Saturday, 1 February 2014
Harijan Child
Late in age, he picked up the child of a
Harijan woman who had been to the river to
fetch water and had forgotten the infant
playing in the sands.
The cries of the child attracted Eknath
and out of pity, he lifted it gently and carried it
home to its mother.
The small episode had the effect of enraging the local pundits who cried: “Horror! The sacred lineage of Bhanudas has been made impure by this descendant of his!” This time they wanted to make sure of Eknath taking steps for a full purification.
Eknath went wearily down the ghats to the river to start a penance in order to please them, when a brahmin suffering from leprosy suddenly dashed forward causing much consternation as he made his way towards Eknath and prostrated himself full length before him.
“It is 12 years since I suffer from this terrible disease,” he told Eknath and the crowd that had collected around them. “I did penance at Tryambak-eshwar where I was told in a dream that if Paithana’s saint Eknath was willing to part with the merit he obtained in restoring a Harijan child to its mother, I would be cured.” Eknath, modest and humble as ever, answered:
“I know neither sin nor merit. But if you think it will help you, by all means, receive in your hands whatever merit I might have earned this way.”
He placed his hand over that of the brahmin and lo! the stricken one rose a cured man. All the other tempestuous brahmins turned about shameĂfacedly and without a word retired to their homes.
The small episode had the effect of enraging the local pundits who cried: “Horror! The sacred lineage of Bhanudas has been made impure by this descendant of his!” This time they wanted to make sure of Eknath taking steps for a full purification.
Eknath went wearily down the ghats to the river to start a penance in order to please them, when a brahmin suffering from leprosy suddenly dashed forward causing much consternation as he made his way towards Eknath and prostrated himself full length before him.
“It is 12 years since I suffer from this terrible disease,” he told Eknath and the crowd that had collected around them. “I did penance at Tryambak-eshwar where I was told in a dream that if Paithana’s saint Eknath was willing to part with the merit he obtained in restoring a Harijan child to its mother, I would be cured.” Eknath, modest and humble as ever, answered:
“I know neither sin nor merit. But if you think it will help you, by all means, receive in your hands whatever merit I might have earned this way.”
He placed his hand over that of the brahmin and lo! the stricken one rose a cured man. All the other tempestuous brahmins turned about shameĂfacedly and without a word retired to their homes.
Three Thieves
While Eknath was busy one night
conducting a Kirtana in his house, three thieves
slipped in and hid in the premises. After the
Kirtana was over and the inmates of the house
fell asleep, they quietly crept into the inside
rooms and collected whatever pots and articles
they could lay their hands on. They piled them
near the door and went in for more.
Then calamity struck. One after the other the thieves became blind. Groping around for the way out, they stumbled upon the heap of pots and the noise woke up Eknath who came to see what the trouble was about. Hearing his footsteps the thieves who had realized that they had committed a crime by robbing the house of a saint for which they had become afflicted with blindness, cowered and huddled together. Eknath called them and asked the reason of their fear and all three fell at his feet and told him of their woe.
Sight Restored
He immediately passed his hands over their eyes and they regained their sight. He called Girijabai and asked her and Uddhava to feed them and then sent them away with all the pots they had stolen. The thieves, overwhelmed by his goodness and generosity, fell again at his feet and swore that they would never steal again. Seeing their change of heart, Eknath blessed them and explained:
“God has come into my house in your forms, so go now, take these pots and start life a new, adhering to the honest path.”
Then calamity struck. One after the other the thieves became blind. Groping around for the way out, they stumbled upon the heap of pots and the noise woke up Eknath who came to see what the trouble was about. Hearing his footsteps the thieves who had realized that they had committed a crime by robbing the house of a saint for which they had become afflicted with blindness, cowered and huddled together. Eknath called them and asked the reason of their fear and all three fell at his feet and told him of their woe.
