Shri Dattavtars - Shri Manik Prabhu Maharaj

Shri Manik Prabhu Maharaj

The life and the message of Shri Manik Maharaj, has many similarities with the life of Lord Dattatreya. Lord Dattatreya himself, out of compassion took descent in the form of Shri Manik Prabhu Maharaj for establishment of Dharma (righteousness). At the time of Shri Prabhu’s birth, there prevailed the religious hatred, social inequality and a total cultural chaos. The seekers of true knowledge were in a confused state of mind and ran from pillar to post in search of spiritual solace.

Birth and early life:
In a village called Ladwanti, near the town of Kalyan, in the erstwhile state of Hyderabad, a child was born to a pious couple, Shri Manohar Naik and Smt. Bayadevi on 22nd December 1817, the birthday festival of Lord Dattatreya. They had in all three sons and one daughter. Amongst the sons, the middle one was the one who was to make history in time to come. He was named Manik.

As he grew, one and all were attracted to the child, who was fondled not only by his parents but also by his neighbours. His pranks were endearing to everyone. He started collecting a group of his friends and roaming the hills and dales in the vicinity of the town. He was, as it were, a child of nature, more close to the trees, the breeze, the birds and the flowers.

In the course of play He would occasionally, casually disclose his divinity. Once, when one of His playmates, Govinda, failed to turn up for play for a couple of days, Manik went to his house to enquire after him. Arriving there He was informed that Govinda has passed away after suffering from fever for a few days. Manik told Govinda’s mother to stop grieving, as her son was alive. Sure enough, when Govinda’s mother called out to him to go out and play with Manik, he arose as if out of a deep slumber. All present were overjoyed and amazed at this occurrence. This and such other occurrences caused his fame to spread far and wide.

On the whole however, Manik behaved in such a carefree manner that the members of his family were concerned. It was, therefore, decided that at the age of seven his thread ceremony should be performed, so that a sense of responsibility may dawn on this wayward child, who, it appeared, preferred to roam rather than sit and read. When the sacred thread was being bestowed on Him and the sacred Gayatri hymn was being recited in his ears, as was the custom, a strange thing took place. Manik behaved as though all this was superfluous for him and he knew all about Gayatri and the significance of the eternal sound, AUM. He recited the hymn unaided, to the great surprise of the assembled people.

Manik was again free to roam in the woods. When he was sent to the school, his attention was to the open sky, the cool breeze, the rustling leaves and the chirping of the birds. He liked to seek teachers in the lap of nature, listen to Nature’s natural education rather than the artificial or contrived lessons in the classroom. It was not surprising therefore, that he was given to sneaking out of the classrooms and wandering in the woods. Nature became his classroom and his very Self became his teacher. His receptivity became keen, intelligence sharp and thoughts synchronized. Manik’s parents worried about his wanderings ignoring the formal education sent him to his uncle’s place.

Manik’s uncle sincerely felt that this boy should grow up like a normal child and should be trained and educated to take up the responsibilities of life. He was deeply frustrated by the failure of his measures in sending this boy to school. He then thought that employment may inculcate a sense of responsibility in him and thus got him appointed as a clerk in the octroi check post on the outskirts of Kalyan town.

From then onwards, his journey on the pathless path was within the folds of Mother Nature. As he breathed in the fresh, unconditioned atmosphere, a new wave of awareness came over him, spreading before him the universality of the Divine presence in every thing he saw, touched or heard. One by one the mysteries, long concealed, came to be revealed to him.

Shri Krishna’s assurance seemed to echo in every action of his. “He who see Me everywhere and sees all in Me, I am not lost to him nor is he lost to Me” (Bhagavad Gita VI.30). Consequently within himself and without himself, in nature, in creatures, in trees and streams, hills and dales, in the wise as well as in the foolish, in the saint as well as the sinner, in those who love and in those who hate, he saw only the same Divine essence, the Brahma.

In jungles, hills and woods:

The family members accepted the strange behaviour of Shri Manik, it nonetheless created anxiety in their minds, especially when he would wander from place to place without notice. Shri Manik was looked at with due respect. An aura enveloped his personality.

He preferred to stay in solitude and alone concentrating on the Supreme Self. He went to nearby places such as Manthal and especially to Ambilkunda or Amritkunda. Shri Prabhu told his family members in most compassionate words about His Mission in life. “With the Grace of Shri Dattatreya I took birth in your family. Your desire for a child was duly fulfilled. I stayed with you as long as it was necessary. Now that I have been initiated in Brahmavidya, wisdom of Brahman, My life is devoted to humanity. I will now have to wander from place to place to spread the message of the Compassionate Datta, Datta-Dayaghana, so that the misery of human beings can be alleviated. Therefore, it is futile to grieve for my loss. I will ever be with you. Go back to your home and leave me to fulfill my Mission. Whenever and wherever one needs me, I will come. This is certain; this is my promise.”

In Search of the Self

Shri Prabhu was greatly attracted to the hills around Manthal where the environment was quiet and peaceful and conducive for communion with the Supreme Self. He lived for many days immersed in the blissful state of realization. Some time he would come down from the hills and roam around the town. His behaviour was some so different from normal ways of life, that people would shun him as though he was demented. The wise ones, therefore, recognizing Shri Prabhu as a great Yogi honoured and worshipped Him, which Shri Prabhu accepted as though all this was natural for Him. But at the same time like a simple, unassuming child of nature, He would distribute the things received by him among the assembled persons.

Often when in spiritual rapture, He would sing and dance and many of his bhajans were the product of such ecstatic moods. When He sang these bhajans, which in Marathi are known as “Abhanga” he seemed to be inseparable from “Datta-Dayaghana” his chosen deity.

Shri Prabhu moved from place to place like a free bird or breeze, which knew no bounds. In the bosom of Mother Nature, he had all the satisfaction and contentment which the world of the attachment and possessions would not give.

