-- The youth was chanting "Gan Gan Ganat Bote" to himself
without caring what was happening around.
-- His appearance pious face, brightness in eyes, stature ,
powerfully built body and the calmness in his behaviour
made Bankatlala and Damodar spellbound.
-- They were so impressed that they tried to lay prostrate
before him and touch his fee, but could not, as he swiftly
ran away.
-- He was chanting Gan Gan Ganat Bote. So he was called
Gajanan Maharaj.
Brought Besan - Bhakar as per his wish.
-- After some days - Bankatlala and Pitambara saw the
same personality on a pavement near Mahadeo Mandir.
-- The two humbly asked if he needed some thing and
brought Besan - Bhakar (Common food in Vidharbha)
as per his wish.
-- After eating he gave his Tumba (a jug shaped water pot)
to Pitambara and asked him to bring water for him from
the near by nalah ( a rivulet) ; warned him that the Tumba
should be straightway plunged into the nalah and not to
fill the water in it by hand.
-- Accordingly Pitambara put Tumba straight into water
which was only of skindeep-depth. And to his great
surprise Tumba dipped into that skin - deep - water
completely and the water was clean. Ashtonished
Pitambara told this to Bankatlala
-- The same night Kirtana of Govindbuwa Takalikar was
arranged in Mahadeo Mandir. Govindbuwa began his
Nirupama on a shloka of Hansa - Geeta. As soon as
Govindbuwa completed the first half of the shloka, the
same personality who was sitting behind the audience
chanted fluently the second half of the shloka.
-- Bankatlala tried hard and brought the personality to his
House. He was chanting Gan Gan Ganat Bote
continuously, So he was given the name
"Gajanan Maharaj".
Janrao became hale and hearty .
-- Bankatlala's house
-- Rush of devotees for darshana.
-- A sadhu from Kashi who had specially came for
darshana with some intention could not reach and take
darshana. But to his surprise Gajanan Maharaj asked
one of the disciples to bring "him", and asked about the
intention in his mind.
-- One Janrao Deshmukh became seriously ill. All efforts
of doctor and Vaidyas became fruitless. He was counting
last moments.
-- One of his relatives took the Tirtha of Maharaj. To the
surprise of all the Tirtha did its work and Janrao became
hale and hearty .
-- Maharaj punished and drove away one of his devotees
as he was misusing the name of Maharaj.
Maharaj burnt the Chilim without fire
-- Day of Akshaya Tritiya
-- Janakiram a gold smith - refused to give fire for
burning the chilim of Maharaj
-- Maharaj burnt the Chilim without fire. And at the
sometime the main item of the food prepared at
the house of Janakiram, Chinchawani - soup of
Tamarind was seen, spoiled by worms.
-- Janakiram apologized and requested Maharaj to
forgive. And by the blessings of Maharaj the soup
became all right.
-- In the month of Jyestha, nearly one month after
Akshaya Tritiya, Maharaj asked Chandu Mukim to
bring Two Kanwalas (Sweet item, prepared for
Akshaya Tritiya) from his house. And the Kanwalas
were there where Maharaj told. Even the wife of
Chandu Mukim has forgotten all about the Knawalas.
-- Gajana Maharaj advised Madhava, a Brahmin and
told about the fleeting,transitory way of worldly things.
-- Maharaj asked his disciples to perform Vasant Pooja.
But there were no Vaidik Brahmins in Shegaon. Yet
Maharaj insisted and advised to be prepared for it.
And to the astonishment of all, the Brahmins arrived at
the particular time as told by Maharaj.
Maharaj went into forest, found one old Hemadpanthi Devalaya
-- Once Maharaj went into a nearby forest, found one
old Hemadpanthi Devalaya, sat there and went into
Samadhi. For full two days he was in Samadhi -
awastha. In between men - women from nearby
village took him to the village in procession with
singing bhajans and beating of drums, gongs and
bells; But could not break the Samadhi.
