Jana bai
There are various ways to reach God. Bhakti yoga is one of them. The word Bhakti yoga means total surrender to God. There is no element of doubt in the Almighty. All their thoughts, words and deeds will be decided to God. God too doesn’t ignore such staunch devotees. He comes to their rescue.
The Bhakta stories reveal to the world two aspects. One is the all pervading; omnipresent God yields to the whole hearted faith of his devotees and settles down in their heart. Secondly God comes down personally to drive out the problem and sorrows of His devotees. They are revealed to the world as the miraculous powers of the devotees.
A five year old girl called Janabai was taken to Pandaripuram to have the darshan of Panduranga. That visit decided her fate. She wanted to devote her life to the services of the Lord and so she refused to go home with her parents.
Her parents’ grief was unquenchable. They asked her to consider their love for her and their plight in separation from her.
Janabai coolly answered, ‘I agree you love me, you miss me! But can you keep me with you for ever? Won’t you give me away in marriage to an eligible bachelor? All these bondages are but temporary in this world of Maya. The bondage with God is the only everlasting one. I have decided to lead the rest of my life here. That’s final. There is no going against it’.
Her parents had no other go. They had to leave her alone. Janabai went back into the temple and said, ‘Heh God’ I’ve freed myself from the fetters of the world for your sake’ She sang extempore a keertana.
Yere yere maadhyu Rama
Mana mohana meghasyama...
It meant oh God! You have entered my heart and my life purpose is fulfilled. Let me continue to be detached and let me get the company of satsang.
In answer to her prayer Namadev guru entered the temple then. She fell to his feet and explained ‘God is my father and you are my guru’. Namadev took her to his house to the loving care of his mother Gunabai.
One night there was a heavy down pour of rain. The matted roof top was blown away by the rain. Panduranga Himself came down to his devotee’s rescue. He held his Sudarshan Chakra as an umbrella for the inmates so that they could sleep undisturbed, while He repaired the roof top. Janabai happened to open her eyes and witness this miraculous scene. She was thrilled at it.
We may wonder at this incident. Why should God come down to repair it when He can at one waive of his hand, replace Namadev’s house with a palatial building. But that is distracting the devotee from the main path. If the devotee is overflowing in material comforts, he may be lured by the earthly objects.
Janabai fell to the feet of the Lord ‘Oh Lord! How happy I am to witness such a scene! How great a devotee is Namadev to you! How lucky I am! I could serve such a great devotee. Through my services to your special devotee, I was blessed with your Darshan. What else can I ask for in life?’
Panduranga answered with a smile, ‘How can I ignore the suffering’ of my dearest disciple! His every word, thought and action is centered round me. He becomes restless if he is separated from me! I enjoy his devotional songs. It is my utmost duty to help him in his suffering.’
Janabai felt convulsions in her body, ‘Oh God! We cannot describe your Krupa in words. Bless me also to be as staunch a devotee of You as Namadev. I will serve you and him for the rest of my life.’
Namadev woke up in the meanwhile and was surprised to see the ever shining Almighty in his poor house. He asked innocently what brought Him there. God answered even more innocently, ‘Namadev! I am very hungry. I came to eat food prepared by Janabai’.
Namadev made arrangements and in the meanwhile looked after God. Janabai cooked food in a jiffy and all the members of the family sat with God for dinner. Human nature is very unpredictable. Janabai spoke to God personally, cooked food with her own hands, was to serve Him personally, but still she was not happy. She cried to herself in the kitchen for being deprived of the company of God. Panduranga, who lives in the heart of His devotees, knew at once the desire of Janabai. He immediately got up from food saying, ‘Namadev! I need some rest. Keep my food aside. I will eat it after a little while. God pretended to go to sleep till Namadev himself went to bed.
Then God woke up and beckoned Janabai to serve him food. Janabai served him with great love and was staring at him with rapt attention. God tasted a little and said, ‘Janabai it is so tasty. Why don’t you try? He fed her personally. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. How, many devotees had such a privilege of eating from God’s hands? God discussed spiritual topics with her and disappeared early in the morning.
