Morya Gosavi
Encyclopedia
Morya Gosavi or Moraya Gosavi alias Moroba Gosavi is a prominent saint of the Hindu
Ganapatya
sect, which considers the elephant-faced god Ganesha
as the Supreme Being. The tomb of Morya Gosavi at Chinchwad attracts many Ganesha devotees.
Morya Gosavi is considered the chief spiritual progenitor of the Ganapatyas and described as the "most famous devotee" of Ganesha.
Various legends associate Morya Gosavi with Humayun (1508–1556), Shahaji (1594–1665) and his son Shivaji (1627–1680). His memorial temple has an inscription records that it was started in 1658-9.
in Karnataka
. He was thrown out of house by his father as he was thought to be of no use to the family. Morya travelled to the Ganesha shrine at Morgaon - in neighbouring Maharashtra
- where he found a liking to Ganesha. He settled at Chinchwad, 50 miles (80.5 km) away from Morgaon.
Another story declares him to be a son of a poor but pious couple from Pune
, Maharashtra. Morya is believed to have been born due to grace of Ganesha, whom the childless couple propitiated. After the birth of Morya, the family moved to Pimple, 40 miles (64.4 km) away from Chinchwad. After the death of his parents, he moved to Tathvade, 2 miles (3.2 km) away from Chichwad. Both legends declare he visited the Morgaon temple regularly, daily or monthly to worship Ganesha.
Another tale tells that Morya's parents, Vaman-Bhat Shaligram and his wife moved to Morgaon from Bidar. His parents prayed to Ganesha at Morgaon. Soon, Morya was born to them. Later, Morya became seriously ill and was not recovering so they prayed to Ganesha again. Soon, a Gosavi (priest) named Nayan Bharati came and gave medicine to Morya, curing him. Nayan Bharati also preached to Morya. Henceforth, the Bhat family took the family name Gosavi and Morya was known as Morya Gosavi.
(August–September) - the largest festival dedicated to Ganesha - Morya could not find place in the temple, crowded by the laity and the wealthy Pingle family. Morya left his offering under a tree and then by a "miracle", the laity's offerings from temple were exchanged with Morya's offerings under the tree. The laity found Morya guilty of sorcery and prohibited his entry in Morgaon. Ganesha appeared in a dream of Pingle and told Pingle that he was offended by the ill-treatment of his favourite devotee Morya. So Pingle requested Morya to come back to Morgaon, but Morya refused. Ganesha thus gave a vision to Morya saying that he would come to stay with Morya in Chinchwad. Accordingly, Morya found an image of Ganesha - similar to that worshipped at Morgaon - while bathing in the river and built a small shrine for it.
Another tale tells that the head-man of Morgaon was impressed by Morya's pious ways and offered him milk everyday Morya visited Morgaon. Once the head-man was not present at his house, so a blind girl went to offer the milk to Morya. The moment she touched the threshold of house where Morya was waiting, her sight was restored. Morya became famous due to this miracle and is credited to have cured the eyes of Shivaji (1627–1680) too - who would become the founder of the Maratha Empire
later. To escape the crowds of people, Morya relocated to the forest, where present-day Chinchwad stands. Due to his growing age, Morya found it hard to continue his visits to Morgaon. Once he reached Morgaon after the temple was closed. Tired and hugry, he slept. Ganesha gave Morya a dream-vision telling Morya to offer his prayers to him and that he would reside with Morya in Chinchwad and incarnate in Morya's lineage for seven generations. Morya woke to find the temple doors miraculously opened and offered his prayers. In morning when the temple-priests opened the temple-doors, they were astonished to see fresh flowers offered to the Lord and a pearl necklace missing. The necklace was discovered on Morya's neck, who was imprisoned but then freed due to Ganesha's aid. Morya found a conical stone rising in Chinchwad home, which he recognized as Ganesha and built a temple for it.
Another legend does not talk about his arrest, but says that Morya realised the presence of Ganesha at Morgaon but realised that there was hindrance in his devotion, so he moved to the forest near Tathwade to worship Ganesha. On every fourth lunar day after the full moon, Morya used to visit the Ganesha temple at Theur. Once, devotees from Chinchwad requested Morya to visit the bank of Pavana River
at Chinchwad. There, Chintamani - the form of Ganesha visited at Theur - is believed to have ordered Morya to marry. As per Ganesha's orders, Morya got married to Uma, the daughter of Govindrao Kulkarni whose family was staying in Tathwade village in Chinchwad.
