The great Saint of Maharashtra - Sant Eknath Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Eknath Maharaj!

Chapter – 10

One evening Sant Eknath’s home was crowded with the devotees for Namasankeerthan, suddenly they heard a loud noise outside the door, he came out of his cottage, and all of a sudden the recitation of Bhagavnama stopped.  When he came out of the house saw a man was trying to get up from the floor, people assembled were suspected that he must have come for stealing while doing so he must have fallen down on the ground with a loud knock.  Eknathji went near the man and gave him a hand to lift him up from the ground, and said “Oh! he is unconscious,” Eknathji brought the man and laid on the Veranda and sprinkled water on his face, soon the man regained his consciousness.  Eknathji asked “ Who are you?” where are you staying?” The man replied “ I am feeling so hungry, kindly feed me with something after that I will explain all that to you.”  Eknathji told his wife to bring a cup of  Kheer which was made to offer to Lord Panduranga.   Eknathji fed the man with his hand, he felt better after having Kheer.  He explained “ Maharaj, honestly I am a thief, my health was deteriorating day by day, so I was released from the prison thinking that I would die soon,  I was struggling to get a meal, I have heard Namasankeerthana from your house so thought of begging for a meal, but I could not make it, I was feeling tired and fell down.”  Eknathji said, “Do not worry; now you take rest, I will arrange medicines from our village physician.”  On the next day, Eknathji met the jail superintend, he elaborated the condition of the man, Jailor said “ You are a saintly and innocent person, but you should not be too considerate towards a thief, I had to release him before imposing punishment, I want to avoid ill fame to the authorities.  Eknathji returned from Jailor’s office and said to the thief “ Uddhav, if you can manage your life like a normal person, you can live in my residence. You have to assist me with the daily chores of the house, evening you should participate in Namasankeerthana, and arrangements for the people who visit home.”  Uddhav said “ Maharaj, a blind needs eyesight, what else I need, who will employ a thief in their homes?”  But one of the associates of Eknathji was not happy with the idea of keeping Uddhav at home.  Eknathji explained, “ Uddav was into the wrong company of people, so he engaged in burglary if he did not change in my company, then I cannot do anything, it is all his destiny.”  Within a short period of time, Uddhav has become transformed into a saintly man, engages in pious activities, helping Eknathji with daily chores of the house, sincerely participate in veneration and Namasankeerthana.