Debt cleared.
There are ever so many stories about gods but how and why is it that only stories of Krishna and Vittal are liked most and many wish to hear them again and again though they knew them already? There can be only one reason for this. It is Krishna /Vittal who mingled with their devotees as a close friend, servant, teacher, sister, brother and as any other family member of the devotee. Vittal in particular as Pandurang was attracted and sought after by devotees all over, like the iron filings attracted easily to a magnet.
In these stories you would have noted that Pandurang stayed and was together with his devotees during the ups and downs in their life in the natural way. This is the specialty of Pandurang, the Vittal.
You have been told about Saint Banudasar and Saint Eknath in some of the stories in this Vitoba the Nectar series. Eknath was the great grandson of Saint Banudasar. Here is yet another story in which Vittalan appeared in Eknath's life like a guarantor. It is a very interesting incident which we will read about now.
Why saint Eknath got his name so? Only he alone survived out of many children born to his parents. In those days child mortality was very high and there was no family planning like what we observe nowadays. Every family wished to have as many children as they could. By the grace of Vittal the child Eknath survived. So they named him Eknath, which means "only one person". Unfortunaely Eknath lost his parents while he was young, and so he was brought up by his grandparents. He learnt Vedas, mastered the Sanskrit language and at the age of 12, learnt Bhagavatham completely.
Those days, people were not only strong physically but were blessed with strong will power also. Electricity was not there and hence robbery, theft and burglary were very rampant. Another reason for such attempts was the isolated houses which were separated by vacant lands, farms, groves and waste lands.
One night, a group of robbers and thugs surrounded the hermitage, where Eknath lived with his guru, Janarthan Pant. His guru was in meditation. When the robbers attempted to attack the hermitage Eknath thought for a while and decided that he would not disturb his Guru especially on that day, being a Thursday. It is on thursdays that Janardhan Pant would perform extensive poojas and prayers in worshipping his guru Lord Dhattatreya. So when he sensed the presence of thugs surrounding the lonely ashram, Eknath closed the back and front wooden doors and came out with a sword and shield. The moment he found a few persons here and there trying to gain entry into the ashram, Eknath,ran towards them with his sword and shield and ferociously attacked them. The robbers never expected that they would be attacked by a strong man very powerful with his sword and so the unarmed thugs ran away from him to save their lives. Some of the thugs resisted his attack and were badly injured and wounded as they could not match the strength of Eknath. They all surrendered and begged to leave them free and promised never to enter the village again in their lives.
Eknath bound them with ropes and left them there. Then he went inside. By then, his Guru Janardhan Pant ended his meditation and opened his eyes. He could see in his mental vision what had happened. He said to Eknath "I know Lord Dhattatreya helped you with enormous strength and courage. His blessings are always with you". Eknath prostrated before his guru and Dhattatreya and had his dharshan also. He brought medicines and food to the thugs who were tied by rope to a tree outside and set them free.
One day, his Guru advised him "You are a Panduranga devotee. Go and do penance on Lord Krishna. You have many missions to accomplish".
As per his Guru's blessing and instruction, Eknath walked towards a steep hill and started his meditation and penance there with deep concentration. He did not eat or drink for many days. A cowherd saw him and wondered how this yogi was sitting like a stone for days together without food or water. He went and brought some cow's milk and poured it in Eknath's mouth regularly but Eknath did not know anything about it at all.
One day, there was a big black cobra coiled around Eknath's neck. It had its hood spread over his head as if saving him from the hot sun like an umbrella. The cowherd saw it and screamed. The loud noise created by the cowherd disturbed the meditation of Eknath . He opened his eyes and looked around and noticed the huge snake coiled around his neck but was never worried about it. The snake slowly got down and vanished in the forest. At that time it so happened that his guru Janardhan Pant also was there as he came there to see Eknath. He smiled at Eknath and hugged him
"Eknath, my son! You do not need a teacher any more as you have become a Guru yourself. Please join me in my pilgrimage".
Both of them visited many places and had good darshan at all the temples there. Once they met a Sanskrit scholar by the name Chandrabodha on the banks of River Godhavari. The pandit was very happy to meet these two saints. He invited them to his house and gave good food. After that they were discussing about Bhagavatham. When the scholar started chanting slokas from the 4th chapter of the Bhagavatham with deep reverence, Janardhan looked at Eknath and said "Eknath! If you translate them into Marathi language, many people here would enjoy".
Eknath with folded hands before his guru, instantaneously recited the slokas in Marathi fluently mentally trnslating the sloka chanted in sanskrit by the pandit. His teacher Janardhan Pant was speechless. The scholar was stunned and murmured "What a talent this boy has? All because of Lord Krishna's blessings". After this incident, Janardhan Pant returned to his hometown while Eknath was on his way to Badrinath.
In the hometown, Eknath's grandparents were really worried about his whereabouts. Janardhan who returned back from the pilgrimage met consoled, and informed them that Eknath was healthy and would return home soon after visiting Badri. The grandparents felt relieved.
