A famous Krishna devotee. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
Sakkubai prayed and yearned to go to Pandharpur for darshan of Panduranga. She endured all kinds of troubles and indignities and earned the Lord’s grace. (SSS Vol.28)
Sakkubai was a great devotee of Lord Panduraanga, a woman of noble character and pleasant disposition, she suffered at the hands of of her devilish mother-in-law.
Sakkubai was a prostitute in her previous life who was responsible for many families being broken. The women in her village one day related their pitiable condition to Lord Krishna, with tears in their eyes. The Lord’s heart melted. He went to the house of that prostitute one day in the guise of a Prince. Sakkubai welcomed that Prince, who was resplendent with divine effulgence. But, she did not dare to touch him. He advised her, ‘From now on you stop leading such tainted life. You spend your entire left-over life in Bhajan and meditation upon God.’ His advice had a tremendous effect on her. She realised her fault and repented for her past life. She developed a detached outlook about the worldly life. Since then, she was immersed in worship of God. The people around her sing her that her devotion was false and she was putting up a show to cheat people. However, she did not at all mind their bad propaganda. She spent her entire life left over in the worship of Lord Krishna, with unflinching devotion. Nevertheless, she had to undergo severe humiliation and untold suffering at the hands of her devilish mother-in-law in the present life as a result of her past sins and the damage caused to the happy families in her past life. In spite of this, she could win the divine grace of Lord Krishna since bade good-bye to her tainted life and developed good character as per the advice of the Lord. Sakkubai suffered real hell at the hands of her mother-in-law, but, her quality of forbearance enabled her to bear all the indignities heaped on her with tolerance and quiet dignity. She used to contemplate on the divine name of Lord Panduranga day and night throughout her life. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 132-133)
Sakkubai, an ardent devotee of Lord Panduranga, continuously chanted the Lord’s name. One day, she could not perform her daily chores since she was running high temperature. Even under these circumstances, her husband and mother-in-law would not allow her to take rest. At this juncture, Lord Panduranga assumed the form of Sakkubai and performed all her duties. (SSS Vol.32 Part II)
Once Sakkubai complained to the Saint Namadeva (Hindu saint-poet in 13th and 14th centuries (Glossary for the Vahinis)) that somebody was stealing the cow-dung cakes she was making every day. Namadeva asked Sakkubai, ‘How do you identify the cow-dung cakes made by you?’ She replied: ‘I always recite the name of the Lord whatever action I may be doing. The cow-dung cakes I prepare bear the trait of the name I chant’.
She ran up to her home and brought a dung-cake made by her. She placed it close to the ear of Namadeva. The dung-cake was chanting the name of God: ‘Ranga! Ranga! Panduranga!’ Namadeva heard these words coming out continuously from the cake.
Namadeva wondered whether this was real. Even the great men of those days could develop doubts of this kind. Sakkubai was asked to prepare another dung-cake. She brought some dung and made it into a cake, while chanting the words, ‘Ranga! Ranga! Panduranga! Namadeva tested that cake by keeping it close to his ear. Once again he heard the words, ‘Ranga! Ranga! Panduranga!’ issuing from the dung-cake. He realized that the power of the Lord’s name was beyond all reckoning. Man’s thoughts remain forever, outlasting his human existence.