During one of his wanderings, he arrived at Chalakpur, a small town near Kalyan and stayed at Lord Hanuman temple for few months. People thronged in thousands for His darshan and to seek His blessings. The entire atmosphere was surcharged with religious fervour. Bayadevi, Shri Prabhu’s mother and Nrisimha, His brother came over to Chalakpur. All experienced the overflowing Grace of Shri Prabhu and no one went back empty handed. Such was the compassion of Shri Manik Prabhu. Shri Manik Prabhu further proceeded to Mailar, which is one of the ancient holy places. Lord Shiva is worshiped here as Marthanda Bhairava and is also venerated locally as Khandoba. During this period, his fame as an Avatar of Shri Dattatreya spread further in the surrounding areas. Later Shri Prabhu left Mailar with some of his close associates to visit Holy places like Parali-Vaijanatha, Tuljapur, Pandharpur etc. From Pandharpur he went to visit Shri Junglee Maharaj at Poona and from there onward to Girnar to have communion with Guru Shri Datta, the compassionate one. Sourcing His power from the Primal source, He traveled further to Gangotri, Haridwar, Badari, Kedar, Prayag, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Mahur, Tirupati, Gangapur and to many Holy river banks and hills on the way. This travel established in Him the unique feeling of all-pervading nature of his Self and the manifestation of the Supreme Brahma in everything which he saw, touched, heard and breathed.

Finally he came to Kalyan, his hometown. He decided to live there for some time to consider the steps to give shape to his mission, for the time had come when the first step was to be taken.

Some misguided Mullas, who could neither understand nor digest the popularity of Shri Prabhu in their blind orthodoxy, decided to counter the effect of Shri Prabhu’s message on the people, amongst whom many were also Muslims. With a view to embarrass Shri Prabhu, they brought some plate covered with shawls, ostentatiously full of gifts. They wanted to embarrass him and make him look insignificant in the eyes of his devotees. They, therefore, surreptitiously brought beef in the plates instead of fruits etc. and offered the plates to Shri Prabhu with a false pretense of devotion. However, from a Yogi nothing is hidden and nothing can be hidden. He saw through their game and yet, graciously accepted their offerings by touching the plates. He then asked the contents to be distributed among the assembled peoples as Prasad (blessed food). When the shawl was removed what every one found was fruits and sweetmeats.

The Prasad (blessed food) was distributed to all the assembled people. The miscreants were humbled and felt ashamed. They fell at the feet of Shri Prabhu and asked for his pardon. All that Shri Prabhu did was to bless them to have good thoughts and follow the noble path, which the Koran (Holy scripture of Islam) has prescribed for them.

The area where Shri Prabhu spent much of his human life was ruled by a Muslim King and the population was also predominantly Muslim. Therefore, the above incident created a lasting impression on them and they considered Shri Prabhu to be an Avatar of Mehaboob Subhani, a Muslim Saint, which belief they can now hold. The Manik Prabhu Sampradaya also reciprocates this faith.

In the festivities at Maniknagar both Hindus and Muslims take part with equal enthusiasm. This is indeed the unique example Sakalamat Sampradaya, equality and universality of religions and faiths. A Yogi sees no difference between the various manifestations of the Lord, and for him everything that is in the world is but the manifestation of the Lord.

Large followings need a focal point to gather together. Shri Prabhu felt the need to have such a spiritual centre. Till now he was wandering from place to place in his own state of constant awareness of the Supreme Bliss. The descent of the Lord is not only for the sake of destruction of evil but also for the establishment of righteousness. Lord Krishna said “For the protection of the good and destruction of the evil, for establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age”. (Bhagavat Gita IV.8)

Later while traveling with some devotees He stopped near the confluence of the two rivers. There as Shri Prabhu sat under the Audumbar tree (Lord Dattatreya is believed to dwell under this tree) in ecstatic meditation, the decision to establish the spiritual centre at that very place was taken. Thus was established what is today known as the village of Maniknagar.

MANIKNAGAR

The time and place selected by Shri Prabhu for establishing the spiritual centre near Humnabad seemed significant as well as ideal. Those were the troubled times, both politically as well as religiously. He selected the confluence of the two rivers for establishing his spiritual centre, as if to emphasise that he wanted to bring the two communities (Hindus and Muslims) together. In his visionary mind he saw these two streams of great faith come together and live life of peace and understanding. How prophetic his vision was can be seen by the fact that even today both the Hindus and the Muslims flock to Maniknagar each year, to honour the great founder of the Universal Truth, the SAKALAMATA.

Originally, a small hut was constructed to establish the GADI, or the Spiritual Seat, which in time to come was to be associated with the living spirit of Shri Manik Prabhu Maharaj. Sitting on the Gadi, he would give Darshan to audience and His very Darshan would give peace and contentment to all who visited Maniknagar. Shri Prabhu’s mother, who had till then endured separation from her son, came to Maniknagar with the rest of the family.

In the Durbar, the people gathered would bask in the aura and the benevolent grace of Shri Prabhu. The entire atmosphere would be surcharged with spiritual splendour. Shri Prabhu would cast his compassionate glance on all, making everybody participate in the bliss, which he was experiencing.

People from far and near would come with their doubts and Shri Prabhu, even though he had not received formal education in the scriptures than the philosophers in his Durbar and was able to clear all doubts with great ease. Sometimes he would reply even before the questions were asked. Such was his authority, wisdom and spiritual insight. The graceful presence of Shri Prabhu that his very Darshan would assuage all the misery of a person.

He treated all devotees alike and wanted true devotion than outward austerity echoing the words of Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita (IX.26) “Whosoever offers to Me, with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, that offering of love, of the pure heart, I accept”.

Devotion to the Guru should be like that of the child towards its mother. Whether the mother is nearby or not, the child is ever confident that the mother will listen when it is in distress. If such confidence and faith is there, then Shri Prabhu’s Grace will ever be with us to guide us and tide us over the difficult times. Many devotees have experienced this expansive Grace of Shri Prabhu even when they have been in places far from Maniknagar. For surely Shri Prabhu does not reside only in Maniknagar but in the heart of all the devotees as well.

