It is a fundamental right and an earnest desire of every man to bring up a child. Because of offspring’s, there is a perpetuation of family tree and parents get exceptional pleasure as they bring up their children. Hence a man gets an earnest desire to bring forth his offspring’s. Without children, man feels a great drawback in his life and becomes unhappy. Hence a person born as an incarnation blesses his devotees with offspring’s and thereby awakens zeal towards God in that devotee. Sri Swami Samarth was very compassionate during his incarnation and had blessed numerous devotees with children by miraculous works.

Bhausaheb Jahagirdar

Sri Swamiji once had been to the Naladurg village in Osmanabad District, Maharashtra. There he got a prayer of invitation from the Jahagirdar ^[1] of Neelgaon village, Shreeman Bhausaheb Jahagirdar, to pay a visit to Neelgaon. Sri Swamiji accepted this invitation and went to Neelgaon along with his attendants and devotees. Then the Jahagirdar applied Akshata ^[2] on Sri Swamiji’s forehead. Out of that, three grains of rice fell down. Sri Swamiji picked up those three grains and gave them to Jahagirdar as Prasad. Then out of these three grains of rice Jahagirdar ate one grain and gave two grains to his wife. Jahagirdar had no offspring’s. Sri Swamiji blessed Jahagirdar “A good son will be born to you”. Bhausaheb Jahagidar, in the great honour of Sri Swamiji, arranged for Mahapooja ^[3], Bhajan ^[4], Kirtan ⁸² and Brahmin – Bhojan ^[5].

Sri Swamiji accepted the hospitality extended in his favour by Jahagirdar and then returned. In due time, wife of Jahagirdar gave birth to a son and then two daughters. Jahagirdar remembered this kind favour blessed on him by Sri Swamiji, till the end of his life. He always made it as a practice of visiting Akkalkot to render devotional service to Sri Swamiji for four days and then return home.

Harivansh Puran

Bhausaheb of Baroda was a wealthy landlord. He had a daughter but no son. He prostrated at the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji and offered his prayers unto him for a son. Sri Swamiji blessed him “Listen to Harivansh Puran ⁵⁷, then you will get a son”. Bhausaheb listened to the Harivansh Puran according to the rites and he was blessed with a son by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji.

Milk from Tree

This incident took place when Sri Swamiji was in the village Mangalvedha in Solapur district, Maharashtra. In this village, a sixty-year-old man with his wife who was fifty-two years old stayed. Being childless they were very unhappy. Basappa Teli a great devotee advised them “You render devotional service to Sri Swamiji. Without ‘Darshan’ of Sri Swamiji never accept any food. Then your wish will be fulfilled”. The woman started to take Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’ regularly with great devotion. Sri Swamiji was pleased seeing her devotion,. He told her “There is a tree on the other side. Take the milk of that tree mixed with sugar, then your wish will be fulfilled”. The woman went near the tree, which was giving milk-Sap, collected that, added sugar and accepted the same. By the kind grace of Sri Swamiji she was blessed with a son.

Do You Want A Son?

A European gentleman was served in Railway Department at Solapur, Maharashtra, as an officer. He didn’t have any children. Hearing about Sri Swamiji, he came to Akkalkot. He stood before Sri Swamiji with a feeling full of devotion. Sri Swamiji looked at him and said, “Do you wish to have a son? Certainly your wish will be fulfilled and you will get a son within a year”. Recognising his strong mental wish Sri Swamiji blessed him. The European gentleman was highly astonished with this kind of direct blessing coming from Sri Swamiji. Later, he returned home. By the blessings of Sri Swamiji he got a son within a year. He came again along with his wife and the child to Akkalkot for Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. After this miraculous incident, a number of Europeans started visiting Akkalkot.

Mate Blessed With a Son

An old man named Mate belonging to Maratha community came to Akkalkot with his wife to take Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. His wife was sixty year old. They didn’t have any children so both were very unhappy. Seeing their unhappiness Sri Swamiji blessed the old woman placing a cocoanut in the lap of her saree and said, “Take this son”. And by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji she gave birth to a son within a year.

Foolishness of Untouchability

A Brahmin along with his wife rendered devotional service to Sri Swamiji. They didn’t have any children. They earnestly yearned to have children. With this intention, they offered daily prayers to Sri Swamiji for his blessings and kind favour. Sri Swamiji told the lady, “Your destiny does not allow you to rear a child”. The lady replied, “If it is not in my destiny then why should I go in search of God? ”. With great stubbornness she continued her devotional service towards Sri Swamiji. One day Sri Swamiji gave her two dried date fruits and said “These are your sons, take them”. The lady was very aware and sensitive about untouchability. She thought that people of different castes visit Sri Swamiji for his ‘Darshan’ and as such, there is a possibility of lower caste of people polluting it with their touch. She decided to take the ‘Prasad’ given by Sri Swamiji only after taking a bath. Hence she went to the lake to purify herself for her bath.

