Courtesy:Smt.Saroja Ramanujam
Eknath
Ekanath was the great grandson of a great devotee Bhanudasa.he lost his parents while young and was brought up by his grand parents. He learnt the sastras and epics from Jagannathaswami and later wrote Ramayana in Marathi.
Once Ekanatha looking after the accounts of his guru and was not aware when he came and stood behind him. Then Jagannatha said that if only he could concentrate like that towards God he will become a great bhaktha. Then on being requested by Ekanatha he gave him the spiritual teaching.
Ekanath was sent by his guru to return to his village Bhaitinipura and to get married and lead normal householder's life. He did so and was devoted to Panduranga and spent his days in inviting the bhagavathas and feeding them. One day Panduranga appeared to him in his dream and told him to write Ramayana in Marati. He started doing so and it came to be known as bhaavaartha Ramayana.
The love of the Lord to his devotees is unimaginable. Panduranga was so pleased at the devotion of Ekanatha and his service to the bhagvathas that He took a form of a Brahmin and applied for a post in the household of Ekanath! He said he will serve as an assistant ot Ekanath in worship and the household duties. He said his name was Khandya Krishna and Ekanath asked him the details about himself. The words of Panduranga in reply reminds one of the words of Subramanya Bharathi of our times. In his song titled 'kaNNan en sevagan' he says,
"He came from some where saying he belongs to the caste of cowherds." Then Krishna seems to have given a resume about Himself.
மாடு கன்று மேய்த்திடுவேன் மக்களை நான் காத்திடுவேன்
நானோர் தனி ஆள் நரை திரை தோன்றாவிடினும்
ஆன வயதிற்களவில்லை ஆதரித்தால் போதும் என்றான்
It means, " I will tend the cows and calves, I will look after the children. I am alone with no one around. There is no count for my age even though I do not have any signs of old age such as grey hair . I only what you to accept me."
We can see that there was no pretense in what the Lord said. He said that He will tend cattle. All His creations are like cattle and He is the Good Shepherd. Caatle also means our possessions which we think that we are looking aftyer but it is only he who looks after everything and as he said in Gita ,
ananyaaH chinthayantho maam ye janaah paryupaasathe
theshaam nithyaabhiyukthaanaam yogakshemaam
vahaamyaham
For those people, who think of me without any other thought and persistent in my devotion always , I take care of their welfare.
He said that He will look after the children. Are we not His children?
He is all alone as the Upanishads say 'ekan meva adhvitheeyam,' one only without a second. He is nithya yuvaa , eternal and always young and hence who can ascertain His age?
He wants only to be included in our lives. But we are not prepared to do so with our hearts engaged in everything else except in Him!
Khandya Krishna spoke to Ekanath in a similar manner. He said " I am a brahmin all alone and I want to serve you hearing that you are serving the bhagavathas. If you give me food and treat me like one of your household that I all want."
Is it anything strange? When Narada came to see Him in Dvaraka , probably being abrahmachari he wanted to know how Krishna coped up with all His wives! He saw Krishna in the house of each of His wives engaged in different actions . Then there was a separate place where he saw Krishna worshipping . Narada wondered whom could Krishna be worshipping. When he asked Him Krishna showed the object of His worship. It was the dust of the feet of His devotees! Oh the love of God towards His devotees , in fact to all , devotees or not, is all surpassing and unparalleled and which could never be compared to the love we have for Him which is like a molehill to the mountain.
Khandya Krishna started working for Eknath, who told Him that He was one of the household and can be free to act as he liked. Then there came the day of sraadha for his parents. Ekanatha told Khandya Krishna to prepare food and other things necessary for the ceremony. At that time some outcaste servants outside the house were talking and Eknath heard the wife telling hr husband that there was delicious food being prepared inside and they would get it after the ceremony is over. The husband replied that her desire was in vain because they would bury the remaining food on that day and would not give it to them. Ekanatha on hearing this told his wife to give the food to them as feeding the poor is like feeding the Lord Himself. His wife agreed and said that she would again prepare fresh food for the Brahmins in the ceremony. But seeing this the Brahmins got angry and refused to come for the sraadha.
Ekanath was desolate and seeing him thus Khandya Krishna told him that if he prayed sincerely the devas will themselves come with the pithrs to partake the food and He Himself a with other Brahmins who were helping Ekanath will join in the eating. Eknath by that time became very much attached to Khandya Krishna and he did as he was told. Then a miracle happened. Lord Siva , Lord Vishnu and came and sat in their respective places along with the forefathers of Eknath. The Brahmins who boycotted the ceremony heard the vedagosha and the smell of the ghee from the homa and of the food. They came to see what was going on and was wonder struck to see the gods there eating and Khandya Krishna serving them. Then they understood the greatness of Ekanath.
In the meanwhile a devout Brahmin was meditating on the Lord to see his darsan in Dvaraka. The Lord appeared to him as a brahmin and said that the Lord was not there but He was serving Eknath in Baitinipura for the last twelve years.
