Guru Charitra - Complete Biography of Shree Akkalkot Niwasi Swami Samarth MaharajTranslation of Hindi Book "Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj Ki Avatar Leela"

Improper Behaviour

Having being caught in the web of Maya [1], a living being commits acts of adultery, malpractice, tyranny, and wickedness. Puffed up with one’s strength, authority, and power, a living being commits malpractice, just by closing his eyes like a cat, but the all powerful God comes to know everything. Sri Swami Samarth Maharaj severely condemned such double-faced persons and also meted out punishment to shatter their ego.

Pollution in Sohoni’s House

Sri Swamiji went to Pandharpur from Mangalvedha and then came to Mohol. There he took a halt in the house of the Mamlatdar, Ganesh Hari Sohoni. It was the day of Ganeshotsav [2]. On that day, Kirtan was being held in Sohoni’s house. It was midnight and raining outside. In such a situation, Sri Swamiji went out of the house. Even after constant earnest requests, Sri Swamiji did not go inside the house. Sri Swamiji told Sohoni “I am experiencing air pollution inside your house. So I will not enter your house”. So saying Sri Swamiji went away in the forest.

Sohoni was a devotee but still he was caught in a web of strong sexual desires. He had kept a concubine, in the house. So Sri Swamiji did not stay in the house. Sohoni was not ready to give up his sexual desire. His ill fame had spread everywhere. The collector of Solapur had come to Mohol for investigation. He tried to convince Sohoni in private, “Try to give up your mistress. It is not graceful on part of an officer”. However, Sohoni replied, “This is my personal affair. There is no necessity for you to interfere in my personal affairs”. The collector became very angry. Later on criminal suits were filed against Sohoni. As a result, he lost his job. Ultimately he gave up his mistress. Only after that Sri Swamiji showered his kind mercy on him and he was acquitted. Later on, he got a job in the then state of Baroda.

An Adulteress Exposed

Sri Swamiji always severely condemned adultery. Once, a woman from a rich family came for Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. Relatives and servants accompanied her. When she offered prayers for the favour of getting a son, Sri Swamiji roared at her and said “You unchaste woman, why do you pray me for the favour of a son? Look there, your lover is sitting. He will give you a son”. Since she was exposed in the presence of all the people, she concealed her face and ran away from there.

The Caste of a Bad Character Woman

A gentleman named Karve from Pune had come for Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. After the first few days, trying to act smart, he asked Sri Swamiji about his caste. Sri Swamiji instantly replied “I am a Yajurvedi Brahmin [3]. My name is Nrushimhabhan. I belong to the Kashyap Gotra, and my Zodiac sign is Meen (Pisces). If you ask me again, you will get shoe beating. Karve, what is the caste of that coquettish girlfriend of yours, who flirts and gives bed-company to everybody? ”.

Hearing these words, Karve prostrated at the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji out of repentance and prayed, “You are the Supreme being. What shall I do now? Instead of earning such a bad name, it would be better if I die”. Then he started crying. Sri Swamiji said, “Why do you cry? Go and celebrate Holy festival”. After a few days the girl of ill repute died in a holy fire. Thus Karve was liberated from the source of agony.

Illicit Relationship With Own Brother

A gentleman from Pune along with his wife and brother-in-law had come to take Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. He had no children. His wife offered a Chaturdashguni tambul [4] to Sri Swamiji and prayed for a son. Sri Swamiji flew into rage and said “You unchaste woman, you have maintained illicit relationship with your own brother for the last seven years. Instead of feeding this roll of betal leaf to your own brother, why do you give it to me? ”. Hearing those harsh words both, the sister and brother, were astonished and hiding their faces ran away from the scene. The bad character of that woman shocked everyone present there.

A Stage-Player Lover

A Brahmin woman named Janakibai had come for Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. She strictly practiced untouchability. She prepared naivedya food and when she went to offer the same to Sri Swamiji. He said, “I do not eat uncontaminated pure food. Feed this to your stage-player”. She was exposed and she became very nervous and stood greatly embarrassed. When she prayed with full praises only then Sri Swamiji accepted a little of the food offered by her as ‘Naivedya’ and said, “In future when you get white spots on your body, there will be awakening of devotion”. After a few days, Janakibai started suffering from white Leprosy and she became engrossed in devotion.

