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Gulabrao Maharaj (6 July 1881 – 27 September 1915) was a
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
saint from
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, India. Despite being blind, he is credited with providing a spiritual and philosophical vision to people. During his lifetime of 34 years, he wrote 139 books on various subjects, comprising more than 6,000 pages, along with 130 commentaries and approximately 25,000 stanzas of poetry.


Biography


Childhood

Gulabrao Maharaj was born on 6 July 1881 into a Maratha-Kunbi family in Maharashtra, to Gonduji Mohod and Alokabai Mohod, originally from the village of Madhan near
Amravati Amravati (/Marathi phonology, əmᵊɾɑʋᵊt̪iː/) is a city in Maharashtra located in the Vidarbha region. It is the ninth largest city in Maharashtra, India & second largest city in the Vidarbha region in terms of population. It is the ...
. His full name was Gulabrao Gundoji Mohod. At the age of nine months, he lost his eyesight due to incorrect medication. When he was four years old, his mother passed away, after which he stayed with his maternal grandmother at Loni Takli for about six years. He was often found in a state of samadhi during the night. Initially, his grandmother and others were frightened to see him sitting in a yogic posture with his respiration completely stopped. However, some elderly and knowledgeable individuals recognised his spiritual state and advised the family not to disturb him during
samadhi Statue of a meditating Rishikesh.html" ;"title="Shiva, Rishikesh">Shiva, Rishikesh ''Samādhi'' (Pali and ), in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, is a state of meditative consciousness. In many Indian religious traditions, the cultivati ...
. He was fond of devotional songs (
bhajans Bhajan is an Indian term for any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Dharmic religions, in any language. The term bhajanam (Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root w ...
), sacred verses (
shlokas Shloka or śloka ( , from the root , Macdonell, Arthur A., ''A Sanskrit Grammar for Students'', Appendix II, p. 232 (Oxford University Press, 3rd edition, 1927).) in a broader sense, according to Monier-Williams's dictionary, is "any verse or stan ...
), and reading occult literature. He would ask his friends to read aloud to him and would instantly repeat the contents. By the age of ten, he had acquired knowledge of the
Vedas FIle:Atharva-Veda samhita page 471 illustration.png, upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the ''Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of relig ...
and
Shastras ''Śāstra'' ( ) is a Sanskrit word that means "precept, rules, manual, compendium, book or treatise" in a general sense.Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on 'zAstra'' The word is ge ...
.


Family tree

The Mohod family of Madhan, near
Amravati Amravati (/Marathi phonology, əmᵊɾɑʋᵊt̪iː/) is a city in Maharashtra located in the Vidarbha region. It is the ninth largest city in Maharashtra, India & second largest city in the Vidarbha region in terms of population. It is the ...
, believed to have migrated from a region near the
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
border in the 11th century. At that time, the family carried the surname 'Mohite', which was later changed to 'Mohod'.


Early life

At the age of 19,
Sant Dnyaneshwar Sant Dnyaneshwar (Marathi pronunciation: ̪ɲaːn̪eʃʋəɾ, (Devanagari : सन्त ज्ञानेश्वर), also referred to as Jñāneśvara, Jñānadeva, Dnyandev or Mauli or Dnyaneshwar Vitthal Kulkarni (1275–1296 (living ...
is believed to have given Gulabrao Maharaj a divine vision (''drushtant'') along with a
mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...
of his own name. Following this vision, the first portrait of Sant Dnyaneshwar was created by an artist under the directions of Gulabrao Maharaj; this portrait is still displayed at the Samadhi temple in
Alandi Alandi (Marathi pronunciation: ːɭən̪d̪iː is a town and a municipal council in the Pune district in the state of Maharashtra, India. The town is popular as a place of pilgrimage and for being the resting place of the 13th century Mar ...
,
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
. Gulabrao Maharaj was also known as "Pradnyachakshu Madhuradwaitacharya Gulabrao Maharaj". Although blind, he was called "Pradnyachakshu", meaning "one with intellectual sight" (from ''pradnya'', meaning intelligence, and ''chakshu'', meaning eyes in
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
). He was considered a master of Vedanta philosophy as well as various occult and physical sciences. It is believed that he possessed divine powers, including the ability to acquire knowledge without the use of physical senses. He was said to be capable of mentally reading and comprehending any book in any language he wished to learn, without the need for his physical eyes. Gulabrao Maharaj introduced a new school of thought known as "Madhuradvaita". In traditional Advaita Vedanta philosophy, the concept of non-dualism asserts that there is no distinction between the individual self and the supreme reality (Brahman), and that all forms and names are considered illusory. Advaita teaches that, "When everything has become one soul, where is another to smell? Who will see whom? Who will hear whom? Who will speak to whom? Who will think of whom? Who will know whom? How can one know the knower?" Thus, it holds that only Brahman exists and the world is an illusion (''maya''). In contrast, " Madhurya Bhakti" refers to devotional love for Lord
Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
, involving a relationship between the devotee and the deity. While Advaita asserts that the devotee, devotion, and deity are ultimately the same, Madhurya Bhakti emphasises a sweet, personal relationship between the devotee and God. It is believed that the saint who possessed eternal knowledge since childhood, due to providence and past karma, had advocated Madhurya Bhakti for the "post-realisation" stage to his disciple Gulabrao Maharaj.


Marriage

In 1896, Gulabrao Maharaj married Mankarnika, the daughter of Ganaji Bhuyar, a farmer from a nearby village.


