Sant Kanhopathra
Pranams at the lotus feet
of Sant Kanhopathra!
Chapter – 4
Sadhashiva Malagujar was
deeply hurt and disappointed to know that young Kanhopathra left Mangalweda
forever. He wanted to take revenge upon
the courtesan girl who refused his proposal.
He sought the help of the ruler of Bidar. He persuaded the King to bring back the
celestial Apsara like courtesan girl Kanhopathra back to Mangalweda. The King heard of incomparable beauty of
Kanhopathra wanted to keep her as a concubine.
He sent his men to bring back Kanhopathra from Pandharpur forcefully. Kanhopathra took shelter in
the sanctum of Lord Panduranga, she took refuge at the lotus feet of
Panduranga. The King’s men threatened to
destroy the temple if Kanhopathra did not heed the orders of the King. She appealed for the last meeting with her beloved
Lord Vittobha, and took last breathe at the feet of Lord Panduranga. There are different opinions about the death
of Sant Kanhopathra, she merged the form of light with the Lord Panduranga, and her mortal coil was buried near the southern part of the temple.
Kanhopathra greets Lord Narayana, Lord Srihari, Lord Lakshmipathi, Lord Manmatha, Lord
Sripathi, Lord Krishna, as the savior of distressed people. She expresses her concern and insecurities of
life all through the poems as she was born in the clan of a courtesan; she was
completely surrendered at the lotus feet of Lord Vittobha. She emphasizes the significance of utterance
of sacred names of Lord Hari which keeps the Lord of death away, purified the
sins of Ajamila, a hunter turns out a great sage Valmiki, Pingala attained Moksha. In this way, she was hoping to attain the lotus feet of Narayana. She sang praising the virtues of Sant Gnandev
and his siblings. As a daughter of courtesan, she was always
been under threat of men of high rank, felt insecure in the society; she took the shelter at the feet of Lord Panduranga to protect her from the evil eyes of the
men in the society, when she was forced to be a concubine of King of bidar, she sincerely prayed to Lord Vittobha to protect her otherwise
it would be a stain on his name .
