The great Sage of Akkalkot -  Akkalkot  Swami Samarththa Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swami Samarththa Maharaj!

Chapter – 7

Maharaj arrived in Akkalkot took shelter under a Vata Vruksha.  Two Muslim men made fun of him without knowing his divinity, they approached Swamiji and one of the fellows gave his Hukka and asked Swamiji to take pleasure in it.  Swamiji threw off the tobacco in the Hukka and emptied, later took near the mouth, immediately the smoke gushed out of it.   The Muslim fellows surprised and got scared.   These guys felt Swamiji is starving after arriving in Akkalkot, but they were reluctant to serve him with meals because he is a Hindu saint and they are Muslim.   One of the guys informed a pious Hindu man Cholappa about Swamiji and brought Maharaj to his house and meals were served.  The Muslim guys were stopped in front of the house of Cholappa, seeing this Swamiji shouted at Cholappa for making the Muslim guys standing out of the house.  Swamiji asked the Muslim guys to be in and the meal served was fed to Muslim guys and Cholappa equally.  Later, Swamiji asked both of them to feed him.  Maharaj said “ I do not find any difference in Hindu or Muslim”, and he happily shared a meal with them.

Cholappa requested Maharaj to stay with him in his house; he wanted to serve Maharaj in his entire life.  Maharaj said he will stay in Akkalkot but he will not stay in his home.  Cholappa has grown too devoted to Swamiji “ Maharaj, kindly do not keep me away from your service, you are supreme soul, the whole Universe belongs to you, you can reside wherever you want, but let me do my service to you.”  Finally, Maharaj decided to live with Cholappa for some time.  One day Maharaj started behaving strangely, he put off the fire while his wife was cooking Roti, he poured water on the Roti dough, his wife got scared and both of them ran out of the house.

Once Cholappa brought an old lady Sundarabayi to Maharaj, he said: “ She came back to finish the

remaining work.” She said “ Swamiji I am coming from Sholapur, my foot is aching like hell, how

many vows and treatments I have taken, my foot pain remains the same,” Maharaj said “ Your foot 

ache will take time to heal.” Sundarabayi said, “ I will stay here and serve you.” Cholappa said 

“Swamiji this lady has no one, let her stay here and serve you.”  Maharaj said “ Cholappa, do not 

keep this lady in your home, she will bother you later.”  Sundarabayi was shocked to hear this; Cholappa consoled her saying that Swamiji makes fun in between his conversation.

The great Sage of Akkalkot -  Akkalkot  Swami Samarththa Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swami Samarththa Maharaj!

Chapter – 6

Maharaj arrived in a hermitage, he entered inside the chamber and settled in the blanket spread on the floor, and soon he has fallen asleep.  The other saint who was in the chamber watching all these surprisingly, he could not speak to Swamiji so he left the room locked to finish his task.  While leaving he informed another saint that Maharaji is sleeping inside, please do not let him go.  The saint who walked through the empty ground saw a few children were playing sports, suddenly he could see Maharaj among them, he could not believe his eyes, he has already locked the room where Maharaji was sleeping, he was puzzled to see Swamiji with the children in the playground.  The saint realized that he was locked a Siddha Purusha inside the chamber, he rushed to the hermitage and opened the door; he could not see Swamiji inside.  He was so disappointed, soon, Maharaj appeared before the saint, he had fallen at the feet of Maharaj for his rude behavior.  Maharaj immediately disappeared from his sight, after this incident Maharaj did not stop too long in the Mangalwede, he traveled through Mohur and arrived in Sholapur. 

Maharaj  met a pious person Chinthopanth who immediately realized Maharaj is not an ordinary person, Maharaj asked “ If I am Siddhapurusha or not what’s in that?” Chinthopanth surprised to understand that Maharaj can read the minds of the people,  Chinthopanth said: “Maharaj, I think  you are new in Sholapur, kindly visit my home and sanctify our residence.”  Thus, Maharaj accepted the invitation of Chinthopanth.  One day another person in the village enquired Chinthopanth about Maharaj who was residing in his house, the neighbor asked “ You have invited a saint who sits in the dust of Dhaththathreya shrine, for lunch. He accepted your invitation, and your saint has no knowledge of the upper class or middle class.  It is wrong to sit with him and consume meals according to Purana.” Chinthopanth was confused, suddenly Maharaj came out of the house and said “ I am leaving to the place where I came from. You are confused now; therefore I cannot consume a meal from your house.”  Chinthopanth begged for forgiveness, Chinthopanth felt his devotion is not pure and cried.

The great Sage of Akkalkot -  Akkalkot  Swami Samarththa Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swami Samarththa Maharaj!

