Gopinath Kaviraj

Gopinath Kaviraj Biography

Gopinath Kaviraj was a Sanskrit scholar and philosopher who was honoured with Padma Vibhushan by the government of India in 1964 for overall contributions to Literature & Education. A mystic who was probably 20th century's leading expert on the Shaiva traditions. He has authored numerous philosophical and religious books. In 1965, he received Sahitya Akademi Award for Tantrik vangmay mein shakt drishti. He has been honoured with honorary doctorate by many universities like Banaras Hindu University, Calcutta University and Allahabad University. He was also honoured with Deshikottam by Visva-Bharati in 1976. Mahamahopadhyay title in 1934 and Sahitya Vachaspati by the Uttar Pradesh Government in 1965 are other major honours received by him.

He was born in 1887 after the death of his father, Vaikunthanath, a Bengali scholar of philosophy. His schooling and graduation were done at Jaipur. He received Bachelor of Arts degree from Maharaja College, Jaipur and stood first in order of merit in MA from Allahabad University in 1913. Then he was appointed as a librarian of Sarasvati Bhavan Library of the Government Sanskrit College, Varanasi. During this time, he got exposed to books related to various facets of ancient Tantric Philosophy. He was initiated by Paramhansa Vishuddhananda, a Yogi in Kashi.

In 1924, he became the principal of Govt. Sanskrit College and also served as the Chief Editor of Sarasvati Bhavana Texts. But he was mostly interested in his own research works related to spirituality. Varanasi was so fond to him that he never left the place. A few of his works include - Bhartiya Samskriti Aur Sadhana, Tantric Sadhana Aur Siddhant, Sri Krisna Prasanga, Kashi Ki Saraswat Sadhana, Patravali, Visuddhananda Prasanga, Sva Samvedan, Tantric Vangmaya mein Saktadrsti, Aspects of Indian thought, Akhanda Mahayoger Pathe, Sadhu Darshan Evam Sat Prasanga and Tantrik Sahitya. He was a devotee of Anandmayi Ma.  

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Updated: February 15, 2014