Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj
A Brief Life Sketch
Janma (Birth)
Umadi, 1843Chaitra Sh 9 (Ramnavami)Shake 1765
Anugrah (Initiation)
1858Initiated by Shri Nimbargi Maharaj at the early age of 14.
Niryaan (Samadhi)
January 29, 1914Thursday, Magh Sh 3Shake 1835
"Sri Nimbargi Mahāraj and Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj are the Jñāneśvar and Tukaram of our Sampradāya. They are not a whit less in their spiritual attainments, than Jñāneśvar and Tukaram."
These were the words of admiration with which Sri Gurudev had once described the spiritual eminence of these Masters before one of his spiritual brothers.
Sri Bhausaheb was born, like Sri Rāmdas, on Rāmanavami Day, in a well-to-do Deshpande family of Umadi - a village in the Jat Taluka of Maharastra. Even as a boy he had developed a deep devotion to Sri Hanumant and was daily worshipping him. He was blessed by Sri Nimbargi Maharaj at an early age of 14. Since then he began to meditate regularly on the Divine Nāma granted to him by his Master. His meditation gradually gained in duration and intensity and enabled him to enjoy the effulgent Vision and Bliss of the Ātman. His Master was greatly delighted by this spiritual attainment of his beloved disciple. And at the time of his departure he showered his blessings upon his disciple and granted the disciple all his spiritual merit, just as Sri Ramakrisna Paramahamsa had done to Vivekanand. He authorised Sri Bhauraya to bless the aspirants and disseminate the gospel of devotion among the people. Profoundly pained by the departure of his Master Sri Bhauraya carried on his meditation with redoubled zest and finally attained the acme of spiritual height, viz. realisation of his identity with the Absolute.
He then established his Math, at Incagiri-a village near Umadi-the native place of his premier disciple Sri Amburao Baba and began to carry on his spiritual activities from that centre. He blessed several disciples in that part and made Incagiri a place of Pilgrimage soon. When this mission of Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj progressed a good deal, his Master once appeared in his vision and expressed his full gratification at the splendid spiritual service of his disciple. As a result of his superb spiritual height, Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj exhibited all the characteristics of an Ideal Saint described by Sri Ramadas in his Dāsābodha. Thus he had become, in the words of Sri Gurudev "an ornament to spiritual life."
The supreme spiritual glory of Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj has been further extolled by Sri Gurudev in his letters to his Master, in these inspiring words :
"You are the President of the Assembly of the earthly gods, viz, the great Sadhakas who have enjoyed the Bliss of the Atman, in Incagiri. Mutual exchange of Bliss increases it a good deal. Such a Bliss cannot be had anywhere else in the world. In a holy place like Incagiri 'where the blissful Lord has taken His abode' you have been performing meditation with steadfast regularity, for years together, and have been engaged in the work of showing the Pathway to God to people for so many years. What profession can be superior to this ? Those persons alone glorify this earth, by their birth, who free people from difficulties, who confer Supreme Bliss on all, and who serve their Master with one-pointed devotion. There is no doubt about it. Very often the thought, that I had the good fortune of having the association of an exalted person like your great Self, gives me a thrill of delight. The greatness of Saints cannot be adequately described. Let the capacity to understand your greatness develop in me. I pray to you to bestow it upon me. Nothing else in this world is deemed supreme by me, excepting the possession of the ever advancing capacity to know your power and greatness. It is for you to grant it to me."
— (7-8-1913)
"What thing is there which cannot be attained by Self-realisation ? Without actually going in for it, it can make a blind man see, a deaf man hear, an ignorant person utter words of wisdom, a buffalo repeat the Vedās etc. It can accomplish these things and many more, without actually doing them. Otherwise, what is the use of mere learning? If learning is not supported by Self-realisation, the person would fall a prey to egoism. But if it is based on Self-realisation, if it has the backing of Self-realisation, it would fill all the quarters with the resounding" glory of God-devotion. Nothing but Self-realisation can ever endow this power to learning. Hence it would be more appropriate to call your Holiness "Ātma-Jnana" or Self-realisation, rather than Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj. Since you have realised your identity with the Lord-Ātman, all your attributes such as body, name and form, have fully merged in Him. As you have completely identified yourself with the Lord, what harm is there if you are called "Atma-deva"-"Lord-Self "? Recently I have come across several saints, but I did not find even one who knows as you know, what Self-realisation really means. Hence very few know the real greatness of Self-realisation and consequently the real greatness of Your Holy Self. "
— (8-3-1912)
Book Ref: Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj: Life-Sketch and Nama-Yoga
Author: M. S. Deshpande | Publisher: ACPR
The Philosophy of Nama-Yoga
Remembrance (of Divine Name) is Spiritual Reality.
Non-remembrance is worldly illusion.
Ardent burning desire is the source of Illumination.
Dispassion is the source of Devotion.
Mind is the root of heart.
In whatever situation an aspirant may find himself, he should live by these three principles:
Dhir
A resolute and enduring attitude in life.
Udar
Noble and bountiful magnanimity of heart.
Gambhir
Grave and considerate outlook in facing life.