It is very difficult to find a monk with real spirit of renunciation and love for his ideal. As it is told in the Bhagavadgita by the Lord SriKrishna Himself, "मनुष्याणां सहस्रेषु कश्चित् यतति सिद्धये। यततामपि सिद्धानां कश्चिन्मां वेत्ति तत्वतः॥" - out of a million people few strive for enlightenment and even among those few, still less number of men know my real nature as who I am. Swami Ramanandaji was one of those 'few', a rare thing which is very difficult to be seen and much more difficult to come into closer contact with.There is a small village called 'Tendu Amafi' in the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh state in India. There lived a very learned Sanskrit scholar by name 'Pandit Harishankar Oujha'. Along with his scholarship he was virtous, broad-minded, helping by nature and would abide by the injuntions of the scriptures by letter. He had a devout, god-fearing, large-hearted wife by name 'Jayraji Devi'. Maharajshri( as Ramanandaji was addressed by his disciples) was born to such family on 1st April 1931 as their 3rd son. His parents had 5 sons in total. He was given the name 'Ram Avad'.
