Shivaji and Sant Thukaram

The lives of great saints are by itself a great lesson for the seekers of Bhakthi and Gyaana. The life of Sant Thukaram has been very deeply soaked with pearls of wisdom for one and all. Let me share with you a few of Thukaram’s experiences…

Shivaji and Sant Thukaram

Chatrapati Shivaji was once resting on the banks of a river on his way back from a victorious war. He found peepul leaves with kirtans on them floating down the river. He read them and realized that the kirtans must have flowed out of a great Mahatma. Just by mere reading one can realize if a kirtan or a sloka has flowed out of a great Mahatma through Bhagavãn’s grace or has been composed by a man.

Shivaji followed the leaves that were floating down the river and reached Sanjanghat where Samarta Ramdas lived. The Mahatma welcomed Shivaji, “Come!” as if he were awaiting him. Offering a seat to Shivaji, the Mahatma said, “You must have your food here.” The king said that he was not alone as he was returning from a war. He had stopped his huge army some distance away. Samarta Ramdas assured him,

“I am very much aware that a King would be accompanied by his army. Food will be offered to all including the elephants and the horses.” The Mahatma then instructed his ‘sishya’ (disciple) to remove the huge boulder covering the cave nearby and the sight within astounded Shivaji. The cave contained huge amount of various kinds of dishes including the food needed for the elephants and horses. The King and his huge army were sumptuously fed within no time. Though one should never question a Guru, the astounded King asked the Mahatma, humbly, “Master! A great King that I am, it is not possible even for me to prepare this amount of food for a large number of people in such a short notice. How has this been possible for you?”

Samarta Ramdas told him, “At Dehu Road lives a Mahatma by name Tukkaram. Go and place your question before him. He will give you the explanation.”

On returning to his Kingdom, Shivaji forgot all about meeting Thukaram, as he had to attend to numerous works concerning his Kingdom. After some years while moving with his army he found a signboard bearing the name ‘Dehu Road’. He remembered his meeting with Samarta Ramdas and his words about Thukaram. He immediately went to Dehu Road and enquired about the place of stay of Thukaram.

The people there said, “Thukaram is a great Mahatma who keeps singing the praises of Lord Hari always. You will find him sitting on the mud pyol of a small hut that is his home.”

Stopping his army at a distance, Shivaji walked all alone to the home of Thukaram. He found Thukaram in humble circumstances. Sitting on the pyol of his hut and playing the ‘tamboora’, he was singing the glory of the Lord. Shivaji bowed down to him and introduced himself.

Thukaram said, “Oh! You are the great Chatrapati Shivaji. I am glad to meet you. Please be seated. You must please have your food here.”

Shivaji, at once said, “Master! I am not alone. I have left my huge army some distance away.” Thukaram said, “I know that a King does not come alone. There is enough for all!”

Shivaji was wonderstruck. What he saw there was a small hut made of mud walls. There were some little children whom he guessed to be Thukaram’s children, wearing torn trousers. There were just a few mud pots inside the hut. The sun’s rays were streaming inside the hut from the innumerable holes in the roof. Thukaram brought a small measure that contained wheat flour. He gave a pinch of it to Shivaji and everyone of his huge army, including the elephants and the horses. Immediately, every one of them felt satiated that it seemed as if they would not need any food for another ten days!

Shivaji thought to himself, ‘Samarta Ramdas is a single person. He provided us all with a real sumptuous meal. But, Thukaram is a householder living in utter poverty. He gives just a pinch of wheat flour and it fills us all as if providing nourishment for ten days. What is this miracle?’ He then hesitatingly and humbly asked Tukkaram, “Master! How has this been possible for you?” Tukkaram at once said, “There is a great Mahatma by name Samarta Ramdas. Go to him, for, he has the explanation for this!”

What does this mean? It means that only a Mahatma can understand another Mahatma.

Since his visit to Thukaram, Shivaji was unable to eat or sleep. He felt guilty when food was served. He felt guilty when he went to lie on the soft silken bed. Samarta Ramdas and Thukaram were like his two eyes. He was reminded of his Guru Thukaram and his children. He was deeply disturbed about the condition under which they lived. They neither had a proper roof over their heads nor a square meal a day. He decided to offer gold and grains to his Guru. Carrying a big block of gold and cart full of food stocks, Shivaji set out to meet his Guru.

Meanwhile at Thukaram’s home he instructed his wife,
“Shivaji is coming to see me. I do not desire to meet him. I am leaving for the forest. Do not tell him my whereabouts.” Tukkaram then went away to the nearby forest taking his ‘tamboora’ with him. Soon Shivaji arrived at Thukaram’s hut.

Shivaji asked Thukaram’s wife, “Where is my Guru?”
Shaken by the appearance of the King the timid lady blurted out, “He does not desire to meet you and has left for the forest. Please do not tell him that I had informed you about his whereabouts.”

Ordering his army to stay there, Shivaji went all alone into the forest to meet Thukaram. Thukaram turned his face away as Shivaji went up to him. Pained and with tears in his eyes, Shivaji asked sorrowfully, “Master! you have always welcomed me smilingly and spoken to me. Even a single word uttered by you is like a drop of water that an extremely thirsty man receives. Any amount of talk by any number of people is like the water of the ocean that serves no purpose for the thirsty. Why do you turn your face away from me today?”

Thukaram asked him curtly, “Is there not a difference in your visit this morning? What have you got with you?”

Shivaji said humbly, “I have brought gold and grains for cooking food.”
Thukaram, “Why?”

Shivaji explained, “I find it difficult to eat or sleep when you and your family suffer, living in a simple hut without proper food and clothing.”

Thukaram exclaimed, “Oh! Is that so? How long have you known me?”

Shivaji replied, “For the past two months or so.”

Thukaram, “Well! Your relationship with me has been only for the past two months. Yet you feel sorry and compassionate towards my living condition.

(Lord) Panduranga knows me since my birth. How would He feel to see me living in the condition that I am? It is he who has placed me in such a condition. You may feel that my family and I are suffering. But, we do not feel so. We are very happy. Do not deem only material comfort as happiness. If it were so then all those who have huge wealth must be happy. But, they are not. Do not think that we are unhappy. Nama sankirtan is the wealth in my possession.

Take back all that you have brought.”

Shivaji pleaded with him, “Please accept them for my sake.”

Thukaram said, “Do you know how this sounds? It is like placing a plate of beef and asking me to accept it. Just take them all back with you.”

Shivaji pleaded with him again, “Please accept them. You may do charity with it. Do something good for the people of this place.”

Thukaram would not listen to this. He said, “I am not here to help anyone. I am a Sadhu always lost in the thought of the Lord. You are a king and it is your duty to help the people. You carry on your duty.”

Thukaram called out to all the people of the village and asked Shivaji to distribute the food materials to them. He possessed such deep dispassion that he did not reserve even a grain of it for his family. Would Shivaji leave such a Guru? He took tight hold of this Guru.

Such is the glory of Mahans....

Stay tuned to the Divine Musical Vibes..........................................