Once a few devotees like Jnanadev, Nivrithinath, Sopan, Muktabai, Ramananda Swami and Kabir Das came to Namadev’s house. At that time, Namadev was away. Janabai was deeply engrossed in fight with neighbouring lady over the cow dung cakes. Kabirdas questioned Jananai ‘How can you claim those cow dung cakes to be your own?’ Janabai said, ‘You are truthful people. You should give a proper judgment. While I was preparing the cow dung cakes, I chanted the name of Panduranga. So you can hear his name from my cow dung cakes. How strange but how true! Her cow dung cakes were chanting the name of Panduranga very melodiously. The other devotees were taken aback at her devotion.
Gradually Janabai’s name spread far and wide. People flocked together to have her darshan. She did not believe in Jnana. Her path was Bhakti Yoga. She totally surrendered herself to God. She explained the same in her song.
‘Dharila Pandariche chora gala. bandhoniya dora’
‘I garlanded God with my bhakthi and imprisoned Him in my heart.’
One day she was asked to grind Jowar. That night, after everybody went to bed, she was grinding it; the philosophy of life was churned out in the course of her grinding. Panduranga was impressed and touched by her philosophical rendering and helped her in her task. He sat beside her and discussed various aspects.
The day broke and the voices of devotees were heard from a distance. Janabai hastened Him to his sanctum sanctorum. God in his hurry left his jewelry beside her and covered Himself with her rug.
When the priests opened the doors what did they see? All the jewels of God were missing and in their place was a torn rug. Somebody identified it as the rug of Janabai. Immediately the priests lodged a complaint against her. A search warrant was issued. The jewels were found beside her grinding stone and at once she was arrested and death sentence was passed against her. Namadev’s pleadings fell into deaf ears.
Finally the day of her execution had come. She was dragged along the streets. She was badly injured but nobody cared. She requested not to drag her along, but to no use. Finally she was brought to the place of execution. Her disciples cried for her but some self seekers gloated over her misery. Little did they know, God likes one for his Bhakti but not for his caste or creed.
Janabai with folded hands prayed to God ‘Oh God! Why are you so cruel to me? Are you angry with me because I made you do household works? Frankly speaking, did I force you to do them? Did you not volunteer them? How can you ignore me now when I am punished for no fault of mine? I am not scared of death. In fact that takes me closer to you, but should not the people know the truth?’ Then she addressed the people thus, ‘Why do you gather here. Is it a feast to the eyes? Go home and pray to God. God alone can save you.’
She was about to be hanged. The name of Panduranga rose in the air and echoed into the sky. The onlookers’ could not believe their eyes. The rope disappeared and in its place a garland of flowers decked her neck. Janabai was filled with joy. The self seekers were ashamed of the mischief
One day Panduranga was writing something seriously. Jnanadev was surprised to see it and asked him the same. God answered, ‘I am copying the song s of Janabai’, Why, when there are so many songs of Vyasa and Valmiki, where is the need for these songs?’ God answered, ‘whoever sings these songs and leads a life accordingly, will be blessed by Me.’
Janabai is a realized soul. She was blessed and she laid an ideal path to others.
Bhakta Senanapith
'Work incessantly, but be not attached to the world' is the teaching in Bhagavadgeetha. It conveys the precept that to achieve Jnana, one should not run away from his family ties or his earthly position, but he should be in the midst of samsara but should not be tied down to it or depressed by it. In one word he should be like a lotus leaf in water. Bhakta Senanapith stands as a true example of such a life.
Bhakta Senanaith was a barber in Avanthipur. He was born low but he had a great soul. He was blessed with Jnana, bhakti and Vairagya essential qualities required of man to seek moksha. He knew he should not turn out to be a sanyasi, but he should fulfil his duty properly. He had a perfect control over his indriyas, he was totally devoid of the temptations of any man, he had conquered the two evils that usurp man's reasoning ability-bondage and egoism. He had established Lord Vittala in his heart and he had been performing manasik puja unto the Lord.
