100 BABA SAYINGS

• Why fear when I am here?
• I am formless and everywhere
• I am in everything and beyond. I fill all space
• All that you see taken together is Myself.
• I do not shake or move
• If one devotes his entire time to me and rests in me, he need fear nothing for body and soul.
• If one sees me and me alone and listens to my Leelas and is devoted to me alone, he will reach God
• My business is to give blessings
• I get angry with none. Will a mother get angry with her children? Will the ocean send back the waters to the several rivers?
• I will take you to the end.
• Surrender completely to God
• If you make me the sole object of your thoughts and aims, you will gain the supreme goal.
• Trust in the Guru fully. That is the only sadhana
• I am the slave of my devotee
• Stay by me and keep quiet. I will do the rest.
• What is our duty? To behave properly. That is enough
• My eye is ever on those who love me
• Whatever you do, wherever you may be, always bear this in mind: I am always aware of everything you do.
• I will not allow my devotees to come to harm
• If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands to support him or her.
• I think of my people day and night. I say their names over and over.
• My treasury is open but no one brings carts to take from it. I say, “Dig!” but no one bothers.
• My people do not come to me of their own accord; it is I who seek and bring them to me.
• All that is seen is my form: ant, fly, prince, and pauper
• However distant my people may be, I draw them to me just as we pull a bird to us with a string tied to its foot
• I love devotion.
• This body is just my house. My guru has long ago taken me away from it
• Those who think that Baba is only in Shirdi have totally failed to know me
• Without my grace, not even a leaf can move
• I look on all with an equal eye
• I cannot do anything without God’s permission
• God has agents everywhere and their powers are vast
• I have to take care of my children day and night and give an account to God of every paisa
• The wise are cheerful and content with their lot in life
• If you are wealthy, be humble. Plants bend when they bear fruit.
• Spend money in charity; be generous and munificent but not extravagant
• Get on with your worldly activities cheerfully, but do not forget God
• Do not kick against the pricks of life
• Whatever creature comes to you, human or otherwise, treat it with consideration
• Do not be obsessed by the importance of wealth
• See the divine in the human being
• Do not bark at people and don’t be aggressive, but put up with others’ complaints
• There is a wall of separation between oneself and others and between you and me. Destroy this wall!
• Give food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, and clothes to the naked. Then God will be pleased
• Saburi (patience) ferries you across to the distant goal
• The four sadhanas and the six Sastras are not necessary. Just has complete trust in your guru: it is enough
• Meditate on me either with form or without form, that is pure bliss
• God is not so far away. He is not in the heavens above, nor in hell below. He is always near you
• If anyone gets angry with another, they wound me to the quick
• If you cannot endure abuse from another, just say a simple word or two, or else leave.
• What do we lose by another’s good fortune? Let us celebrate with them, or strive to emulate them.
That should be our desire and determination.
• I stay by the side of whoever repeats my name
• If formless meditation is difficult, then think of my form just as you see it here. With such meditation, the difference between subject and object is lost and the mind dissolves in unity.
• If anyone offends you do not return tit for tat.
• I am the slave of those who hunger and thirst after me and treat everything else as unimportant.
• Whoever makes me the sole object of their love, merges in me like a river in the ocean.
• Look to me and I will look to you.
• What God gives is never exhausted, what man gives never lasts
• Be contented and cheerful with what comes.
• My devotees see everything as their Guru.
• Poverty is the highest of riches and a thousand times superior to a king’s wealth.
• Put full faith in God’s providence.
• Whoever withdraws their heart from wife, child, and parents and loves me, is my real lover.
• Distinguish right from wrong and be honest, upright and virtuous.
• Do not be obsessed by egotism, imagining that you are the cause of action: everything is due to God.
• If we see all actions as God’s doing, we will be unattached and free from karmic bondage
• Other people’s acts will affect just them. It is only your own deeds that will affect you.
• Do not be idle: work, utter God’s name and read the scriptures.
• If you avoid rivalry and dispute, God will protect you.
• People abuse their own friends and family, but it is only after performing many meritorious acts that one gets a human birth. Why then come to Shirdi and slander people?
• Speak the truth and truth alone.
• No one wants to take from me what I give abundantly
• Do not fight with anyone, nor retaliate, nor slander anyone.
• Harsh words cannot pierce your body. If anybody speaks ill of you, just continue on unperturbed
• Choose friends who will stick to you till the end, through thick and thin.
• Meditate on what you read and think of God.
• I give my devotees whatever they ask, until they ask for what I want to give.
• You should not stay for even one second at a place where people are speaking disrespectfully of a saint.
• If you do not want to part with what you have, do not lie and claim that you have nothing, but decline politely saying that circumstances or your own desires prevent you.
• Let us be humble
• Satsang that is associating with the good is good. Dussaya, or associating with evil-minded people,
is evil and must be avoided.
• What you sow, you reap. What you give, you get.
• Recognize the existence of the Moral Law as governing results. Then unswervingly follow this Law.
• All gods are one. There is no difference between a Hindu and a Muslim. Mosque and temple are the same.
• Fulfill any promises you have made.
• Death and life are the manifestations of God’s activity. You cannot separate the two. God permeates all.
• Mukti is impossible for those addicted to lust.
• Gain and loss, birth and death are in the hands of God.
• When you see with your inner eye. Then you realize that you are God and not different from Him.
• Avoid unnecessary disputation
• The giver gives, but really he is sowing the seed for later: the gift of a rich harvest.
• Wealth is really a means to work out dharma. If one uses it merely for personal enjoyment, it is vainly spent.
• To God be the praise. I am only the slave of God.
• God will show His love. He is kind to all.
• Whenever you undertake to do something, do it thoroughly or not at all.
• One’s sin will not cease till one falls at the feet of Sadhus
• Be ashamed of your hatred. Give up hatred and be quiet.
• The Moral Law is inexorable, so follow it, observe it, and you will reach your goal: God is the perfection of the Moral Law.
• I am your servants’ servant.
• Always think of God and you will see what He does.
• Have faith and patience. Then I will be always with you wherever you are.

