Guest guest Posted November 18, 2009 Report Share Posted November 18, 2009 Shri Dattatreya and Swami Samarth of AkkalkotBelieved to be an incarnation of Shri Dattatreya the name of thisspiritual master, popularly called Swami Samarth, is a householdword in Maharashtra and the region around. As this Perfect Masterchose to reside at a place called Akkalkot for 22 years where hetook Mahasamadhi (left his mortal body) in 1878, he is also known asthe Maharaj of Akkalkot, Akkalkot is situated in district Solapur ofMaharashtra state of India.For the devotees of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, it would be inspiring tolearn about the life and deeds of 'Swami Samarth'. A comparativepicturisation of the lives of these two great Saints, i.e. SwamiSamarth and Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi would establish a surprisingamount of commonness in their lives and deeds which includes theirmethods of teaching, the universality of their approach and themiracles they performed. Even a critical approach by a non-conformist would ultimately lead to the assertion that the over-allrole of these two spiritual masters during the second half of thenineteenth century was similar, if not same. One, who is capable ofmaking finer spiritual analysis, would be faced with a bewilderingreality. The reality is that Swami Samarth and Shri Shirdi Sai Babawere the manifestations of the same Divine Spirit in two grossbodies. Many published writings on both these Saints by differentwriters authenticate about the interaction between these twoSadgurus both in the gross, and the subtle planes. Just beforeMahasamadhi, Swami Samrath advised one of his disciples to worshipShri Sai at Shirdi saying that he (the Swami Samarth) would stay atShirdi in future.The early life of Swami Samarth like that of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba isshrouded with mystery. For that matter, even Shri Shirdi Sai Baba'sadvent and early life has not been established. Yet it does notreally matter for those who have faith in Him and continue toexperience his benevolence in different ways. How does it matter ifChrist was born of a virgin mother! He took the pain of thesuffering humanity and led them in the path of spirituality. That iswhat the world needs.Shri Narasimha Saraswati, about three centuries before the advent ofSwami Samarth is believed to be the earlier incarnation of ShriDattatreya. The 'Guru Charitra' one of the most famous books giveslot of information about Him. As per the most popular belief, ShriNarasimha Swami, after helping and spiritually uplifting a largenumber of people over a few decades, went away to the Himalayas forpenance and went into Samadhi. In the Samadhi state He remained forabout three hundred years. With the passage of time a huge anthillgrew over him and he was lost to the outside world. One dayaccidentally a woodcutter's axe fell on the bushes grown around theant hill. He was shocked to find blood stains on the blade of theaxe. He cleared the anthill and Lo, he found a Yogi in meditation.The Yogi slowly opened his eyes and consoled the dumbfoundedwoodcutter saying that it was the Divine Will for Him to re-appearin the world to resume His mission. This Yogi, in his new role cameto be known as Swami Samarth.Prior to his settlement at Akkalkot, Swami Samarth visited far andwide. 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 atMangalvedha, a town near Pandharpur in Solapur district Maharashtra,which had been inhabited earlier by famous saints like Domojipantand Chokhamela. He came to Akkalkot in 1856 where he continued hisphysical existence for 22 years. He came to Akkalkot on theinvitation of one Chintopant Tol and stayed at a place on theoutskirts of the town.What we call miracles are the normal ways of functioning of the Godrealized ones. The Risaldar of that area, a Muslim person, wanted totest the Swami by offering him a 'Chilum' (an earthen smoking pipe)without tobacco in it and asked him to smoke. Swami Samarth startedsmoking the empty Chilum after lighting it as if nothing hadhappened. Realizing him to be an advanced spiritual person, theRisaldar apologized and made arrangements for his stay in the houseof one Cholappa. It is in this small house that Swami Samarth livedup to his last.Soon, the name of Swami Samarth as a Spiritual Master spread allaround and devotees came for taking his blessings. The ordinarypeople did not understand many of his gestures and mysticstatements, which he used to make cryptically, although theirmeanings became apparent on later dates.He treated Muslims, Christians and Parsees all alike. His Kindnesswas always bestowed on the poor, needy and the people at the lowestrung of the society. Both Hindus and Muslim festivals like Dussehraand Moharram etc. used to be celebrated by Him. As in Shirdi,Thursday became a special day of celebration at Akkalkot. LikeShirdi 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, hearingthe news of Swami Samarth's arrival hundreds of people from theneighbouring villages started rushing to the village. Seeing such alarge number of people at his doorstep Rawaji became visiblypanicky. Moved by his plight, Swami Samarth asked Rawaji to get someempty baskets. When the baskets were brought from the market, idolsof all the deities like Khandoba, Annapurna, etc were put in themand food materials like chapatis (bread) etc. were piled over them.Bawaji and his wife were asked to carry these baskets and take threerounds around the Tulsi plant. After that, they were asked to servefood from these baskets to the guest without looking into them. Whenfood were being served, Rawaji and his wife were amazed