During the reign of Akbar, a
great saint, Surdas, was born. He was blind and was beyond the parochial
religious beliefs. His loving description of Krishnas life in a folk language,
known as Brajbhasa, is still today a treasure of Krishnas bhajans.
In the
village of Sihi near Delhi, in the house of a poor Brahman, a child was born in
the year 1478. He was born blind. He had three other brothers. He was so
neglected by his neighbors and his own family that by the time he was three,
everyone forgot his real name and he was called Sur, which means blind. He was
later known as Surdas.
Surdas would
often go hungry because his mother would not bother to feed him. His brothers
would receive new clothes at Diwali time but not Surdas. Surdas' parents
thought he wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway. It hurt his
feelings.
Surdas'
outside world was not very kind either. His playmates enjoyed teasing him and
when he came to his mother for sympathy, she scolded him for going out. So,
unfortunate Surdas stayed on the porch most of the time.
One day, a
group of singers passed by his house singing in praise of the Lord. Swept up by
the joy the music brought forth in him, he forgot for a moment that he was
blind. "One day
I will learn how to sing," he told himself.
When Surdas
joined his brothers to learn from their father how to read and write, his
father said, "Go away. You are blind, you cannot read." His brothers
teased him as he sat and wept.
A few days
later, another group of singers came by, passing through the village, begging
for alms and singing in praise of the Lord. They passed by Surdas' house.
Surdas followed them. At night they stopped to cook and rest near a lake. One
of them came to Surdas and asked, "Why are you following us?"
"I would
like to learn to sing" answered Surdas.
They fed him
that night but didn't want to be burdened with the blind boy. In the morning
they left without telling him.
Where could
blind Surdas go? He sat under a tree and began singing the Lords praise. He
had a good voice and his feelings were expressed with utmost sincerity.
Villagers passing by gave him food and he survived. The lake was a popular
resting spot for those travelling to Mathura and Vrindavan. From their
conversation, Surdas learnt a lot about the outside world.
By the age of
fourteen, Surdas developed a keen sixth sense and could predict many things.
People were amazed and he was called "miracle boy." If a villager
lost an animal, Surdas could tell him where to find it. He was cosulted on the
appropriate day to travel or to start any project. People from other villages
travelled a long way to meet him and gave their offerings. One day, the landlord's
little toddler wandered off and could not be found. Surdas predicted where the
boy was and the boy was found. The landlord was so pleased that he fell at
Surdas' feet and asked his men to build a cottage for him near the tree under
which Surdas stayed. Shortly thereafter, people offered him a string instrument
to accompany his singing. Some people became his disciples. They began to write
the songs he composed. The disciples loved him and served him to the best of
their ability.
One night,
Surdas dreamt of Krishna and people praising Him through bhajans. Surdas woke
up and was convinced that Krishna was calling to him. The next morning, he
departed for Vrindavan. His disciples came running and were worried.
"Why are
you leaving us? Are we at fault?"
Surdas
consoled them and continued on his way to Vrindavan through the jungle.
Wherever he went people wanted to listen to him sing and have him stay with
them. They would beg him to stay in their village. They respected him, honored
him and fed him. But Surdas kept moving.
"I am a
traveling monk, I cannot stay at any one place," Surdas said.
One day,
while he was resting at the edge of a shallow abandoned well, he fell into the
well. Blind and injured, he did not know how to get out.
Surdas stayed
in the well for seven days praying for help. Suddenly he heard a childs voice,
"Hold my hands, I will take you out."
Surdas came
out of the well and the boy disappeared. He kept searching for the little boy
who rescued him. In his imagination, the boy was none else but Gopal Krishna
(Krishna's childhood name). People thought he was crazy.
One day one
of his disciples told Surdas that the great learned saint Swami Balabhachari
was going to visit Vrindavan. Balabhachari was famous for his writings about
Krishna. Surdas keenly wished to see him. While Surdas was making arrangements
to cross the river to visit Balabhachari, Balabhachari himself arrived at
Surdass residence. Surdas was overwhelmed with joy. He fell at Balabhachari's
feet and sought his blessing. Upon his request, Surdas sang a bhajan about
Krishna. Balabhachari requested Surdas to dedicate his life to the praise of
Lord Krishna.
Balabhachari
stayed with Surdas for a few days and taught him about Krishna's scriptures.
Then he initiated Surdas to his own religious order. Surdas went to Vrindavan
with his guru, Balabhachari. Balabhachari appointed Surdas as the chief singer
of Srinath temple in Govardhan, near Vrindavan. Srinath is another name for
Krishna.
Surdas
reputation as a singer and devotee spread far and wide. One day in the court of
the mogul emperor Akbar, the court singer Tansen, sang one of Surdas' songs.
Akbar was charmed. Tansen admitted that the tune and the lyrics were that of
Surdas, the blind devotee of Krishna.
Akbar was a
broadminded Muslim. He invited Surdas to his court. Surdas declined saying,
"I am so very honored, but I sing only in the court of my beloved
Krishna."
When Akbar
heard of this, he gladly came to Surdas and listened to his prayer songs in the
temple. He was very pleased and asked Surdas to ask for anything he wanted.
Surdas said,
"Just do not ask me to go to your court to sing." Akbar agreed.
Surdas lived
a long life and wrote many songs in praise of Krishna's childhood days. Surdas'
songs are sung to this day.
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