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Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj
Our Spiritual Inspiration

Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj

"A life vowed to truth, celibacy, and the service of those the world has forgotten."

Our work flows from a single ideal he set before every sannyasin: a commitment to self-development, dignity, and tireless seva to the distressed — guided by devotion to Om Tribhabatarini (Mahamaya).

Our Ashram

The tradition, and the hands it is in now

Led here since 1986

Swami Aparananda

Pronabananda Sevashram at Narendrapur has been led by Swami Aparananda since 1986. Known to devotees as Bandhu Maharaj, he was formed in the monastic tradition of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha.

The Sevashram takes its name and its spiritual inspiration from that order’s founder, Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj, whose ideal of seva shapes everything described on this page. The two are distinct: one founded the Sangha in 1917, the other has guided this ashram since 1986.

  • 1986 At Narendrapur, to this day
Our Lineage

Om Tribhabatarini (Mahamaya)

The Divine Mother guiding our seva

Our work is rooted in a living spiritual tradition — a lineage of devotion to the Mother that calls us beyond ourselves. It is this connection to something greater that gives our sannyasins the strength to serve the most vulnerable, the poorest, the most forgotten. Not from sentiment, but from the direct understanding that the Divine dwells in every suffering being.

  • 1917 Bharat Sevashram Sangha founded
Our Foundation

Our Object

"To shed every drop of your blood for dispelling the great gloom of this country."

Our object: nation building, and service to the people.

These are not abstract words. They describe the daily work of our sannyasins — the renunciate monks and nuns who have taken vows of adherence to truth and continuance of celibacy, binding themselves to a life of service, not comfort.

This is the foundation of everything we do: a spiritual commitment to empower the powerless, to restore dignity where it has been stripped away, and to build a society where seva — selfless service — is the measure of a life well-lived.

Our Vows

The Monastic Path

Our sannyasins live by two vows that define their work:

Adherence to Truth

No compromise. No hidden agendas. Every rupee you give is accounted for. Every claim we make is verified. Every programme is transparent because our vow demands it.

Continuance of Celibacy

A renunciate life — free from personal ambition, family obligation, or desire for power. This freedom allows our sannyasins to serve without distraction, to be present where they are needed most, without reserve.

Our Work Today

A Living Tradition of Service

What began with that vision continues today through the daily work of our sannyasins — in homes for the elderly, in classrooms, in the charitable clinic, and in shelters for those with nowhere else to turn.

Elder Care Old Age Home Education Primary Education for Children Special Care Care for Differently-Abled Children Healthcare Charitable Clinic Shelter & Justice Shelter & Legal Aid for Women in Distress

Ours is not the work of a single place or a single day. It is a continuing commitment, carried out quietly and without reserve, wherever the need is greatest — guided by the same ideal Acharya Srimat Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj articulated: to give of oneself entirely for the upliftment of the suffering.

Join Our Seva

Whether through donation, volunteering, or simply bearing witness to this work, you are invited to be part of a movement rooted in truth, guided by devotion, and dedicated to the liberation of those in suffering.

Volunteer

Time given here is worth as much as money. Write to the ashram and say what you can offer.

Ladies who are spiritually motivated, and who wish to stay and serve society voluntarily, are welcome to contact the ashram.

Volunteer with us

Look first

Read what each of the five programmes does and who it serves, before deciding where a gift of yours should go.

Explore Our Programmes