8. Listen to another most interesting story. Bahirambhat lived at Pratishthan ( modern Paithsn ). He
was a learned pandit in the six systems of philosophy, and skilled in the knowledge of Vedanta.
9. Brahmans who read the Vedas called themselves his pupils. A number of Brahmans associated themselves with him and studied the stories of the Puianas.
10. Although he was so great a personage, he would never go to visit the king. At his own home he maintained a perpetual sacred fire, performed many holy deeds, and had no sorrow in his heart.
11. Without any desire to ask anything of anyone, the Brahman carried on the occupation of an ordinary Brahman. Bathing on the banks of the Godavari river he performed there his austerities.
12. Then arising in the middle of the day Bahirambhat was accustomed to return to his horaa After making his offering to fire and the gods he used to invite noble Brahmans to dine with him.
13, After the dinner was over at the third watch of the day he would read aloud the Purnms. Wise people who were learned in the philosophy of the Vedanta would come there to listen.
14. One day while sitting eating he playfully referred to his wife saying that she had served
vegetables without salt. His wife heard him say this
15. and replied to him, ‘ You are now sixty years of age. Why do you wish for a keen sense of taste on your tongue ?’
16. Hearing these words of his wife he felt repentant. He said to himself, ‘ Why should I pass my life in vain ? I must make it fruitful.’
17. Bahiramhhat at once arose and made a namaskar to his wife. He said to her, ‘Mother
you have given me a valuable instruction in your love.
18. All the good deeds which I performed in a former birth have surely now come to their fruitage. Therefore through the instrument of words I have become possessed of strenuous indifference to worldly things. ’
19. Bahir-ambhat thought to himself, ‘ If now I go straight away into the forest, they will bring me back through the influence of others.
20. Still I must plan that my relations with my own caste should suddenly break so that no one should question me. ’ Such were his thoughts.
21. ‘If I should now become a Sannyasi, all the Brahmans will worship me. If I enter into the highest stage of the order they will still pay honour to me as one absorbed in
the eternal Brahma.
22. Those who are in the highest positions, however, seeing me thus, will spit upon me. Evil men will seek to dishonour me. This is what ought to follow on such an occasion.
23. By this happening to me, my body will become pure. ’ Holding such repentance in his heart, he went away from his home.
HE BECOMES A MUHAMMADAN
24. Bahirambhat then went to the house of a Kazi { Muhammadan priest ) and he spake very humbly to him saying, ‘Take me into your caste.
25. Your Shastras speak of making a Hindu into a Muhammadan as a holy thing to do. Therefore do not hesitate and make me like yourself. ’
26. The Kazi ( Muhammadan priest ) replied, ‘ Why have you become indifferent to-day? Why have
you a sudden change of mind ? I will help you out of difficulty.
27. You are a learned pundd. Why do you wish to come into our caste ? If you have any desire in
your heart, I will supply it.’
28. Bahirambhat replied, ‘ I have not become one indifferent to desire, but your way seems to be to concentrate on acquiring God. ’
29. Seeing his determination, he defiled Bahirambhat (i. e., received him into his caste ). When Brahmans heard of this, all were full of sorrow.
30. Seeing there was no remedy for it, however, they finally settled dovfn quietly. There were
some evil thinkers at Paithan who reviled him when seeing him.
31. Some said, ‘ There is an evil thought in his indifference. ’ Some said, ' He is possessed of demons ’ Others said, ‘ If we so much as take his name all our good deeds will vanish.’
32. Still another said, ‘His wife ought not to have spoken to him in the way she did. ’ Others said, ‘ Her luck appears to be unfavourable. ’
33. Some said, ‘ He has a cruel heart. Our wives too speak to us in the same way, and a great deal
too, bnt the idea of indifference to worldly things does not come into our mind.
34. Some exclaimed, ‘ When he had acquired wealth to secure the welfare of his family ; it was easy for him to think of indifference to worldly things.’ Thus people spoke to one another.
