Humble obeisances to Sant, Taponidhi Narayan Maharaj Dehukar', the son of 'Tukoba'

Article dated 4 Aug 2022 

Today is 'Shravana Shuddha Chaturti'.  The one who gave birth to 'Palkhi Sohala', the one who was a wealth of penance 'Sri Narayan Maharaj' Dehukar's' day of disappearance from this mortal world.

'Taponidhi Narayan Maharaj Dehukar' is the youngest child of 'Sant Tukaram Maharaj'.  His mother 'Jijai' gave birth to him 3 - 4 months after 'Sant Tukaram Maharaj's' 'Sadeha vaikunthagamana'.  In other words, 'Narayan Maharaj' could not benefit from his father's love and association.  'Tukokaabaaraay's' brother 'Kanhobaaraay' took care of him with a lot of love.

It comes to light from 'Mahipati Baba' in his narration of the life of 'Sant Tukaram', while 'Vishwambhar Baba' is this lineage's illustrious forefather, even before him, anscestors had followed and continued the tradition of 'Pandhari Vaari' without a break.  'Vishwambhar baba's' mother said to him :

All your fathers and grandfathers |

Without a break ensured that they walked the 'Pandhari Vari' ||

Come what may, do not let any gap sneak in |

Only then will your life in this world be fruitful ||

This same 'Vishwambhar baba' installed the first 'murtis' of 'vithal and rakhumai' in his house.  'Tukoba' ensured that this tradition 'Dindi sohala' was followed by his anscestors was followed without a single break, in the company of 14 'taalkaris' and some other 'vaarkaris'.

Pandhari Vaari exists in my household |

We do not conduct any other 'teertha vrata' ||

After 'Tukoba's' 'sadeha vaikunthagamana', 'Kaanhobaaraay' and 'Tukoba's' son 'Mahadevbuva' and 'Vithalbuva' continued the 'Dindi Sohala' to 'Pandhari'.  Due to old age, 'Kanhobaaray' handed over the baton to 'Tukobaaraay's' youngest son 'Narayan Maharaj'.  He to started doing 'Pandhari Vaari' alongwith some 'varkaris'.  After some time he started feeling within himself that in this 'vaari' if the 'kalasa' (crown jewel) of 'Bhaagavata Dharma' i.e. 'Tukoba' and the 'paaya' (foundation) of 'Bhagavata Dharma' i.e. 'Jnanoba' were to accompany him, then the 'pandhari vaari' would be more fulfilling and relishing with 'bhakti'.  He felt that if this life and breath were to be alongside, him, this life would be worth having been lived.  With this aim, in Sh.1685, on 'Jyeshta Krishnapaksha Saptami', he commenced the 'Palkhi sohala'.  He used to take 'Sant Tukaram Paduka' from 'Dehu' and go to 'Alandi'.  Over there he used to place 'Mauli Paduka' on the 'palkhi'.  Thus, in the same 'Palkhi', the 'padukas' of both 'Tukoka' and 'Mauli Jnaneshwar' would be rested and the 'Palkhi Sohala'  would proceed to 'Pandhari'.  'Narayan Maharaj' would conduct 'Kirtan' and 'Bhajan' in the 'sohala' which rent in a divine 'bhakti-filled' atmosphere.

'Jnanoba - Tukaram', the roaring chant which is divinely rendered in the 'pandhari vari' of current times was thus commenced by 'Narayan Maharaj' himself.

After the demise of 'Chhatrapati Sivaji' in 1680, 'Aurangazeb' had firmly entrenched himself in 'Maharashtra' with about few lakhs of his retinue.  He had started tormenting and crossed all limits of harrasment.  It was during these times, that 'Narayan Maharaj' kept the 'Palkhi Sohala' continued and thus taken a very bold step  in the 'varkari sampradaya'.  'Chhatrapati Shambhuji' would come to 'Dehu' frequently for 'darshan'.  He had a very close and dear relationship with 'Narayan Maharaj'.  'Chhatrapati Shambhu Maharaj' had provided protection to this 'Palkhi Sohala' in order they do not face any trouble from the 'Mughals'.  After the sacrifice of 'Dharmaveer Chhatrapati Shambhu Maharaj' in 1689, 'Chhatrapati Rajaram' kept this protection continued.

Come ye brethren young and old |

All those men and women to whichever strata you may belong to ||

Thus for all the 'varkari sampradaya', people from all castes and creed, young and old, male and female, the 'palkhi sohala' continued by 'Narayan Maharaj' conferred the peak of joy, creating an unsatiated craving for it and thus created history in this whole world.  One of the last beacons in 'varkari sampradaya' - 'sant nilobaraay' from 'Pimpalner' to benefitted with the spiritual guidance from 'Narayan maharaj'.  In a very short time, due to his contributions, everyone in the 'vaarkari sampradaya' started yearning for him and he become their life and breath.

All the 'vaishnavas' felt him to be their life and breath |

That was 'Narayan Dehukar' ||

Our humble obeisances to that extremely pure, 'Sant', 'Taponidhi Narayan Maharaj Dehukar', the son of 'Tukoba'.

We place our heads at the feet of the 'Vaarkari Sants'.

Ramkrishnahari.