One day, it so happened that the Muslim king wanted to have his hair cut. So he sent for Senanaith. But at that time, Senanaith was cut off from the world, lost in his prayer to God. This staunch devotee was bathed in the waters of Santhi, wore the white dress symbolic of peace, decked himself with vairagya, cleaned the temple of heart, situated in the nine doored body, arranged it with the rangoli of vignana, seated Lakshmikanth on the asan of satya, lighted the lamps of compassion, equality and philanthropy, 'Sravana, manana nidhi dhyanas' as Arghya padyas offered his purified soul filled with jnana as mahaprasad, a selfless thought as tambula and a feeling of total surrender as harathi. He was thus engrossed in his prayer unifying body, mind and soul.
He was one with God thus when the king's soldiers came to fetch him. His family members did not want to bring him down to the mundane world from his ecstatic world. So they said that he was away. Relatives are worse than fire. One relative thought it the best time to pull down the image of Senanaith in the eyes of the king. So he took the trouble of going to the king and conveying the message. This angred the king and he ordered the barber to be drowned in the sea.
Will the allmighty living in the heart of his disciple leave him to his fate ? No! He dressed himself as Senanapith, held a bag under his hand and presented himself before the king. The omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all pervading God dressed himself as an untouchable to be a barber to a muslim ! Can anything be more surprising than this ? He was prepared to do hair cut to a muslim just as a lover stoops down to a low level to please his lady love.
The king's anger cooled down at the sight of the Lord in the guise of Senanapith. The king and his followers were filled with a special love for the barber ! It's but natural since it was not the lowly barber before him but the Almighty Himself ! God began the duty of the man he had donned ! He carried on the job of the barber with such a skill that the king was highly pleased with it. Then the servaid maids brought him scented oil in a large silver bowl to be applied to the king. The barber began to apply the oil to the king's head ! How lucky the king was ! By the holy touch of the Lord, he was cleansed of his petty jealousies and was blessed with a pure heart. What more ! He could see the reflection of his barber in the oil bowl, not the regular face he knew, but the face of the Almighty. He saw him four armed. He was fully decked with various ornaments at his hands and the neck, with a diamond crown on his head, the heavenly sankha and chakra in two arms and with Abhayahasta with a broad chest the seat of Lakshmi devi, broad eyes and a pleasant smile on his face.
The king couldn't believe his own eyes. He was lost to the world deriving pleasure out of the darshan he had of God until he was requested by his first assistant to have his bath. The king got up and addressed Senanapith - 'You are so wonderful! I've never come across such a person like you. I'll have my bath and food and come back. In the meanwhile, you too have your food and come back to me' So saying, he gifted him with a handful of golden coins. God went to Senanapitha's house, kept them in his cash bag and disappeared.
The king could not forget the godly image he had witnessed in the oil bowl. The feast he had that morning could not beat out the feast to his eyes, before that. He told his courtiers, 'I have not come across such a pure heart. His leela appears unbelievable to me ! You fetch him to me once again.'
By the time the soldiers came to the house of senanapith, the latter got over ecstatic state and had become down to earth. He heard from his family members that the soldiers had come many times to fetch him.
Initially he was frightened about the anger he would have aroused in God, but his bhakti, vairagya dominated over his fears. He consoled himself thus- 'Why should I worry ? If the Lord Brahma gets angry over his vahana - Swan, He may stop gong on it but can he deprive it of its innate tendency of separating water and milk ? Accordingly the king may deprive me of my earthly possessions, but can he raise his little finger against the Almighty seated on a throne in the kingdom of my heart ? God is omnipresent, in me, in the king in everything around. If that is the case why should I worry about the anger of the king ? When God is the director of human drama we play, why should we be disturbed over it ? Will the God who accepts my pooja make me suffer in the hands of the king ? God himself had donned the form of Panduranga and had given us these physical forms. A foolish man behaves wisely if he sits on the throne of Vikramaditya. The same way, I thought foolishly, for a second being born in karma bhoomi.' Thus he drove the darkness of his ajnana through the light of jnana and proceeded on his way. He felt sorry for us human beings. Ironically we treat the real as unreal and unreal as real. The world we live in is maya, while the God who lives beyond it is real but being lost in this maya we don't find the time or the need to chant the name of god. As if to teach us a lesson he was chanting Anantha, Vaikunta, mukunda, Krishna, Govinda, Damodara, Madhava on his way, The king was delighted to see him as the sunflower at the sight of sun, as the lotus at the sight of moon, the lover at the sight of his lady love. He prostrated before Senanapith and hailed him thus.
