Nandadas

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Bhakta Nandadas

A thing of beauty is a joy forever. Beauty lies in the eyes

of the beholder. Everything and anything is beautiful in God's

creation provided we have an eye for it. The calm flowing river, the

gushing waters of a water fall, a mountain rage, a small flower on

it, the cooing of a cuckoo, the rainbow, the stars, the rustling of

leaves, the whispering rocks, the roaring of the lion are but a few

examples of the wide range of sights and sounds of nature. The eye

that sees them, the ear that hears them are equally beautiful. Only

a beautiful thing can appreciate beauty. Also Beauty can be

appreciated as a whole and not as a part. The waves of the ocean

are beautiful when they are blended with the vast ocean. A

sunflower is beautiful when it is watched with yellow bed of

sunflowers spreading to infinity. An admirer of beauty admires

whatever he likes, irrespective of the feelings of others. He is

above the mundane world. Here is the story of such a person, who was

not understood by the people around initially.

A young man was passing through a house and he stood there

wonderstuck. He happened to see a young lady combing her hair at the

threshold of her house. Her beauty could not be described in words.

She looked like an angel born by mistake into an ordinary family.

God seems to have created her when he was in a specially good mood.

There was grace in her looks. The man had never seen such a

startling beauty. He was fascinated by her wonderful features and

stood transfixed to the ground before her.

The poor lady, was unaware of the commotion she has created

in a young mind. She went inside the house but her image went inside

his heart and settled down there on a big throne. God alone knew how

he walked back home. He was unaware of what he was doing. He could

not eat properly or sleep properly. The eyes refused to see anything

else.

At last night gave way to day. The young man hastened

himself to her doorstep. He found himself a place opposite the

house and stood staring at the door to have a full, clear view of

his heart throb once again. The early rays of sun produced scorching

heat in the midday and were transformed into the pleasant twilight,

finally giving way to the dark light of the night. But the lady did

not step out of the house. All through the day he stood determined

though his mind entertained various feelings - he hoped to see her,

he wondered whether he could see her, he was beginning to doubt, he

was becoming disappointed, angry and frustrated. Tears rolled down

the cheek, but he did not move till night. The same farce continued

the second day. As the time rolled by, his feelings danced from

one to another. There was no trace of her at the end of the second

day too. But he had only two options. He should either see her or

give up his life at her doorstep. He was not willing to give up hope.

`Who is she ? Is she is married or unmarried ? What is her

caste ? If she is married, what is he to her ? What does he expect

her to do ? Does he know what he wants ? If he doesn't know why

should he be mad ? If he knows, there is no need to be mad'. He had

no answers to these questions. He had never thought in these lines.

He knew only one thing. He was mad after her beauty and he wanted to

see her again. That's all. He repeated the same when he was

questioned.

A woman approached him on the third day and asked who he

was. He raised his eyebrows in enquiry of who she was. The woman

read that question mark on his face and introduced herself as the

servant maid of the house.

His first reaction was so what? can she fulfil my wish ? Is

she a goddess or a fairy ? But all the same he spoke out his

innermost thoughts freely. `I am a Brahmin boy. My name is Nandadas.

I saw a beautiful lady here three days ago. She was combing her hair

then. I was lost in her beauty. I have come back to see her to my

heart's content once again. I will not eat or sleep till then'.

The servant maid was flabbergasted at his openness. Is he

mad or is he plain ? She told him `She is my boss. She is a

kshatriya lady and is married'.

`I don't care'.

How dare he say `I don't care' as if he had come to buy an

animal in a fair. Isn't he ashamed of his behaviour ?

`Ashamed ? Ah ! The word ashamed cannot be found in my

dictionary. The very God who has given her the beauty has given me

eyes to appreciate her beauty and you the tongue talk to me. Who is

to be blamed for that ?'

The maid had no answer for that. She simply asked, `Shall I

tell this to our boss ?'

`It is left to you'.

The maid narrated how a young man had overnight become her

fan and how he was ready to give up his life for her sake. No lady

can ever be indifferent to praises ! She was curious to see her

admirer. Without any second thought she came out and stood at the

entrance in a graceful manner for some time. The young man had a

feast to his eyes. He stared at her to his heart's content and this

time he walked back home almost in the air. He was sorry he had

only two eyes to get a full view of her.

The next morning he duly stood before her like a lamp post.

The servant maid saw him, informed her, she stood outside he stared,

she went in, he walked back. Everything happened in a jiffy. His joy

knew no bounds.

The same scene continued for quite a long time. One day this

drama fell into the eyes of her husband. The nextday he beckoned

Nandadas inside. `Why do you stand before our house ?' He

explained, `Oh sir! I happened to seeyour wife. I was madly

impressed by her and I can't live without seeing her'.

The husband was shocked. He didn't know how to treat this

fanatic of his wife. Is it madness or innocence ? Should he

appreciate his frankness or should he punish him ? He coolly asked

him to go since, being a devotee himself, he saw more of innocence

than of madness.

