Sri Swami Samarth during his incarnation period has saved a number of devotees from death and granted them new life.

Brahmin’s Son

Sri Swami Samarth Maharaj went to Pandharpur and then came to Mohol, both in Solapur District, Maharashtra State, during Hindu year Shake 1775 (1853 A. D.). He stayed in a cave of a hill. The son of an honest Brahmin of Mohol died unexpectedly. His mother started wailing loudly. The Brahmin and his wife cried and cried till they fell unconscious. Seeing their extreme sufferings people took pity on them. They all convinced the Brahmin saying, “A virtuous and lustrous ascetic has come to our village; offer your prayers to him for a remedy”.

Therefore, the Brahmin went in search of Sri Swamiji and reached the cave. In an afflicted tone the Brahmin started earnestly calling upon Sri Swamiji for his kind help. Compassionate Sri Swamiji woke up from his deep meditation. He came out from the cave and spoke to the Brahmin “Revered Brahmin, get your son seated properly on a horse and send him across the sea”. The Brahmin did not understand the true meaning of the words of Sri Swamiji. However, a lady devotee explained him the true meaning “Your work is done. Go home”.

The Brahmin returned home and found his son woken up and was sitting. Then the Brahmin got dressed his son and adorned him with ornaments. He then seated him on a horse and took him for Sri Swamiji’s ‘Darshan’. Then the Brahmin worshipped Sri Swamiji in a Shodshopchar way and then offered food as Naivedya unto him. The Brahmin and his family remained fully devoted to Sri Swamiji till the end.

Babasaheb Escaped From Death

In the then State of Akkalkot, there was a Chieftain named Babasaheb Jadhav. He was a great devotee of Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji always called him ‘potter’. Omniscient Sri Swamiji knew that Babasaheb’s death is very close by. Sri Swamiji said, “Potter, a letter has come in your name (i.e. Your death is nearby)”. Babasaheb became very nervous hearing this. He prostrated at the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji and entreated him earnestly “Maharaj, I still desire to render some more devotional service at your lotus feet”. The kind-hearted Sri Swamiji looked and perceived the imperceptible and told Babasaheb “Go near that bullock”. A miracle took place. The bullock standing in front, suddenly fell down dead and the death of Babasaheb was averted. Thus, by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji, Babasaheb got a new life.

Snake Bite to Ravanna Vani

Sri Swamiji along with his disciples and devotees went to village Idagi and took a halt in the temple of Maruti¹⁵⁶. At that time a villager named Ravanna Vani was ploughing his field. Around afternoon at about 4 0’clock a poisonous serpent bit him. He started getting pain cramps, the snake poison started to spread throughout the body and eventually he died. People brought him to the Maruti Temple where Sri Swamiji was sitting. To give some relief to the dead man Babasaheb Jadhav placed Sri Swamiji’s shoes on dead Ravanna Vani’s head. Sri Swamiji woke up from deep sleep and started showering volleys of abuses on Babasaheb. People present there got scared and they ran away. Sri Swamiji took off his clothes and became stark naked. Babasaheb started trembling with fear.

Rebuking Babasaheb, Sri Swamiji spoke “You foolish fellow, who had asked you to keep these shoes on the head of a dead man? ”. He asked Babasaheb to shake off his (Sri Swamiji’s) clothes on the ground and call on Ravanna loudly. There were no signs of movement when Babasaheb called on loudly in one of Ravanna’s ears. Then Sri Swamiji ordered him to call in both the ears. When Babasaheb started calling in both the ears, Ravanna woke up from his death-sleep. He was very hungry. Sri Swamiji asked Babasaheb to feed Kheer to Ravanna.

After taking Kheer he became fully conscious. In fact Ravanna had already died before they had got him to the temple. But Babasheb took Ravanna as being unconscious and placed the shoes of Sri Swamiji on his head. To keep up the honour of his shoes, Sri Swamiji himself endured the snake-poison, shook off his clothes, and restored the life of Ravanna. In fact, a person bitten by snake is never given anything prepared out of milk. Can there be anything else to match this incomprehensible miraculous work of Sri Swamiji.

