Let
there be peace and love among all beings of the universe. OM
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.
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HE
occasion
is the auspicious birthday celebrations of Sri
Nisargadatta Maharaj.
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The lavishly
illumined Laxmibaug Hall of Bombay is agog with
bustling devotees of Sri Maharaj. A huge portrait
profusely garlanded with fresh and colorful flowers
on a specially decorated platform captures the gaze
of all present.
At the corner of this bright, beautiful and
decorated platform is seated Sri Nisargadatta
Maharaj. He is clad with usual homely wear of a
snow-white dhotee [loincloth], a yellowish
khamees [shirt] and a simple topi
[hat]. The conventional trappings of
sandalwood paste marks and strings of conventional
beads that usually go with other holy persons are
conspicuous by their absence on his body.
His bright dark complexion, a full face, a broad
forehead and in particular his large eyes pouring
Grace all around characteristic of an realised
being are the cynosure of his numerous devotees
present.
Nearby are seated his respected Guru bandhus
[co-disciples] and his illustrious devotees
like Sri V.S. Page and Maurice Frydman.
Following the speeches, praising the glory of Sri
Maharaj, of a few illustrious invitees he has begun
his discourse. His words full of Divine wisdom
thrill and instill peace into the hearts of his
countless devotees. See how powerful and inspiring
are the following words coming from his holy
lips:
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"Today's
celebrations are not in the glorification of any
individual. This is an auspicious occasion for you
and for me to glorify the unity of a devotee with
his Satguru [fully enlightened Guru established
in Reality]. To name a particular day as being
the birthday of One who is not only eternally
existent but Eternal existence Itself is, in the
spiritual parlance, incorrect. It is also wrong to
personify a true devotee. As long as you conceive
yourself to be an individual male or a female being
you will not be the all-pervading, Eternal and
Transcendental Self. Go with the conviction that
you are not the bodily self, that you are beyond
births and deaths, that you are dynamic, being
dynamism itself and are apparently experienced only
as pure and simple awareness. Be free, proclaim
saints, go on asserting within that Self [one's
true nature] is not weak or devoid of power.
Believe steadfastly with a simple belief that Atma
is rich with its fullness. It is not possible to
delve deep enough to reach the seed – the
Gurubeej – the inner faith on Satguru.
Devotion to Guru reaches the Guru through devotion
to the Self and the Satguru's blessings emerge and
flower through the Self and are consciously
received externally by the devotee. Godhead is
nothing but pure awareness of your being. The
achievement of this fruit – this Godhead
– is accomplished through unshakeable faith in
the pure Self. That is what is called the
satswarup, the Self, is through this faith
thoroughly comprehended. There should be conviction
of this comprehension. The conviction implies
unshakeability. That should be accomplished. There
should be unflinching conviction of the Self being
fixed, Immobile. That which you conceive yourself
to be is myth because you take yourself to be the
bodily being. The incomprehensible on the surface
of which the awareness of being is experienced is
called the Satguru. Call conviction only to that
which does not budge, which is Immobile. Supreme
Reality is fixed, Immobile. The Self is fixed in
supreme Reality. The Self is supreme Reality."
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj through whose holy lips
gush forth these powerful words annihilating the
encrustations of the individuality of his listeners
rarely ever speaks of his worldly life. There is,
according to him, no import to the happenings in
the worldly life of a saint. To speak of the Self
while still being rooted in the body remains the
only mission left with the saints and the audible
message coming through the inaudible Self is
commonly called the discourse of a saint. It is
therefore difficult to draw a graph of his worldly
past life.
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The
worldly life of a saint, though insignificant from
his viewpoint, gives guidance and provides
inspiration to his devotees. The devotees have,
therefore, to collect information about the past
life of their Satguru to inform their inquiring
mind and in particular for their own good.
Sri Maharaj's birthday was unknown for a long time.
Devotees needed to discover it, since how could
they, otherwise, celebrate it? To those who
mustered courage to ask him about this, he said,
"How to tell the date of birth when there is no
memory of the birth? Why to talk of things that
have not taken place!" Though this was true on the
spiritual plane devotees needed to know the day
when their Satguru's bodily form took shape in this
material world in order to embellish the exterior
of their devotion. After a long search this day
could be ascertained. On the break of the dawn of
the auspicious full moon day of Chaitra month of
the year 1897, popularly known as Hanuman Jayanti,
Sri Maharaj took bodily form. A few details of his
antecedents could also be collected from his near
relations and close associates.
To write the biography of a saint, as it is, is
really a very difficult task. A devotee once asked
Swami Vivekanand as to why he did not write a
biography of his Satguru, to which question he
replied that it was impossible for puny words to do
full justice to the magnitude of his Satguru's
life.
Being faced with the same difficulty, an attempt is
being made below to narrate, in short, the material
past life of Sri Maharaj.
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The
sprawling district of Ratnagiri – a mine of
gems – lies smugly hugged to the warm sea
along its long coastline. This district has added
luster to the Indian life by providing to it
numerous human gems in all walks of life. Sri
Maharaj was born in Bombay and was brought up in a
village named Kandalgaon in the lovely countryside,
4 to 5 miles deep from Malwan, a seaport to the
south of this District. The hilly countryside here
is extremely beautiful. It is ever green with
mango, cashew and coconut trees. The exterior of
the inhabitants of this district is seemingly rough
and uncouth like the exterior of the local
jack-fruit, but their interior is sweet like the
inside of this fruit and sweet and luscious like
the local mangoes.