Why as the Lord stayig with Eknath for so long? It was because He was enjoying the devotion of Eknath listening to His abhangs.
Eknath sang,
VedhaachEm saara nigamaachE maaho thO haa paraathpar ubhaa vitE
The one who is the essence of the Vedas, the source of the agamas The supreme reality is standing on a brick!
SaaSthramchE nijagara puraaNaamchEm nija saara thOhaa viSvambar ubhaavitE
The one who is the meaning of the sastras and the juice of the puranas , He is standing on a brick!
kaaLaacchaa kaaLa bhakthaanchaa prathipaaLa tho Haa dheena dhayaaLa ubhaavitE
The one who is the end of death and who protects His devotees, he is standing on a brick!
ekaa janaardhaneem chobhe dhinamani bhaktha bhaagya thane pandareeyE
he who shines like the Sun and the fortune of the devotees , is standing on a brick.
Eknatha describes Panduranga thus:
sakaLa dhevaanchaa niyanthaa
he who commands all devas
maajee vittala maathaapithaa
He is my mother and father
thOhaa ubhaa vitEvaree kata dhrooniyaam kareem
He is standing on this brick with His hands on His hips.
miravE vyjayahthee maalaa kesarakasthooree chaa thilaa
Vyjayanthee garland on His chest, and the thilk of kesar and kasthuri
makaraakaarakundalE karee Sankha chakra SobhalE
with fish shaped kundala and conch and the disc on His hands
Ekaasarana janardhaneem vital paahE Dhyaaneem maNeem
I also surrender to janrdana and see Him inside and outside.
Then the devout Brahmin hurried to the house of Ekanatha and saw Panduranga there , who appeared to him in his real form. Then he fell at the feet of the Lord and expressed his anguish that the one whom all the devas served was a servant of a devotee and marveled at His Bhaktha vathsalya. Then Khandya Krishna laughed and went inside the pooja room and disappeared.
Eknath was astounded and wept to thing that the Lord had come to him as a servant . he could not check his tears which flowed like the chandrabaga river. He ran to the temple and washed the feet of the Lord with his tears.
He exclaimed,
Oh Lord 1 You went to the Muslim ruler to pay the money to free Ramdas. How can we imagine the prince of Ayodhya saluting a muslim ruler! You stood on a brick waiting patiently for Pundareeka! Now you have come to serve to me who is your servant!
Panduranga is the mother for the devotees and will run after them like a mother behind her child !
Thus Ekanatha lived as a great devotee and his abhangs became well known through the country.
Ekanath was the great grandson of a great devotee Bhanudasa.he lost his parents while young and was brought up by his grand parents. He learnt the sastras and epics from Jagannathaswami and later wrote Ramayana in Marathi.
Once Ekanatha looking after the accounts of his guru and was not aware when he came and stood behind him. Then Jagannatha said that if only he could concentrate like that towards God he will become a great bhaktha. Then on being requested by Ekanatha he gave him the spiritual teaching.
Ekanath was sent by his guru to return to his village Bhaitinipura and to get married and lead normal householder's life. He did so and was devoted to Panduranga and spent his days in inviting the bhagavathas and feeding them. One day Panduranga appeared to him in his dream and told him to write Ramayana in Marati. He started doing so and it came to be known as bhaavaartha Ramayana.
The love of the Lord to his devotees is unimaginable. Panduranga was so pleased at the devotion of Ekanatha and his service to the bhagvathas that He took a form of a Brahmin and applied for a post in the household of Ekanath! He said he will serve as an assistant ot Ekanath in worship and the household duties. He said his name was Khandya Krishna and Ekanath asked him the details about himself. The words of Panduranga in reply reminds one of the words of Subramanya Bharathi of our times. In his song titled 'kaNNan en sevagan' he says,
"He came from some where saying he belongs to the caste of cowherds." Then Krishna seems to have given a resume about Himself.
மாடு கன்று மேய்த்திடுவேன் மக்களை நான் காத்திடுவேன்
நானோர் தனி ஆள் நரை திரை தோன்றாவிடினும்
ஆன வயதிற்களவில்லை ஆதரித்தால் போதும் என்றான்
It means, " I will tend the cows and calves, I will look after the children. I am alone with no one around. There is no count for my age even though I do not have any signs of old age such as grey hair . I only what you to accept me."
We can see that there was no pretense in what the Lord said. He said that He will tend cattle. All His creations are like cattle and He is the Good Shepherd. Caatle also means our possessions which we think that we are looking aftyer but it is only he who looks after everything and as he said in Gita ,
ananyaaH chinthayantho maam ye janaah paryupaasathe
theshaam nithyaabhiyukthaanaam yogakshemaam
vahaamyaham
For those people, who think of me without any other thought and persistent in my devotion always , I take care of their welfare.
He said that He will look after the children. Are we not His children?
He is all alone as the Upanishads say 'ekan meva adhvitheeyam,' one only without a second. He is nithya yuvaa , eternal and always young and hence who can ascertain His age?
