Gonai’s Anguish
After the divine merchant Keshav Shet disappeared and the house of Namdev filled with wealth, Gonai returned home. Seeing her hut transformed into a palace of gold and silks, she was amazed. Rajai told her everything — how the Lord Himself had come to bless them. But instead of joy, Gonai felt restless. “The Lord comes to our house, yet He takes my son away!” she said bitterly.
Determined to confront Him, she walked quickly to the temple of Paṇḍharpur. Inside, Lord Vitthal stood upon His brick, smiling radiantly. As soon as she saw Him, Gonai’s heart overflowed with emotion. She prostrated, then rose with trembling lips and said:
“Why, O Lord of Paṇḍharī, do You torment me? You have taken my only son away! You made him forget his wife, his children, his mother—everything! By binding him with Your love, You have left me destitute. I have lost my home, my peace, my sleep, all for Your sake. You stand here adorned with jewels while I, his mother, am left hungry!”
The Lord’s Gentle Reply
The Lord of the Universe smiled. “Gonai,” He said softly, “why do you accuse Me so harshly? Your son loves Me, and I love him. That love is pure and eternal. Why are you angry with Me for claiming what is already Mine?”
But Gonai, burning with motherly affection, replied, “If You truly love him, why make him forget his duties? Why give him children and then take him from them? Why give him a family only to make them starve? You have no compassion, O dark-complexioned One! You say You are generous, but to whom have You ever given freely?”
The Mother’s Accusations
Her voice grew fierce. “You took Sudāmā’s handful of parched rice and gave him palaces of gold. You helped Draupadī, but only after she fed You one leaf from her pot! You rewarded Bibhīṣaṇa by dividing his brother’s kingdom. You call Yourself merciful, but I see cunning in all Your acts!”
Gonai’s tears fell to the floor. “You stand here, smiling upon my son, while I suffer at home. You have ruined my family’s life, and now You hide him behind Your brick. Give me back my son, or I will swallow this entire Pandharpur into my grief!”
The Lord’s Laughter
Hearing her bold words, the Lord of Paṇḍharī laughed gently. “Gonai,” He said, “you speak like a mother scolding her child. But tell Me—did I not give you this very son through My blessing? Do you not remember how he came floating upon the river in a conch shell, when you were old and barren?
“This child is no ordinary soul. He is a part of Me. He came for the upliftment of the world. Your womb became sacred because it carried My devotee. You think I have stolen him, but truly, I am returning him to his home—Me.”
The Lord Reveals the Truth of Namdev’s Birth
Then the dark-hued Lord continued:
“When I first created the world, before earth, water, or fire existed, this soul was with Me. From age to age, I send him forth as My messenger.
In your case, O Gonai, because of your great piety and your husband’s faith, I placed this jewel of devotion in your womb.
Just as Brahmā’s son Nārada was born from pure truth, and as Prahlāda was born among demons but remained My devotee, so Namdev took birth among tailors yet is My purest servant.
Among saints, he shines like Dhruva among stars.
Blessed are you, O Gonai! You have nursed the one who is My own heart. You have held him in your arms, and the milk that flowed from your aged breast was sanctified by My touch.
How fortunate is your life that you fed My devotee!”
The Mother’s Surrender
Hearing these divine words, Gonai’s anger melted. Her heart flooded with humility. Folding her hands, she said, “O Lord of the Universe, forgive my ignorance. Give me back my son, yet let his love for You remain ever the same.”
The Lord smiled once more. “That love can never fade, O blessed mother,” He said. “He is Mine as I am his. Just as light and lamp are one, as gold and ornament are one, as water and wave are one—so are We.”
Reflection – The Mother and the Lord
- Love in Conflict: Gonai’s complaint is not rebellion but a mother’s unfiltered love. Her grief is itself devotion—because even in her anger, she never forgets God.
- Divine Motherhood: The Lord honors her motherhood, reminding the world that bearing and nurturing a saint is a sacred form of worship.
- Revelation of Unity: The Lord’s metaphors—lamp and flame, gold and ornament, sugar and sweetness—reveal the secret of bhakti: the devotee and the Lord are eternally one in love.
- True Ownership: Gonai believed Nama “belonged” to her, but God revealed that the soul belongs only to the Divine. To surrender means to return the child of love to its eternal parent.
- Grace in Complaint: Even when we argue with God, our cries can become prayers if they come from love rather than pride.
Source: Mahīpati, Bhaktavijaya, Chapter IV, verses 133–181.
