Srimati Bahinabai

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Maharashtra Saint Srimati Bahinabai

Not very much would be known about Bahinabai

(1629-1700) had she not left a verse autobiography

that vividly details her life. In it, she describes

the struggles and self-doubt that led

her to find refuge in God. Bahinabai's father was the

brahmin scribe of the village of Devgav, and

after a long while of wishing for a child, Bahini was

born to him and his wife, Janaki. Bahinabai

describes herself as a child who didn't enjoy playing

ordinary games, but who wanted to repeat

God's name and fix her mind on God. At a young age she

developed a great love for the poetry of

Tukaram, and eventually Tukaram came to her in a

dream, placed his hand on her head, and gave

her the mantra Rama Krishna Hari.

 

In her writings she describes what happened after she

arose from this dream initiation:

 

My soul was rocking with joy. With my mind intensely

happy, I went to the Indrayani River. I

looked upon the image of Pandurang when suddenly I

felt inspired to be a poetess. I made a

namaskar there to Tukaram, and quickly came back to

where we lodged. Says Bahini, "[This

inspiration] came like the tide of the ocean, or like

the words of the God of Thunder in the sky of

my heart."

 

Bahinabai was now anxious to meet Tukaram in person.

However, her husband, who had always

fiercely opposed her devotion to Tukaram, refused to

let her travel to Dehu.

 

Shortly afterward Bahini's husband became gravely ill.

At the very brink of death, he repented

sincerely for having insulted Tukaram and Lord

Vitthal, and then he miraculously recovered. At

his suggestion, they went together to meet their

Master. "The person of Tukaram, which I'd seen in

a dream," Bahini writes, "now appeared before me in

reality: joy danced in my eyes .... Tukaram

took possession of my heart. Says Bahini, 'I shook

with joy. This joy the wise know through

experience."' She and her husband lived on for many

years in Dehu, where Bahinabai took

samadhi at the age of seventy-one . . .

 

In Maharashtra, Bahinabai is celebrated as both the

ideal bhakta, one who is fully dedicated to

God, and the pativrata, one who dedicates herself to

her spouse. In this way, she reconciles these

two scripturally based ideals, and offers the powerful

example of a saint who--in the face of many

trials and tribulations--successfully realized God in

the midst of her worldly life.

 

Her poetry about Lord Vitthala ( Lord Krishna ) :

Chaitanya is the all-pervasive Guru.

He has come to me in the form of Tukaram,

the merciful one.

Takaram is always in my heart.

He is the subject of my adoration,

both in thought and in deed.

 

My uplifter of the downtrodden,

My friend of the lowly,

My lord Hari lives in Pandharpur

on the banks of the Bhima River.

With lovely feet He stands on a brick

 

Charming everyone with His beautiful form.

He wears a garland of jewels around

His neck.

On His waist there is a cloth of yellow silk.

His forehead is adorned with sandalwood paste,

He wears earings,

And all His body is touched with sacred ash.

The crown on His head, shining with gems,

gives Him a regal glow.

 

His teeth sparkle with the light of diamonds.

Bahinabai says, "This is the one I hold in my heart."

 

 

 

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