The grandeur of Shri Prabhu’s Durbar proved one thing. When the Lord oversees us, He knows our needs and so ordains accordingly. Whether we ask for little or more, Shri Prabhu knows fully well what is good for us. If there is ‘Shraddha’ (Faith) in us, nothing else is needed. If there is no Shraddha (Faith) then all efforts and endeavours to please Shri Prabhu are to no avail. He distributed wealth as well as health as needed by the sincere devotees. He was a great Yogi, a great recluse. For him wealth was as good as dust. He saw the Lord in both. Therefore whether he sat on a throne or on an earthen mound, for him it made no difference.

No one was stranger to Shri Prabhu. He knew each one by name as well as his problems. It was the Durbar of Srhi Manik Prabhu Maharaj and each one returned from there with a satisfied and contented mind, for Shri Prabhu was, indeed, the Kalpavriksh (Wish Fulfilling Tree).

Mahasamadhi (leaving the gross body)

Shri Prabhu himself was not bound by the gross body. He had realised his Self.

When he realised that the time had come for him to shed his mortal coil and merge in the Infinite, he considered seriously the future course to be laid down for the mission to continue, which was as important as the manner in which he would discard the gross body. As Shri Prabhu was reluctant to disclose the time of his own departure to all, he took only three or four persons into  confidence, those who understood the significance of his Avatar (incarnation). The news was kept in utmost confidence and all the required work was carried on with a smile on the face but with remorse in the heart. He advised them, “You think that once I take Samadhi everything will end and I will no more be available to you. What you will miss is the sight of my Gross body, but my Self, the spirit within, will ever remain with you to guide you without your realizing that fact. There will not be any breach in your spiritual path. Remember that decay and destruction of the gross body is certain. When every breath has already been numbered and assigned what is the purpose of grieving?” Shri Prabhu consoled them; “It is good that my work here is now coming to an end. You will all be able to carry the mission further by the Energy, which I will be leaving behind. What’s the use of remaining alive in this worthless body when the work is complete?”

One day, a small boil was noticed on Shri Prabhu’s back. He supervised the place where he was to take Samadhi (shedding themortal coil). The pit was dug in all secrecy and no one in Maniknagar could get even a breath of it. Soon the auspicious month of Margashirsha arrived. People from great distances flocked Manik Nagar to celebrate the annual Shri Datta Jayanti (birth day celebrations of Lord Dattatreya) festivities. Somehow that year was considered auspicious for Muslims also. Consequently, Shri Prabhu’s Muslim devotees also came in thousands.

As time passed, Shri Prabhu’s health was deteriorating steadily. The small boil was getting bigger and more painful. Yet, Shri Prabhu’s face bore no trace of the pain and it was blissful and tranquil as ever. On the tenth day of Margashirsha, Shri Prabhu decided to summon the Durbar, so that people could have his final Darshan. All arrangements were made for Shri Prabhu to sit in as comfortable a position as was possible.

The next day was Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the month. For Hindus it is one of the most auspicious days. It is the day on which, thousands of years ago Shri Krishna delivered the message of Bhagavad Gita to Arjun. This day is observed as Gita Jayanti. This 29th day of the month of November 1865 was the day on which Srhi Prabhu had decided to take Samadhi and merge His Self with the Supreme Self.

Before samadhi He called two sons of His brother Narisimha and blessed them and thus the line of succession to the Gadi (spiritual seat) was laid down for all to know. He made the elder one Manohar the successor to Gadi by transferring His Eternal Energy to him. Thus the Guru-Parampara of Shri Manik Prabhu Sampradya was established for all time to come. The successors to the Gadi (spiritual seat) after Shri Manik Prabhu took Samadhi are:

Shri Manohar Manik Prabhu

Shri Martan Manik Prabhu,

Shri Shankar Manik Prabhu &

Shri Siddharaj Manik Prabhu

Having done this Shri Prabu started walking towards the hut where the pit was dug. With his face glowing with extraordinary spiritual splendour, Shri Prabhu took each step. It was like the space merging within the space leaving no trace whatever. For Shri Prabhu the occasion was joyous for it was like going back to the origin from where He had started. He sat in the pit in Padmasana (lotus posture), forcing His Kundalini to rise and reach the Brahmarandhra. The pit was closed slowly by the close associates, in a mood that was surcharged with spiritual fervour.

The news of Shri Prabhu having taken Samadhi was kept secret till Poornima (full moon day), lest the grieving crowds might vitiate the solemn and serene occasion, in their ignorance if the significance of the event. When they came to the Gadi for Shri Prabhu’s Darshan as usual, before they departed from Maniknagar, they were shocked to hear the news. They rushed to the hut in uncontrollable grief. Close devotees and associates had to pacify the crowd.

Shri Prabhu had assured time and again, His continued presence in Maniknagar. He answers the prayers of all who keep Faith in Him.

Om Sai Ram..

Shri Dattavtars - Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi

Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi

 Sai Baba, a personification of spiritual perfection and an epitome of compassion, lived in the little village of Shirdi in the state of Maharashtra (India) for sixty years. Like most of the perfect saints he left no authentic record of his birth and early life before arriving at Shirdi. In fact, in the face of his spiritual brilliance such queries do not have much relevance.

He reached Shirdi as a nameless entity. One of the persons who first came in contact with him at Shirdi addressed him spontaneously as ‘Sai’ which means Savior, Master or Saint. ‘Baba’ means father as an expression of reverence. In the Divine play it was designed as such, that He subtly inspired this person to call Him by this name, which was most appropriate for His self-allotted mission.

All that we definitely know of Sai Baba is that his arrival at Shirdi was anonymous. He was first noticed in the outskirts of the village Shirdi, seated under a ‘neem’ (margosa) tree, about the year 1854. However, even this date is not definitely noted. Sai Baba of these younger days remained a stranger staying under the neem tree for some time and then suddenly he left Shirdi to come back again sometime in 1858, and stayed on there till he left his gross body in the year 1918.

The second advent of Baba at Shirdi, around 1858 was interestingly quite different from the first. This time he accompanied a wedding procession as guest of honor. On the arrival at Shirdi, he was immediately recognized by someone as the same anonymous saintly personality who used to be seated under the neem tree a few years earlier and, greeted Him as “YA SAI” Welcome SAI !

