DEATH OF VITTHALPANT
In the month of February of the year 1903, plague was rampant in
Godhra. Funerals, wailing and weeping of young and old, beating of
chests by women, search for the affected persons, etc.was the dismal
scene seen daily everywhere. The citizens were urged to leave the
urban area for the far off places, especially to villages and
farmlands. So in response to the promulgation from the authorities
and to save itself from the-dreary disease, the family of Shree
Vitthalpant Valame left Godhra for a village, named Govindi. Shree
Rang was of five years old and Narayan, his younger brother was of
three then.
Worship of Lord Shiv was going on in the family of Valame for
years together. Therefore, Vitthalpant, the father of Shree Rang was
glad to see a temple of Lord Shiv in Govindi. The temple was named as
Khadgeshvar. The .temples of Lord Shiv are generally named after one
of the epithets of the Lord i.e. Shiv. Before his mid-day meals,
Vittalpant started going to the temple to worship Lord Shiv
daily.
One day Vitthalpant felt sickness. However, as per daily routine
he went to the temple and bagan worshipping the Lord, as far as
possible with composed mind. When he was adoring the Lord with a
flower, it instantly slipped down from the Linga. (Lord Shiv is
generally worshipped in the form of an oval-shaped stone. The
consecrated stone is called Linga in Sanskrit and also in all other
indian languages.) Again he adjusted the flower on it; but it did not
set there and fell down. The falling down of the flower from the
Linga was taken as a bad omen by him.
On coming home, Vitthalpant narrated the whole incident to his
wife, Rukmini. she too worried about it. But soon she gathered
courage and told her husband to shed the thoughts of unthinkable
disasters. And let loose the reins in the hands of Lord Vithoba.
Whenever, he was in trouble, Vitthalpant immediately used to
contemplate on Lord Vithoba and was by then consoled and inspired by
HIM to go ahead in proper directions. So at, that time also he fixed
his mind upon Lord Vithoba and within few minutes he realised the
presence of Lord Vitboba in front of his eyes. He was overjoyed to
have a glimpse of the Lord. But at the next moment his joy turned
into melancholy. Because Lord Vithoba did not appear facing him. It
was the back of the Lord which was seen by him. Such a rare and
unexpected glimpse of the Lord shocked Vitthalpant. He felt sure that
the unusual glimpse of the Lord certainly suggested his death.
Vitthalpant told Rukmini about the appearance of the Lord Vithoba
and the meaning derived from it by him. And alas !, Leaving shree
Rang and Narayan to the care of Rukmini, Vitthlpant left the world on
11 -2 -1904.