In keeping with the local custom, being born as
aforesaid on the auspicious birth anniversary day
of Sri Maruti, Sri Maharaj was named Maruti. In
later life, he had the distinction of being the
leading disciple of Sri Siddharameshwar
Maharaj.
Sri Maharaj's father, Shivrampant Kambli and
mother, Parwatibai were both ardent devotees. Sri
Shivrampant was, up to 1896, in the service of a
merchant at Colaba in Bombay. At the first outbreak
of the epidemic of plague in that year in Bombay,
he left for his district and purchased some land at
Kandalgaon near his home town Revandi and eked out
his livelihood. He was simple and obliging by
nature. He had in his possession a number of
traditional holy books which he read regularly and
devoutly.
Sri Maharaj's parents observed very rigorously the
traditional fasts and holy days. They made no
distinction as between Shiva and Vishnu. His father
loved to sing bhajans, especially loudly as do the
followers of the Varkari system.
There was one brahmin friend of Sri Shivrampant.
His name was Sri Vishnu Haribhau Gore. He tilled
his land and owned also a coconut and betel-nut
garden.
He had a mastery over astrology. Shivarampant often
had long talks with him, especially on spiritual
matters. Sri Maharaj regarded Sri Gore as a pious
person. To him Sri Gore was the ideal in the
virtues of honesty, courage, tenacity and hard
work. He greatly respected him. The devotional life
of his parents and the virtuous life of Sri Gore
molded Sri Maharaj's childhood which became fertile
for Divine Grace.
There are hardly any childhood memories available
of Sri Maharaj. The first memory he has is of his
being carried on the shoulders by his father one
early morning on the slopes of a hill, when in
front the sun was brilliantly rising above the
horizon. Sri Maharaj says this first and a very
vivid memory he still carries very clearly till
today.
Sri Maharaj had his elementary education up to Std.
IV at Kandalgaon. While observing the village life
he developed a liking for tending cattle, tilling
land and gardening. He particularly liked taking
household cattle for grazing far in the open. He
spent happy time in the jungle with the young
herdsmen of his age.
The mystery of nature always posed him with a
problem. How was it that only a basketful of paddy,
once sown gives mounds of yield? How, when there is
nothing but soil in the field, abundant grains come
out of it? How is it that mangoes come out of the
tree? How sour mangoes when small turn out later to
be sweet and luscious? Why the seed of a cashew
fruit is outside the fruit when all the other
fruits have their seeds inside them? These and such
other mysterious questions tormented his young
mind. Adult replies did not satisfy him. The
mysterious and wonderful play of nature enthralled
his mind and provided him inspiration for love of
God.
He was from the very beginning of an obliging
nature. He immediately responded to a needy call.
In times of distress he ran to help them put out
fires, pull out a cattle from a well, etc... For
this, he made no distinction between any hindu
caste. If there was death in any household, he
would himself go out and render all assistance to
its members. The life of poor harijans [lowest
caste] in particular touched a sympathetic
chord in his heart. He was distressed by their hard
life.
How did poverty still exist when the world had long
been in existence? When the villages were very old
why were pathways leading to them so primitive and
difficult? When all human beings were similar, why
are we regarded high and the others low? Such
questions tormented him. If the world existed
before I was born, how was it that I did not know
that it was there? He brooded over such occult
questions also.
On the 14th night of Falgun month of the year 1915
Shivrampant quietly breathed his last. A few hours
before, he had given pre-intimation to his dearest
friend Sri Gore that he would leave the world that
day.
The paternal love and security of four brothers and
two sisters was no more. Agriculture was a poor
means of livelihood in those days. The elder
brother of Sri Maharaj left for Bombay in 1916 to
eke out life.
Sri Maharaj also left for Bombay in 1918 to explore
life there. He occasionally would go to Kandalgaon
to look after the land there. He had endeared
himself there to all with his obliging and friendly
nature. Even in those olden days he had befriended
many harijans. He had at times even helped them
drag carcasses. His pure mind did not even so much
as think of inequality amongst men.
After intermittently being either in Bombay or in
Kandalgaon for two to three years, Sri Maharaj
permanently settled in Bombay in 1920. He joined a
night school for a short while to acquire the
rudiments of the English language. He worked for a
couple of months as a clerk in the Princess Dock.
The fetters of service inhibited his enterprising
mind. He therefore left his job and entered
business.
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Owing to his
industrious and friendly nature he started getting
stability in business. He even then stayed in
Khetwadi. He married in 1924. His wife's nature
befitted her name Sumatibai. The field of his
business slowly started enlarging. Shops, big and
small, of tobacco, beedis [hand-rolled
cigarettes], cutlery, ready-made garments,
etc., were opened by him at Khetwadi, Grant Road
and Bori Bunder. His technique was to acquire a
place for a shop in a building under construction
in a locality suitable for business by starting
negotiations with the agent of the owner in
advance. Thus, his business flourished. There ware
30 to 40 employees working under him.
