Karmabai

Karmabai (03 March 1017 – 1064) was a Teli known as Bhakt Shiromani Karmabai. She was born on 03 March 1017 in the family of Ramji Sahu in the village Jhansi situated in Jhansi district. She was a devotee of Krishna.

Story
The story of the glory of Goddess Karmabai, the most adorable Sadhvi Bhakti Shiromani Maa Karmabai, the worshipable Goddess Karmabai of millions of people living in the country and abroad, has been imprinted in the minds of people with a sense of devotion for the last thousands of years. Her sacred story on the pages of history and the folk songs, legends and stories related to it are proof that Maa Karma Bai is not an imaginary character. Maa Karmabai was born in Jhansi city of Uttar Pradesh in the house of famous oil merchant Shri Ram Sahu ji on Paap Mochni Ekadashi Samvat 1073 of Chaitra Krishna Paksha in 1017 AD. Jhansi Nagar railway junction on Delhi Mumbai railway line was the workplace of the brave lady Gaurav Maharani Lakshmibai. A large number of prestigious Rathore Sahu families reside in this Jhansi city which are leading in various businesses. Mother Karmabai belonged to Bathri dynasty. The Sahu dynasty is running from Shri Ram Sahu's daughter Karmabai and the Rathore dynasty is running from his younger daughter Dharmabai. Therefore, both Sahu and Rathore are Vaishya community of Tailikvanshiya community.

Mother Karmabai was married to Padma Ji Sahu, resident of Narwar, tehsil headquarters of Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh. At that time Narwargarh was an independent state, her sister Dharmabai was married to Shri Ram Singh Rathore of Nagaur State of Rajasthan, who Were called Ghanchi. Even today, lakhs of brothers from Rajasthan districts like Nagaur, Sirohi, Pali, Alwar, Jotpur, Barmer etc. are called Ghanchi. Their gotras are Bhati, Parihar, Gehlod, Deora, Baurahana etc., which originated from Rajasthan and spread to the states like Andhra, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat etc.

Mother Karmabai was deeply influenced by her father's devotion and knowledge since childhood. In her childhood, like devotee Meerabai, she used to hum songs of devotion to Shri Krishna with her sweet voice. He liked the child form of Krishna more, hence the melodious verses of child Krishna's pastimes flowed easily from his throat. He had no desire to get married even in his dreams, but due to the insistence of his parents, he had to enjoy the worldly life, but his mind was always engrossed in the devotion of Krishna. Mother Karmabai's husband's main business was oil. Several crushers ran simultaneously in his house and his oil business extended to Narwar State and other states. Her husband had no shortage of money, so her husband expanded the oil business and to send the oil out, there was a need for the simplest paved route, so her husband built many bridges on the rivers on the way. For the comfort of travelers, inns were built at a distance of 10-10 miles along the roads. Even today, one bridge on Narwar Shivpuri Road and the other on Narwar Dabra Road and the third bridge at a distance of 3 km from Narwar are built on Varmati River, which have been known by the name of Maa Karmabai's bridge for years. Due to the construction of bridges and inns, Mother Karmabai's family had to become the object of the king's hatred. Dhola, son of the then king Nal, became jealous of the wealth and fame of mother Karmabai's husband and a conspiracy was hatched in the royal court to stop his oil business. Mother Karmabai's husband was given a royal order that the king's elephant was suffering from incurable itching disease which could be cured only by dipping the elephant's neck in the oil using a solution of medicine mixed in bitter oil. Therefore, an order was issued to fill the concrete pond of Samaj state with oil in seven days. Despite efforts, the pond could not be filled within the stipulated time. The question of life, death and livelihood arose before the entire Tailak community. It was natural for Mother Karmabai's husband and father-in-law to be worried on this occasion. Following the wishes of her husband, devotee Karmabai devoted her entire conscience to the remembrance of the Lord. Then the words of God echoed in the ears of devotee Karmabai and the pond was filled with oil. This news spread in the city. The whole city echoed with the cheers of devotee Karmabai and the entire Tailik community got relief from a great crisis. The fame of Mother Karmabai spread throughout the country. The said pond is still there on the eastern side of the famous fort of Narwar, which is made only of stonework and slabs, whose ghat's stairs are made in such a way that even an elephant can easily enter the pond.This pond is known as “Dharma Talaiya”, which symbolizes the Dharma crisis of Karmabai. Teli Samaj Ganesh idols are immersed every year in this Dharma Talaiya.