Shree Gajanan Maharaj

Anant Koti Bhramhaand nayak, Maharaja Dheeraj, Yogi raj, Parbramha, Satchitanand, Bhaktapratipalak,
Shegoan Nivasi,
Samartha Sadguru
Shree Gajanan Maharajki Jai

General Information

The temple dedicated to Gajanan Maharaj is the principal object of interest in Shegaon which attracts lakhs of pilgrims from not only Vidharbha region but also from the distant parts of Western Maharashtra and Marathwada. Allegorically Shegaon can be described as the Pandharpur of Vidharbha.

Thousands of devotees pay their respect to the Samadhi on every thursday. Which is regarded as a special day for Veneration to the Maharaj. It is on every thursday that the Palkhi of Shri Gajanan Maharaj is taken round in procession. A large class of devotees believe in and narrate the miracles performed by and the spiritual power of the Maharaj which they say to have experience themselves. Many of them also believe that generation to the Saint and Vows are rewarded in the form of fulfillment of desires.

The origin of Shree Gajanan Maharaj is rather obscure though not legendary. He appeared at Shegaon on February 23, 1878 of whom and when he was born and his family history is not known and as per the information given by the local resident no one has heard him speaking about his own self.

When he appeared at Shegaon the local population saw in him the qualities of a saint or a prophet. Since no one has seen or heard as to the place from where the Maharaj came at Shegaon and since no one did have any talk with him about his origin his appearing at Shegaon was considered by many as a miracle. According to some sources Shri Gajanan Maharaj must have been either the descendent of the Peshwa Nanasaheb who led the war of independence of 1857 and was living in obscurity after his defeat at the hands of the British or of those patriots who fought in the battle along with the Peshwa and who were putting up at Pppatkheda in Vidharbha at the foot of the Satpuda range.

Many people support this conjecture in view of the fact that he was not only present in the public meeting held at Akola in 1907 but was sitting on the dias by the side of Lokmanya Tilak who addressed the same. After hearing about the life imprisonment of Lokmanya Tilak, the Maharaj blessed the great patriot of India, and prophested that the cause for which Tilak was fighting would meet with success.

