Gajanan Vijay Granth, is a book written by Sri Dasganu Maharaj. It is a biography of the saint, Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon, in Buldhana district of Maharashtra, in India. The poetic meter followed is the ovi, which is traditional for classical Marathi literature. The book consists of 21 chapters, with the total number of ovis being 3,668.
Background The Gajanan Vijay Granth was written by Sri Dasganu Maharaj, in March or April 1939 AD. He was insisted to write the biography of the saint by Ramchandra Patil, of Shegaon. The entire granth was written on the basis of papers and sources provided to Dasganu Maharaj by Ratansa in Shegaon.
Summary Source:
Chapter 1
The Author begins with greetings and oblations to God, to help complete this biography of the Saint of Shegaon. It introduces the saint, who is said to have no known caste, creed or source. He is seen in Shegaon by Bankatlal Agrawal and Damodarpant Kulkarni, at the rutushanti of the young boy of the Paturkars. He was sitting at the place where all the empty food platters(patryawalya) were thrown. He was eating from the remains of the food left in the plates. They notice his behavior and deduce something divine within him, who is described to have broad shoulders, a long and flexible neck, and eyes focused on the tip of his nose. Bankatlal tells the Paturkars to bring out a plate for the saint and the saint mixed everything and promptly ate everything. He also drank from the water provided for animals, and not from the water brought for him by Bankatlal, insisting the fact the Brahma exists everywhere, and there is no distinction. Baktalal and Damodarpant try to bow down to the saint, but he runs away.
Chapter 2
After seeing the saint run away, Bankatlal Agarwal felt morose, and kept thinking about Sri Gajanan Maharaj. His upset behavior was noticed by his father, although Bankatlal dismissed it, due to fear of rejection. Bankatlal began scouring Shegaon in search of the saint. Banktatlal told his concerns to his elderly neighbour, Ramajipant Deshmukh, who confirmed the saint's divine nature. Bankatlal finally found Maharaj at a Kirtan by Govindbua Taklikar in the Mahadev temple of Shegaon. He denied dakshina offered by Bankatlal, instead asking him for Betel leaves and Bhaakri from the house of a mali. He also demonstrated his divine abilities with the fact that the vessel the saint gave to Pitamber, when dipped in unclean stagnant water only gathered clear water. The saint was taken to the house of Bankatlal, on the permission of Bhavaniram, father of Bankatlal Agarwal. There the saint was offered food, clothes, and other offerings. the saint stayed the night. He was bathed by devotees the next morning. The saint stayed at Bankatlal's house and devotees chanted his mantra:"Gan Gan Ganat Bote". He also vomited 3 seers of food which was offered to him, just like Samarth Ramdas Swami did, previously. The author gives a brief summary of the saint's daily routine.
Chapter 3
This chapter begins with a Gosawi coming to the house of Bankatlal for offering Sri Gajanan a pipe(chileem) for smoking Marijuana. Janrao Deshmukh, who is mortally ill, is close to death. His situation is told to Bankatlal Agarwal, who on the permission of his Father, takes water from the feet of the saint(padtirtha) to give to Janrao Deshmukh as medicine. Janrao immediately recovers from his illness, and is kept on the padtirtha. The author makes a clarification about the types of deaths(natural, self-inflicted and unnatural) and states that saints can only prevent self-inflicted and unnatural causes of death, and natural ones cannot be stopped or averted. Maharaj demonstrated his desire for the good in society by dealing with a hypocrite, Vithoba Gathol who began to turn the saint's devotion into a business, and bragged about his intimacy to the saint.
Chapter 4
The chapter began on Akshaya Tritiya, whence Maharaj demonstrated his yogic powers by infecting the curry for the event of Akshaya Tritiya by Jankiram Sonar, with worms, after he dishonoured the saint, and refused to light the saint's pipe. Gajanan Maharaj later removed the worms from the curry after Jankiram Sonar apologized to the saint. The saint also insisted to eat Kanhole by Chandu Mukin made a month ago, and when Chandu found them in an earthen pot later, they were still fresh and did not feel stale. Sri Gajanan Maharaj also met a Brahmin called Madhao, who had lost his spouse and children. He lost interest in life and began starving himself to beg the pardon of god. Maharaj told him not to starve himself, then showed him Yama, the god of death. Madhao insisted Maharaj to send him to Vaikuntha. Maharaj did so. Sri Gajanan Maharaj desired to listen to the Vedic Scriptures, and soon after a team of learned Brahmins appeared in Shegaon.
Chapter 5
Sri Gajanan Maharaj left Shegaon to meditate in an age-old temple of Shiva in the forest near Pimpalgaon. Cowherds bought their cattle near the temple to let them drink water, and they found the saint meditating inside the temple. He was later brought to Pimpalgaon the next day, in a palanquin with great pomp and show. The villagers underwent fasting to remove the saint from his trance. News of a new saint being discovered in Pimpalgaon reached Shegaon via the merchants. Bankatlal Agarwal then went to Pimpalgaon to take the saint back to Shegaon. Sri Gajanan left Shegaon again after a few days. He left for Adgaon. A farmer called Bhaskar Patil was working hard in the fields. Water was quite scarce in the area. Maharaj asked Bhaskar to give him some water to drink. Bhaskar denied and scorned Maharaj for being a burden to society. The saint later came across a well, which Bhaskar told Maharaj was dry. Maharaj then sat down near the well and meditated, imploring god to fill the well, for the sake of society. The well burst forth with water. Bhaskar regretting being cold with the saint, and begged Maharaj to forgive him. Bhaskar cultivated a garden in devotion to the saint. Later Bhaskar Patil came to Shegaon, along with Sri Gajanan Maharaj.
