Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj
Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj
Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
A Short Biography of <strong>Shree</strong> <strong>Swami</strong> <strong>Samarth</strong> 194<br />
_________________________________________________________________________________________<br />
tasks such as making Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji’s bed, heating water, making sandalwood paste and<br />
even cooking food at times.<br />
One day, Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji distributed some Prasad of dried dates to everybody<br />
around, but did not give any to Balappa. Therefore, Cholappa put two dried dates in<br />
Balappa’s hand but Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji snatched them immediately. Balappa felt very bad, but<br />
after a few days Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji took out a piece of sugar candy from his own mouth and<br />
gave it to Balappa. Balappa ate it immediately to prevent it from being snatched away<br />
again. Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji burst into laughter.<br />
Balappa was a keen believer of untouchability. Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji did not approve this<br />
quality in Balappa. Therefore, Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji asked him to fetch water from a house that<br />
was mourning a death in the family. When there is mental purity, there is no need<br />
for external purity.<br />
Balappa observed severe asceticism, but he was not able to concentrate. Once<br />
Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji forcibly struck him with his fist on his (Balappa’s) back and Balappa’s<br />
mental contemplation immediately disappeared. Observing the increasing love of Sri<br />
<strong>Swami</strong>ji towards Balappa other attendants became inflamed with jealousy. Sundarabai<br />
quarrelled with him and then showered a number of abuses. This annoyed Balappa to a<br />
great extent but Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji made him understand. When other attendants started<br />
harassing him, Balappa got annoyed and decided to return home. Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji<br />
therefore ordered Balappa to continuously chant the ‘Mahamool Mantra’ in the<br />
temple of Lord Hanuman. Later one day, an attendant complained to Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji<br />
about Balappa and how he stayed away from him for chanting ‘Japa’. Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji<br />
replied back smilingly, “Oh! My devotees maybe anywhere far away, but still<br />
they are nearby”.<br />
Balappa was troubled even in the temple of Lord Hanuman and hence Sri<br />
<strong>Swami</strong>ji went there in person to calm the situation. When Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji decided to<br />
undertake the great journey (Mahasamadhi), he called his favourite disciple Balappa<br />
and gave him his ring. He placed his bountiful hand on his forehead and blessed him.<br />
He then removed the Rudraksha from his own necklace and asked Balappa to wear it.<br />
He also gave him his clothes and his very own ‘Paduka’ with orders to build a temple.<br />
Balappa established a big temple in Akkalkot and continued to worship Sri<br />
<strong>Swami</strong> <strong>Samarth</strong>. After the ’Mahasamadhi’ of Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji, Balappa carried on that<br />
tradition for about thirty-two years and hoisted Sri <strong>Swami</strong>ji’s flag with full competence.<br />
By discharging an arrow of Divine love, a Sadguru, diverts the attention of a<br />
disciple from worldly entanglements and encourages him towards spiritualism.<br />
He applies his entire spiritual strength and attempts to make the disciple<br />
perfect. Thus a Sadguru converts a disciple into a perfect Sadguru like himself.<br />
“A Sadguru converts a disciple like himself without any delay!”<br />
Sri <strong>Swami</strong> <strong>Samarth</strong> <strong>Maharaj</strong>, the incarnation of Lord Dattatrey Himself, was on<br />
earth in manifested and non-manifested forms for nearly 800 years. In the manifested<br />
Copyright © 2006 <strong>Shree</strong> Vitthalrao Joshi Charities Trust