Namdeo References

https://archive.org/stream/NamdevLifeAndPhilosophy/NamdevLifeAndPhilosophy_djvu.txt

"Nothing happens by my doing. Whatever Rama does, 
happens. The Badshah was full of pride. He sentenced Nama to 
be trampled under a mad elephant's feet. Nama's mother started 
weeping: "Why don't you leave Rama and worship Khuda ?" 
Nama said, "I am not your son, you are not my mother. Let 
my body fall but I would sing Hari's greatness to the last breath 7" 
The elephant bowed before him and only touched him with his 
trunk. Nama was saved as God (Hari) was behind him. Kazi 
and Mulla saluted him : this Hindu has our respects. Iron chains 
in his feet, cymbals in hand, Name sang the greatness of Gopal. 

the 
faculty of realising God is a native faculty, and by that 
alone will one be able to realise God" (Abg 135). When 
we have once seen God, it matters little to what place we 
go. As soon as we remember God, God shall be near us 
(Abg 137).





We shall forget our hunger and thirst in the 
pleasure of God's Name. God, who is the source of im- 
mortality, is in the heart of Namdeva, and Namdeva 
therefore enjoys continued beau tificat ion (Abg 139). There 
is only one favour that we should ask of God ; that we 
should always think of Him in our heart ; that we should 
always utter His name by our mouth ; that we should 
always see Him in our eyes ; that our hands should 
worship only Him ; that our head be placed always at 
His ftet ; that our ears should only hear of Gods exploit's ; 
that He should show Himself always to our right and to 
our left, before and after, and at the end of our life. We 
should ask God of no other favour except this Abg 140). 
As Namdeva began to see God, he found Him in all 
corners and in all directions (Abg 141). God's form can be 
seen even by a blind man, and a dumb man can communi- 
cate even in a deaf man's ears the knowledge of God. 
An ant shall devour the whole universe by its mouth says 
Namdev. Only we shall have to verify all these things in 
our own experience (Abg 142). When the Unstruck Sound 
springs out of the thousands-petalled lotus and when God's 
name is uttered, sins shall depart and hide themselves in a 
cavern. Keep yourself awake in the meditation on God. 
Your sins will depart at the utterance of God's name, and 
God will give you a secure lodgment in His abode (Abg 
143)







A single utterance of the name 
of God creates panic among sins. As soon as God's Name 
is uttered, the divine recorder ceases to record. God 
Himself comes forth to receive His devotee with materials 
of worship. If this were to turn out false, says Namdeva, 
then may his head be cut off from his body (Abg 144).






And as such one goes to the sleep of ecstasy, the 
twelve and sixteen damsels wave the fans before him. The 
devotee keeps awake in self-illumination. Trumpets sound 
forth. Untold varieties *of unstruck sound emerge. There 



NAMDEV : 



is then neither sleep nor dream. The very Sun and the 
Moon set before that Illumination (Abg 149).








It is only 
God who can know the love of His devotee in this manner. 
He always does reside with His devotee. Namdeva tells 
us that he was so filled with God-experience, that he 
thought that he was God, and that God was himself 
(Abg 150). 




No. 351 (Majhi kona gati sanga) ■ 

When will the end of these things be ? 
Ah tell me, Lord of Pandhari. 
When wilt thou save unhappy me ? 
O tell me, tell me true, for I 
Cry to thee with a bitter cry.






O God, my cry comes up to thee — 

How sad a cry is it ! 
What is this tragic destiny 

That fate for me has write 1 
Wherefore, O Hrisikesh dost thou 
~ So lightly pass me by ? 



62 



NAMDEV 



To whom to whom but to thee now 

Can I lift my cry ? 
As chiming anklets sweetly ring 
So rings thy name abroad, 
To human spirits hungering 

Thou givest peace with God 
Thou on thy shoulders carrying 

All the world's load of care 
To thee 'tis such a little thing 
My trouble too to bear ! 
O Mother Pandurang, I cry, . 