Prior to this episode, Namadeva used to be known as Vamadeva. From that day, he started chanting the name of the Lord. Namadeva was the younger brother of Jnanadeva. Namadeva was ever blissful chanting the Lord’s name. By reciting the Lord’s name any difficult task can be accomplished. One becomes what one thinks (Yad Bhavam Tad Bhavati). Hence people should see that their thoughts are pure and good. Human life is the expression of one’s thoughts. When an inquiry is made into what is most important for man, the general answer is: life is most important. Some others may declare wealth is most important. But Sakkubai was not of this view. She declared that the most important thing for anyone is the name of the Lord. It is God‘s name that promotes the fame of a person. (SSS Vol.31), 26 February 1998
Krishna‘s response to Sakkubai‘s devotion
When Sakkubai wanted to join the pilgrims going to Pandharpur, Krishna could have openly arranged for her joining the party. But He did not do so. If she would have gone against her husband’s will, she would have got a bad name. To maintain her good reputation and show her as an example to the world, Krishna assumed Sakkubai’s form and subjected Himself to all kinds of harassments of the mother-in-law, while the real Sakkubai was sent to Pandharpur. Why did Krishna do this? The Lord is ready to assume any form and subject Himself to any hardship to uphold Dharma. On the one hand, public opinion has to be respected. On the other side, the devotee should not go astray. Only the Divine knows how to reconcile these opposites. (SSS Vol.21)
Sakkubai always chanted ‘Ranga, Ranga, Ranga, ….. But others made fun of her. Her mother-in-law and her husband subjected her to great ordeals. Ultimately, Lord Panduranga came to her help and she was able to reach Pandharpur. Thus, she became a shining example of devotion and dedication for the entire world. That is why so many people came to see her. She never thought that Panduranga was separate from her. She contemplated on Panduranga in all the three states viz., Jagrat (waking) Swapna (drama) and Sushupti (deep sleep). But modern man does not know who God is and where He is. In fact God is present everywhere, wherever you see. Many people who earlier did not believe in God and even showed disrespect to the idols of gods have become devotees of Swami. Unknowingly people may commit mistakes but once they realise their mistake, they will repent. Repentance is true atonement. It is God who pervades the entire world. Out of their ignorance, people may say many things about God. But once they realise the truth, they will know that God is one. (SSS Vol.42, p. 200)
God transcends time – past, present and future. That is why He is referred to as ‘Kaalatita’ (beyond time) and ‘Ananta’ (Infinity). Having realised this fact, Sakkubai did not give contemplating on Lord Panduranga in spite of being subjected to severe difficulties by he mother-in-law. Finally, Lord Krishna Himself in the guise of Sakkubai performed all the domestic chores in her house and sent her to Pandharpur to have the darshan of Lord Panduranga. How great was the Love of God! God always protects His devotees from calumny. It is possible that people may blame Sakkubai that she left her husband and mother-in-law and went to Pandharpur all alone! To avoid that possibility, Krishna took the form Sakkubai and attended the domestic chores in her mother – in –law’s house. Sakkubai could happily go to Pandharpur to have the darshan of her dear Lord Panduranga.
Once, Sakkubai was directed by her mother–in–law to grind a bag of jowar into powder, with the help of a grinding stone. The job was a strenuous one involving hard physical labour for some hours at a stretch. She was very much tired. She therefore poured out her agony to Lord Panduraanga as thus:
‘It is for your sake I am leading this hard life
Oh! Lord Panduranga! I cannot bear this separation
Give me your darshan in my dream at least
Oh! Krishna! I can’t live without you!
How long do I suffer like this, Panduranga!
Why should I suffer like this?
Do I not deserve your compassion? Oh1 Lord!
Am I not your servant?
Is it proper to insult me like this?’ (Telugu poem)
Why should I suffer, if I am your servant really? What is my fault? Surely, there must be some fault from my side. That is the reason why you are delaying to come to my rescue. Please tell me my fault and save me,’ prayed Sakkubai. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 133-134)
Lord Krishna who was constantly with her unnoticed used to come to her rescue and reduce the intensity of her suffering, which was due to her Prarabdha Karma (the accumulated karma of an individual’s previous life). In the present instance also, He ground the heaps of jowar into powder in order to help His devotee, Sakkubai. He remained in the house under the control of Sakkubai’s mother-in-law performing domestic chores and sent her to Pandharpur to have divine darshan of Lord Panduranga! A true devotee offers his all including his body, mind and soul to God. And God comes to the rescue of such a devotee instantaneously, since He is Bhakta Paradiena (He whom the devotee binds by his devotion). A true devotee has no other work except constantly contemplating on God. Similarly, God too thinks of his devotee at all times. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 134-135)
Since Sakkubai constantly remembered the divine name in her previous life and chanted the same, the sadhana continued naturally in the present life also. Whenever she chanted the divine name’Ranga!’ Lord Panduranga used to appear before her. Finally, Lord Panduranga granted Sakkubai the ultimate boon of merger in Him, as she served Him throughout her life treating Him, as her sole refuge. (Beacons of Divine Wisdom Part 2, pp. 135-136)
Sakkubai went to Pandaripuram and merged in the Lord there. (SSS Vol.31, p. 51)