Quotes by Swami Samartha (Akkalkot Swami)

Swami Samartha was a great sage who lived in 19th century. Unfortunately, I do not have many direct quotes on brahmacharya
by him. I am including other spiritual quotes below:

1. (ref:http://books.google.com/books?id=Ukr_Jk9TDCYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false) -At Girnar, Swami Samarth was known as “Chanchal Bharati” (a wandering mendicant). A devotee, Sevadas came for darshan. As an earnest aspirant, he sought help and guidance on the spiritual path. Swami Samarth advised him, “For spiritual progress, Chitta Shuddhi (purity of heart) is essential. It is achieved by dedicated action without craving for fruit thereof. Our duties are to be discharged in a spirit of selflessness and as part of worship. Through this, egoism slowly vanishes and vision broadens and the heart becomes expansive. Once the mind is purified, you must seek a Sadguru and, surrendering to him, serve him. Listening to, reflecting and contemplating deeply on the spiritual truths, are then the logical steps to follow. Thus, erroneous notions and wrong beliefs disappear. Nescience is removed. Thus is realized the knowledge of Brahman.”
2. Everyone should understand one’s own limitations and not aspire for unmerited spiritual experience. One should first strive to earn the adhikara – the merit for what he can aspire for. The experience of a vision of Bhrahman is not for any and everyone. It requires an arduous, austere penance, a totally purified heart and genuine merit. How can ordinary eyes which cannot even gaze at the Sun stand the radiance of Brahman with the effulgence of billions of Suns? Cultivation of a purified heart and total detachment – these are the prerequisites for higher spiritual experiences. Through Sakara to Nirakar, stagewise should be one’s spiritual ascent.
3. (ref:
   http://www.swamisamarth.com/downloads/englishliterature/SwamiSamarth.pdf) – When Sripad (Sripad SriVallabh is considered as an earlier incarnation of Swami Samartha) became sixteen year old, his parents started thinking about his marriage. That’s when Sripad reminded them, “I am born to be an ascetic, not for marriage. I want to be free from worldly attachments or to enjoy worldly pleasures. I am married to all the yogas in this universe. For the accomplishment of the yoga’s, I would like to travel to the north.”
4. Who is the mother? Who is the son? It is all an ephemeral relationship.
   How many mothers and fathers have you had in your precious lives? It is
   beyond all count. There is only one Eternal Mother. You really belong to
   Her. She is the Mother, Father and everyone to you and all. Develop
   attachment only to that and not to any earthly physical relationships which
   are like bubbles, which may burst any moment. Strive for shreyas,
   lasting and eternal good, not for preyar, momentary pleasures and
   fleeting gains.
5. Story of Wamanboa Brahmachari
   • Shri Wamanboa Brahmachari was a resident of Wambori village in
     Ahmednagar District. He was a devotee of Lord Dattatreya from his youth.
     He served in a number of jobs in varying capacities and met many holy
     men, sadhus, fakirs, etc., but he did not feel satisfied with his life.
   • One day while he was in Pune with his mother, a brahmin came and
     said in the course of conversation, “A life without the grace of a
     sadguru is a totally wasted life“. Wamanboa asked him
     where he could find a sadguru. The brahmin repliedd, “Go to Akkalkot and
     get the darshan of Shri Swami Samarth; he is the avatar of Guru
     Dattatreya, manifest in human form”. On hearing this, Wamanboa at once
     decided to go to Akkalkot. He went there in the yeat 1872. Sri Swami
     Samarth had gone to Honde at that time. Wamanboa went to Honde but could
     not reach the village because the river which was to be crossed was in
     floods. He felt very disappointed. But from his side of the river on the
     other bank he could see the celestial figure of Sri Swami Samarth, and
     prostrated to him where he was. Swami Samarth himself came near him
     walking across the river. Wamanboa prostrated at his feet again with a
     deep thrill of joy, his heart overflowing with gratitude for Swamiji’s
     solicitude and compassion towards him. Swamiji said, “You are my child.
