daughter of three great Maharashtrian saints, Nivruttinath, Dnyaneshwar, and Sopan. Muktabai (b. 1279—d. 1297) was an Indian saint and poet. She was the one who saw poverty and closely watched the thirstiness and shock of losing her parents.
However, she and her brothers dared absorb the illiterate orthodox Brahmin caste’s pressure on their family in their young age. Muktabai’s elder brother, Dnyaneshwar Mauli was a prominent figure who wrote Dnyaneshwari at the age of 16 and lived for only 21 years (went in a cave for deep meditation to contemplate higher consciousness and never returned).
The Family of Muktabai
The family of Vitthalpant Kulkarni and their origin and The foundation of classical Hinduism
Muktabai was a daughter of Vitthalpant Kulkarni. Kulkarni’s family was from Apegao, Paithan, a small town in Maharashtra. He had four children, Nivruttinath, Dnyaneshwar Mauli, Sopandev and Muktabai. Muktabai received abundant education and knowledge from her brothers. All of them had studied the Vedas (the foundation of classical Hinduism).
Family Story of saint Muktabai and her father death
An ascetic life for the rest of her father’s life
Muktabai’s father committed suicide by jumping into a river, with the ultimate reason being the end of his ascetic life and the deception of his family by orthodox Brahmins. Vitthalpant after marriage, had decided to go for an ascetic life for the rest of his life. It had happened, however, when Vitthalpant met his guru, Ramananda Swami, in Kashi (modern-day Varanasi). After a few rituals, Kulkarni was initiated into Sannyasa without worrying about his marriage or future troubles.
The cost of quitting ascetic life
Forcing to quit the ascetic life and advised to start his marriage life
When Ramananda visited Alandi, he met the wife of Vitthalpant, Rukhmini. The swami understood everything about Vitthalpant and his background. Therefore, upon his next meeting with Kulkarni, he was forced to quit the sannyas (ascetic life) and advised to start his married life again. Thus, obeying the guru was in Kulkarni’s blood. Thus, Vitthalpant agreed.
Orthodox Brahmin Power over to Saint Dnyaneshwar and Muktabai
Therefore, the orthodox Brahmin caste community of Alandi excommunicated the Kulkarni family and took them on as its own. The entire Brahmin family must remain united and continue to chastise the couple’s children. The Kulkarni’s survival in Alandi became difficult. They received no bhiksha (donation) or lending from their neighbors. These ordeals harmed the parents’ feelings, and their children continued to refer to themselves as “children of a hermit” (Sannyasi). All the approaches were turned back. Soon, the family abandoned.
The couple made the decision to commit suicide as a result, believing that their children would be granted justice, rights, and a place to live in the community after they were gone. However, it does occur, but only after a certain period of time. Four of them became saints, studied the Vedas. Muktabai became a student of Nivruttinath. They all started spreading peace and love in the community. They had acquired the blessed energy and started showing them their status, where they actually stand.
More in Poets
The Poem by Saint Muktabai “Though he has no form”
“Though he has no form” is a translated English version by Willis Barnstone.
Though he has no form My eyes saw him His glory is fire in my mind That knows His secret inner forms Invented by the soul. What is beyond the mind Has no boundary. In it our senses end.
Analysis of the Poem “Though He has No Form” by Saint Muktabai (translated by Willis Barnstone)
Muktabai possessed such a divine power that her vision was so powerful that nothing could escape from her eyes. Even doing of the God. And, then, her eyes found him (God, who has no forms). Rare eyes could find such superhuman energy that the poet referred to it here as a power of God. He has no shapes, however, available everywhere. The poet’s mind includes every soul on the planet, as well as everyone who knows his victorious fire energy.
Only selected superhuman gets it and God knows that who are they. However, it is shapeless, but his inner mould that make up by the soul (however, every human out here on the planet possessed the one). Therefore, our mind has endless thoughts and has no walls that could hold us back from thinking. It is the only one called soul, has all our nerves end.
Muktabai death place | Samadhi (burial place)
In the year 1297, in MuktaiNagar city, where her big temple built. The region’s ancient temple of Goddess Muktabai, being honoured as god of the region.
