This is a place where Swami Samarth got enlightened. The tree where he got enlightened is inside the temple.
There is space to sit and meditate. You can go into meditative states effortlessly here.
How to get there
The temple is located 1.1 km South of Akkalkot Bus Stand.
Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RUmvEzrzEoWMQ9et6
About Shree Swami Samarth
Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati – Incarnation of Lord Dattareya
In a place called Karanja Nagar (Karnataka State) in Southern India, there lived a pious Brahmin couple, Madhava and Ambabhavani, in the 13th century.
Asceticism
To this God-fearing & religious couple, was born a son around 1275 A.D. This child was the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya and came to be known as the great sage Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati. The child was unique in the sense that, he was chanting only ‘Aum’ (the Hindu holy chant) since his birth. The parents were concerned about his dumbness till his ‘Vratabandha’ (the sacred thread bearing ceremony), when this child was merely eight years old, he started reciting all the four Vedas (the Holiest Hindu scriptures) to the great astonishment of all the learned people.
After the aforesaid incident, the child left for Kashi (Uttar Pradesh State, Northern India) for Tapas [penance]. Pleased with his rigorous tapasya [penance], a learned ascetic named Shree Krishna Saraswati Swami, initiated him into Sanyasashram (Ascetism) and gave him the name, Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati.
Biography
The biography of Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati “Shree Gurucharitra”, gives us the details of his work in guiding the devotees and the various miracles he performed to help the devotees. He stayed at Ganagapur (Karnataka State, Southern India) for a long time and then gave his “Nirguna Padukas” to his disciples and devotees, before leaving for the Kardali forests to perform Tapas [penance]. His disciples prepared a floating seat of flowers for him on which he sailed against the current of the river Patalganga and disappeared.
Rigorous Penance
He performed rigorous tapasya [penance] on the Shree Shail mountain in the Kardali forests for nearly 150 years. After this he took an extensive pilgrimage, covering even places, now known as Jawa, Sumatra, Indonesia, China, Japan, Australia etc., relieved many people from their miseries, and guided them on the spiritual path. Finally, he came to the ranges of Himalayas where he enlightened many devotees. Later he sat under a Deodar tree for tapasya [penance]. This Tapasya [penance] in the Himalayas lasted for nearly 250 years, but a woodcutter unknowingly axed the anthill enveloping the body of Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati. This resulted in the break in Tapasya [penance] and Shrimad Nrusimha Saraswati then left for an extensive travel throughout the Indian sub-continent guiding the devotees.
Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth
During this travel, he became popular by various names at various places. Thus at one place he was known as Chanchal Bharati and at another place he would be called Digambar Swami. As he travelled and stayed at various places, he became the Guru (preceptor) of many great souls like Shree Ramkrishna Paramahansa, Shree Saibaba of Shirdi, Shree Shankar Maharaj, Shree Gajajan Maharaj of Shegaon etc. Finally he settled down at Akkalkot (Maharashtra State) and stayed there for 24 years from 1854 A.D. to 1878 A.D. and thus came to be known as the Akkalkot Niwasi Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj (the great sage of Akkalkot).
Here he enlightened many disciples, such as Shree Dev Mamledar, Shree Balappa Maharaj, Shree Cholappa Maharaj, Shree Nrusimha Saraswati Maharaj of Alandi, Shree Ramanand Beedkar Maharaj of Pune etc.
Mahasamaadhi
On April 30, 1878 (Chaitra Vadya Trayodashi of Hindu year 1800) after nearly 600 years of the incarnation, the great sage adopted MahaSamadhi [the last conscious communion with God] under his favourite Banyan tree.
Devotees still experience his divine presence and feel reassured because of his quote “I have not gone, I am still present”.
