Sri nisargadatta maharaj biography sampler

Indian guru of nondualism (1897–1981)

Nisargadatta Maharaj^{[note 1]} (born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli; 17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981) was an Amerindian guru of nondualism, belonging want the Inchagiri Sampradaya, a bloodline of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya.

The publication in 1973 of I Am That, air English translation of his colloquy in Marathi by Maurice Frydman, brought him worldwide recognition be proof against followers, especially from North U.s.a. and Europe.

Biography

Early life

Nisargadatta was innate on 17 April 1897 give a positive response Shivrampant Kambli and Parvati baic, in Bombay.^{[web 1][dubious – discuss]} Influence day was also Hanuman Jayanti, the birthday of Hanuman, therefore the boy was named 'Maruti', after him.^{[2][web 2][note 2]} Enthrone parents were followers of description Varkari sampradaya,^{[web 3]}Vaishnavite bhakti practice which worships Vithoba.

His ecclesiastic, Shivrampant, worked as a drudge servant in Mumbai and following became a petty farmer take Kandalgaon.

Maruti Shivrampant Kambli was brought up in Kandalgaon, well-ordered small village in the Sindhudurga district of Maharashtra, with dominion two brothers, four sisters topmost deeply religious parents.^{[web 4]} Be thankful for 1915, after his father monotonous, he moved to Bombay be a consequence support his family back fine, following his elder brother.

At or in the beginning he worked as a worse clerk at an office however quickly he opened a run down goods store, mainly selling beedis (leaf-rolled cigarettes) and soon infamous a string of eight trade shops.^{[web 5]} In 1924 fiasco married Sumatibai and they challenging three daughters and a phenomenon.

Sadhana

In 1933, he was extraneous to his guru, Siddharameshwar Maharaj, the head of the Inchegiri branch of the Navnath Sampradaya, by his friend Yashwantrao Baagkar. His guru told him, "You are not what you outlook yourself to be...".^{[web 6]} Siddharameshwar initiated him into the Inchegiri Sampradaya, giving him meditation-instruction opinion a mantra, which he instantly began to recite.^{[web 3]} Siddharameshwar gave Nisargadatta instructions for self-enquiry which he followed verbatim, orangutan he himself recounted later:

My Guru ordered me to put in an appearance at to the sense 'I am' and to give attention willing nothing else.

I just obeyed. I did not follow half-baked particular course of breathing, convey meditation, or study of upanishads. Whatever happened, I would rotate away my attention from on the level and remain with the belief 'I am'. It may fathom too simple, even crude. Slump only reason for doing endure was that my Guru spoken me so. Yet it worked!^[3]

Following his guru's instructions to restrict ascribe on the feeling "I Am", he used all his allow time looking at himself reap silence, and remained in divagate state for the coming maturity, practising meditation and singing otherworldly bhajans:^{[web 7]}

My Guru told me: "...Go back to that renovate of pure being, where picture 'I am' is still purchase its purity before it got contaminated with 'this I am' or 'that I am.' Your burden is of false self-identifications—abandon them all." My guru uttered me, "Trust me, I announce you: you are Divine.

Dampen it as the absolute correctness. Your joy is divine, your suffering is divine too. Lessening comes from God. Remember service always. You are God, your will alone is done." Mad did believe him and erelong realized how wonderfully true present-day accurate were his words. Beside oneself did not condition my be of the same opinion by thinking, "I am Genius, I am wonderful, I sketch beyond." I simply followed sovereign instruction, which was to target the mind on pure life, "I am," and stay mop the floor with it.

I used to company for hours together, with breakdown but the "I am" back my mind and soon illustriousness peace and joy and profound all-embracing love became my average state. In it all disappeared—myself, my guru, the life Frantic lived, the world around progress. Only peace remained, and impenetrable silence.

(I Am That, Discussion 51, April 16, 1971).^{[web 3]}

After an association that lasted scarcely two and a half adulthood, Siddharameshwar Maharaj died on 9 November 1936.^{[4][web 3]} In 1937, Maharaj left Mumbai and traveled across India.^{[web 8]} After consignment months he returned to jurisdiction family in Mumbai in 1938.^[5] On the journey home her majesty state of mind changed, fulfilling that "nothing was wrong anymore."^{[web 3]} He spent the interrupt of his life in Bombay, maintaining one shop to take home an income.^{[web 3]}

Later years

Between 1942 and 1948 he suffered four personal losses, first the passing of his wife, Sumatibai, followed by the death of tiara daughter.

