Endharo mahanubhavulu andhiriki vandanamu- Sri Gora Kumbhar
Posted 27th October 2009 at 09:03 PM by Pushpavalli Srinivasan
Updated 27th October 2009 at 09:26 PM by Pushpavalli Srinivasan
Updated 27th October 2009 at 09:26 PM by Pushpavalli Srinivasan
Sri Gora Kumbhar
Gora Kumbhar was a potter by profession. In Hindi language a person who makes pottery is known as kumhar. Gora was born in a kumhar family at a village called Terdhoki alias Sathyapuri near Pandarpur in Maharashtra. His father Annaiya was a devotee of Panduranga. His mother Rukma Bai was a pious lady and they both lead a simple harmonious life. They were blessed with two sons. The elder one was named Gora and the younger one Erranna.
Both the children had basic education and then were trained in the family craft of pot making. They both were staunch devotees of Panduranga.
Gora’s parents chose a girl from their caste and got him married. The girl’s name was Thulsibai. After some years both Annaiya and Rukma Bai died one after the other. Erranna was staying with his elder brother and they both were continuing their occupation.
One day Erranna was readying the pots to be burned in the kiln. In one of the pots kitten were sleeping and without noticing it Erranna lit the fire. The kittens got burnt in the kiln in side the pot and Erranna felt very sad. He felt that he had committed a grave sin. He wanted to do prayachitham and consulted the Brahmins. They told him to go to Benares and take bath in the river Ganges. So he left for Benares.
Here Gora’s wife was pregnant and she delivered a boy. Gora being a Panduranga devotee was leading a detached life like the drops of water on lotus leaf. He always controlled his emotion and was not showing joy at the birth of his son. He was leading a life of karmayogi , but was always his mouth would be chanting Panduranga’s name.
The child who was named Hari was growing up and started crawling. One day Padmavathi while going to fetch water left the child in the courtyard where Gora used to pound the mud in a pit with his feet to make it soft.
Thulsi told Gora to keep an eye on the child. Gora was not at all in this world and he was immersed in his work and chanting the Lord’s name. The child had come crawling to the place where Gora was immersed in his work. Without noticing the child Gora kept on stamping and pounding the mud with his feet and the child was crushed.
Thulsi came back and was looking out for Hari. As she could not find him she asked Gora where was Hari. Gora who was in a trance of chanting Hari’s name replied, “ Hari is every where.”
Thulsi got angry and said, “I am not asking about your Lord Hari. I am searching for our child Hari. I told you to keep an eye on him when I went to fetch water.”
Gora said, “He was here only playing.” Then he started looking around for him. He saw the child’s tiny foot jutting out in the pit. He lifted the child and realized that the child was dead.
Thulsi started shrieking when she saw her beloved child dead. Gora realized the gravity of the situation, but already the irreparable damage was done.
Thulsi started abusing and blaming Gora for his callousness. She said, “What have you done? I told you to take care of the child for a while and you were chanting the Panduranga nama like a mad man without caring for the child? Is this called true devotion? Who care’s for this kind of Bhakthi? I do not pay a hoot for you are your Panduranga.”
Gora was offended when his wife spoke against HIS beloved Panduranga. He got wild and taking a stick which he used to rotate the wheel while making the pot, came near her wielding it and shouted, “How dare you talk like this? It is your fault only to leave the child here when I was working. Panduranga gave him to us and now he has taken him back.”
Thulsi also could not control her anger. She flared up and said, “I swear on your beloved name of Panduranga! Do not come near me. Here after you are not to touch me.”
The raised hand of Gora just stopped above and he just froze for a minute. But he realized that his wife’s anger was justifiable and cursed himself for his behaviour.
Then onwards Gora and Thulsi had no relationship as husband and wife. Gora abstained from eating the food cooked by Thulsi and started cooking his own food.
After some time Thulsi could not bear this aloofness. She wanted to find a solution for this. She went to her father’s house and consulted him. She very well knew that Gora would not have any relationship with her. She told her father that she did not want Gora’s family to become heirless. She told her father to get her younger sister Santhabai to get married to Gora. Thulsi’s father was agreeable to her suggestion, but felt that Gora would not agree to this if he spoke to him directly. So he put up this matter to a group of Panduranga devotees and told them to convince Gora. At first Gora did not agree to this and said that he did not want to get entangled in family life again. But they told him that Thulsi was feeling guilty for going the family heirless because of her vow and that she wanted to make amends. If he did not agree she would be feeling guilty till she died.
Gora felt that he was the one who was responsible for all that had happened. Hence he agreed to marry Santhabai . After the marriage Thulsi’s father told Gora that he should treat both his daughters equally without any discrimination. These words were always echoing in Gora’s ears. Hence he was keeping aloof with both of them. Thulsi’s sister put the blame on her sister and told her that because of her vow only Gora was behaving like this nd she should have mentioned this to her father before her marriage.