Chapter – 5

There was a fervent disciple named Basappa who always follows Swamiji everywhere.  Once he followed Swamiji in the dense wood, Swamiji asked: “ Basappa, why you are following me, leaving your family behind?” Basappa said, “ I want to serve you, Maharaj.” Swamiji asked “ You are leaving your children and wife behind and serving me?,” he said “ My happiness is at your feet, I am finding immense peace and pleasure at your feet Maharaj” Swamiji advised “ Basappa, your wife is struggling to meet the requirements of your family, she is working so hard to serve meal for the family members, you should go back to home and take care of your family.” He begged Swamiji “ Kindly, do not separate me from you.”  Swamiji said “ Ok. Come with me. Whatever I instruct you should follow, you should not get scared.”  He was following Swamiji for some time, he saw there were many serpents crawling all over the ground, he was frightened and called out for Swamiji, Maharaj laughed and said: “Take as much as you want.” He reluctantly followed the instruction of the Maharaj,  he picked a serpent and put it in his turban clothe.  The next morning he arrived home and his wife poured out harsh words for being irresponsible and not taking care of the needs of the family and wandering behind Swamiji.  Basappa shouted at his wife for talking harshly about Swamiji.  The couple started arguing each other, seeing the bundle on his hand wife asked about it.  He explained what had happened in the forest.  He opened the bundle and saw it was not a serpent, it was solid gold, and the couple was shocked at the miracle.  The couple sincerely prayed to Swamiji for his kindness, they rushed to have Dharshan of Swamiji who was settled under a peepal tree.  Swamiji said, “ Basappa, it is the fruit of  your devotion.” Basappa’s wife begged for forgiveness for not realizing this Mahapurusha.  Swamiji blessed the couple to live happily, but Basappa was not willing to leave Swamiji who was advised to perform Namasmaran which would bring goodness to him.  Swamiji advised “Your wife has spent all her life in sufferings of poverty, keep her in all comforts, my work in this village is over. I have to move on.”  Basappa earnestly asked Swamiji “Where are you leaving,” Swamiji said, “ I do not know Basappa.” Swamiji disappeared from their sight.

The great Sage of Akkalkot -  Akkalkot  Swami Samarththa Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swami Samarththa Maharaj!

Chapter – 4

The fame of Sri Swami Samarththa Maharaj spread across the Puri, people from various places arrived to meet Swamiji.  One day Swamiji informed his disciple Alawani Maharaj about his journey to Haridwar and left.  Siddhapurushas often disappear from the crowd and prefer solitude for their meditation practices, they appear among the people to accomplish their tasks and disappear without leaving any trace.   There were two young men who were afflicted with leprosy, the people of the village discarded them completely and they stayed out of the village, children in the village find pleasure in throwing stones at these young men.  They felt miserable, once they were treated with respect when everything was fine, they had nothing to eat and people were treating them like lowly creatures.  Swamiji appeared before these two young men, he placed his leg on them, immediately they relieved from their illness.  They were shocked, wept bitterly and fallen at the feet of Maharaj. Though the young men were enquired about Swamiji, he replied “ I am a Yajurvedi Bhramin Nrusimha Saraswathi, living under Vata Vruksha, Dhaththa Nagar,” and disappeared from their sight.

Once Digambar Swamiji arrived in the house of a Bhramin for alms, husband and wife reverentially prostrated before Swamiji, this couple was very poor, they had nothing to offer as alms to Swamiji, she rushed to market to get milk for Swamiji, Bhramin revealed his pathetic state at home, he was taking care of a cow which was not producing any milk for four years, Swamiji said “ Go and bring a vessel and milk the cow right now. I want milk from this cow only.”  Swamiji spoke to cow “ Ma, your owner is very poor, you should give him milk to remove his poverty.”  The Bhramin approached the cow which was lacking milk for four years, suddenly it poured out milk,”  The couple were extremely happy,  Maharaj asked the couple to cook milk pudding with it and blessed the couple “ At last, your poverty has come to an end.”

The great Sage of Akkalkot -  Akkalkot  Swami Samarththa Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swami Samarththa Maharaj!