In the early days of his stay at Shirdi he spent his time either wandering in the outskirts of village and neighboring thorny jungles or sitting under the neem tree totally self absorbed. The first set of villagers who regarded this saintly figure were Mhalsapati, Tatya Kote, Bayyaji Bai and few others. Bayyaji Bai felt deeply motivated by this Divine Saint, and with her motherly instinct she used to walk miles on end into the jungles in search of him, carrying food in a basket on her head. Often she found Sai Baba sitting under some tree in deep meditation, calm and motionless. She would boldly approach him, serve the meal and return home.

After sometime as though out of compassion for her, Sai Baba ceased wandering and moved into a dilapidated mosque in the outskirts of the village. He referred to this mosque, where He resided till the end, as ‘Dwarkamai’ (Dwarka was the place where Lord Shri Krishna stayed to fulfill His divine Advent). This mosque ‘Dwarkamai’ – abode of Sai Baba became Mother of Mercy for all the time to come.

He had a body of athlete built and in his earlier days he was fond of wrestling. Another aspect of Sai Baba’s personality was his love for song and dance. In those early years of his life he used to go to ‘Takia’, the public night shelter for moslem visitors to the village. There in the company of sojourning devotees and fakirs, he used to dance and sing in divine bliss, with small tinkles tied around his ankles. The songs he sang were mostly in Persian or Arabic. Sometimes he sang some popular songs of Kabir.

He donned a long shirt – ‘Kafni’ and tied a cloth around his head, and twisted it into a flowing plait like manner behind his left ear. He used a piece of sackcloth for his seat and slept on it with a brick as his pillow. He always declared that Fakiri (Holy poverty) was far superior to worldly richness. He was no ordinary fakir but an ‘Avatar’ (incarnation) of a very high order. But His external appearance was of simple, illiterate, moody, emphatic – at times fiery and abusive and at times full of compassion and love. In the moments of towering rage people with him thought it was ungovernable rage. But his anger never prevented his compassion dealing with the devotees. His anger was evidently directed at unseen forces. He enacted all these simple traits only to hide His real identity as the God incarnate. Under the cover of simplicity He silently worked for the spiritual transformation and liberation of innumerable souls – human beings and animals alike, who were drawn to Him, by an unseen forces.

He begged for alms and shared what he got with his devotees and all the creatures around him. He never kept any food in reserve for the next meal. He maintained the ‘Dhuni’ – the perpetual sacred fire and distributed its ash – ‘Udi’ as token of His divine grace to all who came to Him for help.

Baba would ask for ‘Dakshina’ (money offered with reverence to the ‘Guru’ or the master) from some of those who came to see him. This was not because he needed their money but for deeper significance, which the devotees realized at, an appropriate time.

Baba used to freely distribute all the money that was received in the form of Dakshina to the destitute, poor, sick and needy the very same day. This was one of Baba’s methods for testing out the devotees attachments to worthy things and willingness to surrender.

He ploughed up the village common land and raised a flower garden thereon, he watered the plants, carrying pots full of water on his shoulders. In the later years he spent a few hours in this Lendi garden which he himself had laid out in the early days.

He was every moment exercising a double consciousness, one actively utilizing the apparent Ego called ‘Sai Baba‘ dealing with other egos in temporal and spiritual affairs, and the other – entirely superceding all egos as the Universal Ego or Over soul.

He was the common man’s God. He lived with them, he slept and ate with them. Baba had a keen sense of humour. He shared a ‘chillum’ (clay pipe for smoking) indiscriminately with them to write off the cast superiority and orthodoxy in their minds. He had no pretensions of any kind. He was always very playful in the presence of children. Baba used to feed the fakirs and devotees and even cook for them.

Saibaba‘s perfect purity, benevolence, non-attachment, compassion and other virtues evoked deep reverence in the villagers around him. His divinity could not conceal itself for long. Initially when people wanted to worship him formally, Baba protested and dissuaded them. But gradually he allowed it with the prescience that it would become the means for temporal and spiritual benefits to millions of individuals for all time to come.

The Dwarkamai of Sai Baba was open to all, irrespective of caste, creed and religion. As the days passed devotees from all walks of life started streaming into Shirdi. The village Shirdi was fast assuming prominence. As the gifts and presentations flowed in, the pomp and grandeur of Sai worship also increased. But Baba’s life of a fakir remained calm, undisturbed, unaltered and there is the Saint’s spiritual glory.

He lived His divine mission through His pure self in a human embodiment. The immense energy that was manifest in the body of Sai was moving in a mysterious way, creating and recreating itself every where beyond the comprehension of time and space.

This fountainhead of unsurpassed spiritual glory shed His gross body on 15th October 1918. Every limb, every bone and pore of his body was permeated with divine essence. Baba claimed that though one day his physical body will not exist his remains will communicate with all those who seek him with inner yearnings. His self-allotted labour of love in His physical body was perhaps over. Today He continues to work ever vigorously as the ‘Sai Spirit’.

Dattavtars: Shripad SriVallabh   Sri Narasimha Saraswati    Shree Swami Samarth   Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi

The Perfect Masters :

Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon , Shankar Maharaj , Hazrat Tajuddin Baba , Narayan Maharaj , Meher Baba, Shri Upasani (Baba) Maharaj , Shri Manik Prabhu Maharaj ,  ParamSadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj of Akkalkot.

Om Sai Ram...

Shri Dattavtars - Akkalkot Maharaj

Believed to be an incarnation of Shri Dattatreya the name of this spiritual master, popularly called Swami Samarth, is a household word in Maharashtra and the region around. As this Perfect Master chose to reside at a place called Akkalkot for 22 years where he took Mahasamadhi (left his mortal body) in 1878, he is also known as the Maharaj of Akkalkot, Akkalkot is situated in district Solapur of Maharashtra state of India.

For the devotees of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, it would be inspiring to learn about the life and deeds of ‘Swami Samarth’. A comparative picturisation of the lives of these two great Saints, i.e. Swami Samarth and Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi would establish a surprising amount of commonness in their lives and deeds which includes their methods of teaching, the universality of their approach and the miracles they performed. Even a critical approach by a non-conformist would ultimately lead to the assertion that the over-all role of these two spiritual masters during the second half of the nineteenth century was similar, if not same. One, who is capable of making finer spiritual analysis, would be faced with a bewildering reality.
The reality is that Swami Samarth and Shri Shirdi Sai Baba were the manifestations of the same Divine Spirit in two gross bodies.

