Sita Ram Laxman and Bal Krishna and Balaram at Malukpeeth
Vrindavan,2018.04.05 (VT): Today is the appearance day of Maluk Das (1574-1682). Maluk Das was a transcendentalist of the highest order. His firm belief that the Lord is supporting all came across in his eloquent poetry that has inspired people for centuries. Maluk Das described God in a way that even the Mughal rulers of the age in which he lived could appreciate. He was not interested in sectionalism and caste boundaries and wrote:
“In the house of God there is no caste or creed. Whoever worships God is with Him”
(jati pati puchhe nahi koi, Hari ko bhajay so Hari ka hoi)
Rajendra Das Maharaj placing silver padukas on Maluk Das’ samadhi
Maluk Das is succeeded by the line of Maluk Peetadishwar Swamis, whose current acharya is Maluk Peetadishwar Rajendra Das Maharaj.
Maluk Das was born on Vaishak Badi Panchami in 1631 (Samvat) and lived a long life of 108 years. He was born in Kadha village, Kaushambi District, Allahabad, UP.
Maluk Das spoke basic truths about the purpose of human life, encouraging people to aim to live a saintly life by taking a few simple steps and remembering the purpose of life. Otherwise, we get caught up in the own selfish pursuit of happiness and create a world where people are simply engaged in fighting for their own interests.
According to Maluk Das, our selfishness makes every relationship in this world a lie, and it is only our acts of kindness that reach the Supreme.
Whoever is suffering, let them be happy. Give me their sorrow
(Jo dukhiya sansar main, khovao tikna dukh. Dalidar saump Maluk ko, logon dijo such)
Maluk das was well known for his charitable activities. When he was only ten years old, he would distribute blankets to pilgrims and cover sleeping sadhus with the blankets that he was supposed to sell.
Many miraculous events are associated with Maluk Das ji, including the story of how he became absorbed in bhakti. In his youth, Maluk Das became irritated with a jagran program that interrupted his sleep. Interrogating the pujari, he demanded to know the point of such programs, since people need to work for their keep. The pujari disagreed, saying that the Supreme feeds all.
In order to prove his point, the young Maluk Das said that he would go into the jungle for 24 hours and that if God didn’t come to feed him, the pujari would have to admit that he is wrong and stop disturbing people with kirtan programs.
Maluk Das went into the jungle and climbed up a tree, where he sat in a high branch. After only three hours, a traveller came by and sat under the tree leaving a sack of food when he left. Maluk Das was sure it was some trick, so he refused to eat the food.
Soon after a gang of robbers arrived at that spot. They saw the food and Maluk Das sitting in the tree. Thinking that Maluk Das had poisoned the food and laid it as a trap, the robbers demanded that he come down from the tree and eat the food. Maluk Das refused but the five robbers beat him until he complied.
Shri Maluk Peeth Seva Sansthan , Vrindavan
After this incident, Maluk das went back to the pujari and admitted that the pujari was correct in thinking that the Supreme feeds all of us – if we don’t eat of our own accord, he arranges that we get beaten until we agree to partake of the fruits that the Supreme has designated for us.
Maluk Das’ most famous doha relates to this story of his becoming aware that the Supreme is taking care of all:
“Pythons don’t labour, birds don’t work,
but Shri Ram is providing for all”
(Agagar kare na chakri panchhi kare na kaam das maluka kaha gaye sabke data Ram)
These days, at Malukpeeth Seva Sansthan, situated behind Gopeshwara Mahadev temple, Vrindavan, Rajendra Das Maharaj continues the tradition of encouraging people to stop relying on their own strength and surrender to the Supreme.
During a lecture, Maharaj described five wrong behaviours where we rely on our own ability to enjoy instead of realizing that actual bliss comes from feeling that the Supreme is always with us.
Rajendra Das Maharaj speaking on the occasion of Maluk Das’ Appearance day
These five, most dangerous sins are:
1) Gambling
2) Earning money from immoral activities
3) Taking intoxicating substances
4) Killing animals and eating meat
5) Having illicit affairs
Maharaj says that if we indulge in any of these sins, others will soon follow and we become more entangled in this age of quarrel (Kali Yug). But, if we can keep ourselves away from these things, we will live in bliss.
We will become immune from interferences in our bhajan and will be living in the Age of Goodness (Satya Yug) despite the advanced environmental and societal degradation.
Hall at Shri Maluk Peeth Seva Sanstan during Rajendra Das Maharaj’s lecture
Maharaj embodies the spirit of blissful devotion. There is a lightness about him, a carefree joyousness that gives away his absorption in bhakti.
Rajendra Das Maharaj’s tireless efforts to explain scriptures and make them easily understandable was recently recognized by the President of India who awarded him the honorary title Doctor of Literature (D.Lit).
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