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...
43.21: Bhanudas carries vithoba to Pandharpur
213b. Now, let no one who hears this story have doubts about it.
214. For example, space is of infinite expanse, yet as you look into a jar the space there is only as large as the jar. So the Lord of Vaikunth [Vaikuntha] (Vishnu’s heaven) in love to please His bhakta became small in size.
215. Or again, there are many great currents of air, but if one uses a fan one makes a current of air of the same nature as the others. So the Husband of Rukmini of His own free will became subject to His bhakta.
216. Back in the time when Krishna was an avatar, as Yashoda was churning, her hand grasped him in the vessel, the same who now entered the little bag of Bhanudas. Why then should one doubt this story?
217. To one who looks with the eye of knowledge, He appears to pervade infinite spaces great and small, even smaller than an atom.
218. So the Lord of the world, out of affection for Bhanudas, fitted Himself to the apace of the deer-skin bag, and Bhanudas carrying it on his shoulder hastened on his return journey.
219. From out of this bag the Life of the world spoke sweet words to his bhakta: ‘Blessed is this day, for in it we shall meek the saints and the other good people.’