Swami Anand (8 September 1887 – 25 January 1976) was a monk, a Gandhian activist and a Gujarati writer from India.
Swami Anand was born Himmatlal on 8 September 1887 at Shiyani village near Wadhwan to Ramchandra Dave (Dwivedi) and Parvati in Audichya Brahmin family.
At the age of ten, he left home in opposition to marriage and due to an offer by a monk to show him God.
It was written by Gandhi at Swami Anand's insistence and an English translation of these chapters appeared in installments in the Young India as well.
He was acquainted with the classical and folk traditions of the Gujarati, Marathi and Sanskrit languages and was influenced by the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Max Muller, Walt Whitman, Sri Aurobindo and Swami Vivekananda.
[5] He has written several character sketches, biographical reflections and biographies of his friends and associates including Gandhijina Sansmarano (1963), Bhagwan Buddha (1964, co-written), Kulkathao (1966), Dharatinu Lun (1969), Motne Hamfavnara (1969), Santona Anuj (1971), Naghrol (1975), Santono Falo (1978).
[14][15][5] Gujarati writer and translator Mulshankar Bhatt has collected his best of the character sketches and published as Dharati Ni Arati (1977).
[16] His philosophical essay collections include Isunu Balidan (1922), Ishopnishad, Ishubhagwat (1977), Lokgeeta, Navla Darshan Ane Bija Lekho (1968), Manavtana Veri (1966), Anant Kala (1967), Atamna Mool (1967), Sarvoday Vicharana (co-written).
[5] His Anant Kala is a meditation on nature and spirituality, while his writing also covers the Upanishads and the Sarvodaya Movement extensively.
[3] These essays share views on religion and society based on the concept of Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava which he had embraced.
His translation of Sven Hedin's travel writing as Asiana Bhraman Ane Sanshodhan in Gujarati, was also published posthumously in 1979.
[5] Some of his other works include Ambavadiyun and Amaratvel and a compilation of correspondence between him and Gandhi's colleagues are contained in the Ugamani Dishano Ujas and Dhodhamar, all edited by Dinkar Joshi.