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Chapter 5 : The Marriage of Mahipati and the Awakening of Responsibility
- Jul 24
- 2 min read
From Ladoba Prakashan's book 'Sant Mahipati by Dattatrey Naikwade
Even after returning from his first pilgrimage to Pandharpur, the image of Pandharinath and the devoted warkaris he had witnessed there lingered vividly in young Mahipati's mind. As the seasons turned, Mahipati grew into a young man. Dadopant and Gangabai felt the time had come for him to enter the householder's life through marriage, believing it would ground him in worldly duties and allow them to spend their remaining years in peaceful, unhindered devotion to the Divine.
As the old saying goes, marriages are written in the stars! Once, Sridharpant Pol from the village of Jamgaon (in the Parner taluka) happened to visit Tahharabad on some business. There, he caught sight of the youthful Mahipati. He was so deeply captivated by Mahipati’s sharp intellect, innate humility, and pure, pious nature that he expressed a heartfelt wish to give his own daughter in marriage to him.
The two families found immediate harmony in their values and thoughts. Before long, an auspicious date for the wedding was fixed. Sridharpant organized the celebrations with immense joy. Unmarred by discord or petty grievances, the wedding ceremony unfolded with grace and festive splendour. Sridharpant performed the sacred Kanyadaan of his beloved daughter, and a sumptuous feast of sweet delicacies was served to all the assembled guests and relatives. With full hearts, Dadopant and Gangabai welcomed their new daughter-in-law into their home.
Mahipati had now stepped into the role of a householder: his wife, Sau. Saratibai (Saraswatibai), mirrored her own family’s virtues: she was remarkably understanding, pious, and deeply devoted to nurturing the household. She served her elderly parents-in-law with utmost care and sincere reverence. Seeing their son and daughter-in-law thriving in domestic harmony, Dadopant and Gangabai experienced a profound sense of inner peace and fulfillment.
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