Swami Samarth
Shri Akkalkot Niwasi Maharaj (the great Sage of Akkalkot), also known as Swami Samarth (Samarth – One Who Has The Power), is considered the third incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Though Swami traveled far and wide, He finally settled in this place called ‘Akkalkot’ (situated in the Solapur district of Maharashtra state of India). He resided there for twenty-two years, where he also chose to leave his body in 1878. Swami Samarth arrived at Akkalkot in 1856 upon receiving an invitation from Chintopant Tol and then stayed on the outskirts of the town. He usually lived at the residence of his disciple, Cholappa, where his shrine is presently located. Like Shirdi Sai Baba and Gajanan Maharaj, Swami’s origin remains obscure. One time a disciple asked Swami a question about his birth; Swami responded that he had originated from a banyan tree (vata-vriksha in Marathi). On another occasion, Swami said that his last name was Nrusimha Bhan. He also added that he is a Yajurvedi Brahmin (Yajurveda is one of the four Vedas and one of the scriptures of Hinduism. It is a compilation of formulas for ritual offerings) and that he is from the clan of Rishi Kashyap and that his moon sign is Meena (Pisces).
Swami Samarth’s devotees consider him to be the same person as Sri Narasimha Saraswathi Maharaj.
Life History
The beginning of Swami Samarth’s incarnation is shrouded in mystery.
Shri Narasimha Saraswathi (1378-1459), known as an earlier incarnation of Dattatreya, helped and spiritually uplifted many people over a few decades. He then went away to the Himalayas for penance and went into Samadhi. Legend has it that he remained in Samadhi for about three hundred years, during which time a giant anthill grew over him, and he disappeared to the outside world.* One day, accidentally, a woodcutter’s axe fell on the bushes grown around the anthill. He was shocked to find bloodstains on the blade of the axe. He cleared the anthill, and lo, he found a Yogi in meditation. The Yogi slowly opened his eyes and consoled the dumbfounded woodcutter, saying that it was divine will for Him to re-appear in the world to resume His mission. This Yogi, in his new role, came to be known as Swami Samarth. The mark of the axe wound did remain on the thigh of Sri Swami Samarth.
Swami Maharaj was a Superhuman with a lustre that was divine and brilliant. He was graced with long arms extending down to his knees. Such a lustre of divine brilliance emitted from his body that no one could look at Him directly. He had a fair complexion, a long straight nose, curved eyebrows, long ears, broad chest, thighs like a banana tree, and lotus-like feet. He had a sandal mark on his forehead and his arms. He usually would wear a loincloth. Sometimes Sri Swami would remove and throw away the loincloth and go naked (digambar). Sometimes he would wear an ear cap; at other times he would wear a red-ochre costume. Sri Swami would always look very graceful. The nature of Sri Swami Samarth Maharaj was simple and straightforward. He was like a child. He was very generous, very kind to the devotees, and always showered love towards his devotees. He would treat everyone equally without any difference.
Swami Maharaj would sometimes sleep on a bed; at times on stone, sometimes there would be the insignia of royalty with elephants and horses, but sometimes He would sit on a heap of rubbish. He would sometimes take a bath several times a day, but at other times He would not take a bath for eight days. Sometimes He stayed in a Palace, but sometimes on the verandah of a temple. He would sometimes sleep on a cot and sometimes in a pit. In all locations and under all circumstances, He was absorbed in Himself. Sri Swami was temperate in speech and occasionally adopted silence. At other times, He could be very outspoken and shower abuses. Whether a person was rich, honourable, or even a woman, Sri Swami would speak directly and clearly, and expose them openly if necessary. His speech would be either indicative or symbolic.
Maloji Raje Bhosle, the king of the Akkalkot regime at that time, was initially a devotee of Sri Narasimha Saraswati and usually went to Ganagapur to attend celebrations. Once, he received a visionary insight where Sri Narasimha Saraswathi (Sriguru) told him, ‘I have already moved to reside in Akkalkot. Then why are you coming to Ganagapur?‘ From that day onwards, King Maloji Raje started rendering his devotional service to Sri Swami Samarth at Akkalkot. Like this, there have been innumerable occasions where Sriguru appeared to his devotees in visions and dreams, asking them to go to Swami Samarth, for he had moved to Akkalkot, and they could pay their respects in person there.
