Shri Balappa stayed at Murgod, a place sanctified by the residence of Shri Chidambar Dixit, for three days. Thereafter he decided to go to Ganagapur (Karnataka) a place of pilgrimage associated with Lord Dattatreya. Here he performed ‘Anushthan’ (religious austerities) for two months. After devout and sincere service, a saintly person appeared in his dream and said, “ Go to Akkalkot and serve Shri Swami Samartha”. When Shri Balappa got up he noticed a piece of paper under his bed with a message,” Don’t be hasty”. Accordingly he stayed on for two more months in Ganagapur and continued his ‘ Anushthana’.
He left Ganagapur for Akkalkot amidst many auspicious signs. On the way he felt tired but all his fatigue vanished at the very utterance of the name of Shri Swami Samartha. At that time Shri Swami Maharaj was camping in Khas-baug garden on the outskirts of Akkalkot. Shri Balappa purchased sugar candy and went for ‘Darshan’. On reaching there he fell at the lotus feet of Shri Swami Maharaj. At the very first sight of Shri Balappa, Shri Swami Maharaj recognized His beloved disciple and was overjoyed, as a father would be on meeting his son after years of separation. To express His joy Swami Maharaj started embracing the trees in the garden. Every one witnessing this incidence felt that the new arrival must be a great soul.
Shri Swami Maharaj was always wandering from place to place in the vicinity of Akkalkot. He always moved about at His will. It is noteworthy that so long as Shri Balappa was engaged in Akkalkot in His ‘Anushthana’ Shri Swami Maharaj did not cross the boundaries.
Shri Balappa used to go for the ‘Darshan’ of Shri Swami Maharaj once during a day and spent rest of his time in ‘Anushthana’. One day an attendant complained to Shri Swami Maharaj that Shri Balappa spends his time away from Him, counting beads (In the rosary) Shri Swami Maharaj said, "My devotees, however far away they may be, are always by my side.”
Shri Swami Maharaj used to say very often to Shri Balappa “ Become Guru. I say become Guru (Master), I will make you like myself”. By several indications, Shri Swami Maharaj suggested that He was going to make Shri Balappa His spiritual heir. Shri Balappa too was a worthy disciple. He was a paragon of ‘faith and service unto Master’. He literally walked hundreds of miles to reach at the lotus feet of Swami Samarth and ever since remained in His service till the end. He never even once returned to his native place. He always kept himself uninterruptedly in Shri Swami Maharaj's attendance. He followed his self-imposed rule so much so that, during nighttime he would tie a tuft of his hair to the bed on which Swami Maharaj slept, The idea was to stay awake at any hour of the night in case his master needed him. Swami Maharaj too loved him like his son, offered him divine guidance from time to time and saw to it that he practiced spiritual disciplines and penance.
Before leaving the mortal body and entering the state of samadhi Shri Swami Maharaj had delegated responsibilities to various disciples, and had given Prasad ( blessing in form of a gift) to them and guided them individually. Shri Balappa how ever was kept out of all this. Thinking that he was unworthy of Masters grace, Shri Balappa felt very sad and in that dejected mood he asked Shri Swami Maharaj " Everybody' has received your grace and prasad, will you not bless me ?" On hearing this from His nearest and dearest disciple Shri Swami Maharaj became meditative. He took off His ring which was engraved with the letters ‘Shri Swami Samartha’ and put it on Shri Balappa's finger saying " I am giving you my insignia of authority verily ,my seal." and then ordained him to continue propagating His message eternally. Swami Maharaj blessed him and gave His staff and loin cloth . He then handed over all His favorite things to Shri Balappa and put His Ekmukhi Rudraksha (sacred bead worn around neck symbolic of spiritual authority.),in Shri Balappa's neck. He also gave Shri Balappa His holy Paduka and ordained him to establish a Math as a seat of Guru tradition.
By appointing Shri Balappa as His heir Shri Swami Maharaj thus continued the ancient Guru-shishya tradition of masters issuing forth from Adiguru Dattatreya, Shripad Shrivallabh, Narsimha Saraswati and Shri Swami Samartha. Later Shri Balappa Maharaj established a math in Akkalkot, which is now known as Balappa Math or Gurumandir.
After the Mahaniryan of Shri Swami Samartha Shri Balappa Maharaj was overwhelmed with grief and for him life became unbearable. Once when Shri Balappa was in a depressed state of mind, Shri Swami Samartha in a vision gave ‘Darshan’ to him in physical form and said “ I am present in my ‘sandals’ which I have given you. My grace is there. There alone I shall accept your service hereafter. Attend upon me as before.”
Before setting up a ‘Math’ at Akkalkot, Balappa Maharaj traveled all over the country and visited temples, Maths and holy places and propagated the message of Shri Swami Maharaj.
Balappa Maharaj's mother tongue was Kannad but he knew a little of Marathi also. As the result of his power and the blessings of Shri Swami Maharaj, everyone who came to him was attracted by his purity and holiness.
In Shaka 1822 i.e. A.D.1900 Shri Balappa Maharaj traveled through Marathwada and established a ‘Math’ in town Jalna.
The fame of Shri Balappa Maharaj spread far and wide and crowds of devotees desirous of his ‘Darshan’ could be seen till midnight at the place where he was camping. Wherever he went he was received with great devotion and the days of his visit were treated as festivities.
Shri Balappa Maharaj established a ‘Math’ at Akkalkot in the heart of the city. After the completion of the Math, on 8th February 1905, Shri Balappa Maharaj ,entered the Sanyasa-state and assumed the name Shri Bhramhanand Swami.
On the day of his Mahaniryan (Passing away) Shri Balappa Maharaj took bath as usual and sat on his seat. He looked very bright and lustrous. All the devotees were seated around him. The whole atmosphere was very solemn. He had concentrated his attention on the portrait of Shri Swami Maharaj, which was just above his seat. He had the ‘blessed’ rosary of beads in his hands and was uninterruptedly repeating guru's holy mantra. None disturbed him even by his breath. On Tuesday 15th March, 1910 (Fourth day of the bright half of the month Phalgun Shake 1831) at 7-15 a.m. Shri Balappa Maharaj became one with infinite. His Samadhi ( the cell where body is put to rest) lies in the sanctum sanctorum of Gurumandir at Akkalkot
http://www.akkalkotswamisamarth.org/swamisamarth/divinemore.htmlAKKALKOT SWAMI SAMARTHA MAHARAJ KI JAI!
Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM