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 a satguru. He lived in Sakori, India and is said to have received God-realization from Sai Baba of Shirdi. Sakori is located in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra, about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Shirdi. [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 a Brahmin family of priests in the village of Satana, India, in the district of Nasik on May 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 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. 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 on December 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 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 Baba, Upasni Maharaj gave him divine knowledge after he received God-realization in January 1914 at the age of nineteen from Hazrat 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 the Nashik District of Maharashtra, 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)