Bhakta Nandadas
A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Everything and anything is beautiful in God’s creation provided we have an eye for it. The calm flowing river, the gushing waters of a water fall, a mountain rage, a small flower on it, the cooing of a cuckoo, the rainbow, the stars, the rustling of leaves, the whispering rocks, the roaring of the lion are but a few examples of the wide range of sights and sounds of nature. The eye that sees them, the ear that hears them is equally beautiful. Only a beautiful thing can appreciate beauty. Also Beauty can be appreciated as a whole and not as a part. The waves of the ocean are beautiful when they are blended with the vast ocean. A sunflower is beautiful when it is watched with yellow bed of sunflowers spreading to infinity. An admirer of beauty admires whatever he likes, irrespective of the feelings of others. He is above the mundane world. Here is the story of such a person, who was not understood by the people around initially.
A young man was passing through a house and he stood there wonderstruck. He happened to see a young lady combing her hair at the threshold of her house. Her beauty could not be described in words. She looked like an angel born by mistake into an ordinary family. God seems to have created her when he was in a specially good mood. There was grace in her looks. The man had never seen such a startling beauty. He was fascinated by her wonderful features and stood transfixed to the ground before her.
The poor lady, was unaware of the commotion she has created in a young mind. She went inside the house but her image went inside his heart and settled down there on a big throne. God alone knew how he walked back home. He was unaware of what he was doing. He could not eat properly or sleep properly. The eyes refused to see anything else.
At last night gave way to day. The young man hastened himself to her doorstep. He found himself a place opposite the house and stood staring at the door to have a full, clear view of his heart throb once again. The early rays of sun produced scorching heat in the midday and were transformed into the pleasant twilight, finally giving way to the dark light of the night. But the lady did not step out of the house. All through the day he stood determined though his mind entertained various feelings - he hoped to see her, he wondered whether he could see her, he was beginning to doubt; he was becoming disappointed, angry and frustrated. Tears rolled down the cheek, but he did not move till night. The same farce continued the second day. As the time rolled by, his feelings danced from one to another. There was no trace of her at the end of the second day too. But he had only two options. He should either see her or give up his life at her doorstep. He was not willing to give up hope.
‘Who is she? Is she is married or unmarried? What is her caste? If she is married, what is he to her? What does he expect her to do? Does he know what he wants? If he doesn’t know why should he be mad? If he knows, there is no need to be mad’. He had no answers to these questions. He had never thought in these lines. He knew only one thing. He was mad after her beauty and he wanted to see her again. That’s all. He repeated the same when he was questioned.
A woman approached him on the third day and asked who he was. He raised his eyebrows in enquiry of who she was. The woman read that question mark on his face and introduced herself as the servant maid of the house.
His first reaction was so what? Can she fulfil my wish ? Is she a goddess or a fairy? But all the same he spoke out his innermost thoughts freely. ‘I am a Brahmin boy. My name is Nandadas. I saw a beautiful lady here three days ago. She was combing her hair then. I was lost in her beauty. I have come back to see her to my heart’s content once again. I will not eat or sleep till then’.
The servant maid was flabbergasted at his openness. Is he mad or is he plain? She told him ‘She is my boss. She is a kshatriya lady and is married’.
‘I don’t care’.
How dare he say ‘I don’t care’ as if he had come to buy an animal in a fair. Isn’t he ashamed of his behaviour ?
‘Ashamed ? Ah ! The word ashamed cannot be found in my dictionary. The very God who has given her the beauty has given me eyes to appreciate her beauty and you the tongue talk to me. Who is to be blamed for that ?’
The maid had no answer for that. She simply asked, ‘Shall I tell this to our boss ?’
‘It is left to you’.
The maid narrated how a young man had overnight become her fan and how he was ready to give up his life for her sake. No lady can ever be indifferent to praises ! She was curious to see her admirer. Without any second thought she came out and stood at the entrance in a graceful manner for some time. The young man had a feast to his eyes. He stared at her to his heart’s content and this time he walked back home almost in the air. He was sorry he had only two eyes to get a full view of her.
The next morning he duly stood before her like a lamp post. The servant maid saw him, informed her, she stood outside he stared, she went in, he walked back. Everything happened in a jiffy. His joy knew no bounds.
The same scene continued for quite a long time. One day this drama fell into the eyes of her husband. The next day he beckoned Nandadas inside. ‘Why do you stand before our house?’ He explained, ‘Oh sir! I happened to seeyour wife. I was madly impressed by her and I can’t live without seeing her’.
The husband was shocked. He didn’t know how to treat this fanatic of his wife. Is it madness or innocence? Should he appreciate his frankness or should he punish him? He coolly asked him to go since, being a devotee himself, he saw more of innocence than of madness.