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ASPIRANT
TO
SPIRITUAL
REALISATION
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He was fully
engaged in his expanding business. He was making
good money, but he had not forgotten the Reality.
Devotion to God also deepened.
One of his friends in business, Sri Yashwantrao
Baagkar by name, was a kind-hearted person and was
a devotee of God. He and Sri Maharaj often had long
talks on devotional matters. Sri Maharaj from the
very beginning loved to read books on spiritualism.
He liked the book Nawnath Bhaktisar in
particular. In addition to reading books on
spiritualism he also observed traditional fasts and
performed other usual religious practices. He
snatched time from his busy schedule to go to
Bhuleshwer or Walkeshwer temple. In those days his
mother stayed with him. Every morning he used to
give her flowers and reverently touched her feet.
This to him was worship of God. He never forgot to
give grass to cows. The cows that always used to
have grass at his hands developed relationship with
him. In the month of Shrawan he religiously used to
go every morning to Bhuleshwar Temple to offer
leaves from the bel tree to God Shiva.
There was one yogi by the name of Sri Athavale in
the Girgaum area in those days. Sri Maharaj learnt
yogic exercises from him for a few months. Sri
Baagkar used to go for darshan [to see or be
seen by a Guru] of Sri Satguru Siddharameshwar
Maharaj and also attended his programs of
devotional songs and spiritual lectures. He even
received Grace from Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj in
the form of initiation. Thenceforth, he pressed
Maharaj to have darshan of Sri Siddharameshwar
Maharaj. Sri Maharaj avoided it. He refused to
believe that there could ever be saints or sadhus
[renunciates] in a mushroom city like
Bombay. He refused to touch, by his forehead, the
feet of any human form.
When the importunities of Sri Baagkar failed, he
requested Sri Maharaj that, at least for his sake,
Sri Maharaj should accompany him for a darshan of
Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj.
Willy-nilly Sri Maharaj accompanied Sri Baagkar. In
those days Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj used to be
at the residence of late Sri Krishnarao Pathare,
solicitor. The usual program of devotional prayers
and spiritual discourses used to be held there. The
day Sri Maharaj went there first, Sri
Siddharameshwar Maharaj was having a discourse on a
line from the book, Yoga Vashistha. "Look
inward, Oh Lord I", was the theme of the day's
discourse. Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj profoundly
expounded the theme. The talk exalted renunciation.
Sri Maharaj plainly told Sri Baagkar that the call
was beyond him. He, however, at the requests of Sri
Baagkar, went thrice in succession for the darshan
of Siddharameshwar Maharaj.
Sri Baagkar strongly desired that Sri Maharaj
should receive initiation from Sri Siddharameshwar
Maharaj. He succeeded at last. Sri Siddharameshwar
Maharaj by disclosing one secret thing above him
created confidence in him and initiated him by
giving a Nama Mantra and explained to him how to
meditate. Within a few minutes Sri Maharaj
experienced within him dazzling illumination of
various colours and went into deep trance. Sri
Siddharameshwar Maharaj soon awakened him. Thus, at
the end of 1933 the stage of an aspirant was over
and he became a spiritual seeker.
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GREAT
HIERARCHY
OF
SATGURUS
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In the field of
spiritualism, the hierarchy of Satgurus has a great
significance. It is a fortune of a spiritual
disciple to have a long tradition of enlightened
Satgurus. The hierarchy of Satgurus Sri Maharaj
belonged to is well known as the Nath Sampradaya,
which had a brilliant past. In this lineage, a
disciple is taught to have a direct experience of
the Self.
Sri Revannath, alias Sri Revan Siddha, was the
first of the famous Nav [nine] Nathas.
After Sri Revannath, Sri Marul Siddha, Sri Kad
Siddha, Sri Gurulinga Jangam Mabaraj of Nimbargi,
Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj of Umadi and the last Sri
Siddharameshwar Maharaj belonged to the line of the
great Satgurus of Sri Maharaj.
Sri Bhausabeb Maharaj built a shrine for Sri
Gurulinga Jangam Maharaj at Inchgeri, district of
Bijapur, and widely spread spiritual knowledge
there. Sri Amburao Maharaj, Sri Siddharmeshwar
Maharaj, the world-famous philosopher Gurudeo
Ranade Maharaj, Sri Girirmalleshwar Maharaj and
other great disciples of the same lineage spread
spiritual knowledge far and wide. Sri Bhausaheb
Maharaj used first to initiate his disciples only
on Mondays and Thursdays. It was a Saturday when
Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj first met Sri Bhausaheb
Mabaraj. Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj knew the potential
of Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj and gladly broke his
practice and gave him initiation on a Saturday.
From then, he started giving initiation even on
Saturday. Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj spread
spiritual knowledge between the years 1924 and 1936
with great effect in Bombay and round about
Sholapur.
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UNFLINCHING
FAITH
IN
SATGURU
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The Grace of
Satguru completely changed the course of Sri
Maharaj's life. He dedicated his worldly life with
his Self to the lotus-feet of his Satguru at his
very first prostration before him. At the very
first meeting his wind introverted and settled on
the feet of his Satguru. In the words of Sri
Maharaj, he was bound in wedlock.