'Oh great man ! I am sorry, I have treated you as lowly all along but today I had an awakening. I am thrilled at your 'divya darsan' in the oil bowl. Why don't you show it to me once again ?' So saying he sent for such a bowl once again. But no! he couldn't be blessed for a second time. Senanapith could guess at once what had happened. He was moved to tears at the kindly act of God. 'Oh Dayasindhu, Deenabandhu, oh Pundarikaksha ! have you come down to do such a menial task for a menial labourer like me ? You can create, sustain and destroy by a mere thought. Inspite of having such great powers have you done my job to display your warmth for me ?
The king too shed tears of joy when he heard that he had the darshan of God. The staunch devotion of Senanapith made him lucky. He could easily get the darshan. Senanaith said, 'Oh king, you are very lucky. Your parents are blessed souls!' He felt his bag was heavy and when he looked inside he saw the golden coins given into the Lord by the king. Senanaith cried again.
'Oh my Lord ! what an irony ! You lord of Goddess Lakshmi are given a few gold coins for the menial job you have undertaken for mysake, your bhakta ! How can I praise your kind'ness and how can I ever express my gratitude to you ?'
Ever since then, the king became Senanapith's disciple and they have been praying to God together.
Such is the greatness of true devotees of God. God blesses not only those who pray to him but also those who are associated with them.
Bhakta Changadev
A guru is one who can sharpen the intellect of man and guide him in the right path. Acquisition of mere bookish knowledge is no good. It has to be channellized properly. This is proved true in the case of Bhakta Changadev.
Changadev was born to a Brahmin couple Vithobha and Rukmini at Bhima river bed. He lived for more than thousand years. He established a mutt at Tapindi river. He was adept in astanga yogas, animadi siddis and various fields. His knowledge and siddis procured him more than thousand sishyas. His siddi enabled him and his sishyas to move about in air, like birds. He may be a learned man and he may be imparting all his knowledge to his sishyas with all the keenness, but can he justify himself as a guru? How can he acquire the position of a guru without he himself being a sishya to a proper guru? . How can he proclaim to be a knowledgeable person unless he is stamped so by some greater person than him ? Name any scripture - Maha Bharatha, Upanishads or Geetha - it proclaims the need for a proper guru. For that matter God Himself humbled Himself before a guru when He donned the dress of a human being. Rama and Krishna were enlightened by Vasista and Sandeepa! When compared to them where does he stand with his knowledge?
As he probed into the matter thus, he could think of Jnanadev at once who was proclaimed as reincarnation of Lord Pandarinadh. He heard that Santh Jnanadev, with the permission of Pandarinadh was presently residing at Alakapuri.
He decided to send him a message at once on palm leaf, but he was stuck at the very first word ! He was very young compared to him, but was a saint! So should he address him as 'Chiranjeevi' or as sant maharaj? If he addressed him chiranjeevi how could he accept him as his guru? If he addressed him as sant maharaj was not wrong on his part to address a young man thus? Unable to make up his mind, he handed over the blank paper (leaf) to his sishya and asked him to reach it to Jnanadev.
Jnanadev, true to his name could read through the blank paper, the blankness of the mind of Changadev. His first reactions were of pity! Is his life not a waste when he has not digested what is in the scriptures properly? Has he not learnt about the all pervading atma through the Jagat guru Krishna? Atma is described as an all pervading Chaitanya without a human form. It is neither big nor small; it is neither a male nor a female. It doesn't have a form, name or matter. One can see it, feel it or understand it only through yoga siddi but unfortunately nobody is able to perceive it proclaimed Krishna himself. If his bookish knowledge cannot be put into practical co-relation of things, his thousand years of life, his vast knowledge, his long chain of devotees - all are a sheer waste like the make up of a widow or the words of wisdom from a foolish man. Jnanadev could guess he did not have the proper guidance from a guru. So he sent back a message asking him to seek the all pervading atma.