He started to allot initiations in 1951, after calligraphic personal revelation from his guide, Siddharameshwar Maharaj.^{[web 3]}

After he out-of-the-way from his shop in 1966, Nisargadatta Maharaj continued to accept and teach visitors in diadem home, giving discourses twice a-one day, until his death getupandgo 8 September 1981 at probity age of 84, of upset cancer.^{[web 9]}

Teachings

Style of teaching

Nisargadatta gave talks and answered questions chops his humble flat in Khetwadi, Mumbai, where a mezzanine elbowroom was created for him assume receive disciples and visitors.

That room was also used fulfill daily chantings, bhajans (devotional songs), meditation sessions, and discourses.^{[web 3]}

Cathy Boucher notes that the Inchagiri Sampradaya emphasized mantra meditation unearth its inception in the ahead of time 19th century, but that picture emphasis shifted toward a transformation of Self-enquiry with Sri Siddharameshwar.

Nevertheless,

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj [...] still gave mantra initiation, truthful the underlying point being defer the mantra was more better sound, it was the Put on the right track Itself which could be reverberated throughout life in all circumstance.

Boucher also notes that Nisargadatta adoptive a different mode of harmony, through questions and answers, sue for his western disciples.

Many hint Nisargadatta Maharaj's talks were authentic, and formed the basis on the way out I Am That as follow as of the several assail books attributed to him.

Awareness depart true nature

According to Timothy Conway, Nisargadatta's only subject was

...our real Identity as the birthless-deathless, infinite-eternal Absolute Awareness or Parabrahman, and Its play of emanated universal consciousness.

For Maharaj, pungent only "problem" (an imagined one!) is a case of in error identity: we presume to put right an individual, and, originally scold fundamentally, we are not program individual, we are intrinsically uniformly and only the Absolute.^{[web 3]}

Nisargadatta explains:

The life force [prana] and the mind are broken [of their own accord], on the other hand the mind will tempt boss about to believe that it levelheaded "you".

Therefore understand always go wool-gathering you are the timeless spaceless witness. And even if interpretation mind tells you that support are the one who job acting, don't believe the prize. [...] The apparatus [mind, body] which is functioning has burst into tears upon your original essence, on the other hand you are not that apparatus.^[8]

In Consciousness and the Absolute, Nisargadatta Maharaj further explains:

In blue blood the gentry consciousness hierarchy there are combine stages:

1.

Jivatman is primacy one who identifies himself prep added to the body-mind. One who thinks I am a body, a-ok personality, an individual apart liberate yourself from the world. He excludes extra isolates himself from the area as a separate personality being of identification with the intent and the mind.

2. Following only the beingness, or say publicly consciousness, which is the field.

"I Am" means my vast world. Just being and distinction world. Together with the state the world is also change - that is Atman.

3. The Ultimate principle that knows this beingness cannot be termed at all. It cannot reproduction approached or conditioned by batty words. That is the End state.

The hierarchy I enumerate in common words, like: Irrational have a grandson (that survey jivatma).

I have a soul and I am the old codger. Grandfather is the source describe the son and grandson.

The three stages cannot mistrust termed as knowledge. The designation knowledge comes at beingness file. I have passed on commerce you the essence of tidy up teachings.^[9]

Self-enquiry

According to Conway, awareness make public the Absolute could be regained by

...

a radical disidentification from the dream of "me and my world" via greatly meditative self-inquiry (atma-vicara) and beyond compare Wisdom-Knowledge (vijñana or jñana). "I know only Atma-yoga, which progression 'Self-Knowledge,' and nothing else.... Return to health process is Atma-yoga, which basis abidance in the Self."^{[web 3]}

Devotion and mantra repetition

Nisargadatta was ponderous consequential of a merely intellectual nearing to nondual Truth.^{[web 3]} Operate had a strong devotional excitement towards his own guru,^{[web 3]} and suggested the path be beaten devotion, Bhakti yoga, to untainted of his visitors, as operate believed the path of participation, Jnana yoga was not greatness only approach to Truth.

Nisargadatta also emphasized love of Master and God,^{[web 3]} and significance practice of mantra repetition sit singing bhajans, devotional songs.^{[web 3][note 3]}

Scriptures

According to Timothy Conway, Nisargadatta often read Marathi scriptures: Nath saint Jnanesvar's Amrutanubhav and Jnanesvari (Gita Commentary); Varkari Sants, explicitly Eknatha's Bhagavat (Eknathi Bhagavata, a- rewrite of the Bhagavad Purana), Ramdas' Dasbodha, and Tukaram's poems; but also the Yoga Vasistha, Adi Shankara's treatises, and dire major Upanishads.^{[web 3]}

Nisarga Yoga

Nisargadatta unskilled what has been called Nisarga Yoga^[11] (Nisarga can be translated as "nature").^[12] In I Suppose That, Nisarga Yoga is cautious as living life with "harmlessness," "friendliness," and "interest," abiding emphasis "spontaneous awareness" while being "conscious of effortless living."^[13] The exercise of this form of Yoga involves meditating on one's hidden of "I am", "being" put "consciousness" with the aim bring in reaching its ultimate source previous to this sense, which Nisargadatta called the "Self".

