Upasni Maharaj

Upasni Maharaj, born Kashinath Govindrao Upasni,[1] (15 May 1870 – 24 December 1941[2]) was considered by his disciples to be a satguru. He lived in Sakori, British India, and is said to have received God-realization from Sai Baba of Shirdi. Sakori is located in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra, about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from Shirdi.

Upasni
Born15 May 1870
Satana, British India
Died24 December 1941(1941-12-24) (aged 71)
Ahmednagar district, British India
Era20th century
RegionIndia
SchoolHinduism, Advaita Vedanta

Early life

Upasani Maharaj was the second of five sons, born into a family of Sanskrit scholars at Satana a small village in the district of Nasik. His father's name was Govind Shastri and his mother's, Rukhmini.[3]

Career

After a career as an ayurvedic doctor and three marriages where all three wives died, he began to hear a singing voice that he could not explain. This troubling sound, along with various other problems, led him on a difficult quest that finally culminated in him meeting Sai 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.

He died in Sakori, India on 24 December 1941, at the age of 71.[4]

Teachings

The principal teaching of Upasni Maharaj was that there are three rules that if observed sincerely lead to a life worth living:[5]

  1. Not to trouble anybody in the least.
  2. To suffer for and be useful to others.
  3. To remain contented in a state of Be as it may.

Master to Meher Baba
Final meeting with Meher Baba on 17 October 1941

Upasni Maharaj was the principal teacher of Meher Baba. Meher Baba first met Upasni Maharaj in 1915 when Upasni was staying in Shirdi with Sai Baba.

Upasni moved to Sakori in July 1917 and Meher Baba frequently stayed there as late as October 1922. According to Meher Baba, Upasni Maharaj gave him divine knowledge after he received God-realization in January 1914 at the age of 19 from Hazrat Babajan.[6] Charles Purdom recounts that, at the end of December, 1921, Upasni made several comments relating to Meher Baba. He said to his disciples: "I have given my charge to Meherwanji. He is the holder of my key." Some time later he said "This boy will move the world. Humanity at large will be benefited at his hands." A few days later he sent for Gustadji Hansotia, one of his leading disciples, and told him "I have made Meherwanji perfect. He is the Sadguru of this Age. Now you have to leave me and stick to him." To Behramji he said, "Your friend is God-realized; carry out every command and every desire of his." Finally, one night he folded his hands and said, "Meherwanji, you are adi-shakti: you are Avatar."[7]

After a separation of nearly 20 years, Meher Baba and Upasni Maharaj met for the last time on 17 October 1941 in Dahigaon, a small village in Niphad taluka in the Nashik district of Maharashtra, just two months before Upasni's death.[8]

References
  1. Purdom, C. B., The God-Man: The life, journeys and work of Meher Baba with an interpretation of his silence and spiritual teaching, Crescent Beach, South Carolina: Sheriar Press, 1971, p. 23 (originally published in London by Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1964). The first biography of Upasni was Narasimha's Sage of Sakori (Madras, 1935; 2nd ed. 1938).
  2. Satpathy, Chandra Bhanu Shirdi Sai Baba and other perfact masters, Sterling Paperbacks, New Delhi, 2001
  3. Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba, Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986, p. 87
  4. Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba, Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986.
  5. Godamastu, ed. The Talks of Sadguru Upasani Baba Maharaj, 4 vols, Reprint; Sakuri: Shri Upasani Kanya Kumari Sthan, 1978 (1957).
  6. Purdom, op. cit., p. 24.
  7. Purdom, op. cit., p. 26.
  8. Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba, Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986. p. 2724

Further reading
  • Harper, Marvin Henry The Saint who suffered: Sri Upasani Baba Maharaj, Chap 3 in Gurus, Swamis and Avatars: Spiritual Masters and their American disciples, Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1972.
  • Jannarkar, R. S. A Pictoral Story of Shree Upasani Kanya Kumari Ashram, Sakuri, Reprint; Sakuri: Shri Upasani Kanya Kumari Sthan, 1973 (1955).
  • Narasimha Iyer, Bhavani Sage of Sakori, Madras, 1935.
  • Tipnis, S. N. Contribution of Upasani Baba to Indian culture, Shri B.T. Wagh, 1966.
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