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matics, but where his most influential teacher was the novelist F. W. Bain. While fellow of Deccan College he began having spiritual experiences and also became interested in philosophy, especially Greek philosophy, and was professor of philosophy at Fergusson College in Poona from 1914 to 1924. Meanwhile his fellow disciple Amburao had succeeded guru Bahusahib and established an ashram in the jungle near Nimbal, a village north of Bijapur. When Amburao died, Ranade was persuaded to undertake the responsibilities of the guruship, and he then both assumed the spiritual guidance of his former fellow disciples and began initiating disciples himself. He gave up the academic life to live at the ashram, at the same time undertaking research in Vedanta philosophy, but three years later went to Allahabad to serve as professor of philosophy, and sometimes dean, from 1927 to 1946. Here he developed his interest in mysticism, especially mysticism in Indian vernacular literature, much of which he recovered from oral tradition and published. He retired from teaching at 60, served one year as vice-chancellor of the University of Allahabad, and since 1947 has lived at Nimbal, dividing his time between scholarly research, mystical contemplation, and the direction of the ashram.
Professor Ranade's personality is the opposite of what one expects to find in a venerable guru. Unlike some gurus, who tend to be pompous or unctuous, he is completely free from such traits. In a community of disciples for whom he is their divine teacher (gurudeva), he still keeps his humility and perspective. He does not seek to be conspicuous, but is frank and friendly with those who come to him, eager to discuss both his own intellectual interests and theirs. Physically very small, slight, and frail (perhaps because he eats little or nothing), he is nevertheless vigorous, sprightly, one might almost say bouncy. He is active as a scholar, a philosopher, a mystic, and a guru.
As a scholar Ranade has produced a variety of works. In the field of Western thought he has published a comparative study of Greek and Sanskrit, a series of papers on pre-Socratics, and an edition of Carlyle's essays. In Indian philosophy he has published several works, of which the most important is A Constructive
