 It is clear that Maharajji has left us many names by which to remember Him. Maharajji left two names by which He is best known worldwide.
These names are Baba Neeb Karori and Neem Karoli Baba. In this manner Maharajji has encompassed a greater area of names. These create more ways for His devotees to find Him.
The following information about Maharajji's names comes from Maharajji's 'signature', a book called Prema Vatar written by Mukunda and from the neebkaroribaba.com Web site operated by Maharajji's family in Agra, India."
There is also an email note from a person who grew up in the village of Neebkarori that sheds some light on the matter of the names of Babaji.
The lila of Maharajji's names seems to matter little to the true devotee of Maharajji. When any and all of Maharajji's names are spoken these devotees are becoming happy and at peace.
 Maharajji's Signature
Updated Dec 7, 07, Vrindavan. |
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Update February 25, 2007
In emails with Dr. Atul Chandra Mishra a person who
grew up in
Neebkaroli, Dr. Mishra writes: "In govt. records its known as
Neebkarori
but people also know it as
Neem karoli. In my childhood people use to use both
interchangably. I hadn't done Darshan of Maharaj ji. But I met
several times with Mataji during her visits to Neemkaroli in my child
hood only. But my
Parents had his (Maharajji's) darshan. I know a lot
of his lila what he had done
there during his stay. Also people saying that he had done a lot of
tapsya (worship of hnuman ji) there at his kutiya (Hut)." This
is another example of the interchangability of the
Neebkarori/Neemkaroli name in India and in the village itself. Thus, it
is unlikely that the Neem Karoli Baba name came from Western devotees
but rather it has always been used in such a way. This naming is, of
course, just another part of Maharajji's lila.
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Sri Neem
Karoli
Baba Maharajji
"In His fancy, a young 'yogi' carrying a chimta (a pair of tongs) and a
'kamandal' in his hand boarded a first class compartment of the Tundla
bound train at Farrukhadab station. The train had gone a few miles when
an Anglo Indian, T. T. E. came to check tickets and was taken aback to
see a half-naked sadhu in the first class compartment. On demanding the
ticket and getting a negative reply, he lost his temper and
ungraciously compelled the sadhu to get down at the next Neebkarori
halt. The sadhu quietly sat under the tree and dung the pair of tongs
in the earth. The train got the green light signal to leave. The engine
was started, but the train did not move further. The steam was applied
with full force, but the wheels turned round and round at their place.
The engine was checked throughly and everything was found in order.
Being worried the European guard came to the driver and asked him what
the matter was. The driver could not point out any fault. Nothing was
found. Despite all efforts the engine would not budge. By now it was
time for some other trains to pass by on that track. Eventually some
Indian travellers suggested to those foreign authorities to request the
sadhu Maharaj to board the train and then only it would move. They
fretted and fumed and at last decided to try allowing the sadhu to
travel by train. They went to Babaji, apologized and requested Him to
board the train. The jovial Baba said "if you say so, I will oblige
you." As soon as Babaji entered the compartment, the train started
moving.
"And on account of that incident, the village of Neebkarori, one of
many insignificant villages of India, became famous in no time.
"After having stayed for a long time in this village when the
above-mentioned Baba Lakshamandas left it; he bore the name Baba
Neebkarori or Baba Neemkaroli.
 Mukundaji 1998
"In Uttarakand, instead of Baba Neebkarori, Maharajji is addressed as
'Neemkarori wale Baba' or Baba Neemkaroli. But being indifferent to his
fame, Babaji never tried to get this distorted form of His name
corrected. Afterwards, many people began addressing him
mostly, as
Neemkaroli Baba or Babaji or Maharajji..."
From Introduction of "Prema Vatar" by P. C. Josi
'Mukunda' - Kainchi
Dham.
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Sri
Neeb Karori Baba Maharajji
Maharajji was born as Lakshmi Narayan Sharma and this was the name
given to him by his parents. When he left his home and wandered in
search of truth, he came to be known as Lakshman Das. When he did
tapasya at Bavania in Gujarat, he was known as Tallaiya Baba.
Later when he lived at the Indian village of Neeb Karori, he was called
Neeb Karori Baba by the local villagers. There is a lot of confusion
about the spelling of 'Neeb Karori'. Neeb Karori is the phonological
translation of the same word from Hindi. Neeb is also sometimes written
as Nib and Karori is sometimes written as Karauri. The 'ee' in Neeb is
to be pronounced as in 'speed' and the 'o' in Karori is to pronounced
as the 'a' in 'raw'. It is to be noted that the name Neeb Karori was
taken up by Maharajji himself. He has signed with this name at some
places. Neeb (In pure hindi - neev) means foundation and Karori (in
pure hindi - karari) means strong. So Neeb Karori means a strong
foundation.
However over the years the name Neeb Karori was transformed in various
ways like Nib Karori, Neeb Karauri and it eventually took the form
"Neem Karoli". This name became popular among the western devotees and
has continued as such. It is true that it must have been by Maharajji's
wish that the name took such a form and became so dear to his devotees.
But the words 'neem karoli' means very different things. Neem is an
Indian tree and Karoli is a place in India. The western devotees who
have eventually learned Hindi and the Devnagari script have
acknowledged that the spelling in English should indeed be
Neeb Karori.
From neebkaroribaba.com - Gokulpura, Agra |
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