35. Others said, ‘ He was learned in the S>ia
36. Others said, ‘ In performing his religious acts he may have made a slip in his repetition of mantras ' Others rebukingly said, without thinking, ‘ Why are you needles?ly reviling him?
37. If one has knowledge, adult age, good family line, abundance of wealth and property, a son and wife, it is impossible for him to become indifferent to worldly things.’
38. In this way some of the people of Paithan reviled and some praised him. But Bahirambhat, repent-ant, always lived without fear.
BAHIRAMBHAT A BRAHMAN AGAIN
39, On a certain day, however, the Brahmans were seated on the banks of the Godavari river. Ha went to them and in repentance began to cry.
41. His throat choked with emotion and tears of joy flowed from his eyes. Seeing hitn thus, the Brahmans questioned him.
41. They said to Bahirambhat, ‘ For what purpose did you becime a Muhammadan ? What good qualities did you find amongst them, that you should cast us aside?’
42. When the Brahmans said this to him, he replied, ‘My kinna ( fate ) was very powerful, therefore I fell into this thought- less action.
43. In order to attain God, I of my own will became a Muhammadan. But I do not see there any way
of obtaining knowledge of the soul.’
44. The Brahmans replied to him, ‘ One’s dffiverance is in one’s good deeds.’ Saying this to him, they consulted among themselves.
45. He was a wise and good man. He became defiled because of hia kirjiia ( fate ). So now giv-
ing bim a penanoa aocording to prescribed rules, let us again bring Brabmanhood to biio.
BAHIBAMBHAT’S ARGUMENTS
46. The inbabitants of other cities come here to question us regarding the laws of the shastras. And now why should we hesitate regarding the decision to make him pure ?
47 . After the sewage of villages has united with the Ganges, it becomes pure. Then if the water of the .Ganges itself spreads outside, will it be called filthy ?
48. If one belonging to another town has been defiled in another caste, he becomes pure by coming to Pratishthan ( nodern Paithan), then why drive away any good man belonging to this place ? If we do so, we shall be reproached.’
49 . Examining the skaalras, they at once gave him penance. Spending an enormous amount of money, the Brahmans made him pure.
50. Now all the Brahmans assembled and said to Bahirambhat, ‘ Because of your good deeds in a former birth, you will have a sight of Shri Hari. ’
BAHIRAMBHAT’S ARGUMENTS
51, Then all the Muhammadans assembled and said to the Brahmans, ‘ You have turned a Muham-
madan into a Brahman. Come and tell the king how you did it. ’
53. Bahirambhat said to them, ‘ How is it you made me a Muhammadan ? See now the marks of
piercing still appear in my ears. I am doubtful about your assertions,
53. If a man sees, how can anyone call him blind ? When a man has the strength to walk, noone should call him a cripple.
54. If one has pride, it is of no use to describe him as having been delivered from earthly bondage. When one can listen by his ears, he should not be called a deaf man,
55. When sugar is mixed with intoxicating liquor, its sweetness does not go, so though you may have defiled me, still marks of piercing by ear- rings remain.
56. I have these marks in my ear and while so, you still call me one without marks ( a Muha-
mmadan ). And you are not ashamed of this. ’ In this way he discussed the matter with the Muhammadans, As the talk was going on all became wearied.
57. He then said to the Brahmans, ‘ Listen to my words; you gave me a penance and made me a Brahman again. What your law books on this subject are I do not know.
58. As the foreskin which they cut (or circumcised) has not come back through the penance 1 have taken, how is it I have become pure by applying to it cowdung and holy ashes ?
59. If the nc«e is cut off, who will respect that person ? So these Muha- mmedans having defiled me, my Brahmanhood no longer remains.
60. The full moon makes the moon bright hut the dark spots on it still remain. So although you have
purified me by penance, still the stain of defilement re-mains.
61. If the barber lets the tuft of hair remain it will grow; but the ( circumcised ) foreskin does not come back again. This doubt in my mind is always present with me.
62. Therefore, I am not altogether a Brahman, and you cannot call me a Muhammedan, I cannot be
regarded as of either c kste.
