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Believed to be
an incarnation of Shri Dattatreya the name of this spiritual master,
popularly called Swami Samarth, is a household word in Maharashtra
and the region around.
As this Perfect
Master chose to reside at a place called Akkalkot for 22 years where
he took Mahasamadhi (left his mortal body) in 1878, he is also known
as the Maharaj of Akkalkot, Akkalkot is situated in district Solapur
of Maharashtra state of India.
• It is believed
that Shri Swami Samartha appeared in Akkalkot in 1857. The temple of
Shri Nrisimha Saraswati is of Dattatreya. So swami is believed to be
the incarnation of Lord Datta.
• His full name
was Sripad Shrivallabh. He resided in Akkalkot for around 23 years.
Before he came to Akkalkot he was in Mangalvedha. But no one can tell
where he came from.
The popular
belief is that he came to Mangalvedha during 1838 and stayed there for
13 years. He used to stay in a farm there. From Mangalvedha he stayed
at Mohol for five years, then he came to Solapur and finally to
Akkalkot.
After he was
sure that he had completed his worldly duties and had guided his
disciples rightly, he decided to go for Samadhi. His disciple Chollapa
accordingly began to make arrangements. Finally he took Samadhi in
1878.
• One account
put forth by devotees asserts that after traveling in the Himalayas,
the Swami sat in Samadhi for three hundred years in a dense forest. He
became completely covered by anthills, and a large tree grew beside
him. Once a woodcutter came to the forest and chose that particular
tree for cutting. Laying his axe first to the anthill, he was
surprised to see blood oozing from it. Pulling down the anthill, he
discovered the Swami beneath it.
• Roused from
Samadhi, the Swami declared the incident to be Divinely ordained as it
was time for him to go into the world and continue his mission. The
Swami is said to have then wandered for a hundred years, performing
many miracles, before appearing in Akkalkot.
The Swami was
unpredictable, appearing mad to many, and full of miracles. He loved
his devotees with a great passion, and like other Adepts of the Crazy
Wise style, he was paradoxically full of both human and Divine
qualities.
Once, when asked
who he was, he replied, "I am this infinite universe; I am everywhere.
Yet my favorite resorts are Sakyodri, Girnar, Kasi, Mathapur, Karveer,
Panchaleswar, Audumbar, Karanjnagar, Narasimhvadi, and Gangapur."
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