Damajipant – A devotee of Deity Pandurang

Many years ago there was a pious man called Damajipant in Mangalvedha village. He was on a high position in the court of the king of Bidar. He was well known as an honest officer. He used to spend his free time after the official work, in worship and singing devotional songs of Deity Pandurang.

Once, people of Mangalvedha faced a severe famine. Cattle had no fodder to eat; as a result they were dying of hunger. Even people had no food to eat. Damajipant was grieved to see this. He thought that when the king’s granary is so full of grains, then it is not proper to let the people starve and die. Hence he made a public announcement in all the surrounding villages that all the people should come and take away the required quantity of grains. People heard this announcement and rushed to the granary. Damajipant himself opened the gate of the granary. The news, that Damajipant had distributed the grains from the royal granary without seeking permission from the king, spread far and wide. When the king came to know about it he gave an order to his guards to arrest Damajipant present him in the court.

The Omniscient Deity Pandurang was observing His devotee's pure actions and in order to him from this difficult situation, he used a trick. He came to Mangalvedha in the guise of a Mahar man, wearing torn clothes, with a blanket on the shoulder, turban and a stick in hand and carrying a bag on His head he entered the king’s court. Seeing him the king asked him several questions like, ‘Who are you ?, Where have you come from?, What are you carrying on your head ? etc. At that time introducing himself Deity Pandurang said, “I am mahar from Mangalvedha and I am Damaji’s servant.’’ Saying this he started pouring the contents in the bag on his head. A heap of gold coins was lying in front of the king. Seeing this miracle the king and his courtiers present in the court at that time were dumbfounded. When this was going on in the court, the guards who had been sent to arrest Damajipant, brought him to the court. The king immediately ordered the guards to release him by removing the handcuffs. The king narrated the whole incident to Damajipant who at once realised that Deity Pandurang had to take the role of his servant to save him. He was choked with emotions thinking that his beloved Deity had to take so much pains to save the honour of an ordinary person like him.

Children, if we also become devotees of God and have faith in Him, show kindness towards others, then we will also be graced by God!