Many published writings on both these Saints by different writers authenticate about the interaction between these two Sadgurus both in the gross, and the subtle planes. Just before Mahasamadhi, Swami Samrath advised one of his disciples to worship Shri Sai at Shirdi saying that he (the Swami Samarth) would stay at Shirdi in future.

The early life of Swami Samarth like that of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba is shrouded with mystery. For that matter, even Shri Shirdi Sai Baba’s advent and early life has not been established. Yet it does not really matter for those who have faith in Him and continue to experience his benevolence in different ways. How does it matter if Christ was born of a virgin mother! He took the pain of the suffering humanity and led them in the path of spirituality. That is what the world needs.

Shri Narasimha Saraswati, about three centuries before the advent of Swami Samarth is believed to be the earlier incarnation of Shri Dattatreya. The ‘Guru Charitra’ one of the most famous books gives lot of information about Him. As per the most popular belief, Shri Narasimha Swami, after helping and spiritually uplifting a large number of people over a few decades, went away to the Himalayas for penance and went into Samadhi. In the Samadhi state He remained for about three hundred years. With the passage of time a huge anthill grew over him and he was lost to the outside world. One day accidentally a woodcutter’s axe fell on the bushes grown around the ant hill. He was shocked to find blood stains on the blade of the axe. He cleared the anthill and Lo, he found a Yogi in meditation. The Yogi slowly opened his eyes and consoled the dumbfounded woodcutter saying that it was the Divine Will for Him to re-appear in the world to resume His mission. This Yogi, in his new role came to be known as Swami Samarth.

Prior to his settlement at Akkalkot, Swami Samarth visited far and wide. While moving in the Himalayan region he visited China. Thereafter, he visited places like Puri, Benaras, Hardwar, Girnar, Kathiawad and Rameswaram in the South. He also stayed at Mangalvedha, a town near Pandharpur in Solapur district Maharashtra, which had been inhabited earlier by famous saints like Domojipant and Chokhamela. He came to Akkalkot in 1856 where he continued his physical existence for 22 years. He came to Akkalkot on the invitation of one Chintopant Tol and stayed at a place on the outskirts of the town.

What we call miracles are the normal ways of functioning of the God realised ones. The Risaldar of that area, a Muslim person, wanted to test the Swami by offering him a ‘Chilum’ (an earthen smoking pipe) without tobacco in it and asked him to smoke. Swami Samarth started smoking the empty Chilum after lighting it as if nothing had happened. Realising him to be an advanced spiritual person, the Risaldar apologised and made arrangements for his stay in the house of one Cholappa. It is in this small house that Swami Samarth lived upto his last.

Soon, the name of Swami Samarth as a Spiritual Master spread all around and devotees came for taking his blessings. The ordinary people did not understand many of his gestures and mystic statements, which he used to make cryptically, although their meanings became apparent on later dates.

He treated Muslims, Christians and Parsees all alike. His Kindness was always bestowed on the poor, needy and the people at the lowest rung of the society. Both Hindus and Muslim festivals like Dusshehra and Moharram etc. used to be celebrated by Him. As in Shirdi, Thursday became a special day of celebration at Akkalkot. Like Shirdi Sai Baba, Swami Samarth of Akkalkot was fond of mass feeding. Once, on his visit to a place called Rampur, a devotee named Rawaji, to celebrate his visit, cooked food for 50 people. However, hearing the news of Swami Samarth’s arrival hundreds of people from the neighbouring villages started rushing to the village. Seeing such a large number of people at his doorstep Rawaji became visibly panicky. Moved by his plight, Swami Samarth asked Rawaji to get some empty baskets. When the baskets were brought from the market, idols of all the deities like Khandoba, Annapurna, etc were put in them and food materials like chapatis (bread) etc. were piled over them. Bawaji and his wife were asked to carry these baskets and take three rounds around the Tulsi plant. After that, they were asked to serve food from these baskets to the guest without looking into them. When food were being served, Rawaji and his wife were amazed to see that the baskets never exhausted even after a few hundred people had been served. After all the people who had come finished their meal, Swami Samarth took his meal. This is known as ‘Annapurna Siddhi’.

Swami Samarth had the capacity to read the minds of all the people coming to him and also was able to know about their past and future. Baba Saheb Jadhav, one of his great devotees one day came to meet the Master. Seeing him suddenly Swami Samarth said “Oh Potter! There is a summon coming in your name”. The potter being in the close circle of Swami Samarth understood the meaning of this sentence and begged of the Swami to save him from the approaching death so that he could continue to serve him (the Master). Moved by his devotion Swami Samarth looked-up towards the sky and muttered something as if he was addressing to someone who was invisible. Suddenly, he pointed his hand towards a bull passing nearby and said in a loud voice “go to the bull”. In the presence of a large number of devotees, the bull instantly fell dead. Jadhav, with a fresh lease of life, devoted himself totally to the service of Swami Samarth thereafter. Similarly, An European engineer from Solapur visited the Swami with the earnest hope of having a son. As he approached Swami Samarth, the latter just looked at him and told that he would have a son within a year. That is what exactly happened.

The Sadgurus or the Spiritual Masters always endeavors to change the quality of men that encounter them. Besides bestowing material benefit, they try to uplift them spiritually. Once a Jewish doctor, who was working as an eye specialist in the J.J. Hospital, Bombay met Swami Samarth. The doctor was very proud of his professional competence. Seeing him Swami Samarth asked “tell me doctor, how many of the eye patients you have treated have lost their eye sights for ever”‘. This sentence made a tremendous impact on the doctor. He realised that many people had lost their sights forever even if they had been treated by him. His ego immediately vanished and thereafter he became a devotee of Swami Samarth. After retirement the doctor settled-down at Akkalkot and served the Master till his last.