The temple dedicated to the Maharaj is to the east of the town and occupies about a hectare of land, and faces the north. The gateway of the temple court-yard is magnificent and imposing. There is another gateway on the western side of the court-yard. There are many rooms alongside of the court-yard the back side which are meant for pilgrims coming from distant places.

The main shrine of Shri Gajanan Maharaj has a sabhamandap supported by three rows of nine pillars each on both sides. The entire sabhamandap is covered with marble tiles.

The gallery over-hanging the sabhamandap is adorned with picture frames depicting the life of shri Gajanan Maharaj. At the entrance to the shrine, both the sides are flanked by the images of dwarpalas, viz., Jay and Vijay, besides those of Devi and Ganapati.

The inner shrine contains the padukas and the facial plaque of Shri Gajanan Maharaj. In the inner shrine on the marble platform are the idols of Rama, Laxman and Sita, besides the padukas and the facial plaque of the Maharaj.

Exactly below the inner shrine containing the inages of Rama, Laxman and Sita in a celler which can be reached by descending down about 16 steps is the Samadhi of Shri Gajanan Maharaj.

The way to the celler is from both sides, one usually used for going down and another for climbing up.

In front of the inner shrine is an idol of Hanuman under a canopy. The temple has a pinnacle which could be seen from a distance. By the side of the inner shrine is a shayangar, bed room. In the court-yard are the Samadhi of Balabhau Maharaj and Narayan Maharaj who rendered personalservices to Shri Gajanan Maharaj.

Towards the left of the main shrine in the courtyard is a double storied structure with 45 rooms which provides lodging facilities to the pilgrims.

The arch above the west entrance displays beautifully carved creeper designs. By the side of the road to the main entrance. I.e., north entrance, are a few buildings constructed recently which house the ayurvedic, homoepathic and allopathic dispensaries conducted by the temple authorities. The allopathic ispensary is quite well-equipped with necessary amenities.

The temple authorities serve daily prasad to all devotees attending the temple at lunch time. The temple authorities have organised a trust which is registered under the Public Trusts Act. Handsome donations are received by the Trust from the devotees of Shri Gajanan Maharaj.

Bhagawan Sri Venkaiah Swamy

Bhagawan Sri Venkaiah Swamy was born in a village called Nagulavelluthru in Nellore District Andrapradesh.His parents were Somapalli Pichamma and Penchalaiah.He started his Divine Leelas from his childhood and it was confirmed that He is the perfect manifestation of the universal Spirit in human form to save the poor and ignorant.

Once he said that he was not born to his parents like the other human beings. His birth on this earth bears a Divine Purpose.When Swamy was in his eighteen His legs were Paralyzed and he could not walk. devotees begged Him to take Medicine.He refused by saying if he took medicine and cure himself He had to take another birth,to experience the KARMA. SWAMY had no GURU of His own. He once said " There is no bar to my sight even beyond seas. So there is no need for a Spiritual Teacher". From His Childhood he started showing His Occult Power.But ignorant people could not recognise them. Once His nephew was suffering from a dangerous fever. His sister Mangamma lost all hope and was crying. Merciful Swamy waved his hand over the face of the child and told Mangamma that she need not worry about the child.the child recovered without any medicine. This Miracle happened when Swamy was Sixteen years old.Once Swamy came to His sister's house to take her to His native place Rajapadmapuram. she always thought Swamy was a mad boy. She thought that He was mad and would leave her on the way. But Swamy immediately Answered her unuttered thought. He said that He was not a mad boy to leave her in the middle of the way. these small small miracles showed that He was bestowed with great powers even from His childhood.He was well known for his righteous conduct. He was an uncrowned king among His playmates.He used to settle their quarrel amicably.

Once during summer He saw the cattle eating waste papers. His heart melted. that time He was carrying grass on His head. immediately He offered the grass to the cattle and came to the house empty handed. On seeing all these people called Him 'MAD VENKAIAH'.At the age of twenty He suffered from high fever for a few days. After some days He started. Shaving like a lunatic(mad). He used to run in the streets day and night shouting CHAKKALI YOGAM(Dhobi Yogam), MANGALA YOGAM( Barbar yogam), and ZAKKALA YOGAM(Harijans yogam). DUBDUK..DUBDUK.

