8.11: Vithoba’s disloyalty to his Wife found out

128. Shripad, the head of the sannyasis, who had admitted her husband to that order, happened to come to Alandi. Rakhumabai seeing him there approached him to make him a namaskar.

129. Shripad had seated himself at the time on the stone platform surrounding the pimpal-tree. Rakhumabai made a namaskar very reverently.

130. Very graciously he gave her a blessing: ‘Be the mother of eight sons, and one possessing a husband.’ Hearing him say this she was exceedingly astonished.

131. As Rakhumabai smiled to herself, Shripad questioned her. He said, “Mother, why do you regard what I said as a matter to laugh at?”

132. She replied, “Because you gave me the blessing that I should always have a husband, and be the mother of sons. But oh chief of the sannyasis, how can this result without my husband?

133. My husband has left me, and with repentance has entered the order of the sannyasis. Therefore, when you gave me your blessing, I thought it a very strange thing.

134. To sow seed in a fireplace, or fora cloud to rain down upon a rock, such is your blessing given to me, without asking me any questions.

135. It is like showing a mirror to a blind man, or singing before a deaf man, or giving dainty food to a sick man, without giving the deed a thought.

136. Just as it is useless to blow the fire when there are no live coals, or bringing a lamp without oil in it; or as it is in vain that a beggar pleads with a miser;

137. or as it is useless to sow the seeds in the ground when the clouds have poured down no rain; or of what use is it for a physician to give the royal medicine to a Man destined not to live?

138. When the moon is in its dark half, why should an astrologer allow the bride to marry? Or after the sun has set, of what use are the gifts given in worship?

139. So you did not bring the facts (of my case) to your mind, and yet gave me your blessing. A promise that you utter cannot prove untrue, however, and that is why it amused me.’

140. While Rakhumabai spoke Shripad felt great surprise. He thought to himself, ‘It will be necessary to prescribe a penance to the one who admitted Vithoba to the order of the sannyasis.

141. If a disciple abandons his young wife when as yet she had no offspring, and enters the order of the sannyasis, then for both disciple and guru the Shastras have prescribed a penalty.

142. When one speaks in a mine, the echo comes back to him; so although I asked him his condition, yet my mistaKe has come back to me.

143. It is like the moon laughing at the stars, when it itself has spots; or as if the ocean should blame the Ganges, when itself is salty;

144. or as when a man finds fault with dainty food when his mouth tastes bitter; or as when a person blind from his birth should blame the sun;

145. or as when a person without a straight nose should get angry with his mirror; or as when a lamp has darkness underneath it, but shows light to others;

146. so I have done what is wrong and needlessly blame others. I feel that the injury I have caused her will destroy my good deeds.’

147. So he asked Rakhumabai, ‘Who are your relatives here?’ She stood before him with hands joined palm to palm, and replied in a humble tone of voice;

148. ‘I have a mother, father, brothers and sisters, but because of my separation from my husband I seem like one without a protector.’

149. Shripad then commanded her to invite her father and bring him there. She hastened to her home and brought Sidhopant [Sidhopanta].

150. When he saw this chief of yogis he made him a prostrate obeisance. He worshipped him by the use of flowers and perfumes and washing his feet, and ended by giving him to eat.

151. He stood before him with hands joined and asked, ‘Where have you come from, my swami? And where are you going to from here? Kindly tell me.’

152. Shripad replied, ‘My home is at Benares. With intention of going to Rameshwar I have reached this southern country.

153. Your daughter has told me all about herself. I must therefore now hasten back to Benares.’

154. Shripad further added, ‘According to scripture authority my good deeds will go for nothing, because of the fault committed against her.

155. Bring Rakhumabai with you, and let us go to Benares.’ When he said this, Sidhopant [Sidhopanta] fell at his feet, and said,

156. ‘You are merciful. Let us hasten to go.’ He took his daughter with him and started. 157, Arriving at Benares, Shripad went to his hermitage. He called Chaitanya [as Vithoba was now called in the order] before him, and asked him again about his former condition of life.

158. ‘Tell me now. Did you have a wife or did you not in your home when you were a householder? You told me an untruth. Now keep nothing whatever back.

159. Tell me the whole truth.’ And with that, he placed his assuring hand upon him. Hearing the sadguru say this, Chaitanya (Vithoba) replied in the same way as does

160. a.child when it has committed a fault and its mother speaks to it with anger; it timidly confesses to its mother; so Vithoba confessed to his guru.

161. When a subject has done what is wrong and the king has punished him, he very timidly tells him what had happened, just so it was with this sannyasi Chaitanya (Vithoba);

162. or as when a sick man eats some indigestible food and the physician in anger asks him about it, the sick man tells the truth from fear of further sickness;

163. or as when the youngest of the daughters-in-law in the performance of her domestic work fails in some matter that has been told her, and she confesses timidly when the mother-in-law becomes aware of it;

164. so Vithoba replied very timidly to his sadguru, feeling in his heart great fear lest this chief of the yogis should curse him.

165. He said:‘I did truly abandon my young wife while yet without offspring.’