Whatever his Satguru said or was saying was law
unto him. So unflinching was his faith on his
Satguru that every word coming from his Satguru's
lips was finality to him. He cared for nothing else
beyond that. He got everyone of his employees
initiated by his Satguru.
Whenever Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj was in Bombay,
the usual programmes of chorus singing of
devotional songs and of spiritual discourses were
held with great clat.
He was an accomplished yogi, a renunciation
incarnate. Though in the midst of royal splendor,
he was detached from everything as a lotus leaf is
in water. There was quite a number of rich and
learned persons amongst his thousands of disciples.
He, however, gave spiritual knowledge freely and
bountifully to all his disciples irrespective of
their social status as well as being kind-hearted
yet fearless and outspoken.
He hardly received any education. He studied only
up to elementary second standard. He had, however,
such spiritual height that while giving a spiritual
discourse he shone like a blazing sun. He expressed
spiritual knowledge in such a simple language in
his talks that listeners flocked to him in great
numbers. He spoke with such conviction based on
Self-experience that many learned persons sat mute
and bumble at his feet.
The description given by Swami Ramdas in his
Dasbodh befitted him completely. His talks
were virtual boons of Divine Grace to his
disciples. In one of his talks he says:
"God is nothing else than the devotee. Give up the
idea that there is a devotee and a God. It is a
myth that someone else will come and do something
for you. Whatever is, is of your own making.
Nothing extraneous will give you Godhood. Doubt has
the power to dislodge or shake you from your
conviction, but it has no power to give you
Godhood. Your will has given you the shape you
experience. Be God or whatever you like – you
have only to will so. Name what you like and you
have it. What you will comes to being. How will
people call you God if you yourself do not believe
in your Godhood? When you will realise that you
were committing a "sin" or a blunder in behaving
like a worldly being, then Godhood will dawn on
you. When you feel so, you have actually acquired
Godhood. You will then experience that you needed
no acquisition of it because it was there eternally
within you already. As a man naturally feels
ashamed to wear the garments of a woman, so a man
who has acquired Godhood will feel ashamed of the
material life. You must always feel that ultimate
Reality is ever free. You should be ashamed of
going around as a human being. Why should you need
different objects for the gratification of
different senses of the body when you are convinced
that you are not the body but pure consciousness,
Reality itself. Be aware and examine critically the
thoughts coming to your mind. Do it as a daily
routine. Go on observing. What you took yourself to
be before, is now undergoing a change. Observe and
compare the change in your attitude to life before
and after you met the Satguru – what you
consider yourself to be before and what you
consider yourself to be now. See what feelings
evoked pleasure in the mind before and what
feelings do so now. See what attributes we give to
our life, that is, what form and meaning we now
give it. Acquisition and dispossession take place
involuntarily according to the form and quality of
your consciousness. Our mind and intelligence put
together go to form our right which we try to
exercise with reference to our form, inner
consciousness and the place or the destination
where we aim to go. By focusing your inner gaze
directly on your conceived outward form and inner
cognition, you realise the Self at first hand and
the conviction of such realisation is called the
steadfast Self-realisation".
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The powerful
teaching of Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj carrying
conviction with it revolutionised Sri Maharaj's
life. His zest for family life and business waned.
He practiced meditation and sang devotional songs
with sincerity. Thereafter, he indulged more and
more in spiritual thinking and to him, practicing
meditations as taught by his Satguru and singing
devotional songs with sincerity remained the only
pursuits of his life. The vow given to him by his
Satguru was his only guiding star in the future
course of his life. Implicit obedience, without
raising even a shade of doubt, of his Satguru's
word became the keynote of his life. If his Satguru
bade him give up a thing, he unhesitatingly and
instantly did so. He derived great happiness in the
service of his Satguru and carrying out his orders.
He once accompanied his Satguru to his home town,
Patri. He did not miss, during those days, even a
single traditional function held at Inchgeri,
Bagewadi and Siddhagiri. In 1935, he had gone to
the home town of his friend, Sri Baagkar. He gave
twelve discourses there on spiritual books. On
hearing them Sri Baagkar was greatly pleased and
cited in approbation the mythological story of a
parijatak flower tree which, though in front of the
doors of Satyabhama, actually shed flowers in front
of the house of Rukmini – both the wives of
Lord Krishna. Occult books difficult of
understanding earlier became now simple and plain
to him. He was fast gaining spiritual height. At
every step he experienced the Grace of his
Satguru.
Being occupied with the daily chores of business,
he practiced meditation mostly at night. He
experienced strange and colorful Divine lights in
his meditation. He also experienced various Divine
forms of God and saints. He experienced beautiful
sights of places and lands never seen before. Thus,
his spiritual life was blooming fast.
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Sri
Siddharameshwar Maharaj dropped his body a little
before the Divali festival in the year 1936 on the
Ekadashi day of the later half of the month of
Ashwin. The material form which pleased the eyes of
his devotees was no more. It was like a heaven-fall
to them. Sri Maharaj extremely grieved his
Satguru's loss whose absence he keenly experienced
every now and then. Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj
laid his material body in Bombay. His beautiful
marble shrine is built on the Banaganga Walkeshwar
cremation ground. Sri Maharaj used to visit the
place very often. A shrine is built also at
Bagewadi.
