Story of a bhakta - Sakkubai - Part 1

The story of a bhakta – Sakkubai

Once upon a time, in a small village near Pandarpur there lived an old couple. They were humble, pious and hard working. They did not have any children of their own and prayed to the Lord of Pandarpur to bless their home with a child. The Lord of Pandarpur blessed them with a beautiful girl chid. The happy couple named their daughter Sakkubai.

Sakkubai, was very devoted to her parents and imbibed their sense of bhakti and love for Vittala of Pandarpur at a very early age. She used to assist her mother in the chores in the house. She used to gather flowers for the puja, clean the puja mantapa and participate in the daily rituals with her parents.

When Sakkubai reached marriageable age, her parents looked for a suitable bridge groom for their daughter. During that period there was a beautiful town on the banks of the Krishna river called Karaveerapuram. Karaveerapuram had lush fields, beautiful water bodies and flowers and fruit orchards.

The town was a bustling town with people from different varnas living happily. The town was rich enough with its cattle and grains and fruits that people there led a contented life. There was harmony and peace thanks to enough food and water being available to all.

Though all the people (even people from the poorer sections of the society) were happy and content, the entire town did not like one family that lived amidst them. The family was that of a Pandit who lived with his wife and son in the Agraharam (area where the brahmin varna live).

The Pandit was learned and had good income coming from his rituals and other activities. In addition, he also owned large tracts of land that gave him additional income. Though well versed in the scriptures, the Pandit did not follow the scriptures in spirit. He only used his knowledge to earn money.

The scriptures prescribe that people with knowledge and riches should share it willingly with others. Unfortunately not only the Pundit, but even his wife and son were mean, miserly and greedy.

People had named him ‘Krupanaraya’ (Krupana means a miser). His wife Gayyalibai was a very rude and angry woman. She was always finding fault and fighting with her neighbours and the rest of the of townsfolks. She did not spend her time on a pious or positive activities but wasted her time on gossip .

Krupanaraya and Gayyalibai had a son called Oaduraya. Unfortunately, Oaduraya grew up in a household where the father was a miser and mean. The mother a loud and quarrelsome lady. Growing up in a household like this, Oodurya got all the bad qualities from his father and mother. Oodurya was selfish, adamant and mean. He was learned as his father had taught him the scriptures.

The brahmins in the town knew about the family and did their best to avoid them. The family’s reputation for bad behaviour had its consequences though. No one in the town or even in nearby towns were not ready to give their daughter in marriage to Oadurya.

The neighbourhood felt that it was less evil to throw the girl into the well. So the father had to go in search of a daughter-in-law in the neighbouring places.

Finally, Krupanaraya and his wife were desperate. They started looking for a bride for their son in far off places. In their search, they heard about Sakkubai in Pandarpur. They heard a lot about the family and about Sakkubai herself as an obedient and kind girl.

Krupanaraya went to Pandarpur to enquire about this girl. He went to the house of Sakkubai. He watched the beautiful, young girl who was helping her mother in the kitchen and also served him very tasty food. She was very quiet and obedient too. He was also impressed with the simple and loving family.

Krupanaraya decided that this young girl would be his daughter in law. He proposed to Sakkubai’s father about the alliance and asked for his daughter’s hand for his son Oodurya. Sakkubai’s father, not knowing much about the family as they lived very far off, readily agreed. The marriage got finalised and the date was fixed.

Sakkubai married Oaduraya on the auspicious day and went with her husband to his village. Did Oaduraya and his parents change for the better? Did Sakkubai live happily with her new family? Let us see tomorrow. father.