     Be with me, serve me. I bless you. You will surely attain
     Brahmanishta. Renounce the world completely“. Shri Wamanboa at
     once threw away all his clothes and belongings, and was left only with a
     kaupin. Sri Swami Samarth then gave him a kandalu (water-pot of a sadhu)
     as a token of initiation and his blessings.
6. Around 1876, Wamanboa’s health deteriorated. He had all sorts of
   complications and was unable to bear the sufferings. He sent a letter to
   Swamiji praying that he should cure him by his grace. There was neither a
   return message from Swami Samarth nor did he find any improvement in his
   condition. He felt that suicide would be the best relief for him and went to
   drown himself in the Surasagar lake. Just at that moment, when he was about
   to jump into the lake, Sri Swami Samarth suddenly manifested himself, caught
   hold of him and slapped him on his face. Swamiji admonished him saying, “You
   want to escape from paying off your debts. You had incurred heavy debts in
   your former life. All the present suffering of yours is settlement of this
   old account. What you sowed in your previous life, you have to reap in this
   one. Even Mahapurushas cannot escape deha prarabdha,
   (karma), even if they had purified themselves completely by austerities in
   the present life. By committing suicide, do you think you can escape from
   your suffering? After suicide it will be far worse; and unsettled accounts
   will haunt you life after life, increasing manifold as if with compound
   interest. Have forbearance. Let not your faith be shaken by these physical
   ills and ailments. Such faint-heartedness does not befit a man of your
   spiritual stature. Life is meant for achieving a far nobler purpose and goal
   than to be merely thrown into and allowed to stagnate in a waterly grave.
   Seek thy self and attain it.” Further, Swami Samarth said, “Do
   you think I did not know about your suffering? But you must know that it is
   all a cleansing and purifying process – the gold has to be put in fire and
   hammered on the anvil before it frees itself of its dross and attains purity
   and shines resplendently. The hardships thrown on man by destiny are by way
   of a similar process, meant to cleanse the mind, heart and the self of man,
   so that the divinity innate in him will get manifest in its fullness and he
   will become worthy of being God’s child”.
7. After the Samadhi, Swamiji appeared before Sri Balappa Maharaj
   to console him.
   • Sri Balappa Maharaj being deeply attached to Sri Swami Samarth found
     his grief unbearable at the latter’s passing away. Although he showed
     some courage at the beginning of the final rites, yet as they progressed
     he could not bear to witness them and broke down completely. He felt he
     would not be able to continue to live without the Master and should also
     follow in his wake. He refused to take food or water, however much
     others pressed him. On the third day of the fast, lo! Sri Swami Samarth
     himself appeared in front of Sri Balappa Maharaj, holding kamandalu in
     his hand. Balappa bent down and touched the Master’s feet. Swamiji
     raised him with his own hands and said with the affection and love of a
     million mothers, “My son! do not grieve. It does not befit you.
     I gave you my precious padukas. You try to see me in them. I am ever
     present with you. I continue to accept your loving services daily.
     Transcend your attachment to my physical form and comprehend my true
     nature Swaswarupa:
     the all pervading Absolute Consciousness. My
     blessings are always with you.” Saying this the form dissolved
     into the all pervading space. Sri Balappa Maharaj became convincingly
     aware of the immortal and eternal nature of Sri Swami Samarth and was
     filled with new courage and confidence.
8. Since the day of Swami Samarth’s arrival in Cholappa’s house, Cholappa became his close and devoted disciple who served the Swami faithfully and with devotion. Even then Swami Samarth put him to severe tests and created problems for him. He used to insult and trouble Cholappa, would annoy Cholappa’s wife and tax their patience to the extreme. Yet Cholappa remained a staunch devotee, never wavering in his faith. He won the master’s favor and grace completely. He won the master’s love; he became so dear to him that the Swami, a Maha Vairagi lamented like a child when Cholappa died.