Chapter - 3

An old man arrived to witness the famous festival of Puri Jagannatha Yathra, he lost his wife in the crowd, he cried before Maharaj “ Maharaj, I came here to earn piousness, see what I have got is grief, I am a Grihastha, I will be all  alone without my wife, I cannot perform any of the rites without her or I will be away from the pleasures of the family life.” Maharaj shouted at the old man “When is your attachment to this world is going to end? You have become too old now, your death is nearing, your body is shivering, when you will win over your senses and put an end to feeding them? Your intellect has become impure.  Do you know where did you come from? Do you know who you are? And where did you go after this birth? Leave all your attachments and worldly desires.  Fool…you have forgotten your real self.” saying so Maharaj kept his hand on his head, suddenly he started recollecting all the incidents related to his previous birth, an extreme joy-filled on his face in place of anxiousness.  Soon he realized that he was a disciple of Swami Nrusimha Saraswathi in his previous birth.  He begged Maharaj to accept him as his disciple and permit him to stay with Swamiji, he doesn’t want to be a Grihastha anymore.  In the meantime his wife appeared from nowhere, he blessed the couple to get relieved from the attachment of Grihasthashrama and accept the path of spirituality.  The couple prostrated before Swamiji and left.

The great Sage of Akkalkot -  Akkalkot  Swami Samarththa Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swami Samarththa Maharaj!

Chapter - 2

Once a saintly old man Alawani Maharaj arrived to witness the famous Puri Jagannath Yathra, he was afflicted with severe infection and fever, and he felt miserable with pain and hunger, he continued to starve for four days, he was quite sure that he is going to die in Puri with hunger and fever.  He had no attachment to the body which has perishable nature; he sincerely wanted to have the Dharshan of Lord Jagannatha before his soul departs.  Soon the Swami Samarththa Maharaj appeared before the old man who was helpless and sick, and called him “ Aloni Bua, get up, it is early in the morning,” the old man looked at the divine personality and got up “ Hey, Avadhooth,  you are the representation of wisdom and knowledge, supreme bliss and love,”  Maharaj said “ You get up now, you are alright,” The old man asked “ Hey Avadhooth, who are you? Where are you from?” The divine personality with effulgent appearance, big stature,  hands on the waist replied “ I live in the whole Universe, I live in mountains and hills and all the sacred lands on the Earth.” There arrived a pious man and invited both for a meal, after blessing the old man, Advadhooth disappeared from the sight.

Later, Alawani Maharaj asked Sri Swami Samarththa Maharaj “There are numerous people making visits to Puri Jagannatha, Is that true Lord Parameshvara resides in everyone’s heart?” Maharaj said “Alawani, these Kumbhamela, and religious and spiritual festivals are the dwelling places of noble-souls,  they keep meeting the ordinary souls,  imparting the knowledge of Bramham with an intention to alleviate the soul from the miseries of worldly existence, everyone has their own way of living, should not mistreat anyone.”   Once Maharaj described to Alawani Maharaj about his favorite places, as Sahyadri Mountains, Girinar Parvath, Varanasi, Mahur, Karavir/Kolhapur, Panchaleshwar, Kuravapur, Audumber, Karanjanagar, Narasimhawadi, and Gangapur.

The great Sage of Akkalkot -  Akkalkot  Swami Samarththa Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Swami Samarththa Maharaj!

Chapter – 1

There is no evident information about the birth of Akkalkot Swami Samarththa Maharaj.  It was believed he was an incarnation of Lord Dhaththathreya later came to know as Sage Nrusimha Saraswathi who was lost in the Kardhali wood, moved to Badri and undertook Tapasya for several years, eventually, a mound was covered him. Those days people were scared to go near these anthills thinking of the dwelling place of serpents.   Once a woodcutter entered in this dense wood searching for wood pieces, found a big tree next to a huge mound, he was cutting the tree down, suddenly there appeared a divine personality from the heap of mud, he was in a loincloth, adorned in Rudraksha all over the body, and had a Shikha.  The divine personality assumed a huge form, the woodcutter was horrified, and he prostrated before the divine Purusha and begged for forgiveness.  The divine personality blessed the woodcutter and disappeared from his sight.

Sri Swami Samarththa Maharaj traveled extensively to the various places like Kolkatta,  Haridwar, Kedareshwar, Gangotri, Badrinath, Ayodhya, Dwaraka, Puri, and lived on the banks of Gangotri for some time.  He visited Pandharpur, Begampur, and Mohol, and then moved to a small village of Akkalkot in Madhya Pradesh.   During his spiritual journey, he relieved many people from the miseries, sorrows, afflictions, and grief and guided them to the path of spirituality.  He arrived in the Himalayas and conducted Tapasya, he spent several years in Varanasi and Gangothri.   Swamiji has names like Akkalakot Maharaj, Chanchal Bharathi, and Digambar Swamiji.  He was the preceptor of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa,  Shirdi Saibaba, Sri Shankar Maharaj, Sri Gajanan Maharaj etc..

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Sri Samarththa Maharaj attained Mahasamadhi on 30^th April 1878, after accomplishing the purpose of his incarnation, it is believed that Swamiji lived for 600 years and conducted his spiritual tours to the various sacred lands, finally attained communion with the Bramham while sitting under the peepal tree.