Sight Restored
He immediately passed his hands over their eyes and they regained their sight. He called Girijabai and asked her and Uddhava to feed them and then sent them away with all the pots they had stolen. The thieves, overwhelmed by his goodness and generosity, fell again at his feet and swore that they would never steal again. Seeing their change of heart, Eknath blessed them and explained:
“God has come into my house in your forms, so go now, take these pots and start life a new, adhering to the honest path.”
Sthitapradna - Steady Intellect
Going to Kashi (Benaras) was supposed to be a great religious achievement in those days Everybody therefore tried to go to Kashi in his old age and complete that pilgrimage. Once a gentleman wanted to go for that pilgrimage. He had a "Paris'' (one stone which converts iron into pure gold by touch) with him and in those good old days, when there was no security he was faced with the difficulty of keeping it in safe custody.
The travel from Maharashtra to Kashi was quite hazardous. The roads were infested with thieves and often times the Muhomedans used to attack the pilgrims and convert them. Thus unrest and insecurity prevailed in India for about three centuries from 1500 A, D. to 1800 A. D. After the coming of the British, they destroyed all the mischievous elements like the Thugs and Pendharies and established peace in India. It is said that this peace and security, which the British gave to the Indians, was one of the reasons why the opposition to the British rule subsided very soon and the people thought that the British rule has come to India for their good.
This gentleman had heard that Eknath was an upright and honest man who would not play flase with him. He therefore came to Eknath and requested him to keep the Paris with him up-to the time he returns from the pilgrimage. Eknath took that stone and kept it in the place where the idols of the god were kept and quite forgot about it; because he had not the sligtest idea of using the stone and converting iron into gold. After a lapse of nearly eight months the gentleman returned from his pilgrimage and straight went to Shri Eknath. On seeing him Shri Eknath welcomed ,him and enquired how he completed the pilgrimage. He also enquired whether he had any difficulties on his way. Shri Eknath was talking about everything else except the Paris; because he had forgotten completely about it, On seeing this, the gentleman started doubting the fidality of Shri Eknath He thought that Eknath wants to retain the stone and does not want to give it back to him. He thought it is no use keeping quiet at this juncture. He therefore himself opened the topic and requested Shri Eknath to give back his Paris. When the person made the mention of Paris Eknath remembered about it and went in the room where he had placed it. After a diligent search, he could not trace it; because it appeared that along with the stale flowers, used for God's worship, the stone also might have been thrown in the Godavari river. When Eknath could not produce the stone, the gentleman became restless.
The doubt in his mind about Shri Eknath's honesty was confirmed and he thought that the reputation he had heard about Eknath was not correct. He was a rogue and wanted to usurp the stone. He got a little agitated; but Eknath clamed him and said "Do not be afraid. I will find out and return the stone to you before the evening". After this Eknath further requested the gentelman to stay with him for lunch and suggested that in the meanwhile they might go to the Godavari for a bath. Though annoyed the gentleman became quite helpless before the calm and composed talk of Shri Eknath and he went to the river for bath. When they came to the river, Shri Eknath dived into the water and from the riverbed he brought out a handful of stones and requested the gentelman to pick up his stone from amongest them. He was however dismayed and thought that he was being fooled by Eknath, as he thought that such handful of stones can never all be Paris; but he was careful enough to bring peices of iron with him and on trying them he found to his utter surprise that all of them were Paris. He was picking up one and leaving it, thinking that it was not his stone. So he went on fidgeting, not being able to make up his mind. Seeing this,
Shri Eknath said, "Kindly select your stone early. So that we can finish our bath and go home. I have yet to worship the god and therefore we might be late for lunch." On this request, the gentleman had no other go but to select his stone and no sooner he picked up his stone, Shri Eknath threw the rest of them back in the river. Similar incident is also reported in the life of saint Namdeo.
The greedy gentleman was stunned at this queer behaviour of Shri Eknath. He thought of retaining a few more stones out of those brought out by Shri Eknath; but Shri Eknath was a man whose greed, anger love and such other passions had vanished. In terms of the Bhagavadgita he had become a Sthitapradna i, e. a person whose intellect had become steady.
