No Mukti Without Bhakti - By Swami Keshaviahji

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No Mukti Without Bhakti

Neither by reciting the Vedas nor by acting up to the Sastraic injuctions I

am. attainable; but one who meditates on Me with adoration gets at Me easily

and I am with Him" says the Bhagvan in " Siva Gita."

However much the devotee suffers he should not give up his devotion to God.

This is best illustrated from the life of Tukaram.

There was a Brahmin at Dehu (in Maharashtra) by name Ramachandra Bhatt.

Being a great Pandit and a strict follower of Sanatana Dharma, Bhat was

greatly perturbed by the doings of Tukaram. One day he approached the

village chief and said : " Tukaram is a Sudra by birth ; yet not only has he

learned the Vedas but also is imparting the sacred lore to men of all

castes. He is abusing the Karma Yoga established by ancient rishis and

proclaming the supremacy of Bhakthi Yoga. With the aid of his melodious

music, he attracts many followers to the detriment of Vedic religion." He

requested the chief to punish Tukaram and save the Vedic religion. The chief

ordered the village Patil to expel Tukaram from the village.

Coming to know of this, Tukaram sought the help of Ramachandra Bhat. He

accosted the latter while the latter was bathing in the river Indrani. On

seeing Tukaram, Bhat flared up at him, " You are spoiling the Varnashrama

Dharma. You disregard the Vedas and Sastras of yore. Your abhangams make the

hearers commit sinful acts." He asked him not to sing abhangams any more.

Stricken with sorrow at these words, Tukaram quiety asked what should become

of those abhangams he had already sung. He got the answer that they should

be thrown into the Indrani. Sad at heart Tukaram bundled his abhangams and

nearing the Vjtoba temple, prayed : " Oh Lord, once you ordained me to sing

abhangams and now you enjoin me through Ramachandra Bhat to cast them away

into the river." So crying, he threw his compositions into the Indrani

and left the place.

This news spread to the village of Dehu and the neighbouring villages. That

night to many of the villagers, God Vitoba appeared in dream and asked them

to get the abhangams from the river and restore them to Tukararn. They did

so. Some days after Ramachandra Bhat went to a holy place with his daughter.

There he was bathing in a well in a garden belonging to a Muslim fakir. The

fakir wanted to know who he was. Enraged at being spoken to by a non Hindu,

Ramachandra Bhat hurled abuse at the fakir who replied in hindi. Bath over,

Ramachandra Bhat began to feel a burning sensation over his entire frame. He

could not sit, stand or He down. Not knowing what to do, he went to the

Gnaneswari Math and there prayed and slept. Gnaneswari appeared in his dream

and said that the burning was the result of teasing Tukaram and unless he

begged his pardon, there was no way of escape.

Bhat was on the horns of a dilemma. He was ashamed to seek the help of

Tukaram. But seeing no way of escape, he wrote a letter to Tukaram detailing

his sufferings. He got back a reply from Tukaram which said: "One whose mind

is spotless and pure has no enemies. To him all creatures are alike. Fall at

the feet of Vitoba." When he finished reading, Bhat felt free from the

burning sensation. Realising the greatness of Tukaram, he started out to

meet him. Tukaram coming to know of this, approached him and made his

obeisance. Bhat prostrated himself before Tukaram and entreated his pardon

for his misdeeds. He became an ardent disciple of Tukaram and commenced his

bhajans with Tukaram's abhangams.

A true Bhakta is always near God.

Saint Saying

"' One develops various propensities according to the company one moves in

and one seeks the company congenial to one's propensities.

H. H. SWAM I KESAVAIAHJI'S SELECTION

 

(Adopted from the Book Pearls of Wisdom by His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji)