Sant Damajipant, widely revered as Vithal Bhakt Damaji, is one of the most celebrated saint-poets in the Varkari sect of Maharashtra. He is remembered for his immense compassion and his absolute, unwavering devotion to Lord Vithoba (Vithal) of Pandharpur.
Here is the famous story and significance of his life:
The Official of Mangalwedha
During the 15th century, Damajipant served as a Kamavisdar (a prominent revenue official and keeper of the state granary) in the town of Mangalwedha. He was employed under the Bahamani Sultanate of Bidar. Despite his high-ranking bureaucratic position, Damaji was deeply spiritual, treating everyone with kindness and spending his free time worshipping Lord Vithoba.
The Great Famine and the Act of Compassion
According to legend, a devastating famine struck the Deccan region (often cited historically around 1460 AD), causing widespread starvation and death. The state granaries in Mangalwedha, however, were full of grain collected as tax for the Sultan.
Unable to watch the people of his region starve to death, Damajipant made a bold and dangerous decision. Without the Sultan’s permission, he broke open the royal storehouses and distributed the grain freely to the starving masses, saving thousands of lives.
The Sultan’s Wrath and the Arrest
Word eventually reached the Sultan in Bidar that Damaji had emptied the royal granaries. Furious at what he perceived as theft and treason, the Sultan ordered Damajipant’s immediate arrest and demanded that he either pay the exact cost of the grain or face severe punishment (often cited as execution). Damaji, having no money to pay the massive debt, accepted his fate and surrendered to the soldiers, asking only to visit Pandharpur to see Lord Vithoba one last time.
The Divine Intervention of Lord Vithoba
While Damaji was being taken to the Sultan, a miracle occurred in the court of Bidar. A humble, outcast man calling himself Vithu Mahar (or Vithya) arrived at the Sultan’s palace.
- He presented himself as a servant of Damajipant.
- He produced a bag filled with gold coins (Mohurs) and paid the exact value of the distributed grain to the Sultan’s treasury.
- He demanded a royal receipt of payment bearing the Sultan’s seal and promptly vanished.
When Damaji was brought before the Sultan, the ruler showed him the receipt and praised him for sending his servant to clear the debt. Damaji was bewildered, as he had no such servant and no money. Realizing that the bag of gold bore the mark of divine origin, Damaji understood that Lord Vithoba himself had taken the form of an outcast servant to save his devotee’s life.
Legacy and Devotion
Overwhelmed by the fact that the Lord of the Universe had worked as a lowly servant to protect him, the Sultan was deeply moved, and Damajipant’s life changed forever.
- Resignation: Damajipant immediately resigned from his prestigious government post.
- Life in Pandharpur: He distributed whatever personal wealth he had left and moved to Pandharpur.
- Final Years: He spent the remainder of his life as a humble Varkari, composing abhangs (devotional poetry) and singing the praises of Lord Vithoba until he attained salvation.
Today, Sant Damajipant is remembered not just as a great devotee, but as a symbol of selflessness, illustrating the Varkari belief that true service to humanity is the highest form of service to God.