The travel from Maharashtra to Kashi was quite hazardous. The roads were infested with thieves and often times the Muhomedans used to attack the pilgrims and convert them. Thus unrest and insecurity prevailed in India for about three centuries from 1500 A, D. to 1800 A. D. After the coming of the British, they destroyed all the mischievous elements like the Thugs and Pendharies and established peace in India. It is said that this peace and security, which the British gave to the Indians, was one of the reasons why the opposition to the British rule subsided very soon and the people thought that the British rule has come to India for their good.
This gentleman had heard that Eknath was an upright and honest man who would not play flase with him. He therefore came to Eknath and requested him to keep the Paris with him up-to the time he returns from the pilgrimage. Eknath took that stone and kept it in the place where the idols of the god were kept and quite forgot about it; because he had not the sligtest idea of using the stone and converting iron into gold. After a lapse of nearly eight months the gentleman returned from his pilgrimage and straight went to Shri Eknath. On seeing him Shri Eknath welcomed ,him and enquired how he completed the pilgrimage. He also enquired whether he had any difficulties on his way. Shri Eknath was talking about everything else except the Paris; because he had forgotten completely about it, On seeing this, the gentleman started doubting the fidality of Shri Eknath He thought that Eknath wants to retain the stone and does not want to give it back to him. He thought it is no use keeping quiet at this juncture. He therefore himself opened the topic and requested Shri Eknath to give back his Paris. When the person made the mention of Paris Eknath remembered about it and went in the room where he had placed it. After a diligent search, he could not trace it; because it appeared that along with the stale flowers, used for God's worship, the stone also might have been thrown in the Godavari river. When Eknath could not produce the stone, the gentleman became restless.
The doubt in his mind about Shri Eknath's honesty was confirmed and he thought that the reputation he had heard about Eknath was not correct. He was a rogue and wanted to usurp the stone. He got a little agitated; but Eknath clamed him and said "Do not be afraid. I will find out and return the stone to you before the evening". After this Eknath further requested the gentelman to stay with him for lunch and suggested that in the meanwhile they might go to the Godavari for a bath. Though annoyed the gentleman became quite helpless before the calm and composed talk of Shri Eknath and he went to the river for bath. When they came to the river, Shri Eknath dived into the water and from the riverbed he brought out a handful of stones and requested the gentelman to pick up his stone from amongest them. He was however dismayed and thought that he was being fooled by Eknath, as he thought that such handful of stones can never all be Paris; but he was careful enough to bring peices of iron with him and on trying them he found to his utter surprise that all of them were Paris. He was picking up one and leaving it, thinking that it was not his stone. So he went on fidgeting, not being able to make up his mind. Seeing this,
Shri Eknath said, "Kindly select your stone early. So that we can finish our bath and go home. I have yet to worship the god and therefore we might be late for lunch." On this request, the gentleman had no other go but to select his stone and no sooner he picked up his stone, Shri Eknath threw the rest of them back in the river. Similar incident is also reported in the life of saint Namdeo.
The greedy gentleman was stunned at this queer behaviour of Shri Eknath. He thought of retaining a few more stones out of those brought out by Shri Eknath; but Shri Eknath was a man whose greed, anger love and such other passions had vanished. In terms of the Bhagavadgita he had become a Sthitapradna i, e. a person whose intellect had become steady.
Stone Bull Eats Grass
Eknath was forthwith branded as the
killer of a brahmin who could bring dead to alive. No matter how he tried to
clear himself, they wouldn’t listen.
They held a meetĂing in front of a Siva temple and Eknath repeated what he had said so many times and over before: “I did not force him and God is witness that I am not guilty.”
“Right,” cried their spokesman,
“If God is witness to your innocence, let us see you feed fodder to this Nandi bull (Siva’s vehicle). If God causes the bull to eat the grass, you will be exonerated, not otherwise!”