After about a couple of months, Eknath returned home and planned to celebrate Janmashtami, Lord Krishna's birthday. His guru Janardhan Pant came to know of this and he attended the celebrations. There was a discourse on Krishna Charithram written by Eknath along with Nama sankeerthanam. Guru Janardhan saw a surprise visitor in the middle of the audience. It was none other than Lord Dattatrya himself sitting and enjoying the discourse with tears of joy.
When Janardhan was about to leave, his grandparents met him. They expressed their sincere thanks to Janardhan. "Swami! Because of you, our grandson Eknath has chosen the right path. We are getting old and anytime we may leave this world. We are worried that our lineage will not continue if he remains single. We request you to advise him to get married and have children." As per his Guru's advice, Eknath got married. His wife Girija Bai was a quiet person. The couple spent almost 40 years doing the Vittala Bhajans.
Once, Eknath wanted to celebrate Janmashtami as usual but he did not have money. He had a disciple by the name Uddhava. Udhdhava decided to go and raise the required money for celebrating Janmashtami and feed brahmins. Uddhava therefore approached a pawn-broker who used to lend money to people with heavy interest. The man refused to give money to Uddhava as he was an unknown person. So Uddhava used his Guru Eknath's name and borrowed money and promised to return the same within the next cople of days .
However, he could not return the money as promised. The pawn broker waited and finally went to Eknath's house. That day Eknath had arranged for a grand Vittal pooja followed by feeding of some brahmins.. The Pandurang devotees were enjoying the feast. Eknath and his wife had been personally serving the food items to them and as usual, planned to eat the left overs after feeding everyone. The pawn broker entered the house at that time.
Uddhava requested him to wait till the function was over and not to disturb Eknath but the pawn broker went direct to Eknath.
Eknath did not know anything about the money borrowed by Udhdhava from the money lender. Assuming that the pawn broker too was a devotee, he gave him food. After eating his food, the money lender came near Eknath with folded hnds and sid "Swami! You look like a very pious and honest person. Since you have not returned money on time, I have suffered a loss. I also have to survive. So without returning my money, you should not eat".
Eknath was confused but he agreed to check what was the matter with Udhdhv and promised '' Sure. I give you my word on Vittal. I will do as you say. I shall eat only after returning your money". From then on his fasting started. Where would he go for money. He surrendered to Vittal.
All efforts to raise money failed. Eknath did not have water or food till then. It was midnight. Someone knocked at the front door of the money lender's house. When he opened the door with a lamp in his hand, he saw Uddhava standing in the front yard.
"Is it you, who promised me and failed? What is this? Is this the time to come and disturb? Don't you have anything better to do" shouted the man.
"sir, I had tough time collecting the money I owed to return to you. That is why I came now".
"You should have done this earlier. What is the urgency now? You could have waited till it was day break and returned the money tomorrow".
"Sir! Forget about tomorrow. Have you forgot your condition?"
"What are you talking? What was my condition?"
"You told my guruji Eknath and his wife, that they should not eat their food until they returned your money. They are starving from the time you told this. Is it not a great sin to make them starve continuously till tomorrow?"
The moneylender completely forgot what he said momentarily and regretted. He ran in and brought his receipt book and gave a receipt saying that the debt had been settled. Uddhava returned after conveying his thanks to the man.
After Udhdhava left handing him the money with interest, the money lender felt very bad that he was the cause for the elderly couple who fed him nicely that day were still starving without food. He wanted to appreciate Eknath for his honesty and apologise for the inconvenience.
He was waiting for the sun to rise and rushed to Eknath's house and fell at his feet. "Please forgive me. I was very rude to you yesterday".
"Vittal! What is this? Sir! You have not done anything wrong. I told you I would return the money but have not done so. So I am the one who did not keep up my promise to you. I shall try my best to settle the debt as soon as possible.I assure you that I will not eat until then as you instructed sir.''
"Swami! What are you saying? Your disciple Uddhava came to my house last night and returned the money. He took a receipt also. Didn't he tell you? Have you not eaten yet?"
Udhdhava who was there with his guru Eknath was startled. He pleaded immediately.
"Sir! I did not come to your house. I am still trying to get money"
The money lender raised his voice in emotion ''Swamiji this man Udhdhava is lying before you. He came to my house last night at midnight and handed me the moneydue with interest and took my written receipt for same in full settlement of the dues'' He took the receipt and said he will show it to you.
Eknath silently prayed to Vittal and went in to check his account note book where all receipts and bills were usually preserved.
There he saw the receipt given by the moneylender on the previous night.
''Is this the receipt you gave Udhdava?
"yes Sir".
Eknath was in tears. He said "Who else can do such a thing other than my Vittala".
The money lender and Udhdhava too were shocked. The money lender cursed himself for scolding Pandurangan the previous night for disturbing his sleep. He begged Eknath to forgive him. Do I have to say that Eknath's number of disciples had increased by one from that moment.?
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