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.

Sant Janabai

Pranams at the lotus feet of Janabai!

Chapter - 3

Once Gonabai wife of Dhamseth noticed Jana was talking to someone while grinding the flour, she rushed to see whom Jana was conversing with but she could not see anyone, she threatened Jana to reveal the name of the person with whom she was talking all day long, Jana was speechless, instantly Gonabai found the lotus feet of Panduranga before the grinding stone, she was stunned watching  the devotion of the young Jana.

Gonabai and her daughter-in-law used to admire her dedication to household chores, sometimes they used to baffle at her speed of work in the household activities like grinding flour, filling waters, making Rotis etc.. They have always remembered her as the daughter of Vittal who was born in the low caste.  Namdev advises his mother and wife to respect Jana as the favorite soul of Vittala, never disrespect her as she was born in the lower caste.

Once Jana was returning from collecting water, she found a lady of the village picking cow dung patties, they both had an argument and it continued for long saying that she had stolen the cow dung patties prepared by Jana. While she was seriously arguing for the cow dung patties, there arrived Sant Gnandev and Kabir Das Maharaj to visit the house of Namdev.  Kabir Das Maharaj told Namdev " Gnandev mentioned about young Jana who is a staunch devotee of Lord Panduranga working in your house, she is not an ordinary woman, Lord Panduranga is doing all her work, we have come all the way from Kashi to meet that divine soul who is the beloved daughter of Lord Panduranga."  Gnandev Maharaj asked, " Where is Jana?" Namdev's mother said, " She must have gone for picking woods or cow dung patties." Namdev brought Gnandev and Sant Kabir Das to the place where  Jana was arguing with a woman on cow dung patties.  Sant Kabir Das spoke" Jana are you arguing for a cow dung patty like an ordinary woman?" Janabai said, " she has stolen the cow dung patties prepared by me."  Sant Kabirdas said " how can we find out which is yours and hers? It has become difficult now."  Janabai said with a smile " No, it is not at all difficult, kindly check all the patties by keeping close to your ears, I have made patties while reciting Vittal Nama, therefore you could listen to the Vittal Nama from my patties."  Sant Kabir das picked each patty and he could listen to Vittal Nama from the patties made by Jana.  Sant Kabir Das was mesmerized at the devotion of her, he was deeply moved at the devotion of Jana to Lord Panduranga and said, " Jana, kindly sanctify me keeping your hands on my head, you are divine soul beloved of Lord Panduranga".  She replied with humility " Kabirdha, Lord Panduranga is the father of all, he listens to me,  my preceptor is Namdev who is beloved of Panduranga, hence I am a Dasi of Namdev /Namayachi Dasi who is the staunch devotee of Lord Vittal."  

Sant Janabai

Pranams at the lotus feet of Janabai!

Chapter - 2

The childless Dhamseth arrived in the temple and found little Jana weeping before the idol of Lord Panduranga.  He pacified her not to cry and said: "Panduranga is the mother and father of all the living beings, he will take care of everyone, therefore no need to get frightened." Jana said " Where do I live? who will take care of me?  I have no one here."  Dhamseth said " You come with me to my house, stay with us like our daughter.  I will treat you like the gift of Panduranga."  Thus Dhamseth brought Janabai in his home,  from that day onwards she started living with them, she has become a member of the house immediately, she took care of all the household work, and became a great help for Dhamseth's wife in all household chores.

It was believed that Jana was assisted in her household work by Panduranga, she relentlessly sang praising the glories of Lord and performs all the tasks, Panduranga amiably listens to her and followed all the instructions of Jana.  She found immense pleasure in the association of Lord Panduranga who followed her sincerely in all her household activities such as preparing cow dung patties, grinding flour, washing dishes, bringing woods and straws.  She was never left alone, she was always followed by Panduranga.  As years passed Jana was grown up to a beautiful young maiden, she knows no one other than Panduranga who relentlessly accompanied her in all the household chores.   Her heart was overflowed with the devotion and love for Panduranga, she performed all the household activities with singing melodious songs praising the Lord Panduranga, she spends her days conversing with Panduranga who appears before her while doing household chores.  

Sant Janabai

Pranams at the lotus feet of Janabai!

Chapter - 1

Sant Janabai was lived during the 13th century, she has written several religious Marathi poems praising the glories of Lord Vittala, she was known as the disciple of Sant Namadeva.    It was in the year 1258 Jana Bai was born in a lower-class couple Dhama and Karundha, in Gangakhed, a village located on the river banks of Godavari, Maharashtra.  Her parents were pious and staunch devotees of Lord Vittala.  During the birth of Janabai  his father could listen to a divine voice " You will have a girl child with an intense devotion to Lord Vittala,  keep her the name 'Jana Bai', she will liberate your entire clan and spread the devotion.  She will remain in the association of Namdeva, an ardent devotee  brought up by a pious  couple in Pandharpur, she will be famously known as the disciple of Namadeva in the future." 

Although Jana was born in a poor family, her devotion to Lord Vittala was boundless.  Her mother died in the early years of her childhood.  she was taken to Pandharpur by her father to have the Dharshan of Lord Panduranga just before his death.   They have joined with a group of people leaving to Pandharpur from their village,  sung praising the glories of Lord all through their way to Pandharpur and arrived in the famous shrine of Vittobha.  Jana was not willing to move away from the shrine.  Suddenly his father could hear a divine voice "You need not worry about Jana, she is my daughter, she is destined to live in Pandharpur, therefore leaves her with me."  His father  heavy heartedly left Jana in Pandharpur, thinking that it is the wish of Panduranga, sincerely prayed for her goodness and returned to his village.