This is a story-triad based on the life of three Gurus who never valued situations, but placed Vitthala in their priority.
01
Sant Tukarama
Takurama Ji was a saint, though a householder. He had a wife and two children. Tukarama Ji devoted the series of breaths to Lord’s Name. He enunciated Vitthala‘s name 24/7. His wife often gave him scornful replies as he didn’t participate in money-yielding jobs to run the family. One day, Tukarama Ji went to earn a few pennies. He found four sugarcanes from a farm and returned home. On his journey back home, Tukarama Ji found a few starving people. He shared the sugarcanes with his friends and returned with a single cane. His wife saw the yield and thrashed at Tukarama Ji’s back severely. He stood with bruised back and chanted Vitthala’s name. His wife became irritated. She continued thrashing. Soon, the cane broke into four pieces. Tukarama Ji thanked Lord, for they found four equal pieces of sugarcane for all family members.
Tukaram Ji’s wife helped him to remain aloof from the filth of the world and found liberation.
02
Sant Eknatha
When Eknath Ji was married, his wife died within a few days after the ceremony. Eknath Ji could not stick to the filth and continued calling Vitthala.
One day, he decided to fetch some water from the Gangotri glacier in the Himalayas and offer the same to the Shivalinga in Rameshwaram. He collected a drape to cover his body and left for the journey from Maharashtra. He collected the water and walked towards Rameshwaram.
As he was about to reach Rameshwaram, Eknath Ji saw a donkey suffering from severe thirst. Only water could save his life. The clock ticked persistently; death appeared quite near. Eknath Ji thought to serve the donkey as Narayana existed in all creations of the cosmos. As he served water to the thirsty donkey, Shiva appeared. Eknath Ji found Shiva in the creation of Shiva.
It is said, “Nar mein Narayana hain.”
03
Sant Namdeva
Namdeva Ji had an ideal consort. She used to serve her consort in all the ways she could. She used to wake up at half-past two in the morning and prepare hot water for Namdeva Ji’s service. She took care of the entire household as well as the family and allowed Namdeva Ji to meditate in peace. He could spend more time remembering Vitthala.
One day, a man came to the three Gurus. He asked them the ways to find God. Tukarama Ji thanked Lord for giving him a wife who never let him slip into the world through lashes. Eknath Ji thanked Lord with several prostrations as he lost his wife soon after marriage. Namdeva Ji could not stop himself from thanking Lord, as he had a consort who never interfered in his matters.
Irrespective of external situations, one should surrender all his breathes. Situations do not stir our conscience; the mind does.
It is worthless to recollect the concept of Trigunas for the sake of visualizing the world in a comparative chart. We must remember that we are His and, He is ours. We must do the jobs in moderation and have intense faith.