Eknath humbly bowed to the stone Nandi, patted him gently on the head and offered him the fodĂder, and yes, he opened his mouth, licked and ate the fodder, got up and trotted away, and finally disapĂpeared into the Godavari.
They held a meetĂing in front of a Siva temple and Eknath repeated what he had said so many times and over before: “I did not force him and God is witness that I am not guilty.”
“Right,” cried their spokesman,
“If God is witness to your innocence, let us see you feed fodder to this Nandi bull (Siva’s vehicle). If God causes the bull to eat the grass, you will be exonerated, not otherwise!”
Eknath humbly bowed to the stone Nandi, patted him gently on the head and offered him the fodĂder, and yes, he opened his mouth, licked and ate the fodder, got up and trotted away, and finally disapĂpeared into the Godavari.
Dead Made Alive
In Paithana, there was a sannyasin whose
habit it was to prosĂtrate before everybody. He
was a slightly eccentric devotee of God who
liked to salute God in the form of whoever he
met on the road. They called him Dandavat
Baba.
As he passed one day by the carĂcass of a donkey, some children asked him:
“Dandavat Baba, why don’t you also prostrate to the dead donkey?” Obliging them, the Baba did so and to everyone’s amazement, the animal came back to life, got up and romped away.
The news of it reached Eknath who felt concern for the sannyasin. He went and asked the old Baba why he had revived the donkey. “I don’t know,” said the Baba helplessly, “I didn’t do anything.” “Do you realize,” said Eknath, “how people are going to exploit you and trouble you to revive their dead? What are you going to do about it?” “I wish I knew,” he answered and looked up to Eknath, spreading his hands and asked:
“Please tell me what you think is best.” Eknath then spoke about the ideal of sannyasins who have no ties in this world and for whom life and death are the same since they are identified with the soul which lives in its infiĂnite state and suggested he give up his own body, by taking Mahasamadhi.
This suited the Dandavat Baba well and he accepted his idea with great relief.
As he passed one day by the carĂcass of a donkey, some children asked him:
“Dandavat Baba, why don’t you also prostrate to the dead donkey?” Obliging them, the Baba did so and to everyone’s amazement, the animal came back to life, got up and romped away.
The news of it reached Eknath who felt concern for the sannyasin. He went and asked the old Baba why he had revived the donkey. “I don’t know,” said the Baba helplessly, “I didn’t do anything.” “Do you realize,” said Eknath, “how people are going to exploit you and trouble you to revive their dead? What are you going to do about it?” “I wish I knew,” he answered and looked up to Eknath, spreading his hands and asked:
“Please tell me what you think is best.” Eknath then spoke about the ideal of sannyasins who have no ties in this world and for whom life and death are the same since they are identified with the soul which lives in its infiĂnite state and suggested he give up his own body, by taking Mahasamadhi.
This suited the Dandavat Baba well and he accepted his idea with great relief.
Army Commander
it was a Thursday when the enemy
suddenly stormed the gates of the fort.
Janardana Swami was in samadhi while Eknath
guarded the door. Seeing that pandemonium
reigned, Eknath quickly made up his mind.
He rushed to the room where his guru kept his weapons and coat of mail, put on the armour, and rode out on the guru’s horse, reassuring the people. He dashed out of the fort and into the fray and routed the enemy without disturbing his guru. Having re-established peace and order, he returned the arms and clothes and took back his post at Janardana Swami’s door.
The Swami found out all that had happened without Eknath’s countenance betraying the slightest sign of excitement of the past hours and he felt well pleased with the presence of mind and initiative of his disciple, his courage and humility.
He rushed to the room where his guru kept his weapons and coat of mail, put on the armour, and rode out on the guru’s horse, reassuring the people. He dashed out of the fort and into the fray and routed the enemy without disturbing his guru. Having re-established peace and order, he returned the arms and clothes and took back his post at Janardana Swami’s door.
The Swami found out all that had happened without Eknath’s countenance betraying the slightest sign of excitement of the past hours and he felt well pleased with the presence of mind and initiative of his disciple, his courage and humility.
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