Maaze Maher Pandhari

 

Ashadhi Ekadashi was on July 6th Sunday. It marked the culmination of the wari and beginning of chaturmas. For the past month the warkaris had taken a break from their daily duties and kept their deity awake 24/7. Now next four months the roles are reversed. The deity becomes reclusive. The devotees commit to spiritual cleansing. They abide by traditionally prescribed rules of fasting, prayers and other religious rituals while balancing their worldly duties. 

The saints have on many occasions laid down a blue print of how to blend spiritual practices into everyday lives. They taught us to see God through relations known to ordinary men and women. A few days back I discussed the abhang Kaya Hi Pandhari by Eknath Maharaj. In another of his well known abhangas he brings human relationships in the context of devotional practice.

Any married woman can relate to the deep feelings of identification with one’s roots, affection, and intense longing that are associated with the word Maher! Any man who grows up seeing his mother and later his wife connect with their parental homes respectively knows perfectly well the significance of maher. These men see the contrasting realities of how these women naturally adopt and adapt to their new lives after marriage, devote themselves to the duties that come with it, yet often don’t feel and therefore cannot forget the warmth of maher in the married home( saasar).

Sant Tukaram has described this in his abhang:

Kanya sasuryasi jaaye 

Maage paratoni paahe….

A new bride goes to her husband’s home, saasar, but at every step, turns to glance back (at her parental home, maher)

Sant Eknath puts himself in the shoes of a married woman and declares:

Maaze maher Pandhari…..

Pandharpur is the home of my mother. My birth family! 

And then he goes on to enumerate with great fondness several things and people associated with the place. The river, his parents, brother , and sister. And last but not the least, his teacher. 

The implication here is that we belong to the spiritual realm. Our coming into physical existence is a marriage of sorts with Prakriti and we are entrusted with responsibilities in this role. At the end of it we yearn to return to the place where we know we are loved most and loved unconditionally.

माझे माहेर पंढरी ।
आहे भीवरेच्या तीरी ॥१॥


Majhe Mahera Pandhari 
Aahe Bheevrechya Theeri

My parental town Pandharpur stands on the banks of the river Bheema. 

बाप आणि आई ।

माझी विठ्ठल रखुमाई ॥२॥ 

Baapa Aani Aayee
Majhi Vittala Rakhumaaye

My father and mother are none other than Vitthal and Rakhumabai.

पुंडलीक राहे बंधू ।

त्याची ख्याती काय सांगू ॥३॥

Pundaleeka Raahe Bandhu 
Thyaachi Khyaathi Kaaya Saangu

He beams with pride when he mentions his brother. The brother is the great devotee Pundalik who prioritized taking care of his elderly parents over attending to God when the latter arrived unannounced at the doorstep. He threw a brick for Vitthala to stand on and the Lord accepted the orders of his devotee and waited patiently for 28 yugas on that brick. I have no words to describe the greatness and renown of Pundalik, says Eknath Maharaj. God obeyed his orders! What more can I say? 

माझी बहीण चंद्रभागा ।
करितसे पाप भंगा ॥४॥

Majhi Baheena Chandrabhaagaa 
Karithase Paapa Bhangaa

If my brother can give orders to God, my sister is not far behind in her powers! She can wash away the sins of thousands of people. She is none other than the river Chandrabhaga.

एका जनार्दनी शरण ।

करी माहेरची आठवण ॥५॥

Ekaa Janaardhanee Sharana 
Kari Maaherachi Aatawana

Me, Eka( short for Eknath) surrender to Janardan and remember my maher as I go about serving him. 

As mentioned in the last abhang, Eka Janardani has dual meaning. Eknath Maharaj has cleverly signed his name in the closing verse of the song using the short form of Eka while simultaneously acknowledging his Guru. Janardan Swami was his Guru( spiritual teacher) and Janardan also refers to Vitthala( Godhead).

एका जनार्दनी शरण । 

This can mean I’m surrendered to the one and only Lord! I serve him and only him. 

The language is symbolic like in the last abhang. It capitalizes on the classic emotions of a married woman and elevates these to a much higher level than ordinary worldly considerations. Human origin is traced back to the spiritual realm, far beyond and above the physical realm. While scientists investigate the origins of the universe under the lens of scientific evidence and mathematical models, mystics and saints have reached the truth through pure intuitive knowledge. There are things in this world that can be understood without physical evidence or mathematical calculations. How does one know without a doubt that he or she is in love? Or another person is in love with us without having to say it loudly? It takes two people with the same intuitive ability to understand these things. Saints like Eknath Maharaj who reach the deep spiritual truths through intense devotion try earnestly to bring the experience to fellow humans in a language that can be understood by someone who may not always be very literate or intellectual. This abhang is a master class on how one can continue to carry on daily duties of life and simultaneously turn the mind to our spiritual roots by first acknowledging them and gradually developing a fondness for those roots, until it becomes a default setting. Karmayog and Bhaktiyog are hard to find in any other place as in this abhang, where they are beautifully crafted together, while simply being implied, not explicitly uttered. Even Shri Krishna may proudly concede defeat to Sant Eknath here.