Radhekrishna! We saw that the king realised the greatness of the Guru. He now approached the Lord and fell at His feet.The king held
on to the feet of the deity and cried. He was moved by the Lord's mercy and beauty. He was reluctant to be separated from Him. He pleaded with Panduranga to come with
him. Panduranga was moved by his devotion and agreed to go with him to
Vidyaranyanagaram. The king took the Lord with him back to his country.
Now this was something the people of Pandarpur never expected. They were shocked at the The
whole town of Pandarpur cried. We have become orphans now. What mistake have we
done to dessert us like this, they cried. Many devotees went to
Vidyaranyanagaram trying to bring back Panduranga. But the king firmly held the
Lord with his devotion. So they had to settle down there for His sake. At last
a great mahan happened to come to Pandarpur. To his surprise there was no
presence of the Lord in the temple. He enquired and the people told him
everything. Pandarpur with out Panduranga looked deserted and empty. All of
them were living with a hope that He will be back here some day. Seeing their
plight the mahan started for Vidyaranyanagaram.
He saw that
the King had kept the Lord in his palace itself. He was doing all services to
the deity with great love. The mahan understood that it would be very difficult
to move Panduranga from this place. He began to chant continuously in his
heart. With great fervor he began to chant Panduranga. At night he reached in
front of the temple. He found that the doors were kept open. He walked straight
inside and stood in front of Panduranga. Panduranga smiled at him as if to say
‘ah have you come at last?’ The mahan burst out to the Lord. ‘You are not fair
in asking that question having left your place. What have you done to the poor
devotees who were so much attached to you?
Don’t you know they have nobody else but you? How much faith they had in
you? Is it fair on your part o have deserted them like this? Even a grass blade
there is feeling your absence very much. Now You start immediately to
Pandarpur.’ He was firm in his demand.
Panduranga replied that the king’s devotion has tied Him up here. The
Brahmin retorted that he knew Bhagavan’s tricks. “You only give devotion, You
only make somebody do something and finally You put the blame on poor devotees.
Enough of your pranks! Now behave yourselves and come back!’
The Lord revealed
His helplessness. He had promised the king that He would leave the country if
the king did any sin. Until then He would remain there only. The king was very
careful and never did any mistake at all! The Lord gave the Brahmin a diamond
necklace He was wearing and asked him to go back. The mahan started non stop
chanting of the nama and went away to a dark corner in the town. Dawn came. The
king walked in, removed the nirmalya flowers from the deity. Suddenly he
noticed that a diamond necklace was missing from the Lord’s chest. He was very
much upset and immediately started enquiry. Someone informed him that a Brahmin
had come here very late the previous night. The king immediately ordered for a
search around to bring the Brahmin in. The Brahmin was found out and brought
before the king. The king saw the Brahmin was wearing the diamond necklace on
his chest. Enraged the king immediately ordered him to be killed. There was no
enquiry on the matter.
The culprit
would be made to sit on a sharp wooden sword. The weight of the body would pull
down the sword inch by inch, until the body is cut into two. The most terrible
way to die was sentenced for the Brahmin. The Brahmin was locked up in the jail.
Before he was hanged the sentry asked him if he had some last wishes. The
Brahmin said he wanted to meet the one who was behind pushing him into the
jail. Surprised by his answer the man asked who that person was. The Brahmin
replied that it was only Panduranga in the King’s palace who was responsible
for pushing him into jail. According to his last wish he was taken into the
temple. He stood in front of Panduranga and said “Panduranga! I cant understand
this leela of yours. Whatever be it I pray only that Your form should be in my
eyes till I close them. I shouldn’t forget this divine form at the time of
terrible pain. I don’t feel sorry that I am being punished for wearing Your
diamond necklace. I am only happy to be a part of your divine leela”
So saying he prostrated before the
deity. Pandurangan could feel tears
welling up in His eyes. The Brahmin was brought to the gallows and made to sit
on the sharp wooden sword. He kept on chanting the nama. To the utter surprise
of everybody the wooden sword started growing leaves and branches holding the
body of the Brahmin up. Bewildered the guards ran to the king and informed him.
He rushed to the spot and released the Brahmin from his ties. He enquired who
he was. The Brahmin replied the same Panduranga who had come with him had
brought him to this place. He only gifted his necklace to him. Otherwise the
Brahmin had no need for a diamond necklace in his life. Seeing the brahmin’s
face the king realised he had made some mistake. He took the Brahmin to Panduranga.
The Lord smiled at them and told the king that He was now leaving. Bewildered
the king asked why He wanted to leave him. The Lord replied that the king had
promised to Him that if he made some mistake the Lord can go back. The king
understood His trick and pleaded why He enacted the whole drama. The Lord
replied that though the King’s devotion tied Him down here, the people of
Pandarpur were very much upset over His long absence. Moreover Rukmini devi too
was praying repeatedly to come back. Unless the king made some mistake He
couldn’t leave this country as promised. So He planned this divine leela. He
blessed the king to spend the rest of his life in His divine memories.Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!
