God u Love: Shri Swami Samartha

Shri Swami Samartha

Swami Samarth (also known as Akkalkot Swami) of Akkalkot, was an Indian Guru of the Dattatreya tradition (sampradaya), widely respected in indian states of Maharashtra as well as in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with Shripad Shri Vallabha and Narasimha Saraswati. His existence in physical form is dated to the nineteenth century AD.

Sri Swami Samarth traveled all over the country and eventually set his abode at Akkalkot village in Maharashtra, India. Maharaj first appeared at Akkalkot on a Wednesday around the September–October period in the year 1856 AD near Khandoba Mandir. He stayed in Akkalkot for close to twenty-two years. His parentage & native place details remain obscure to this day(as like much of the holy saints and incarnations of this tradition like Saibaba of Shirdi and Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon).Once, when a devotee posed him a question about his life, Sri Swami Samarth indicated that he originated from the Banyan tree (Vata-Vriksha). On another occasion Swami Samarth said that his name was Nrusimha Bhan and that he was from Kardalivan near Srisailam.

Akkalkot Niwasi Shri Swami Samartha (Marathi: अक्लकोट नीवासी श्री स्वामी समर्थ महाराज), also known as Swami Samartha Maharaj, Swami Maharaj is a household word in Maharashtra and the region around. He is believed to be from the tradition of several sages in the Dattatreya sampradaya.

Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati - Incarnation of Lord Dattareya

In a place called Karanja Nagar (Karnataka State) in Southern India, there lived a pious Brahmin couple, Madhava and Ambabhavani, in the 13th century.

Asceticism

To this God-fearing & religious couple, was born a son around 1275 A.D. This child was the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya and came to be known as the great sage Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati. The child was unique in the sense that, he was chanting only 'Aum' (the Hindu holy chant) since his birth. The parents were concerned about his dumbness till his 'Vratabandha' (the sacred thread bearing ceremony), when this child was merely eight years old, he started reciting all the four Vedas (the Holiest Hindu scriptures) to the great astonishment of all the learned people.

After the aforesaid incident, the child left for Kashi (Uttar Pradesh State, Northern India) for Tapas [penance]. Pleased with his rigorous tapasya [penance], a learned ascetic named Shree Krishna Saraswati Swami, initiated him into Sanyasashram (Ascetism) and gave him the name, Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati.

Biography

The biography of Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati "Shree Gurucharitra", gives us the details of his work in guiding the devotees and the various miracles he performed to help the devotees. He stayed at Ganagapur (Karnataka State, Southern India) for a long time and then gave his "Nirguna Padukas" to his disciples and devotees, before leaving for the Kardali forests to perform Tapas [penance]. His disciples prepared a floating seat of flowers for him on which he sailed against the current of the river Patalganga and disappeared.

Rigorous Penance

He performed rigorous tapasya [penance] on the Shree Shail mountain in the Kardali forests for nearly 150 years. After this he took an extensive pilgrimage, covering even places, now known as Jawa, Sumatra, Indonesia, China, Japan, Australia etc., relieved many people from their miseries, and guided them on the spiritual path. Finally, he came to the ranges of Himalayas where he enlightened many devotees. Later he sat under a Deodar tree for tapasya [penance]. This Tapasya [penance] in the Himalayas lasted for nearly 250 years, but a woodcutter unknowingly axed the anthill enveloping the body of Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati. This resulted in the break in Tapasya [penance] and Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati then left for an extensive travel throughout the Indian sub-continent guiding the devotees.

Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth

During this travel, he became popular by various names at various places. Thus at one place he was known as Chanchal Bharati and at another place he would be called Digambar Swami. As he travelled and stayed at various places, he became the Guru (preceptor) of many great souls like Shree Ramkrishna Paramahansa, Shree Saibaba of Shirdi, Shree Shankar Maharaj, Shree Gajajan Maharaj of Shegaon etc. Finally he settled down at Akkalkot (Maharashtra State) and stayed there for 24 years from 1854 A.D. to 1878 A.D. and thus came to be known as the Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj (the great sage of Akkalkot). Here he enlightened many disciples, such as Shree Dev Mamledar, Shree Balappa Maharaj, Shree Cholappa Maharaj, Shree Nrusimha Saraswati Maharaj of Alandi, Shree Ramanand Beedkar Maharaj of Pune etc.

