Guru Poornima Series - Guru Bhakthi-3 Swami Ekanath

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Radhe Krishna To All,

 

The state of Maharastra in India is renowned for the spiritual giants it had

given to the world. Sant Nama Dev, Sant Thukaram, Sant Gnaneswar, Sant Jana

Bai.... the list is almost endless and Sant Ekanath is one amongst the most

exalted saints of India. He is frequently quoted as the one of the best examples

for devotion towards a Guru.

 

Ekanath is known for his Guru Bhakti. He was a Mahatma who had learnt all the

shastras. But he realized that Shastras were of no use. He wondered, “Of what

use is learning ‘Tarka’ or Vedanta if one failed to experience peace?â€

Even if we are adept in all the Shastras - be it Vedanta, Tarka or any other

philosophy - we cannot enjoy peace/bliss unless these are brought into

experience. Books and Shastras will not bestow peace. Only sadhana will give

peace. The doubts will be cleared only if seen practically. So, Ekanath felt,

“I have studied all these shastras. But they are of no use. What is the

essence of all these shastras? To serve a Guru,†and he deeply desired to

serve a Guru. Lord Panduranga, in a dream, directed him to Janardhanaswami who

was a great Mahatma.

 

Ekanath served Janardhanaswami for twelve long years with one-pointedness. And

how did he serve his Guru all these twelve years? Without any expectation

whatsoever! He would clean the place, keep all the puja articles ready for the

Guru, maintain the accounts of the home, wash the Guru’s clothes and so on.

Day and night he attended on his Guru. Innumerable Sadhus visited his Guru.

 

Janardhanaswami taught Brahma Vidya to some, Raja yoga to some, Shastras to

some. The Guru blessed each with a way of attaining liberation. But nothing

diverted the attention of Ekanath whose sole desire was to serve the Guru in all

ways. He had nothing to ask of his Guru. He did not demand his Guru to bestow

him with Mantropdesa or teach him Shastras or Vedanta Vichara. He wanted to

serve his Guru. His sole aim was his Guru’s happiness. He did not even wish

his Guru to take notice of his services. He served his Guru in this way for

twelve long years.

 

Janardhanaswami felt guilty for not having given anything to this attendant

devotee of his. He was wonderstruck that this young fellow had nothing to ask of

him. So, he himself decided to bestow darshan of his Upasana Murti, Lord

Dattatreya, on the selfless Ekanath. He asked Lord Dattatreya to give darshan to

Ekanath when the latter returned from his morning bath in the river. The next

day when Ekanath stepped out of the river Godavari he found Lord Dattatreya

under the nearby tree. Since one should not be disrespectful to God he

prostrated before this Lord. Lord Dattatreya blessed him by placing His Feet on

Ekanath’s head. Ekanath then returned home.

 

Here, at home Janardhanaswami was restless. He walked up and down awaiting

Ekanath’s return. He kept rehearsing as to how he should handle the stunned

Ekanath. It was not going to be darshan in a dream but a real one, just as one

person sees another. Janardhanaswami thought, “Anyone who has darshan of the

Lord would swoon. Ekanath would be in bliss. Full of joy he would come running

and narrate the darshan breathlessly. I must calm him down.†But Ekanath

returned home and carried on with his work as usual! The Guru waited for Ekanath

to come and describe the darshan in an excited tone. But Ekanath did not! The

surprised Janardhanaswami called his upasana devata and asked him, “Did you

not give darshan to Ekanath?†Lord Dattatreya said, “I did! Just you had

asked me I gave him darshan as he returned from his bath in the riverâ€. The

astounded Guru called the devotee. “How can you be so calm? Have you not had

darshan of Lord Dattatreya this

morning?†Ekanath simply replied, “I never desired this! Only if I

considered someone other than you as God should I feel ecstatic! Since I

consider you as God there is no new darshan of God to be had anywhere else. I

never desired for it nor does this surprise me. I desire only you!â€

 

So great was his Guru Bhakti. Due to his Guru Bhakti Lord Panduranga Himself

later served this Ekanath, in the form of a young man by name Kandya Kanna!

 

 

Regards

 

Please Chant

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

 

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