Santh Namdev: Holism in Religion
LANDMARKS IN THE SPIRITUAL REGENERATION
AND RELIGIOUS INTEGRATION OF INDIA
( " like beads on a string"....Avathaar Meher Baba )
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the tailor saint who sowed the seeds of
Spiritual Integration in Northern India
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Gyaneshwar's Mandali :
Sant Gyaneshwar of Maharashtra had in his mandali, among others, two great spiritual stalwarts, Sant Ghorakumbhar and Sant Namdev.
Sant Namdev's poorvaashrama was that of a tailor.
Ghorakumbhar was a highly accomplished and humble person while Namdev, from whose hand Lord Vittal would partake the offered food, was, at that time, somewhat proud of his spiritual status.
Once, when the mandali was in sitting, Gyaneshwar asked Ghorakumbhar to symbollically test all those present, in the manner a potter tests a pot, for their individual levels of spiritual achievement. Ghorakumbhar did so and reported, with a little mischief, that he found all present there wanting in perfection.
Sant Gyaneshwar, the perfect master, smiled. But , Namdev became furious, engulfed in stark frustration.
Sant Gyaneshwar pacified Namdev, convincing him of the inner veracity of Kumbhar's findings and instructed him to take up travel for some time to find a perfect master who could give him the highest spiritual perfection or Siddhi.
Namdev's Travels:
Namdev travelled throughout the country. Soon, he found a perfect master passing his time in a desolate temple in a forest who, after testing Namdev's credentials, ultimately blessed him with spiritual perfection.
Now, Sant Namdev continued to travel and preach to every one the essence of the ancient wisdom he had uncovered. He ultimately reached Punjab. He settled there, permanently, serving the Lord and His devotees. He sowed the seeds of universal love in the hearts of the people around which was to sprout, in time, into a dense forest of renascent spirituality.
Nanak is born:
When Sant Namdev passed away, a samadhi was erected for him. Miracles were often experienced in its viciny. The santh Samadhi soon became a place of pilgrimage for all.
Many years later, an elderly couple, who had no issue, were advised by well wishers to go and pray at this samadhi. They did so devotedly and soon a son was born to them.
Birth of a Sadguru
This child grew up to become the great saint, Satguru Nanak ,a perfect master, who as in the case of Sant Kabir, became one of the great sources for the origin and spread of the 'bhakti movement', a great revolutionary spiritual renaissance movement, in Northern India.
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