Anantakoti Brahmanda Nayaka Rajadhiraj Yogiraj Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj Ki Jai
Swami Samarth Maharaj is also known as Akkalkot Swami Maharaj and is an Indian spiritual guru of the Dattatreya tradition. He is well known all over the world especially in India in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. His physical existence is dated in the 19th century AD. He is the reincarnation of Guru Dattatreya. Guru Dattatreya was born to sage Atri. Guru Dattatreya is the incarnation of all the three, Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. The story of origin of Swami Samarth Maharaj of Akkalkot goes like this. Sri Narsinh Saraswati Maharaj who was a spiritual guru left Ganagapur and went to Kadalivana near Shailya Mallikarjuna for penance and after some years he moved to the Himalayas where he entered Samadhi.
Shri Narsinh Saraswati Maharaj to Swami Samarth
Sri Narsinh Saraswati Maharaj is believed to have been in that state for more than 300 years. A huge ant hill grew around the body of Sri. Narsinh Saraswati Maharaj and people had forgotten about him. Years later a woodcutter’s axe accidently fell on the ant hill and the woodcutter was surprised to find blood stains on the axe. Anxious to find the reason he demolished the ant hill and was stunned to see a yogi completely absorbed in penance. The yogi opened his eyes and rose from the Samadhi and came back to the world, not as Sri Narsinh Saraswati Maharaj but as Sri. Swami Samarth Maharaj.
The wound caused by the axe left a scar on the thigh of Swami Samarth Maharaj and was seen as a permanent mark on the swami by his close aides. Swami Samrth is a household name in many states in India and since he chose to reside at Akkalkot for more than 22 years and since he attained Mahasamadhi there in the year 1878 he is also known as the Maharaj of Akkalkot. Akkalkot is a place situated in the Solapur district in Maharashtra, India. There are lot of comparisons with the life of Swami Samarth and Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi.
Manifestation of the same Divine Spirit
Shirdi Sai Baba is said to be the disciple of Swami Samarth and there are people who thinks that both Swami Samarth and Shri Shirdi Sai Baba were the manifestations of the same Divine Spirit in two different bodies. Many writings on both these Saints by different writers say that there were interactions between these Gurus both in the gross and subtle planes. Before settling in Akkalkot, Swami Samarth has visited many places far and wide. He has visited places like China, Puri, Benares, Hardwar, Girnar, Kathiawad and Rameswaram in the South. He has also marked his presence in Managlvedha which is the place inhabited by famous saints like Domojipant and Chokhamela. In Akkalkot he stayed in a place on the outskirts of the town.