Influence second edition of I Association That includes an epilogue aristocratic Nisarga Yoga by Maurice Frydman which includes this passage:

"This quarters on the sense 'I am' is the simple, easy increase in intensity natural Yoga, the Nisarga Yoga. There is no secrecy sight it and no dependence; inept preparation is required and clumsy initiation.

Whoever is puzzled invitation his very existence as precise conscious being and earnestly wants to find his own inception, can grasp the ever-present concept of 'I am' and delay on it assiduously and patiently, till the clouds obscuring primacy mind dissolve and the line of reasoning of being is seen remodel all its glory."^[11]

Nisargadatta did whine prescribe a specific practice backer self-knowledge but advised his tutor, "Don't pretend to be what you are not, don't conceal to be what you are."^[14] By means of self-enquiry, proscribed advised, "Why don't you 1 how real are the earth and the person?".^[15] Nisargadatta repeatedly spoke about the importance grapple having the "inner conviction" inexact one's true nature and outdoors such Self-knowledge one would loving to suffer.^[12] Nisargadatta claimed stroll the names of the Faith deitiesShiva, Rama and Krishna were the names of nature (Nisarga) personified,^[12] and that all ticking off life arises from the changeless non-dual source or Self.

Reminder of this source was greatness core of Nisargadatta's message:

'You entrap not your body, but paying attention are the consciousness in rank body, because of which ready to react have the awareness of 'I am'. It is without give reasons for, just pure beingness. It has become soul of the artificial. In the absence of your consciousness, the world will call for be experienced.

Hence, you cabaret the consciousness… remember what paying attention have heard… meditate on consent. Meditation means you have disclose hold consciousness by itself. Nobility consciousness should give attention run itself. This consciousness is Ishwara. As there is no Creator other than this consciousness, honour it.' 'The knowledge "I am" is God.

It is Ishwara, as well as maya. Mayan is God's power. All justness names of God are vacation this consciousness only in dissimilar forms. Remember the fact "I am not the body" distinguished get firmly established. That psychotherapy the sign of a faithful seeker.'^[16]

The Seven Principles of Nisarga Yoga (As identified by Alarm bell Higham, 2018)^[17]

1. Non-identification and right understanding
2. Interest and earnestness
3. Spontaneity and effortlessness
4. Attentiveness be being
5. Right action
6. Going within to move about beyond
7. Awareness of Self

Lineage

Main article: Inchagiri Sampradaya

Disciples

Among his best known followers are Maurice Frydman, Sailor Tail Adamson, Stephen Howard Wolinsky (born 31 January 1950), Jean Dunn, Alexander Smit (Sri Parabrahmadatta Maharaj) (1948-1998), Douwe Tiemersma (7 Jan 1945 – 3 January 2013), Robert Powell, Timothy Conway, Thespian Dyer and Ramesh Balsekar (1917-2009).

A less well known apprentice is Sri Ramakant Maharaj (born 8 July 1941), who customary the naam mantra from Nisargadatta in 1962, spent the go by 19 years with the master.^{[web 10][web 11]} and claims space be "the only Indian primordial disciple of Shri Nisargadatta Maharaj" who offers initiation into that lineage.^{[web 12]} Sachin Kshirsagar, who has published a series call up books on Nisargadatta in justness Marathi language^{[web 13]} and as well re-published Master of Self Realization, says to have received class Naam (Mantra) in a day-dream from Shree Nisargadatta Maharaj resolve 17 Oct., 2011.

Successors

David Godman gives the following account invite an explanation by Nisargadatta carry the succession of Gurus consign the Inchagiri Sampradaya:

I go to regularly here every day answering your questions, but this is mass the way that the work force cane of my lineage used don do their work.

A infrequent hundred years ago there were no questions and answers contention all. Ours is a occupant lineage, which means everyone difficult to go out and merit his living. There were inept meetings like this where dogma met in large numbers blank the Guru and asked him questions. Travel was difficult. Less were no buses, trains endure planes.

In the old stage the Guru did the motion on foot, while the lyceum stayed at home and looked after their families. The Lecturer walked from village to nearby to meet the disciples. Providing he met someone he coherence was ready to be make-believe in the sampradaya, he would initiate him with mantra foothold the lineage.

That was honesty only teaching given out.

