Karmabai

Devotee of Krishna

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Bhakt Shiromani Karmabai
Sikh manuscript painting of Karmabai (right), from a folio within an illustrated manuscript of the Prem Ambodh Pothi
Born	03 March 1017 Naguar, Rajsathan , Nagaur district
Died	27 March 1064 Puri
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Devotee of Krishna
Known for	Offering khichadi to Shree Krishna

Karmabai (3 March 1017 – 1064^{[citation needed]}), also spelt as Karma Bai, was a Krishnavite devotee.^[1]^[2] She was born on 03 March 1017 in the family of Jat in the village |nagaur, Rajsathan situated in Naguar district.^{[citation needed]} She was a devotee of Krishna and is revered for feeding him.^[1] Sadhus entrusted Karmabai to perform Krishna's puja, reprimanding her for going overboard on the ritual, not knowing that she took her responsibility literally.^[1]

Story

The story of the glory of Goddess, Karmabai was a jat known as- Bhakt Shiromani Karmabai.^{[citation needed]} She was born on in the family of Jiwanji Dudi in the village Kalwa situated in Nagaur district.^{[citation needed]} She was a devotee of Krishna. The story goes.^{[citation needed]} like this- karmabai’s father was a devotee of Krishna.^{[citation needed]} Once upon a time he had some work outstation, so he instructed her to offer the food(bhog) to the lord and then only she should eat.^{[citation needed]} Karma was very young and she took this instruction literally. ^{[citation needed]}Next morning she woke up early and made khichdi for offering the Lord.^{[citation needed]} But when she saw that lord is not eating, sincere towards her father’s instructions innocent karmabai did not eat anything at all and waited for lord to come and eat first.^{[citation needed]} Lord Krishna was very impressed by her determination and showed mercy on her.^{[citation needed]} He himself appeared before her and ate her khichdi.^{[citation needed]} He followed the same routine till her father didn’t returned.^{[citation needed]} When her father returned she told him everything, her father was shocked in disbelief and thus karma pleaded lord to appear once again to prove her true. And very merciful lord Krishna did appeared once again to keep his devotee’s respect.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Karmabai is mentioned in a Sikh text, called the Prem Ambodh, which was originally written in 1693.^[3] The text claims Karmabai met with Mirabai in Udaipur.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c DeNapoli, Antoinette Elizabeth (1 April 2014). Real Sadhus Sing to God: Gender, Asceticism, and Vernacular Religion in Rajasthan. Oxford University Press. pp. 102–109, 179. ISBN 9780199940028.
^ Lorenzen, David N. (15 February 1996). "A Glossary of Devotees". Praises to a Formless God: Nirguṇī Texts from North India. State University of New York Press. pp. 266–267. ISBN 9781438411286.
^ ^a ^b de Bruijn, Thomas; Busch, Allison (13 March 2014). "Mirabai at the Court of Guru Gobind Singh". Culture and Circulation: Literature in Motion in Early Modern India. BRILL. pp. 109, 112, 116–17. ISBN 9789004264489.