According to a story, as per his guru's orders, Morya performed penance at Theur by observing a strict fast for 42 days, within this period, he is believed to have "divine revelations". After the death of his parents, Morya moved from Morgaon to Chinchwad. The present structure of the Theur temple is built by Morya.
(another Ganesha temple site) and Chinchwad. Morya had a son, whom he named Chintamani (Chintaman). Chintamani was venerated as a living incarnation of Ganesha. But before that according to some experts, he helped the deposed Mughal
emperor Humayun
(1508–1556) to escape to Kabul
, when Humayun again became the Emperor of Delhi
, he showered Morya with gifts. According to Dhere, Shivaji's father Shahaji
(1594–1665) is recorded as a donor to Morya Gosavi.
After his wife's death and his guru Nayan Bharati's sanjeevan samadhi, Morya took sanjeevan samadhi by burying himself alive in a tomb with a holy book in his hand. Morya left strict orders that his tomb be never opened. Chintamani built a temple over his father's tomb. Chintamani is described to have shown his true form as Ganesha to the Varkari
saint-poet Tukaram
(1577 - c.1650), who called Chintamani a Dev
spelt also as Deva or Deo (god). The lineage was henceforth known as the Dev family.
Chintamani was followed as a Dev by Narayan, Chintamani II, Dharmadhar, Chintamani III, Narayan II and Dharmadhar II. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
(1658–1707) gifted Narayan the hereditary grant of eight villages, impressed by the latter's "miracle" of changing into jasmine flowers the piece of beef sent by the former. (Beef is considered unholy in Hinduism and killing of cows - considered sacred - is prohibited.) Narayan II violated Morya's orders and opened the latter's tomb. According to the tale, Morya who found still mediating in the tomb, was disturbed and cursed Narayan that his son would the last Dev. Narayan's son, Dharmadhar II - the seventh generation of Morya - died childless in 1810 ending the direct lineage of Morya, but a distant relative of Dharmadhar, Sakhari was installed as a Dev by the priesthood to continue the temple funding. Devotional poetry of all the Devs still survive.
inscription: "This temple was begun on the bright twelfth of Kartik
(November–December) Shaka 1580 (A.D. 1658-9) Vilambi Samvatsara
and finished on Monday the bright fourth of Ashadha, Vikari Samvatsara". The temples enjoyed the revenue from the eight villages given by Aurangzeb in the past. The tomb of Morya Gosavi as well as the Ganesha temple constructed by him still attracts many Ganesha devotees to Chinchwad. Devotees believe that though Morya Gosavi attained moksha
(salvation) but "his presence continues to endow the shrine with sacred significance."
On the circumbulation path (Pradakshina path) of the Morgaon Ganesha temple
, there is a tree near the Kalpavrushka Mandir. The tree is believed to have the spot where Morya Gosavi underwent penance. An image of Morya Gosavi is worshipped in the temple complex too. Morya Gosavi is also credited to have popularized the Morgaon temple.
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
Ganapatya
Ganapatya
Ganapatya is a denomination of Hinduism that worships Ganesha as the Saguna Brahman.The worship of Ganesha is considered complementary with the worship of other deities. Hindus of all sects begin prayers, important undertakings, and religious ceremonies with an invocation of Ganesha...
sect, which considers the elephant-faced god Ganesha
Ganesha
Ganesha , also spelled Ganesa or Ganesh, also known as Ganapati , Vinayaka , and Pillaiyar , is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. His image is found throughout India and Nepal. Hindu sects worship him regardless of affiliations...
as the Supreme Being. The tomb of Morya Gosavi at Chinchwad attracts many Ganesha devotees.
Morya Gosavi is considered the chief spiritual progenitor of the Ganapatyas and described as the "most famous devotee" of Ganesha.
Dating
While Yuvraj Krishan places Morya Gosavi in the 13th-14th century, RC Dhere places him in the 16th century. Paul B. Courtright and Anne Feldhaus date him to 1610-59. The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation dates him to c. 1330 to 1556. His marriage year is given as 1470 and his son's birth corresponds to 1481. Encyclopedia of Religion dates his death to 1651.Various legends associate Morya Gosavi with Humayun (1508–1556), Shahaji (1594–1665) and his son Shivaji (1627–1680). His memorial temple has an inscription records that it was started in 1658-9.
Early life
According to one version of the story, Morya was born in BidarBidar
Bidar is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the north-eastern part of Karnataka. It is the headquarters of the Bidar District....
in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
. He was thrown out of house by his father as he was thought to be of no use to the family. Morya travelled to the Ganesha shrine at Morgaon - in neighbouring Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
- where he found a liking to Ganesha. He settled at Chinchwad, 50 miles (80.5 km) away from Morgaon.