Drive thou me not away, 
At Hari's feet, 1 Name lie ; 
He will not say me nay





I am feeling acute restlessness, 
I am like the calf feeling lonely without the cow 
Just as the fish is without water 
Poor Nama is without Rama's Name 
Just as the heat of pure fire is unbearable 
So poor Nama is without Rama's Name





"As a bee's heart might be set 
upon the fragrance of a flower, or as a fly might take re- 
sort to honey, similarly does my mind cling to God", says 
Namdeva (Abg 11). "I am called lordless, lord less ; but 
Thou art called the Lord. I am called fallen fallen; but 
Thou art called the reliever of the fallen. Poor, poor, do 
they call me ; but they call Thee the reliever of the poor in 
heart. They call me afflicted, afflicted ; bat they 
call Thee one who wouldst relieve people of their 
afflictions. If Thou were not to listen to me, 
says Namdeva, would it not be a matter of shame 7 
(Abg 13). In this world, there is nobody else except Thee 
for whom I care, of who cares for me (Abg 14). The little 
Samsara has had the power to conceal Thee, who art all 
encompassing. Thou obliged me to cling to Samsara, and 
thus bringest to me the treachery my Lord. I have now 
come to know Thy wiles, says Namdeva ; I shall take any 
measure I will (Abg 16). If the moon were to satisfy the 
desire of the Chakora, would her light be diminished for 
the obligation ? (Abg 18). 
If a cloud were to quench the 
thirst of a Chataka bird, would his greatness be thereby 
lessened ? (Abg 19)
 Thou art my bird, I am Thy young 
one, Thou art my deer, I am Thy cub (Abg 20). 
If the 
mother bird moves out of her nest in the morning, its 
young ones keep looking out for her. Similarly, does my 
mind look out for Thee, my Lord (Abg 22),
 If a child falls 
into fire, its mother comes to its succour with an over- 
powered heart. If a fire envelopes a forest, the mother 
deer is afflicted for its young one. In a similar way, says 
Namdeva, Thou must care for me (Abg 23)





When I 



NAMDEV 



consider that at the end of my life, I shall have to depart 
alone ; when I think that my mother who bore me in her 
womb for nine months will cruelly stand aside ; when I 
find the futility of the affection which sisters and brothers 
bear towards me ; when I find that children and wife shall 
stay away when my body will be burning upon the funeral 
pire J when I contemplate how friends and relatives shall 
leave me in the cemetery and walk away ; I then begin to 
shed tears. My Throat chokes ; I find that darkness reigns 
everywhere ; my only resort is Thy feet, says Namdeva 
(Abg 24). 
I contemplate an immolation of myself at Thy 
feet. The river of desire, however, carries me away. I cannot 
be rescued from the river by any other swimmer except 
Thee ; hence throw Thyself into the river with Thy apparel 
to rescue me. The necklace of the nine jewels of devotion 
has been submerged in the river. The grounds of courage 
and discrimination have been broken to pieces. Faith, the 
rope by which one might swim out, has been sundered in 
twain. The great fish plying into the waters, namely Anger 
is intent upon carrying me to the bottom of the river. 
Thou shouldst swiftly leap into the river to take me out, 
says Namdeva (Abg 28) 
With tears in the eyes and with 
out-stretched hands, Namdeva is looking out for his Lord 
(Abg 30). 
Shameless as he is, with his life- breath centred 
in his throat, he has been thinking about Thee night and 
day (Abg 31).
 The three fires of the physical, metaphysical 
and accidental evils, have been burning fiercely before me. 
When wouldst Thou rain from heaven, O Cloud of Mercy ? 
I have been caught in the flames of grief and infatuation. 
The wild conflagration of anxiety has spread all round. I 
am going to the bottom of toe river and coming up again. 
Unless Thou, O Cloud of Mercy, run to my succour, my 
life-breath will depart from me (Abg 32). 