He wants only to be included in our lives. But we are not prepared to do so with our hearts engaged in everything else except in Him!
Khandya Krishna spoke to Ekanath in a similar manner. He said " I am a brahmin all alone and I want to serve you hearing that you are serving the bhagavathas. If you give me food and treat me like one of your household that I all want."
Is it anything strange? When Narada came to see Him in Dvaraka , probably being abrahmachari he wanted to know how Krishna coped up with all His wives! He saw Krishna in the house of each of His wives engaged in different actions . Then there was a separate place where he saw Krishna worshipping . Narada wondered whom could Krishna be worshipping. When he asked Him Krishna showed the object of His worship. It was the dust of the feet of His devotees! Oh the love of God towards His devotees , in fact to all , devotees or not, is all surpassing and unparalleled and which could never be compared to the love we have for Him which is like a molehill to the mountain.
Khandya Krishna started working for Eknath, who told Him that He was one of the household and can be free to act as he liked. Then there came the day of sraadha for his parents. Ekanatha told Khandya Krishna to prepare food and other things necessary for the ceremony. At that time some outcaste servants outside the house were talking and Eknath heard the wife telling hr husband that there was delicious food being prepared inside and they would get it after the ceremony is over. The husband replied that her desire was in vain because they would bury the remaining food on that day and would not give it to them. Ekanatha on hearing this told his wife to give the food to them as feeding the poor is like feeding the Lord Himself. His wife agreed and said that she would again prepare fresh food for the Brahmins in the ceremony. But seeing this the Brahmins got angry and refused to come for the sraadha.
Ekanath was desolate and seeing him thus Khandya Krishna told him that if he prayed sincerely the devas will themselves come with the pithrs to partake the food and He Himself a with other Brahmins who were helping Ekanath will join in the eating. Eknath by that time became very much attached to Khandya Krishna and he did as he was told. Then a miracle happened. Lord Siva , Lord Vishnu and came and sat in their respective places along with the forefathers of Eknath. The Brahmins who boycotted the ceremony heard the vedagosha and the smell of the ghee from the homa and of the food. They came to see what was going on and was wonder struck to see the gods there eating and Khandya Krishna serving them. Then they understood the greatness of Ekanath.
In the meanwhile a devout Brahmin was meditating on the Lord to see his darsan in Dvaraka. The Lord appeared to him as a brahmin and said that the Lord was not there but He was serving Eknath in Baitinipura for the last twelve years.
Why as the Lord stayig with Eknath for so long? It was because He was enjoying the devotion of Eknath listening to His abhangs.
Eknath sang,
VedhaachEm saara nigamaachE maaho thO haa paraathpar ubhaa vitE
The one who is the essence of the Vedas, the source of the agamas The supreme reality is standing on a brick!
SaaSthramchE nijagara puraaNaamchEm nija saara thOhaa viSvambar ubhaavitE
The one who is the meaning of the sastras and the juice of the puranas , He is standing on a brick!
kaaLaacchaa kaaLa bhakthaanchaa prathipaaLa tho Haa dheena dhayaaLa ubhaavitE
The one who is the end of death and who protects His devotees, he is standing on a brick!
ekaa janaardhaneem chobhe dhinamani bhaktha bhaagya thane pandareeyE
he who shines like the Sun and the fortune of the devotees , is standing on a brick.
Eknatha describes Panduranga thus:
sakaLa dhevaanchaa niyanthaa
he who commands all devas
maajee vittala maathaapithaa
He is my mother and father
thOhaa ubhaa vitEvaree kata dhrooniyaam kareem
He is standing on this brick with His hands on His hips.
miravE vyjayahthee maalaa kesarakasthooree chaa thilaa
Vyjayanthee garland on His chest, and the thilk of kesar and kasthuri
makaraakaarakundalE karee Sankha chakra SobhalE
with fish shaped kundala and conch and the disc on His hands
Ekaasarana janardhaneem vital paahE Dhyaaneem maNeem
I also surrender to janrdana and see Him inside and outside.
Then the devout Brahmin hurried to the house of Ekanatha and saw Panduranga there , who appeared to him in his real form. Then he fell at the feet of the Lord and expressed his anguish that the one whom all the devas served was a servant of a devotee and marveled at His Bhaktha vathsalya. Then Khandya Krishna laughed and went inside the pooja room and disappeared.
Eknath was astounded and wept to thing that the Lord had come to him as a servant . he could not check his tears which flowed like the chandrabaga river. He ran to the temple and washed the feet of the Lord with his tears.
He exclaimed,
Oh Lord 1 You went to the Muslim ruler to pay the money to free Ramdas. How can we imagine the prince of Ayodhya saluting a muslim ruler! You stood on a brick waiting patiently for Pundareeka! Now you have come to serve to me who is your servant!
Panduranga is the mother for the devotees and will run after them like a mother behind her child !
Thus Ekanatha lived as a great devotee and his abhangs became well known through the country.
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