Neem Karoli Baba, a Hanuman Mystic and Devout Follower

The title Neem Karoli Baba is given by those who follow his teachings is Maharaj Ji. Another way to spell his name is Neeb Karori Baba.

Neem Karoli Baba is a devout believer in and protector of the Hindu god Hanuman. Several Westerners between the 1960s and 1970s who visited India considered him a guru. Some of the most well-known of these students were  Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, Baba Ram Dass and Bhagavan Das.

Neem Karoli Baba Early Childhood Years

neem karoli baba hanuman Maharaj ji
Source - Wikimedia

It is unknown when Neem Karoli Baba was born as there is very limited trustworthy information on the matter. He was given the name Lakshmi Narayan Sharma when he was born into the Brahmin family of Durga Prasad Sharma in the village of Akbarpur in the Faizabad District of India. This occurred in the area that is now referred to as Ambedkar Nagar in U.P.

Between the ages of seven and eight, when he was a young child, he frequently skipped school to perform the Tapasya rite in the forest. He kept doing this till he was an adult (Meditation). Only a few snatches of information about his early life have been preserved.

He decided to begin a new life as a travelling Sadhu and took the name Baba Lakshman Das after being married at the age of 11. He had already become a father at the time this occurred.

Maharajji Numerous Names 

neem karoli baba hanuman

Source - Wikimedia

Throughout his years of travelling, Maharajji had almost nothing. He donned the only dhoti he owned.

Maharajji ate and drank from a piece of a broken jug that someone had discarded, which he wore as a cap. He was known as Handi Valla Baba during the time (Baba with a Pot).

During one phase of his spiritual growth, he lived close to Aligarh and Manipuri. While seated in the water, he did spiritual activities at this location. Because of this, the villagers referred to him as Tikonia Valla Baba. (Tikonia signifies a triangle reservoir).

He went by the name Tallaya Baba while he was engaged in ascetic practises at Bawania, Gujarat. Before he became well-known, he did this. The locals of Vrindavan referred to him as Chamatkari Baba, an honorific that means "Miracle Worker" in English. He was regarded as a sacred figure by a large number of people.

How he came to be known as Neeb Karori Baba

neem karoli baba hanuman Maharaj ji Temple

Kainchi Dhaam Neem Karoli Temple, Source - Wikimedia

At the time, Maharaj Ji was embarking on a nomadic journey across northern India. His previous name, Baba Lakshman Das, has been in use since his youth. After being hungry for several days, he boarded a train at Farrukhadab station to head to the nearest major city.

The train came to a screeching halt when the conductor found Maharaj Ji was sitting in the first-class carriage without a ticket. A fight broke out on the train, and Maharaj-Ji was thrown out. Trains frequently made stops in Neeb Karori, where Maharaj-ji had a home.

A tree provided him with shade, so he sat there as the conductor blew his whistle and the driver picked up speed. And yet, the train didn't budge. A second steam locomotive was brought in to help push the train in a last-ditch effort to get it moving, but it was all in vain.

The young sadhu was encouraged to return to the train by a local one-armed judge who knew Maharaj-Ji. After many failed attempts to get the train rolling, officials finally decided to respond to such superstitions.

Numerous travellers and railroad employees made their way up to the Maharaj-Ji. They presented him with an offering of food and sweets they had brought with them. Then they told him to board the moving vehicle. He finally gave in, but with a couple of caveats:

Railway officials have promised to improve their treatment of sadhus and have also promised to construct a railway station for the people of Neeb Karori, who currently must travel many kilometres to the nearest station.

The officials assured the Maharaj-Ji that they would do everything possible, and he boarded the train. Their next request was that he turns the key in the ignition. Is it really me who should make the train start? the Maharaj-Ji inquired angrily. After moving forward for a few yards, the conductor said, "Until this sadhu instructs me, I will not continue" and shut off the engine. Let the train go, the Maharaj-Ji said, and the train continued on its way.

The government stayed true to its word, and a train station was quickly constructed next to Neeb Karori, where the sadhus were also given newfound respect. His reputation as the "Saint who stopped the train" spread throughout the West.

Neem Karoli Baba, Nomadic Travellers - The way of life of 

The Maharaj-Ji led a nomadic existence and frequently moved from one place to another. Even though he was living in the ashram, he was always moving around. Although he was always easy to approach, he would instantly duck into a room and slam the door behind him if he felt someone was approaching him.

He was like Hanuman, the son of Vayu, in that he could traverse the world without being constrained by geographic bounds. He travelled from one hamlet to the next, occasionally settling in ashrams deep within the jungle, occasionally in the highlands, occasionally in the valleys, occasionally at one end of India and occasionally at the other.

He might sneak off in the middle of the night and travel to some unknown location without giving any prior notice. Or he would board a train that was supposed to take him somewhere and get off at a station completely unrelated to the one he was supposed to depart at. He wouldn't even wait for the train to stop before stepping off, making it difficult for his pursuers to keep up with him.