You Horse! Swallow This Child

The health of a male child of a village lady started deteriorating. She tried all types of remedies but there was no use. So finally she came to Akkalkot along with her child to get the kind favour of Sri Swamiji. When she came to Akkalkot she found her child dead. She started weeping very loudly and openly for her dead child. Sri Swamiji softened with compassion. He got up from his seat and came near the child. He lifted the child upside down and started whirling him.

A horse was standing nearby. He brought the child near the mouth of the horse and said “Horse, swallow this child”. Then Sri Swamiji threw the body of the dead child in a nearby pit. No sooner the child fell into that pit, it became alive and started crying. The village lady went running to the child, embraced him with great affection, and then started feeding him with her breast milk. Tears of joy started flowing from her eyes. She repeatedly started singing in praise of Sri Swamiji and returned with the child.

Feed Sesamum and Sugar

In Kashi ^[1] there was a famous scholar and astrologer named Bahireshastri. After worshipping Lord Dattatrey, he got a son. He named him ‘Datta’. When they prepared his horoscope it showed his life span as only fourteen years. Both, husband and wife became very anxious. They apprised a saint about this matter in Benaras (Varanasi). He advised Bahireshastri to approach Sri Swami Samarth, the incarnation of Lord Dattatrey in Akkalkot.

Bahireshastri along with his wife and son came to Akkalkot and started rendering service to Sri Swamiji. At that time, Sri Swamiji was sitting in Khasbaug. One day, Bahireshastri’s son suddenly started shivering and fell down unconscious. Sri Swamiji asked Bahireshastri to bring Sesamum (an oilseed). Hearing the word ‘sesamum’, Shastriji became nervous and prostrated at the feet of Sri Swamiji and started crying. Sri Swamiji spoke “Oh! Why do you become nervous? Feed your son with sesamum and sugar”. Bahireshastri put sesamum and sugar in his son’s mouth and his son got up. Sri Swamiji snatched Bahireshastri’s son from the jaws of death and returned him to his parents. After rendering service for few days, Shastri and his wife returned to Banaras with great joy.

His Marriage Still To Be Carried Out

Cholappa, the devotee and attendant of Sri Swamiji, had two sons and one daughter. His daughter was named Rajoobai and the two sons as Krishnappa and Appa. When Rajoobai grew up she got married but within just a few days she died due to Tuberculosis. The sacred –thread ceremony of Krishnappa was performed but within fifteen days he died due Cholera. The family started mourning. By that time, Sri Swamiji arrived at the scene. He spoke “You fools, why do you cry? The marriage of Krishnappa is yet to be performed”. Then Sri Swamiji went near Krishnappa and started saying “Oh! Neelkanth (Krishnappa) wake up. At least you speak two words with me”. Hearing the words of Sri Swamiji there was some movement in the dead body and he woke up and sat. All the people present there were stunned and they started continuous shouts of victory in the praise of Sri Swami Samarth. By the kind grace of Sri Swamiji, Krishnappa grew up and eventually got married.

Who Is Giving Farewell To Him

Sri Swami Samarth had been to Manoor Village and then took a halt in the temple of Goddess Renuka. Severe disease cholera seriously affected this village. Everyday around 10 to 15 people were dying. At that time the kind-hearted Sri Swamiji was sitting in the Renuka-Temple. In the meantime, the Patil ^[2]of that village came there crying loudly and started praying unto Sri Swamiji “Maharaj, my son Hanumant is dying due to cholera disease. There is no surety about his survival. I pray you to kindly come and see my son”. Sri Swamiji’s heart softened with pity seeing the severe suffering of Patil. Therefore, Sri Swamiji went to his house and sat in the veranda of the house. Patil’s son Hanumant was writhing in acute pain like a fish out of water. He was slowly and steadily getting suffocated.

There was loud lamentation going on in the house. Patil prostrated and tightly embraced the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji and started crying loudly. At that time Cholappa too was standing nearby. He told Sri Swamiji “Maharaj, let us go to the temple. I am not able to bear this situation. It is not good to sit here”. Sri Swamiji said “Oh! Who is bidding farewell to that boy Hanumant? You get Hanumant covered by the leaves of Neem tree and feed him juice from Neem leaves”. No sooner this treatment was over, the boy started making body movements. He opened his eyes and started looking outside. He got up by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji. Next day Patil worshipped Sri Swamiji and offered Naivedya to him. From that day itself that village was totally rid of cholera disease.