Changadev could at once understand. Jnanadev was the sadguru he had been longing for. He wanted to see him personally, but he did not give up his mystic powers even then. He proceeded with all his sishyas to his new guru. He saw to it that a tiger came to his feet. He sat on it and used a snake as his whip. People at Alakapuri were shocked at his pomp and show and informed the same to Jnanadev. Jnanadev knew it was no other than Changadev. He addressed the mud-wall before him 'Oh my wall! Changadev is coming on a tiger to meet me. I should receive him. So please take me there!' The wall moved at once, carrying Jnanadev with it. This miracle reached the ears of Changadev. Changadev was taken aback it was an eye opener for him. ‘Riding on an animal is nothing before riding on an inanimate thing. He is the sadguru I have been longing for. I will become his sishya 'so spoke Changadev. He got down from his mode of transport. He was bowing at every step till he came face to face with Jnanadev. Then he prostrated before Jnanadev and praised him as reincarnation of Panduranga.

Then Jnanadev held his wand and took him to a big tree beside and enlightened him there. That tree has become profound by the profound knowledge imparted there. Saints greet it as a place of santi. If you sit under it even for a second, your troubled mind seeks consolation. (That tree is called 'Visranti Vata Vriksham' and it can be seen even today in Alakapuri).
After imbibing knowledge, Jnanadev led Changadev to his ashram. At the very entrance he came across Muktabai with no clothes on. Changadev felt embarrassed and was about get out of her presence when she accosted him thus 'Oh ignorant man? Why do you avoid me? If you have a proper knowledge of atma, you will see Brahman in everything. Devakanyas were moving around nudely before the nude Suka maharshi, but when they saw Vedavyas, his father, they donned a dress immediately. This surprised Vedavyas !' You did not hesitate to move naked before a young man, why then do you fear an old man like me?' The Devakanyas replied, your son doesn't differentiate between man and woman. He sees atma in everyone. While you don’t!' Can't you see atma thus like Sukha maharshi? You have lived long enough to have acquired sensible knowledge, you are well versed in scriptures and above all you had the teachings of Jnanadev ! Where had all these gone! It is a sheer waste! It's like scent thrown into ashes. The knowledge of Vedas you have learnt will work on your mind only when you give up the impurity of your mind caused due to your desires. Lord Krishna proclaimed in Bhagavad Geetha, 'The first step to acquire knowledge is to stabilize the unstable mind and to have a control over it.' I appeared to be naked before you only to test you, to see the impact of the knowledge imparted by Jnanadev on you. I pray to God for your equanimity of mind.'
Changadev became a transformed man totally. He bowed before Muktabai and said, 'Oh mother! You are really an incarnation of God. Jnanadev has enkindled the fire of knowledge in me and you have made the fire glow with your winds of wisdom. The forest of my Ajnana is destroyed by it. My life purpose is fulfilled. I am very grateful to you!
Jnanadev blessed him on his head with his hand. Changadev acquired the Brahmajnana required and was enlightened. People felt that the very presence of Jnanadev in Alakapuri turned it into Vaikunta or Pandurangapuram. Changadev blessed by Indra sang in praise of Jnanadev as a reincarnation of Pandarinath. Thus Changadev was blessed by Jnanadev and he in turn spread far and wide the greatness of his guru.
There are many instances which speek volumes about his intimacy with Lord Krishna. Once he told a young lady who came to him that she would be blessed with a boy. Ironically she lost her husband and she was on her way to Kasi with her mother-in-law to immerse his ashes into Ganges. But Changadev said that his blessings wouldn't go waste. Accordingly the woman delivered a boy. Changadev named him Vittal. His Upanayanam had to be performed in Pandurangapuram. The Brahmins who were skeptical about his birth refused to perform it. Changadev said he was the blessing of Lord Krishna, but still they were adamant. They argued 'If so, will Lord Krishna attend it?' Changadev answered positively. But they had their own doubts. Just before the rituals they again questioned Changadev. He said 'Yes he had come!' They couldn't believe his statement. They went to the temple to verify. And Lo! God was not there! They ran back to the Chandrabhaganadi and what did they see? God Himself! They carried on their rituals without a second question!
The woman went back home with her son and mother-in-law. The villagers being surprised at the details looked upon them with respect.