Hanuman, Baba, and Lord Rama

He spent his entire life practising bhakti yoga and maintained the view that Seva, or selfless service, was the purest form of altruistic devotion to God. Baba Neem Karoli practised bhakti yoga throughout the entirety of his life. He is regarded as one of Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman's most devoted followers in religious history.

It took until the 1930s before the Maharaj-Ji began to frequently visit the towns in the northern plains and at the base of the Himalayas. He didn't show up there at all before that. When he was younger, he used to play with the kids all the time, but all of a sudden he vanished into the wilderness. Following that, he began allowing Indian housewives to carry him inside so they could feed him. 

This persisted until the community fully embraced him. These people recognised his unique qualities right away and started to follow him in anticipation of receiving spiritual direction and therapeutic support from him.

The Hanuman-dedicated temples that had been constructed in his honour were frequently visited by the Maharaj-Ji. The majority of these temples were later built in accordance with his instructions by his disciples, realising his vision. He appeared to be always on the move, encouraging others to visit any number of India's famous sites.

His continuous recitation of these divine names as well as the stories he cherished hearing were ways in which he expressed his particular love for Hanuman and Rama. He further demonstrated his love by reciting the names of God over and over again. He recited the Names of Hanuman and Rama often, showing that he had a great love for both of them.

Neem Karoli Baba Teachings

Maharaji respected all facets of God, despite his extreme obsession with Rama and Hanuman, and he discovered that true spirituality could be found in a variety of devotional styles. He had an obsessive obsession with Rama and Hanuman, despite the fact that. 

He had a high degree of ascetic practice when he was focused on his individual sadhana. On the other hand, he later stated that such surgeries were meaningless and useless, referring to them as such. In addition, he had a tremendous deal of regard for the performers.

He taught his disciples the importance of helping others, providing for their material needs, and upholding the dharma in all of their daily dealings. He also emphasised the need of adoring and considering God.

  •  "All is One," or "Sub Ek" as it is most generally known
  • All faiths are comparable. In the end, they are all paths that lead to God
  • God is within each and every one of us. Everything about us is identical, including our limbs, hearts, and the blood that circulates throughout our bodies—the same blood that circulates throughout the bodies of everyone. You must accept that we are all the same in order to focus on the ways that we are different from one another
  • Show Shiva the utmost respect; Shiva and Rama are one. Shiva and Rama both paid respect to each other. Rama received adoration from Shiva. There is no way to separate them
  • You must recognise that everything in the world is interconnected. You will never be able to grasp God by trying to find differences within him. You should start by looking for love within yourself
  • You should try to concentrate your attention on God if you really want to serve him in the greatest way possible. Put God at the forefront of your thoughts and keep him there
  •  Maya tries to convince you that God's will isn't present in everything, thus it works to hinder you from realising that God's will is present in everything. God gave us our senses of sight, hearing, smell, and taste, as well as the ability to express ourselves verbally so that we could communicate with him
  • Worshipping God in all of his guises is the highest act of devotion one can perform
  • You have a responsibility to retain an open mind and look for God in everyone you meet
  • Regular meditation can have a number of advantages. Renunciation and practices that promote focus are two that can be beneficial in achieving mental cleanliness. You will eventually build a relationship with God if you give meditation your full attention
  • Realize that God dwells within each and every person. Using individual differences and karma to teach students is a form of educational fraud
  • You have the power to plan forward for the coming 100 years. On the other hand, you have no idea what will happen to you in the next instant
  • It is possible to see every activity as a form of prayer. Every tree meets all of your needs and satisfies all of your wants. All water comes from the Ganga, which is where it starts. Everywhere is Varanasi. a fierce passion for everything
  • Keep your focus on God at all times if you want to serve him in the most efficient way possible. It should be a top priority for you to always keep God in your thoughts.
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Mahasamadhi

As a result of a diabetic coma, Neem Karoli Baba entered Mahasamadhi at 1:15 a.m. on September 11, 1973, in a hospital in Vrindavan, India.

After seeing a cardiologist in Agra for chest trouble, he was taking the night train back home to Kainchi, a little town not far from Nainital. At the Mathura train station, he began shaking violently and begged to be carried to Shri Dham Vrindavan. He was sent to the hospital's emergency room.

At the hospital, he received injections while wearing an oxygen mask. When Maharaj-Ji woke up, he took off the oxygen mask and the band that measured the blood pressure on his arm.

In order to quench his thirst, Maharaj-ji requested water from the Ganges. They couldn't bring him Ganga Water because it wasn't available at the time. Then, in a softer voice, he chanted Jaya Jagadish Hare (Hail to the Lord of the Universe) many times. Any symptoms of agony vanished from his face, and he appeared completely at peace. He entered Mahasamadhi.

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