69 Facts About Manik Prabhu

Manik Prabhu Maharaj was an Indian Hindu saint, freedom fighter, philosopher, poet and guru.

Manik Prabhu is regarded as an incarnation of Dattatreya by the people of Datta Sampraday.

Shri Manik Prabhu strongly advocated the essential oneness of all religions.

Shri Manik Prabhu composed numerous bhajans and padas in various languages such as Marathi, Kannada, Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit.

Shri Manik Prabhu was associated with the First War of Indian Independence in 1857.

Manik Prabhu moralized on the vedantic truths concerning the spiritual unity of beings.

Manika Prabhu was born into Deshastha Rigvedi Bramhin family of Srivatsa gotra on 22 December 1817 in his grandmother's native Ladwanti near Basavakalyana.

Manik Prabhu's father was named Manohara Naik and his mother Baya Devi.

Manik Prabhu had an elder brother called Dadasaheb, a younger brother called Tatya Saheb and a sister called Chimanabai.

Manik Prabhu lost his father at an early age and thus grew up under the guardianship of his maternal uncle Shri Balwantrao Apparao Kulkarni, who was employed with the Nawab of Basavakalyana.

Young Manik Prabhu behaved in such a carefree manner that the members of his family were concerned.

Manik Prabhu used to roam in the forests for days at a stretch and not return home, which led to the people of Basavakalyana calling him veda bhau.

Manik Prabhu never went to school and did not receive any formal education despite attempts by his family members.

Manik Prabhu is believed to have miraculously brought Govinda back to life by his devotees.

Manik Prabhu's devotees have documented many such stories in which Prabhu solved the problems of his devotees, fulfilled people's wishes and helped common people in distress.

Manik Prabhu arrived at this temple and planned to stay there for the night.

Manik Prabhu packed his clothes and other belongings in a cloth and safely deposited them on Shri Hanuman's Moorthi before sleeping in a corner of the temple.

Manik Prabhu woke Shri Prabhu up and asked him why he had done so.

Manik Prabhu said "He who takes care of the whole world can easily take care of my belongings in this desolate place, therefore I kept it with the lord".

Manik Prabhu forgave him and asked him never to be harsh with devotees.

Manik Prabhu stayed at Chalakapur for a few months and people started flocking to him for his darshan.

Manik Prabhu arrived at Mailar near Bidar after leaving Chalakapur.

Manik Prabhu stayed at Mailar for a few months and like Chalakapur, thousands of people started gathering to catch a glimpse of Shri Manik Prabhu.

Manik Prabhu is said to have performed penance in the jungles near Bhalki.

Some accounts suggest that Manik Prabhu taught Devi Venkamma samadhi and yoga in the jungles there.

Manik Prabhu then visited Chitguppa where he is said to have given darshan to his devotees in the divine form of Lord Basaveshwara.

Manik Prabhu sent all his followers and shishyas to Kalyan and then set out for his spiritual journey across the country.

Manik Prabhu travelled on foot as a wandering yogi across the length and breadth of the country covering places of religious importance such as Varanasi, Haridwar, Mathura, Badri, Puri, Dwarka, Girnar, Tirupati and Rameshwaram.

Manik Prabhu visited Pandharpur, Tuljapur, Ganagapur, Kolhapur and other major temples of the Deccan region.

Manik Prabhu's devotees believe that Panduranga himself came in the form of a boatman and took Manik Prabhu to the other side of the river and then disappeared.

The pundits realised that Manik Prabhu was a divine being and begged him for forgiveness.

Manik Prabhu took Lord Vitthala's darshan and stayed at Pandharpur for many days.

Manik Prabhu visited the Gottamgotti forest, Ketaki Sangam and Nyalkal among other places when he came back to his native land.

Manik Prabhu assured everyone that he would visit their house at 12 noon the following day.

Manik Prabhu was on his way back to Kalyan when his palkhi or palanquin got stuck in the jungle near Humnabad.

Manik Prabhu liked the area and decided to make it his permanent abode and a center for the propagation of his philosophy of sakalamata siddhanta.

Manik Prabhu stayed in a simple hut and ate only the madhukari bhiksha which his disciples would bring from the nearby villages.

Manik Prabhu established the gaadi of Lord Dattatreya in the very hut where he used to reside.

Manik Prabhu did not place any idol or spiritual icon on the gaadi and instead kept it empty.

Later on, Prabhu allowed people from all walks of life to stay at Maniknagar and the population started increasing steadily.

The name and fame of Manik Prabhu spread quickly and people of all religions, sects and communities started flocking to Maniknagar.

Manik Prabhu used to hold a gathering everyday called darbar where thousands of people visited him and sought his blessings.

Manik Prabhu guided his devotees in spiritual matters and helped them overcome their material difficulties.

Manik Prabhu gave khairaat or alms to the needy and the poor.

Manik Prabhu was equally revered by all communities; while his Muslim followers thought him to be an incarnation of Mehboob Subhani, his Lingayat devotees would worship him as Lord Basaveshwara and his Sikh followers saw him as in the form of Guru Nanak.

Manik Prabhu declined the jagir or lands offered by the king and said, "The whole earth belongs to my lord, Datta Manik Prabhu".

Manik Prabhu never claimed credit for any such incident and always said that it is "Datta Prabhu's leela".

Manik Prabhu is believed to have given darshan to a devotee in the divine form of Goddess Tulaja Bhavani and accepted the devotee's offerings.

Shri Swami Samarth is believed to have visited Manik Prabhu before settling at Akkalkot.

Manik Prabhu instructed Tatya Saheb, his brother who was sitting beside him, to fill the lota.

Manik Prabhu put 5 khariks and some flowers in it.

Manik Prabhu poured back the coins which were many times more than the original coins put in the lota by Tatya Saheb.

Manik Prabhu welcomed the Shankaracharya with due honours and the Shankaracharya appreciated Manik Prabhu's noble work.

Manik Prabhu gave prasada and some money to Rangrao for the national movement.

Manik Prabhu gave yoga dandas or divine sticks to his followers and said that "these sticks will protect you from the dangers of the war".

In 1865, Manik Prabhu felt that it was time for him to take mahasamadhi.

Manik Prabhu decided the holy day Mokshada Ekadashi, Tuesday 29 November 1865 would be the ideal date for mahasamadhi.

Manik Prabhu instructed his close aides to construct a walled pit in his hut but under total secrecy.

Manik Prabhu's plan was known only to 4 or 5 of his close disciples.

Manik Prabhu called both of his nephews, Manohara and Martanda to the hut and accepted their pooja.

Manik Prabhu attained Sanjivani samadhi, a state of meditative blissful consciousness.

Eyewitness accounts suggest that Manik Prabhu left his physical body by the yogic way of Samadhi on the evening of Ekadashi around 5 PM.

Manik Prabhu's devotees believe that he is sitting in the SANJEEVAN SAMAADHI and answering their prayers even to this day.

The news of Manik Prabhu's Samadhi was broken to the public on the day of Datta Jayanti after the Mahapooja and Jayanti celebrations.

Shri Manik Prabhu's mission was ably carried forward by his successors who contributed in their own ways in spreading the message of Shri Manik Prabhu and enriching and enhancing the glory of the institution established by him.

Shri Manik Prabhu was considered to be a 'Raja Yogi' by his followers.

The second is 'Adhidaivik Upasana' in which Manik Prabhu is worshiped as the fourth incarnation of lord Dattatreya.

The third is 'Adhibhautik Upasana' in which Manik Prabhu is worshiped in the Sadguru roopa.

Manik Prabhu is a saint in Datta Sampradaya who was born on Datta Jayanti.