most powerful sages).
Shakuntala was the daughter of Sage Vishwamitra and Menaka, a heavenly nymph. Raised by Sage Kanwa, she married Dushyant, the king of Hastinapur, and later gave birth to Veer Bharat, the ancestor of the Kuru clan. Her story forms an important part of the Mahabharata.
Abhigyan Shakuntalam, a Sanskrit drama by Mahakavi Kalidasa, is generally considered the greatest Indian literary work of any period. People from worldwide visit this ashram throughout the year to learn about India's spiritual heritage. It was here that Dr. Vishwapal Jayant established Gurukul Kanwashram.
During Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's 16-day visit to Soviet Russia with his daughter Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi on June 7, 1955, the closing ceremony featured a film based on Kalidasa's "Abhigyan Shakuntalam." After the screening, the Russian Prime Minister asked Nehru about the beautiful historical story's location in India. Pandit Nehru, though familiar with the names of Maharishi Kanva, Dushyant, Shakuntala, and Veer Bharata, was unaware of Kanva Ashram's current status. He immediately decided to find this sacred place and build a beautiful monument there upon returning to India.
On June 23, 1955, Pandit Nehru assigned Dr. Sampurnanand, the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the responsibility of constructing a memorial at Kanva Ashram. After extensive research and consultation with scholars, the memorial was founded at Kalalghat Chowkighat (Chauharata) near Kotdwar on Pausha Shukla Pratipada Samvat 2012 (1955 CE) by Shri Jagmohan Singh Negi, the MLA from Lansdowne. However, subsequent governments paid little attention to developing Kanva Ashram.
Vishwapal Jayant, the founder of Kanwashram, was born on Thursday, August 15, 1947 (Shravan Shukla Chaturdashi Samvat 2004), to mother Ziabai and father Shri Charan Singh Chaudhary in a farmer family in the historic village of Shauron (Soram) in Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh. Born after his elder sister Suresho, his grandfather Shri Hoshiar Singh and grandmother affectionately called him "Iqbal." He received his early education in the village school.
Recognizing his qualities and nature, his Arya Samaji family admitted him to Arya Mahavidyalaya in Kirthal (now in Baghpat district), where during the Upanayana Sanskar, he was named Brahmachari Vishwapal. After passing his Prathama Examination, he received the title "Vidyabhaskar" and continued his studies at Gurukul Jwalapur in Haridwar. From childhood, Brahmachari Vishwapal showed interest in both studies and physical strength. Inspired by the spiritual ideas of Principal Pandit Lakshmi Narayan, he practiced rigorous yoga, pranayama, and asanas.
At sixteen, he began demonstrating amazing feats: breaking elephant chains, having tractors driven over his chest, bending
Following the Guru-Shishya tradition, he established an ashram in 1972 on the banks of the Malini River in Kanwashram, where yoga, practice, and meditation traditions continue.
Despite the foundation stone laid in 1955, no significant development occurred at Kanva Ashram until Yogiraj Brahmachari Vishwapal Jayant Ji visited at Swami Ramanand's behest. Captivated by the panoramic beauty, he felt a deep connection, as if returning to his own ashram, and began remembering his past lives. After three months of silent meditation, he decided to establish Gurukul Kanvashram to preserve this holy place and ancient Vedic culture.
On July 2, 1972, Yogiraj Vishwapal Jayant Ji arrived at the banks of the holy Malini River in Maharishi Kanva's Tapovan with two disciples—Brahmachari Yashveer and Brahmachari Rampal. The area was then a dreaded forest inhabited by lions, cheetahs, tigers, bears, elephants, snakes, and scorpions. Brahmachari Ji settled in the ruins near the dilapidated temple of Bharata, establishing Vedic Ashram Gurukul College Kanwashram.
The Gurukul's medium of instruction is Hindi (Arya language), alongside Sanskrit, yoga, and modern subjects like English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Civics, and Computer Science. The institution's objective draws from an Atharvaveda mantra: "उपहरे गिरीणां संगमे च नदीनाम्, धिया विप्रो अजायत" - meaning intelligent knowledge is born at the confluence of mountain caves and rivers. The Gurukul aims to develop students into characterful, scholarly, patriotic, devoted, and self-reliant individuals through ancient Vedic education and modern learning.
Dr. Vishwapal's special attachment to Arya Mahavidyalaya Kirthal Gurukul led to him being named Vishwapal Jayant during the institution's Golden Jubilee. His demonstrations of power through yogic practice and brahmacharya spread his fame far and wide. Despite having all comforts, he grew disinterested in worldly life and retreated into silence for six months, leading to rumors of his death. His worried family found and brought him home, but yoga and pranayama remained his life's routine.
During a power demonstration in Kathmandu, Nepal, some Chinese attendees tried to disrupt the program, but he succeeded before 35,000 people, including the King of Nepal. Jealous individuals poisoned his food, reducing his weight from 140 kg to 70 kg. One night, he lost consciousness, and preparations were made for his cremation. However, at 4:00 AM, he miraculously regained consciousness, reporting that a long-bearded monk touched his neck and said, "Son, you still have much work to do," before disappearing.
After recovery, he started an Ayurvedic hospital on his ancestral farm in 1970-71, which gained popularity. Despite family pressure to marry, he refused. While planning to expand the hospital, he had a vision of the same monk who slapped his cheek and said, "I did not send you for this work." Immediately, Brahmachari left for Kanva Ashram without informing anyone.
On July 2, 1972, he began Gurukul with two students, facing obstacles from widows and hypocrites. In 1973, Brahmachari Ramveer was abducted, and animal bones were placed near the ashram to frame the Gurukul. Brahmachari Yashveer Shastri, Ramveer's brother, informed families and provided unwavering support.
In Kanva Ashram's dense forest, Brahmachari Ji encountered ferocious lions and elephants but, like Bharata (Shakuntala's son), remained fearless. His spiritual accomplishments allowed him to foresee events.
Once, while visiting the Malini River with disciples and visitors from Delhi, a strong breeze carrying the aroma of medicinal plants filled them with energy. On another occasion, he saw his grandmother who said, "I came to meet you," before disappearing, moving him to tears.
From then on, Vishwapal Jayant dedicated his life to upliftment, yoga education, and Ayurveda at Kanwashram. He became Swami Vishwapal Saraswati after initiation from Yogi Guru Swami Chidanand Saraswati, president of Parmarth Niketan Ashram. Beyond India, he conducts yoga camps in countries like Canada.
