‘Ananta, Ananta...’: Medieval thinker Chakradhar Svami’s biography from the Murty Classical Library

He meets Shri Dattatreya Prabhu in the form of a tiger at the Sahyadri mountain.

Homage to the supreme God.

He took on an incarnation in the home of a Karhade Brahman in Phalethan. Then he lived happily for some time. One day when there was an ancestor rite, the Gosavi’s wife asked him to make love to her. But he was inclined to celibacy then. So, on that pretext, he went to Matapur.

As he was going up Devgiri there, Shri Dattatreya Prabhu emerged from the foot of a thicket in the form of a tiger. He roared, and he placed his paw on the holy head. The people got frightened, and then he took it back. The Gosavi took on divine power there. (According to one version, he took on an incarnation.)

The Gosavi stayed there until some people were going to Dvaravati. Then he went to Dvaravati.

He stays in Dvaravati.

In Dvaravati, the Gosavi would sweep the streets with a broom. Then he would put the piles of dirt into a winnowing fan and place it on his holy head. He would toss the dirt into the Gomati River. He showed the way with a winnowing fan and knowledge with a broom.

He plays with a winnowing fan and a broom.

Shriprabhu went to Dvaravati and became a renouncer. Then he went to Riddhipur, and from there he returned to Dvaravati. He was reciting mantras on the bank of the Gomati, with a stake planted in the ground in front of him.

The Gosavi came there, placed a winnowing fan on Shriprabhu’s head, and struck it from above with a broom. He broke the stake and tossed it into the Gomati. Shriprabhu took on divine power there. (Another version: He took on an incarnation.) Then he went to Riddhipur.

He meets Shriprabhu; Kamakhya approaches him.

In Hivarali, Mahadaïse asked, “Lord, when I went to a hermit’s cell in Dvaravati, there was a Mahatma there who had silver threads coming out of his mouth. What was that, Lord?” The omniscient one replied, “That was his saliva.”

“‘What is your name?’ I asked him. ‘Mahadev Muni.’ ‘Whose disciple are you?’ ‘Ananta Muni’s.’ ‘Whose is he?’ ‘He is Shri Cangdev Raül’s.’ ‘How did Shri Cangdev Raül leave the world?’ ‘I don’t know.’ ‘Then what does your Ananta Muni say?’ ‘“The holy man and his knowledge are in Maharashtra.”’ ‘What do you say?’ ‘I say, “Ananta, Ananta.”’”

“How could he know that, my woman? Nobody knows it.

I will tell you what happened: Kamakhya of Kaürali heard of Cangdev Raül’s reputation and came there out of sexual desire. But she could not transgress the god’s command and approach him. He was inclined to celibacy, and so he did not come out. She stood there for seven days and seven nights. Finally, seeing her determination, he gave up his body.

“At that moment, the son of a minister in Gujarat died. When his body had been brought to the cremation ground, I took it on.”

And Mahadaïse asked the Gosavi, “So, Lord Gosavi, are you this minister’s son from Gujarat?” “Yes.” “How did they let you leave?” Thereupon he told her the story of the Ram pilgrimage.

At their lodgings, Mahadaïse said, “Abai! Abai! Our Gosavi is really Cangdev Raül of Dvaravati.” “Is that so, Rupai?” When Mahadaïse returned the next day, the omniscient one said, “My woman, don’t talk about such things in a place like that.” “All right, Lord. How did you know, Gosavi?” The omniscient one said, “I can tell from your intentions and actions, my woman.” “How can you tell from my intentions and actions?” “I can tell from the way you stand up and sit down.”

He takes on a body.

He took on the body and began to look around. Everyone was delighted. “The minister’s son is alive! The minister’s son is alive!” they said. Then the Gosavi entered the town.

Excerpted with permission from God at Play: Volume 1, Mhaimbhat, translated from the Marathi by Anne Feldhaus, Murty Classical Library of India.