Courtesy: Sri.Sivan krishnan
Among the various devotees who thronged at the Ashram every day, there was one old lady who attended the discourse regularly. She used to visit regularly and occupy a corner enjoying the discourses with tears of joy. She did not talk to anyone or visit anyone. She will just attend the lecture, remain there till the end, enjoy it with tears in her eyes, which were closed mostly during the lectures as she swallowed every word uttered by the saint Eknath. She looked quite respectable, grey haired, appearing fresh as if she always attended the lecture after a bath immediately before arriving there with wetness in her hair and clothes. Every one who assembled knew her and folded their hands in respect at her. She was a very fair complexioned majestic and quiet elderly lady.
It was rainy season and one evening It was a raining continuously, but there was discourse by Eknath at his ashram with many attending undmindful of the bad weather. The disourse that day commenced late because of the rain and so ended late at night while it was raining. Many people ran here and there for shelter. The old lady never bothered about the rain and walked in the rain slowly.
THE MYSTERIOUS OLD LADY
Quite often we come across the name Pradhistanapur in our stories not because it is the only semi town, but it was a famous name in those days for two reasons. Mostly the residents were educated and scholarly brahmins and the second most important reason was it was on the banks of River Godhavari. We Hindus worship rivers as goddesses and Godhavari is a very big and sacred river and visiting the river for holy dip was considered essential at least once in a life time by many religious minded people then and now also.
Paithan is on the eastern bank of River Godhavari, and 56 km south of Aurangabad. It is the birth place of saint Eknath and his samadhi is still there. Saint Gnaneshwar garden in Paithan is visited by many pilgrims.
Eknath was regularly conducting his discourses in Marathi language at the request of his son Hari Bhat. Eknath's devotional lectures drew many people from Paithan and its neighborhood and every day there was a huge gathering at his asham. He chose to explain his thoughts in simple language with pure devotion which was easy for the peope to undersand and enjoy his beautiful discourses on epics like Ramayana and Mahabaratha and Baktha vijayam
Among the various devotees who thronged at the Ashram every day, there was one old lady who attended the discourse regularly. She used to visit regularly and occupy a corner enjoying the discourses with tears of joy. She did not talk to anyone or visit anyone. She will just attend the lecture, remain there till the end, enjoy it with tears in her eyes, which were closed mostly during the lectures as she swallowed every word uttered by the saint Eknath. She looked quite respectable, grey haired, appearing fresh as if she always attended the lecture after a bath immediately before arriving there with wetness in her hair and clothes. Every one who assembled knew her and folded their hands in respect at her. She was a very fair complexioned majestic and quiet elderly lady.
It was rainy season and one evening It was a raining continuously, but there was discourse by Eknath at his ashram with many attending undmindful of the bad weather. The disourse that day commenced late because of the rain and so ended late at night while it was raining. Many people ran here and there for shelter. The old lady never bothered about the rain and walked in the rain slowly.
Hari Bhat told her "Mother! Why don't you wait here for a while and go after the rain stops". She just smiled and continued to walk in the dark. Probably her smile meant "I have braved heavier rains than this".
Every evening, she would come well before Eknath started the discourse. She would stay till he finished the Arthi. Then she would leave the place on her own. Rain or shine, nothing stopped her from attending the discourses, or leaving alone even at late night.
Her countenance and commanding features attracted everyone and demanded respect from every one young or old just like a steel pin attracted by the magnet.
Every evening, she would come well before Eknath started the discourse. She would stay till he finished the Arthi. Then she would leave the place on her own. Rain or shine, nothing stopped her from attending the discourses, or leaving alone even at late night.
Her countenance and commanding features attracted everyone and demanded respect from every one young or old just like a steel pin attracted by the magnet.
On another day, after the discourse, some people who returned home in the same direction where she was walking, followed her out of curiosity but she did not look back or communicated with anyone. She walked towards the banks of Godhavari river. People were wondering why a lady would go to the river bank at so late in the night. Some people observed this for a few days and conveyed it to Eknath.
One day, after the discourse ended, Eknath called Hari Bhat and said "You please go with the old lady tonight and take good care of her". When the lady left, Hari Bhat followed her. As usual she went towards the river bank and walked down the steps into the waters. Assuming that the old lady was going to take a bath in the river, Hari Bhat felt that it was not proper for him to see a lady bathing. So he returned. Hari Bhat followed her for some more days but the same thing happened every day. He could not understand the reason for this.
One day Eknath asked "Hari! Are you accompanying that lady as her guard every day?"
"Yes. Gurudeva! I am following her everyday".
