Tukaram - The Music Of Panduranga's Heart-Part II

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Tukaram's devotion to Panduranga was an authentic proof of Bakti Yoga. Though misfortune and misery had taken a toll over his material life, he was enriched spiritually by his unparalleled love for Panduranga Vittala and his selfless philanthropic outlook further adorned his devotion. Thus he identified the Vittala of his heart with all others whom he encountered. His thoughts were tuned to Vittala and remained in consonance with Him.

After making a come back with his wife in response to her imploring, Tukaram set out to seek work the next day. As he walking down the street, he had to confront the derision of one Salomalo, a bard who sang the praise of God. Salomalo mocked Tukaram of his saintly nature as pretence; that he was incapable of taking care of his family and that he had to take up beggary as the ultimate resort. As the piercing words of Salomalo struck Tukaram's heart, Jnanoba, a noble man came to his rescue. He offered Tukatam to guard his corn field when he was away. Tukaram accepted the offer and went to Jnanoba's field to carry out the entrusted mission.

Tukaram's mind without any conscious effort to think of Vittala sunk into meditation when he saw the green fields ripe with corn ready to be harvested as the grace of Vittala. Salomalo who was a witness to it grabbed the opportunity to put Tukaram to shame and destroyed the crop. When Jnanoba returned he was filled with remorse at the sight of his devastated crop. Further he was also laden with the burden of providing a portion of the crop to the contentious Salomalo to whom he owed. Hence he gathered the remaining crop with a grief stricken heart as the play of Panduranga and threshed the crop. To his surprise the grain was heaped to more than his own requirement as well as the portion that he owed to Salomalo!

Jnanoba realizing the piety of Tukaram sent cartloads of grains to Tukaram's house. As one could anticipate, Tukaram saw no reason to accept the huge amount of grains. Hence Jnanoba offered the grains to Panduranga's temple leaving behind a bag of grains for Tukaram. The philanthropist in Tukaram in turn distributed the grains to the hungry and the suffering.

After this episode Tukaram's heart in constant hankering for solitude and seclusion for the devotion towards Panduranga retired to a cave where he came in touch with the devotional compositions of saints, Ekanath, Jnaneshwar, Namadev etc. This in turn triggered the outburst of his devotion to Panduranga in the form of numerous compositions. However his heart yearned for a Guru to guide him in his spiritual quest. That night Panduranga Himself appeared in Tukaram's dream and blessed him that he will be initiated by Baba Chaitanya. At the appropriate time Tukaram was thus initiated by Baba Chaitanya and henceforth it was customary of Tukaram's tongue to sing the praise of Lord thereby enriching the Marathi language.