-- Maharaj was wandering in the viseinity of Akoli
(Adgaon).It was hot summer noon time, Maharaj felt
thirsty, saw Bhaskar Patil in his field. When asked for
water Bhaskar refused and showed him a well. The
well was dry for more than 12 years. Maharaj went
and sat under a tree near the well; began to pray the
Almighty. And. Lo, the water gushed from under the
rocks and filled the well. The well totally dry for more
than 12 years was full of water !
-- No wonder that Bhaskar fell into the feet of Maharaj,
was totally changed and became a trustworthy disciple
of Maharaj .
The bees covered him completely.
-- Once, Bankatlala with friends went to eat maize-corns
in his farm. He took Maharaj with him. To roast the corns
fire was made. The wild bees on the honey combs which
were on the trees, got disturbed. They attacked all those
who were there.
-- All ran for safety, except Gajanan Maharaj. The bees
covered him completely.
-- Seeing that Bankatlala who also had run away dared to
come back. Mean-while the bees returned to their combs.
Bankatlala, on seeing the condition of Maharaj, begged
to be excused and requested to allow him to call gold-
smiths for picking the stings from the body. Maharaj
smiled, forgave him and did the Kumbhak Yoga and all
the people saw that the stings popped out all over the
body. All the present bowed and acknowledged that
Maharaj was a Siddha Yogi.
-- Maharaj went to Akot to see Narsing Maharaj. They both
chatted and discussed Karma - Bhakti - Yoga.
-- Maharaj blessed Braj Bhushan of Shivar (Tah - Daryapur )
who was a great devotee of the Sun God.
-- Gajanan Maharaj decided to stay at Hanuman Mandir
instead of Bankatlala's house.
They thrashed Gajanan Maharaj with sugarcanes;
-- Khandu Patil and his brothers were wrestlers They used
to tease Gajanan Mahraj and would ask to wrestle with
them.
-- One day when coaxed Maharaj agreed and fixed his foot
on the ground and asked Hari Patil to undo it. Hari Patil
tried and tried but in vain. He bowed down tired and
became the disciple of Maharaj.
-- But Hari's brothers were not convinced. They decided to
test Maharaj. They thrashed Gajanan Maharaj with
sugarcanes; they severely beat Maharaj, but Maharaj was
calm and smiling and to the astonishment of all there
were no marks on his body. The brothers were surprised.
They sank down prostrated and called him "Yogeshwara".
-- The same time Maharaj took some sugar canes and
squeezed them by his hands & collected the juice for
them.They were so crestfallen that they became the
devoted disciples of Maharaj.
-- By the Aashirwada of Maharaj a son was born to Khandu
Patil.
Maharaj washed out the pride of Brahmagiri- a Pandit
-- Khandu Patil was exonerated in a Police case by
the Ashirwada of Maharaj.
-- Maharaj decided to live with the Patils; the devotees
of Maharaj.
-- Maharaj corrected the Brahmin. Pandits who were
proud of their knowledge of Vedas. Maharaj showed
the faults in their recitations.
-- Maharaj went to the farm of Krishnaji Patil. There was
a Shivalaya, Maharaj decided to live there.
-- Maharaj washed out the pride of Brahmagiri- a Pandit,
well versed in Vedant and his disciples. Brahmagiri was,
once, explaining the meaning of a shloka " Nainan Dahati
Pawakah----" to his disciples, without going deep into the
knowledge of Vendant.. So Maharaj asked him to sit on a
burning bedstead with him. Maharaj him self was actually
sitting on it. Brahmagiri could not; he fell on the feet of
Maharaj. Maharaj advised him and his disciples. .
To his surprise the horse was calm and cool.
Gajanan Maharaj.was sleeping directly under the horse; between the legs;
-- Hari Bhakta Parayan Govindbuwa Takalikar had a very
naughty horse used to bite or kick anybody who came
near.
-- One day Govindbuwa came for Kirtana at Mote's Shiva
Mandir on the horse. He tied the horse with rope, and
after Kirtana went to sleep.
-- In the morning, Govindbuwa came to see his notorious
horse and to his surprise the horse was calm and cool.
And again to his surprise somebody was sleeping
directly under the horse; between the legs; And that
somebody was none other than Gajanan Maharaj.
The horse with extremely bad habits was tamed by
Maharaj.
