DAMAJI

Damaji (15^th century), was a great saint belonged to the Varkari sect. He worked under the Bahamani king of Bidar.  He is an ardent     devotee of Lord Vithoba. He had done many social services for the welfare of the people. He was rescued by the Lord when he faced troubles. He has safeguarded the poor people from the famine which occurred during the year 1460 and lot of people were benefitted through his noble deeds.

His details are available in the famous text “Bhaktavijaya” which was written by Mahapati during 18^th century. He was worked under the sultan as a revenue officer and also as a store keeper. A great famine was occurred in the region. At that time, Damaji had distributed plenty of food grains from the government godown to the people at Pandharpur.

His act was reported to the sultan in Bidar. The sultan has sent soldiers to recover the food grains or in the form of money from Damaji. On hearing about this, Damaji met sultan and asked his soldiers to wait for some time in the holy pandharpur. He prayed to Lord Vithoba and asked him to save from the Sultan king.

Vithoba transforms himself into a small boy and approached the sultan and informs himself as the servant of Damaji and settled him with gold coins. The sultan was very much pleased, and in the next day, he met Damaji, and narrated about the incident. Damaji was astonished and realised that god himself had come in the form of his servant and paid his debts, and told about the matter to the king, and asked him to give permission to leave from his job, in order to stay at pandharpur and serve the god whole heartedly at pandharpur. The sultan immediately relieved him from his job, and gave lot of food grains and gold coins as a gift and sent him along with his family to pandharpur with great honours.

Damaji spent many years at Pandharpur by composing and singing songs on Lord Vithoba, and finally attained SALVATION through the grace of Lord Vithoba. He was also praised by the great saint and Vithoba devotee Sri Eknath.

A temple is dedicated to him at his home town at Mangalvedha. Lot of people are visiting the holy shrine and worshipping him.

Let us worship the great saint and be blessed.

“OM SREE BHAKTA DAMAJI NAMAHA”

“JAI VITAL PRABHU MAHARAJ JAI”

WRITTEN BY

R.HARISHANKAR