Another story declares him to be a son of a poor but pious couple from Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, Maharashtra. Morya is believed to have been born due to grace of Ganesha, whom the childless couple propitiated. After the birth of Morya, the family moved to Pimple, 40 miles (64.4 km) away from Chinchwad. After the death of his parents, he moved to Tathvade, 2 miles (3.2 km) away from Chichwad. Both legends declare he visited the Morgaon temple regularly, daily or monthly to worship Ganesha.
Another tale tells that Morya's parents, Vaman-Bhat Shaligram and his wife moved to Morgaon from Bidar. His parents prayed to Ganesha at Morgaon. Soon, Morya was born to them. Later, Morya became seriously ill and was not recovering so they prayed to Ganesha again. Soon, a Gosavi (priest) named Nayan Bharati came and gave medicine to Morya, curing him. Nayan Bharati also preached to Morya. Henceforth, the Bhat family took the family name Gosavi and Morya was known as Morya Gosavi.
From Morgaon to Chinchwad
A legend recalls: on Ganesh ChaturthiGanesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi , also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is the Hindu festival of Ganesha also called Vinayagar in Tamil Nadu, the son of Shiva and Parvati, who is believed to bestow his presence on earth for all his devotees in the duration of this festival...
(August–September) - the largest festival dedicated to Ganesha - Morya could not find place in the temple, crowded by the laity and the wealthy Pingle family. Morya left his offering under a tree and then by a "miracle", the laity's offerings from temple were exchanged with Morya's offerings under the tree. The laity found Morya guilty of sorcery and prohibited his entry in Morgaon. Ganesha appeared in a dream of Pingle and told Pingle that he was offended by the ill-treatment of his favourite devotee Morya. So Pingle requested Morya to come back to Morgaon, but Morya refused. Ganesha thus gave a vision to Morya saying that he would come to stay with Morya in Chinchwad. Accordingly, Morya found an image of Ganesha - similar to that worshipped at Morgaon - while bathing in the river and built a small shrine for it.
Another tale tells that the head-man of Morgaon was impressed by Morya's pious ways and offered him milk everyday Morya visited Morgaon. Once the head-man was not present at his house, so a blind girl went to offer the milk to Morya. The moment she touched the threshold of house where Morya was waiting, her sight was restored. Morya became famous due to this miracle and is credited to have cured the eyes of Shivaji (1627–1680) too - who would become the founder of the Maratha Empire
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
later. To escape the crowds of people, Morya relocated to the forest, where present-day Chinchwad stands. Due to his growing age, Morya found it hard to continue his visits to Morgaon. Once he reached Morgaon after the temple was closed. Tired and hugry, he slept. Ganesha gave Morya a dream-vision telling Morya to offer his prayers to him and that he would reside with Morya in Chinchwad and incarnate in Morya's lineage for seven generations. Morya woke to find the temple doors miraculously opened and offered his prayers. In morning when the temple-priests opened the temple-doors, they were astonished to see fresh flowers offered to the Lord and a pearl necklace missing. The necklace was discovered on Morya's neck, who was imprisoned but then freed due to Ganesha's aid. Morya found a conical stone rising in Chinchwad home, which he recognized as Ganesha and built a temple for it.
Another legend does not talk about his arrest, but says that Morya realised the presence of Ganesha at Morgaon but realised that there was hindrance in his devotion, so he moved to the forest near Tathwade to worship Ganesha. On every fourth lunar day after the full moon, Morya used to visit the Ganesha temple at Theur. Once, devotees from Chinchwad requested Morya to visit the bank of Pavana River
Pavana River
Pavana river is situated in the west of Maharashtra state, in the Pune District. It originates in the Western ghats. It is a tributary of Bhima river and merges in the Mula river in Pune city. It flows through Pune city and divides Pune City and Pimpri Chinchwad area. A dam is built on this river...
at Chinchwad. There, Chintamani - the form of Ganesha visited at Theur - is believed to have ordered Morya to marry. As per Ganesha's orders, Morya got married to Uma, the daughter of Govindrao Kulkarni whose family was staying in Tathwade village in Chinchwad.
According to a story, as per his guru's orders, Morya performed penance at Theur by observing a strict fast for 42 days, within this period, he is believed to have "divine revelations". After the death of his parents, Morya moved from Morgaon to Chinchwad. The present structure of the Theur temple is built by Morya.
Death and lineage
Morya continued to visit Theur, RanjangaonRanjangaon
Ranjangaon is a village located at a distance of about 50 km from Pune, en route to Shirur in Maharashtra, and it houses a shrine to Mahaganapati....