Nandadas’ state of admiring continued unhindered. Slowly the news spread in the neighbourhood. Gossip mongers added colour to it, they magnified it and made the husband a butt of ridicule. The gossip reached the ears of Nandadas but, as already mentioned, he was alove these petty feelings of human beings.
The husband could not remain unperturbed, all the same could not drive out Nandadas. Escapism was the only solution for it. He wanted to run away from the scene. He thought of his guru Vittalnath in Gokulam. He had to cross the Yamuna river. So he made arrangements with the boatman for the next day.
How disgusting ! Nandadas was seated already in the boat they were to sail by. He said point black he was going with them because he couldn’t live without seeing her. The husband became wild. He made the boatman usher him out of the boat.
Nandadas was left alone on the banks of the river. The boat sailed along the river taking his heartthrob and his heart too. As he started beyond, he saw the ripples of the river diverging towards him. They seem to convery some message to him from the lady. As he was staring at them his vision spread to the beauty of the river at large. Yamuna is the sacred river for the Hindus. It speaks about the rasa leela of Lord Krishna. His admiration of beauty shifted from a mortal lady to the immortal river, from a human being to infinity. Poetry is spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings and emotion. He let out spontaneously a song on Yamuna.
Oh Yamuna you flow as a river /
not for your sake
but for the sake of love
You came down to us from Heaven........
His appreciation of beauty of a mere lady spread to the praise of the lady ‘Yamuna River’. Isn’t his love of beauty strange and peculiar? What appealed to him in the lady? What appealed to him in the waves ?
In the meanwhile the young couple reached their guru. The first question the guru asked was, ‘Why did you leave the brahmin boy on the banks of the river?’ Seeing surprise writ all over their face, the guru explained, ‘Nandadas is a great bhakta. His sense of beauty has a spiritual blend. You human beings couldn’t appreciate him’.
They fell before their guru and asked for forgiveness. The guru sent word for Nandadas. Nandadas felt a sort of spiritual awakening as he saw the guru. He fell to his feet. He realized his life purpose. He sang another song extempore. It is a description of the wonderful scene of the rasaleela of Krishna
Look there, over there
Lord Krishna’s magnificent face
Amidst gopikas on the banks of Yamuna.......
Thus he attained spiritual bliss.
This Nandadas was the son of Jeevanam, a devout brahmin in Rampur. He was born in 1570. The pious atmosphere at home, sowed the seeds of bhakti in Nandadas at a very early age. He was the first one to join any satsang and the last to leave it.
Kabir das extolled the advantage of Satsang. It gives one the ability to realize a true guru.
Nandadas lost his parents in his childhood. So he was brought up in grandfather’s house. He was taught the sastras and sanskrit. He showed greater interest in Bhagavatam. The grandfather sent him to Benares, the seat of Learning to pursue further studies. There he was acquainted with Thulasi Das. This friendship turned him to spiritual path.
After a few days Nanda Das proceeded on pilgrimmage along with few vaishnavites. Thulasi Das felt it as a sign of turning point in his life. As is the law of life, he had to face a hurdle race before he faced the turning point. The hurdle race was the craze for the lady and the turning point was the meeting of the guru Vittal das. His path is now clear, the goal is set and he is ready. That’s the greatness of a guru.
Nandadas continued his spiritual path there, under the guidance of Vittalnath. He was acquianted with the great saint Surdas who took him to the Zenith of his devotion.
Goswami Vittalnath entrustsed the work of ‘Krishna tatva’ to eight bhaktas. The eldest was Surdas while the youngest was Nandadas. They composed songs on the love story of Radha and Krishna. Nandy beautifully described Krishna’s love for Radha along with his rasaleela. His songs won the applause of people far and wide. His name and fame reached the ears of Thulsidas. He was surprised to hear about Nanda das’ shift of devotion from Rama to Krishna.
He answered, Rama has one wife Krishna has many’.
His love for God can be felt to its peak in this song.
Oh heart ! If you desire to climb a mountain peak, reach Govardhana giri.
If you desire to live in a fine village go to Gokulam.
If you desire to live in a beautiful city, go to Madhura.
It goes on thus.
Nanda das desired to write Bhaghavatam in ordinary language so that every common man could read it. Accordingly he wrote it, but it became a threat to the very existence of great Sanskrit Pandits. They were highly paid to explain, Bhagavatam written in Sanksrit to common man. Now they were losing hold over them. This moved the heart of the saint. He assured them, ‘Don’t worry. I only thought of others. It didn’t strike me that it could disturb your life style. I have no grudge against you. My intention is not to make any one suffer. I see my lord Krishna in you. So I will throw my writings into Yamuna river this very minute. ‘So saying he threw nine volumes of Bhagavatam retaining the tenth one with him. His love for all human beings can be gauged by this single incident.
Realizing God in one step and realizing God in everybody is yet another step. Nandadas realized both.
Joga Paramanand
The stories of true bhaktas are very interesting. They are lovable souls. They live in their own sweet world. They don’t accuse anybody. They are not attached to the mundane world. They don’t show miracles to gain name and fame. Even if any miracle happens through them, they think they are only an instrument of God. They don’t find fault with any one, but if they commit any mistake, they punish themselves ruthlessly. That is their devotion to God.

