# Bhausaheb Maharaj

Bhausaheb Maharaj (c. 1843 - c. 1914) was the founder of the Inchegeri Sampradaya, to which the well-known Indian guru Nisargadatta Maharaj belonged.

## Biography
### Background

Bhausaheb Maharaj was born in 1843 as Venkatesh Khanderao Deshpande. Bhausaheb Maharaj belonged to the Deshastha Brahmin caste.

### Spiritual life

According to Kotnis, Bhausaheb Maharj was looked upon as the reincarnation of Sant Tukaram (1577–1650), a prominent Varkari Sant and spiritual poet of the Bhakti, who had taken birth again in the Neelwani Lingayat community to finish his work of spreading the knowledge of Self-realisation. He met his guru Sri Nimbargi at the age of fourteen. At the request of Nimbargi, Bhausaheb Maharaj Deshpande (1843 Umdi - 1914 Inchgiri) received mantra initiation from Shri Raghunathpriya Sadhu Maharaj, who was an ardent follower and a devoted disciple of Shri Gurulingajangam Maharaj. Bhausaheb Maharaj became a disciple of Nimbargi Maharaj.

## Teachings
### The Ant's Way

Bhausaheb Maharaj's teachings, and those of his student Gurudeo Ranade, have been called Pipilika Marg , "the Ant's way", the way of meditation, while the teachings of his student Siddharameshwar Maharaj, and Siddharameshwar Maharaj's disciples Nisargadatta Maharaj and Ranjit Maharaj have been called Vihangam Marg, "the Bird's Way", the direct path to Self-discovery. Ranjit Maharaj comments:
   There are two ways to realize: the bird's way or ant's way. By meditation (or ant's way) one can realize. The word or name has so much power. The name you were given by your parents has done so many things. Mantra is given by the master, but it is a very long way for the understanding. By chanting or saying the mantra you can go to the final reality. There are only two things: one is reality, the other is illusion. One word only can wipe out illusion.
   So one thought [i.e. mantra] from the Master who has realized is sufficient to realize. It is a very lengthy way, that's the only thing. So my Master found the shortest way, by thinking. By unthinking you have become the smallest creature, and by thinking you can become the greatest of the great, why not? If you don't have the capacity to understand by thinking, the bird's way, then you can go by way of meditation. It is the long way and you have to meditate for many hours a day. People say they meditate, but most don't know how to meditate. They say that God is one and myself is another one, that is the duality. It will never end that way.
   So one word is sufficient from the Master. Words can cut words, thoughts can cut thoughts in a fraction of a second. It can take you beyond the words, that is yourself. In meditation you have to eventually submerge your ego, the meditator, and the action of the meditation, and finally yourself. It is a long way.

### Nama-Yoga

Bhausaheb Maharaj's teachings were collected in a book called Nama-Yoga, a term coined by the compilers and translators of the book, whereas Bhausaheb Maharaj himself called it Jnana Marga, just like Nimbargi Maharaj did. The editors wrote:
   "Nama-Yoga" is a word specially coined by us to designate the Spiritual Philosophy and Discipline of Sri [Bhausaheb] Maharaj. He himself called it Jnana-Marga - or Path of self-realisation. We have, however, used "Nama-Yoga" in a double sense. In fact, both the words - Nama and Yoga carry double meaning. Nama means i) Meditation on Divine Name and ii) Divinity in posse. Like many other saints, to Sri [Bhausaheb] Maharaj also, Nāma (name) and Rūpa (form) of God were identical. The Name itself was God. Yoga means Spiritual union or realisation of god. In the first sense, Nama-Yoga represents the Path, while in the second sense, it represents the Goal, as meditation, on Divine Name, if properly practiced, will lead to the realisation of the vision and bliss of the lord.

