Vasudevanand Saraswati (Marathi: वासुदेवानंद सरस्वती / टेंबे स्वामी; 1854 –1914), also known as Tembe Swami, is a Hindu saint who is regarded as an incarnation of Dattatreya.
His parents were devotees of Dattatreya, his father Ganesh Bhatt Tembe spending years together in the remote Ganagapur temple of the Lord in Karnataka.
His mother Ramabai also spent her time in religious pursuits like japa (recitation of mantras), pradakshina, path, atithisatkar (hospitality) etc.
After a twelve-year stay in Ganagapur, Dattatreya appeared in a dream and instructed Ganesh Bhatt to return to Mangaon and lead the life of a householder, promising to incarnate as his son.
It was after his return from Ganagapur that his eldest son Vasudev was born on Shravan Vadya 5, Shalivahan Shaka 1776, 26 ghatika after sunrise (4 - 4.30 a.m.) at Mangaon, near Sawantvadi, Maharashtra to this Karhade Brahmin family.
At the age of three years, Vasudev started attending the private school held in the Yakshini temple in the village.
People of all castes were the recipients of his grace and he was very sensitive and listened sympathetically to their sorrows and grievances and provided counsel which, if followed, would remove or relieve their sufferings.
Gajanan Maharaj told him that the differences are only apparent and in essence, they were one, having merged with the universal being beyond all names and forms.
In 1905, once on his way to Pandharpur from Narsobawadi, at a place called Kamalapur, a tall man with hands extending to the knees appeared to Swami Maharaj in his dream and asked him, "You travel all over and also compose poetry.
A major disciple of Sai Baba, Pundalika Rao, who hailed from Nanded Maharashtra during the Nizam period went to meet Swami Maharaj.
On the way, one morning, the group halted at Kopargaon station, where Pundalika Rao went away to perform the daily religious services.
When they reached Shirdi, Pundalika Rao was dismayed by the cold reception he got from Sai Baba, who turned his back on the group and shouted abuses "thieves and scoundrels!"
Having impressed upon Pundalika Rao and others of the esteem he had for his "brother's" coconut, Sai Baba gave up his feigned anger and rebuked them for the sacrilege.
Outwardly Swami Maharaj was a highly orthodox Brahmanical monk and Sai Baba was a most unorthodox mendicant refusing to conform to any religious tradition.
Both these saints were motivated by an intense desire to mitigate the sufferings of all persons coming into their contact, irrespective of his caste, creed or persuasion.
To cultivate Sattvic nature, diet has to be wholesome (Hit), measured (Mit) and pure (Medhya).
The signs of Sattvic nature are: - Firm faith in one's religion, - Meticulous observance of religious conducts namely: One may pursue any means for livelihood viz.
Only a peaceful mind is capable of self-knowledge which is the sole means of liberation.” Maharaj further exemplified the seven grounds (levels) of knowledge and concluded that, "This is a brief summary.
Maharaj was originally scheduled to depart on the dark 8th of Jyeshtha month;[dubious – discuss] however he did not prefer to go that day.
He called Appa Shastri Jere from Narsoba Wadi and whispered in his ears, "I have been a subject of black magic in my householder days; however I have no desire to retaliate."
Even on that last day, he tried to perform nityakarma(daily rituals), but he could not even hold water in his hand and gave up the effort saying, "God’s will".
Accordingly, as soon as the Amavasya gave way to bright Pratipada of Ashadh, Maharaj sat up facing the Lord to the west, performed Tratak (steady gaze), controlled breath and quit the body with a loud chant of "Om".
In 1961, preserving the original elements, the temple was rebuilt (underwent a Jirnoddhar) by the Queen of Indore Indira Holkar, who was also a devotee of Maharaj.