Mahasamaadhi

On April 30, 1878 (Chaitra Vadya Trayodashi of Hindu year 1800) after nearly 600 years of the incarnation, the great sage adopted MahaSamadhi [the last conscious communion with God] under his favourite Banyan tree. Devotees still experience his divine presence and feel reassured because of his quote "I have not gone, I am still present".

His Tradition

Shri Swami Smaratha comes from the age-old guru tradition of the Dattatreya sampradaya. Also a different form of famous Nath Sampradaya. The main chanting mantra of this tradition is :

गुरुर्ब्रम्हा गुरुर्विष्णु गुरुर्देवो महेश्वराः | गुरुः साक्षात्परब्रम्ह तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ||

Shri Swami Samartha is believed to be the incarnation of Shri Narasimha Saraswati, who in turn is the believed incarnation of Shri Shripad Shrivallabha. Although not much is known about Shri Shripad Shrivallabha, the life story of Shri Narasimha Saraswati is well documented.

Dattatreya incarnation of the Divine Trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Siva and his avatars- Shripad Shri Vallabha, Sri Nrusimha Saraswati and Swami Samarth Maharaj

The biography of Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati in "Shree Gurucharitra", gives us the details of his work in guiding the devotees and the various miracles he performed to help the devotees. He stayed at Ganagapur (Karnataka State, Southern India) for a long time and then gave his "Nirguna Padukas" to his disciples and devotees, before leaving for the Kardali forests to perform Tapas [penance].

Early Life of Swami Maharaj

The early life of Swami Samarth like that of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba is shrouded with mystery. For that matter, even Shri Shirdi Sai Baba's advent and early life has not been established. Yet it does not really matter for those who have faith in them.

Shri Narasimha Saraswati, about four centuries before the advent of Swami Samarth is believed to be the earlier incarnation of Shri Dattatreya. The 'Guru Charitra' one of the most famous books gives lot of information about Him. As per the most popular belief, Shri Narasimha Swami, after helping and spiritually uplifting a large number of people over a few decades, went away to the Himalayas for penance and went into Samadhi. In the Samadhi state He remained for about three hundred years. With the passage of time a huge anthill grew over him and he was lost to the outside world. One day accidentally a woodcutter’s axe fell on the bushes grown around the ant hill. He was shocked to find blood stains on the blade of the axe. He cleared the anthill and Lo, he found a Yogi in meditation. The Yogi slowly opened his eyes and consoled the dumbfounded woodcutter saying that it was the Divine Will for Him to re-appear in the world to resume His mission.

This Yogi, in his new role came to be known as Swami Samarth.

Prior to his settlement at Akkalkot, Swami Samarth seems to have visited far and wide. While moving in the Himalayan region he visited places like Puri, Benaras, Hardwar, Girnar, Kathiawad and Rameswaram in the South. He also stayed at Mangalvedha, a town near Pandharpur in Solapur district Maharashtra, which had been inhabited earlier by famous saints like Domojipant and Chokhamela. He came to Akkalkot in 1856 where he continued his physical existence for 22 years.

He came to Akkalkot on the invitation of one Chintopant Tol and stayed at a place on the outskirts of the town.

His Disciples

Here he enlightened many disciples, such as Shree Dev Mamledar, Shree Balappa Maharaj, Shree Cholappa Maharaj, Shree Nrusimha Saraswati Maharaj of Alandi, Shree Ramanand Beedkar Maharaj of Pune etc.

Japa and Namasmaran

Following japa / namasmaran (repetition/chanting) is done:

॥अवधूतचिंतन श्री गुरुदेव दत्त॥ (Avadhootachintan Shri Gurudeva Datta)

॥श्री स्वामी समर्थ, जय जय स्वामी समर्थ॥ (Shri Swami Samartha, Jai Jai Swami Samartha)