To avoid this ‘Prasad’ getting lost in the water just by chance she buried the two dried date fruits in the sand. After taking bath she came home and forgot to bring the ‘Prasad’ along with her. At night she remembered about the ‘Prasad’. However, she could not go to the lake since it was dark. Therefore, she went in the morning to the lake. She dug up the place where she had buried ‘Prasad’ but instead she found two eggs in place of the two dried date fruits. She picked up those two eggs. By that time both the eggs cracked, two birds came out of them and flew away.

When the people came to know of this, they criticised her for her foolishness in neglecting the ‘Prasad’ given by Sri Swamiji. She went crying to Sri Swamiji and narrated the incident. Sri Swamiji became very angry and said “You foolish lady what do you expect from me? Get lost from here”. Sri Swamiji, out of anger gave her abuses. Nevertheless, she continued her devotional service with great determination. Pleased by her devotional service Sri Swamiji blessed her and gave her a cocoanut. Within a few days her strong desire of motherhood was fulfilled by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji.

Jujube Tree

Ramkrishnarao Sirdesai from Mumbai served in Department of Railway. He had no children. So he came to Akkalkot along with his wife Annapoornabai. Sri Swamiji said “Render your service to Jujube tree, then you will get a son with the radiance of fire”. However, Ramkrishnarao came to know that nobody goes round a Jujube Tree. Therefore, his wife Annapoornabai started going around the Peepal Tree instead. This did not serve any purpose. He asked saints and ascetics about this Jujube Tree. An ascetic named Brahmanand told him “You have not understood fully the true meaning of Sri Swamiji’s words. Sri Swamiji calls Saint Sri Swamisut as ‘Jujube Tree’.” Ramkrishnarao along with his wife went to Sri Swamisut’s Muth and started rendering devotional service. In due course Annapoornabai gave birth to a son, by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji.

Prasad of Bones

A lady of Lingayat merchant community was childless. She came to Akkalkot to offer her prayers to Sri Swamiji. At the time, Sri Swamiji was sitting in the locality of Mahar community. A large bone piece lay nearby Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji picked up this bone and gave it to the lady with blessings and said, “Take this boy”. However, the lady thought that touching the piece of bone, which had contact with untouchables, would pollute her. She did not go forward to accept the bone piece offered by Sri Swamiji.

 At the time a lady belonging to the Mahar community, was sitting nearby and she had no children as well. She prayed to Sri Swamiji “Maharaj kindly bless me with a son”. So she extended her Anchal ^[6] with an earnest prayer. Sri Swamiji was pleased with her prayer and put the bone piece in her Anchal instead. By the kind grace of Sri Swamiji, good fortune dawned on the lady from the Mahar Community and she gave birth to a son.

Jahagirdar of Abdulpur

In Abdulpur of Hyderbad State, under the then Government of Nizam, there was a Jahagirdar by name Deshpande who had two wives but no children. Deshpande was sixty year old. To earn God’s favour he went to the holy place Ganagapur in Karnataka State. There he got a vision in his dream directing him to go to Akkalkot. So he went to Akkalkot with his wives. After taking ‘Darshan’ of Sri Swamiji they stood in front of him.

Sri Swamiji said, “If a hundred gold coins donated, you will get a brinjal (daughter) and if a thousand gold coins donated, you will get an elephant (son)”. And Sri Swamiji put a cocoanut in the Anchal of the first wife and then asked them to put the same cocoanut in the ‘Anchal’ of the second wife. Jahagirdar Deshpande worshipped Sri Swamiji in Shodshopchar way and arranged sumptuous meals to thousand Brahmins. Then Deshpande returned home by mentally offering continuous prayers to Sri Swamiji. Then in time, Deshpande got one son and one daughter by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji.

Nagar Brahmin

Moreshwar Hari was a Nagar Brahmin staying at Burhanpur. He had no children. He came to Sri Swamiji and prayed “Maharaj, without a son, life becomes a total failure. Hence, kindly shower your grace and bless me a son”. Sri Swamiji became compassionate towards him and gave him a cocoanut as a blessing and Moreshwar got a son. He named his son ‘Datta’. Moreshwar carried out the first hair cutting ceremony of his son at Akkalkot itself. Then he arranged for sumptuous meals to the Brahmins and returned home by singing merits in praise of Sri Swamiji.