There is a village called Barsi in Sholapur. There was a bhakta called Joga. Right from his childhood, he longed for the darshan of God. Unlike other children, he always prayed to God. In fact he gathered other children, not to play, but to chant the name of God. Whenever he heard of a saint’s visit to his village, he was the first one to have his darsan.

As he grew older, the piety in him, which was deep rooted, flourished into a full grown tree. His sole aim was to see God. His eyes always watered since his heart was brimming with the love of God. He used to lament, ‘Oh God! I cannot bear this sorrow! I am mad after you. I cannot bear this separation from you anymore. I have spent my tears but still you are not kind enough to me. Of course I know I shouldn’t blame you, since I have no right to seek a blessing from you. When I haven’t done any good deed in my life, how can I hope to have your darshan ?

Joga was by birth a low caste man. He was an oil merchant, but the way he entered the temple was really wonderful. He got up before dawn, had his bath in the holy river and walked to the temple from there. He knew the slokas of Bhagavad Geetha by heart. So he chanted one sloka and fell prostrate on the ground. Thus he chanted all the 700 slokas and prostrated 700 times! He carried on this ritual for quite a few days.

One day he entered the temple. It was Krishnastami. He stood before Panduranga in tears. His quest for God reached its Zenith that day. He prayed to God with trembling lips. ‘Oh God! I cannot bear it anymore. I want liberation I am chained to this mundane world. Why don’t you liberate me? I am not allured to the earthly pleasures. All I seek is a union with you. Oh God! I had a misgiving that only I am suffering in the whole world. Only later it dawned to me that the world itself is troublesome. This knowledge has wounded my heart. Will you please relieve my troubled soul? Will you please fill my heart with your love?

God was touched by his genuine prayer. He sent rays of his love into the heart of Joga. How lucky he was! On Krishnastami day, Lord Krishna was born in his heart. He could feel the waves of love sent to him. His body tingled. His heart melted. The tears of sorrow were turned into tears of joy. All his life long misery disappeared leaving him in a state of calmness. He was filled with gratitude. He continued to stand before God.
He was then blessed with the darshan of God. Joga’s joy was beyond expression at the dazzling beauty of God. God spoke to him ‘Joga from this moment you are relieved of your misery. Your bhakti has reached its perfection. Today, a Guru is coming here. He will bring about a turning point in you. You are a blessed soul.’

All his sorrow disappeared to God knows where! He was jumping with joy at the darshan of God. He went home singing in the name of God and dancing to it.
As God proclaimed, a saint landed in their village from North. Joga knew at once this was the guru that God spoke about. He rushed at once at him.
The saint was seated in the temple with a smiling face. He was named Paramananda Swami. People gathered to see him and Joga joined them. The saint was on his pilgrimage to south. Any Sadhaka requires faith and vairagya. The sight of the swami increased the vairagya in Joga and doubled his faith in God.

