The complexion of Shri Satam Maharaj was reddish. His height was about five feet, with possessing well built body. He, almost looked like Vaman Avatar (Fifth incarnation of Lord Vishnu) with sweet voice. However, his stature used to appear sometimes tall or sometimes short. In weight, sometimes he used to feel very heavy or sometimes so light that, even the aged people could carry him on his shoulders with actual feeling of flowers and not the body on their backs or shoulders.
Though, Danoli was his settled place, He was never attached to a particular place. He used to wander into forests and often visit nearby other villages, to satisfy his devotees in those areas. In Danoli, he used to take bath in Nagzari and often found sleeping in the cowshed. He was also found sleeping sometimes four to five days without food. He was found to possess irrational behavior, including child like depending upon his mood.
At times, he appeared behaving like a mad man. But, invariably behind this apparent mad behavior, was hidden motive of obliging the people with redressing their grievances. He often used to hit the people with whatever thing he got in his hand and even used to abuse the people, but behind these insane acts, was His, compassion and love for the people because, it was observed that, all the people who were the victims of His hitting or abusing, were ultimately cured of their ailments or sufferings.
He was seen sometimes laughing or sometimes crying, but behind this laughing or crying was happiness or sadness of good or bad events, taking place somewhere. Because, He had the intuitive power of knowing everything, taking place or occurring anywhere, anytime around the world, any deplorable action occurring anywhere never missed His attention.
Though lacking in formal education, He knew many languages. He not only used to speak fluently but also used to sing in many languages. While singing, He even used to dance sometimes, deeply immersed in Himself.
He also appeared naked at times. He even has rolled in the dust of the earth, indicating that He never gave importance to His body and dress. He absolutely made no distinction between dust and gold.
He possessed such a power that, even He had the full control over the five elements of the universe. Once He caused the rainfall, just by looking at the sky, even though it was clear sky. And, at one other place, to avoid the disturbance in a religious function, He even stopped the possible rain falling, by dispersing the rain filled clouds, with His mere look.
He never differentiated between rich and poor, a king or a beggar, a male or a female. He used to treat everybody alike. He had no attachment for a fixed diet. You are aware that, the Leopard never makes any attempt for His livelihood. He simply accepts whatever comes in his reach without running for it. Shri Satam Maharaj was exactly like Leopard, neither pursuing nor rejecting anything from the nature. He was absolutely free of any attachment.
Even though, Shri Satam Maharaj helped the people, He never uttered I am doing all the beautiful things to you. On the contrary, He always mentioned Ishwar will take care of you and you will be benefited in proportion to your devotion. and, this is absolutely true, beyond any doubt.
The earth in Danoli has become holy by the touch of the feet of Shri Satam Maharaj. The water from Nagzari has become holy because of Shri Satam Maharaj, who caused the non-stopping water flow at Nagzari. So both the earth in Danoli and the water at Nagzari have power to bless the people of faith in Him.
Even though, Shri Satam Maharaj has left His body, He has promised that, He will ever be present in the hearts of all those devotees, who have surrendered to HIM and remembering Him by reciting his name in the form of the following mantras.
Birth of Shri Satam Maharaj
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The family name after the birth of Shri Satam Maharaj was Shankar. He was born in Chariwadewadi, situated in the small village of Kohil in the Malwan district of the State of Maharashtra. It is guessed that, he was born between the year 1872 and 1877, as His exact date of birth is not available. The family belonged to the Maratha caste.
His father's name was Narayan and his mother s name was Laxmibai. Both were very religious by nature and were ardent devotees of the Lord Shiva. They both were offering prayers daily without fail with the leaves of bale on the pindi in the temple of the Lord Shiva. Narayan used to sit meditating for hours together in the temple. They both, performed intense penance, with the only desire to be blessed with the birth of the Lord Shiva as their son.
One day, Narayan in his dream, saw himself meditating in front of the pindi of the Lord Shiva and heard the ringing of the swaying bells mounted in the temple. He also saw the nandi (sacred bull) actually standing up with disappearance of the pindi, and his wife sleeping in the vacant space created by the disappearance of the pindi, with leaves of bale covering her body and the hood of the panch mukhi Shesh fanning over her head. He also saw the entire surrounding area was bright with light and filled with sweet fragrance all over. Narayan woke up in astonishment about the dream.
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Shri Sadguru Satam Maharaj
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The next day, early morning, he narrated the dream to his wife. They both were happy, with the thought of a boon, in the form of the dream from the Lord Shiva. They both felt that, their prayers were being answered.
And, in due course of time, Laxmibai delivered a baby boy. Taking a clue from the dream, they were convinced that, it was a gift from the Lord Shiva. They therefore gave the name as Shankar.
Thus, was the birth of would be Shri Sadguru Satam Maharaj.
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Childhood Days of Shankar
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Narayan's financial condition was far from satisfactory. He was therefore, compelled to leave his native place, arriving in Mumbai, to eke out the living along with his wife and children. Shankar was around four years of age at that time.
In Mumbai, Narayan rented a room in the area of Kamathipura, which was surrounded by people, mostly of very low moral values. Shankar by nature was an incorrigible boy from the beginning and which was aggravated by the influence of the surrounding indecent locality.
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Shri Sadguru Satam Maharaj House
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Shankar virtually became a spoilt child, lost interest in studies, leading him ultimately to leave the school. After leaving the school, he accepted a job on very meager salary in Narsu Mills, which he left after sometime. He then accepted a job as a server in a liquor bar, owned by one Parsee gentleman. The very nature of the job forced him to come in close association with drunkards, gamblers, thus further involving him with indecent activities.