Pandurang Jadhav

In Pune, there was a gentleman named Pandurang Bapuji Jadhav. He had four sons but unfortunately all the four sons died within a period of two months. Jadhav couple became very unhappy. Jadhav’s wife Bhagubai was very pious. One day she listened to the biography of Sri Swamiji and she became his devotee. She started mentally repeating the name of Sri Swami Samarth regularly. One day she got a vision in her dream and Sri Swamiji spoke “If I give you a son, what would you give me in return? ”. Bhagubai said, “I shall offer my son at your lotus feet and make him Brahmachari ^[7]”. After few days she became pregnant and then she gave birth to a son. Then as per her promise she offered her son at the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji.

Heir To The State

The King of the then Akkalkot State, Shriman Maloji Raje was a great and loyal devotee of Sri Swami Samarth. He desired for a son. By the kind grace of Sri Swamiji Queen Rani Sahiba became pregnant. People asked Sri Swamiji “Maharaj, Our Rajesaheb will get a son or a daughter? ”. Sri Swamiji did not reply straightway but said, “Bring a bangle”. So as per Sri Swamiji’s hint Rajesaheb got a daughter. The second time too, Rajesaheb got a daughter. Now for the third time Ranisahiba became pregnant. When people asked, Sri Swamiji made a dramatic gesture of handling a military handgun and said, “start simultaneous discharges of many fire arms” (i.e. he meant – start celebrating) and Rajesaheb got a son. He got his heir to the then, State of Akkalkot.

Naivedya from Brahmin Lady

A poor Brahmin lady had brought Naivedya for Sri Swamiji with great devotion but the attendants were not paying any attention to her. She mentally started praying unto Sri Swamiji and took a seat away from the prime area. In the meantime Sri Swamiji spoke “Who has stopped Naivedya of that Brahmin lady? Bring your Navaidya here”. The Brahmin lady came forward and placed the Naivedya in front of Sri Swamiji. He accepted the food with great love. He was pleased and blessed her “You will give birth to a mischievous boy”. Hearing this the Brahmin lady became ecstatic. In fact she had no offspring till the age of forty-five. By the kind grace of Sri Swamiji she became a mother of a son.

Lord Hanuman In Darkness

A lawyer from Mumbai named Dwarakadas came to Akkalkot for the ‘Darshan’ of Sri Swamiji. It was 7:00 PM and Sri Swamiji was taking nap on a cot. The lawyer burnt camphor in front of Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji got up and spoke angrily “You have come to pray for a son and our Hanuman ^[8] is sitting in darkness. If you observe, Swamisut Maharaj is sitting in darkness in the temple of Lord Krishna”. Dwarakadas went to the temple of Lord Krishna and lighted all lamps. Then Sri Swamiji asked the lawyer to bring grams. Sri Swamiji took the grams in his hand and started playing for nearly an hour. Later he gave those grams to the lawyer as Prasad . After a few days the lawyer became the father of a son.

In this world, a household person becomes very happy by begetting a son. This does not mean that without a son, parents will not get liberation from bondages of this world. Sri Swamiji did not agree with the understanding that parents having no male offspring will not get liberation from the bondages of this world.

No Liberation For Parents Having No Male Child

Once a Puranik¹⁶⁶ from South India had come to Akkalkot. He started displaying his knowledge in the presence of Sri Swamiji. He started saying “Person without a son will not get liberation from worldly bondage”.

Listening to these words uttered by Puranik, Sri Swamiji said “Why do you cross the decorum of good manners and mode of Puranas and exhibit your meaningless learning here? How do you make a definite conclusion that without a son one will not get liberation from this worldly bondage? Did the parrot (Shukmuni, son of Vyas) had a son? Did the lutanist (means: Naradmuni²⁵) had a son? Did Vamdeo had a son? You are also without a son, would you go to hell? Instead of singing the merits in the praise of God, what type of useless talk have you started? Why do you state your definite conclusions that a person without a son will not reach heaven? The deliverance from the bondages of life and death does not depend upon the son. If did depend upon the son, then dogs and pigs certainly would have attained this deliverance. Hence it is a fact that the deliverance and death or the attainment of heaven never depends upon the son. On the contrary, whatever sins a father commits for bringing up a son takes him to hell”.

Sri Swamiji never agreed with the established truths. He always blessed a childless person with a child with the sole purpose that a household person should experience happiness, which would eventually invoke sincere love towards God and start singing hymns in the praise of God.