गुरु ब्रम्हा गुरुर विष्णु गुरुर देवो महेश्वरा

गुरु साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मैश्री गुरुवेनमहा

श्री गुरु दत्तात्रय स्वामी समर्थाय नमः

नि शंक हो,निर्भय हो मन रे

प्रचंड स्वामी बळ पाठीशी रे

अतर्क्य अवधूत हे स्मरण गामी

अशक्य ही शाक्य करतील स्वामी

जिथे स्वामी पाय तिथे न्यून काय

स्वये भक्त प्रारब्ध घडवी ही माय

अद्नयेविना काळ ना नेई त्याना

परलोकिही ना भीती त्याला

उगास भितोसी भय हे पालू दे

जवळी उभा स्वामी शक्ति कलू दे

जगी जन्ममृत्यु असे खेळ ज्यांचा

नको घाबरू तू असे बाळ त्यांचा

होई जागा श्रधे सहित

कसा होशील त्याविन तू स्वामी भक्त

कितीसा दिला बोल त्यानीच हाथ

डगमगु नको स्वामी देतील साथ

विभूति नमन नाम ध्यानादि तीर्थ

स्वमिच या पञ्च प्रनाम्रुतात

हे तीर्थ आथाविरे प्रचिती

न सोडी स्वामी जे घेई हाथी!!....

Devotee Beliefs

1. It is believed by his devotees that Shri Narasimha Saraswati performed rigorous tapasya [penance] on the Shree Shail mountain in the Kardali forests for nearly 150 years. After this he took an extensive pilgrimage, covering even places, now known as Jawa, Sumatra, Indonesia, China, Japan, Australia etc., relieved many people from their miseries, and guided them on the spiritual path. Finally, he came to the ranges of Himalayas where he enlightened many devotees. Later he sat under a Deodar tree for tapasya [penance]. This Tapasya [penance] in the Himalayas lasted for nearly 250 years, but a woodcutter unknowingly axed the anthill enveloping the body of Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati. This resulted in the break in Tapasya [penance] and Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati then left for an extensive travel throughout the Indian sub-continent guiding the devotees. During this travel, he became popular by various names at various places. Thus at one place he was known as Chanchal Bharati and at another place he would be called Digambar Swami. As he travelled and stayed at various places, he became the Guru (preceptor) of many great souls like Shree Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Shree Sai Baba of Shirdi, Shree Shankar Maharaj, Shree Gajajan Maharaj of Shegaon etc. Finally he settled down at Akkalkot(Maharashtra State) and stayed there for 24 years from 1854 A.D. to 1878 A.D. and thus came to be known as the Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj (the great sage of Akkalkot).

2. Devotees believe that he is an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya the name of this spiritual master, popularly called Swami Samarth. He is revered as the teacher of all spiritual teachers (gurunam guruh) i.e. guru of gurus. He is a direct incarnation of Supreme Consciousness or Para-brahma. Shri Swami Samarth has adorned a human garment merely to grant benedictions and blessings on all who come in contact with him. He is measureless compassion and limitless ananda (bliss). He radiates unalloyed love and his heart melts at the faintest trace of unconditional devotion for God. Shri Swami Samartha can instantly grant incessant supreme divine joy on whomever he chooses. Devotees still experience his divine presence and feel reassured because of his quote "I have not gone, I am still present" (Hindi: हम गया नही, जींदा है)."'If you want to experience it just keep swami's photo in mind and start enchanting 108 times daily and you will experience it within few days"'

Swami Samarth himself preached that he came from the Kardali Forest. While moving in the Himalayan region has been known to have visited China, Tibet and Nepal. He has also traveled to places such as Puri, Banaras (Kashi), Haridwar, Girnar, Kathiawad and Rameswaram and stayed at Mangalvedha, a town near Pandharpur in Solapur district, Maharashtra, before settling down in Akkalkot.

Shri Swami Samarth is also believed to have visited Shri Manik Prabhu, a Datta Avatari saint at Manik Nagar before settling at Akkalkot.. According to Shri Manik Prabhu Charitra, Swami Maharaj stayed at Maniknagar for Six long months. Shri Manik Prabhu and Shri Swami Samarth used to sit under the holy Audumbar tree and interact on matters of deep spiritual wisdom. Eyewitness accounts suggest that Shri Swami Samarth used to regard Shri Manik Prabhu as his brother

Swami Samarth came to Akkalkot in 1856 on the invitation of Chintopant Tol and stayed on the outskirts of the town for 22 years. He lived mainly at the residence of his disciple Cholappa, where his shrine is now located.

The Mantra of Sri Swami Samarth is “Om Abhayadata Shree Swamisamarthaya Namaha” while his biography is the “Sri Guruleelamrut”, authored by Sant Vamanbhau Maharaj.