Nisargadatta Maharaj

Born Maruti Shivrampant Kambli in 1897, Nisargadatta Maharaj became a prominent Indian guru in the Inchagiri Sampradaya lineage. He gained significant worldwide attention following the 1973 publication of "I Am That," a collection of his talks translated into English. His early life involved business ventures in Mumbai after his father's death, and he married and had children.

His spiritual path intensified in 1933 when he met his guru, Siddharameshwar Maharaj, who guided him toward self-enquiry, focusing on the simple realization of "I Am." After his guru's passing, Nisargadatta traveled and eventually settled in Mumbai, where he continued to teach. He began initiating disciples in 1951 and, after retiring from his business, dedicated himself to teaching visitors. His teachings, often delivered in question-and-answer sessions, emphasized recognizing one's true nature as the timeless, spaceless witness, distinct from the body and mind.

Nisargadatta Maharaj's spiritual journey was profoundly shaped by his guru, Siddharameshwar Maharaj, who instructed him to focus intensely on the feeling of "I Am." This practice of self-enquiry, or atma-vichara, became central to his teachings. He encouraged followers to disidentify from the individual self and recognize their true identity as pure, formless awareness. He described a hierarchy of consciousness, moving from the individual identification with the body-mind (Jivatman) to the universal consciousness of beingness (Atman), and finally to the unnamable Ultimate principle beyond conceptualization. His approach aimed at regaining awareness of this Absolute state through deep meditation and self-inquiry.

Nisargadatta Maharaj taught what is referred to as Nisarga Yoga, characterized by living with harmlessness, friendliness, and spontaneous awareness, focusing on effortless living. While known for non-dual teachings, he integrated devotional practices, including devotion to the guru, mantra repetition (naam-japa), and singing devotional songs (bhajans). He believed that while self-inquiry was a direct path, devotion and mantra chanting could purify the mind and foster faith, making them valuable approaches for many. The Inchagiri Sampradaya, to which he belonged, historically emphasized mantra meditation, and Nisargadatta continued this, viewing the mantra as a manifestation of the Absolute itself.

The publication of "I Am That" in 1973, a translation of his Marathi talks, was instrumental in bringing Nisargadatta Maharaj's teachings to a global audience, particularly in North America and Europe. His humble flat in Mumbai became a center for disciples and visitors, with daily discourses and sessions. Despite his international fame, he maintained a simple lifestyle, continuing to teach until his death in 1981. His extensive recorded talks formed the basis for "I Am That" and several other books, solidifying his legacy as a significant figure in contemporary Advaita Vedanta and non-dual philosophy.

“My Guru ordered me to attend to the sense 'I am' and to give attention to nothing else. I just obeyed.”

“Whatever happened, I would turn away my attention from it and remain with the sense 'I am'.”

“My only reason for doing it was that my Guru told me so. Yet it worked!”

“My Guru told me: "...Go back to that state of pure being, where the 'I am' is still in its purity before it got contaminated with 'this I am' or 'that I am.' Your burden is of false self-identifications—abandon them all."”

“My guru told me, "Trust me, I tell you: you are Divine. Take it as the absolute truth. Your joy is divine, your suffering is divine too. All comes from God. Remember it always. You are God, your will alone is done."”