"Does she know that you are going as her escort ?"
"I think so"
"You seem to be pondering over something. What is in your mind?"
"I see this old lady walking to river Godhavari and getting into the waters every night. I guess she takes bath or for washing, in the Godhavari river and then goes home. She takes a long time remaining in the water and does not come out quickly. So I follow her up to the river bank and return back".
"Don't you think you should wait for her to come out and accompany her?"
"I am concerned that she might be offended if she sees me waiting while she takes bath or does washing etc., So I did not wait for her. I think she lives somewhere close by the river".
Eknath stopped talking but started thinking.
Next day the old lady attended the discourse. Eknath that partcular evening was describing elaborately the scene describing how Vittal granted darshan to everyone on the banks of the Godhavari river. The lady was in tears overwhelmed in emotion by the beautiful narration and expression. Eknath was explaining about the significance of holiness of the Godhavari river.
After the discourse ended, every one left. The lady went near Eknath and prostrated. He quickly moved aside and said "Mother! You are a very sacred person. I am an ordinary man. It is not right on your part to prostrate in front of me".
She did not say anything but left the place. Hari Bhat followed her as usual. The lady went into Godhavari river. Usually Hari Bhat would leave immediately but that night, he decided to stay back for the old lady to show up. He waited for a long time and did not find her. He was wondering if she left by any other way out. When he entered the river and sighted, there was no trace of her and there was no other way out. He feared the old lady had probably drowed in the deep river.
Hari Bhat returned home sad and informed Eknath that he could not see the lady get out of the water and expressed his fear that she was no more.
Eknath uttered cryptically "Vittal! Mother Godhavari".
Next day onwards she did not attend the discourses. Hari Bhat was in tears. He thought that she might have drowned in the waters. Eknath consolded Hari "How can Godhavari Matha vanish in the waters? She herself is the river water".
From that day onwards, during Eknath's discourses, a special seat was allocated to that "old lady". Everyone believed that Godhavari Matha invisibly attended the discourses and enjoyed them.
One day, after the discourse ended, Eknath called Hari Bhat and said "You please go with the old lady tonight and take good care of her". When the lady left, Hari Bhat followed her. As usual she went towards the river bank and walked down the steps into the waters. Assuming that the old lady was going to take a bath in the river, Hari Bhat felt that it was not proper for him to see a lady bathing. So he returned. Hari Bhat followed her for some more days but the same thing happened every day. He could not understand the reason for this.
One day Eknath asked "Hari! Are you accompanying that lady as her guard every day?"
"Yes. Gurudeva! I am following her everyday".
"Does she know that you are going as her escort ?"
"I think so"
"You seem to be pondering over something. What is in your mind?"
"I see this old lady walking to river Godhavari and getting into the waters every night. I guess she takes bath or for washing, in the Godhavari river and then goes home. She takes a long time remaining in the water and does not come out quickly. So I follow her up to the river bank and return back".
"Don't you think you should wait for her to come out and accompany her?"
"I am concerned that she might be offended if she sees me waiting while she takes bath or does washing etc., So I did not wait for her. I think she lives somewhere close by the river".
Eknath stopped talking but started thinking.
Next day the old lady attended the discourse. Eknath that partcular evening was describing elaborately the scene describing how Vittal granted darshan to everyone on the banks of the Godhavari river. The lady was in tears overwhelmed in emotion by the beautiful narration and expression. Eknath was explaining about the significance of holiness of the Godhavari river.
After the discourse ended, every one left. The lady went near Eknath and prostrated. He quickly moved aside and said "Mother! You are a very sacred person. I am an ordinary man. It is not right on your part to prostrate in front of me".
She did not say anything but left the place. Hari Bhat followed her as usual. The lady went into Godhavari river. Usually Hari Bhat would leave immediately but that night, he decided to stay back for the old lady to show up. He waited for a long time and did not find her. He was wondering if she left by any other way out. When he entered the river and sighted, there was no trace of her and there was no other way out. He feared the old lady had probably drowed in the deep river.
Hari Bhat returned home sad and informed Eknath that he could not see the lady get out of the water and expressed his fear that she was no more.
Eknath uttered cryptically "Vittal! Mother Godhavari".
Next day onwards she did not attend the discourses. Hari Bhat was in tears. He thought that she might have drowned in the waters. Eknath consolded Hari "How can Godhavari Matha vanish in the waters? She herself is the river water".
From that day onwards, during Eknath's discourses, a special seat was allocated to that "old lady". Everyone believed that Godhavari Matha invisibly attended the discourses and enjoyed them.
No comments:
Post a Comment