Nandadas' state of admiring continued unhindered. Slowly the

news spread in the neighbourhood. Gossip mongers added colour to it,

they magnified it and made the husband a butt of ridicule. The

gossip reached the ears of Nandadas but, as already mentioned, he

was alove these petty feelings of human beings.

The husband could not remain unperturbed, all the same could

not drive out Nandadas. Escapism was the only solution for it. He

wanted to run away from the scene. He thought of his guru

Vittalnath in Gokulam. He had to cross the Yamuna river. So he made

arrangements with the boatman for the next day.

How disgusting ! Nandadas was seated already in the boat

they were to sail by. He said point black he was going with them

because he couldn't live without seeing her. The husband became

wild. He made the boatman usher him out of the boat.

Nandadas was left alone on the banks of the river. The

boat sailed along the river taking his heartthrob and his heart

too. As he started beyond, he saw the ripples of the river

diverging towards him. They seem to convery some message to him from

the lady. As he was staring at them his vision spread to the beauty

of the river at large. Yamuna is the sacred river for the Hindus.

It speaks about the rasa leela of Lord Krishna. His admiration of

beauty shifted from a mortal lady to the immortal river, from a

human being to infinity. Poetry is spontaneous overflow of powerful

feelings and emotion. He let out spontaneously a song on Yamuna.

Oh Yamuna you flow as a river /

not for your sake

but for the sake of love

You came down to us from Heaven........

His appreciation of beauty of a mere lady spread to the

praise of the lady `Yamuna River'. Isn't his love of beauty strange

and peculiar. What appealed to him in the lady ? What appealed to

him in the waves ?

In the meanwhile the young couple reached their guru. The

first question the guru asked was, `Why did you leave the brahmin

boy on the banks of the river ?' Seeing surprise writ all over their

face, the guru explained, `Nandadas is a great bhakta. His sense of

beauty has a spiritual blend. You human beings couldn't appreciate

him'.

They fell before their guru and asked for forgiveness. The

guru sent word for Nandadas. Nandadas felt a sort of spiritual

awakening as he saw the guru. He fell to his feet. He realized his

life purpose. He sang another song extempore. It is a description

of the wonderful scene of the rasaleela of Krishna

Look there, over there

Lord Krishna's magnificent face

Amidst gopikas on the banks of Yamuna.......

Thus he attained spiritual bliss.

This Nandadas was the son of Jeevanam, a devout brahmin in

Rampur. He was born in 1570. The pious atmosphere at home, sowed the

seeds of bhakti in Nandadas at a very early age. He was the first

one to join any satsang and the last to leave it.

Kabir das extolled the advantage of Satsang. It gives one

the ability to realize a true guru.

Nandadas lost his parents in his childhood. So he was

brought up in grandfather's house. He was taught the sastras and

sanskrit. He showed greater interest in Bhagavatam. The grandfather

sent him to Benares, the seat of Learning to pursue further

studies. There he was acquainted with Thulasi Das. This friendship

turned him to spiritual path.

After a few days Nanda Das proceeded on pilgrimmage along

with few vaishnavites. Thulasi Das felt it as a sign of turning

point in his life. As is the law of life, he had to face a hurdle

race before he faced the turning point. The hurdle race was the

craze for the lady and the turning point was the meeting of the guru

Vittal das. His path is now clear, the goal is set and he is ready.

That's the greatness of a guru.

Nandadas continued his spiritual path there, under the

guidance of Vittalnath. He was acquianted with the great saint

Surdas who took him to the Zenith of his devotion.

Goswami Vittalnath entrustsed the work of `Krishna tatva' to

eight bhaktas. The eldest was Surdas while the youngest was

Nandadas. They composed songs on the love story of Radha and

Krishna. Nandy beautifully described Krishna's love for Radha along

with his rasaleela. His songs won the applause of people far and

wide. His name and fame reached the ears of Thulsidas. He was

surprised to hear about Nanda das' shift of devotion from Rama to

Krishna.

He answered, Rama has one wife Krishna has many'.

His love for God can be felt to its peak in this song.

Oh heart ! If you desire to climb a mountain peak, reach

Govardhana giri.

If you desire to live in a fine village go to Gokulam.

If you desire to live in a beautiful city, go to Madhura.

It goes on thus.

Nanda das desired to write Bhaghavatam in ordinary language

so that every common man could read it. Accordingly he wrote it, but

it became a threat to the very existence of great Sanskrit Pandits.

They were highly paid to explain, Bhagavatam written in Sanksrit to

common man. Now they were losing hold over them. This moved the

heart of the saint. He assured them, `Don't worry. I only thought of

others. It didn't strike me that it could disturb your life style. I

have no gridge against you. My intention is not to make any one

suffer. I see my lord Krishna in you. So I will throw my writings

into Yamuna river this very minute. `So saying he threw nine

volumes of Bhagavatam retaining the tenth one with him. His love

for all human beings can be gauged by this single incident.

Realizing God in one step and realizing God in everybody is

yet another step. Nandadas realized both.

 

M Rajya Sri