Swami Ramdas ([sʋaːmiː raːmdaːs]; Sanskrit: स्वामी रामदास, romanized: Svāmī Rāmadāsa, born Vittal Rao (10 April 1884 to 25 July 1963) was an Indian saint, philosopher, philanthropist and pilgrim.

Swami Ramdas became a wandering ascetic in his late 30s and after attaining moksha while still alive established Anandashram in Kanhangad, Kerala.

[3] After a failed attempt to run away to Bombay to seek his fortune and a brief stint as the director of an amateur theatre society he founded in Hosdurg (they opened with scenes from Shakespeare's King John), Vittal joined a course in drawing and engraving at the School of Arts in Madras.

He was also influenced by the teachings of Sri Krishna, Jesus Christ, the Buddha, and Mahatma Gandhi, and turned for spiritual guidance to The Bhagavad Gita, The New Testament, The Light of Asia (Edwin Arnold's poetic retelling of the Buddha's life and teachings), and Gandhi's books Young India and Ethical Religion.

He changed his name to 'Ramdas' and made three vows: to dedicate his life to Sri Ram, to observe celibacy, and to live only upon food that was freely offered to him as alms.

[12] After visiting various centres of Hindu pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu including Rameswaram, Madurai and Chidambaram, Swami Ramdas arrived in Tiruvannamalai.

"[13] Swami Ramdas spent the following months visiting centres of pilgrimage all over India, including Puri, Dakshineswar, Kashi, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Mathura, and Brindavan; in all these places he was fed, clothed and guided by strangers.

After paying his respects at the Muslim shrine of Ajmer Sharif, he moved southwards, visiting Dwaraka and Pandharpur.

But instead of going home with them, he went to the nearby Kadri Hills and started living in the Panch Pandav Cave, where he continued his spiritual practices.

[14][15] In his book In the Vision of God Swami Ramdas describes attaining the Jivanmukta state during his stay at the Panch Pandav cave: For two years from the time of the significant change which had come over him, Ramdas had been prepared to enter into the depths of his being for the realization of the immutable, calm and eternal spirit of God.

He would feel as if his soul had expanded like the blossoming of a flower and, by a flash as it were, enveloped the whole universe embracing all in a subtle halo of love and light.

Ramcharandas weaves in and out of the narrative of In the Vision of God until he takes leave of Swami Ramdas for the last time in Srinagar, Kashmir.

[19] After several years of wandering, Swami Ramdas settled down on 3 June 1928 in a small Ashram in Kasargod built for him by his devotees; it consisted of a single room and an open verandah.

[21] By the time a year had passed, Mother Krishnaba as she would be later known, had left her two children and had become a permanent resident of the Ashram in order to complete her spiritual training.

The Ashram continues its work of helping local people and spreading Swami Ramdas's message of universal love and service.

[27] In 1954, Swami Ramdas went on a world tour, visiting Europe, the United States, and East and South-East Asia.

It is a divine symphony of sublime serenity, calmness and peace that is ineffable, harmonised with spontaneous activity embodying the spirit of Universal Love and Service.

The sight of a Muhammadan reminds him of Muhammad; of a Christian, Jesus Christ; of a Hindu, Rama, Krishna or Shiva; and of a Buddhist, Buddha; of a Parsee, Zoroaster.

Whether it be in the Gita or the Bible or the Koran or the Zend Avesta, we find the same note ringing, viz., self-surrender is the supreme way to liberation or salvation.

My Ram is the all-inclusive and all-transcendent Supreme Godhead.’”[38] Swami Ramdas believed that all spiritual norms and institutions were useful up to a point.

The day will come when you have to leave all these behind, and go to meet the Eternal in the perfect nakedness of your Spirit, shedding all make-believe forms, customs and traditions.

You find your soul’s delight and joy in all places—in the best as well as the worst.”[39] A selected list of books authored by Swami Ramdas: People do not know what the Name of God can do.

The Name can take us to the summit of spiritual experience.Place yourself as an instrument in the hands of God who does his own work in his own way.Just as a flower gives out its fragrance to whomsoever approaches or uses it, so love from within us radiates towards everybody and manifests as spontaneous service.