It is said that a touchstone can convert an ordinary metal to gold. The Spiritual Masters are such touchstones that they can convert any ordinary metal not to that of gold but to that of a touchstone. They are capable of giving spiritual life to any person in a fraction of a second by a touch, a look, a word or even by a mere thought. A person like Ramanand Bidkar who had lived an immoral life for a long period was converted to a Saint called Bidkar Maharaj by the kind grace of Swami Samarath, who by one grace i.e. Drishti Diksha evolved him spiritually. Under his guidance Sri Balappa Maharaj, Shri Gangadhar Maharaj, Sri Gajanan Maharaj and many others rose to spiritual eminence and contributed a lot to the society.

After serving the poor, curing the sick and helping the spiritual seekers over a few decades, Swami Samarth one day suddenly announced that the time had come for him to go out of his physical existence. By Hindu calendar It was Chaitra Sudha trayodasi, Shaka 1800 i.e. the year 1878 AD Tuesday at 4 PM. At this time he seated himself in Padmasana (Lotus Posture) and uttered his last words – “No one should weep I shall always be present at all places and I shall respond to every call of the devotees”. Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi had also said exactly the same thing before his Mahasamadhi.

Just before he had left his gross body, one devotee named Keshav Nayak who was emotionally charged, asked “Maharaj, since you are going, who will give us protection?”. Swami Samarth gave him a pair of his sandals to worship. He told him “In future I will be staying at Shirdi in district Ahmednagar”. Another devotee, Krishna Ali Bagkar decided to go to Akkalkot and worship the padukas of Swami Samarth. Thereafter he got a dream appearance of Swami Samarth who told him “Now I am staying at Shirdi, go there and worship me”. Bagkar went to Shirdi where he stayed for six months. Later, when he wanted to take leave of Shri Sai and go to Akkalkot again Shri Sai told him “what is there in Akkalkot, Maharaj of Akkalkot is staying here”. Bagkar realised that there is no difference between Swami Samarth and Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi as he recalled his earlier dream.

The divine game (leela) of Swami Samarth did not end with his Maha Samadhi (shedding his mortal coil). His devotees continue to experience the miracles of his visible and invisible help even till today. It is exactly like the experience received by the devotees of Sai Baba of Shirdi after his Mahasamadhi in 1918. Many people have authenticated his appearance in physical form before them. These people are not the faith-blind rural folk. Many of them are well educated people like doctors, educationists etc. For example, Dr. S.V.Marathe, a private medical practitioner of Pune once underwent treatment in a chest Hospital at a place called Aundh in 1964. Many of his friends were anxious to come and visit him. At this juncture, Swami Samarth appeared before many of his friends in a dream and gave the same message to all of them. He asked them not to worry about Dr.Marathe, as he was under His (Swami Samarth’s) protection and also not to come to Aundh.

Hundreds of devotees continue to have miraculous experience about the Perfect Master even today. But his miracles and those of Shri Sainath are so alike that one would be drawn to the conclusion that they are not two masters but are one, and the ONLY ONE TRUTH.

Om Sai Ram...

Shri Dattavtars - Sri Narasimha Saraswati

Shripad SriVallabh told a Brahmin lady to devote her life to the worship of Lord Shiva. She did accordingly and, as a result of it, she was born in Karanja, a town near Akola (Central India) in a pious family and was named Amba. She grew and she was married to a pious man Madhava Sharma. She was devoted, heart and soul, to the service of of her husband. His noble company added to the holy tendencies she developed as a result of her spiritual discipline in her previous life. She now became an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.

In course of time, she gave birth to a son. The child did not cry, as usual, at birth. On the other hand, the only sound he uttered was ‘AUM‘ (the eternal sound – ‘AUM’ is the manifestation of the spirit) and everyone was amazed at it. Astrologers assured Madhava Sharma that their child was indeed an avatar of the Lord. They also prophesied that he would renounce all worldly ties and that he would uplift the fallen souls. The child was named Narahari.

The name signified that he was the dispeller of the sins and miseries of human beings.

The child Narahari grew up to be a handsome boy of five, but he could not speak and the parents were very much worried about it.

One day, the boy conveyed to them through gestures that he wished to be invested with the sacred thread. Young Narahari learned the ‘Gayatri Mantra‘, adopted the vows of a young celibate (Brahmacharya), accepted the first offering of food from his mother’s hands and at once recited the Vedas (external repositories of Spiritual Wisdom) . The parents were overjoyed but their joy did not last. According to tradition after the sacred thread ceremony, the initiate is a Sannyasi and has to beg alms from his mother and leave for pilgrimage. Thus, the mother asked him to beg alms and young Narahari, taking it as her adesha (command) sought permission to take sannyasa, renounce worldly life and leave for pilgrimage.

The mother bewailed her plight and pleaded with him to give up such an idea. Narhari said “I do not want to enjoy the objects of the senses which can only lead to misery. So, I shall pass on from the state of celibacy directly to the life of a sannyasi. Wealth, family ties and responsibilities are as unreal as a dream. Youth is transient as a flower which soon withers.
Thus life is very short when viewed in the light of the only purposed of it, i.e., Self-realization. To be emotionally attached to anything in this phenomenal world amounts to mere self-betrayal and is self-defeating too. This body, with the skin as its surface layer, flesh, bones and the blood within, is as frail a structure as a water bubble. Excessive fondness for one’s spouse and children is the root of all other evil tendencies. In itself, this body of ours is made of inanimate matter and is ever changing and perishable. Only the ‘Self’ within is eternal and is our only true being. Joys and sorrows of worldly life are merely relative, subjective and are therefore illusory experiences to the realised. Man can break the fetters of this illusion only through the grace of the Guru. Therefore, Oh mother, do not hinder me in my resolve. You shall be blessed with some more children. Go on meditating on me and thereby you shall cross the ocean of misery and ignorance too”.

So saying, Narahari again blessed His mother with the vision of His Divine form. She perceived it through the eye of wisdom and was at once reminded of her previous birth. So she said to the Lord :

‘Holy one, you are indeed Lord Sripaad, who, in my previous life, saved me from my unwise resolve to commit suicide. I bow before you. You are, indeed, the Unbounded one. All the universes have their being in your infinite expanse. To say that you are born to me as my son is but a fallacy; for you are eternal. Yours is the omnipotent will. I shall not hinder your resolve to renounce the world for the welfare of all sentient beings. You have assured me that I shall be blessed with a few more children. Pray, stay with us, at least till such time!’ Lord Narahari graciously acceded to her request and stayed away. The blessed couple used to worship the Lord every day with full awareness of his divinity.

