Parampuja Shree. Sadguru Gajanan Maharaj Gupte Nashik (1892-1946)

Gajanan Muralidhar Gupte known as Gajanan Maharaj, a noble saint of Nashik who worshiped Nath Panth through Soham sadhana. Originally from Pen, Muralidhar Gupte settled in Akolya in 1851. His elder son Narayan came to prominence as Kavi B. The fifth and last son became known as Gajatan Maharaj. He was born in Yavatmal.

He was a crippled with one leg due to suffering with smallpox when he was born as a child. Later, Maharaj received grace from Narayan Saraswati, a Paramhansa who lived in the village of Antri in Buldhana district. It was there that he received the order of Machhindranath 'Aadesh Om Hansah Soham Brahma'. After that, little Gajanan went into solitude and started meditating for hours together. Many miracles started happening easily from him.

Gajanan Maharaj led an unassuming life, to all appearances a normal unmarried man of contemporary society. Crediting his personal transformation to the practice of the Soham mantra, he freely shared this practice with a small number of disciples, whom he simply called his friends. Strictly avoiding the trap of gurudom, he insisted that his friends be self-reliant and not be dependent on him for their spiritual progress. Yet he was uniquely able to assist them in their inner development. 

Gajanana Maharaj taught the ajapa-japa of the Soham mantra with the breath. In the book "Light of Soham" his teachings for success in Soham sadhana and spiritual life in general have been collected from the writings of himself and his disciples. An appendix by Abbot George Burke on the method of Soham Yoga gives detailed instruction on how to practice this method of meditation.