## Lineage

After his awakening he was authorized by Nimbargi to carry on the lineage, and established the Inchegeri Sampraday. Sri Bhausaheb Maharaj had many students, among which were:
* Sri Amburao Maharaj of Jigjivani (1857 Jigajevani - 1933 Inchgiri)
* Sri Gurudev Ranade of Nimbal
* Girimalleshwar Maharaj
* Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj (1875-1936)
vteInchegeri Sampradaya :
Rishi Dattatreya
Navnath, the nine founders of the Nath Sampradaya,
Gahininath, the 5th Navnath
Revananath, the 7th or 8th Navnath, also known as Kada Siddha
Siddhagiri Math c.q. Kaneri Math (est. 7th or 14th century; Lingayat Parampara c.q. Kaadasiddheshwar Parampara
Nivruttinath, Dnyaneshwar's brother
Dnyaneshwar (1275–1296) also known as Sant Jñāneshwar or Jñanadeva and as Kadasiddha or Kad-Siddheshwar Maharaj
Different accounts:
Kadasiddha, also called "Almighty "Kadsiddeshwar", who appeared as a vision to Sri Gurulingajangam Maharaj
or
The 22nd or 24th Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj, who initiated Sri Gurulingajangam Maharaj
or
"The 25th generation of the kadsiddha at siddhagiri had then initiated Guruling jangam maharaj of nimbargi."
or
"Juangam Maharaj" c.q. "a yogi [at Siddhagiri] who gave [Nimabargi Maharaj] a mantra and told him to meditate regularly on it"
1
Nimbargi Maharaj (1789–1875) also known as Guru Lingam-Jangam Maharaj
23rd Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj
2
Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj Umdikar (1843 Umdi – 1914 Inchgiri)
24th Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj
3
Shri Amburao Maharaj of Jigjivani
(1857 Jigajevani – 1933 Inchgiri)
Shivalingavva Akka (1867–1930)
Girimalleshwar Maharaj
Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj (1875–1936)
25th Shri Samarth Muppin Kaadsiddheswar Maharaj
4
Shri Gurudev Ranade of Nimbal (1886–1957)
Balkrishna Maharaj
Shri Aujekar Laxman Maharaj
Madhavananda Prabhuji (d. 25th May, 1980)
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897–1981)
Sri Ranjit Maharaj (1913–2000)
Sri Ganapatrao Maharaj Kannur (1909–2004)
Shri Vilasanand Maharaj (1909–1993)
Shri Ranachhodray Maharaj, Baitkhol Karwar
26th Shri Muppin Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (1905–2001)
Student of Sri Siddharameshwar Maharaj
5
Shri Gurudev Chandra Bhanu Pathak
Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar)
Shri Nagnath Alli Maharaj
Maurice Frydman
Ramesh Balsekar
Gautam Sachdeva
Ramakant Maharaj
Alexander Smit
Douwe Tiemersma
Robert Powell
Timothy Conway
Jean Dunn
Mark McCloskey
"Sailor" Bob Adamson
Stephen Wolinksky
Mark West
David Hargrove
27th head: Adrushya Kadsiddheshwar Swamiji
Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Shree Swami Narendracharyaji Maharaj
Notes for table
Notes
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Boucher
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Dnyaneshwar
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Boucher
↑ Kada Siddha (website Ranade Maharaj
↑ Kada Siddha (website Ranade Maharaj)
↑ Siddhagiri Math
↑ Siddhagiri Math (website Shri Kshetra Siddhagiri Math, Kaneri)
↑ Siddhagiri Math (Gramjivan Museum)
↑ Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (website Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj)
↑ Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj Parampara
↑ Dnyaneshwar
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Boucher
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Ranjit Maharaj Timeline
↑ Ranjit Maharaj Timeline
↑ Siddhagiri Math (website siddhagirimath.org)
↑ Siddhagiri Math (website siddhagirimath.org)
↑ Kada Siddha (website Balkrushna Maharaj)
↑ Boucher
↑ Boucher
↑ Nimbargi Maharj (website Ranade Maharaj
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Boucher
↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ganapatrao Maharj)
↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj)
↑ Amburao Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj)
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Shivalingavva Akka (website Ranade Maharaj)
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Girimalleshwar Maharaj (website Balkrushnamauli Maharaj)
↑ Boucher
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Amburao Maharaj Maharj (website Ranade Maharaj)
↑ Ranade Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj)
↑ Boucher
↑ Frydman 1987
↑ Ranade Maharj (website Bridge-India)
↑ Balkrishna Maharaj (website Balkrishna Maharaj)
