Shri Siddharaj Manik Prabhu Maharaj ascended the holy peetha of Shri Prabhu as its fifth Peethadhipati at the tender age of six years. He was born to Shri Shankar Manik Prabhu Maharaj and Smt. Lakshmibai Saheb, on 1st February 1939’ embodied the qualities and attributes of a siddha-purusha right from childhood. The huge responsibility of leading Prabhu’s Sampradaya fell on his young shoulders after the Maha-Samadhi of his father and Guru, Shri Shankar Manik Prabhu Maharaj, in 1945.
He was raised under the affectionately watchful eye and care of his mother, Smt. Lakshmibai Saheb. After his Upanayana, he was sent to the Scindia School, a famous boarding school in Gwalior, so that he could imbibe a modern and well-rounded education. At the school, Shreeji met some of the finest teachers of the time and won their affection and that of his fellow students through his humility, sincerity and dedication. In 1956, upon completing his schooling, Shreeji returned to Maniknagar to take full charge of the affairs of the Samsthan.
Shreeji worked tirelessly to ensure that the Samsthan developed not only as a premier spiritual organisation but also as a responsible institution committed to the cause of education and social welfare. The education he received at the Scindia School had a deep impact on him. It was his sincere wish that the students of the region around Maniknagar receive the same quality of education. In 1972, Shreeji founded the Manik Public School, the first residential school in the region. He gave it a firm foundation based on the ancient Gurukula system to inculcate traditional values and morals in the students along with quality modern education.
Manik Vidyalaya, the school started by Shri Shankar Prabhu in 1949, was developed by Shreeji into a leading educational institution of the region, famously known as Shri Manik Prabhu Hindi Vidyalaya. In due course of time, Shreeji founded Shri Manik Prabhu Veda Sanskrit Pathashala to preserve and propagate India’s ancient Vedic heritage. As part of his social commitment, he also established institutions like Shri Manik Prabhu School for the Blind, Shri Manik Prabhu Anathalaya (Orphanage) and Shri Manik Prabhu Hostel, which serve hundreds of disadvantaged children from the region.
Being a passionate sports enthusiast, Shreeji embarked on a project to develop and promote sports in the region. People would be astonished to see Shreeji himself playing cricket, volleyball, and badminton since he believed that sports and physical fitness were keys to the development of our nation. The first cricket ground of the region was developed at Maniknagar as early as 1960 and today stands as a testament to Shreeji’s love and passion for sports.
For everyone who encountered him, Shreeji appeared like an Avadhoota, taking life as it came and observing the activities of the world in a detached manner. He had the simplicity of a great yogi and dedicated much of his time to Upasana, Japa and Tapas. Countless anecdotes and stories of how his grace and blessings alleviated the sufferings of Prabhu’s devotees and fulfilled their earnest wishes are available.
Shreeji’s numerous poetic compositions in Marathi, Hindi and Kannada show the intensity of his devotion to Shri Prabhu and his passionate desire for the welfare of the devotees. Music was very close to Shreeji’s heart. Even though he did not receive formal musical training, he was a composer par excellence, and his divinely gifted voice resonated deeply with the people. All the devotees eagerly awaited his renditions of Prabhu’s bhajans during the annual Jayanti Utsav as part of the Gaayan Seva. During Shreeji’s time, almost all the legends of Indian classical music visited Maninagar on different occasions and performed Sangeet Seva.
During Shreeji’s time, many Maha-Yajnas, Mahotsavams and celebrations were organised to mark important milestones in the history of the Samsthan. These occasions were celebrated with such fervour and grandeur that they will be remembered for times to come.
Shreeji undertook extensive travels throughout the length and breadth of the country to propagate Shri Prabhu’s message. As a result of these travels, the devotee base of the Sampradaya expanded significantly, connecting people from across the country and beyond with Shri Prabhu.
Shreeji’s more than six-decade-long efforts to develop Shri Manik Prabhu Samsthan as a spiritual organisation and a social institution committed to the cause of wider societal development were immensely successful. Thus, Maniknagar was transformed from a little hamlet into a throbbing centre of social, educational and cultural activities.
Shreeji successfully headed the Samsthan for more than six decades, all the while bringing material and spiritual happiness and a sense of purpose into the lives of thousands of his devotees after spreading Shri Prabhu’s divine message of love and equality into every nook and corner of the country, after bringing Maniknagar on the forefront of the spiritual, social and educational map of India, Shreeji attained Maha-Samadhi on 6th October 2009.