-- Maharaj fulfilled the wishes of Two Brahmins of Balapur,
in spite of their failure to bring the thing they decided to
give to Maharaj.
-- Balkrishna and his wife Putalabai were the devotees of
samarth Ramdas. They used togo to Sajjangada every
year on foot. But that year they could not continue that
tradition as both of them were too old. Samarth told
Balkrishna in the dream that he need not come to
Sajjangadha, instead he himself would visit his house
in Balapur. And on the said day Gajanan Maharaj
appeared before him and gave the Darshana in the
guise of Samarth Ramadasa
only by looking and touching the cow Maharaj tamed her.
-- When Gajanan Maharaj was in Amravati, he on his own,
went to the house of a poor devotee Ganesh Appa,
knowing his devotion and urge by the inner sight.
-- A special Math was constructed in the land given by
Sukhram Asolkar Bhaskar, Balabhau, Pitamber,
Ganesh Appa and Ramchandra Gurao decided to
stay permanently with Maharaj.
-- Maharaj had to beat Balabhau severely due to
Bhaskar's taunting and rebuking. But to the
surprise of all nothing happened to Balabhau.
-- A cow of Sukhlal of Balapur was very dangerous and
could not be tied down at one place. So he brought the
cow to Shegaon, tied down on a bullock-cart. But only by
looking and touching the cow Maharaj tamed her.
-- Laxman Ghude of Karanja was seriously ill. He was
brought to Maharaj on 'doli' after all efforts went in vain.
Maharaj gave a mango to his wife and asked her to feed
him. Her physician told otherwise. But she did as Maharaj
told, and to the surprise of all Laxman became alright
and, even, went to Shegaon to have the darshana of
Maharaj.
-- Laxman after becoming hale and hearty requested Maharaj
to visit his house in Karanja. But Maharaj came to know
his hipocracy and returned to Shegaon. Laxman had to
pay the penalty for his hippocratic behavior within six
months
Maharaj ordered the crows to behave properly & they are behaving
-- A dog bit Bhaskar in the Das Navami function at Balapur
. Maharaj advised him telling the futility** of this world and
the knowledge about Karma, Sanchita and Prarabdha.
-- All the Bhaktas agreed to have a monument erected in
the name of Maharaj as per the wish of Bhaskar.
-- Maharaj took Bhaskar and others to Trimbakeshwar
and Nasik on the occasion of Maha-shiv Ratri.
Returning to Shegaon Maharaj took Bhaskar and other
Bhaktas to Adgaon for the celebration of Ram Navami.
At Adgaon Maharaj gave samadhi to Bahskar on Chaitra
Vaidya Panchami. People of Adgaon did the Annadana
for full Ten days.
-- But the crow, innumerable in number, were nuisance there.
Maharaj ordered them to behave properly and not to
disturb such programmes hence forth. And the crows
behaved and are behaving likewise till now.
-- Maharaj saved the life of Ganu Jaware, a worker, from
dangerous blasts in a well.
The dry tree became green.
-- Bachchulal Agrawal of Akola tested Gajanan Maharaj.
He gave Maharaj Valuables and gold coins worth nearly
Ten thousand rupees. Maharaj threw away all the things
saying he did not need such worldly things. Instead
Maharaj gave Aashirwada to Bachchulal that his wish to
construct a Ram Mandir would be fulfilled.
- Maharaj ordered Pitambar, the nearest devotee to
abandon the Math. Pitambar went to kondoli; sat on one
of the trees in a Aamrai (trees of mangoes ). When
aske he said that he was the disciple of Gajanan Maharaj.
Nobody believed. Instead people asked to make a dry
mango tree green, otherwise they would beat him.
Pitambar had no other way, so he cried, wept and prayed
Gajanan Maharaj and to the astonishment of all the
villagers the dry tree became green. All of them hugged
Pitambar and shouted 'Gajanan Maharaj ki jai'.
-- Due to the feuds in the town Gajanan Maharaj decided
to have a place that belonged to none. Hari Patil and
others, on the advice of Maharaj, put an application to
the then collector of the District Buldhana, Mr. Curry.
The Collector granted an acre of land. The work for the
new Math began.
Bhandara was again arranged next day as per the advice of
Maharaj and all went smoothly.
-- A favorable judgment was received on the encroachment
complaint while constructing the new Math by the grace
of Mahraj.
-- Ganga Bharati, a leper, came to Maharaj. By undisputed
Shraddha on Maharaj he was cured.
-- Zamsing, a disciple of Maharaj took Maharaj to Mundgaon,
his village; and arranged a Bhandara against the wishes
of Maharaj. When all people sat for Bhojana, all of a
sudden clouds gathered and it began to rain cats and
dogs, spoiling the cooked food.
-- Bhandara was again arranged next day as per the advice of
Maharaj and all went smoothly.
-- Mundgaon was attacked by plague. Pundlik Bhokre, a
devotee of Maharaj was attacked by the epidemic.
Though a swelling in the armpit and fever on body, he
started for Shegaon as usual on 'wari' (regular visit) on
foot. He reached Shegaon with high temperature and
sever pain and fell on the feet of Maharaj.
-- Maharaj lifted him, pressed his thumb on the swelling….
And the swelling subsided, the temperature dropped. In
two days Pundlik was alright.
fisher woman helped the boat to the bank and disappeared
-- Bandu Tatya, a money lender, became penniless due
to his extravagant expenditure. All including his wife
and children began to hate him. So he decided to go
to Himalayas. But by the advice of an unknown Brahmin
came to Shegaon. Maharaj advised him to go home
and dig at a particular place in the farm. Accordingly he
went home, dug and found a pot of coins of Gold.
-- On one Somavati Amavasya some devotees decided
to have Narmada Snana and Omakarwshwar Darshana.
They took Maharaj against his wish, with them. There
they hired a boat and proceeded to go to other side of
the River. But in the middle, water gushed into the boat,
all trembled, began to cry, fell on the feet of Maharaj
requesting him to excuse and save the lives. Suddenly
a young lady in fisher woman's disguise appeared and
helped the boat to the bank and disappeared.
-- One Sadashiv Wanwale from Malwa came to the
Darshana of Maharaj. On seeing him Maharaj at once
embraced him, gave him two betel leaves and asked
him to give the leaves to his Guru Madhaonath Maharaj
who forgot to eat the leaves after taking lunch there.
Astonished Sadashiv went to Madhaonath Maharaj
and asked about all that happened, which Gajanan
Maharaj explained & found to be true.
Meeting was attended by Gajanan Maharaj, addressed by Lokmanya Tilak.
-- Shiv Jayanti Meeting at Akola was attended by Gajanan
Maharaj along with many dignitaries. Meeting was
addressed by Lokmanya Tilak. Lokmanya Tilak was
arrested by the British Govt.
-- Maharaj, after 3 days of Samadhi hinted that
Lokamanya would be imprisoned. Maharaj, sent his
prasada of Bhakari to Lokmanya. Yet Lokmanya was
sentenced and sent to Mandale. There Lokmanya wrote
the world famous "Geeta Rahasya"
-- Shridhar Govind Kale of Kolhapur decided to go to
England for further education and then serve the
motherland. While traveling from Bhandara to Kolhapur
along with a friend, he got down at Shegaon to see
Gajanan Maharaj.
-- Maharaj read their faces and criticized their going to
England and advised not to leave India. Shridhar
obeyed, stayed studied and later became the principal
in Gwalier State.
Maharaj was waiting for him and his Besan - Bhakari
-- Pundlik Bhokre of Mundgaon was Maharaj's disciple
But one Shrimati Bhagabai tried to divert him. And
when he became restless Gajanan Maharaj gave him
'dristant' in the night that he was being sent the Padukas
next day. Accordingly the Pandukas of Maharaj reached
Pundlik at Mundgaon by the hands of Zamsing, another
disciple of Maharaj.
-- Triambak Kawar of Akola was doing his Medical
Degree in Hyderabad. One day he decided to serve
Maharaj with Besan - Bhakari. His Vahini, who was
otherwise arrogant, gladly prepared Besan Bhakari
and haded over to him But in between the train to
Shegaon left. He reached Shegaon by second train
in the afternoon at about 4 pm. And to his great surprise
Maharaj was waiting for him and his Besan - Bhakari
setting aside all the rich food brought by other Bhaktas.
