Post by jksivan on Oct 29, 2013 11:21:43 GMT 5.5
Dear Children,
30. REPARATION
Communication is very important for human beings. Many friendships are broken and many misunderstandings are created because what one feels and sincerely opines is received not in the same frequency or wave length. It gives totally a different meaning to the recipient and he acts on what he understood. It may be manytimes detrimental to the interests of both the ''expressor"" and the ''receiver''
We saw in the previous story that whatever Shanthi, the wife of Gora Kumbar and her father tried to amend, had taken a differfent turn because of the word expressed and understood. In good faith Shanthi's father wanted his second daughter also to be married to Gora lead a normal life with her and to beget children. But what he requested Gora to promise to ''treat Kami also equally like Shanthi'' was a demand on Gora to fulfil the wish. Gora already was abiding by the promise ''not to touch Shanthi by the name of Vittal'' and if he has to treat Kami also equally like Shanthi, Gora took it as a demand on him ''not to touch Kami also''!
Gora therefore lived a saintly life with no attachment in family. Gora made sure he did not touch both his wives even by mistake because of his wife Shanthi's order "By the name of Vittal".
Both the wives were not happy. They wanted to lead a normal life and have children. They wanted to change things but Gora felt that he was bound by Shanthi's order.
One day while Gora was sleeping, as preplanned by them, both his wives took each of his hands and put it on them, lying on either side of him. Gora woke up and was shocked. He felt he had breeched his promise on Vittal and insulted Vittal.
He wanted to do something as atonement to this mistake. He was shuddering and begged Vittal to forgive what his wives did and his involvelemtn in it. He decided to give himself a self-punishment in reparation. He went into the house and picked up a sharp knife. In a fraction of a second, he cut both his hands.
Both his wives screamed and shouted. They realised that Gora lost his hands because those hands touched them because of their foolishness and asked him to forgive them. Gora said "We have disobeyed Vittalan. Let us all go to Pandarpur and ask for his forgiveness".
All of them went to Pandarpur. That day was Aashad Ekadasi. A lot of Panduranga devotees gathered there. After taking bath in the Chandrabagha river, all three of them went to the sanctum sanctorum of Vittal joining the crowd of devotees assembled there.
Gora Kumbar was extremely happy to hear the abanghs in a divine voice. Yes. Namadev was singing the abangs. Gyaneswar, Nivrithi Nath, Muktha Bhai and other devotees too were all present which drew a large number of devotees to enjoy the divine nam sankeerthan and all of them were immersed in the bhajan.
Usually in the bhajans, all devotees join the singing in chorus. They clap their hands and some even dance. That day also, as requested by Namadev, people were clapping and singing. Gora forgot that he did not have hands. Still he clapped and suddenly he realised he also clapped and was very happy to observe that he got back both his hands. It is only by Vittal's grace. He was so much moved by Vittal's mercy on him. People gathered there saw a miracle happening right in front of their eyes. Earlier, they all saw Gora entering the temple sanctum sanctorum and participating in the nam sankeerthan, without hands and now they saw Gora clapping and dancing with both hands.
Every one unanimously recognized it was only Gora's sincere devotion to Vittal which earned him his lost hands.. Saint Namadev fell at his feet. Gora's wife Shanthi cried "Hey Vittal! I have sinned enough and beg for your forgiving me for my hasty remark against you. I scolded because I was in deep sorrow as I lost my only child. Please forgive me". As she said this, she heard a voice "Amma" near her.
She saw her child standing near her. Every one shouted in ecstacy for so many miracles happening all at a time " Hare Vittal! Jai Vitta!".
Then Rukmini the consort of Vittal appeared before Shanthi and blessed "From now on, your pledge and vow declared by the name of Vittalan will not hold good. So go back home and both of you lead a happy life by serving Gora". You will now understand how great is Vittal's love for his devotees and how happy the parents would be to get back their dead child alive !! Gora went back with his full family to his village and resumed his normal routine of pot making for his wordly living and chanting Vittal's names for his spiritual living aided by both his wives and a darling son..
About 50 km away from Pandarpur, there is a place called Therthoki where we can see Gora's samadhi(memorial). This is the place where Gora lived. Even the place where the child was killed in the mud pit stomped by him is also marked there.