Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj

A Short Biography of Shree Swami Samarth 149
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Then he went to Ganagapur. While taking bath at the Sangam he was saved
from getting drowned in the river. When he returned to Akkalkot, Sri Swamiji said, “You
are saved from getting drowned in the mud and water and safely you have returned, is
it not? ”. Vamanbua prayed for forgiveness.
Kanphata Ekanath
Kanphata Eknath belonged to the Nath-Sect 240 . He was a devotee and attendant
of Sri Swamiji. Because of his tall and muscular physique and hot-headed
temperament, other attendants would remain subdued towards him. He would shower
his anger on attendants like Sripad Bhat, Cholappa, Vishwanathbua, and Sundarabai.
There was a fear amongst them that Eknath might take someone’s life someday and so
a complaint was lodged against him and finally he was put behind bars.
Kanphata would never take his food without taking Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’, so
when he was arrested and put behind bars he remained without food for more than four
days. One day Sri Swamiji was sitting in a farm near city gate. By some coincidence,
prisoners were also brought near the city gate. Hearing the continuous shouts of victory
in praise of Sri Swamiji made Kanphata very restless. He became very anxious to take
Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. Finally he lost his control and got up from his seat with an
intention of going towards Sri Swamiji. However, the policeman did not allow him to go
and so Eknath knocked down the policeman.
He then seized the policeman’s sword and forced his way to take Sri Swamiji’s
‘Darshan’. An old Brahmin was sitting near Sri Swamiji. From a distance he resembled
Cholappa. At the mere sight of the old Brahmin, who appeared like Cholappa, Eknath
got infuriated and struck him 7-8 times with his sharp sword. Sri Swamiji witnessed this
particular act of Ekanath. The old Brahmin became unconscious due of those swordstrokes.
Nevertheless, the compassionate Sri Swamiji saved him from death since
240 Nath Sect: A member of the medieval religious sect called the Nathpanth.
The Nath Sampradaya, a development of the earlier Siddha or Avadhut Sampradaya is an ancient lineage of spiritual
masters. Its founding is traditionally ascribed to Shri Bhagavan Dattatreya, considered by some to have been an incarnation of
Lord Shiva. However, the establishment of the Naths as a distinct historical sect began around the 8th or 9th century with a
simple fisherman, Matsyendranath (sometimes called Minanath, who may be identified with or called the father of
Matsyendranath in some sources).
One story of the origin of the Nath teachings is that Matsyendranath was swallowed by a fish and while inside the fish
overheard the teachings given by Lord Shiva to his wife Parvati, who had taken her to the bottom of the ocean in order to
avoid being overheard. After being rescued from the fish by another fisherman, Matsyendranath took initiation as a sannyasin
from Siddha Carpati. It was Matsyendranath who became known as the founder of the Nath Sampradaya.
Matysendranath's two most important disciples were Caurangi and Gorakshanath. The latter came to eclipse his Master in
importance in many of the branches and sub-sects of the Nath Sampradaya. Even today, Gorakshanath is considered by
many to have been the most influential of the ancient Naths. He is reputed to have written the first books dealing with Laya
yoga and the raising of the kundalini-shakti. He is also reputed to have been the original inventor of Hatha yoga.
The Nath Sampradaya does not recognize caste barriers, and their teachings were adopted by outcasts and kings alike. The
heterodox Nath tradition has many sub-sects, but all honor Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath as the founders of the
tradition.
Copyright © 2006 Shree Vitthalrao Joshi Charities Trust