Laxman Koli – Anand Bharati

In Thane, Maharashtra, there was a boatman named Laxman Koli. There was a big storm and his ship started sinking in the sea. Laxman Koli was a great devotee of Sri Swamiji and he had come to Akkalkot 3 to 4 times. When the ship started tossing about, all the sailors became very nervous. Laxman Koli started calling upon Sri Swamiji for help “Akkalkot Nivasini Sri Swami Mai (Oh! My mother Sri Swamiji who is dwelling at Akkalkot), now please come here running. We are helpless. Our ship has started sinking”.

When Laxman Koli was calling upon for help, here at Akkalkot Sri Swamiji suddenly stood up and lowered his right hand and then raised it. It appeared as though he had lifted a big load. Then he sat on his cot. At that time water started dripping down from his right hand. His disciples who were present there at the time tasted the dripping water and found it salty. They asked Sri Swamiji “Maharaj, your right hand was dripping salty water. Where did it come from? ”. Sri Swamiji answered “Have I not lifted a drowning ship from the sea? ”. None of the disciples could understand what is really meant. Here in the sea, the ship of Laxman Koli came up from the water as though somebody lifted it up using heavy force.

The sailors brought the ship to seashore. Laxman Koli realised that this miracle has taken place only due to the kind mercy of Sri Swamiji. Then he came with his family to Akkalkot. There he told the disciples and devotees as to how the serious calamity was averted in the sea. The disciples realised that Sri Swamiji’s lifting action before and the time of the sinking ship occurred simultaneously. They started continuous shouts of victory in the praise of Sri Swamiji for this miraculous play.

Laxman Koli was so much influenced by this miraculous incident that he abandoned everything in his life and devoted himself in the service of Sri Swamiji. Later on he became a fully accomplished person and came to be known as Anand-Bharati. His Samadhi is located near the temple of Lord Dattatrey in Thane, Maharashtra.

The Mouse Became Alive

Sri Swamiji was kind hearted not only towards human beings but also animals. One day Sri Swamiji had been to the palace and was sitting on a swing. He was talking to the King. The temple priest was sitting in the Devghar ^[3] and rubbing sandalwood to prepare sandal-paste. Around this time he saw a mouse in the Devghar. In fact, mice had been a perpetual nuisance in the devghar. Seeing the mouse angered the priest and he threw the sandalwood towards the mouse. He hit the target and the mouse died.

The priest went out to throw away the dead mouse. When Sri Swamiji saw this, he said, “Bring that dead mouse here”. Sri Swamiji caught the dead mouse by its tail, shook and moved it to and fro and spoke to the mouse “Now go away”. The dead mouse became alive, started running and reached its burrow. People were amazed to witness this miracle of Sri Swamiji.

Saved the Life of a Male Calf

In Akkalkot there was a great devotee of Sri Swamiji named Narasappa Sutar. He had a she-buffalo in his house. Every time when the she-buffalo gave birth to a calf, the newborn would not survive and the buffalo also would not give any milk. So having a she-buffalo in the house, did not serve any purpose at all. Once due to coincidence when the she-buffalo gave birth to a calf, Sri Swamiji too was present in the house. Sutar prostrated at the lotus feet of Sri Swamiji and prayed “Maharaj, the she-buffalo would start giving milk only if you kindly save the new-born calf”. Compassionate Sri Swamiji went near the she-buffalo. The newborn calf was writhing in pain and gasping for breath. Sri Swamiji moved his foot on the calf’s body and immediately the calf became calm and normal. The calf’s life was saved by the kind grace of Sri Swamiji and Sutar started getting milk from the she buffalo from then onwards.

This way, Sri Swami Samarth, the incarnation of Lord Dattatrey, saved a number of lives by his miraculous powers. Saints have truly said that nobody can destroy the one who is saved by God.

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