Swami Samarth

Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj श्री स्वामी समर्थ महाराज
Title	Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot
Personal
Born	Nrusinh Bhan
Died	Template:Samadhi date Akkalkot, Solapur District, British India (present-day Maharashtra, India)
Religion	Hinduism
Nationality	Indian
Religious career
Disciples Shree Balappa Maharaj, Shree Cholappa Maharaj, Shree Nrusimha Saraswati Maharaj of Alandi, Shree Anandnath Maharaj of Vengurla, Shree Swamisut Maharaj of Mumbai, Shree Shankar Maharaj of Pune, Shree Ramanand Beedkar Maharaj of Pune
Influenced Sai Baba of Shirdi, Sant Gajanan Maharaj

Quotation

1. Don't fear, I am always with you - भिऊ नकोस, मी तुझ्या पाठीशी आहे

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.

Legend

Sri Swami Samarth is considered as the fourth(in actual considering only body, it is third) incarnation of Shree Dattatreya. The popular and accepted belief is that he is the reincarnation of Shree Narasimha Saraswati..

Background

A painting depicting Shri Swami Samarth and Shri Manik Prabhu's meeting under the holy Audumbar tree at Maniknagar.

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.

Swami Samarth Temple, Dindori school, Near Saras Bag Pune

See also

• Dindori
• Akkalkot

References

• The Supreme Master (Swami Samartha's Comprehensive Biography).
• Shri Dattatreya Dnyankosh by Dr. P. N. Joshi (Shri Dattateya Dnyankosh Prakashan, Pune, 2000).
• "Shri Swami Samarth Nityakram aani Upasana"(in Marathi) by Dr. N.S. Kunte (Shri Vatvruksh Swami Samarth Maharaj Devsthan, Akkalkot, 2000).
• Datta-Sampradyacha Itihas (History of Datta Sampradaya) by Dr. R. C. Dhere (Padmagnadha Prakashan, Pune).
• Shri GuruCharitra (Sri Gurucharitra) (new, abbreviated version)
• Shri Akkalkotniwasi Swami Maharaj yanche Charitra by G. V. Mulekar
• Shri Akkalkot Swami Maharaj Charitra by R. S. Sahasrabuddhe
• Pesum Deivam - Akkalkot Maharaj Arulaatchi - Tamil Version by Swami Sudan - J.S.Saikumar +919994700917

Additional publications

• Hanumante, Mukund M. (1999, 2000). A Glimpse of Divinity: Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot, ISBN 978-0-9669943-0-8
• Kulkarni, Shriram A. (2001). Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot: Ashttotarshat Namavali: Vicharmanthan Sar (Marathi)
• Kulkarni, Shriram A. (2000). Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot: Bhagwat Chaitanyache Shalaka Darshan(Marathi)
• Oza, Kaushik (2007). Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot: Bhagwat Chaitanyache Shalaka Darshan (Gujrati)
• Patil,Rajgouda (2012) Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot: Bhagwat Chaitanyada Kshana Darshan (Kannada)
• Patil,Rajgouda (2017) "Amrutada Anjali": Shri Swami Samarth Maharajar sanketi vakyagal vivrane (Kannada)
• Kulkarni, Shriram A. "Amrutachi Wonzali" (Marathi)
• Joshi, Vasant G. (2006). Sulabh Shri Dnyaneshwari(Marathi) (Financial Sponsorship)
• Kulkarni, Shriram A. (2007). Sarth Shrimat Gurucharitra: Sulabh Marathi Bhavarthasaha(Financial Sponsorship)
• Shri Gurucharitra, 14th Chapter in English & Marathi, 2009.
• Swami Tava Charanam Sharanam, Audio CD of Melodious Divine Songs, 2009.
• Hanumante, Mukund M. (2010). Eternal Friend: Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot
• Ekkirala Bharadwaja
• Kaliyugi Shri Swami Samarth Charitra Tatva Rahasya (Marathi Granth)
• A short biography of Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj by Shree Vitthalrao Joshi Charities Trust