Siddharameshwar Maharaj
Encyclopedia
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
of Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta
Advaita Vedanta is considered to be the most influential and most dominant sub-school of the Vedānta school of Hindu philosophy. Other major sub-schools of Vedānta are Dvaita and ; while the minor ones include Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita and Achintya Bhedabheda...
teachers Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj , born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita , and a Guru, belonging to the Inchgiri branch of the Navnath Sampradaya....
, Sri Ranjit Maharaj, and Sri Kadsiddheshwar Maharaj.
Biography
Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj was born in 1888 in the village PathriPathri
Pathri is a city and a municipal council in Parbhani district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Pathri is located at . It has an average elevation of 423 metres .-Demographics:...
, Solapur
Solapur
Solapur is a city in South Western Maharashtra, India governed by municipal corporation.Solapur is one of the four districts that form the region of Western Maharashtra . It is the fourth largest district in Maharashtra in terms of land area and seventh largest in terms of population...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Since his childhood he was very intelligent and had very sharp imbibe abilities. He studied with his guru 'Shri Bahausaheb Maharaj' in Hinchgiri in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
India, whose goal was to educate people on "Final Reality" or "The Eternal Truth". He was one of the contemporaries of Sri Ramana Maharshi
Ramana Maharshi
Sri Ramana Maharshi , born Venkataraman Iyer, was a Hindu spiritual master . He was born to a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family in Tiruchuzhi, Tamil Nadu. After experiencing at age 16 what he later described as liberation , he left home for Arunachala, a mountain considered sacred by Hindus...
.
Siddharameshwar Maharaj was a master of meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
and spent time understanding nature and eternal reality in Bhagavadi, and Hinchgiri with his Guru and then in Sholapur and Basvana Bagevadi after Bhausaheb Maharaj passed over. He began spreading the teachings to his disciples in Basvana Bagevadi, Sholapur and Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
in the 1930s.
Siddharameshwar Maharaj died on November 9, 1936 (Ekadashi in the later half Ashwin), at the age of 48, giving his understanding to his disciples. It is said that dozens of his disciples became self-realized through his clear and lucid teaching. His samadhi shrine today is located at Banganga
Banganga Tank
Banganga or Banganga Tank is an ancient water tank which is part of the Walkeshwar Temple Complex in Malabar Hill area of Mumbai in India.-History:...
, Walkeshwar
Walkeshwar
Walkeshwar is an affluent area in South Mumbai, India, at the north-western end of the Marine Drive loop, and is most famous for Walkeshwar Temple and Banganga Tank.-Etymology:...
in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
.
Sri Ranjit Maharaj (1913-2000) was with Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj for 12 years from the young age of 12 until the age of 24 , and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897-1981) was with him for a two and a half years, 1933-1936 . Shri Muppin Kaadsiddheshwar
Kaadsiddheshwar
Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj was a disciple of Shri Samarth Siddharameshwar Maharaj, who was in turn the disciple of Shri Samarth Bhausaheb Maharaj. He was the disciple of Shri Gurulingajangam Maharaj . He was in turn the disciple of the Twenty Second Shri Samarth Muppin...
Maharaj met his Guru Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj in 1935 and was with him for a period of about 2 years.
Books
There are currently Four published books in English and Two books written in Marathi language containing the recorded teachings of Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj. Of these, one of the books, a small text entitled Golden Day is the only book written by Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj himself. The most well known book in India containing his teachings is called Adhyatma Jnanachi Gurukilli which was published by Shri Ganapatrao Maharaj of Kannur (a brother disciple of Shri Ranjit Maharaj and Shri Nisargadatta MaharajNisargadatta Maharaj
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj , born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita , and a Guru, belonging to the Inchgiri branch of the Navnath Sampradaya....
). This book was originally written as it was being spoken in the Marathi language by Shri Dattatray Dharmayya Poredi, a distinguished disciple of Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj. The English translation of this book is entitled "Master Key to Self-Realization"
The book "Master Key to Self-Realization" presents the core foundation of the teaching of Siddharameshwar Maharaj in a methodical step-by-step manner which is representative of the way in which the teaching of this great Sampradaya is traditionally presented by the Sadguru. Upon humble request from several of his disciples, Maharaj narrated the simplified instruction for Self-Realization for the benefit of aspirants which was written down by Mr. Poredi as it was being spoken. Upon completion, he received confirmation of its correctness from Maharaj as well as a pat on the back for a job well done.
Two books, 'Adhyatmadnyanacha Yogeshwar' Vol I & II, comprise the 130 talks of 'Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj', were transcribed, edited and published by Nisargadatta Maharaj
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj , born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita , and a Guru, belonging to the Inchgiri branch of the Navnath Sampradaya....
in 1961-1962 in Marathi language, who also wrote the preface to the book. The books were later translated in English, and printed under the title "Master of Self-Realization: An Ultimate Understanding" .
Many years later, Shri Ranjit Maharaj received verbal permission from his co-disciple, Shri Ganapatrao Maharaj to have the text translated into English. Ranjit Maharaj entrusted the translation responsibilities to Dr. Mrs. Damyanti Dungaji. The completed English translation was then proofread and subsequently published by Ranjit Maharaj under the name "Master Key to Self-Realization"(Published by Shri Siddharameshwar Adhyatma Kendra, Mumbai). When all of the copies of that original English text were sold, the text was incorporated into another book of Siddharameshwar Maharaj's talks entitled "Amrut Laya" (Published by Shri Siddharameshwar Adhyatma Kendra, Mumbai). More recently this has been included in the book named "Master of Self-Realization written by Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj." (Published by Shri Sadguru Trust, Mumbai India)
Two books, 'Adhyatmadnyanacha Yogeshwar' Vol I & II, comprise the 130 talks of 'Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj', were transcribed, edited and published by Nisargadatta Maharaj
Nisargadatta Maharaj
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj , born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli, was an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita , and a Guru, belonging to the Inchgiri branch of the Navnath Sampradaya....
in 1961-1962 in Marathi language, who also wrote the preface to the book. The books were later translated in English, as "Master of Self-Realization: An Ultimate Understanding (D.A. Ghaisas, Tr.), Mumbai: Sri Sadguru Trust, Mumbai-57, 2006.
In addition to this, there are currently two other books available which are a compilation of several of his disciples handwritten notes and are called, "Amrut Laya: The Stateless State" and "Amrut Laya Volume II," as well as another small book entitled "Golden Day" which was written by Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj, and is a basic introduction to his teachings. The book "Master Key to Self-Realization" which was also written by Shri Siddharameshwar is included within the covers of "Master of Self-Realization" and "Amrut Laya: The Stateless State" and presents the core foundation of the teaching of Siddharameshwar Maharaj in a methodical step-by-step manner which is representative of the way in which the teaching of this great Sampradaya is traditionally presented by the Sadguru.
Quotes of Siddharameshwar Maharaj
- "As is your concept, so will you see." - Dasbodh: Chapter 12, Subchapter 8, Verse 1
- "If you go beyond the source you will find that there exists nothing".
- "Spiritual science is the science where self is considered to first and foremost".
- "Mind is a collection of determinants and doubts".
Further reading
- 'Adhyatma Dnyanacha Yogeshwar' (Vol I & II) written by Nisargadatta Maharaj. 130 talks of Siddharameshwar Maharaj (Marathi), November, 1961.
- Master of Self Realization, An English translation of Adhyatma Dnyanacha Yogeshwar written by Nisargadatta Maharaj, a collection of 130 Talks by Siddharameshwar Maharaj, which also includes a newly revised edition of "Master Key to Self-Realization" which was written by Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj himself.
- Amrut Laya I, Includes "Master Key to Self-Realization" & talks by Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj on the spiritual classic "Dasbodh" of Samartha Ramdas.
- Amrut Laya II, talks by Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj to his disciples, 1930s
- Golden Day, an Introduction to the teachings of Shri Siddharameshwar Maharaj
- Master Key to Self Realization, Siddharameshwar Maharaj