In that period caste system was at its height. But He used to eat from a plate of Dhobi,Barbar a d Harijans.His parents tried all sorts of QUACK treatments and TANTRIC treatments but in vain. They became tired of all treatments and left Him free.

He used to wander in the lonely places around the villages. whenever He saw a girl He used to run away from that placeas if He had seen a tiger.Days together He would not return home. His mother used to send servant to bring Him with pockets of food. He would come back with the servant, ate His food Sumptuously,wore new clothes and then would run away from the house.Finally he left the village and did not return for years. His parents searched and searched and lost hope of their son. After some years He was sighted in the neighboring villages. But this time He was called "VENKAIAH SWAMY" and not MAD VENKAIAH.Swamy cured innumerable diseases not only of men but also of cattle.He warned people from future calamities ad graced them to avert the same.He used to say some Cryptic message a out devotees who came for Darshan. He used to get such talks written on a paper, touch the paper as a mark of Grace,and give it to His devotees. He also used to put His THUMB IMPRESSION on paper and give it to the devotees as mark of Grace.

Bhagawan Sri Venkaiah Swamy used to keep fire with him. wherever He went He lighted a bit do rope and kept burning in His hand.He always had a bundle of bits of rope on His head,a Munta( a small earthen pot) and a Danda in his hand. Many years He Wandered on the banks of PENNAR river near Rajapalem a d in Somasila Forest. He used to get his food in a single house. After partaking His food He would immediately leave the house without any delay.He always drank water with His palm. He never used Tumbler or any vessel for drinking purpose. During Cholera and Small Pox Epidemic, His thread, incense and. His words protected the villagers from calamity.In the beginning He used to stay in a hut on a hillock called ANKALAMMABOTU near Rajapalem. He kept a oil lamp burning and played on His YEKATARA (a stringed musical instrument ) all through the night.


After some time He started staying in SIVALAYAM at KOTI THEERTHAM .There He used to sing OM NARAYANA - ADI NARAYANA on Two Yektaras with both hands through out night.Whenever He felt sleepy He would puncture the tooth gum with a thorn and wash the blood in his mouth with water.As he was deeply involved in MANTRA JAPAM ,He would not even aware of the breaking of the strings of the Yeketara.for number of years He was very busy in erecting a SAND DAM across the river PENNAR near Somasila. He asked His devotees to help him in that work as it was GOD'S work.Daily some one used to provide food to Swamy and the devotees.

Swamy was completely immersed in His work. His feet and His hands were Bruised terribly because of his continuous work in mud and water. He built the canal and made the water flow in the opposite direction of the river flow,which was impossible for a human being. He would collect dry twigs and would light fire on the waters,where the canals joins the river. He would pour water on either side of the fire and this was to save people from dreadful diseases.

he said that one TOLA (weight of one rupee during British rule) of water was three crores. By that days work,ten crores of income was at a balance after spending the day's expenditure of the entire world. For some years he travelled from village to village . his mission was to save the poor and the downtrodden. He never stayed in any other's house. He used to stay in deserted temples, village chavadies, shady trees and deserted houses only.

BHAGAWAN SWAMY VENKAIAH TOOK MAHA SAMADHI ON 24-8-1982. OM NARAYANA - ADI NARAYANA. 

SAYINGS OF SWAMY:
1. Feed the hungry (but) not the blenching.
2. Whatever you desire will be fulfilled if you come here(Golgamudi, Nellore) with full faith.
3. You take it for granted that Venkaiah is in all creatures.
4. Even if you leave me, I will not leave you.
5. I will be responding as per ones faith.
6. I will pickup my sheep even though it is in a herd of thousand.
7. Equal love for all will enable you to realize God.
8. I am responsible for the welfare of all the people who give and bring a morsel of food in my name.
9. When a devotee asked for a mantra, Swamy said, There is no mantra or tantra. Go ahead with vichara (discrimination).
10. It is nothing great if a monk sticks on to dharma. It is great if a householder sticks on to dharma.
11. We must stick on to dharma even while lending money for interest.
12. We must achieve nobility, simplicity and service to Sadguru.
13. You will incur a loss of ten rupees for stealing a quarter of rupee.
14. If we crave for a share in the profit, we should also share the sin.
15. It is better for us to leave rather than asking others to leave.