63. As the potter places on his wheel a lump of mud, it is not a jar or mere earth.
So it has happened to me.*
BRAHMAKS SILENCED
64. Having listened to his words, the Brahmans remained silent. They remarked, ‘ How shall we be able to remove his doubts ? ’
65. If he met any wise man any- where, he asked him to tell him who he was, and having
put to him that question he went on.
66. If people said he was a Muhammadan he would become angry and would say to them, * You do not know the facts, and in vain you try to delude me.
67. If 1 were truly a Muhammadan then why are my ears still pierced V Without knowing any-
thing you try to delude me. You speak out of your foolish- ness.’
BAHIRAMBHAT’S DOUBTS REMOVED
68. If anyone said that Bahirambhat was a great Brahman of Pratishthan ( modern Paithan ) he scolded him saying,
69. ‘You call me a Brahman. If so, why is the sign of circumcision still there ?’ He showed
it to them and all wondered.
70, As he thus questioned every one he met, he got the name of ‘Crazy Bahira.’ He said to himself, ‘When shall I meet with a sadguru who will remove the impression of my doubt ?’
71. Thus wandering about for many days, he came to the town of Vadaval. Here Nagnath the spiritual expert lived in the hermitage of his sadguru.
72. He was building a great tomb for his Sivami. He used in the work some carte made of Sharalcand wood, and placing on them stones as big as mountains he hitched monkeys to them in order to draw them.
NAGNATH REMOVES CRAZY BAHIRA’S DOUBTS
73. When Crazy Bahira saw this with his eyes, he was astonished and said to himself, ‘ I am sure he will remove my doubt, and bring steadiness to my mind. Bahirambhat now said to Kagnath,
74. ‘ Tell me plainly Am I a Hindu or a Muhammadan?’ Hearing this seemingly impudent speech, the Sadguru grew angry.
75. He had his staff in his hand and he at once struck him on his head. Bahirambhat immediately fainted and fell on to the ground.
76. He could remember nothing. His very life seemed to have disappeared. He had no consciousness of who he was. There was no more life in his body.
77. Nagnath having done this he said to himself, ‘ I must entirely remove his misunderstanding. I must remove his doubt and put him on the way of under- standing himself. ’
78. He had a pestle brought by the hands of his disciples, and had his body pounded by them.
Then having thus pounded his bones and flesh together, he made a lump of them with his hands.
79. He then made on it an image and with his own hands cremated it. All who looked at the strange doing were full of astonishment.
80, When the fire was out, Nagnath did a seemingly impos-sible thing. He looked upon it with an eye of compassion. A. living force entered into it.
81. It was a divine body with all good qualities, such as Yogis enjoy and then sit contemplating the divine essence. Such a form Nagnath now saw. He felt great joy at heart.
82. The Sadguru, then asked him who he was. ‘ Bahirarabhat, listen to my words. Tell me quickly who you are. ’
83. Hearing this question, he thought for a while and then said, ‘ Doubts have now disappeared.’ Saying this he remained silent.
84 ‘ If I call myself a Muhammadan, yet my foreskin is already there; if I say I am a Brahman my ears look as if already pierced. ’
85. badgums teach the knowledge of philosophy, but who can change the body ? Nagnath did
that which was .seemingly impossible and removed his great doubt.
BAHIRAMBHAT OBTAINS SOUL KNOWLEDGK
86. Nagnath placed his hand upon Bahirambhat’s head and gave him the instruction needed to make him his disciple. He became at once a knower of soul and set him- self to the worship of Hari.
87. Bahirambhat full of joy exclaimed, ‘ Blessed is the sadguru Nagnath. He has given me another birth without a moment’s delay.
88. There are a great many gurus with the knowledge of the soul who can remove births and deaths; but they certainly cannot change the body, for the action of karma cannot be resisted.
89. Bringing the image of Pandurang into their minds, a great number of bhaktas worship him.
Namdev caused the stone idol to eat and this seems most strange.
90. Everywhere the people speak of the illusory nature of Maya, and in distress they show themselves very brave. But Kabir killed bis sou and this seems most strange.
http://brickinformation.blogspot.com/search/label/Bhaktavijaya
was a learned pandit in the six systems of philosophy, and skilled in the knowledge of Vedanta.
