This is a spiritual biography of Shri Neeb Karori Maharaj (also known as Neem Karoli Baba), written by his devotee Ravi Prakash Pande. The book collects firsthand accounts of Baba's divine acts, teachings, and interactions with followers from the 1940s until after his passing in 1973. It is intended for devotees, spiritual seekers, and anyone interested in Hindu saint traditions.
This book is a spiritual biography of Shri Neeb Karori Maharaj (Neem Karoli Baba), compiled by his devotee Ravi Prakash Pande. It is intended for devotees, spiritual seekers, and anyone interested in Hindu saint traditions. The work collects firsthand accounts of Baba's divine acts, known as lila, which were passed down orally during his lifetime and after his passing in 1973.
The preface explains the difficulty of recording Baba's life, as he disliked public acclaim and destroyed earlier attempts at documentation. It notes that American devotee Ram Dass helped spread Baba's influence through books like Be Here Now and Miracle of Love. The author conducted interviews and researched all available literature to verify the accounts presented.
The introduction describes Baba's early life: born Laxmi Narian in Akbarpur, Agra district, he left home at age eleven and spent seven years in Gujarat as an ascetic named Lakshman Das. He later settled in the village of Neeb Karori, Farrukhabad district, where he lived in caves and performed miracles such as stopping a train and becoming invisible during games.
Accounts detail Baba's interactions with villagers, including a bird catcher named Gopal who saw Baba meditating with serpents wrapped around his body. Another incident describes Baba stopping a train after being ordered out of a first-class compartment by a conductor, causing a two-hour delay until railway employees asked him to let it move.
The book arranges experiences by their reflection of divine attributes rather than chronologically. Each chapter closes with the word 'Ram', which was most dear to Maharaj. The author states the purpose is to facilitate inner transformation in readers through contemplation of Baba's divine lila.