Work

Although he had lost his eyesight at an early age, Gulabrao Maharaj wrote around 133 books on various subjects, comprising more than 6,000 pages, along with 130 commentaries and approximately 25,000 stanzas of poetry. From 1897, at the age of sixteen, he began writing essays and poetry on religious philosophy. He would visit nearby cities, villages, and towns to meet people and discuss various religious topics. In 1901, it is believed that the 12th-century saint Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj spiritually met Gulabrao Maharaj and accepted him as his disciple. Gulabrao Maharaj often referred to himself as the wife of Lord Krishna and the daughter of Sant Dnyaneshwar. In 1905, he symbolically "married" Lord Krishna. He would dress and adorn himself like a woman, wearing ornaments, applying ''kumkum'' (a red mark) on his forehead, and wearing a ''
mangalasutra A mangala sutra (), or tali (ISO: ''tāḷi''), is a necklace worn by married Hindu women. During a Hindu wedding, the mangalasutra is tied around the neck of the bride by the groom. The ceremony is known as the . ''Mangalasutra'' literally ...
'' (a sacred necklace worn by married Hindu women). In 1902, at the age of 21, he wrote a commentary on the theories of Darwin and Spencer. He authored books on subjects such as ''
dhyana Dhyana may refer to: Meditative practices in Indian religions * Dhyana in Buddhism (Pāli: ''jhāna'') * Dhyana in Hinduism * Jain Dhyāna, see Jain meditation Other *''Dhyana'', a work by British composer John Tavener Sir John Kenneth ...
'' (meditation),
yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
, ''bhakti'' (devotion), and provided commentaries on ancient treatises. He also wrote ''Manas Ayurveda'', which addresses the psychological aspects of
Ayurveda Ayurveda (; ) is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. It is heavily practised throughout India and Nepal, where as much as 80% of the population report using ayurveda. The theory and practice of ayur ...
. He offered guidance to seekers aspiring for salvation and eternal knowledge. Despite being blind, he wrote on complex subjects such as
Yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
, the
Upanishads The Upanishads (; , , ) are late Vedic and post-Vedic Sanskrit texts that "document the transition from the archaic ritualism of the Veda into new religious ideas and institutions" and the emergence of the central religious concepts of Hind ...
, Brahmasutras, and occult sciences, which are often challenging even for scholars. His writing style was unique and he presented his views while maintaining Vedic discipline. He also revealed many aspects of Hindu religious sciences that were not commonly discussed publicly by saints. Although he belonged to the
Kunbi Kunbi (alternatively Kanbi) (Marathi language, Marathi: ISO 15919: ''Kuṇabī'', Gujarati language, Gujarati: ISO 15919: ''Kaṇabī'') is a generic term applied to several caste system, castes of traditional farmers in Western India. These ...
caste, most of his disciples were Brahmins. He was believed to possess knowledge of the Vedas without formal study, due to his state of ''Atmadnyan'' (self-realisation). He was not bound by traditional orthodox rules and deeply respected the Vedas, Brahmanas, and ancient Indian religious texts. Known for his forthrightness, he would often defeat scholars and learned pundits in debates on the ''Shastras'' (scriptures).


Death

Gulabrao Maharaj passed away on 20 September 1915, at the age of 34. In India, it is often observed that individuals who dedicate their lives to the welfare of humanity are truly recognised and appreciated only after their death. Similarly, Gulabrao Maharaj gained widespread recognition posthumously. Many of his disciples attained self-realisation and came to be regarded as saints. His principal disciple, Baba Maharaj Pandit (d. 1964), was known both as a scholar and a saint. He authored numerous books, and his commentary on ''Bhavartha Deepika'', written by Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, was published by Geeta Press, Gorakhpur.


Past life

According to certain beliefs, Sant Gulabrao Maharaj was the reincarnation of Swami Becharanand Maharaj (1765–1880) from
Zinzuwada Zinzuwada, also spelled Jhinjhuvada or Jhinjhuwada is a town in Dasada Taluka of Surendranagar district, Gujarat, India. History According to a legend the town was founded by Zanz Lambariya. He had advised Mayanalla Devi, wife of Chauluky ...
, Gujarat, located about 8 miles from Siddhpur. It is said that in his previous life, Becharanand Maharaj performed penance for 12 years in a forest near the Naleshwar temple, sustaining himself solely on lemons. He later spent his remaining years at the Rajasbai Mataji temple in
Zinzuwada Zinzuwada, also spelled Jhinjhuvada or Jhinjhuwada is a town in Dasada Taluka of Surendranagar district, Gujarat, India. History According to a legend the town was founded by Zanz Lambariya. He had advised Mayanalla Devi, wife of Chauluky ...
. Balavantrao Marathe, originally from Maharashtra, was posted in Zinzuwada as a postmaster from 1864 to 1867. During this time, he and his wife would frequently visit Becharanand Maharaj to seek his blessings. After his retirement, Balavantrao returned to
Amravati Amravati (/Marathi phonology, əmᵊɾɑʋᵊt̪iː/) is a city in Maharashtra located in the Vidarbha region. It is the ninth largest city in Maharashtra, India & second largest city in the Vidarbha region in terms of population. It is the ...
,
Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
. One day, while visiting the Amba Devi temple in Amravati, he rang the temple bells and chanted "Jai Jagdamb". At that moment, he heard someone call out his name: "Who is there, Balavantrao Marathe?" Surprised, he approached the person and realised it was Gulabrao Maharaj. Maharaj remarked, "Balavantrao, it seems you have forgotten me," and further revealed, "Some people from Zinzuwada have also accompanied me in this life." Following this incident, Balavantrao began visiting Gulabrao Maharaj regularly. Although devotees often urged him to share the story of how he recognised Maharaj, he initially avoided discussing it. Eventually, however, he agreed to narrate the details about Becharanand Maharaj.


References


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Maharaj, Gulabrao 20th-century Hindu religious leaders 1881 births Indian blind people Marathi Hindu saints 1915 deaths