Sri Maharaj used to remember the powerful words of
Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj. In his last days, he
used to say, "Disciples as such there are many, but
is there one who is ready to renounce material life
completely for the sake of his Satguru's word?" The
wound caused by the arrow of this question
tormented his mind. He often used to be completely
distracted. His business remained neglected. The
idea of complete renunciation of material life was
taking root in his mind. He yearned for
Self-realisation.
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The days were of
Divali celebrations in the year 1937. There was
gaiety all around. Sri Maharaj, however, was calm
towards everything. Tears often gushed in his eyes
at the memory of his Satguru and his Grace. His
Satguru's last words tormented him more and more.
It became almost impossible for him to carry on
with his business.
He took a final decision to renounce material life
completely while the Divali celebrations were in
full swing. Without informing his aged mother, wife
and children and literally throwing his business to
the winds, he left Bombay and took the path to
Pandharpur.
At Pandharpur he gave up his costly clothes, put on
a simple khamees and only with two small pieces of
loincloth and a coarse woolen covering he began the
course of penniless wandering. Saffron colour
signifies renunciation. His outer wear became in
its true sense, therefore, in tune with his inner
mind which had turned saffron-coloured. The memory
of his Satguru was his only thought and the only
support. Blessed be he, who, just for the sake of a
word from his Satguru, kicked off his wealth and
completely renounced his material family life.
He coursed and walked his way from Pandharpur to
Ganagapur. From there he turned to the south. While
wandering in the state of Madras he reached
Rameshwar. Having loved to walk long distances he
wandered only on foot. Since communication through
the language of the south was impossible, he relied
only on mute gesticulations.
Through the Grace of his Satguru, food for
subsistence was never a problem to him. Some one or
the other with reverence for sadhus chanced to meet
him at lunch time and offer him food with great
respect. Some even used to offer him a ticket for
his further journey or fare for it but he politely
declined it. Sometimes along with other wandering
sadhus he was implicated by the police in some
trouble. But, by the Grace of his Satguru, he used
to be honourably let off on each occasion. The
undaunted faith in his Satguru had made him
fearless.
He turned back from Rameshwar in the south.
Wandering through Karnataka, he entered
Maharashtra. Accidentally a brother disciple met
him at Sholapur. Out of love, he gave Sri Maharaj a
fine photograph of his Satguru, a copy of
Dasbodh, a piece of saffron cloth with its
ends tied together to be slung on his shoulders to
serve as a receptacle, camphor and scented sticks.
Then he started for the north. Traversing through
Madhya Pradesh he reached Agra. Then he set out for
Delhi via Mathura-Brindavan. Then he made up his
mind to go to the Himalayas to visit holy places
and do penance there.
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In the
course of his wanderings, he had many mystic Divine
experiences. That deepened his faith in his
Satguru. Exhausted and tired of long walks when
sometimes he caressed his hot bare feet he saw on
them the Divine picture of his Satguru. That
instantly relieved him, of his exhaustion and
refreshed him. This direct experience of the Grace
of his Satguru filled his heart with emotion and
filled his eyes with tears of love for him.
In his wanderings, he everyday used to do one yogic
exercise known as tratak. This required fixing a
long gaze on the disc of the sun. He used to do
this so long that ultimately the burning sun used
to cool down and looked like a piece of ice. He,
thereafter, gave up this practice.
Once he set off for his next halt. He walked on
till noontime. He looked around and afar but there
was no trace of a human habitation; long barren
fields lay stretched everywhere. He became very
much hungry. In that barren land he did not know
where and how to go further. His Satguru, however,
was, as always, uppermost in his mind. Once again
he looked back. He now noticed a small habitation.
He went there out of curiosity. It was a small, old
house. When he approached it, a man inside received
him with reverence and fully fed him. After his
meal Sri Maharaj set off for his next journey. He
was wandering how the house came to be noticed and
how at once he also got food. While so wandering
and when he had not walked even fifty paces, he
casually looked back in the direction of that
house. And Oh! There was no trace of the house
which he had left only a few moments before. No
human being could also be seen anywhere. All around
lay, as before, long stretches of barren fields.
The intensity of the emotional upsurge of this
moving experience of his Satguru's Grace could well
be imagined.
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Sri Maharaj
reached Delhi by the Mathura-Brindawan Road. He
intended to go to the Himalayas for a pilgrimage
and to spend the rest of his life there only in
penance. Dedication to his Satguru was, according
to him, to be complete – by his body, speech
and mind.
Sri Maharaj wanted for his next journey a small pot
for drinking water. He had however, no money for
it. While walking through the streets of Delhi, he
accidentally met a brother disciple. The full story
of Sri Maharaj enhanced his respect for him but he
could not approve of his plan to go to the
Himalayas. He said to Sri Maharaj, "Blessed are you
as you have stood the test of a true devotee by
complete renunciation of your worldly life. But
does attainment of Divine life call for going to
the Himalayas? The entire hierarchy of our great
Satgurus, as you will see, has, by its own example,
exemplified the unity of the worldly and the Divine
life. The teachings of the Dasbodh also
support this. How can you absolve yourself from
your moral responsibility for the maintenance of
your wife and children? No, that won't do. Do go
back to Bombay. I shall make all arrangements for
your journey back to Bombay. By the Grace of
Satguru, I am sure, while leading a material life
you will also acquire fruition of the spiritual
life."