-- Tukaram Shegokar was unknowingly hit by a lead ball
fired from a rifle by a Shikari. All efforts to take it out
(from his head) went in vain. The pain was sever. On the
advice of a devotee he started to clean (sweep) the Math
and its premises regularly. And after 14 years the lead
ball fell from his ear and the pain stopped. Up to his last
he cleaned the Math.
Maharaj sat in the women's bogie And a case was registered against Maharaj.
-- Bhaskar had given word to Vishnusa that he would bring
Maharaj to Malkapur. Maharaj was against ; but Bhaskar
forced. Maharaj sat in the women's bogie. And a case
was registered against Maharaj. But the Magistrate held
Bhaskar responsible instead of Maharaj and fined him.
-- Maharaj was once in Akola. A Muslim SadhuMahatab
Shah came to see him. Maharaj thrashed him. But next
day Maharaj had not taken his food without Mahatab
Shah.Mahatab Shah left his work and went to his native
place as per the wish of Maharaj.
-- Only Presence of Gajanan Maharaj in the house of Bapurao
at Akola made the so called Bhanamati run - away.
-- Once Maharaj went Akot to see Narsingji Maharaj, sat on
the wall of well in the Math; and said to Narsingji Maharaj
that he wished to bathe in the waters of Godawari,
Yamuna and Bhagirathi those were in the well. Hearing
the words water from inside the well gushed like fountain
and showered on Mahraj.
Maharaj gave Bapuna darshana in the guise of Vitthala,
-- Bayaja of Mundgaon was a devotee. Her husband was
impotent. so his brother tried to molest her
Maharaj taught him a lesson.
-- She (Bayaja) used to come to Shegaon with Pundlik.
People doubted their relationship. Maharaj assured
her parents about the purity and chastity of Bayaja.
|
-- Triambak Kawar, a doctor then, suffered from a boil
(a tumor on skin). Being a doctor himself, consulted
the specialists, got the operation done, but all in vain.
Being a devotee, he surrendered completely to
Maharaj Maharaj gave him ' Angara and Tirtha' in
the disguise of Brahmin. And in hours the doctor
became alright.
-- In Pandharpur at the time of Ashadhi Ekadashi
Maharaj gave Bapuna the ardent disciple, the
darshana in the guise of Vitthala, as he could not go
to Vitthal Mandir.
-- Maharaj cured a patient suffering from the epidemic
Cholera.
-- A Karmath Brahmin on seeing a dead dog on the
door the steps of the Math, became annoyed, Maharaj
sprinkled some drops of water on the dog and the dog,
to the surprise of Brahmin, sat-up and wagged his tail .
He went to Pandharpur and with tears asked the permission of
Shri Vitthala. to leave this world.
-- Maharaj told kashinath Garde, a devotee, when he came
to darshana that a telegram for him was waiting at his
home and to his surprise it was true and that was his
appointment order.
-- Once Maharaj had been to Nagpur as the guest of
Shrimant Gopal Buti. Buti left no stone to be unturned in
reception of Maharaj and kept Maharaj for so many
days and wished that Maharaj should not go to Shegaon
But Hari Patil brought Maharaj to Shegaon.
-- A Sadhu from Dhar Kalyan, Raghunath visited Shegaon
and met Gajanan Maharaj. Swami Vasudevanand
Sarswati came to Shegaon to see Maharaj, Maharaj
had given pre information of his arrival one day before.
-- Maharaj explained Balabhau about the three ways to
reach God i.e. Karma Marg, Bhakti Marg and Yoga Marg.
-- Maharaj asked Shrimati Salubai, a devotee to cook
food in the Math for the devotees. She did likewise
thereafter.
-- To the great surprise of Atmaram of Jalamb, Maharaj
corrected his recitation of Vedas, by himself reciting
Vedas. Atmaram stayed with Maharaj afterwards and
donated all his property to the Math.
-- Maharaj awoke, Timaji, a servant of Marutipant of
Morgaon Bhakre and told him to guard the grain
threshing ground properly as some donkeys entered
into it.
