About Pothi

About Gajanan Vijay Granth

Gajanan Maharaj (Shegaon) achieved Mahasamadhi in 1910. Many years later, in December 1939, Shri Ramachandra Krishnaji Patil who was the chief Administrator of the Shree Gajanan Maharaj sansthan along with Shri Ramdev Sukhdev Modi (President) and others went to Nasik to meet Shri Laxman R Pangarkar to request him to write a life sketch in poetic form on the saint of Shegaon, Shree Gajanan Maharaj. As Maharaj had many followers they felt it was essential for future generations to know about the great divine soul which descended on this earth. Shri LR Pangarkar was well known for his scholarly knowledge and writings. They requested him to compose poetic verses on the life of the saint of Shegaon, Shree Gajanan Maharaj based on hand written stories and incidents available. Shri Ratansa Sonavne (1900-1980) who served as Diwanji (treasurer)in the Sansthan, had collected documents and incidents on the life of Gajanan Maharaj. However, Pangarkar expressed inability to write the life sketch in poetic form as his expertise lay in writing in prose. He directed the group to get the poetic verses written by HBP Das Ganu Maharaj who was then camping in Pandharpur. HBP Das Ganu Maharaj was considered as the best and numero uno writer of spiritual poems and also sang melodious hymns (kirtans) in those times in Maharashtra. The team therefore, headed for Pandharpur where they met Das Ganu Maharaj (b 6-1-1868-d 26/11/1962) (alias Ganesh Dattatreya Sahasrabuddhe).

Das Ganu Maharaj, after completing his prayer Vishnu Sahastranaam, met the team from Shegaon, and recalled knowing Shree Gajanan Maharaj from his conversations with Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi who considered Shri Gajanan as His elder brother. Apparently, he also had darshan of the Master from Shegaon during his journey in Akot where he had been at the behest of Shirdi Sai Baba to write a biography on Narsing Baba. Das Ganu considered it divine will and agreed to visit Shegaon after undergoing an eye operation.

HBP Das Ganu Maharaj reached Shegaon at 9 am in the morning by railway after recuperating from an eye operation in Pune via Kalyan station. He was lustily cheered all the way from Shegaon Railway Station to the temple premises. He was offered to be taken in a chariot which he refused to board. He walked along with the crowd and the chariot was bedecked with garlands and a photo of Shri Gajanan Maharaj.

In the temple he had darshan at the shrine of the Spiritual Master Gajanan and then as the day progressed called for Shri Ramchandra Patil to commence his writing activity. The two rooms where he sat were near the rear side of Maruti temple near Bhakta Niwas No 2.

Ratansa Sonavne had accumulated documents on Gajanan Maharaj which were handed over to Das Ganu Maharaj who arranged them chronologically. He inquired with all the local senior people present whether all that was mentioned was true and refused to compose if there was any falsehood in it. Everyone agreed that all the incidents were true. Das Ganu Maharaj then selected two or three youngsters to pen down his poems when he would recite. The requirement was not only good handwriting but also high speed. Shri Chaggan Bartakke who was in his early teens and barely II standard pass, Gan Gane Ukirda and Ratansa Sonavne were the contributors while bulk of the writing was done by Chaggan Bartakke. Chaggan the young boy, would read an incident or story which Shri Das Ganu would immediately recite in poetic form at great speed. After writing the poetic version he would read it aloud and the entire premises used to be packed with devotees keen to hear.

After completing the pothi writing, Shri Das Ganu Maharaj returned to Shirdi by train and was accorded a warm send off by the Shree Gajanan Maharaj sansthan office bearers. He did not take any consideration for his effort and surrendered all publishing rights to the sansthan.

Shri Das Ganu Maharaj compiled the Gajanan Vijay pothi in 3669 ovis (stanzas) and in 21 chapters in 1939-40, 30 years after Shri Gajanan Maharaj left his mortal coil. It is well known that this marvelous piece of writing is a life giving ambrosia for millions who read the biography written in juicy, mellifluous Marathi and now available as a translation in several languages like English, Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil.  Every chapter has a special significance and is read as an obeisance to the Spiritual Master. Millions have read this pothi or biography and continue to read and reap benefits of His divine grace and benevolence and have experienced unlimited miracles which are bound to amaze even a sceptic.

There are several persons who know the biography in Marathi by heart. They conduct sessions and these are packed to capacity. 

*** Above is an extract from the book ‘OCEAN OF MERCY-DIVINE EXPERIENCES OF GAJANAN MAHARAJ’ and has been reproduced with the author’s permission.