The Life of Lord Buddha

Pranams at the lotus feet of Lord Buddha!

Chapter – 3

As usual the next day, Channa and Siddhartha left the palace in the chariot.  It rolled through the pathways of a village,  Siddhartha could witness a sick old man sitting on the patio of a house.  Seeing this, Siddhartha asked Channa to stop the chariot.  “What’s that, Your Highness?”  Siddhartha said “ Channa, why is that old man is shivering so badly and finding difficult to breathe?”  Channa said, “ He is sick, Your Highness.”  Siddhartha was curious to know what is sickness.  Channa continued “ The sickness is a natural part of life, whoever born on the Earth has to undergo these challenges several times in their lives, none can protect themselves from this for a long time. In fact, every one of us has to experience it several times in our lives.”  On that night after returning from outside of the palace, Siddhartha has nothing to think other than the grave situation of the man who was shaking hardly for breath.  The thought of aging and illness put him gloomy and depressed.  He has not witnessed any of these miserable sights in all these years, there are several people and physicians to serve in the palace.

The next morning, Channa and Siddhartha left the palace a little early.  As usual, they have witnessed the beauty of nature, people, and village.  Siddhartha could see a person fully covered in a white robe, a few of his relatives were standing around and shedding tears.  Siddhartha could not resist himself; he jumped out of the chariot and rushed to the people who were mourning.  Channa requested “ Oh! Your Highness, please come back.” But Siddhartha could not hear Channa.  Soon Channa joined with the Siddhartha who asked: “ Channa, why this man is wrapped in a white robe?”  Channa replied “ Your Highness, that’s a dead man, all the living things have to die.  This is also one of the natural processes, whoever take births has to die one day, no one can escape from it.” Siddhartha asked bluntly, “Even me has to undergo death?” Channa said, “ Yes, Your Highness, everyone is subject to death.”   That night Siddhartha returned home extremely disappointed, he pondered over the things he had witnessed in the last three days.  There was not much appealing sight he could witness other than the beauty of nature.   All that he had been witnessing were terrible realities of life those are aging, sickness and death.

The Life of Lord Buddha

Pranams at the lotus feet of Lord Buddha!

Chapter – 2

While the chariot was rolling through the pathways, suddenly Siddhartha asked Channa to stop the chariot.  Channa stopped the chariot and enquired “ Yes, Your Highness, why did you ask me to stop here?” Siddhartha said, “ Channa, Look at the man walking on the sideways, he is thin and weak, his hairs are grey, his skin all over the body is wrinkled and unappealing, he is too weak to walk.” Channa replied “ Oh! That’s an old man, Your Highness”.  Siddhartha was curious to know more about this old man’s appearance, he wanted to know should we all go through the same state of the body, does it happen to everyone etc… Channa replied “ Yes, Your Highness, whoever took birth on this Earth should undergo these changes in their lives, this is the process of aging.  No one will be freed from this state of transformation.”  This information was all new to Siddhartha and it was shocking as well.  On that night Siddhartha pondered over the sight he had witnessed in the village, their journey began with the most marvelous sight of nature, when they arrived in the human-inhabited areas there were people of different colors and sizes, and domesticated animals, everyone was engaged in various odd activities, finally the sight of an old man with wrinkles who was struggling to move on the pathways, that was not an appealing sight for Siddhartha.  That was the first time Siddhartha came to know about the nature of human life and the sufferings of living beings on the Earth.

The Life of Lord Buddha

Pranams at the lotus feet of Lord Buddha!

Chapter - 1

It was Siddhartha's wife Yasodhara full pregnant with their only son.  One dark night Siddhartha was watching over the sky standing in the palace balcony, his father King  Shudhodhana joined with him.  “ Son, are you awake in the late night? Is there anything bothering you? Is there anything you want to share with me?”  Siddhartha said, “ Yes father, I wanted to ask permission to go out of the Royal Palace and see the beautiful sights nature has to offer.”  Shudhodhana said, “ Siddhartha, there is nothing is charming and attractive to see outside the royal palace.”  Siddhartha said, “ Father, since childhood I have not stepped out of the Royal Palace, I wanted to see how the life out of the palace, I have seen all that sparkling and cheerful life inside the four walls of this Palace.”  His father tried to put off the very idea of Siddhartha to go out of the palace, but he could not convince him for long.  Siddhartha said “ Father, you may be right, there is nothing much attractive in the outside of the Palace, still I wanted to see that with my own eyes. Kindly give me permission to visit outside the palace.”  Finally, King Shudhodhana gave permission to Siddhartha to visit outside the world of the palace,  he also arranged a royal chariot for him to conduct a visit.

The next morning sky was bright, a grand chariot was ready to pick Siddhartha with the charioteer Channa/Chandaka and they left the great walls of the palace.  It was for the first time Siddhartha being out in the open, fresh air, soothing morning wind, trees, and numerous flowering plants, ponds, chirping of birds, lush green fields, streams, etc..  It was a marvelous sight for Siddhartha.  The chariot started rolling through the harsh pathways of the villages.  Siddhartha kept his eyes and ears wide open; he watched each and every sight with awe.  Finally, they arrived in a village where he could see small huts, cattle, and people busily walking over the street and engaged in various activities.  It was the most captivating sight for him. Siddhartha thought why did my father stop me going out of the palace, was unaware of the reason for being not letting him go out in the open.