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Shankar's Youth
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Shankar�s involvement with indecent activities disturbed his parents very much, making them sad and depressed from within. They prayed a lot to the Lord Shiva for his blessings, in correcting Shankar�s unhealthy attitude and behavior.
They were so much shattere emotionally, that they eventually started blaming the Lord Shiva for giving them such an incorrigible type of son, who instead of bringing credit and good name to the family, was virtually pushing the family in disrepute in the eyes of the public.
They started questioning the Lord Shiva that what sins they had commited, resulting in having such a useless son. They even wished that it would have been better, if the Lord Shiva had not bestowed them with such a son.
Shankar�s parents tried very hard with all sorts of possible measures to correct Shankar but to no avail. As a last resort, they got him married to a good looking girl, by name Janabai, who also tried her best to persuade Shankar to leave the indecent activities, but stoll there was no declivity in Shankar�s undesirable activities.
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Shri Sadguru Satam Maharaj
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Shankar's Adolescence
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One day, there were some altercation at the bar, with the goonda leader of the locality, following which, the leader reached Shankar's room along with some of his companions, armed with knives, sticks, etc. to attack Shankar.
Shankar's family members got scared seeing the rudely mob. They advised Shankar to hide for his safety. Shankar however, undisturbed and unfrightened, came out of his room with a lathi and he alone, counter attacked the mob beating mercilessly all of them, without sparing anybody from the mob. Finally they all ran away.
From this incidence onward, Shankar was known as the dada of that area. But, Shankar's becoming dada was totally detested, not by his parents alone, but also by all of his relatives, who all the time indulged in ridiculing Shankar's Parents, pushing them further in repentance. Janabai too, left Shankar in desperation.
However, there was a climate of peace around the bar after Shankar becoming the dada of the area. Nobody else would dare to indulge in conflicting activities, because of strong influence of Shankar. Shankar had a good respect for womanhood, with sisterly outlook towards any woman. He is to get upset and flare up, if anybody teased at any woman.
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Satam Maharaj Chair
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The business of the bar also started flourishing with Shankar's assistance. The Parsee owner was extremely pleased with Shankar's dedication and honesty. He developed so much faith in Shankar that he looked upon Shankar as his son only, sharing his daily lunch with Shankar. The food was mostly non-vegetarian. Shankar could not turn down this gesture of love.
Finally, the Parsee owner handed over the entire ownership of the bar to Shankar.
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Pre-transformation Period of Shankar
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However, this behavior of Shankar of keeping close association with any man irrespective of the caste, along with his eating non-vegetarian food, was detested by his elder brother and his sister-in-law. They almost refused to allow Shankar to stay with them, leave alone, even sharing the food with them. They virtually treated him as an outcaste.
Shankar's parents, already totally down with utter frustration could not withstand this last impact of virtual separation. Soon, they both were bed ridden out of dejection and mental worry, resulting at last in their death, one by one. They were uttering the words Shiva Shiva at the time of death.
With the death of his parents, there was a big impact on Shankar. He thereafter preferred to be left alone, silently pondering over the incidents. He somehow, continued working in the bar, but was very quiet from within and was not interested in sharing with others.
Time was passing without any change in Shankar's attitude of keeping himself aloof. Then, there was an epidemic of plague in the year 1910, in Mumbai; Shankar's sister-in-law was the fatal victim of the epidemic, followed by Shankar s brother, leaving Shankar all alone.
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Shri Sadguru Satam Maharaj
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Shankar on the way to Transformation
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All these simultaneous calamities, made Shankar lonely and somewhat despondent. But, these calamities were a part of destiny to follow, ultimately for the uplifting of the humanity. These successive calamities forced Shankar to ponder incessantly about the very purpose of life. He was deeply immersed in the thought and enquiry about the cause behind the suffering of humanity and possible solutions to mitigate the suffering. He thus, came to his conclusion that, the only purpose of human life should be to reach the eternal state. Having reached this conclusion, Shankar started wandering here and there with this obsession only.
During his wandering, he happened to reach the holy Parsee well situated near the Churchgate railway station. This Parsee well was the place of prayers of many saints. Shankar was attracted by the holiness of the place, resulting in his spending all the available time at this place.
There, he came across one great holy spiritual saint by name Abdul Rehman, popularly known as Baba. Shankar, mesmerized by his ever shining glow on his face, would not just leave him and just kept on following him wherever he went.
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Satam Maharaj Kurta
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Noticing this Shankar's quest, he told Shankar My son you are not mad. It would have been far better, if there had been people like you. This world is in fact the habitation of mad people only. In this world, people are mad after money, power, status, etc. Nobody is interested in eternal happiness. All the people are running after temporary short lived pleasures. Therefore, nobody will ever understand a person, who is inquisitive about God or Ishwar or eternal happiness. General public may say anything, but I have received the orders from the God to enlighten you by giving spiritual knowledge, which I have. I want you to see the eternal light, which I am seeing. God is too eager to see you, as much you are eager to see him.
Passing this message Baba placed his graceful hand on Shankar's head, awakening his Kundalini and bestowing the entire spiritual Knowledge on Shankar.
Shankar at that very moment became enlightened, feeling body less. The meeting with Baba turned out to be the meeting with Parabramha. The eternal light that transformed Valya Koli to Valmiki (from the thief to the saint), the very same light transformed Shankar dada to Shri Sadguru Satam Maharaj.
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