Bhaktavijaya: Stories of Indian Saints
by Justin E. Abbott | 1933 | 306,590 words
This is the English translation of Bhaktavijaya which is a Marathi poem written by Mahipati in 40,000 lines. The text documents the legends of Indian saints from various backgrounds and extensively covers figures like Ekanath, Tukaram, and Ramadasa, highlighting their contributions to scholarship, philosophy, poetry, and social reform. The Bhaktavi...
43.5: The enraged king threatens the Brahman
47. 鈥楤efore my very face be has insulted the deity whom I worship,鈥� the king exclaimed. 鈥楬eedless of what he is doing, he sings the praise of his own deity.
48. I ought to put him to death, but being a ruler I would be blamed. So I will punish the Brahman and drive him away to regions out of the city.鈥�
49. The king therefore said to the Brahman, 鈥榊ou have spoken falsely. 1 certainly have never heard of this golden Pandharpur.
50. And this goddess Rajai, who continually remains here where she first revealed herself, you with your own mouth have called her a slave of Pandurang. I am going to punish you and drive you away into the jungle.
51. The Brahman replied, 鈥楬ear, O king, I have told you the exact truth. You should come at once to Pandhari, and see the Husband of Rukmini for yourself.
52. His glory is ten million times as great as I have described it If (after coming to Pandhari) you do not see it to be so, then you may rightly punish me.
53. So long as you have not seen God supreme, this Rajai seems to you to be great as a lamplight seems bright only so long as the sun has not arisen.
54. So long as one has not seen the elephant of Indra, other elephants seem great. The stars seem bright only so long as the full moon has not arisen.
55. One praises other juices only so long as one has not obtained nectar. So long as one has not seen the ocean, a river seems extraordinarily great.
56. Until one has seen a forest of wish-trees, one delights in a mango grove. Until one has listened to the wisdom of the Vedanta, one is pleased with heretical doctrines.
57. So long as one has not seen the mountain of gold, so long does brass glitter. So until one has seen Pandharinath [Pandharinatha] one is satisfied with other deities.鈥�
58. The king listened and responded,鈥� I will at once hasten to Pandhari, and if I see there things just as you have described them to me, then only will it be well with you, O twice-born.
59. But if you have told me untruths, then I shall immediately punish you.鈥� The king then commanded his ministers to prepate the equipment for the journey.