Apart from social service, Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar also had a spiritual side. He used to continuously visit Ramakrishna Mission in Nagpur. In 1936 Madhav left for the Saragachi Ashram of the Ramakrishna Mission in Bengal to look after the ailing Swami Akhandananda. Then he spent about 2 years there. He also took initiation into Sannyasa from Swamiji and stayed there for 2 months after his death. He again returned to Nagpur in 1938.
Regarding his return, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned an incident in his book ‘Jyotipunj’ that how the then editor of Tarun Bharat, during a long conversation with Guru Golwalkar in the presence of Dr. Hedgewar in those days, had asked a question, “You had left the Sangh midway and gone to the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram in Bengal, where you had also taken initiation from Swami Vivekananda’s Guru Bandhu, then why did you return to the Sangh?”
PM Modi has written that Guru Golwalkar was surprised by this question, he contemplated this question with half-open eyes and started answering slowly, “You have asked an unexpected question, whether there is any difference between the role of Ashram and the role of Sangh, only Doctorji can tell this more authoritatively. My inclination has always been towards nation building and spirituality. I can do this work in a good way with the Sangh, I have told this in Banaras, Nagpur and Learned from his visits to Calcutta. That’s why I have dedicated myself to the Sangh. I think this is in line with the message of Swami Vivekananda, I am more influenced by him than anyone else. I feel that I can further their goals only through the Sangh”.
However, going to Ramakrishna Mission can be seen as a milestone or entanglement in his ideological journey. Hedgewar understood this ideological confusion, that is why even after the return of Balaji Huddar, he organized his speeches in the shakha and also welcomed Guru Golwalkar into the Sangh again. But with more warmth. Anyway, you will find that the critics hardly target Hedgewar, the entire ecosystem targets Guru Golwalkar only because it was Guru Golwalkar who transformed the plant into a tree and was also ideologically strong. Obviously, credit should go to Hedgewar for recognizing his talent and making him his successor.
Keshav kept testing Madhav in the second innings also.
Nana Palkar has mentioned many such incidents in his book ‘Hedgewar Charit’, where Hedgewar kept sending Golwalkar to his place and kept watching how Golwalkar did it, or how he handled that responsibility or spoke. Then he felt happy in his heart that his choice was absolutely right. Along with this, he was also keeping in mind whether other people also thought the same about Madhav’s talent, hence he would often keep probing his mind. For example, once he directly asked Appaji Joshi, “How do you see Guruji as the Sarsanghchalak in the future? Appaji Joshi’s reply was, “It will be great, great choice.” Later, a fan worker of Appaji Joshi asked him that you are the right hand of Doctorji (Hedgewar), you should have taken the entire responsibility of the Sangh, Guruji will not be able to do this.” Joshi then replied, “If I was his right hand then Guruji was his heart”.
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Hedgewar used to ask not only the senior officers but also the common volunteers that how do they like the nature of Guruji and how do they like his work? Whenever he got appreciative replies, he became happy. Gradually Hedgewar started increasing Golwalkar’s responsibilities, he was given the responsibility of the Sangh education class held in Akola, for the first time Hedgewar had given so little time to any class. Madhav, who was preparing for the same class, also completed his LLB. Despite being entangled in all this, Hedgewar was surprised as to how this Karmayogi could go on the path of renunciation.
Despite this, when Dr. Hedgewar received the news in October 1936 that Madhav Golwalkar had suddenly gone somewhere without informing. So Hedgewar did not like it. But he did not express it, rather whenever he was discussed in any meeting, he would openly praise Madhav. Madhav was also practicing law for a year, his colleague Dattopant Deshpande was also a volunteer and was close to Hedgewar. It was from him that I came to know that Madhav Swami is in the service of Akhandanandji. Whenever Dattopant met him, he always asked him when his friends were returning, that is, he had full faith that Madhav had to return.
Here, Swami Akhandanand’s health, suffering from diabetes and heart disease, worsened and he had to be brought to Belur Math, where he died on 7 February 1937. Till now Madhav Golwalkar was in his service as a nurse. Madhav also became restless due to the death of Akhandanand ji. Finally he came back to Nagpur at the end of March 1937. After retirement, his parents had understood that their son would not marry again. Dr. Hedgewar got relief from this news.
Although Madhav and Hedgewar continued to meet occasionally for the next year, Hedgewar wanted to give them more time. Madhav kept devoting time to his town Ramtek and visiting local branches.
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