Once, the priest at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu was collecting money from pilgrims who wanted to take a bath in the holy waters of the Koti Koop Tirth. When Swami Samarth arrived there, the priest did not allow Swami to take a bath in the sacred waters without paying money. At this same instant, worms started writhing in the holy waters of Koti Koop Tirth. The priest became nervous and approached the Shankaracharya (a commonly used title for the heads of monasteries in the Advaita tradition) of Shringeri Mutt. Then the Shankaracharya went into the Samadhi state and observed that Sri Swami Samarth is not only an ascetic; in fact, He is an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya Himself. After realising the truth, all the people surrendered to Sri Swami Samarth. Only then, the Tirth (holy water) got purified.
During his extensive travels, Swami became popular by various names at various places. Thus, in one place, he was known as Chanchal Bharati, and at another location, he would be called Digambar Swami before finally settling at Akkalkot. Swami Samarth was a powerful Master who created powerful disciples like Shankar Maharaj, Gajanan Maharaj, Junglee Maharaj, etc. He treated Muslims, Christians, and Parsees alike. He always bestowed his kindness on the poor, needy, and people at the lowest rung of society.
After serving the poor, curing the sick, and helping the spiritual seekers over a few decades, Swami Samarth suddenly announced that the time had come for him to leave his physical existence. By the Hindu calendar, his departure happened at Chaitra Suddha trayodasi, Shaka 1800, i.e. 1878 AD, Tuesday at 4 p.m. At that time, he seated himself in Padmasana (Lotus Posture) and uttered his last words – ‘No one should weep, I shall always be present at all places, and I shall respond to every call of the devotees.’ Tradition holds that when he took Samadhi, his soul split in two – one part merged with the banyan tree, which is now worshipped as his Samadhi, the other merged with Sai Baba of Shirdi. The fame of Sai Baba grew far and wide right after the merger. Maharaj’s famous words are printed on the back of many taxis in Mumbai – ‘Bheevu nakkos, mi thujhya paatheeshi aahe’ – ‘Fear not. I am always with you.’
HIS PROMISE BEFORE DEPARTURE TO CONTINUE AS SHIRDI SAI
Just before he had left his gross body, one devotee named Keshav Nayak, emotionally charged, asked, ‘Maharaj, since you are going, who will give us protection?’ Swami Samarth gave him a pair of his sandals to worship and told him, ‘In the future, I will be staying at Shirdi in district Ahmednagar.‘
Another devotee, Krishna Ali Bagkar, decided to go to Akkalkot and worship the padukas (sandals) of Swami Samarth. After that, he got a dream appearance of Swami Samarth, who told him, ‘Now I am staying at Shirdi, go there and worship me.’ Bagkar went to Shirdi, where he stayed for six months. Later, when he wanted to take leave of Shri Sai and go to Akkalkot again, Shri Sai told him, ‘What is there in Akkalkot? The Maharaj of Akkalkot is staying right here.’ Bagkar then realised no difference existed between Swami Samarth and Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi, as he recalled his earlier dream. The divine game (Leela) of Swami Samarth did not end with his Maha Samadhi (shedding his mortal coil). His devotees continue to experience the miracles of his visible and invisible help even today.
*Mukund Hanumante, in his Swami Samarth biography book ‘A Glimpse of Divinity’, states that there is no direct, credible evidence for the woodcutter story. Instead, he supports and provides evidence that Sri Swami Samarth manifested himself as a young lad of eight years old around 1137 AD and carried out his divine mission silently until his appearance in Akkalkot, Maharashtra in the mid-nineteenth century. Whichever version is correct, the origin of the life of this great Dattatreya Avatar is mysterious.
Tradition and Gurus
Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj had ordered his youngest and dearest disciple, Shree Ramanand Beedkar Maharaj of Pune, to propagate the Swaroop Sampradaya. Swaroop Sampradaya is a religious sect wherein the aspirant concentrates on viewing the ‘Atman’ or the soul. The Swaroop Sampradaya is a very ancient tradition with Lord Shiva as the first Guru. Lord Shiva first initiated Goddess Parvati into Swaroop Sampradaya, and later this tradition continued in history with the initiation of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Sages Vasishtha, Shukdeo, etc. This tradition further continued with Masters such as Sri Govindpad, Sri Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, Sri Vidyaranyaswami, Sri Krishna Saraswati, and Srimat Nrusimha Saraswati up to Sri Swami Samarth, the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.