Then Thulsi told her sister that they both should device a plan to attract Gora. One night they both slept on both sides of him. Suddenly they both took hold of his hands. Gora woke up and shouted,” What have you both done? Thulsi! You broke the vow made in the name of Panduranga. How dare are you to do like this?” So saying he went and cut both his hands.
Just then Erranna entered the house. He put bandage to his brother’s hands. He was feeling sad for all that had happened. He now supported his brother’s family by making potteries.
The bramothsavam had started at Pandaripuram. Namadeva who was also a staunch devotee of Panduranga and who was blessed with the Lord’s unlimited love observed that only Lord Panduranga’s Idol was there in the temple, but the Lord’s omnipresence nowhere to be seen. Through his (njaana dhrushti) fore vision he came to know that the Lord was present at Gora’s house as Erranna and was making potteries.
He then started praying to Panduranga. “Oh Lord! Is it good on your part to leave your abode and go and slog yourself for a single devotee when so many of your devotees are waiting here to have your bountiful blessings? Please return to your abode and bless your devotees.”
Lord Panduranga in the guise of Erranna told Gora that they all would go to Pandaripuram to witness the Bramothsavam. So Gora and his two wives reached Pandaripuram with Erranna. Then Erranna told them to sit in the pandal and listen to Namadeva’s bajan and join in singing with him. He went in side the sanctum sanctorum and disappeared.
Gora was immersed in singing of bajans and he saw people clapping their hands to the tune of the songs. Forgetting that his hands were cut he also started clapping heads. And lo! What a surprise! His palms had grown as before and he could clap his hands also along with the devotees. His two wives who were sitting at both sides were wonderstruck to see this.
Namadeva who was watching all this was also happy and then he told the people how Lord Panduranga helped Gora in the form of Erranna. He told that the Lord would never let down His true devotees though he put them under severe test. Hearing these words from Namadeva Thulsi went and prostrated at his feet and said, “Swami! I feel that because of you only my husband got his hands back. Why can’t you get me back my child?”
Namadeva replied in soft and kind tone.
“My child! If you pray to Lord Panduranga whole heartedly with true devotion, the Lord will definitely fulfill your wish.”
Thulsi felt relieved to hear this. She then started praying in a choked voice,“Oh Lord Panduranga! If I have offended you in any manner when you were at our house as Erranna, please forgive me. I am an ignorant woman who did not realize the true bhakthi which my pathidev had showed towards you. In my grief after losing my child I had admonished him and you also. Kindly forgive this unlucky grief stricken woman. Are you not the ocean of mercy? I beseech you to forgive my sins and give me back my child.”
Lord Panduranga could not see His devotee suffer any longer. There was a smile on His beautiful face. His bountiful mercy flowed out towards Gora and his wife. The dead child came out crawling from the sanctum sanctorum towards its mother with a smiling face, cooing its childish blabber. Padmavathi and the crowd could not believe their eyes. All made a hahakar (pleasant sound expressing surprise) and praised Lord Panduranga. Thulsi took the child and hugged it and washed its face with tears of joy.
Namadev called Gora near him and advised him that without neglecting his wives and child, he could lead a serene life and be a devotee of the Lord. He told Gora and all the devotees that they all could follow bhakthi margam surrendering at the lotus feet of the Lord.
Jai Jai Vittala! Jai Hari Vittala! Jai Panduranga Vittala!
Total Comments 22
Comments
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Dear PS,
I remember seeing the movie of this. It was so filling the heart, what can i say every time you write abt great bhaktas my heart feels how to reach the same state of devotion.
Thank you , your posts are satsangh for me
JayaPosted 27th October 2009 at 09:18 PM by Jpatma
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Dear Jaya,
Thanks for posting your FB promptly. When I was small this movie came out and I think the name of the pfcture was Chakradhari, but I didn't see it. In those days movies were taken with a message and most of the stories were based on Lord's true devotees. Gandhiji was deeply inspired by the movie Harichandra.
Once again thanks for your appreciation,
Love,
PSPosted 27th October 2009 at 09:39 PM by Pushpavalli Srinivasan -
Oh wow PS mami.........what a story! Beautiful and thank you once again.Posted 27th October 2009 at 11:56 PM by knot2share - Dear k2s,
Thanks for your sweet comments which inspires me to continue this series.
Love,
PSPosted 28th October 2009 at 12:44 AM by Pushpavalli Srinivasan -
Pushpa ma’m thanks for sharing yet another story of devotion with us. But I don’t admire Goru for his devotion, without taking care of a child and by stamping it singing bhajans and then cutting hands just because his wife broke her vow!! I mean are we supposed to do such things? I don’t know, for me Bhakthi is taking care of fellow beings. I remember hearing another version of this story as ‘Kathaprasangam’ during a youth festival.Posted 28th October 2009 at 12:56 AM by amihere
