Saint Saavtaa Maali

Saint Saavtaa Maali

A great Saint who explained spirituality in a simple easy to follow language and showed the masses how to realise God through everyday activities

Birth: 1250

Kaanda mulaa bhaaji | Avaghi Vithaabai Mazhi |
(Onion radish vegetable | I find my Lord Vitthal in that too |)

So saying, Saint SaavtaaMaali taught the people to seek God through everyday work and addressing one’s duties and responsibilities. He is an illustrious and senior saint of the Warkari sect. The Lord Vitthal was his sole and ultimate deity. But he never visited Pandharpur, where the prime temple of Lord Vitthal is located, even once. It was the Lord himself who came visiting Saint SaavtaaMaali – such was his devotion. He was a saint who propagated the path of realisation through work:
Karme Ishu Bhajava
(Find God through Work)

He created a sublime balance between spirituality and devotion, self realisation and amassing people, duty and exemplary behaviour. He was never apprehensive of anyone in vociferously crusading against blind faith, fastidiousness to religious rituals, hypocracy, and ostentatious display with respect to religion. At the same time, he promoted purity of mind, contemplation of real doctrines of religion, exemplary behaviour, fearlessness, good judgement, endurance and other such qualities. He preached that it wasn’t necessary to follow strict religious rituals (like Yog, Yaag, Jap, Tap, TeerthaVrat) to please God, and that it is sufficient to deeply contemplate on God with a pure mind. In his words -

Yog-yaag tap dharma | sope varma naam ghetaa ||
TeerthaVrat Daan Ashtaaga | Yaachaa paang aamhaa nako ||

(Rituals like Yog Yaag Tap | Far more easy and much more effective is repeating His name ||
Rituals like TeerthaVrat Daan Ashtaaga | We do not need to hanker after these ||)

He stressed on repeating God’s name and listening to Kirtan of saints. It isn’t necessary to renounce everything to realise God. Self realisation can happen through dispensing one’s duties and responsibilities religiously too -

Prapanchi asuni parmartha saadhaavaa | vaache aalvaavaa Pandurang |
Mot, naadaa, vihir, dori | Avaghi vyaapili Pandhari |

(Realise God while dispensing your duties | While working, contemplate on Lord Pandurang|
Water channel, draw rope, wells, string | God is everywhere|)

Saint SaavtaaMaali could see God everywhere in his field.

Kashiba Gurav has written all his Abhanga compositions. His dictum in life was if one dispenses one’s worldly responsibilities unassumingly and with God in one’s heart, then that itself would be a path of spirituality. He did not hanker after freedom from worldly attachments. His oath was –

Vaikunthicha Dev aanuyaa Kirtani
(Let us get God down to earth from heaven through Kirtan)

His following verse clearly highlights his life’s dictum -

Swakarmaat vhaave rat, moksha mile hotaa hot |
Saavtyaane kela malaa | Vitthal dekhiyelaa dolaa ||

(Immerse in good work, you will get detachment from worldly matters while the work gets done |
Saavtaa worked in his farm | He saw Lord Vitthal there ||)

His Abhanga compositions are replete with emotions. Of the nine basic emotions, his compositions give the listener an aesthetic experience of affection, compassion, calmness and devotional servitude.

Saint SaavtaaMaali hails from the Aran-Bhend village in Maharashtra. Daivu Mali, a Warkari, was his paternal grandfather. He had two sons, Pursoba and Dongroba. Pursoba was of a religious bent of mind. While managing the fields, he would devote his time to God, through Bhajan and pray, as well as the annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur. He married the daughter of Sadu Mali, a Warkari. SaavtaaMaali was born to this devout couple. Ause in the Princely State of Miraj is the root village of this family. Daivu Mali settled in Aran. The village Bhend is located two miles from Aran.

Saint Namdeo says –

Dhanya te Aran, ratnancheech khan | Janmala nidhaan Savtaa to |
Savtaa saagar, premacha aagar | Ghetala avatar maalyaa ghari ||

Blessed is Aran, a treasure of jewels | Savta was born here |
Savta is an ocean, a treasure trove of love | God appeared in the form of Savtaa in the home of a farmer ||

Saint Saavtaa was a senior saint in the order of Saint Dnyaneshwar, in the period 1250 to 1295. Saint Dnyaneshwar was of the period 1275 to 1296. Saav means pure character and behaviour, and therefore Saavtaa means one who is of pure character and impeccable behaviour. Saint Saavtaa became immersed in devotion to Lord Vitthal right since his childhood. Harvesting flowers, fruits, vegetables was his traditional occupation. In one of his compositions he says -

Aamchi Maaliyaachi jaat, shet laavu baagaait
(We are gardeners by caste, we will plant an orchard)

Saint SaavtaaMaali married Janai, who was from the Bhanavase RoopMaali house hailing from Bhend village. She expertly ran SaavtaaMaali’s household. They had two children, Vitthal and NagaTai.

Saint SaavtaaMaali expounded that everyone has a right to devote ones senses towards the Lord while dispensing one’s worldly duties. His own experience was –

Na lage Saayaas, na pade sankat, naame sopi vaat vaikunthachi
(Neither is great toil required, nor will any misfortune befall, contemplating God is the easy path to heaven)

He showed the common man the path to developing ones soul.

Saint Saavtaa lived for a mere forty-five years. Only thirty-seven of his Abhanga compositions are available to-date. He diligently worked at propagating and promoting religion and devotion all his life. His character displays an amazing balance of zeal and detachment.

Saint Saavtaa expired on 12 July 1295. The annual Pandharpur pilgrimage religiously visits his memorial.

Death: 12th July 1295