PANDHARPUR  TRAVEL  DIARY--PART SIX

 SOME POPULAR  LEGENDS IN LIVES OF SAINTS

Dnyaneshwar  was born to Vithalpant  in 1275 CE and died in 1296 CE.

Orthodox Brahmins refused to accept the children of Vithapant  as pure and suggested that they obtain a certification of atonement (śuddhi) from the pundits of Paithana, which was a centre of orthodox learning.

Dnyaneshwar composed Dnyaneshwari, a commentary on Bhagavad Gita which later became a fundamental text of the Varkari sect. His words were recorded by Sacchidananda, who agreed to become Dnyaneshwar's amanuensis . Sacchidanda’s dead body was revived Dnyaneshwar.

Many miracles came to be associated with Dnyaneshwar's life, one of which was the revival of his disciple Sachchidanand's corpse. During Dnyaneshwar's visit to Paithan, to obtain a certificate of purification, he was confronted with a man who violently lashed at an old buffalo. When Dnyaneshwar expressed concern for the animal he was ridiculed by Brahmins for being more concerned about a beast than the teachings of the Vedas. Dnyaneshwar retorted that the Vedas themselves held all life to be sacred and a manifestation of the Brahman. The outraged priests pointed out that his logic implied that beasts should be able to learn the Vedas as well. An undeterred Dnyaneshwar then placed his hand on the buffalo's forehead and it started reciting a Vedic song. 

Dnyaneshwar was challenged by Changdev, an accomplished yogi who rode on a tiger with his magical powers, to replicate this feat. Dnyaneshwar humbled Changdev by riding on a moving wall. 

Scholars note that many miracles and specifics about Namdev's life appear only in manuscripts written centuries after Namdev's death. The child  Namdev was found floating down a river. Mahipati's biography of Namdev adds numerous other miracles, such as buildings rotating and sun rising in the west to show respect to Namdev.

Tukaram was  born in the year 1598  in a village Dehu. He died in 1649 .

Gatha temple in Dehu, near Pune, is one of two local temples that mark the legacy of Tukaram. His poetry is carved on its wall.

One Rameshwara Bhat, who vilified Tukaram threw all writings of Tuka into the flooded waters of Indrayani. Tuka sat on the banks and prayed to Vittala. On the 15^th day the manuscripts glided gently to the shore. Tukaram ascended to Heaven with his body. On the third day Tuka’s cymbals fell down from the skies.

Eknath was the grandson of Sant Bhanudas. Eknath wanted to get a good guru and prayed Vitthal to guide him to one. Vitthobha then came in his dream and asked him to request Janardhana Swami to be his guru. Janadhana Swami was a great yogi; he had his ashram in a forest.

One day Eknath decided to go on a yatra and he set out on a yatra with few others who joined him. They went to places like Kasi, Prayagai, Vrindavan, Ayodha, Mathura etc. Eknath performed Bhajans and pravachans wherever he went. When they finished the yatra and returned to Paithan with Ganga theertham, they got stuck in a place where there was no water and all of them were thirsty. Even though they had water in hand they did not use that as it was Ganga theertham and that it was supposed to be used only for religious purpose and not for quenching thirst. They then found a donkey lying down in an unconscious state due to thirst and heat. Seeing the donkey dying Eknath felt bad and moved forward to give his Ganga theertham to it so as to prevent it from dying. The others who were with him said that he should not do that as this water was supposed to be used only for religious purpose. Eknath then said that there was no better deed that saving the life of someone and that he would give it to the donkey and save it from death. Hearing this, the others left him behind and started moving forward as they dint approve of his action. Eknath then gave the water to the donkey. As Eknath was feeding the donkey it turned out to be Vitthal. He then prostrated to Vitthal and asked him why he did this leela. Vitthal then told him that he wanted to show the world that Eknath sees every living being in this world as Vitthal and hence did this leela. Eknath then returned back home.

PPR