9. Brahmans who read the Vedas called themselves his pupils. A number of Brahmans associated themselves with him and studied the stories of the Puianas.
10. Although he was so great a personage, he would never go to visit the king. At his own home he maintained a perpetual sacred fire, performed many holy deeds, and had no sorrow in his heart.
11. Without any desire to ask anything of anyone, the Brahman carried on the occupation of an ordinary Brahman. Bathing on the banks of the Godavari river he performed there his austerities.
12. Then arising in the middle of the day Bahirambhat was accustomed to return to his horaa After making his offering to fire and the gods he used to invite noble Brahmans to dine with him.
13, After the dinner was over at the third watch of the day he would read aloud the Purnms. Wise people who were learned in the philosophy of the Vedanta would come there to listen.
14. One day while sitting eating he playfully referred to his wife saying that she had served
vegetables without salt. His wife heard him say this
15. and replied to him, ‘ You are now sixty years of age. Why do you wish for a keen sense of taste on your tongue ?’
16. Hearing these words of his wife he felt repentant. He said to himself, ‘ Why should I pass my life in vain ? I must make it fruitful.’
17. Bahiramhhat at once arose and made a namaskar to his wife. He said to her, ‘Mother
you have given me a valuable instruction in your love.
18. All the good deeds which I performed in a former birth have surely now come to their fruitage. Therefore through the instrument of words I have become possessed of strenuous indifference to worldly things. ’
19. Bahir-ambhat thought to himself, ‘ If now I go straight away into the forest, they will bring me back through the influence of others.
20. Still I must plan that my relations with my own caste should suddenly break so that no one should question me. ’ Such were his thoughts.
21. ‘If I should now become a Sannyasi, all the Brahmans will worship me. If I enter into the highest stage of the order they will still pay honour to me as one absorbed in
the eternal Brahma.
22. Those who are in the highest positions, however, seeing me thus, will spit upon me. Evil men will seek to dishonour me. This is what ought to follow on such an occasion.
23. By this happening to me, my body will become pure. ’ Holding such repentance in his heart, he went away from his home.
HE BECOMES A MUHAMMADAN
24. Bahirambhat then went to the house of a Kazi { Muhammadan priest ) and he spake very humbly to him saying, ‘Take me into your caste.
25. Your Shastras speak of making a Hindu into a Muhammadan as a holy thing to do. Therefore do not hesitate and make me like yourself. ’
26. The Kazi ( Muhammadan priest ) replied, ‘ Why have you become indifferent to-day? Why have
you a sudden change of mind ? I will help you out of difficulty.
27. You are a learned pundd. Why do you wish to come into our caste ? If you have any desire in
your heart, I will supply it.’
28. Bahirambhat replied, ‘ I have not become one indifferent to desire, but your way seems to be to concentrate on acquiring God. ’
29. Seeing his determination, he defiled Bahirambhat (i. e., received him into his caste ). When Brahmans heard of this, all were full of sorrow.
30. Seeing there was no remedy for it, however, they finally settled dovfn quietly. There were
some evil thinkers at Paithan who reviled him when seeing him.
31. Some said, ‘ There is an evil thought in his indifference. ’ Some said, ' He is possessed of demons ’ Others said, ‘ If we so much as take his name all our good deeds will vanish.’
32. Still another said, ‘His wife ought not to have spoken to him in the way she did. ’ Others said, ‘ Her luck appears to be unfavourable. ’
33. Some said, ‘ He has a cruel heart. Our wives too speak to us in the same way, and a great deal
too, bnt the idea of indifference to worldly things does not come into our mind.
34. Some exclaimed, ‘ When he had acquired wealth to secure the welfare of his family ; it was easy for him to think of indifference to worldly things.’ Thus people spoke to one another.
35. Others said, ‘ He was learned in the S>ia
36. Others said, ‘ In performing his religious acts he may have made a slip in his repetition of mantras ' Others rebukingly said, without thinking, ‘ Why are you needles?ly reviling him?
