Birth of Vyankat Nath Maharaj and His Spiritual Mastery
According to the *Gurucharitra*, in the fourth chapter it is described that Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh appeared before Anusuya to test her purity. They asked her for “desired food” to examine her devotion. Pleased with her, Vishnu himself remained as her child and later took birth as Narasimha Saraswati to continue his divine work.
In the same way, at Devgaon a saintly yogi appeared before Krishna Bai and told her that her heartfelt wish would be fulfilled, and that the divine child “Vyankatesh”—an incarnation of Balaji (Vishnu)—would be born through her. Saying this, the yogi disappeared. It was, in fact, Lord Vishnu Himself who appeared in the form of that yogi. Just as Vishnu incarnated as Dattatreya and later as Narasimha Saraswati, he now appeared as Vyankatnath to carry forward the Nath tradition.
Lord Dattatreya whispered the sacred mantra into the ears of Machhindranath and instructed him to establish the Nath lineage. Machhindranath then initiated and shaped the first nine Nath yogis—incarnations of Vishnu’s divine attendants. Through this uninterrupted lineage, Madhavanath Maharaj became the 14th Nath, and on his direct command, Vyankatesh Nath Maharaj continued this sacred mission as the 15th Nath in the tradition.
Vyankatesh Nath was born in Shaka 1825 on Magh Shuddha Panchami in Devgaon, Aurangabad district. Devgaon is considered a sacred land, historically known as “Devpuri.” According to ancient texts, divine beings once resided here. Nearby lie several holy sites: the samadhi of Gorakhnath, the famous Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga, the world-famous Ellora Caves, the historic Daulatabad Fort and many other sacred locations. Flowing through the village was the Velganga river—purified further by the footsteps of Nath yogis. Vyankatesh was born on Vasant Panchami; it felt as if Nature herself celebrated his arrival.
There once lived in Devgaon a devout Brahmin who worshipped Lord Shiva with unwavering devotion. Near his death, he prayed: *“Lord, I have worshipped You all my life; at least show me Your form before I leave this world.”* Moved by his devotion, Shiva granted him the vision of Kashi Vishweshwara in Devgaon itself. The Brahmin saw the holy form, with sacred symbols resembling those of Kashi, and the Lord then disappeared. That exact spot remained unknown for years.
Later, when Madhavanath Maharaj learned of this forgotten holy site, he purchased the land and resolved to build a Dattatreya temple there. Once, while visiting Girnar, a mysterious saint approached him and said: *“You intend to establish a Dattatreya idol, but know this—Datt and Vyankatesh (Balaji) are one. Install this idol of Vyankatesh instead.”* Saying this, the saint vanished. It was Balaji himself. Thus, the beautiful idol of Vyankatesh was established on that sacred land, and the temple soon became a beloved centre of worship, filled with celebrations, chanting and festivals.
Krishna Bai, the mother of Vyankatesh, was a pure-hearted and deeply spiritual woman. Her husband Purushottam was equally noble. Krishna Bai was originally from Nevasa—the land of Saint Dnyaneshwar—and therefore was deeply influenced by the *Dnyaneshwari*, which she read daily. During her prayers, a yogi appeared and said: *“Do not worry. The One whom you meditate upon will be born to you. Lord Balaji Himself shall take birth as your son.”* From that moment onward she saw divine visions everywhere, and in time gave birth to Vyankatesh.
When it came time to name the child, Madhavanath Maharaj himself named him “Vyankatesh,” recognising the spiritual signs surrounding him. As a child, Vyankatesh drank only the milk of a cow named Kapila. By age five, he had memorised the *Bhagavad Gita*, *Manache Shlok* and the *Ramaraksha*. His memory was extraordinary. Teachers admired him greatly.
One day while playing, another child hit him on the head. Vyankatesh said: *“Do not hit there—that place is the Brahmarandra!”* Even at such a young age, subtle spiritual awareness flowed naturally through him. Whenever someone was sick, he prepared small clay medicine balls and cured their ailments. Helping others became his nature.
Once, he wandered miles away to help an ill person. His parents searched anxiously and found him meditating calmly in a temple. Though sent to school, his interest lay only in spiritual contemplation. Teachers asked him to read lessons; he recited the mantras of Narayana instead. He often skipped school to meditate by the river. His physical discipline was strong—he practised yoga and asanas daily.
Madhavanath Maharaj personally taught him deep yogic kriyas and finally gave him “Anugraha,” formally bringing him into the Nath lineage. For years Vyankatesh lived on leaves and simple food, purifying body and mind.
One day, a mysterious ascetic came asking for “desired food.” He placed three rings before Vyankatesh and demanded each be heated red-hot and applied to the six points around the navel chakra. Vyankatesh recognised the ascetic as a realised being and accepted the test. After the ritual, he fainted. A divine goddess appeared, applied bitter neem juice to cool the burns, and disappeared. The marks remain visible even today. This ritual burned away all remaining desires and awakened all six chakras—he became a complete yogi.
Later, he was sent to Pune where Madhavanath Maharaj lived. But Madhavanath scolded him harshly, saying: *“Instead of bringing honour to your lineage, you bring shame. Leave at once.”* Hearing this, twelve-year-old Vyankatesh left home with only the clothes he wore, intending to go to the Himalayas as hinted by his Guru. He wandered alone, begging for food or eating leaves. He met many sages who taught him advanced spiritual knowledge. After twelve years in the Himalayas, he returned to Pune exactly when Madhavanath had foreseen. His training was complete.
At age 22, Madhavanath performed his marriage to Vatsala (renamed “Rama”), forming the divine pair “Rama–Vyankatesh.” Although married, Vyankatesh lived like an ascetic. He continued his Guru-seva, mastered yogic disciplines and prepared for his destined mission.
From birth, many divine signs indicated that Vyankatesh was chosen for the great Nath mission. Madhavanath tested him thoroughly and shaped him for the work ahead. For 57 years, Vyankatnath Maharaj performed unparalleled service to humanity—guiding seekers, healing people, performing mystic yogic acts, and leading the Nathpanth with extraordinary simplicity and compassion.
Although he possessed mastery over the five elements, astrology, medicine and yoga, he lived in complete humility. Only true seekers could recognise who he truly was. This is how Vyankatnath Maharaj shaped Narendra and prepared him for the future Nathpanth work.