Angered by the said action of Dhola Raja, Mother Karmabai decided to leave Narwar and requested her husband not to stay in this king's kingdom for long. As soon as the decision was taken, most of the Telik community of Narwar went to live in Netra town of Nagaur State of Rajasthan. Later, when King Dhola came to know about the miracle of Mother Karmabai's devotion to Krishna from the sages, saints and people of the city, he started feeling ashamed and repentant. The king invited Mother Karmabai to return to Narwar again, but Mother Karmabai made Netra town of Nagaur State of Rajasthan her place of work. It is said that after Karmabai left Narwargarh, the bad days of Narwar started. There was a famine in the state, trade came to a halt and people started dying of hunger. Another king attacked Nagarvargarh and Dhola king was deposed.

Devotee Karmabai's faith in Lord Shri Krishna grew stronger, but Karmabai's son Tana ji died at an early age and after a short illness, her husband also passed away. The entire Indian society was immersed in deep mourning. Devotee Mother Karmabai kept crying and as per the then tradition, she resolved to commit Sati in her husband's funeral pyre. At the same time, a voice came from the sky that daughter, this is not right, a child is growing in your womb, wait for the time, I will send you to Jagannathpuri. Will give darshan. How could Mother Karma Bai violate the orders of her beloved Shri Krishna and she agreed, but now she turned her back on the world and started spending all her time in the devotion of Bal Krishna, and it did not take long for the time to pass by. Three-four years were spent in raising the child. Mother Karmabai's mind kept going towards Akashvani that when would we have the darshan of our adored Lord Shri Krishna and one day suddenly she came to her parents' house in Jhansi with her child and handed over the child to them for their care and at night she prayed to Lord Krishna alone. She left for home with Khichdi to enjoy. She went on foot to have darshan of Lord Jagannath. Mother Karmabai was no longer conscious of her body. Tired of walking, she rested in the shade of a tree and did not realize when she fell asleep and when she opened her eyes, Mother Karmabai found herself in Jagannathpuri. Seeing this miracle, Mother Karmabai remembered God with gratitude. When Mother Karmabai started climbing the temple stairs to have the darshan of Lord Jagannath, seeing her poor condition, the panda priests of the temple did not allow her to enter the temple and pushed her down the stairs due to which Mother Karmabai became unconscious there. The priests threw them on the seashore. After this, the idols suddenly disappeared from the Jagannath temple, this created a stir in the temple. When the priests started searching for the idols, they came to know that there was a huge crowd on the sea shore and Lord Shri Krishna in child form was sitting in the lap of Mother Karmabai and eating Khichdi lovingly from her hands. Seeing this supernatural scene, the priests felt ashamed and apologized to God, then Lord Krishna said that you people did not allow them to enter the temple, so I myself came here. Along with this, Lord Shri Krishna gave a boon to Mother Karmabai that now I will eat only Khichdi before offering fifty-six types of food.

While living on the sea shore, Mother Karmabai used to offer Khichdi to her beloved Lord Shri Krishna every day. After the disappearance of Lord Shri Jagannath from the temple, seeing the particle of khichdi fed by Maa Karmabai in his mouth, everyone accepted the exclusive devotional practice of Maa Karmabai. Since then, the first offering of khichdi of Maa Karmabai is dedicated to Lord Jagannath. . In Jagannathpuri, the Prasad of Khichdi is distributed among the devotees along with the goods and Pua and every poor, rich, local and foreign visitor takes advantage of the supernatural joy by eating this Bhaat Prasad and buys the rice being sold in bundles in the temple and takes it to their homes. It is brought because it is believed that adding the said rice to the food prepared on weddings and other auspicious occasions does not make the food any less. That is why this saying is famous that “Maa Karma ka Bhaat, Jagat Pasare Haanth”.

Mother Karmabai, living on the sea shore in Jagannathpuri, kept feeding Khichdi to her beloved child Krishna with her own hands for a long time and kept enjoying his child's pastimes like Mother Yashoda herself. On Samvat 1121 Chaitra Shukla Paksha Ekam (Year 1064), Pancha left her physical body and merged into God. It is said that near the hut where Mother Karmabai had sacrificed her body, a child was seen and heard crying for six months and asking for Khichdi from his mother. We learn self-confidence, fearlessness, courage, effort, equality and patriotism from the life of our adorable mother Karmabai. She never bowed before injustice. He accepted every sorrow and happiness of the world and faced it boldly. Increased respect for women by living family life with full prosperity. With his devotion, he saw Shri Krishna in person and took Bal Krishna in his lap and fed him Khichdi with his own hands. Now during Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra, the chariot of Lord Jagannath stops near her samadhi for short period. It is believed that, without her sight the chariot couldn't move a single inch and it is God's own choice for Karmabai.