Many were the learned who flocked to Him for the elucidation of intricate questions in scriptural knowledge. Many of them got their doubts clarified and attained Self-realization. This is no task to one who could uplift even the dull witted. After his mother got more children He covered His head with a piece of cloth, put on wooden sandals, covered His body with the ochre robe and wore a codpiece. Taking a staff in His hand, He set out from His home in joy to fulfill His mission which was to revive faith and uplift the people morally and spiritually.

On his way to Badrinath, Narahari reached the Holy Varanasi (Kashi) in the guise of a seeker after liberation. Lord Narahari, in accordance with Holy tradition, resorted to His Holiness Swami Krishna Saraswati as his Guru and from him took the vow of sanyas. Henceforth, He came to be known as Shri Narasimha Saraswati. He formally took the vow of lifelong celibacy. Thus he became a full-fledged sannyasi who has transcended the opposites of joy and sorrow and the limitations of a self-centered will.

This World Teacher has laid down the tradition of sanyas for seekers after liberation.

Shri Nrishimha Saraswati expounded the nature of sanyas to some and the meaning of the Vedas, which can secure the true objects of life (Purusharthas), to others. Then, he proceeded in his wanderings round the country in a clock-wise direction, along with his disciples. He had seven disciples and they were Baala, Krishna, Upendra, Janajyotim Sadaananda, Madhava and Siddha.

All have the title ‘Saraswati’ suffixed to their names.

He took holy dips in all the holy rivers along the way and reached the sacred place where the river Ganga joins the sea. From
Benares he went to Badrika Ashram with his disciples. Then moving from place to place for the welfare of common people, he arrived at Ganga sagar, near Calcutta. Some Twenty years passed this way. Shri Narasimha Saraswati reappeared at his home to the wonder and joy of his family and town people, He blessed them all.

In the Guru Charitra the miracles performed by him are described. These miracles were meant to increase faith among people in a higher power and start them on the path of spiritual path.

Shri Narasimha Saraswati then went to Trumbakeshwar, Parli and Parli vaijnath. At Parli Vaijnath he did penance for one year and remained in seclusion. Afterwards he went to Audumbar and Amarapur near the confluence of the rivers Krishna and the Panchaganga. At Amarapur he stayed 12 years. This place was called “Nrisimhawadi” and later “Narsobawadi” by his affectionate disciples and devotees. From Amarapur he went to Gangapur and remained there for 24 years. During his stay there many astonishing incidents and miracles took place.

Shri Narasimha Saraswati was now considered as ‘Siddha Purusha’ (Perfect, almost Godlike being) with Divine powers of healing physical ailments and alleviating worries of his devotees. Hindus and Muslims used to come to him considering him their Sadguru.

One day he bade good-bye to people of Gangapur and with his 7 select disciples went to the confluence of Bhima and Amraja rivers and stood for a while under the Aswatha tree. He stated “worship this tree and practice penance, your wish will be fulfilled and your life will be blessed”. He announced his departure from this world and his disciples were plunged in grief.

A float was prepared on the banana leaves and was adorned with flowers. This float was placed in the river and Shri Nrisimha Saraswati sat on it. All the disciples offered worship although their hearts were weighed down by grief. Shri Nrisimha Saraswati cheered them up and told them he was going to Kadali-vana (grove of banana trees) near Srisailam (One of the 12 “Jyotir Linga” is located here) and upon reaching there, as a mark of his safe arrival, clusters of flowers would come back floating against current. Soon after, as per the Master’s promise, clusters of flowers came to them drifting on the river against the current!

When the Master got ready for departure, the natives of the village rushed to him and begged him not to deprive them of His Divine presence, but to stay on. The Lord said, “Do not feel sad that way. How can I bear to be away from my devotees? I only seem to leave for Srisailam only to the grosser vision of the physical, but I will ever abide at Gangapur in my real state as the Spirit or the real Self. I will seek my noon alms in this village and accept your loving devotional services. My living presence will be experienced by anyone who bathes in the Sangam (confluence of holy rivers), worships the Holy peepal tree and takes darshan of my ‘Padukas‘ (sacred foot-wear) here.

“The Master can be seen even today by the virtuous and the devout. Only the unrighteous cannot experience his living presence. Taking his daily dip at the holy Sangam, he ever abides there. In fact, he has been blessing devotees with his divine acts (leelas) on countless occasions. The aspirations of those who worship him there with true love will be fulfilled. Indeed, the Lord is ever present with those who incessantly adore him. The miraculous experiences of such will ever remain hidden in their own hearts. He is the granter of prayers!”

When people were in utter despair, Shri Narasimha Saraswati brought about a religious and spiritual renaissance and restored their morale. The places where He stayed, have become centres of pilgrimage viz., Narsobawadi, Audumbar and Gangapur. Gangapur is believed to be the abode of Lord Dattatreya. There is a holy hillock of Vibhuti (holy ash) from which devotees pick up the sacred ash as Prasad to take home. This hillock has not been depleted, even though devotees have been taking away sacred ash for centuries.

The atmosphere in all the three pilgrimage centers is sublime and devotees feel peaceful and spiritually uplifted. Miracles take place at Gangapur specially, even now.

The message of Shri Narasimha Saraswati is summarised as under:

1. In our short fleeting span of human life, we should attempt to realize God through devotion.

2. Use Buddhi (intellect) and Viveka (discrimination) to purify the minds.

3. Never think of hurting others in thought, word or deed.

4. Consider yourself blessed, if you secure the blessings of a Guru.

5. Strive to realize God who is inherent in your own heart.

Dattavtars: Shripad SriVallabh   Sri Narasimha Saraswati    Shree Swami Samarth   Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi

Om Sai Ram...