37. If one has knowledge, adult age, good family line, abundance of wealth and property, a son and wife, it is impossible for him to become indifferent to worldly things.’
38. In this way some of the people of Paithan reviled and some praised him. But Bahirambhat, repent-ant, always lived without fear.
BAHIRAMBHAT A BRAHMAN AGAIN
39, On a certain day, however, the Brahmans were seated on the banks of the Godavari river. Ha went to them and in repentance began to cry.
41. His throat choked with emotion and tears of joy flowed from his eyes. Seeing hitn thus, the Brahmans questioned him.
41. They said to Bahirambhat, ‘ For what purpose did you becime a Muhammadan ? What good qualities did you find amongst them, that you should cast us aside?’
42. When the Brahmans said this to him, he replied, ‘My kinna ( fate ) was very powerful, therefore I fell into this thought- less action.
43. In order to attain God, I of my own will became a Muhammadan. But I do not see there any way
of obtaining knowledge of the soul.’
44. The Brahmans replied to him, ‘ One’s dffiverance is in one’s good deeds.’ Saying this to him, they consulted among themselves.
45. He was a wise and good man. He became defiled because of hia kirjiia ( fate ). So now giv-
ing bim a penanoa aocording to prescribed rules, let us again bring Brabmanhood to biio.
BAHIBAMBHAT’S ARGUMENTS
46. The inbabitants of other cities come here to question us regarding the laws of the shastras. And now why should we hesitate regarding the decision to make him pure ?
47 . After the sewage of villages has united with the Ganges, it becomes pure. Then if the water of the .Ganges itself spreads outside, will it be called filthy ?
48. If one belonging to another town has been defiled in another caste, he becomes pure by coming to Pratishthan ( nodern Paithan), then why drive away any good man belonging to this place ? If we do so, we shall be reproached.’
49 . Examining the skaalras, they at once gave him penance. Spending an enormous amount of money, the Brahmans made him pure.
50. Now all the Brahmans assembled and said to Bahirambhat, ‘ Because of your good deeds in a former birth, you will have a sight of Shri Hari. ’
BAHIRAMBHAT’S ARGUMENTS
51, Then all the Muhammadans assembled and said to the Brahmans, ‘ You have turned a Muham-
madan into a Brahman. Come and tell the king how you did it. ’
53. Bahirambhat said to them, ‘ How is it you made me a Muhammadan ? See now the marks of
piercing still appear in my ears. I am doubtful about your assertions,
53. If a man sees, how can anyone call him blind ? When a man has the strength to walk, noone should call him a cripple.
54. If one has pride, it is of no use to describe him as having been delivered from earthly bondage. When one can listen by his ears, he should not be called a deaf man,
55. When sugar is mixed with intoxicating liquor, its sweetness does not go, so though you may have defiled me, still marks of piercing by ear- rings remain.
56. I have these marks in my ear and while so, you still call me one without marks ( a Muha-
mmadan ). And you are not ashamed of this. ’ In this way he discussed the matter with the Muhammadans, As the talk was going on all became wearied.
57. He then said to the Brahmans, ‘ Listen to my words; you gave me a penance and made me a Brahman again. What your law books on this subject are I do not know.
58. As the foreskin which they cut (or circumcised) has not come back through the penance 1 have taken, how is it I have become pure by applying to it cowdung and holy ashes ?
59. If the nc«e is cut off, who will respect that person ? So these Muha- mmedans having defiled me, my Brahmanhood no longer remains.
60. The full moon makes the moon bright hut the dark spots on it still remain. So although you have
purified me by penance, still the stain of defilement re-mains.
61. If the barber lets the tuft of hair remain it will grow; but the ( circumcised ) foreskin does not come back again. This doubt in my mind is always present with me.
62. Therefore, I am not altogether a Brahman, and you cannot call me a Muhammedan, I cannot be
regarded as of either c kste.
