YogirajShri Shankar Maharaj was a Siddha yogi, a compassionate and unusual Guru not bound by rules or convention. He was bent and deformed in body, and usually appeared to be half-witted and inebriated from the brandy he drank. However when situation demanded, he would use his yogic powers to appear like a child to some, a tall muscular yogi to others, and even as Lord Shiva and Lord Hanuman to some others.
Shri Shankar Maharaj belonged to the NathPanth though he never wore the traditional attire of the sect. Maharaj spoke with a lisp and preferred not to preach himself, using instead disciples like TaisahebMehendale and SardarMirikar to spread the message of Dnyaneshwari, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita by Sage Dnyaneshwar – a work that was very dear to Maharaj.
Maharaj extended his abundant grace to the rich and poor alike and was loved by all. Also his teachings were not limited to the Hindu tradition. In fact, he taught Muslims like Khansaheb the true meaning of Islam and induced them to do daily namaz. His contemporaries – Chile Maharaj of Kolhapur, known as the avatar of Lord Dattatreya, Fakir Baba, well-known sage from Maharashtra, and HazratBabajan, the renowned lady Sufi sage from Pune – considered him as their spiritual ‘brother’.
When Maharaj took samadhi in 1947 in Pune he was about 150 years of age. To this day hundreds of devotees visit his samadhi located on Pune-Satara road.
Yogiraj chronicles the life and teachings of this spiritual giant in the words of some of his most prominent disciples.
