Neem Karoli Baba, who is also known as Neeb Karori Baba, was a great Hindu saint, mystic, and Guru. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman. Neem Karoli Baba was known for his miracles. This post shares with you Neem Karoli Baba Miracles.
He was not only popular in India but also abroad, including America. Many Americans traveled to India in the 1960s and 1970s to see him and get his blessings. His followers used to call him “Maharaj-Ji.”
He is also known as the “Miracle Baba” throughout North India. He possessed many siddhis (powers) such as – he could be in two places at once, or he could also put devotees in the state of “Samadhi” (a state of God Consciousness) at the touch of a finger.
His teachings were mostly in the form of non-traditional way that emphasized the path of bhakti yoga and transformed the hearts of thousands of devotees.
He showered unconditional love on all those who came into His presence and even to those who were not able to meet Him in the body but had established a deep connection with him beyond the physical plane.
His followers included several Americans such as spiritual teachers Ram Dass and Bhagavan Das, as well as musicians Krishna Das and Jai Uttal.
There are several ashrams in His name located in Kainchi, Rishikesh, Vrindavan, Shimla, Hanuman Gadi, Neem Karoli village near Khimasepur in Farrukhabad, Lucknow, and Delhi in India, and in Taos, New Mexico, USA.
Neem Karoli Baba or Maharaj-Ji was born in a Brahmin family of Durga Prasad Sharma in village Akbarpur, Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh around 1900.
He was named as Lakshmi (Laxmi) Narayan Sharma. He was married at a young age of 11. However, he chooses to become a wandering Sadhu. Later, he returned home upon his father’s request. He fathered two sons and a daughter.
Neem Karoli Baba left his home in the year 1958. He boarded a train without a ticket. So, the ticket checker (conductor) halted the train and forced him off the train at the village of Neeb Karori in the Farrukhabad district of U.P.
However, when the Baba was forced off the train, it was found that the train would not start again. Several attempts were made to start the train, but all went in vain. The train could not be started.
So, somebody suggested that they should allow the Baba back on to the train. The Baba agreed to board the train. However, he put a condition before the railway officials. He wanted that the Railways should build a station at the village of Neeb Karori.
The officials agreed to this request, and Neem Karoli Baba then decided to board the train. He jokingly said, “Is it up to me to start the trains?” Even the train drivers wanted that the Baba should bless them. So, the Baba gave his blessings, and the train proceeded.
Later, the railway officials built a station at the village of Neeb Karori. Baba stayed in the village of Neeb Karori for some time and was given the name “Neem Karoli Baba” by the locals.
Thereafter, Neem Karoli Baba wandered extensively throughout the northern part of India. He became very famous among the pupils and acquired several names such as Handi Walla Baba, Tikonia Walla Baba, Lakshman Das, and others.
He was even known as Tallaiya Baba when he did Tapasya or Sadhna in Gujarat. The locals of Vrindavan called him by the name of Chamatkari Baba (Miracle Baba).
During his lifetime, two main ashrams were built. One was at Vrindavan, and the other one was at Kainchi. It was at the Kainchi ashram where the Baba used to spend his summer days. Moreover, hundreds of temples were constructed in his name. The temple on the Nainital-Almora road has become an important pilgrimage destination for the Hindus.
Neem Karoli Baba died in the early morning hours (approximately 1:15 am) of 11th September 1973 in a hospital at Vrindavan after experiencing a diabetic coma.
Shri Neem Karoli Baba practiced and preached bhakti yoga throughout his life. According to him, service to others (Seva) is the highest form of unconditional devotion to God.
However, he gave no discourses. Moreover, no biography account is available of him. He appeared and disappeared over the years. Only the simplest stories are known which have taken the form of his teachings.
Usually, he used to sit or lie down on a wooden bench, wrapping him in a plaid blanket. Few devotees would sit around him. Visitors used to come and go. They were given food, a few words, and a pat on the head or back, and then they were sent away.
He used to love jokes. So, there was gossip and laughter when he used to see the visitors. He would also sit in silence, pouring his bliss and peace down to his followers.
Miracles of Neem Karoli Baba
Neem Karoli Baba is also known as the “Chamatkari Baba” or “Miracle Baba.” Here, we share with you stories that bring out the miracles of Neem Karoli Baba.
Once there was a devastating flood at Allahabad of the Ganges and the Yamuna Rivers. The flood was so devastating that even the fort at Allahabad was damaged. There was a danger to the Hanuman Mandir on the banks of River Ganges that the entire Mandir might be washed away.
All the Pujari were worried. They approached the Defense Minister, Dr. Katju, who was in Allahabad. He said, “What can the army do? Now, only Lord Hanuman can save the temple. Neem Karoli Baba is Hanuman. He can do it.”
While this talk was going on, Baba Ji arrived in Jeep. He shouted, “What’s the matter? What’s the matter?” All the priests approached Baba Ji and told their fears for the temple.