Sri Maharaj could not rebut his revered brother
disciple's arguments. In deference to his advice,
he returned to Bombay.That was a great fortune of
his family members and his future devotees. It is
the Satguru's will, it is true, and that ultimately
prevails.
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On his return to
Bombay after an absence of many months he took
stock of his business. It was completely upset. He
could retain only his present beedi shop. His old
zest for business having waned he was content with
running only his present small shop. Since that was
just enough for the sustenance of his family he
devoted minimum time to it and gave as much time as
possible for his spiritual pursuits. Beyond the
time that was absolutely necessary to keep his
family and business going, he was always engaged in
meditation, singing devotional songs contemplation
and similar other spiritual matters. He did not do
any conscious efforts for these spiritual pursuits
because whatever devotion was going on was
involuntary taking place at the beckoning of the
call within. Without going out anywhere else he
made use of the mezzanine floor of his tenement
itself for his spiritual practices. Having
traversed long distances over a protracted period,
independently and without any means, his
Self-luminating nature had come to stay. He
followed a strict and regulated daily regime. He
spoke but a few words. His devotion to his Satguru
was so singular – that he never thought of
going out to temples or meeting any saints.
He regularly spent hours in meditation. While in
meditation he intuitively received replies to his
spiritual doubts from within and, felt reassured.
He read spiritual books like Dasbodh,
Sadachar by Sri Shankaracharya and in
particular studied the Yoga Vashistha and
Eknatha's Bhagwat. He was lost in getting at
the root of their meaning. He also carefully read
works like Srimat Bhagavad Gita,
Upanishads, Dnyaneshwari and
Amruta-nubhava.
He loved singing devotional songs from the early
days. While singing these songs in front of a
portrait he used to become oblivious of the
surroundings, turn his back to the portrait and was
lost in himself and lay still for a long time in
the ecstasy of the luminous Divine light in front
of his eyes. He literally experienced chewing a
paan [betel-nut] himself when he sang a
line meaning a devotee offering a paan to the Lord.
He got all the spiritual experiences explained in
the traditional song of his lineage sung everyday
in the afternoon. Owing to the rousing of serpent
power [kundalini] he gained very high
spiritual experiences and was lost in their ecstasy
for long periods.
Being engrossed in these matters his health
remained neglected and it broke down. He felt very
weak. Through the pleadings of his relatives,
medical treatment was started. The doctor's
diagnosis of tuberculosis frightened all. Sri
Maharaj, however, remained unmoved. "Yes, the
doctor has pronounced it to be tuberculosis," said
Sri Maharaj, "but what will it do when the tube
inside is full of my Satguru's vow?" Without taking
much of a medical treatment he started doing
regular physical exercises.
He started doing sashtang namaskars and baithakas
and increased their number up to 500 a day. He
started doing physical exercises with wooden clubs
[mudgals] also. His health started
improving and within a few months, he became quite
fit.
A few years later his health broke down again and
he became weak. He passed blood 3 to 4 times
through his urine. The doctor frightened everyone
again by suspecting cancer and advised taking six
X-ray photos immediately. For the sake of his
relatives, again, he agreed to take a few medicines
but refused X-ray photos. "If you really have faith
in me", he said to them, "give up the idea of
taking photographs of the disease". At these
resolute words of his, they kept mum. For their
sake Sri Maharaj agreed to a minor course of
medicines. Through sheer faith in his Satguru, he
was cured. His health improved within 2 to 3
weeks.
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Sri Maharaj's
spiritual practices were unfolding themselves
involuntarily through sheer faith on his Satguru.
In course of time his devotion culminated into his
ripening as a perfect accomplished being, a Seer
through direct Self-realisation. The primal reality
of the Self got confirmed by its direct revelation
through the Self. Delving deep into the mystic
Self, he experienced the inner blinding flame which
illumines the universe. He saw the eye which
perceives through the mortal eye. By the Grace of
his Satguru he acquired through Self-realisation
the Immortal fruit of Reality in the form of Final
liberation, as a culminating point of his
discipline. The routine of his daily life outwardly
continued to be as before. He was doing nothing
though he seemed to be doing everything. Even after
fulfilling his duties in his shop and towards his
family he snatched hours for offering prayers and
singing devotional songs to his Satguru and for
loud spiritual thinking with his dear brother
disciple.
From 1941 onwards he came in a close contact with
his brother disciple, Sri Bhainath Maharaj.
Everyday they usually used to go to Girgaum
Chaupati [beach in Bombay] for a walk after
the shop hours. They were engrossed for hours
together in their discussion, the subject matter of
which was nothing else but spiritualism. In those
days of the Second World War, there used to be a
black out every night. Sometimes even curfew hours
were on, due to communal riots and house-fires.
Close by, country bombs used to explode on the open
streets. Braving such tense atmosphere and
unmindful of the rain or the cold winds, these two
Guru bandhus were engrossed for hours together in
spiritual discussions on the Chaupati sands or the
Chaupati bandstand or sitting on the footsteps of a
closed shop or standing at the corner of N. Powell.
