Almost everyone who has been on a pilgrimage is
probably familiar with this very popular stavan that is
sung on such trips. It is a very simple yet elegant
stavan, very basic in its words yet profound in its meaning.
Basically the devotee who has undertaken a pilgrimage
expresses his desire to gain Bhagwan’s darshan and exclaims
that he does not desire anything materialistic from Him but
just wishes to serve his holy feet. The Shatrunjay mahatirth
or Palitna is one of the most sacred and important Jain tirths
for it is the place from where Tirthankar Rushabhdev
Bhagwan (Dada Adeshwarji) attained moksha.
Dada Adeshwarji (Rushabhdev Bhagwan), I have come
from afar, kindly grant me your blessed vision (darshan).
Some come for your darshan on horseback,
Some others come in a palanquin
Yet others come on their feet
All have come to your kingdom O Lord, All have come to
your kingdom
Wealthy merchants come for your darshan on horseback,
Kings come in a palanquin
But me, I have come on my feet
Some present ornaments, some present coins
Yet others present simple grains of rice
Wealthy merchants present ornaments,
Kings present coins,
I, on the other hand, present just simple grains of rice
In the above couplets the poet is elucidating a very
simple fact - Bhagwan loves everyone and His doors
are open to everyone without any distinction
whatsoever. To gain His divine darshan and to
progress on His spiritual path all one needs is a strong
and steadfast desire to attain moksha.
Some ask for a beautiful body
Some ask for an eye
A few others ask for nothing materialistic, but just for
service at your holy feet
The physically challenged ask for a beautiful body,
The visually challenged ask for an eye
But me, I ask for nothing but service at your holy feet
In this couplet lies the essence of this stavan – what a
true devotee asks from Bhagwan is nothing but service
at his holy feet, for the true devotee knows that
nothing materialistic can ever lead to true happiness.
The true devotee is aware that by serving Bhagwan he
shall some day gain His grace, inculcate His inner
qualities and eventually become like Him and thereby
attain the eternal, unparalleled bliss of moksha.
In the last couplet,The poet Veer Vijay takes great pride and joy in
singing praises of his Guru Heer Vijay, whose qualities
are diamond-like. He further adds that the joy
experienced by gaining darshan of Shatrunjay tirth is
unparalleled.