Neem Karoli Baba went to the river and took some water in his palm. He sipped the water and said, “It will go; it will go.”
In three days the water of the Ganges River receded, and the temple was saved.
There were many instances when Baba Ji was at different places at the same time. Here, we share with you one of the experiences when Babaji was at different places at the same time.
The incident happened when devotees had just completed the building of a new Hanuman Mandir in Panki (it is near Kanpur). During its official opening ceremony, Babaji (Maharaj-Ji) was in Allahabad. He had told everybody that he wouldn’t attend the function personally.
On the morning of the opening ceremony in Panki, Babaji went into his room in Allahabad, and told his attendant, “I am not keeping well; I shall sleep today.” He covered himself with a blanket and was locked in from outside.
The following day some devotees came to Allahabad to distribute Prasad from the puja in Panki. They described that everything went smoothly. It was a colorful Puja, and Bhandra was also organized. They even reported that Maharaj-Ji had come to the event at Panki, although he said, he wouldn’t.
It surprised the attendants as Maharaj-Ji was in Allahabad all the time. However, devotees said that he was also in Panki at the Hanuman temple from seven until twelve o’clock.
Likewise, there are many more stories of Babaji’s grace and miracles. Here, we share with you one such story which reveals Babaji’s miracle.
It was in 1967 that R.P. Vaish, a devotee of Babaji, came to Kainchi to meet Babaji. Vaish was being transferred to Delhi. He told Babaji that he had planned to tour Kashmir before taking up his post.
When Vaish was about to leave, Babaji called him up and gave him an umbrella. Babaji said, “Keep it with you. It rains heavily there.”
Vaish was reluctant to accept the umbrella. He told Babaji that he already had an umbrella with him at home. However, Babaji did not listen to him and asked him to keep the umbrella.
When Vaish returned to Delhi, he again went for Babaji’s Darshan and to return the umbrella. When Babaji met Vaish, he said, “Keep the umbrella with you. It will be a protective umbrella for you.” Vaish took the words of Babaji and returned to Delhi with the umbrella.
In 1978 (it was five years after Babaji’s Maha Samadhi), Vaish was transferred to Lucknow. He left his luggage and the umbrella at his house in Delhi. However, in Lucknow, Vaish was gripped in heart, liver, and spleen trouble. He underwent a checkup at the Balrampur Hospital which revealed that his spleen had been enlarged by thirteen centimeters. As he was suffering from heart trouble, so the doctors did not advise an operation for him.
With no other treatment option available for him in Lucknow, Vaish and his family returned to Delhi for a checkup at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. When Vaish was getting ready to go to the hospital, his wife noticed the umbrella lying in the house.
She got the idea that as his husband had not kept the umbrella gifted by Babaji, he has been deprived of Baba’s protection. So, she kept the umbrella under his pillow and escorted her husband to the hospital.
At AIIMS, Vaish was examined thoroughly by the doctors. It was revealed that his spleen was enlarged by thirteen centimeters. The doctors said that they had to rely on the medicines to affect a cure as it was not advisable to operate Vaish under this condition.
Vaish had to take a special tablet once a month. It would reduce his spleen by two and a half centimeters over thirty days. Vaish then took the first tablet the same day. The next morning, Vaish was feeling much better. He wanted to get examined once again. On a special request, Vaish was examined once again.
The results revealed that his spleen had been reduced by thirteen centimeters in size. When the doctors saw the results in the report, they were all amazed at the sudden change. They expressed their surprise to Vaish. So, Vaish pulled out the umbrella gifted by Babaji and said, “By its grace.” It was Babaji’s Miracle and has been called “An Umbrella of Protection.”
Neem Karoli Baba and Steve Jobs
Neem Karoli Baba had many well-known disciples including spiritual teacher Ram Dass (he was the author of the book known as Be Here Now), teacher & performer Bhagavan Das and Lama Surya Das, as well as musicians Jai Uttal and Krishna Das.
Other notable devotees of Babaji were humanitarian Larry Brilliant and his wife Girija, Dada Mukerjee who was a professor at Allahabad University, scholar and writer Yvette Rosser, filmmaker John Bush, and a notable author Daniel Goleman.
Even Steve Jobs and his friend Dan Kottke came to India in April 1974 to meet Neem Karoli Baba but found that the Guru had already died the previous September.
Julia Roberts, the famous Hollywood actress, was also influenced by Neem Karoli Baba. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, was influenced by Steve Jobs and visited Babaji’s ashram in Kainchi.
Concluding
Neem Karoli Baba was a Hindu saint and mystic whose teachings are still relevant in the 21st Century. His ashrams spread across India and abroad have spread his message of peace, love, and universal brotherhood. This post has listed some of the many miracles performed by Babaji. So, you can experience the power, magic, and grace of this wonder saint of India, Neem Karoli Baba or Maharaj-Ji.
