LIFE SKETCH OF SHREE ANNA MAHARAJ
Shree Digambar Saraswati Rajayogi alias
Divinely Respected Anna Maharaj (1908-1982)
The two ‘Sampradayas’, groups, cults namely Shree Datta Adinath and Navanathas, are known to practically all. Shree Shiva Shankar is the root-creator of the ‘Natha Sampradaya.’ Differently, he is also called Shree Gouri Shankar. Shree Swami Samartha of Akkaltkot is widely recognised in the Datta Sampradaya as the human incarnation of Lord Datta.
Shree Vishnu and Shree Shankar accomplish their duties allotted to them, by the Jagajjanani Shree Maya, together and are nothing but two sides of a coin, as it is said ‘Vishnu is the heart and soul of Shiva and similarly, Shiva too is likewise.
Shree Gouri Shankar Maharaj was a contemporary of Shree Swami Samartha. He performed his work in the North of India and in 1878 on the first auspicious day (Pratipada) of the Marathi month ‘Kartik’, he ended his life in the form of ‘Samadhi’, meaning to sit in absolute solitude and release ‘Panchapranas, the five Vayus, on account of which we sustain our life. Samadhi is a deep and intense meditation, self-immolation. Before that he had dropped his name ‘Gouri and retained only ‘Shankar.’ With the latter name, he accomplished his work of creating devotion (Bhakti) and dedication (Samarpana) among the people of South Maharashtra and on the almanac day of ‘Vaishakha Shuddha Ashtami 1869, i.e. in 1947, he took ‘Samadhi’ in Pune. He is known as Shree Yogiraj Shankar Maharaj. Many disciples of his, even today, have adopted his path and are on the forefront of ‘Adhyatmic Saadhana,’ the spiritual devotion. One who attained his favour, ‘Krupa’ and who devoted selflessly all his life to complete Shree Shankar Maharaj’s remaining work was divinely respected ‘Paramhansa’ Shree Digambar Saraswati Rajyogi alias Shree Anna Maharaj of Waghod of Raver Taluka, district Jalgaon, Maharashtra. This is his life-sketch!
Shri Gopalrao Kalkar of Raver was a devotee of Lord Shiva and used to worship Him. He had no offsprings. One day he had been to Shree Kshetra Omkareshwar, one of the twelve Kshetras of Lord Shiva, bathed in the river Narmada and took darshana of Shiva. Lord Shiva Himself appeared before him in a form of a spiritually great man, a Mahatma and advised him to perform a ‘Vrata’, devotional worship, on sixteen Mondays consecutively (commonly known as “Sola Somwar” in Marathi). He did accordingly and on the completion of this ‘Vrata’, his wife gave birth to a son. He was named Sadashiva.
Devotional services offered to Mahakaleshwar
As time flew, Sadashiva got married. However, he preferred to remain on the forefront of spiritual life. At Shree Kshetra Ujjain, he offered devotional services to Shree Mahakaleshwar for over 22 years. Here, in the sanctum sanctuary, he attained sight, vision of Shree Gouri Shankar (Shree Shankar Maharaj) and at 9.00 AM, he heard voice coming as if from the idol. It was like ‘Aakashwani’, sound of the Heavens. Later on, he received corroborative evidence, realisation. He got a message from Shree Kshetra Tryambakeshwar, from Lord Shiva Himself ‘Come and meet me.’ At that time, Shree Shankar Maharaj was encamping with Shri Akolkar. As ordered, Shree Anna Maharaj left for Tryambakeshwar in 1945 with his friend to have darshana of Shri Shankar Maharaj. He touched Shree Shankar Maharaj’s feet with his head and lo and behold, the clock was striking exactly 9.00 AM.
Blessings of Shankar Maharaj at Tryambakeshwar, Shri Shankar Maharaj asked him to read out the thirteenth chapter from the sacred Dyaneshwari. That chapter is dedicated to the subject ‘Kshetra and Kshetradnya’. ‘Kshetra’ means a sacred spot, spiritually meaning a human body, body place of origin and Kshetradnya meaning a soul or the God. He was thus advised that he should purify his mind, soul and body to get the spiritual crop, just as a farmer first cultivates his land and then takes good crop.
