Sakkubai – 4
Leelaananambujam adheeram udeekshamaanam
Narmmani venu vivareshu nivesayantham
Dolayamana nayanam nayanabhiramam
Devam kada nu dayitam vyathilokayishye!
The Lord’s face resembles the lotus
which Lakshmi devi is holding playfully in her hand. His eyes are active running around in all
directions! He blows many secret
feelings through the holes of His flute. When will I be able to set my eyes on
the sweet Lord who is a feast for my eyes? Sri Leela Suka blurts thus in Sri
Krishna Karnamritham.
Sakkubai’s heart ached like
that to see her Vital. She has heard that the Lord’s looks has the power to
entice anybody. She desperately wanted to experience that. The woman who came
to help her also was describing the Lord. She shattered all the restrictions
from her mind and ran madly. Yes she was mad of Panduranga! Vitala! She was not
bothered about her family people any more. Her only concern was to go to
Pandarpur and enjoy her Vital! Luckily she got into a good company. It is very
important that we should be in the proper company. Others in the group should
also have the same attitude for the Lord. If we fall into the wrong group then
we will be led away from the Lord and pushed in to worldliness.
The mahathmas in the group were
surprised to see her midway. They saw she was bruised all over her body. When
they enquired she told everything that happened. Seeing her truthfulness they
took pity on her. The mahathmas could guess that it was Lord Panduranga Himself
who has come to relieve her. So they were only happy to take the staunch
devotee in their group. All of them now proceeded towards Pandarpur singing
bhajans. From a distance Sakkubai saw
Chandrabhaga river. When she was told it was Chandrabhaga she swooned and fell
down. Gaining consciousness she ran
towards it. They all took a dip in the river. She felt very much excited. Is it
not the same river where great bhakthas like Namadeva have bathed? The same
water runs over it now! Tears welled in
her eyes. After finishing the bath she began to run towards the temple chanting
‘vital! vital!’ She became mad in devotion. She inched through the crowd
forwards. From the distance she could see the divine form. She shuddered at the
first sight. Her excitement grew. She
desperately wanted to touch the Lotus feet.
Viraham tortured her. She was impatiently waiting for her chance to go
near Him. All the devas from heaven were watching eagerly at Sakkubai.
At last she came near Him. Her
breathing stopped for a few seconds. She forgot the world itself and was
drinking the divine form with her eyes. She couldn’t take her eyes off the
deity. All the people were wondering at her bhava. What a bhakthi? They
thought. With trembling hands she touched
the cool feet of the Lord. She felt she was losing herself in an ocean of
indescribable bliss. Time stood still for her. The Lord gave her His divine
darsan. She could see the actual form before her smiling at her. She forgot who
she was, where she was, she forgot her husband and family, she forgot she has
left another woman in her place she forgot everything. She could only see the
lotus feet, lotus hands, coral lips which sported a sweet smile, the long and
beautiful nose, the lustrous golden crown etc.
She cried out to the Lord, ‘hey
Panduranga! What have I don’t for this favour? Your mercy is limitless. Have I
done any bhakthi to attain this? Oh Lord! You have showered your karunyam on
this mean janma too. How can I ever repay you?’
Slowly as somebody pushed her
forward she came to her senses. She forgot her whole past. She was now only
aware of her Lord. She decided to settle there doing service to her Lord.
Sakkubai’s life changed totally. Daily she would do kainkaryams such as
cleaning the temple, making garlands for the Lord washing His clothes etc. She
was enjoying her present life like anything.
So far she was doing all services for others thinking of her Lord. But
now she was doing all her work for Him only. Her happiness knew no bounds.
Meanwhile in Sakkubai’s house the fake
Sakkubai was standing tied to the pillar. Her husband came in after sometime
and asked her whether she would behave herself hereafter. She meekly said yes.
‘Will you ever say you want to go to Pandarpur again?
‘No my lord! Why should I
want to go to Pandarpur now?’ she replied. Since there was plenty or work
pending in the house he untied her.
Panduranga who had come as the maya Sakkubai now gave a beautiful smile.
For reasons unknown Sakkubai’s husband was captured by that smile. The Lord who took the mohini avatara could
enticed the devas as well as asuras. There is no wonder if a mean human being
as Sakkubai’s husband was attracted by the maya Sakkubai. He felt some kindness
towards his wife. The maya Sakkubai did all the chores in the house
meticulously. Somehow the food she prepared tasted more delicious. Every work
she did impressed them all. They did not want to scold her anymore. Even the
mother in law started liking her very much.
God’s mercy is limitless we have heard
mahans say. Here in Sakkubai’s story it is proved beyond doubt. The Lord of the
Universe stooped down to such a low level as to do menial service to Sakkubai’s
family. Other than doing all the house hold chores, the maya Sakkubai pleased
her husband in the bed too. She even took over the pain of Sakkubai’s monthly
periods. Is there anything to equal this
mercy of the Lord? He will go to any
extent for the love of His bhakthas! The whole family was feeling a divine
peace in their hearts. They could not but love this maya Sakkubai. There was
gradual change in them. Life was going on like this. What quality those people had to have
Panduranga in their life like this? Their only quality was their connection with
Sakkubai. Sathsangam brings jeevan mukthi. The chanting she had done in that
house gave them all such a fortune! Sakkubai’s chanting made Him do all things!
In Pandaripuram the real Sakkubai was
immersed in the new bliss and was not aware of any of these changes happening
in her house. She never even remembered them. Now mother Rukmini started
worrying. What is this strange leela of the Lord? Has He forgotten who He was?
He seemed to have forgotten everybody including Rukmini for the sake of His
dear bhaktha Sakkubai! This is how our
bhakthi should be. We must do such chanting to tie the Lord with our devotion.
Do chant and wait for the next issue. Radhekrishna! Radhekrishna!