Chapter 6
In this Chapter, Sri Gajanan Maharaj, along with Bankatlal Agarwal, went to his farm to enjoy some roasted corns. The smoke from the lit campfires angered the bees in the beehives on the trees, and they began attacking everyone in the vicinity. Maharaj sat quietly under the tree, even though the bees were attacking him too. After the bees had stopped attacking, on the insistence of Maharaj. Everyone saw Maharaj, and Bankatlal asked for a goldsmith to remove all the thorns in his body. Maharaj then held his breath, then all the thorns fell out of his body. Maharaj left Shegaon, to meet Sri Narsingji in a dense forest near Akot. They both discussed about yoga, and bhakti. Maharaj stayed the night, talking with Sri Narsinghji, and left the next morning. Maharaj now reached a town called Shivar, on the banks of the river Chandrabhaga. He blessed a learned man, Vrajbhushan. Maharaj returned to Shegaon, after visiting many places. He left Bankatlal Agarwal's house to live in a temple. The author also gives an account of the politics in Shegaon, with the Patils of Shegaon having significant power. The festival of shravan, which saw annual functions at the Hanuman temple, were conducted by people to impress the Patil.
Chapter 7
in chapter seven, Patils of the village begin pestering Sri Gajanan Maharaj unknowing of his divinity, and Hari Patil challenged Maharaj to a wrestling bout, in which Maharaj could not even be moved by Sri Gajanan Maharaj. Later Hari Patil surrendered himself to Sri Gajanan Maharaj. The Patil boys, other than Hari Patil, approached Maharaj with Sugarcane Stalks, telling him that he was a true saint, he would not feel any pain and would not cause marks to appear on his body. The Patil Boys began beating Maharaj, who sat aloof and did not feel anything. Later, Maharaj took the sugarcane stalks, and wrenched them to pour some sugarcane juice for the exhausted Patil boys. Later, Kukaji Patil called Khandu Patil, asking him to ask the saint for a child. Khandu Patil, after a discussion with Maharaj got a child, but on the condition that he be names Bhikya, and to feed aamras to Brahmins every year. The chapter elaborates a rivalry within the two families of Shegaon, the Deshmukhs and the Patils.
Chapter 8
Khandu Patil, who had some work, ordered Marya Mahar to deliver a mail to the Akola Police Station. Marya, being a man of the Deshmukh's side, denied taking the work, and insulted Khandu Patil, which resulted in Khandu Patil hitting Marya hard on his hand. Marya Mahar was taken to the Deshmukhs, who lodged a complaint. Khandu Patil was about to be arrested. He went to Sri Gajanan Maharaj, and told his recent development to Maharaj, asking him to take his sword and kill him, rather than ruin his honour by arrest. Maharaj consoled him, saying that he has not committed any wrongdoing, therefore he would not face arrest. Patil did not get arrested, and later took Maharaj to stay at their place. Some Telangi Brahmins came to Shegaon, and recited verses of the Vedas while Maharaj was asleep, to awaken the saint. The recitation had a mistake, and caused Maharaj to wake up, and recite the same verse again without any mistakes and he criticised the Brahmins for using Vedic Hymns for the sake of business. Maharaj later left the temple and moved to a garden north of Shegaon, which was property of Krishnaji Patil. Patil put up a tin shed for Maharaj, and Bhaskar and Tukaram Kokate took care of him. Once, twenty ascetics came to the garden, hearing about Sri Gajanan Maharaj. They were the disciples of Sri Brahmagiri, and began a pravachan about the verses of the Bhagwat Geeta. Later, the cot on which Maharaj was sitting caught fire, causing Bhaskar to panic, and tell Maharaj to get up from the cot. However, Maharaj asked Brahmagiri Maharaj to come sit with him on the burning cot, as he said that the soul is immortal, and fire shall not harm Brahma. Bhaskar began dragging Brahmagiri Maharaj, causing Brahmagiri Maharaj to confess his fraudulent intentions of touring only for the sake of Prasad offered. Maharaj told Brahmagiri to shun all worldly pleasures, and quietly left the place with his disciples.
Chapter 9
In this chapter, Govindbua Taklikar arrives in Shegaon for performing a Kirtan in Mote's Temple in Shegaon. He had a horse, who was known for his ill behavior and violent nature. In the middle of night, Sri Gajanan Maharaj walks to the place the horse was leashed, and slept under the horse. Govindbua Taklikar wakes up in the middle of the night, to check on the silence of the horse and sees Maharaj sleeping under the horse. Later on Maharaj tells the horse to act like a bull before Shiva. Maharaj curtly reminded two Brahmins of their forgotten promises to bring Marijuana to the saint as an offering.
Balkrishna, a devotee of Ramdas Swami from Balapur, who went on a pilgrimage to Sajjangad, annually was upset when his age did not permit him to travel far anymore. Later Sri Gajanan Maharaj appeared to him in a dream and told him he need not travel to Sajjangad to celebrate Das Navami, but can organize a celebration in Balapur itself. Next year, Sri Maharaj himself came to Balapur to Balkrishna's house, appearing the balkrishna as both Ramdas Swami and Gajanan Maharaj. Balkrishna worshipped Maharaj, but still felt upset that Ramdas Swami had not come to his event as promised. This was resolved when Gajanan Maharaj appeared in his dream and told him that Ramdas Swami and he—were the same.
Chapter 10