Bhaktavijaya: Stories of Indian Saints
by Justin E. Abbott | 1933 | 306,590 words
This is the English translation of Bhaktavijaya which is a Marathi poem written by Mahipati in 40,000 lines. The text documents the legends of Indian saints from various backgrounds and extensively covers figures like Ekanath, Tukaram, and Ramadasa, highlighting their contributions to scholarship, philosophy, poetry, and social reform. The Bhaktavi...
20.8: God tests Nama’s belief that god is in all creatures
128. On a certain day the Lord of the earth took Nama aside and said, ‘Let it be a fixed thought in your mind, that I live in all creatures.’
129. The servant of Vishnu replied, ‘O Lord God, why dost Thou feel any need of telling me this? Through Thy favour I have compassion upon every class of being.’
130. Then in order to test the heart of Nama, the Lord of Pandhari assumed the form of a dog. On the twelfth day the dog wandered about among the pilgrims.
131. When anyone bad seated himself in order to eat, Hrishikeshi (the Lord of the heart) would go near to him, but no one would so much as throw him a morsel of food. Instead, they would say, ‘Drive away the dog’
132. He would put his nose into the flour of some, but they would attempt to beat him then and there. But the Lord of Pandhari could not be touched by their hands and ran away.
133. When anyone was sitting at their lunch, the cloud-dark-complexioned One would come near them and if he attempted to snatch a bit of bread they would beat Him.
134. Whenever Brahmans sat to eat, there Hrishikeshi (the Lord of the heart) was sure to stand. No one would throw him a single morsel and he wondered at it.
135. Seeing the special purity of those who had come back from the great pilgrimage, the Holder of the disk (Krishna) would come near them and touch them while they were eating.
136. One remarked, ‘The dog has defiled you.’ Another said, ‘But the dog is a black one, and we have heard of a law in the religious law-books that black dogs do not defile anyone’.
137. While some farmers were sitting down to eat the Life of the world came near them. As He snatched up their food and tried to run away with it they took it back from Him.
138. He wandered about among all the pilgrims and tested them also. But He did not see that anyone’s belief was certain, that God was in every creature.
139. Some exclaimed, ‘This is a dog; drive it away from among the pilgrims.’ When the Life of the world heard this remark He adopted the following method.
140. The Lord of the world came near to Nama with a leap and seized a piece of bread in His mouth and began to run away.
141. When the servant of Vishnu saw this he took in his hand a cup of melted butter and said to the dog, ‘Why do you eat a piece of bread dry?’
142. Nama then went to the dog and put a morsel of bread into His mouth. The Husband of Rukmini, the dog, lovingly sat down to His meals.
143. Seeing this rather strange sight all the people laughed at Nama. They made motions to another, and said as follows.
144. Some said, ‘Nama has become crazy. Look how he feeds a dog. All animals are alike to Him. He sees no superior or inferior among them.
145. Just as the earth does not regard some trees as superior and others as inferior; or just as water equally regards a cow or a tiger.
146. The full moon shines equally bright over all beings. We know that such is the heart of Nama.
147. To the royal swan and the falcon the air is the same. So it seems that the heart of Nama is the same, regarding all things as alike.
148. Or just as when the sun arises it regards kings and subjects as alike, so this servant of Vishnu puts away all thought of duality, and in that belief lives among men.’
149. The dog now laughed and said, ‘How did you recognize me? Nama replied, ‘It was Visoba Khechar who pointed out to me signs by which I should recognize Thee. O Lord God,’
150. After doing this marvellous deed the Husband of Rukmini became invisible. Everyone was astonished and exclaimed, ‘Blessed is Nama’s devotion,
151. Without any effort on our part we have met with the Life of the world in the form of a dog. We did not give it anything to eat. We were led astray by our bad deeds in our previous births.’