Afterwards, Shree Shankar Maharaj himself took Anna Maharaj with him on the peak of the mountain Brahmagiri. He put three drops of hemp, an intoxicating plant on his hand, got done sipping of it, took him on his lap and initiated mantras into his ears. While he was in a state of deep meditation, Shankar Maharaj appeared in the incarnation of Lord Shiva and Parvati and advised him, “My place is at Wagod; go there and stay and perform my work.’ According to Maharaj’s advice, Shree Anna Maharaj went to Waghod, lived there for many years and accomplished work of Shankar Maharaj in the neighbouring areas, as also travelling far and wide, completed the task assigned to him. He co-partnered himself with many afflicted people and made them happy by his guidance. He used to say, “I have accepted this beggar’s (bhiksha) life as ordered by my Master, the great preceptor Shree Shankar Maharaj. He has asked me to go to each and every house and awaken every mother begging for alms and singing song’s of the all-knowing Almighty. “He used to beg (ask for bhiksha) at many places, attend the annual festival, mix- up alms thus collected and offer it to all.
He resigned from a private company from Indore on the 15th August 1947 and became the adopted son of Shree Shankar Maharaj by sacrificing his family. He cut off all human relationships. He fully devoted himself to the services of his Master, Shree Shankar Maharaj. He dropped his birth- name Sadashiv Gopal Kalkar and adopted the new name Digambar Saraswati Rajyogi. He is, however, known as Anna Maharaj in the group of his disciples. Whenever, he came to Mumbai, he unfailingly first called on Shree Swami Samartha Matha, a hermitage at Kandewadi. Once Shree Swami Samartha offered him his darshana in the Matha situated opposite to Gaiwadi. Shree Samartha drew the horoscope of Anna Maharaj and at once rubbed it off and drawing an alternative one, remarked that it was his new horoscope and Anna Maharaj has ‘Rajyoga’, an easy mode of abstract meditation as distinct from austere practices. Thus, he really created spiritual ‘Rajyoga’ and showered his divine blessings on Anna Maharaj.
He resigned from a private company from Indore on the 15th August 1947 and became the adopted son of Shree Shankar Maharaj by sacrificing his family. He cut off all human relationships. He fully devoted himself to the services of his Master, Shree Shankar Maharaj. He dropped his birth- name Sadashiv Gopal Kalkar and adopted the new name Digambar Saraswati Rajyogi. He is, however, known as Anna Maharaj in the group of his disciples. Whenever, he came to Mumbai, he unfailingly first called on Shree Swami Samartha Matha, a hermitage at Kandewadi. Once Shree Swami Samartha offered him his darshana in the Matha situated opposite to Gaiwadi. Shree Samartha drew the horoscope of Anna Maharaj and at once rubbed it off and drawing an alternative one, remarked that it was his new horoscope and Anna Maharaj has ‘Rajyoga’, an easy mode of abstract meditation as distinct from austere practices. Thus, he really created spiritual ‘Rajyoga’ and showered his divine blessings on Anna Maharaj.
. He went on performing Shankar Maharaj’s duties right upto the end. This fact was substantiated by Shree Madhubuva at the Shubharai Matha, Sholapur on the 15th December 1994. He stated that Shree Shankar Maharaj himself completed his own task of the remaining services through the body-medium of Anna Maharaj; and uplifted, re-generated the general mass of people. A detailed description of various spiritual actions of Swami Samartha has been given in the ‘Guru Leelamruta’. Shree Sahankar Maharaj got various such actions performed by Anna Maharaj and made happy many people through his guidance. He always used to state that Govind, the Parameshwar, bears no ‘Guna’, one of the three Gunas, namely ‘Satva, Raja, Tama’. The Infinite is always present Thus saying, he around us, whether in front or back. created fortitude, moral endurance among afflicted persons.
He insisted that ‘Sadguru’ is the only support to cross the ‘Bhava Sagar’, entanglements of earthly temptations. Anna Maharaj himself was fully involved, absorbed in the services to people. He had announced his passing away three days before he actually discarded his human body, saying ‘I will now be leaving you all for good.’ He immersed all his clothes in the river Narmada at Jabalpur waved a lamp at night, chanting a prayer of Shree Shankar Maharaj on ‘Ashadhi Ekadashi’, eleventh day of the month ‘Ashadha’ and offering blessings, benedictions to all, he merged himself in the eternal, limitless energy, i.e. God, and thus achieved salvation, deliverance. The day of his salvation was the 1st July, 1982, ‘Ashadh Shuddha Ekadashi’. Shuddha Ekadashi’. On this day, divinely respected Shree Anna Maharaj underwent self- immolation, ‘Samadhi. No doubt from the social and general point of view, Anna Maharaj is bodily no more. However, men of faith, Shraddha, feel that he is still among them permanently.
With the self-confidence created by Shree Anna Maharaj in me, I offer humbly my obeisance, homage on his feet again and again.
(Late) Anant Kalkar | Mulund, Mumbai.