Bhajans as Prayer - O P Vidyakar

Bhagawan Baba used to conduct Bhajans even in his boyhood with his classmates. Most of the songs in those Bhajans were in praise of the protective aspect of God descending in the forms of various Avatars for the establishment of Righteous-ness, the protection of the good people and the prevention of the proliferation of evil tendencies. A good number of the songs were especially devoted to the deity at Pandarpur variously known as Krishna, Narayana, Pandari Nath and Panduranga but most commonly and fondly called Vittala or Vittoba. To appreciate this peculiar name given to the Lord which means "the one who stands on a brick’, we must know the story of Pundarika which is as follows:

Long ago, there lived in a village in Western India, a very great devotee of God with his wife. The couple were childless for long and after sustained prayers, austerities and offerings, were blessed with a son. He was named Pundarika. They pampered him and doted upon him so much that he was thoroughly spoiled and grew up into a lad with all bad habits. He forced them to give him money for gambling, to go to prostitutes etc. so often that they lost all their wealth and became very poor. Yet their son pestered them for money and scolded them with very bad and harsh words. They cried to the Lord most pitiably for an escape from this worldly life or at least from their son’s torments.

© "Spiritual Impressions" (January-February, 2002) published by Sai Tower Publishing, 23/1142, Vijayalakshmi Colony, Kadugodi, Bangalore 560 067. Website: www.saitowers.com. Reprinted with permission.

Click here to view the full contents of the article.

<< Back