-- A Police Inspector insulted Maharaj at Balapur. In
spite of the advice of the people he abused and
thrashed Maharaj. After some days the news came
that the Inspector and his family perished.
-- Maharaj fulfilled the desire of Hari Jakhade of
Sangamner who came to darshana of Maharaj.
-- Gajanan Maharaj in the guise of Yogi gave
Ramachandra Nimonkar hints about Yoga at
Kapildhara a holy place in Nasik District.
-- Tukaram Kokate decided to offer one of his
sons, if they survived, to Gajanan Maharaj as his
issues - earlier issues died one after another.
Afterwards three sons were born and they survived
and even attained adulthood. But when Tukaram
forgot the words, a calamity happened, his eldest
son stuck with illness and could not recover though
he tried his utmost. Then he came to Maharaj
apologized and prayed for the son's life. The boy
recovered and became alright and served Maharaj
upto his last.
-- At last Maharaj decided to say goodbye to this world.
He went to Pandharpur and with tears asked the
permission to Shri Vitthala. Hari Patil was with him.
The tears in the eyes of GAJANAN MAHARAJ made
him serious. Maharaj told him his decision. Returning
to Shegaon with shocked state he told all the Bhakatas
the decision
-- The state of the Bhaktas could not be described; they
wept - cried - tried their most to pursue. But Maharaj
was as calm as Himalayas.
-- Maharaj explained them his thought, showed the place
for Samadhi and asked all the devotee to come to the
Math on Ganesh Chaturthi Day.
-- Throughout the day Maharaj was in happy mood,
chatted with Bhaktas, argued them, consoled them
and assured them that he was and he would be with
them forever. And in the last asked Balabhau to sit
near him bade all who were there and - and said
'Jai Gajanan' and took his last breath.
-- It was morning of Bhadrapada Shuddha Panchami,
aptly called 'Rishi Panchami', Shake 1832
Can anyone could describe the state of minds of the
Bhaktas ? - and that of the people of Shegaon ?
Thousands of Bhaktas from all parts gathered. A sea
of men - women young old gathered, No words to
describe their grief.
-- They took the body of Maharaj in procession, the
longest and the biggest in the history of Shegaon.
All were weeping, crying and hugging each other in
grief. Because the unthinkable had happened their
mother; their adviser, their God, their Lord had left
them !!
A tall Sadhu consoled Laxman Hari Janjal at Bori Bundar Platform, Mumbai
-- Gajanan Maharaj had taken the Samadhi. But the
Divine flame continued to glow and the devotees found
that the same calmness was still there.
-- Maharaj advised the wife of Ganpat Kokate in her
dream not to object to the donation Ganpat was giving to
the Math to feed the Brahmins.
-- A tall Sadhu consoled Laxman Hari Janjal at Bori Bundar
Platform, Mumbai. He was in a desperate mood. Sadhu
said as he was the disciple of Gajanan Maharaj he need
not worry. And - Laxman's worries left him. Who was that
Sadhu?
-- Madhao Joshi, a revenue officer had a strong desire to
go to Shegaon for dershana. So after day's work he along
with his peon started for Shegaon on a hired bullock-cart ;
put the cart through waters of Man River. Those were the
raining days, water of the River was on rise. When the cart
came in the middle, water level rose, touched the part of
the cart. Madhao prayed with eyes closed. And when he
opened the eyes the cart was on the other bank. Who
came to their help?
-- Dr. Kawar had to stay at Shegaon against his wishes. Why?
Because that day was not suitable for travel during night.
-- The son of Ratansa was cured from rickets, His sincere
devotion and faith paid;
-- After the unsuccessful efforts of all the expert doctors,
Chandrabhaga, daughter of Ramchandra Patil, was
cured from Naujwara by the 'Vibhuti' and faith on Maharaj
-- Rheumatism of Janakibai Patil, wife of Ramchandra Patil,
was also cured by every day darshana of Samadhi.
-- After the death of Balabhau, Narayan of Nandura was
advised in his dream to come and serve the Math.
Narayan served all his life.
