Sant Janabai

Pranams at the lotus feet of Janabai!

Chapter - 4

It was believed that Lord Vittal writes down her composition while she sang praising the glories of Lord Panduranga. These poems are famously known as Abhang which is the essence of pure devotion and selfless love of Janabai,   Vittal much loved her beautiful verses and found it essential to spread those marvelous verses across the world to cultivate selfless love, compassion, and devotion among the people.  Thus the Lord of Universe persistently served his staunch devotee Janabai.

One day Janabai was cooking Roti, Vittal approached her with hunger, she served him with Roti and butter.  Vittala had a stomach full of Roti, later he slept in the rustic cottage of Janabai, she was surprised watching the humbleness of supreme Lord, she covered him with a decent blanket available.  The next morning people arrived in the shrine of Panduranga and saw the idol with no precious ornaments, there was only a blanket on the idol that was covered by Janabai on the previous night.  The priests assembled in the shrine realized that it was the blanket owned by Janabai, she must have entered the temple in the night and taken away the jewels of Panduranga.  The priests gathered in the cottage of Janabai, they blamed her that she had taken away the ornaments of Vittala.  The priests conducted a thorough search in the cottage and found the jewels on the mattress where Panduranga slept on the previous night.  The whole household was mistaken it has Janabai stolen the ornaments of Vittal,  The priests took her hand to the Village Panchayath to impose punishment upon her.  Namdev and Dhamsheth felt miserable, finally, the verdict was announced, Janabai was taken fastened with rope by the priests, they took her out of the village to impose death punishment.  As soon as they reached near the pole it transformed into Vittal, the rope fastened in the hands of Janabai was released its own and fell down.  The people assembled were shocked and cried out in guilt, they praised the devotion of Sant Janabai.

Sant Janabai has written three hundred and forty Abhang which replete the selfless love for Panduranga, it was compiled with the works of Sant Namdev.   She has composed many legends from scriptures, and life stories of great saints of her time Saint Gnaneshwar, Sant Kabir Das, Sant Chokhamela, Sant Goroba, Sant Sopankaka etc.. Her poems are heart touching, in simple Marathi language which reveals her innocence, devotion,  and playfulness.  She addressed herself as 'Namayachi Dasi ' humble servant of Namdev.  Janabai's Abhangs are very popular and widely sung in Maharashtra.  In the year 1350, she left her mortal coil at the main entrance of the shrine of Panduranga,  the day Sant Namdev attained the lotus feet of Panduranga.  Sant Janabai continues to live in the hearts of devotees of Panduranga through her glorious poems/Abhang.