It was not uncommon that when they reached home it
was two or three hours past midnight. Their daily
routine mundane duties, however, did not suffer on
that account.
Sri Maharaj was much spirited and clear-cut in his
talks. Sri Bhainath Maharaj had, therefore, usually
to play the role of a listener. Commenting on his
calm habits Sri Maharaj once said to him, "You are
indeed very cool like Lord Vishnu. Look at me ! I
am like the fiery Lord Rudra."
These long and subtle talks on spiritual matters
helped both. This nightly spiritual fire was
continuously on for 25 years. Self-realisation had
made Sri Maharaj cool towards the ups and downs,
the happiness and misery in his life. The loss of a
dear daughter, devoted wife and a revered mother
during the years 1942 to 1948 and the severe loss
in his business did not ruffle him. On the
contrary, these shocks hardened his dispassion.
Owing to lack of attention, his landed property in
the Konkan was literally thrown to the winds.
Braving great miseries one after other, he once
coolly exclaimed, "Fortunate shall I be, if
miseries do befall me."
Experiencing his spiritual height and powers, his
well wishers and devotees started gathering around
him. To avoid distraction he used to avoid them. If
some one persisted, he cut him short by giving him
a short shrift. How long, however, a sweetly
smelling flower can keep off the bees? They shall
hover round it whatever the obstacles. The
well-wishers and the devotees were, likewise,
irresistibly attracted towards him. They used to
get their spiritual doubts and difficulties cleared
by him. Mundane matters were a taboo with him. He
is against using spiritual powers for performing
miracles. Most of his time of the day being spent
in his shop, the spiritual discussions used to be
in front of his shop. Some aspirant or other was
always seen standing in front of his shop. To avoid
encumbrances he never used to invite others to him
or to go to them. His devotion to his Satguru, as
said earlier, was so singular that he never so much
even as crossed any other sadhu.
In those days there was in Bombay one famous Avalia
[Sufi] by the name of Tikku Baba. One of
his devotees often used to visit Sri Maharaj and
tell him many things about Tikku Baba's greatness
and invited Sri Maharaj to visit him. Even Tikku
Baba sent him messages to come and see him. Sri
Maharaj did not yield. Before dropping his body
Tikku Baba sent him a message, "I am dropping my
mortal body, do come and receive my spiritual
powers". Without the slightest wavering of his
mind, Sri Maharaj conveyed his message to him, "My
contract has already been finalised, once and for
all time."
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Many received
guidance through the discussions held in front of
his shop. Some of his devotees expressed a desire
that he initiate them. Sri Maharaj was reluctant to
play the role of a Satguru, he used to direct them
to one accomplished Guru bandhu of his. Some of his
devotees however, insisted on initiation from him
only. He did not yield to their importunities.
Whenever the question of giving a Nama Mantra
[initiation] arose he quietened them by a
cross question whether the saints like Saibaba,
Upasanibaba, Satam Maharaj or the like ever gave
Nama Mantra. All the same, they could not give up
their insistence and preferred to wait patiently
for years to get the Nama Mantra from Sri Maharaj.
Although, in order to avoid encumbrances he was
avoiding them, he could not disobey the dictum from
his Satguru much longer. His Satguru himself
strongly willed that Sri Maharaj bless his devotees
by initiating them into the field of spiritualism
by giving them Nama Mantra and spread true
knowledge in the world. He yielded and started, in
deference to the will of his Satguru, to initiate
from 1951 onwards true aspirants by giving them
Nama Mantra. Thus, after all, he assumed the role
of a Satguru.
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After he started
giving Nama Mantra, devotees began to gather at his
residence for their sadhana. The present mezzanine
floor was half its size then. He got it complete,
full-sized. More aspirants could, therefore, make
use of it for their spiritual practices. A lovely
portrait of Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj was
installed in the place which has turned itself into
a regular ashram now.
The love and care the devotees get from Sri Maharaj
defy description. One truly gets the experience of
saint Dnyaneshwara's couplet from one of his
abhangas meaning:
"At the
meeting of the saints today
my happiness is at its superlative.
Mind is disinclined to meet, father,
mother, dear ones and other relatives."
Blessed be the
devotees endowed with such Divine love!
Sri Maharaj likes plain and disciplined life. All
the programs held in the ashram are characterised
by their regularity and cleanliness. That is
largely due to the willing cooperation and efforts
on the part of his only son, Sri Chittaranjan. his
daughter-in-law, Mayadevi and his younger daughter,
Kumari Suprabha. The eldest daughter born Sulochana
is now Srimati Mangala Hate, being married to Sri
M.D. Hate, an old devotee of Sri Maharaj. Since his
retirement in 1966 from active business, Sri
Maharaj's son looks after his shop. All the inmates
in the ashram being very kind by nature all the
incoming devotees are warmly welcomed. One also
hears here the twitter of the two young
grandchildren of Sri Maharaj.
