Extreme bhakti – Chokamela
Pandharpur has been a religious centre of Maharashtra since long. Many great saints were born here or visited this place and worshipped Sri Panduranga – or Sri Krishna. This centre of worship was controlled by the Brahmins who observed the caste system rigidly and many great devotees of Panduranga were victims of their harassment. The story of Chokamela, his extreme bhakti and his suffering is a real story set in those days where the Brahmins controlled the pilgrimage town.
Chokamela was born in Mahar caste – a low caste and was not allowed into the temple. He was a great devotee of Panduranga. Since he was not allowed inside the temple, he used to stand near the outer walls and sing the names of Panduranga and dance in ecstasy of his bhakti for his God. Pilgrims would flock and hear his songs and this made the Brahmin priests at the temple very angry with him.
Some pilgrims made fun of Chokamela saying that the Lord was angry with him as he was not permitted within the temple. Chokamela was sad when such remarks were made. Once he was very distressed and went to bed without eating. The darkness of the night was shattered by a brilliant light and the Lord appeared before him and led him by hand to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Chokamela was scared to enter in the sanctum sanctorum. The Lord said that the sanctum sanctorum was always in the darkness of the superstitious practices of the priests and followers and it was lit by the bhakti of Chokamela.
Chokamela questioned the Lord regarding how the devotees should live in order to attain moksha or salvation. The Lord named three things: One: They should chant the name of God incessantly. What results were got by yagnas in the previous yuga or time, the same could be obtained by taking the name of God continuously in this yuga. Two: Good behaviour – a devotee should overcome anger, jealousy, attachment, lust, possessiveness and practise nonviolence, selfless love, patience and celibacy. Third: company of good people or satsang – the devotees should have regular satsang. This gives support to our faith and practices and protects us against the lack of faith in God. Satsang keeps us in presence of God.
The next morning, when Chokamela was found inside the temple, the priests punished him by banishing him to the other side of the river. The Lord missed his songs so much that He appeared in Chokamela’s hut and had dinner with him. Chokamela’s wife spilled curds on the Lord and Chokamela was angry with her. One of the priests thought that Chokamela was shouting at him and slapped him. The priest bathed in river as he had hit an untouchable and went to the temple. He found curds on the dress of the Lord and His cheek was red and swollen. The priest realised what had happened and rushed to the hut of Chokamela and sought forgiveness. The Lord devised this play to show all the greatness of Chokamela.
One day Namadeva, went to the temple and found tears running down the cheeks of the Lord. The Lord told him that Chokamela was dead and he wanted his bones to be collected and buried in front of his temple. Chokamela had died in an accident and there was a mass burial of all the people who had died with him. Namadeva asked the Lord: How do I identify the bones of Chokamela from others. The Lord said: Pick up the bones and place them to your ear. Chokamela has done so much of my nama japa that his bones chant the name of ‘Panduranga Vittal’.
Namadeva went to the site of the accident and picked up bones and held them to his ear. He could hear some of the bones chanting : Panduranga Vittal Panduranga Vittala. Chokamela was so permeated with the nama of the Lord, that his bones echoed it. Namadeva collected such bones and buried them in front of the temple of Panduranga. Even today devotees visit that place before they enter the temple. Nama Japa or Smaran of God should be done in this way – that it permeates our being and our very cells, bones and hair echo the name of the Lord.