Swami started his Satsang. He was singing melodiously the Leelas of Sri Krishna. His song was describing how Sri Krishna was playing his flute melodiously. Joga could visualize that scene. When the Swami was narrating how Krishna killed the demons, Joga felt that the feelings of Kama, Krodha etc in him were being killed by God.

The Swami described how the Gopikas being lured by Krishna started chanting Madhava, Damodara, Govinda instead of calling out the names of the items they had to sell. Joga had a sudden feeling that he too should stop selling oil and should live by begging alms.

Yes! The turning point in his life had come! He was moved to tears as he touched the feet of the Swamji. Swamiji could see through Joga. He realized the Vairagya in Joga. He lifted him up and asked what his worry was about.
Joga explained, ‘Swamiji, I am not a man of letters. I am not a Jnani. All that I do is chant the name of God. My heart tells me you are my Guru. Please accept me as your discipline and enlighten me.’

Paramananda Swami, with a smiling, friendly face said, ‘Oh Joga, you are a blessed soul. You have the love of God and so you will attain moksha. You continue your practice of chanting the name of God. You realize the truth ‘Eko Vishnu.’ God is present in everything and everyone around you. So don’t hate anyone. Remember the world which allures you to material comforts brings about your downfall. We know behind every rose there is a thorn, but we pluck the rose carefully. Our behaviour should be thus. Give up falsehood. Finally this is a must for every Sadhaka. You may bear dangerous poison within you, but should never nourish ego. The words I or my are the worst enemies.’

The guru’s words are like verdict to a true disciple. There is no going against the verdict. There is no scope for any further doubt. He started leading a peaceful life. Seeing his spiritual life in accordance with his guru people called him Joga Paramanand.
As he desired, he gave up his oil business and lived by begging alms. One day it was raining cats and dogs. The roads were filled with muddy water. Remember his practice of prostrating on the ground 700 times before reaching the temple. He continued his practice that day too, being unmindful of the dirty atmosphere. A merchant happened to see this scene. He was impressed by the piety simplicity and selflessness of the devotee. So he bought him a new silk dhoti and requested him to accept it.

Initially Joga refused to take it. He said that he was interested only in God and not in dressing up, but the merchant insisted. He added a convincing statement ‘Why don’t you treat this gesture as ordained by God?’ Joga had no answer to it.
The next day as usual Joga had a bath in the holy river, but wore the new silk dhoti. How vainglorious are these clothes we don! He hesitated to prostrate because his new dhoti may get stained. He tied it up to his waist and instead of falling flat on his stomach; he just bent on his knees for a short distance. But that was not convenient and he was not ready to soil his new dhoti. So that day he did not bend down. He was folding his hands in standing posture itself.

But lo! When he had the darshan of God in the temple, God was not in his usual smiling manners. Joga wondered why! It did not take him long to guess the reason. He did not do his regular pranams to God. He was more interested in his new clothes rather than God Himself! What does that convey? He was still in love with his body. He wanted to get over this desire. He wanted to do atonement for his sin.

He happened to see a farmer with his oxen on his way to his farm. Joga struck a bargain with him. Oh dear! I will give you my costly clothes. In return you lend me your oxen for four hours. He tied one end of the rope to his legs and the other to the cows. He makes them run. They run madly, dragging Jogi all along. He was dragged across thorns, over rocks, along heaps of stones. You can imagine Joga’s plight. His skin was peeled off, blood was overflowing like a river the nerves and muscles were torn out, leaving only a skeletal structure of him. In a few minutes he would breathe his last breath. Joga was not worried; he was chanting the name of panduranga throughout the ordeal.

Why will God bring the tragic death of his disciple? He appeared before him and childed him who looked like a pound of flesh. ‘Joga what’s wrong with you? You haven’t committed any crime. You are punishing yourself unnecessarily. How will I leave you to your fate?”

He embraced Joga. The divine touch of the Lord was the healing touch for him. Joga lost all the physical pain and experienced. Waves passing over to him from God. God disappeared.

Joga continued his spiritual life till his eightieth year till he breathed his last.

Joga Paramanand’s Kirthanas were penned down by Visobha Knechar. One of his devotional songs found its place in the religious book of the sikhs.