On another occasion a yadav pandit of Taruru accompanied Changadev on his pilgrimage to Pandaripur and Dwarakapur. His wife was pregnant and was about to deliver. So her husband and her relatives advised against her trip but she followed her husband secretly, as she reached the forest near Chandrabhaga river she couldn't move one step ahead. She collapsed there. 'Oh God! I am about to deliver here all alone with not a single soul to help me! My husband has gone with Changadev. Only Changadev can help me'. Her faith in Changadev was not unanswered. Lord Krishna from Dwarakapur appeared before her as a middle aged woman. She introduced herself as Krishnabai, She added 'Changadev sent me to help you out in your critical situation.' When God himself comes down, what is there to worry about? He created a village and a house in it, took the lady there. The lady delivered a boy badly and Krishna as Lakshmi bai was taking Good care of both son and mother.

In the meanwhile Changadev reached Dwaraka. He heard God's message that He helped the pregnant lady on his behalf. Changadev thanked God profusely and hastened to see her. He saw a woman sweeping at the threshold but couldn't guess her to be God. He was surprised to hear that, that lady named Krishnabai came on behalf of Changadev and helped her. Changadev praised her as a blessed soul. He took the family to Dwaraka again, thanked God and blessed the couple to lead a spiritual life.
On another occasion Changadev was consigned by the Lord Vittal to teach a lesson to an untouchable, who was insulting everyone. His name was Mallikarjun. He had a special seat which remained stable when he sat on it, but toppled down if others sat on it. So he asked Changadev to sit on only to laugh at him. But the 'asan' was burnt to ashes by the severe looks of Changadev. This episode frightened Mallikarjun's disciples more than the Guru himself. Mallikarjun was so mean that he named his dog 'Changadev' to give vent to his feelings of jealousy. The disciples were worried at the fate of the dog and so imprisoned him. As they were about to have their food, they wanted to offer food to the sivalingas tied to their necks, but soon! There were no Siva lingas. Changadev laughed and said,' How can you afford to have food when you starve your dog? Unable to bear its hunger it gulped your Sivalingas. They challenged Changadev 'If that is true, make our dog vomit our Sivalingas.' The dog did give forth the Siva lingas to the bewildered disciples. Needless to say, these two incidents brought about a sea change in the Guru and Sishyas.
Once Changadev was meditating in a solitary place in Bidar. One Brahmin approached him and advised him to flee for his life. Bidar was ruled then by a Muslim king who was cruel to sadhus. He would have harmed Changadev by now, but at that time he was brooding over his wife's death. Any moment he might get over that feeling and come out only to be Hitler.
Changadev was nonplussed. He said, 'Don't you worry? I will bring back your king's wife to life. Please convey this message to your king.' The king couldn't believe it, but still did not mind trying it. Changadev made the king put a Tulasi leaf over the dead body of his wife. It worked. The wife came back to life, but she behaved strangely. She was creating a big scene as a devil. The king was frightened, but Changadev made the king ask her 'What do you want?' She answered, 'My dear! You and I should become the disciples of my life saver. If you don't agree, I will not live. That brought a transformation in the king and Changadev advised him to lead a truthful and philanthropic life.
Finally the time was ripe for Changadev to give up his physical body. He pleaded to Vittala in Pandaripur to bless him with an appropriate place for his samadhi. Vittal offered the place beside the pullar where he was standing and promised to visit him on ekadasi day of 'Ashada' masam.
Changadev prayed to God and sat in silence at the place allocated to him. His two sons hastened to see their father. Changadev imparted Shadakshari mantra only to his eldest son and advised him to pray to him regularly and to visit Pandarinath in every Karthik mas. He promised to teach to his younger son at a later date. He then sat silently there praying to God. God came down personally as he was breathing his last. Everybody present there could visualize Changadev's jeevatma joining paramathma. Then devotees present there fulfilled the last rites to Changadev. After 12 years, Changadev rose from his samadhi to do jnanopadesa to his younger son and again merged himself with the Lord. Some of the devotees must have done some good deeds in their lives to be eye witness to such a miracle.
We know that God speaks to us in many ways but the stories of such saints show us that God speaks to us directly!