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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