Santha Jnaneshwar: Santha Namadeva meets his Guru

Om Sai Ram! Can one measure the depth of the ocean? Can one cover the entire sky with cloth trappings? Can the clouds be unmoved by heavy winds? or can fire burn water? If these things are possible, so is it possible to describe fully, all the glories of Sadguru Sai! His leelas (divine plays) are inscrutable. Where is the hope for a dullard like me then? There is however one way, and it is the lotus feet of the Sadguru. Our life or this samsara (life) can be compared to that of the state of a drowning man. To prevent ourselves from drowning in the deep abyss maya, one must float onto the surface by clinging onto the raft called the lotus feet of the sadguru. By submitting our ego to the Sadguru, we can be fearless and assured of crossing over this ocean called samsara by his able guidance. Hence, it is by submitting my ego to Sadguru Sai, and knowing fully well that he is the doer and "I" a mere instrument, I go onto describe the greatness of the Saints.

In the previous post, by the grace of Sai, I described how Namadeva was told by the all merciful lord of all beings Panduranga, to seek a guru at a Shiva temple in the village called Avandhya. Namadeva agreed, and taking Vitthala's name, headed for Avandhya. Now what happened in Avandhya is a fabulous incident. Please listen with attention.

Namadeva traveled many a days singing Vitthala's glory and reached the village of Avandhya. There on enquiring he found his way to it's famous Shiva temple. The time he reached the temple was quite late, and hence it appeared as though no one was in the temple. He entered the temple chanting the name of Lord Shiva as "Hara Hara Mahadeva", and went inside the temple to propitiate to Lord Shiva's linga there, but he was flabbergasted by the sight that met his eyes. For in the temple, he saw a very old man, clad in orange robes of a Sanyasin, sleeping, with his feet on the Shiva linga. Greatly angered, he accosted the old man thus "Oh vile old man! Is this how you behave at your age? Have you come to this temple to commit this great sacrilege? It surprises me as to how, the Lord of Gods has not smote you down by opening his third eye! How can you, an elder act thus? Is this how you set example to the youth in Avandhya? I came here seeking a guru, and here I see the most disturbing sight! Oh Panduranga, how disturbing it is to see this!". On hearing this outburst, the old man replied in a weak voice "Young man, I am sorry to hear that this sacrilege has happened through me. I was not even aware of it until you came. For you see, being very old, I cannot see very well. Without knowing I seem to have slept thus. Also I am very weak and do not posses the strength to move my legs away. Can you do me a favor? Can you kindly move my legs to a place where there is no Shiva?". No sooner had Namadeva heard this explanation, he grabbed the legs of the old man, and tried to place it at some place on the floor far away from the Shiva linga. But as Namadeva was about to do that, there sprung a Shiva linga at the very spot where he wanted to plant the old man's legs. Confounded by this, he tried to place the old man's legs in another spot, but there too sprung a Shiva linga. No matter where he tried to place the old man's legs, there sprung a Shiva linga. Then Namadeva realized what the old man had meant him to understand. The old man had asked Namadeva to place his feet at a place where there is no Shiva (God). But is there such a place? The whole universe and everything in it, is pervaded by the Lord. Realizing that the old man was no ordinary man, but his own Sadguru, Namadeva cried in ecstasy "Oh Reverend master! How can I be so dull? Indeed, what place is there, devoid of Shiva (God). How Could I oh Sadguru, who is Panduranga's favorite disciple not realize this truth. Let your lotus feet rest on my heart, which is the right place, for only the dust of your lotus feet can remove the impurities in me". So saying he clasped the feet of the old man to his bosom. The old man replied " My guru Jnanadeva, did right in sending you here. You have been humbled now, but you still have the ego of being Panduranga's favorite disciple. Submit this ego also at the feet of the lord, and you will be cleansed of all your impurities, and then you shall realize, that Panduranga exists in everyone and everywhere.

The old man, who claimed he was Lord Jnanadeva's disciple, was none other than the once arrogant brahmin scholar Visoba who had realized god after coming in touch with the saint family. He was the very same Visoba who considered the saint family as outcastes, troubled them much, but later, on seeing a fabulous miracle of Lord Jnanadeva, realized him to be a divine incarnation and submitted fully to him. Not only were his sins washed away after he submitted his ego at the lotus feet of Lord Jnanadeva, he also became a realized soul. He had realized brahman and become one with brahman. He had started inhibiting the Shiva temple at Avandhya, and unknown to Namadeva, he was considered a great saint in that village.

After the revelation, Namadeva submitted his ego at the feet of Visoba, and soon realized the true status of Lord Panduranga, and experienced his omnipresence. Then blisfully singing the name of Vitthala, he set out to thank all the saints and his beloved Panduranga, because of whom, he realized god.

On reaching Pandharpur, he embraced the saint family and Gora, and thanked them from the bottom of his heart. He then went to the temple of Panduranga, and now, as he sang, in tune, Panduranga danced, and also accepted the food that he offered as naivedya (offering).

Thus did Lord Panduranga, by his leelas (divine plays) establish the significance of the Sadguru. As Panduranga said in the Gita "Treat the saints as myself. He who knows not this truth, knows me not."

My we also savour this sweet leela, and let it's nectar like taste always remain in our minds. Let us never forget that Sadguru alone is real and all else is unreal.

Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari!

Hara Hara Mahadev!

Shree Satchitananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki jai!

Bow to Shree Sai! Peace be to all!