↑ Nagnath Alli Maharaj (website)
↑ Madhavananda Prabhuji (website gurusfeet.com)
↑ Boucher
↑ Boucher
↑ Ranjit Maharaj (website Ranjit Maharaj)
↑ Ranjit Maharaj Interview
↑ Ranjit Maharaj Satsang
↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ganapatrao Maharaj)
↑ Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (website Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj)
↑ Ranjit Maharaj (website Angelfire)
↑ Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar) (website Balkrishna Maharaj)
↑ Nagnath Alli Maharaj (website Nagnath Alli Maharaj)
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Gautam Sachdeva
↑ Ramakant Maharj (website Ramakant Maharaj)
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Jean Dunn (website Ed Muzika)
↑ Jean Dunn (website Ngeton)
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Sailor Bob Adamson (website Sailor Bob Adamson)
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples
↑ Siddhagiri Math – History (website siddhagirimath.org
↑ Narendracharyaji Maharaj (website Narendracharyaji Maharaj)
Sources
Boucher, Cathy (2002), The Lineage of Nine Gurus. The Navnath Sampradaya and Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Frydman, Maurice (1987), Navanath Sampradaya. In: I Am That. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, Bombay: Chetana
Websites
Amburao Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Sadguru Shri Amburao Maharaj
Balkrishna Maharaj (website Balkrishna Maharaj): balkrushnamauli.com, Samarth Sadguru Balkrushna Maharaj
Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Sadguru Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj Umdikar
Bhausaheb Maharaj (website Ganapatrao Maharaj): ShantiKuteer Ashram, Bhausaheb Maharaj
Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar) (website Balkrishna Maharaj): balkrushnamauli.com, Shri Bhausaheb Maharaj (Nandeshwar)
Dnyaneshwar: V. V. Shirvaikar, A brief biography of saint Dnyaneshwar (Jnanadeva)
Gautam Sachdeva: gautamsachdeva.com, About Gautam Sachdeva
Girimalleshwar Maharaj (website Balkrushnamauli Maharaj): balkrushnamauli.com, Girimalleshwar Maharaj</ref>
Jean Dunn (website Ed Muzika): Jean Dunn and Nisargadatta Maharaj
Jean Dunn (website Ngeton): Ngeton, Navnath Masters
Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj (website Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj): Mazad Sad Guru, Biography
Kaadsiddheshwar Maharaj Parampara: mazasadguru.com, The Kaadsiddheshwar Parampara
Kada Siddha (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Kada Siddha
Kada Siddha (website Balkrushna Maharaj): Balkrushna Maharaj, Kadsiddheshwar Maharaj
Madhavananda Prabhuji (website gurusfeet.com)Gurus Feet, Madhavananda Prabhuji
Nagnath Alli Maharaj (website Nagnath Alli Maharaj): Shri S.S. Nagnath Alli Maharaj Sansthan, About us
Narendracharyaji Maharaj (website Narendracharyaji Maharaj): A brief biography of Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Sri Swami Narendracharyaji Maharaj
Nimbargi Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Sadguru Shri Guruling Jangam Maharaj
Nisargadatta Maharaj Commemorations pt.1: David Godman, Remembering Nisargadatta Maharaj pt.1
Nisargadatta Maharaj Disciples: Advaita Vision, Navnath Sampradaya. Disciples of Nisargadatta Maharaj
Ramakant Maharaj (website Ramakant Maharaj): Shri Ramakant Maharaj, Information
Ranade Maharaj (website Ranade Maharaj): Gurudev R.D. Ranade, Shri Gurudev R. D. Ranade
Ranade Maharaj (website Bridge-India): Bridge-India, Shri Gurudev R.D. Ranade
Ranjit Maharaj (website Ranjit Maharaj): Sadguru.com, Shri Ranjit Maharaj
Ranjit Maharaj Timeline: Sadguru.com, Shri Ranjit Maharaj History
Ranjit Maharaj Interview: InnerQuest, Ranjit interview
Ranjit Maharaj Satsang: inner-quest.org, "Final Reality has no beginning and no end."
Ranjit Maharaj (website Angelfire): Sri Ranjit Maharaj profile
Sailor Bob Adamson (website Sailor Bob Adamson): Sailor Bob Adamson website
Shivalingavva Akka (website Ranade Maharaj): gurudevranade.com, Rv. Smt.Shri.Shivalingavva Akka
Siddhagiri Math: Detailed history of Shri Nisarghadatta Maharaj
Siddhagiri Math (website Shri Kshetra Siddhagiri Math, Kaneri): Shri Kshetra Siddhagiri Math, Kaneri
Siddhagiri Math (Gramjivan Museum): Siddhagiri Gramjivan Museum Kaneri Math
Siddhagiri Math (website siddhagirimath.org): siddhagirimath.org, Siddhagiri Math – Pedigree
Siddhagiri Math – History (website siddhagirimath.org): siddhagirimath.org, Siddhagiri Math – History :