Tradition

Gāṇapatya Sampradaya Lineage of Śrī Kṣetra Morgaon

Śrīman Mahasadhu Śrī Moraya Gosavi Maharaj

Śrī Kṣetra Morgaon was the birth place of Śrī Moraya Gosavi Maharaj. When his Guru Śrī Nayanbharati blessed him he made his place of residence at Chinchwad with his Guru. As Śrī Mayureśvara was his worshiping deity he ofcourse had affiliation & affection with Morgaon. Due to this he started a pilgrimage, a walk from Chinchwad to Morgaon. He used to reach Morgaon on every Chaturthi i.e. fourth day of every month. It was a very difficult task at that time as there were no transportation means available.

Once in a rainy season on the Chaturthi crossing all the watercourses, trampling through the mud Śrī Maharaj reached Morgaon but the priest left by shutting down the temple doors. Being agonized with the fact that even after reaching here with great efforts I am unable to see my Lord Mayureśvara Śrī Moraya Gosavi Maharaj sat under the Tarti tree (Name of a thorny plant) with tears in his eyes. With a great amount of grief he praised the Mayureśvara with a words “तुझीये भेटीची बहू आस रे मोरया, देखीता बहुत झाले दिवस रे मोरया” meaning I am hopeful to see you Moraya (Mayureśvara), It has been a long time since I have seen you.

Mayureśvara was pleased with this invocation and appeared before Moraya Gosavi. He said why are you suffering with sorrow for not seeing me? There is no difference between you and me. We are one! Oh Dear, You are aged henceforth there is no need to visit Morgaon every month because I am coming with you to Chinchwad. On the next day while giving Arghya (oblation of water) to Sun in Karha river Moraya Gosavi blessed with an idol in his hand of Mayureśvara in the form of Tāṁdalā (a rude stone smeared with red lead and used as an idol) and voice from the skies echoed, “ Dear Moraya I am pleased with your devotion. I give you a blessing that in future people will cheer your name immediately after my name. Since then people extol the name Maṁgalamūrtī Moraya.

Even after receiving the idol Śrī Moraya Gosavi Maharaj did not discontinue his Pilgrimage to Morgaon and which is done by devotees even today. It is the greatest glory of Śrī Mayureśvara Kṣetra.One should worship & take a darshana of Idol of Śrī Moraya Gosavi at Tarti tree / Kalpavruksha where Mayureśvara appeared before him. Śrī Morya Gosavi Maharaj was an incarnation of Śrī Mayureśvara, hence he is considered to be the originator of the Gāṇapatya Sampradaya that is seen today in Maharashtra.

।। श्री मयूरेशकृपाप्राप्तम् दिव्यवंशसमुद्भवम् ।
श्री गोसावीमोरयासंज्ञं तं वंदे तं गणपप्रियम् ।।

(Let’s bow down to him who is dearer to Gaṇapatī, who has a complete grace of Mayureśvara, Who is born from divine lineage, whose name is Moraya Gosavi).

Śrī Gaṇeśa Yogiṁdrācārya Maharaj

According to the belief of Gāṇapatya tradition, Śrī Gaṇeśa Yogiṁdrācārya is considered as a Kaliyuga incarnation of Śrī Sage Mudgal. Śrī Mayureśvara Shastri & Devi Sushila of Ambi a village of Gujarat did an austere penance of Mayureśvara to begot a child. As a result, with the blessings of Bhagwan Swanandnath Śrī Gaṇeśa Yogiṁdrācārya was descended to earth on the auspicious Fifth day of Śravana in the year 1577 AD.

Śrī Gaṇeśa Yogiṁdrācārya Maharaja did a great work of strengthening philosophical system of Gāṇapatya Sampradaya by composing extraordinary Commentaries on Mudgala Purāṇa, Brahmanspati Sukta & works like Śrī Gaṇeśa Vijaya and Yogeshwari Tika on Śrī Gaṇeśa Gita.
Another great work has been credited to his name is that of establishing the Places of Dvārayātrā (Important pilgrimage of the Kṣetra) and installing various idols there.

Śrī Gaṇeśa Yogiṁdrācārya Maharaj was eagerly waiting to read the Śrī Mudgala Purāṇa. He had heard the name of this text but it was extinct. He prayed to Śrī Mayureśvara with great devotion to get the text. One day a Brahmin came to Śrī Kṣetra Morgaon. After completing his daily bath and worship he started reciting a text. After listening to the text for the first time which was full of divine meanings, Śrī Maharaj inquired to that Brahmin about it and got to know that it was nothing but a Mudgala Purāṇa. Śrī Maharaj was dancing in joy. He requested the Brahmin that, Kindly provide me that sacred scripture, I will copy it. Brahmin agreed and gave him the first volume. Śrī Maharaj started to copy down the entire text in his own handwriting.

One after the other, a total 9 volumes were received and copied down by Śrī Maharaj. In the joy of getting Śrī Mudgala Purāṇa he forgot to ask who was that brahmin? Where did he come from? Where does he live? How does he give me the next volume immediately after I complete copying the earlier one? But after the completion of copying entire Nine Volumes Śrī Maharaj was distressed with such questions. At the same time that Brahim came and before Śrī Maharaj asked him questions he picked up his books & started walking.

Śrī Maharaj ran after him but by that time he had gone into the sanctum sanctorum of Śrī Mayureśvara and merged with Śrī Murti. Śrī Mayureśvar himself appeared nine times in a row and brought nine volumes of Mudgala Purāṇa. This was the great divinity of Śrī Gaṇeśa Yogiṁdrācārya Maharaj. Later at this place Śrī Maharaj wrote a commentary on the Mudgala Purāṇa.

On the 10th day of Māgha Month (Māgha Vadya Dasami) in the year 1805 AD, Śrī Maharaj was merged with Śrī Mayureśvara thus completing his earthly journey. His shrine is at Morgaon. Śrī Gaṇeśa Yogiṁdrācārya Maharaj’s place in the hearts of all devotees is as great as Śrī Mayureśvara. As a symbol of respect, Mūṣakarāja (Mouse) has been installed in front of Śrī Maharaj’s Samadhi like Śrī Mayureśvara.

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