- Upasni Maharaj
Infobox_Philosopher
region = India
era = 20th century
color = #FFA500
image_size = 230px
image_caption =
name = Upasni Maharaj
birth =May 15 ,1870 (Satana,India )
death =December 24 ,1941 (Ahmednagar District ,India )
school_tradition =Advaita Vedanta
main_interests =
influences =Sai Baba of Shirdi
influenced =Meher Baba Upasni Maharaj, born Kashinath Govindrao Upasni, ["The God-Man", C.B. Purdom, London Allen & Unwin Ltd. 1964. p. 15] (
May 15 ,1870 –December 24 ,1941 ) was considered by his disciples to be asatguru . He lived inSakori ,India and is said to have received God-realization fromSai Baba of Shirdi . Sakori is located inAhmednagar District ofMaharashtra , about 5 kilometers (3 miles) fromShirdi . [According to online tourist sites, Sakori is about 5 kilometers from Shirdi. [http://www.shirdi-sai-baba.com/sai/shirdi/excursions-around-shirdi-t17.0.html] [http://www.trustmeher.com/files/five/upasni.htm] [http://mumbai.plantravel.in/html/shirdi.html] ]Life
Upasni Maharaj was born a
Hindu in aBrahmin family of priests in the village of Satana, India, in the district of Nasik onMay 15 1870 . His father's name was Govind Shastri and his mother's, Rukhmini. After a career as an ayurvedic doctor and three marriages (all three died) he began to hear a singing voice that he could not explain. This troubling sound, along with various other difficulties, led him on a difficult quest that finally culminated in him meetingSai Baba of Shirdi who is said to have given him God-realization at the age of 42. Sai Baba then claimed to be the one who was calling him inwardly. Upasni was very fiery and once said, "Unless you are ready to eat crap, how can you aspire for spirituality?" He died in Sakori, India onDecember 24 ,1941 , at the age of seventy one. ["Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba", Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986.]Teachings
The principal teaching of Upasni Maharaj was that there are three rules that if observed sincerely lead to a life worth living: ["The Talks of Shri Sadguru Upasni Maharaj". 1950]
#Not to trouble anybody in the least.
#To suffer for and be useful to others.
#To remain contented in a state of "Be as it may."Master to Meher Baba
Upasni Maharaj was the principle teacher of
Meher Baba . Meher Baba first met Upasni Maharaj when Upasni was staying inShirdi with Sai Baba. Upasni moved toSakori in July 1917 and Meher Baba frequently stayed there as late as October 1922. According to Baba, Upasni Maharaj gave him divine knowledge after he received God-realization in January 1914 at the age of nineteen fromHazrat Babajan . ["The God-Man", C.B. Purdom, London Allen & Unwin Ltd. 1964.] After an absence of nearly 20 years Meher Baba and Upasni Maharaj met for the last time on October 17, 1941 in Dahigaon, a small village in Niphad Taluka in theNashik District ofMaharashtra , just two months before Upasni's death. ["Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba", Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986. p. 2724]References
Further reading
*Shepherd, Kevin R.D. "Gurus Rediscovered: Biographies of Sai Baba of Shirdi and Upasni Maharaj of Sakori." Anthropographia Publications 1986.
External links
* [http://avatarmeherbaba-israel.com/images/gallery/upasnimaharaj/gallery_upasnimaharaj.html Photos of Upasni Maharaj]
* [http://www.trustmeher.com/files/five/upasni.htm Online biography with many photos]
* [http://www.shreeswami.org/shri-upasani-baba-maharaj.htm Sree Swami]
* [http://www.lordmeher.org/index.jsp?pageBase=page.jsp&nextPage=84 Lord Meher]
* [http://www.technobaba.com/upasni/baimaudio.htm Online audio files of discourses of Upasni Maharaj] (audio)
* [http://www.beezone.com/MeherBaba/upasni_and_meher_october_1.htm Final meeting between Upasni Mahara and Meher Baba] (Photos)
* (Video)
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