Stories of Indian Saints

535 Pages·2009·13.63 MB·English

ABBOTT
JUSTIN E,
of
Stories
Saints
GODBOLE
N,R.
OF
STORIES
INDIAN
SAINTS
STORIES OF INDIAN SAINTS
STORIES OF INDIAN SAINTS
Translation of Mahipati's Marathi
BHAKTAVIJATA
by
Dr. JUSTIN E ABBOTT
and
PANDIT NARHAR R. GODBOLE
An Introduction by
TAGARE
Dr. G. V.
&
Vols. I II
(Bound inone)
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS
^' D0lhi Vanmssi Patna
BangtOM Mmdras
Fourth Edition: Poona, 1933
Reprint: Delhi, 1982, 1988
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ISBN: 81-208-0469-4
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CONTEXTS
Page
Foreword ByJ. F. Edtoards ...VH-XXXIT
;
Chapter
31. Ramdas of Dakur 1
32. Kslyan and Niradhar the Celibate 7
33. Surdas The Blind Saint 15
34. Sena the Barber 22
35. King Satvik and Karmabai 29
36. Janajasvant and Surdas Madanmohan 3S
37. Rasik Murar 52
38. Mirabai 66
39. Kanhopatra 78
40. Damajipant of Mangalvedhe 85
41. Mrityunjaya Swami 100
42. Bbanudas 109
43. Bbanudas { Cnntinued ) 122
44. The Story of Babirambhat 145
45. Eknath 154
46. Eknath and Shri Khandya the Brahmin 172
47. Ramdas of Jamb 189
48. Tukarani 201
49. Tukaram ( Continued ) 218
50. Tukaram ( „ ) 235
51. Tukaram and Nimbaraj 252
52. Tukaram and Dev of Chinohvad 279
53. Mankoji Bodbla The Palil of Dhamangaon 295
54. Mankoji Bodhla and Hansi the Handmaid 313
55. Qaneshnath, Keshav Swami, Gomai, and
Latibsha 331
56. Ssntoba Pawar; Niloba; Uddbava Chidghan 348
VI
Page
57. VisobaSaraf ... 367
57. ( Continued ) Summary of the Bhaktavijaya ... 376
Appendix I. Notes on Pauranic Names in the
Bkafctavijaya ... 389
„ II. Pauranic Narratives Referred to
in the Bhaktavijaya ... 422
11}. Words With NumericalSignifi-
cance Used in the Bhaktavijaya 434
„ IV. Epithets of Vishnu Found in the
Bhaktavijaya 450
...
V. Poetic Fancies Used in the
,,
Bhaktavijaya 456
...
Index ... 457
FOREWORD
BY
J. F. Edwards
The Late Pundit N. R. Godbole
This is the tenth volume in the ' PoetSaints of Maha-
rashtra' series begun by the late Dr. Justin Edwards
Abbott in 1926. Since thepublioation of theninth volume
last December thecause of Marathi literature has suffered
aierious blow by the death from pneumonia on Friday
morning, February 16, after a brief illness, of Pundit
Narhar RamchandraGodbole. This able and unassuming
Marathi scholar had collaborated ia the preparation of
this series of English translations, first with the late Dr.
Abbott through Dr. Nicol Maoniool and latterly with the
present editor of the series. On September 1933 the
Pundit whose passing has left such a sad gap inthe ranks
of Western India entered on his sixtieth year. We can
never forget the occasion of our last visit with him. Little
did we dream it was to be our last, and the mellowing
light of that closing fellowship seems to throw itself back
overtheyears that preceded. We had called to see him
on the Tuesday evening previous to the end and found
him doubled up with asthmatic pain. Instead of discus-
sing with him the various points we had taken for his
customary elucidation, we found ourselves commending
him in prayer to our common Father-God. For though
this learned Brahman held a different faith from ours,
there was in bim a deep strain of devotion which mani-
fested itself at all times and iiever so impressively as in
this hour of need. Pundit Narhar Ramchandra Godbole
was one of the humblest and most patient of scholars, to
work with whom one came to regard asa high privilege.
Till
That the fellowship was also prized by the departed
Punditappears from a sacred document which we shall
treasure, a document he had handed over to us for the pur-
pose of a Preface, but from which to quote here would be
scarcely fitting because of its over-generous terminology
and characteristic oriental charity in relation to
ourselves. In the same document Pundit Godbole
expressed great surprise at Dr. Abbott's desire that he
{the Pundit )'should be recognized on the title-page as
joint-author of this and the preceding volume, the Pundit
adding characteristically : * Among us Hindus there is a
saying that if a great man coats a stone with red paint it
is deified and then worshipped by the public that saying
;
is now verified in my own case, for my master has put on
me the coat of editorship.' We are happy to be able to
add that although the good Pundit who worked for several
years on this series of translations of the Poet Saints has
not seen the completion of the task, he has left enough of
solid preparation in manuscript form to ensure that his
capable hand will be seen in the volumes still remaining.
Corrections
In ourForeword to the earlier volume on the Bkakta-
vijaya dated December 7, 1933, we find we were in
error in stating that the late Dr. Justin E. Abbott
was ' born at Rahuri. ' We are indebted for this
correction to DrAbbott's brother in America who kindly
acknowhdges a copy of the—volume by writing us on
February 2, 1934as follows: ' My brother was born in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States, and went out
to India with ourparents in 1857 when Justin was four
years old, and father was assigned to Rahuri. ' We are
deeply grateful for this correction, and we request all
those readers who may detect errorsof date, of translation,
of opinion, etc. kindly to communicate the same to us.