Bahinabai
was born in the year 1880 at Asoda Dist.
Jalgaon. She had 3 brothers and 3 sisters.
At the age of 13 she got married to
Nathuji Chaudhari of Jalgaon. She worked
very hard. During the period of famine
she had to work very hard. She was blessed
by Godess Saraswati. Though illiterate,
she wrote philosophical poems. Vithoba's
and Rama's temples were her school.
She had practical experience of life.
All her poems were based on emotions
and sentiments.
The birth of man, the life of man and
death of man - these are the three subjects
on which she throws great light.
She advises the life to live through
the following lines.
She was deeply religious. She says
that the Gita and Bhagwat of Pandurang
is born for her in the earth and contained
in rain. The sun reflects her inner
thoughts. She realises God in the
rustle of the wind. She feels that
the rustle of the wind forecasts the
coming of God and Lord Krishna depicts
the sky.
She throws light on Sant Tikaram,
Muktai and Dnyaneshwar.
She throws light on the adversities
of life. She says how difficult it
is to get bread and she has reflected
this in the following poetic lines.
She says that Balaji of Marwadi's
and Vithoba of farmers are not different.
She throws light on the misdeeds
of the people and their neferious
ways and false affairs.
She didn't believe in superstitions.
She shows how God plays part in her
life in the following lines.
She has implicit faith in Lord Pandurang
and she says this through the following
lines.
She adores Muktai. She also shows
how the three brothers were tortured
by the society and how they were fortunate.
She had implicit faith in Appa Maharaj
of Jalgaon. Her sentiments are expressed
in the following poetic lines.
Through the following lines she shows
how birth and death is in the hands
of God.
She shows how to live through the
following lines.
She hates the life of selfishness.
Through the following lines, she throws
light on this point.
She shows how mind is fickle through
the following poetic lines
She shows how man is cruel, bad
through the following lines.
She shows how man is very selfish
and "how he has become an animal".
Though Bahinabai was illiterate,
her thinking power was superior to
the literate. It is said that the
fate of man is written on his forehead
by 'Satwai' and that is his future.
Bahinabai does not believe in such
superstition. Though she lived a life
of widowhood, she faced the difficulties
with great fortitude. She says that
below the 'Kumkum', the fate line
has fallen open because of her husband's
death. Kumkum is the symbol of husband.
Because of loss of husband, her whole
life has become very difficult to
lead. She braves all the sorrows arising
out of her husband's death.
Because her husband died, the flow
of money became dry and she had to
face monitory difficulties. Poverty
ruled in her house. She expresses
her thoughts in the following lines
:
Though she suffered misfortune she
is not ready to believe in faith because
she says that the lines on the palm
cannot be changed. The fate is after
her. She says that she will not cry
saying 'fortune fortune'. She is not
ready to blame the fortune. The word
faith is mere bluff.
She does not belive in stars or
fortune or luck. She works hard, not
beliving in fate. She does not blame
her luck. Not blaming her luck is
the strength of her life and so her
poem is effective.
She does not expect anything from
God. She merely expects that her two
sons should remain happy and for this
purpose she does not feel any need
to see the almanac.
On the contrary, she tells the astrologer
very clearly that she knows her fate
and she does not believe in palmistry.
Instead of seeing the lines on her
palm, she thinks that on the basis
of her strength she is able to face
the destiny. When her children grow
up they will make her happy. Though
unfortunate she believes in doing
something tangibly than merely relying
on God. She does not belive in fate.
Death brought great sorrow in her
life but she was not deterred. On
the contrary,
she faced the life boldly. She says
as follows :
She says that she herself controls
her sorrow through her Soliloquoy
(Self-
address). She tells her mind to control
her grief.
She asks herself and to the mother
earth if the plants have lost the
support of the tree, how the plants
would survive. Similarly, as she has
lost her husband, her main support,
she has to lead a troublesome life.
She says that her husband has gone
to the abode of God living behind
only the memories. The spring of God's
favour has dried. She feels that only
memories of husband will give her
strength. She praise to God to keep
her two children happy. She tells
her mind not to repent, not to regret
because hard work is the lot, fortune,
luck of poor women. Unfortunate poor
women have to suffer a lot and after
the death of their husband there is
no bound to their sorrow. Swallowing
her grief she controlled herself.
Controlling her sorrow is the message
of Bahinabai to such unfortunate women.
While crying and performing the
duties of life, duties of maitenance,
the maintenance gets a different kind
of test and it gets the strength of
bearing the sorrow.
Bahinabai says that even if the
'Kumkum' is wiped out from the forehead,
tatoo remains under it. Tatoo is the
symbol of destiny. Tatoo cannot be
wiped out. Similarly, destiny can
not be changed. Destiny cannot wipe
out the tatoo. Similarly, we cannot
spare ourselves from the responsibilities
which come after the death of hunsband.
Bahinabai was a hard working woman.
She believed in her strength. To her
efforts are greater than fate. Even
if widowhood fell on her, without
faltering she is ready to face the
difficulties in order to build her
life afresh. She does not cry. She
does not blame anybody. On the contrary,
she faces the life boldly and this
is her special kind of philosophy.
She tells the women that instead
of frightened by dispair she is ready
to face the difficulties and they
should not pity on her, whatever has
happened. Let me live my life.
Inspite of her widowhood she digested
all her sorrow and faced the life
boldly on her own strength and looked
after her two children. Her philosophy
is a kind of consolation to the unfortunate,
hapless women. Such is the poetry
of nature poet Bahinabai. She has
carved her philosophy on the stone.
Through her poem she expressed poetic
beauty. The effect of her poem on
the mind cannot be wiped out.
Her philosophy is a philosophy of
a powerful woman. Her philosophy is
a lighthouse to the persons afflicted
by sorrows. Her philosophy is a torch
light on the dark path. Her Philosophy
is a panicia to swallow the sorrow.
Her philosophy is a true philosophy
of life. In fact, her philosophy is
a teaching of great saints. Her philosophy
is not only for the time being but
it is true for all the ages to come.
It will be true until the Dooms Day.
Those afflicted in sorrow should ponder
over her philosophy. Such pondering
would give them courage to face the
sorrows of life boldly.
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