Natha Bhagat of Modhwada
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Sant, Soorveer, Datar
Shri Natha Modhwadia’s 20 verse Epic
This 20 verse poem was written about Natha Bhagat by a Barot from the Modhwada Gaam. The 20 verses contain praise for Natha Modha, for his valor and sheer bravery.
Rana Khunti (Rajshakha Maher Vansh) from the Chhtrava Village (near Mangrod) and a group of people from his village were going to a jatra (pilgrimage) of Dwarka. As it was getting late, they decided to stop at Vangha Patel’s (Vangha Muru Modhwadia)’s house in the village of Modhwada. (Patel is a name that is given to the village chief).
Whilst resting, Rana Khunti told Vangha Patel that he had heard that there had been an epic written about the courage and bravery of Natha Modhwadia.
Vangha Patel agreed and told Rana Khunti that Raja Barot was famous for singing his Duha’s (poems) throughout the whole of Barda. Rana Khunti asked Vangha Patel to call the Modhwadia Barot, so that they could all listen to Natha Bhagat’s epic
On arriving, Raja Barot sung:
- “Sisodia Vansh Maher- Natha Modhwadia! Firstly you have cleaned out all of Jam Saheb’s villages. Your praises are being sung everywhere.”
- “Secondly, wherever you go, children quieten down, on listening to your lion sounding bellow.
- “Thirdly, Natha from the Modhwada Gaam, you broke the power and dominance of the Jadeja Vansh Jam Saheb (King of Jamangar). Like Bhim (Lord Krishna’s cousin, from the Pandu Family) had almighty strength, you alone are enough to kill your opponents single handedly.”
- “Fourthly, Natha, you have taken Baradi (the county of Jamnagar) with your teeth and chewed it out, and you are now ready to take the county of Halar as well.”
- “Fifthly, the people of Kutchh are fearful and terror-stricken of you, the people that live near the mountainside, become frightened, when hearing your voice”.
- “Sixthly, the most violent and vicious people are scared of you. You tackled the fortress of Devariya Village, and overtook it.
- “Seventh, Natha, the whole of Barda Mountain can hear your bellowing. The hands and feet of Rajputs shake on hearing this. This is how much people are frightened of you”.
- “Eighth and
- Nineth, the Saheb of Amreli doesn’t acknowledge some of the biggest kings, by breaking his superiority with your sheer bravery; even your moustache is hailed!
- “Tenth, in the town of Delhi, (in the tine of Mogul Badshaah) the warrior Durgadas Rathod was hailed as being a fierce Rajput warrior. Like him, you are renowned in the Barda region, and in the great Maher Caste.”
- “Eleventh Natha, if you hadn’t been born in the Maher Caste, then the Rajput Maher’s would have been classed as ‘Lokas’ and not ‘warriors’. You have kept the weight of the whole Maher Caste on your shoulders.”
- “Twelfth, you worshiped Bileshwar Mahadev (Shankar Bapa) and kept your promises to him.”
- “Thirteenth, you tied your sword on your back, to take Kutchh from the Jam Saheb, now you want to take the County of Halar from him as well.”
- Fourteenth, Natha, Your rivals come forward with bravery to fight against you, but upon seeing your ferocity, they find it hard to even get back to Jamnagar”.
- “Fifteenth, the biggest chiefs in the villages, for the safety of their own villages and families, give you bribes. No Rajput warriors are agreeing to come face to face with you to fight; they have all become weak against your bravery.”
- “Sixteenth, Just like people catch animals and cage them, you have almost imprisoned the bravest people of Sorat, with your power. You asked these people for a fine they deserve and then gave to the poor. The most supreme people are in your control.
- “Seventeenth, the power of bravery has circulated your whole body so much, that two authoritative Kings like the Jam Saheb and the Jungadh’s Nawab bow down to you.”
- “Eighteenth, Natha, from the blessings of a Sadhu, and Bileshwar Mahadev, you have beaten some of the most supreme Kings, this is why you wear a mara (necklace) that is full of respect.”
- “Nineteenth, Kings such as Jam Saheb and Junagadh’s Nawab bow down to you. Only Lord Kirshna hasn’t bowed down to you because you are a worshipper of him and you pray to him continuously.”
- “Finally, Natha Modha, kings have tried their absolute best to control you and they are tired of unsuccessfully sending their horsemen after you. But Natha Modwadia, you kept your Sisodiya’s ancestry place Chitorgadh on your shoulders. Shri Natha Modhwadia! How much gratitude can we give you?!”
Article supplied by Nisha Bhima Karavadra, Peterborough. (UK)