(another Ganesha temple site) and Chinchwad. Morya had a son, whom he named Chintamani (Chintaman). Chintamani was venerated as a living incarnation of Ganesha. But before that according to some experts, he helped the deposed Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperor Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
(1508–1556) to escape to Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, when Humayun again became the Emperor of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, he showered Morya with gifts. According to Dhere, Shivaji's father Shahaji
Shahaji
Shahaji Raje Bhosle was an early exponent of guerilla warfare. He was the eldest son of Maloji Bhosale of Verul . He brought the house of Bhosle into prominence. The princely states of Tanjore, Kolhapur and Satara are Bhosle legacies...
(1594–1665) is recorded as a donor to Morya Gosavi.
After his wife's death and his guru Nayan Bharati's sanjeevan samadhi, Morya took sanjeevan samadhi by burying himself alive in a tomb with a holy book in his hand. Morya left strict orders that his tomb be never opened. Chintamani built a temple over his father's tomb. Chintamani is described to have shown his true form as Ganesha to the Varkari
Varkari
Varkari is a Vaishnava religious movement within the bhakti spiritual tradition of Hinduism, geographically associated with the Indian states of Maharashtra and northern Karnataka. Varkaris worship Vithoba , the presiding deity of Pandharpur, regarded as a form of Krishna, an Avatar of Vishnu...
saint-poet Tukaram
Tukaram
Sant Tukaram was a prominent Varkari Sant and spiritual poet during a Bhakti movement in India.Sant Tukaram was born and lived most of his life in Dehu, a town close to Pune in Mahārāshtra, India. He was born to a couple with the family name "More", the descendent of the Mourya Clan with first...
(1577 - c.1650), who called Chintamani a Dev
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
spelt also as Deva or Deo (god). The lineage was henceforth known as the Dev family.
Chintamani was followed as a Dev by Narayan, Chintamani II, Dharmadhar, Chintamani III, Narayan II and Dharmadhar II. The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
(1658–1707) gifted Narayan the hereditary grant of eight villages, impressed by the latter's "miracle" of changing into jasmine flowers the piece of beef sent by the former. (Beef is considered unholy in Hinduism and killing of cows - considered sacred - is prohibited.) Narayan II violated Morya's orders and opened the latter's tomb. According to the tale, Morya who found still mediating in the tomb, was disturbed and cursed Narayan that his son would the last Dev. Narayan's son, Dharmadhar II - the seventh generation of Morya - died childless in 1810 ending the direct lineage of Morya, but a distant relative of Dharmadhar, Sakhari was installed as a Dev by the priesthood to continue the temple funding. Devotional poetry of all the Devs still survive.
Veneration
Chinchwad has shrines to the departed Devs, chief of which is that of Moroba. Moroba's memorial temple is a low plain building (30' x 20' x 40') with a square hall or mandap and an octagonal inner shrine, inscribed with a MarathiMarathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
inscription: "This temple was begun on the bright twelfth of Kartik
Kartik
Kartik may refer to:* Kartika , a month in the Indian national calendar and Bengali calendar* Kartik * Karttikeya, the brother of Ganesha in the Hindu mythology...
(November–December) Shaka 1580 (A.D. 1658-9) Vilambi Samvatsara
Samvatsara
Samvatsara is a Sanskrit term for "year". In Hindu tradition, there are 60 Samvatsaras, each of which has a name. Once all 60 samvatsaras are over, the cycle starts over again...
and finished on Monday the bright fourth of Ashadha, Vikari Samvatsara". The temples enjoyed the revenue from the eight villages given by Aurangzeb in the past. The tomb of Morya Gosavi as well as the Ganesha temple constructed by him still attracts many Ganesha devotees to Chinchwad. Devotees believe that though Morya Gosavi attained moksha
Moksha
Within Indian religions, moksha or mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara and the concomitant suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and reincarnation or rebirth.-Origins:It is highly probable that the concept of moksha was first developed in...
(salvation) but "his presence continues to endow the shrine with sacred significance."
On the circumbulation path (Pradakshina path) of the Morgaon Ganesha temple
Morgaon Ganesha Temple
Shri Mayureshwar Mandir or Shri Moreshwar Mandir is a Hindu temple dedicated to Ganesha, the elephant-headed god of wisdom. It is located in Morgaon in Pune District, about away from Pune city in the Indian state of Maharashtra...
, there is a tree near the Kalpavrushka Mandir. The tree is believed to have the spot where Morya Gosavi underwent penance. An image of Morya Gosavi is worshipped in the temple complex too. Morya Gosavi is also credited to have popularized the Morgaon temple.