Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897-1981) was an Indian guru and spiritual teacher who belonged to the Inchagiri Sampradaya lineage of teachers from the Navnath Sampradaya and Lingayat Shaivism. He gained worldwide recognition and followers, especially in North America and Europe, after the publication of his book "I Am That" in 1973, which was an English translation of his talks in Marathi by Maurice Frydman.
Nisargadatta Maharaj was born as Maruti Shivrampant Kambli on April 17, 1897, in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. He grew up in a devoutly religious family and worked as a shopkeeper before meeting his guru, Siddharameshwar Maharaj, in 1933. Under his guru's guidance, Nisargadatta practiced self-enquiry and meditation, focusing on the feeling of "I am." He emphasized the importance of realizing one's true nature as the timeless and spaceless witness beyond the mind and body.
Nisargadatta Maharaj passed away on September 8, 1981, at the age of 84 due to throat cancer. His teachings continue to inspire and resonate with spiritual seekers around the world.
Nisargadatta Maharaj's teachings emphasized the awareness of one's true nature and the realization of the Absolute, which he referred to as the birthless-deathless, infinite-eternal Absolute Awareness or Parabrahman. He advocated for a radical disidentification from the illusion of the individual self and encouraged intense meditative self-inquiry as a means to regain awareness of one's true identity. He also stressed the significance of devotion, mantra repetition, and the practice of Nisarga Yoga, which involved living life with harmlessness, friendliness, and interest while abiding in spontaneous awareness.
Nisargadatta Maharaj's teachings were recorded in numerous books, including "I Am That," and he received visitors in his home in Mumbai, where he gave discourses and answered questions. Some of his notable disciples include Maurice Frydman, Sailor Bob Adamson, Jean Dunn, Alexander Smit, Ramesh Balsekar, and Wayne Dyer.
Life span: 17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981