Thou shouldst 
not consider my merit. I am an ocean of sin incarnate. 
From top to toe, I have committed sins innumerable 
(Abg 35).
 Do you think that I shall grow weary, and go 
away from your presence, feeling that you would not 
come ? The rope of my life I shall bind to Thy feet, and 
shall bring Thee to me at pleasure. It is best therefore that 



POETRY 



65 



Thou shouldst see me of Thy own accord (Abg 36).
 I shall 
spread the meshes of my love and catch Thee, alive. I shall 
make my heart a prison for Thee, and shall intern 
Thee inside. I shall beat Thee with the voice of Self- 
identity, and Thou shall surely ask for compassion (Abg 
37). Thy generosity has been falsely praised. Thou givest 
only when Thou hast taken away (Abg 40). 
The great Bali 
threw his body at Thy feet and then Thou hadst compas- 
sion on him. Thy devotees have sacrificed their lives for 
Thy sake. Thou hhouldst not forget that it is these devotees 
that have brought name to Thee (Abg 41).
 If a king leaves 
away his wife does she not rule over the world ? If the 
son of an Emperor has committed a fault; is it possible 
that any other man might bring him to book ? We may 
possess as many faults as we like, and yet our faults are 
in the Lord (Abg 44). 
We shall speak such words 2 s will 
make God nod in joy. Love shall fill every part of our body, 
and our mouth will utter the name of God. We shall 
dance in the performance of Kirtana, shall light the lamp 
of knowledge in this world, and live in a place which is 
beyond the highest. All power has come to me, says 
Namdeva on account of the gift of my Spiritual Teacher 
(Abg 47). 



Such spiritual unrest stems from all-dedicating faith. Three 
translations frcm Macnicol quoted on the next page will illustrate 
Namdev's complete renunciation of all material desires and 
unstained and unflinching belief in the Gr.?ce of the Supreme : 














No. 333, (Deha javo athava rako) 

Whether I live or perish, yet, 
On Pandurang my faith is set 
Thy feet, Lord, I will ne'er forsake- 
To thee this solemn vow I make 

Thy holy name my lips shall tell : 
Within my heart thy love shall dwell 

This, Kesav is thy Nama's vow 
O aid me to fulfil it, thou 





ONE THING 

501 (Heci deva pai magata) 
One thing I of my Lord entreat, 
That I may ever serve his feet 



POETRY 



67 



That I in Pandhari abide 
Always his holy saints beside 

Or high or low my birth may be ; 
Still, Hari, I would worship thee 
Lord of Kamala Nama prays, 
, O grant me this through all my days 















270 (Tu majhi mauli) 

My Mother thou ; thy sucking babe am I : 
Feed me with love, my Pandurang, I cry. 

I am the calf with thee the mother cow ; 
Thy milk, my Pandurang withhold not now. 
I am thy fawn, the mother doe thou art ; 
Renp the world's snare, my Pandurang, apart. 
Thou mother bird and T among thy brood ; 
O fly, my Pandurang, and bring me food. 
Ah, heart's beloved, hear thy Name say. 
On every side thou hedgest up my way.







Namdev has left away all these things, and is approa- 



NAMDEV 



ching God in utter submission (Abg 83). 





Our one goal 
should be the vision of God, whatever pursuit we might be 
undertaking.




Children send a kite into the sky with a rope 
in their hands ; but their attention is upon the kite, and 
upon the rope. A woman from Gujerat goes with pitcher 
piled upon pitcher, moving her hands freely but her atten- 
tion is riveted upon the pitchers. An unchaste woman has her 
heart always set upon her lover. A thief set his heart upon 
other people's gold. A covetous man has his attention ever 
directed towards his treasure. We may carry on any pursuit 
says Namdeva, provided we always think of God (Abg 85)




We should always think of death, says Namdeva, in what- 
ever pursuit we might be engaged. As when a thief is being 
carried to the hanging place, death is approaching him at 
every step ; as when a man is plying his axe at the root of 
a tree, its life is diminishing every moment ; similarly, 
whatever we may be doing, we must suppose that death is 
always approaching us (Abg 90).