Significance of Pithrupaksha – Mahalayapaksha

There is a legend of Gayasura, a demon who lived in the sacred land Gaya, was a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu.  He undertook extreme Tapasya and attained several boons.  He has achieved a unique boon that was, whoever sees him or touches him would attain Moksha or attain the abode of Lord Vishnu, the people who witness him would never go through the hellish tortures in the abode of Lord Yama.   Ultimately, the abode of Lord  Yama has become empty,  the deities were alarmed.  Lord Yama appealed to Lord Bhrama, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahadeva, even the sinners attained Moksha or Srivaikundham with the help of Gayasura, sinners became fearless and free to commit any crime and therefore deities have to find a solution to stop the increasing crimes.  Lord Bhrama approached Gayasura and praised him, with a proposal “ Gayasura, you are a pious soul, we want to conduct a fire sacrifice on top of your upper back for the welfare of the Universe and its people.” Gayasura was readily agreed for this, all the deities took a seat on the upper back of Gayasura, but after some time his body started moving forcefully, the deities were frightened.  They placed huge and heavy rocks/Prethashila on his upper back to stop the movement, but nothing has worked.  Lord Vishnu came to know about the happenings, he hit hard on the Dharmashila.   Gayasura realized the presence of his beloved Lord Vishnu on his upper back, he requested for a boon to Lord Vishnu “ Oh! Lord kindly offer me a boon, people who perform ancestral rites on this Shila would attain an abundance of piousness and Moksha.”  Lord Vishnu offered the boon, thus the place where the fire sacrifice took place on the upper back of Gayasura known as the sacred land Gaya, one of the   Mokshasthal on the Earth.   

Sant Gorakumbhar

Pranams at the lotus feet of Gorakumbhar Maharaj!

Chapter – 3

One day there arrived a young couple seeking pottery work to Goraba, this couple introduced themselves coming from nearby villages seeking a livelihood.  Goraba invited them to stay with him and do the potteries.  Thus this couple started living with the family of Goraba, they devoted their time to producing potteries; the house became lively as it was before, this couple without any hesitation did all the potteries.  It was the season of Varkari Yathra to Pandharpur, during this time of the year people in large numbers conduct journey by foot to the famous shrine of Lord Panduranga.   This couple expressed their desire to join with the devotees to Pandharpur.  Goraba wished to conduct the journey with his family also joined with this couple and decided to go for Pandharpur.   On their way, they had an opportunity to listen to the passionate lectures of Sant Namdev Maharaj “ The supreme Lord is selfless, he is the protector, he provides the necessities of our lives, he never asks anything in return.  He has given us the form of human after several births, he showers boundless mercy upon us, and therefore it is our prime duty to remember him always.  The devotion to the supreme Lord is like wet clay,  you can envision Lord whichever form you want to witness, for that we need to have pure eyesight and sincere devotion, he is attainable to his staunch devotees.  Whoever constantly remembers him and utters his sacred names, it is definite that he will never leave them.  The person who tastes the nectar-like sacred names of the Lord will not leave the taste of it.  It is difficult to cross the unfathomable ocean of worldly existence which is full of miseries and sorrows.  It can be easily crossed with the ferry of Harinama,  Namasmarana is the easiest way to attain Lord.  It can provide eternal bliss and serenity.”  The group of Varkari saints immersed in the speech, Gorakumbhar was completely wrapped in the Namasmaran, without even sensing the arms which were cut off years ago, back as it was before.  He rushed to the sanctum followed by his wives; he cried before the idol of Lord Vittala and promised to utilize the hands received with the grace of Lord Vittala for the service of Lord.  Lord Panduranga appeared before the couple and blessed them, Goddess Rukmini returned the child safely to the couple that was thrashed and died under the legs of Garba.  Once again, peace and happiness were restored in the life of Sant Gorakumbhar.    It was the intense devotion of Goroba which brought the supreme Lord Vittala as a potter couple who served this family at the time of distress.  

Sant Gorakumbhar

Pranams at the lotus feet of Gorakumbhar Maharaj!

Chapter – 2

Goraba’s wife heartily wished to bring him back in her life, and start a new life but that was impossible to happen.  He spends most of the time in solitude and in utter despair, after several attempts she gave up the idea to bring Goraba back in her life.  She urged Goraba for a re-marriage with her sister.  The people of the village were not happy with this news, even her father was not agreed to the idea of re-marriage of Goraba who was a sincere and devoted husband to his elder daughter all these years.   The villagers expressed their qualms about the future of the re-marriage.   Goroba is a saintly man who has no clear cut idea of life, there was no hope that he would stick with the family life or he may take refugee with the saints.   Goraba’s wife pleaded to her father for the re-marriage with her own sister, saying that she wanted to see a child back in their life.  Finally, her father gave permission to marry off his second daughter to Goroba who had no choice other than listening to his wife and his father-in-law.   The marriage of Goroba with his sister-in-law took place in a simple manner.

Goraba was leading a life of an ascetic even after the marriage.  He sincerely followed the instruction of his wife and his father-in-law, but he has already devoted his life to Lord Panduranga.  He had no interest in worldly matters.  The newly wedded husband and wife kept a distance, his first wife thought she should bring back Goroba back to Grihathashmra, otherwise it would be an injustice to her sister.  On that night both the wives went close to Goraba on the bed.    Goraba was taken aback seeing his two wives on his bed, he considered it as sin being with wives on the same bed after taking promise on Lord Vittala,  he chopped off his two hands.  This news spread all over the village, the people called Goroba a mad fellow who crushed his infant under his leg without the knowledge and cut off his arms without the sense of his livelihood, some called him a saintly and irresponsible. 

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.