Jitish kallat installation

The pupil would repeat the mantra station periodically the Guru would capital to the village to observe what progress was being sense. When the Guru knew lose concentration he was about to solve away, he would appoint way of being of the householder-devotees to have someone on the new Guru, and dump new Guru would then capture on the teaching duties: prosaic from village to village, instigating new devotees and supervising nobility progress of the old ones.^{[web 14]}

According to David Godman, Nisargadatta was not allowed by Siddharameshwar to appoint a successor, on account of he "wasn't realised himself as Siddharameshwar passed away."^{[web 14]} Nisargadatta started to initiate others delete 1951, after receiving an halfway revelation from Siddharameshwar.^{[web 3]} Nisargadatta himself explains:

The Navnath Sampradaya is only a tradition, skilfully of teaching and practice.

Cherish does not denote a muffled of consciousness. If you ferry a Navnath Sampradaya teacher bring in your Guru, you join dominion Sampradaya. Usually you receive a-okay token of his grace - a look, a touch, vague a word, sometimes a brilliant dream or a strong remembrance.

Works

• Self Knowledge & Self Realisation, Bombay: Ram Narayan Chavhan, 1963
• I Guild That (ed.

  Maurice Frydman), Bombay: Chetana, 1973, ISBN 9788185300450

• Pointers escape Nisargadatta Maharaj (ed. Ramesh Severe. Balsekar), Bombay: Chetana, 1982, ISBN 978-0893860042
• Seeds of Consciousness (ed. Pants Dunn), NC: Acorn Press, 1982, ISBN 978-0893860257
• Prior to Consciousness (ed.

  Jean Dunn), New York: Woodland out of the woo Press, 1985, ISBN 978-8185300351

• The Treat of the Lord's Feet (ed. Robert Powell), Longmead en Shaftesbury (Dorset): Element Books, 1987, ISBN 978-1852300111 republished as The Kickshaw of Immortality, San Diego: Sad Dove Press, 2001, ISBN 978-1884997136
• The Ultimate Medicine (ed.

  Robert Powell), San Diego: Blue Dove Press, 1994, ISBN 978-1556436338

• Consciousness and righteousness Absolute (ed. Jean Dunn), Durham: Acorn Press, 1994, ISBN 978-0893860417
• The Experience of Nothingness (ed. Parliamentarian Powell), San Diego: Blue Bird Press, 1996, ISBN 978-1884997143
• Gleanings outlander Nisargadatta (ed.

  Mark West), Above Description Publishing, 2006

• Beyond Freedom (ed. Maria Jory), Mumbai: Yogi Depart, 2007, ISBN 978-8188479283
• I Am Unborn (ed. Damodar Lund and Pradeep Apte), 2007
• The Nisargadatta Gita (ed. Pradeep Apte), 2008, ISBN 978-0984776764
• Meditations with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (ed.

  Dinkar Kshirsagar and Suresh Folklore. Mehta), Mumbai: Yogi Impressions, 2014, ISBN 978-9382742197

• Nothing is Everything (ed. Mohan Gaitonde), Mumbai: Zen Publications, 2014, ISBN 978-9382788973
• Self-Love (ed. Dinkar Kshirsagar), Mumbai: Zen Publications, 2017, ISBN 978-0984776764
• The Earliest Discourses: Meditations from 1954-1956 (ed.

  Shankarrao Hazardous. Daygude and Dinkar Kshirsagar), Mumbai: Zen Publications, 2020, ISBN 978-9387242388

See also

Notes

References

Sources

Printed sources

Web sources

Further reading

• Stephen Howard Wolinsky, Frantic Am That I Am: First-class Tribute to Sri Nisargadatta. 2000. ISBN 0-9670362-5-9.
• Peter Brent, Godmen of Bharat. NY: Quadrangle Books, 1972, pp. 136–40.
• S.

  Gogate & P.T. Phadol, Legitimate the Sage: Shri Nisargadatta, Sri Sadguru Nisargadatta Maharaj Amrit Mahotsav Samiti, 1972.

• Neal Rosner (Swami Paramatmananda), On the Road to Freedom: A Pilgrimage in India, Vol. 1, San Ramon, CA: Mata Amritanandamayi Center, 1987, pp. 212–8.
• Ramesh Sadashiv Balsekar, Explorations into the Eternal: Forays from the Teaching be fond of Nisargadatta Maharaj .

  1989. ISBN 0-89386-023-9.

• Bertram Salzman, Awaken to the Eternal: Nisargadatta Maharaj: a Journey go Self Discovery. 2006. ISBN 1-878019-28-7.
• Saumitra Krishnarao Mullarpattan (died September 2012), Class Last Days of Nisargadatta Maharaj. India: Yogi Impressions Books, 2007. ISBN 81-88479-26-8.
• Dasbodh – Spiritual Instruction for description Servant – Saint Shri Samartha Ramdas, Sadguru Publishing, 2010 ISBN 978-0-615-37327-0

DVDs

External links

Nisargadatta websites

Generic Web resources on Nisargadatta

Lineage

Background and biography

Films

Publications by Nisargadatta Maharaj