Sant Gorakumbhar

Pranams at the lotus feet of Gorakumbhar Maharaj!

Chapter – 1

Gorakumbhar Maharaj was lived between 1267 and 1317, in Goraba Ter, Osamanabad District, Maharashtra.  He was a potter by profession and a staunch devotee of Lord Vittobha.  He wrote several verses in Marathi praising the Lord Vittobha, which are famously known as Abhang.  He inspired several thousands of people to walk through the path of devotion, he enthused people to perform their household tasks with the constant remembrance of  Lord Vittala who is the protector of living beings.

Once, Grakumbhar Maharaj was immersed in the work of mixing clay for making pots and reciting the names of Lord Vittala, gradually he was transported to a state of bliss,  could not aware of the happenings around him.  His wife put their only infant to sleep and went to fetch water from the pond.  Goraba was absorbed in a state of ecstasy, could not notice the child’s cry, slowly the child moved to the place of a heap of mud where Goraba was thrashing it with his leg, eventually, the child took a seat under the legs of Goraba.  He was not aware that his infant is crushed under his legs; he continued to sing in praising of Lord Vittal.  When his wife returned home, she was alarmed to see Gorakumbhar soaked in blood and flesh instead of clay.  She shrieked out of fear, it brought Goraba back to normalcy, found that he was smashing his own child under his feet.  He was extremely frightened,  heartbroken; he could not resist the grief thinking that he had committed severest sin, cried heart out before Lord Panduranga.  After this grave incident, Goraba never returned to a normal state, he forgot hunger and sleep.  The couple had to go through intense grief and misery, it reflected in their relationship as well.  The people of the village blamed Goraba for his carelessness and mocked at him.  Goraba took shelter in shrines and immersed at the thoughts of his beloved Lord.