9. Every Thursday Sri Swami Samarth was given a special bath. He was seated on a wooden stool, his body besmeared with perfumes and scented oil, and bathed in hot water. After bath, he was garlanded, worshipped and lights were waved to him (aarti). On his forehead, saffron and musk marks were applied. There was the usual rudraksha mala and sphatika mala worn round his neck. After the bath, he was seated on a throne – Simhasana.
   Sri Swami Samarth used to chant the name of God (namajapa) all the time. He would bless the visitors, offer them dates, sugarcandy and sweets as ‘prasad’.
   Children were particularly favoured with sweets. To the poor and the needy, Swami Samarth sumptuously offered food and gifts. During Diwali and other festivals, he used to offer special gifts to his devotees. During Muharram, Id and other festivals Swami Samarth would offer gifts to fakirs, avaliyas and others who regularly visited Akkalkot for Swamiji’s darshan and blessings. Many Parsees and Christians too visited Akkalkot for similar grace and favour.
10. Swami Samarth had a majestic figure and imposing personality. His looks were always commanding. There was omniscience in his eyes.
    With an air of freedom in his appearance, manners and ways, he never seemed to care for physical comforts. His actions too sometimes seemed childish and strange. He used to always mutter something to himself. At times, he used to address stones and trees as if they were his kith and kin.
    He spoke very little, never gave any sermons nor wrote anything. But his darshan was sufficient – just a glance of his was enough – to be a beneficial shower; enough to impart all kinds of spiritual teachings. His silence was a sermon and cleared all doubts of his devotees. He visited temples, maths, mandirs, dargahs and pirs. But he himself was beyond temples, mosques and churches. He was an Avadhoot – a God-man and in fact God Himself. The Muslims used to revere him as a great avalia.
11. Shri Swami Samartha’s messages to His disciples -
    1. Do not even see the face of a lazy person.
    2. Sweat and toil to earn your livelihood.
    3. Do not use drugs. They derail your thinking process.
    4. The one who follows ‘Dharma’ (Path of righteousness) always triumphs.
    5. One who seeks Master’s company should be unmindful of shame.
12. Shri Swami Samartha’s teaching for performing all actions without expectations of fruits -Shri Swami Samartha says to one of His devotees, “Go on dong action without expecting any rewards. This will lead you to realization.”
13. Have firm belief that it is god alone who is immanent in every seen and unseen thing in this universe. This will help you maintain purity of the mind.
14. Do not offer spiritual knowledge or advice to every person you meet. Assess the worth of the person and then only offer spiritual advice depending on his merits.
15. Be always engaged in practicing your Dharma. Then you will triumph in every field.
16. Whenever you come across an able guide on the spiritual path try to gain as much knowledge and advice from him as possible. No master will share the knowledge on his own, as no farm will yield crops on its own.
17. While following spiritual practice if you gain spiritual powers then do not fall prey to the lure of using them to show miracles.
18. Bookish knowledge alone will not lead you to self-realization. Try to put the acquired knowledge in to practice.
19. Swami always insisted that, “Knave people are social problems and we should get rid of them quickly.” He wanted all the people to do Relentless Efforts. He used to say, “Stay away from lazy person”,” Always do hard work like bull”. If someone is seating idle without any work and thinking pointlessly, then Swamiji used asked,”Hey, don’t you have bull with you?” Swamiji said, “Do hard work and earn your own bread and butter.” He gave teaching of ‘karmayog’(Path of Action).
20. Swamiji always told his disciples, always listen to and follow saints. Just throw away the proud. Worship god and chant his name. Be satisfied in what you have got. God resides in every human being. Don’t ever hurt any animal.
21. Mind is an immense power station. Samarth advised to chant to make it strong and stay away from bad habits. We should try to follow the advices given by Swami Samarth. Patience, tenderness, truth are some of his good qualities. He had knowledge of everything still he never interfered in natural rules.
22. Always overcome any differences and lead a good life.
23. Always think in all directions and good for others.
24. Always earn money by effort and use it for your own success. Also help others too.
25. Learn to forgive.
26. Everything is going to end. People should understand this and work relentlessly.