Sri SWAMI SAMARTH MAHARAJ of AKKALKOT.

            Sri NARSINH SARASWATI MAHARAJ left Ganagapur once and for all and went to Kadalivana near Shailya Mallikarjuna for penance .  After some years , he moved to Himalayas . There he is said to have entered into Samadhi. Devotees believe he continued in that state for more than 300 years.
            A huge ant hill grew around the corporal body of Sri NARSINH SARASWATI MAHARAJ and no one knew what happened to him afterwards. Many years later, a woodcutter’s axe accidently fell on some bushes about the ant hill. The woodcutter was aghast to find the axe’s blade stained with blood. Curosity led him to demolish the ant hill to find out who or what it was that had been hurt by his axe. To his great surprise , he found a yogi absorbed in penance !. Slowly the yogi opened his eyes and rose from his Samadhi and looked at the woodcutter who was trembling with fear and remorse . But to the surprise , the yogi beaming with love spoke gently , “ well , my child , do not be sorry for what has happened. The time has come for me to reappear in the world and to resume my spiritual mission – this is GOD’s will “.
             The yogi who emerged from the ant hill was not Sri NARSINH SARASWATI MAHARAJ but his reincarnation Sri SWAMI SAMARTH MAHARAJ  !. The wound caused by the axe had left a scar on the thigh of Sri SWAMI SAMARTH MAHARAJ which was seen as a permanent mark by many close attendants.

Hazrat Babajan swamy

Hazrat Babajan swamy

Hazrat Babajan hailed from Afghanistan (Central Asia) and was the daughter of well to do Afghan of noble lineage. Her maiden name was Gulrukh (rose faced) and her early training was that befitting the status of an Afghan aristocrat. At a very early age she learned Quran by heart and later became conversant with Arabic, Persian, Pushtoo and Urdu. From early life she developed mystical tendencies, and unlike girls of her age, she used to pass a good deal of her time in prayers, meditation and solitude.

This mystical aspect in her asserted itself, as when coming of age, she was found to be against any idea of marriage. The parents could not understand her and to them the idea of a Pathan girl remaining unmarried was extremely scandalous. Finding the situation no longer tenable and the parents bent upon forcing the issue of matrimony on her. Gulrukh managed to escape and came to Peshawar (India) and then to Rawalpindi. For a Pathan girl brought up under the strictest discipline of the Parda system, wandering at the age of 18 years, was not an easy undertaking.

Shri Upasani (Baba) Maharaj

Shri Upasani (Baba) Maharaj

Born on 5th may, 1870 at Satana, Maharashtra (in India), Kashinath did not exhibit traits of a normal child from the beginning, although his deviations did not indicate existence of any super-intelligence or excellence in him. He held extremely strong views about two vital aspects of life when in his teens. First, he declared that the formalised educational learning was only for bread winning and, therefore, after doing three years in a vernacular elementary school left it; merciless canning by his teacher becoming the immediate cause of such realisation. Secondly, he hated and condemned the body (i.e. his own body) as the creator of limitations and pain in life. He spent all his time doing in Asans (exercises as per Yoga), Pranayama (Breath control exercises), repetition of mantras etc. With such an attitude he could earn nothing and for his family members he was a problem child. To make matters worse, he was married with the hope that his ways would change. Old habits die hard. Not only did Kashinath not change, but also a few months after marriage he ran away from home (at the Dhulia district in Maharashtra) leaving a departing note and reached Nasik. However, two months later anxiety about the plight of his parents compelled him to return home. Shortly thereafter his wife expired, but before the cup of sorrow could be emptied, Kashinath, now fifteen was got married second time. To earn livelihood he went to places like Pune and could not find a job because of the absence of any formal education. At times he did menial work for others and at other times, he took to begging. He was in a miserable state of life. Sometimes, he even had to sleep on footpaths (sideways) and live only on Margosa (Neem) leaves.