Bhaktisandesam / Saint Surdas

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SURDAS - A true devotee of the Lord.

 

 

During the reign of Akbar, a great saint, Surdas, was born. He was

blind and was beyond the parochial religious beliefs. His loving

description of Krishna's life in a folk language, known as Brajbhasa,

is still today a treasure of Krishna's bhajans.

In the village of Sihi near Delhi, in the house of a poor Brahman, a

child was born in the year 1478. He was born blind. He had three

other brothers. He was so neglected by his neighbors and his own

family that by the time he was three, everyone forgot his real name

and he was called Sur, which means blind. He was later known as

Surdas.

 

Surdas would often go hungry because his mother would not bother to

feed him. His brothers would receive new clothes at Diwali time but

not Surdas. Surdas' parents thought he wouldn't be able to tell the

difference anyway. It hurt his feelings.

 

 

 

Surdas' outside world was not very kind either. His playmates enjoyed

teasing him and when he came to his mother for sympathy, she scolded

him for going out. So, unfortunate Surdas stayed on the porch most of

the time.

 

One day, a group of singers passed by his house singing in praise of

the Lord. Swept up by the joy the music brought forth in him, he

forgot for a moment that he was blind.

 

" One day I will learn how to sing, " he told himself.

 

When Surdas joined his brothers to learn from their father how to

read and write, his father said, " Go away. You are blind, you cannot

read. " His brothers teased him as he sat and wept.

 

A few days later, another group of singers came by, passing through

the village, begging for alms and singing in praise of the Lord. They

passed by Surdas' house. Surdas followed them. At night they stopped

to cook and rest near a lake. One of them came to Surdas and

asked, " Why are you following us? "

 

" I would like to learn to sing " answered Surdas.

 

 

 

They fed him that night but didn't want to be burdened with the blind

boy. In the morning they left without telling him.

 

Where could blind Surdas go? He sat under a tree and began singing

the Lord's praise. He had a good voice and his feelings were

expressed with utmost sincerity. Villagers passing by gave him food

and he survived. The lake was a popular resting spot for those

travelling to Mathura and Vrindavan. From their conversation, Surdas

learnt a lot about the outside world.

 

By the age of fourteen, Surdas developed a keen sixth sense and could

predict many things. People were amazed and he was called " miracle

boy. " If a villager lost an animal, Surdas could tell him where to

find it. He was cosulted on the appropriate day to travel or to start

any project. People from other villages travelled a long way to meet

him and gave their offerings. One day, the landlord's little toddler

wandered off and could not be found. Surdas predicted where the boy

was and the boy was found. The landlord was so pleased that he fell

at Surdas' feet and asked his men to build a cottage for him near the

tree under which Surdas stayed. Shortly thereafter, people offered

him a string instrument to accompany his singing. Some people became

his disciples. They began to write the songs he composed. The

disciples loved him and served him to the best of their ability.

 

One night, Surdas dreamt of Krishna and people praising Him through

bhajans. Surdas woke up and was convinced that Krishna was calling to

him. The next morning, he departed for Vrindavan. His disciples came

running and were worried.

 

" Why are you leaving us? Are we at fault? "

 

Surdas consoled them and continued on his way to Vrindavan through

the jungle. Wherever he went people wanted to listen to him sing and

have him stay with them. They would beg him to stay in their village.

They respected him, honored him and fed him. But Surdas kept moving.

 

 

 

" I am a traveling monk, I cannot stay at any one place, " Surdas said.

 

One day, while he was resting at the edge of a shallow abandoned

well, he fell into the well. Blind and injured, he did not know how

to get out.

 

Surdas stayed in the well for seven days praying for help. Suddenly

he heard a child's voice, " Hold my hands, I will take you out. "

 

Surdas came out of the well and the boy disappeared. He kept

searching for the little boy who rescued him. In his imagination, the

boy was none else but Gopal Krishna (Krishna's childhood name).

People thought he was crazy.

 

One day one of his disciples told Surdas that the great learned saint

Swami Balabhachari was going to visit Vrindavan. Balabhachari was

famous for his writings about Krishna. Surdas keenly wished to see

him. While Surdas was making arrangements to cross the river to visit

Balabhachari, Balabhachari himself arrived at Surdas's residence.

Surdas was overwhelmed with joy. He fell at Balabhachari's feet and

sought his blessing. Upon his request, Surdas sang a bhajan about

Krishna. Balabhachari requested Surdas to dedicate his life to the

praise of Lord Krishna.

 

Balabhachari stayed with Surdas for a few days and taught him about

Krishna's scriptures. Then he initiated Surdas to his own religious

order. Surdas went to Vrindavan with his guru, Balabhachari.

Balabhachari appointed Surdas as the chief singer of Srinath temple

in Govardhan, near Vrindavan. Srinath is another name for Krishna.

 

 

 

Surdas' reputation as a singer and devotee spread far and wide. One

day in the court of the mogul emperor Akbar, the court singer Tansen,

sang one of Surdas' songs. Akbar was charmed. Tansen admitted that

the tune and the lyrics were that of Surdas, the blind devotee of

Krishna.

 

Akbar was a broadminded Muslim. He invited Surdas to his court.

Surdas declined saying, " I am so very honored, but I sing only in the

court of my beloved Krishna. "

 

When Akbar heard of this, he gladly came to Surdas and listened to

his prayer songs in the temple. He was very pleased and asked Surdas

to ask for anything he wanted.

 

Surdas said, " Just do not ask me to go to your court to sing. " Akbar

agreed.

 

Surdas lived a long life and wrote many songs in praise of Krishna's

childhood days. Surdas' songs are sung to this

day.

 

 

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Jai Shree Krishna !