to see thatthe baskets never exhausted even after a few hundred people had beenserved. After all the people who had come finished their meal, SwamiSamarth took his meal. This is known as 'Annapurna Siddhi'.Swami Samarth had the capacity to read the minds of all the peoplecoming 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 meetthe Master. Seeing him suddenly Swami Samarth said "Oh Potter! Thereis a summon coming in your name". The potter being in the closecircle of Swami Samarth understood the meaning of this sentence andbegged of the Swami to save him from the approaching death so thathe could continue to serve him (the Master). Moved by his devotionSwami Samarth looked-up towards the sky and muttered something as ifhe was addressing to someone who was invisible. Suddenly, he pointedhis hand towards a bull passing nearby and said in a loud voice "goto the bull". In the presence of a large number of devotees, thebull instantly fell dead. Jadhav, with a fresh lease of life,devoted himself totally to the service of Swami Samarth thereafter.Similarly, A European engineer from Solapur visited the Swami withthe earnest hope of having a son. As he approached Swami Samarth,the latter just looked at him and told that he would have a sonwithin a year. That is what exactly happened.The Sadgurus or the Spiritual Masters always endeavors to change thequality of men that encounter them. Besides bestowing materialbenefit, they try to uplift them spiritually. Once a Jewish doctor,who was working as an eye specialist in the J.J. Hospital, Bombaymet Swami Samarth. The doctor was very proud of his professionalcompetence. Seeing him Swami Samarth asked "tell me doctor, how manyof the eye patients you have treated have lost their eye sights forever"'. This sentence made a tremendous impact on the doctor. Herealized that many people had lost their sights forever even if theyhad been treated by him. His ego immediately vanished and thereafterhe became a devotee of Swami Samarth. After retirement the doctorsettled-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 anyordinary metal not to that of gold but to that of a touchstone. Theyare capable of giving spiritual life to any person in a fraction ofa second by a touch, a look, a word or even by a mere thought. Aperson like Ramanand Bidkar who had lived an immoral life for a longperiod was converted to a Saint called Bidkar Maharaj by the kindgrace of Swami Samarath, who by one grace i.e. Drishti Dikshaevolved him spiritually. Under his guidance Sri Balappa Maharaj,Shri Gangadhar Maharaj, Sri Gajanan Maharaj and many others rose tospiritual eminence and contributed a lot to the society.After serving the poor, curing the sick and helping the spiritualseekers over a few decades, Swami Samarth one day suddenly announcedthat 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 inPadmasana (Lotus Posture) and uttered his last words - "no oneshould weep I shall always be present at all places and I shallrespond to every call of the devotees"". Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi hadalso said exactly the same thing before his Mahasamadhi.Just before he had left his gross body, one devotee named KeshavNayak who was emotionally charged, asked "Maharaj, since you aregoing, who will give us protection?" . Swami Samarth gave him a pairof his sandals to worship. He told him "in future I will be stayingat Shirdi in district Ahmednagar". Another devotee, Krishna AliBagkar decided to go to Akkalkot and worship the padukas of SwamiSamarth. Thereafter he got a dream appearance of Swami Samarth whotold him "now I am staying at Shirdi, go there and worship me".Bagkar went to Shirdi where he stayed for six months. Later, when hewanted to take leave of Shri Sai and go to Akkalkot again Shri Saitold him "what is there in Akkalkot, Maharaj of Akkalkot is stayinghere". Bagkar realized that there is no difference between SwamiSamarth and Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi as he recalled his earlierdream.The divine game (leela) of Swami Samarth did not end with his MahaSamadhi (shedding his mortal coil). His devotees continue toexperience the miracles of his visible and invisible help even tilltoday. It is exactly like the experience received by the devotees ofSai Baba of Shirdi after his Mahasamadhi in 1918. Many people haveauthenticated his appearance in physical form before them. Thesepeople are not the faith-blind rural folk. Many of them are welleducated people like doctors, educationists etc. For example, Dr.S.V.Marathe, a private medical practitioner of Pune once underwenttreatment in a chest Hospital at a place called Aundh in 1964. Manyof his friends were anxious to come and visit him. At this juncture,Swami Samarth appeared before many of his friends in a dream andgave the same message to all of them. He asked them not to worryabout Dr.Marathe, as he was under His (Swami Samarth's) protectionand also not to come to Aundh.Hundreds of devotees continue to have miraculous experience aboutthe Perfect Master even today. But his miracles and those of ShriSainath are so alike that one would be drawn to the conclusion thatthey are not two masters but are one, and the ONLY ONE TRUTH.Bhagavan, I have only one prayer: "Give us that Love and letour Love for You grow every moment. Let it grow stronger and stronger." Because in this life there is nothing, I stress nothing more important or of any greater value than loving Bhagavan, loving God, with all one's heartJai Sai Ram!Swamy MahadevanBow to Shri Sai-Peace be to allBaba Bless you ever!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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