Shri Dattavtars - Shripad SriVallabh

‘Digmbara, digambara, Sripaad vallabha digambara;
Digambara, digambara, Advdhutachintana digambara’

 

Shripad SriVallabh was born in a Brahmin family in a village named Pithapur (East Godavari District in Andhra Pradesh, India). A Brahmin couple Appala Raju Sharma and Sumathi, were devotees of Lord Datta. They had many children of whom only two survived. One was lame and the other was blind. They worshiped Lord Datta and never failed to offer food to mendicants and monks. They looked upon all such as they very forms of Lord Datta. One day, they were performing the annual ceremony in their house and many Brahmins were invited as guests for the feast. Tradition holds that none should eat on that day before these guests partake their food.

At that time Lord Dattatreya appeared at their threshold in the form of a renunciate sadhu (saint), bearing the staff and the water-vessel (Kamandalu) and asked for food. The housewife, with immense faith that the visitor was none other than the Lord to whom the whole annual ceremony was being offered, gave Him food even before the Brahmin guests were fed!

Her faith touched the Lord’s heart and He at once granted her a vision of this true form. His glorious form had three heads, clad in a tiger’s skin and his body besmeared with sacred ash (vibhuti), he looked like a silver mountain in moonlight.The blessed housewife drank the divine glory of the Lord’s from and felt that the highest object of her birth was fulfilled. The Lord said, “Mother, I am pleased with your devotion. 

Even before you fed the Brahmin guests, you have given me food with the full faith that this is the Lord in the guise of a holy mendicant. Now, ask me for anything you wish and it shall be granted”. The sight blessed her eyes and now her ears were sanctified by His sweet words. “Lord”, she said, “Lord! You addressed me as mother, please let your word be turned into reality”.

Lord replied Tathastu (so be it) and disappeared. Lord Dattatreya, in order to bless his devotees and the righteous ones, wanders about in the guise of a random guest at the lunch hour. That’s why it is said that a random guest has to be treated as the very embodiment of Lord Dattaterya. Then Sumathi told her husband of the Divine vision the  Lord  had bestowed on her and of his granting her wish for a divine son.

Not long after, Sumathi conceived and delivered a male child at the proper time. She gave birth to one who is indeed birth-less.

This was no birth in the normal sense, the Lord just manifested Himself as a child in this house. As the child has all the Divine features with celestial radiance, he was fittingly named as Sripaad. This was the first incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.

As days and months passed, the child Serenade grew ever more glorious, the age of eight. As per the tradition, he was invested with the sacred thread. Normally, after the sacred thread ceremony a boy has to be trained by a Guru for 8 years before he can memorize the Vedas (external repositories of Spiritual Wisdom) completely. But this boy, Sripaad, started imparting vedic knowledge to this pupil right from the moment of his Upanyana (sacred thread ceremony). It was all a purely Divine miracle.

When Sripaad attained marriageable age, He was asked His opinion, “All women in this world 
are like my mother. I am married to sannyaasa (renunciation). My mission is to give initiation and guidance to sadhus (holy men)”. Speaking thus he sought permission from his parents to become a sannyasi and to leave the house. The parents were loathe to forego such a son. Apart from this the other two children were dumb, deaf and blind. If Sripad left his parents, who will look after them in their old age. Sripaad understood their anxiety. He called these blind and lame brothers, his heart, melting with compassion at the sight of the tears in his parents, Sripaad touched his brothers and made them whole in a moment! What is impossible for the Almighty and the lord of the universe?

The miracle dispelled the veil of delusion that blinded their understanding. Then the Lord granted them the vision of His real Divine form. The handsome, tender lad at once appeared radiant like a million suns and pleasing as myriad moons. His blissful nature seemed to enliven every atom of existence. With their permission, He renounced all worldly ties and trekked to several Holy places like Dwaraka, Brindavan, Mathura, and Badrinath. After wandering there for sometime, He marched down to the Holy Gokarna in order to bless the spiritual seekers. Sripaad lived for three years in Gokarna. Having uplifted several seekers there spiritually, the Lord went to Kurvapur and settled down there.

One day a widow, Ambika came to the river to end her life due to her unbearable poverty and to run away from the world which made fun of her for having given birth to a dullard and an idiot boy. Miraculously Shripad SriVallabh came there and said ‘Oh Brahmin, do not be hasty; otherwise you would incur the sin of committing suicide, as well as the sin of killing a Brahmin. No one can help you out of it. It is better for you to live on, facing any amount of suffering. The Brahmin lady then said, ‘Oh Holy one, people are humiliating me for being cursed with the birth of a stupid son. They consider it a sin even to see my face. What could I gain by continuing to live?’

The Lord was moved by compassion at her words and said, ‘Mother, by committing suicide, you only add to your former sins and you will have to suffer more in the next life. Therefore, devote your whole life to the worship of Lord Shiva. You shall be blessed with a noble son in your next life’.

The above event was perhaps Shri Guru’s own sankalpa to reincarnate again as Sri Narasimha Saraswati . Therefore He had pre-arranged this leela so as to meet and bless His next incarnation’s mother-to-be. Sripaad Vallabha disappeared one day after entering the Ganges river. Though he is physically no more, devotees ever feel His presence and grace. His divine spirit is ever manifest. The Lord is eternal. As He is the seed of the whole universe, His activities are infinite. So His purposes are infinite. In fact, He is ever in front of His devotees, granting their prayers. Yet he is invisible to all those who are blinded by the spirit of the ‘Kali’ age he has been granting the wishes of his devotees, though he is invisible to them. Shripad SriVallabh can even be seen by those who are pure of heart. That village has become a Holy by His eternal presence.

Dattavtars: Shripad SriVallabh   Sri Narasimha Saraswati    Shree Swami Samarth   Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi

The Perfect Masters :

Shankar Maharaj , Hazrat Tajuddin Baba , Narayan Maharaj , Meher Baba , Hazrat Babajan
Shri Upasani (Baba) Maharaj , Shri Manik Prabhu Maharaj ,  ParamSadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj of Akkalkot, Shri Krishna Saraswati Swami, Swami Swaroopanad of Pawas, Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati Swami Maharaj.

Om Sai Ram...