The day in the ashram begins with a Kakad Arti
followed from 8 AM onwards by the portrait worship
of Satguru, Pothee-reading and simultaneous group
meditation for an hour for those present. This is
immediately followed by the singing of the morning
bhajan, arati, and prasad distribution. This
concludes by 9.30 AM. Sri Maharaj impresses on the
minds of his devotees the necessity of increasing
the practice of deep meditation and doing Satguru
bhajan with all devotion. This perhaps is the only
place in the whole city of Bombay where one can
practice Jnana Yoga [the Yoga of Knowledge]
very regularly. The singularity of this holy place
is that, despite the constant din of the traffic on
the road below, the mind of a disciple, within a
few minutes, turns inwards and losing bodily
consciousness, enjoys, through Divine experiences,
inner bliss.
Daily in the evening, discussions on spiritual
matters are held for those who are interested in
them. One can hear masterly analysis of what is
true knowledge and what is devotion. In course of
his talk he, off and on, keeps on smoking beedis.
The aroma of costly incense sticks constantly
lingers on. At 7 PM begins the evening bhajan. This
is followed for an hour or an hour and a half by a
very inspiring and powerful discourse on true
knowledge and devotion by Sri Maharaj. The day
concludes with the singing of devotional songs,
Arati and Prasad distribution. On holidays, the
number of devotees attending being large, the
evening program of singing devotional songs and Sri
Maharaj's discourse is held in the commodious hall
of Sri Bhainath Maharaj. On the holy days like the
birthdays and anniversaries of Satgurus in the
tradition, Guru Purnima, Deepavali, Dev Deepavali,
etc., celebrations are held in specially rented big
halls with great enthusiasm. On these occasions Sri
Maharaj himself loudly sings devotional songs and
dances to the tune. It is a lovely scene to
witness. Sri Maharaj does not at all like the idea
of celebrating his own birthday, but he had to
acquiesce in the importunities of his devotees.
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In the recent
past, the number of disciples of Sri Maharaj in the
city of Bombay and in other places has considerably
increased. He undertakes tours four or five times a
year to visit, along with some disciples, holy
places, like Bagewadi, Inchgeri, Siddhagiri which
are the birth places of Satgurus in the lineage. He
also visits, though rarely, the places of disciples
who stay out of Bombay. On such occasions the
disciples not only get opportunities to express
their devotion for their Satguru through physical
service but also get their Divine life refreshed by
added vigor and vitality. Sri Maharaj reveals,
through his daily discourses and talks, the essence
of Reality through his own conviction with
exceptional vigor and clarity. Knowledge flows
through his talks everyday for hours on end. It
pours freely like rain and is addressed to all who
are present.
Narrow distinctions of male and female, high and
low, caste and creed, isms or schools make no sense
here. His sublime and saintly looks pour peace and
love equally on all. Like the pure and refreshingly
cool waters of the Ganges, his powerful language
gives peace to the spiritually thirsty according to
their needs. His audience includes seekers from
different walks of life. Professors, pleaders,
judges, high executives, political and social
leaders often visit the Ashram to seek spiritual
guidance from him. Western seekers of Truth, like
Maurice Frydman, often visit him for discussion and
spiritual guidance. Since he has no expectations
from others, he is, as in his day-to-day practical
life, exceptionally plain and uninhibitive in his
spiritual teachings as well. Worldly matters have
no room for him. Sri Maharaj is against making use
of spiritual powers to seek worldly ends though his
faithful devotees do experience his powers in their
daily life.
The language used by Sri Maharaj has its own
singularity. Always deep-rooted in the supreme
Reality, he reveals at ease, to the surprise and
ecstasy of his listeners the glow of their
spiritual Self through the words spontaneously
flowing out of his holy lips giving a spiritual
twist to their conventional meaning. New aspirants
do not easily grasp the inner meaning of the
language, peculiarly his own. One realises the
value of his spiritual language only after
listening to a few of his discourses through the
inner silence with rapt attention. One is, then,
involuntarily drawn towards him to listen to him.
His power of exposition is rare indeed.
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Himself seated
firmly in the non-dual Absolute, he peals out
through his peculiar spiritual language the truth
of direct Self-realisation. By correctly listening
to him, his devoted listeners, then, enjoy the
spiritual ecstasy of Self-realisation blossoming
through their own Self and are immensely pleased
with their rare fortune.
The discourses or talks of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
are now available in book-form. Though averse to
publicity, therefore, he is well-known to many
earnest aspirants of Truth. Three or four
compendiums of his talks have been published. They
are immensely useful to seekers of Truth. Some of
his lyrical poetry [abhangas] has also been
published. In the worldly sense his 71st Birth
Anniversary Day was celebrated by his devotees in
1967 with great clat. On this auspicious day his
devotees published one commemoration book. They
took an opportunity, through this book of
expressing their gratification for being fortunate
in getting a lifetime chance of rendering what is,
in spiritual parlance, called a service to the
Satguru. Even in this book are included valuable
articles explaining the teachings of Sri
Maharaj.
The message of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj borne out
from his Self-experience appears at the very outset
of this article. They are not mere hollow words. He
speaks out what he himself experiences within.
Countless obeisance be at his holy feet! The great
saint, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj personifies a
continuous flow of ecstatic bliss of the Self. His
saintly life itself is an auspicious living message
providing inspiration and guidance to all.
The glory of saints can be described only by
saints. To try to do so is beyond the words of
mortals. It is better, therefore, to conclude here
the puerile attempt made above.
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