63. As the potter places on his wheel a lump of mud, it is not a jar or mere earth.
So it has happened to me.*
BRAHMAKS SILENCED
64. Having listened to his words, the Brahmans remained silent. They remarked, ‘ How shall we be able to remove his doubts ? ’
65. If he met any wise man any- where, he asked him to tell him who he was, and having
put to him that question he went on.
66. If people said he was a Muhammadan he would become angry and would say to them, * You do not know the facts, and in vain you try to delude me.
67. If 1 were truly a Muhammadan then why are my ears still pierced V Without knowing any-
thing you try to delude me. You speak out of your foolish- ness.’
BAHIRAMBHAT’S DOUBTS REMOVED
68. If anyone said that Bahirambhat was a great Brahman of Pratishthan ( modern Paithan ) he scolded him saying,
69. ‘You call me a Brahman. If so, why is the sign of circumcision still there ?’ He showed
it to them and all wondered.
70, As he thus questioned every one he met, he got the name of ‘Crazy Bahira.’ He said to himself, ‘When shall I meet with a sadguru who will remove the impression of my doubt ?’
71. Thus wandering about for many days, he came to the town of Vadaval. Here Nagnath the spiritual expert lived in the hermitage of his sadguru.
72. He was building a great tomb for his Sivami. He used in the work some carte made of Sharalcand wood, and placing on them stones as big as mountains he hitched monkeys to them in order to draw them.
NAGNATH REMOVES CRAZY BAHIRA’S DOUBTS
73. When Crazy Bahira saw this with his eyes, he was astonished and said to himself, ‘ I am sure he will remove my doubt, and bring steadiness to my mind. Bahirambhat now said to Kagnath,
74. ‘ Tell me plainly Am I a Hindu or a Muhammadan?’ Hearing this seemingly impudent speech, the Sadguru grew angry.
75. He had his staff in his hand and he at once struck him on his head. Bahirambhat immediately fainted and fell on to the ground.
76. He could remember nothing. His very life seemed to have disappeared. He had no consciousness of who he was. There was no more life in his body.
77. Nagnath having done this he said to himself, ‘ I must entirely remove his misunderstanding. I must remove his doubt and put him on the way of under- standing himself. ’
78. He had a pestle brought by the hands of his disciples, and had his body pounded by them.
Then having thus pounded his bones and flesh together, he made a lump of them with his hands.
79. He then made on it an image and with his own hands cremated it. All who looked at the strange doing were full of astonishment.
80, When the fire was out, Nagnath did a seemingly impos-sible thing. He looked upon it with an eye of compassion. A. living force entered into it.
81. It was a divine body with all good qualities, such as Yogis enjoy and then sit contemplating the divine essence. Such a form Nagnath now saw. He felt great joy at heart.
82. The Sadguru, then asked him who he was. ‘ Bahirarabhat, listen to my words. Tell me quickly who you are. ’
83. Hearing this question, he thought for a while and then said, ‘ Doubts have now disappeared.’ Saying this he remained silent.
84 ‘ If I call myself a Muhammadan, yet my foreskin is already there; if I say I am a Brahman my ears look as if already pierced. ’
85. badgums teach the knowledge of philosophy, but who can change the body ? Nagnath did
that which was .seemingly impossible and removed his great doubt.
BAHIRAMBHAT OBTAINS SOUL KNOWLEDGK
86. Nagnath placed his hand upon Bahirambhat’s head and gave him the instruction needed to make him his disciple. He became at once a knower of soul and set him- self to the worship of Hari.
87. Bahirambhat full of joy exclaimed, ‘ Blessed is the sadguru Nagnath. He has given me another birth without a moment’s delay.
88. There are a great many gurus with the knowledge of the soul who can remove births and deaths; but they certainly cannot change the body, for the action of karma cannot be resisted.
89. Bringing the image of Pandurang into their minds, a great number of bhaktas worship him.
Namdev caused the stone idol to eat and this seems most strange.
90. Everywhere the people speak of the illusory nature of Maya, and in distress they show themselves very brave. But Kabir killed bis sou and this seems most strange.
http://brickinformation.blogspot.com/search/label/Bhaktavijaya
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