What Type of Progress Is This

Two progress-oriented persons along with their wives had come for Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. Seeing these people, Sri Swamiji flew in rage “What type of fellows are you? You mutually exchange your wives and get illicit enjoyment. You rascals, do you want to go to hell by committing this sin? ”. When Sri Swamiji exposed their secret, those two people got so much ashamed and embarrassed that they fled the scene.

The Sayings of a Saint

Once, a saint of Kabir-Sect came to Akkalkot. Early in the morning he would go out with an Indian lute in his hand, wearing garland and adoring the auspicious mark on his forehead, singing songs. One day Sri Swamiji was sitting on the porch of someone’s house. At that time the saint was passing by singing with full gestures quoting “This is the sayings of a saint. This is the saying of a saint”. Hearing these words, Sri Swamiji rolled and tossed about laughing. He then started mocking the saint by showing the action of conjugal union by hand and started singing in the same tone “This is the sayings of a saint”. The disciples and devotees sitting there also started laughing. By the gesture of Sri Swamiji, the disciples-devotees understood that the saint is a hypocrite. They followed the saint and reached the place where he had put up. There they found a coquettish woman, busy in the service of that saint.

In fact, this so-called saint had enticed a married woman and brought her in his service. Such a saint was moving round singing and advising people to follow the sayings of a saint. Once fully exposed, the so-called saint ran away from Akkalkot.

Radha’s Breasts Got Dissolved

There was a beautiful prostitute named Radha. She came for Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. After looking at the lustrous body of Sri Swamiji, Radha had a doubt in her mind as to whether Sri Swamiji had, at any time, enjoyed the companionship of a woman or not. Knowing her thoughts, Sri Swamiji asked her “What is the difference between a man and a woman? ”. Radha replied, “Maharaj, woman’s body is constituted by separate parts like breasts than the body of a man”. Sri Swamiji immediately spoke to her “Give your breasts to the Brahmin. Why are you sitting here looking at me? ”. Hearing this, she went away. Within a few days her breasts started slowly dissolving and her chest became very plain like a man. She greatly repented. She then earned merit by performing charitable acts and finally went to Benaras and lived there till the end.

Vamanrao Gholap

In Pune there was an engineer by name Wamanrao Gholap. He earned lots of money by corruption. With money power he started committing adultery. One day he had been to commit adultery with a lady but they were caught red-handed by her husband who registered a criminal case against him. He lost his sleep. He surrendered himself to Sri Swamiji and started praying, “Akkalkotniwasi Mother, kindly get me released. You protect me from this calamity. Henceforth I shall not commit any such evil act like adultery. Kindly shower your mercy and save me”. Out of repentance, when he gave up all his evil acts and surrendered, the kind-hearted Sri Swamiji showered mercy on Wamanrao and got him acquitted. Then Wamanrao gave up his regular employment and came to Akkalkot to render devotional service to Sri Swamiji. However, before his arrival itself, Sri Swamiji had taken Mahasamadhi. Even after taking Mahasamadhi, Sri Swamiji had manifested himself and saved Gholap. Everybody was amazed by this miraculous work of Sri Swamiji.


[1] Maya: Illusion. Maya must be seen through in order to achieve moksha (liberation of the soul from the cycle of death and rebirth) – ahamkar (ego-consciousness) and karma are seen as part of the binding forces of Maya.

[2] Ganesh Utsav: Festival held in the month of Bhadrapad as per Hindu calendar, month of August /September as per English calendar, in the honour of the deity, Lord Ganesh, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati

[3] Yajurvedi Brahmin: A Brahmin who observes the rites and ceremonies as prescribed in the Yajurveda, the second of the four Vedas- Hindu scriptures. Also see Footnote for Vedas.

[4] Chaturdashguni tambul: A roll of betal leaf with fourteen ingredients like lime, betalnut etc