Chhatapur (Madhya Pradesh): Bageshwar Dham seer Dhirendra Shastri has taken backtracked on the remarks he made earlier during a religious discourse that the wife of the saint (Tukaram) used to beat him often. Dhirendra Shastri has now said that the saint was actually his role model and that he would never intend to make objectionable remarks against him.
At the same time, Shastri said, "How can I be disrespectful to him? Tukaram took everything in a positive stride. Even his wife's bashing," Shastri said, adding, "The great saint belonging to Maharashtra was the victim of his wife's bashing. Once someone asked the saint whether he did not feel ashamed of being beaten by his wife. The saint replied that it was God's blessings that his better-half beat him. My wife's rebukes helps me to focus on meditation."
Read: Bageshwar Baba sparks another controversy, says 'Sant Tukaram was beaten by his wife'
"Instead of seeking carnal love, I was concentrating on divine love. Had I not been beaten by my wife, I would not have had sought refuge in the Almighty. For me (Tukaram), it was a boon in disguise," said Dhirendra Shastri while quoting from a fable written on the saint.
Taking back his views on saint Tukaram, Dhirendra Shastri said, "I had read a story about saint's wife. Her unusual nature. She used to send him (Tukaram) to buy sugarcane. His wife used to beat him with the same sugarcane, leading to breaking of sugarcane into two parts. But I am taking back my words, if it hurts someone's sentiments. I apologize with folded hands."
Workers of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) from Maharashtra had strongly objected to Bageshwar Dham seer's remarks on saint Tukaram. The NCP threatened to hold demonstrations if anybody passes such remarks against the saint.
