Because we're physical beings, and because we are identified with our physical bodies, we seem to think that a Guru, a real Guru, is also a physical body. But it's not that way.

And even though He has left that particular physical body, His presence is stronger than ever. And for me, He is that presence. You know. He's a living presence in my own heart and when I remember myself, I'm remembering Him. When I'm aware..., I'm aware of that presence that He is; that's what He is for me. It's almost as if He is the air. And the space that we live in.

And He never goes anywhere. We don't look. When ever we look, He's there. So, even when we're not looking, He's there. But we don't look. So, my whole spiritual practice is to keep aware and to keep seeing Him all the time. You know. As much as I can. And when the heart is charged up and turned on, you know, that's when you're aware of His presence. That's who He is for me now – become the whole universe.

Even the beggar becomes a king, the lame persons are able to walk or even fly, the blind is able to see this universe, and many of the difficult writings of the destiny which are at the forehead of a person can be wiped out.  Even the fundamental essence of a person or a personality or a being can be made to change.

A poet has said while comparing the river and a saint that the river actually flows from higher to the bottom because that is the very nature of a river and she is tied by that, not for her personal pleasure, but because that is her personal nature to be pure, to be graceful, and to become compassionate for the well-being of others.  And, that is precisely what the saints do.

"He appeared and disappeared for years, being known by different names in various parts of India. His western devotees knew him as Neem Karoli Baba, but to the Indians he was simply Maharajji,” writes Baba Ram Dass of his guru in his book Miracles of Love. Ram Dass, formerly Richard Alpert, professor of psychology and colleague of LSD guru Timothy Leary, met Neem Karoli Baba in 1967. During that time, Alpert was quite a firm believer in the mysticism of psychedelic drugs. However, one meeting with Maharajji changed his whole view of life. And after Neem Karoli Baba left his body on September 11, 1973, Ram Dass, along with some other disciples, compiled stories and anecdotes about the sage. The result was Miracles of Love—an attempt, in the words of Ram Dass, “to give Maharajji’s darshan to all”.

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 India, there are often many ways of pronouncing the same word(s). The village of Neeb Karoli, where Maharaji resided for some time in the 1930s is the principal source of the name. In essence, the meaning is "the baba from Neeb Karori." However, the village name is alternately pronounced "Neeb Karori" or "Neem Karoli" in common daily speech. So, you can see "it's complicated'. Ram Dass and the Westerners picked up on the "Neem Karoli Baba" version and that name was brought to the West. More properly, Maharajji's name would be pronounced (and written) as "Baba Neeb Karori". However, there is also the case that at the time Maharajji was called Lakshman Das when He lived in Neeb Karoli village. Maharajji's birth name is Lakshmi Narayan Sharma.

In this manner Maharajji has encompassed a greater area of names. These create more ways for His devotees to find Him.

Maharajji was born in the village Akbarpur  (Firozabad district) of Uttar Pradesh (India) in a wealthy Brahmin jameedar (landlord) family. He was born on Shukla Paksh Ashtmi in the month of Margsheersh and was named Laxmi Narayan Sharma by his father Shri Durga Prasad Sharma. From early childhood Maharajji was detached from worldly attachments. At the age of eleven he was married to a girl from an affluent Brahmin family.

Immediately after his marriage Maharajji left home and went to Gujarat. He roamed around various places in Gujarat and the entire country. After around 10-15 years (this is approximate and is as told by elders from village of Akbarpur) his father was informed by someone that he had seen a sadhu (ascetic) who was a lookalike of his son in the village of Neeb Karori (misspelt as 'Neem Karoli' at times) in the Farukkhabad district in Uttar Pradesh.