We should be supremely 
indifferent to qualities like good and evil. All objects of 
sense should be as indifferent to us as either a serpent or 
a beautiful maiden is to a man who has gone to sleep. We 
should regard dung and gold, or a jewel or a stone, as of 
equal value. Let the sky come and envelop us, or 
let cinders 
be poured on our head, we should not allow our life in 
Atman to be disturbed.
 You may praise us or censure us, 
says Namdeva, we shall always live in the joy of God 
(Abg 91)




Al] these pursuits are 
vain, says Namdeva ; the only pursuit of value is the 
utterance of Name of God (Abg 95)






No. 10 (Chakravaka pakshi) 

The Chakravaka bird pines and calls when separated 

So it has happened to me 
When the mother is lost the young one cries 

So it has happened to me 
When the calf is not seen the cow lows 

So it has happened to me 

Without water the fish are restless 
So it has happened to me 



NAMDEV 



Nama says I feel sore in the heart 
I am missing you very much 



No. 11 (Kay a Majhe at a) 

Why do you see my end Come running 

Without thee I cry Come running 

Even if you are busy, see me awhile Come running 

Come O Come, O God, Nama calls you Come running 






Inside the ocean the drop is tested 
In the drop the ocean is lost 

Namdev has only One 

The Unseen cannot be seen 



Twinkling shining stars 
So shine the three dear worlds 
Lines in sky and yet not in sight 
If you try to catch it escape the grasp 
Lamp burns without oil or wick 
The Eternal light burns day and night 
Says Namdev I touched the Immoral feet 
The soul was freed and the real Essence was see




No. 194 (Madhav kaise kijai Jog) 

Madhav how shall I perform yoga ? 
There is great difficulty in doing yoga 

I could not leave the world attachment 
Neither do I know living, nor my doing 

I am bound with fine bindings 
Neither have I knowledge, nor meditation 

Hari is filling everything 

I am orphan without virtues 

I am separated from you ? 

Namdev says let me go to the resort of Hari 
Otherwise people would scoff 















My guru instilled into me right ideas, and when I awoke 
to reason my mind accepted them.



The serpent casteth its slough, but not its poison : 
Since thy heart is not pure, 

Why perform mock meditation and repetition of 
God's name ? 











Thou art as the crane watching for fish in the water. 

The man who eateth the food of lions, 

Is called the god of thieves. 

Nama's Lord hath settled the quarrel ; 

Drink God's elixir, O double-faced one. 











If thou see the Supreme God, thou shalt have no other 
desire ; 

If thou think of the worship of God, thou shalt keep thy 
mind free from care 

O my soul, how shalt thou cross over the world's ocean 
filled with the water of evil passions ? 

O my soul, thou hast been led astray on seeing the deceit- 
ful world. 


My Carpenter is the Support of the soul. 

If any one want such a hut to be built, the Carpenter will 
require love for His wages 

When man breaketh with his family and all his friends, 
then the Carpenter of His own accord cometh to him. 

I cannot describe such a Carpenter ; He is contained in 
everything and in every place. 

As when a dumb man tasteth the great flavpur of nectar, 
if thou ask him, he cannot describe it. 

Hear the praises of the Carpenter, my sister — He restrai- 
ned the ocean and fixed Dhru as the polar star. 


The sight of him even for a moment removeth man's 
three fevers, and his touch extricateth man from the pit of 
family life. 




The inscrutable Being invented a play — 
God is concealed in every heart, 
No one knoweth the nature of the soul's light 
What we overselves have done Thou knowest. 
As an earthen vessel is produced from clay, 
So Vitthal created the world. 
The soul 's entanglements depend on its acts; 
It is itself responsible for what it hath done, 
Namdev represented, the soul obtaineth the result of its 
thoughts; 

The soul which always remaineth fixed on the Inscrutable 
One, becometh immortal.