एक शूद्र अपनी पत्नीके साथ कार्तिकी यात्राके निमित्त पंढरपुर गया उसके साथ उसकी नन्ही सी पुत्री जनी भी थी उत्सव समाप्त होनेपर वह अपने घर लौटने लगा। जनीका मन पंढरपुरमें भगवान्के भजन कीर्तनमें इतना रम गया कि वह माता-पिताके साथ घर जानेके लिये तैयार नहीं हो रही थी। माता-पिताने बहुत समझाया, पर उसने एक भी न मानी। लाचार माता पिता उसे विट्ठल- मन्दिरमें ही छोड़कर चले गये।
भजन समाप्त होनेपर जब सभी भक्त चले गये, तब नामदेवकी दृष्टि जनीपर पड़ी। उसके अभिभावकको वहाँ न देख उस अनाथाको वे अपने साथ घर ले आये। अब जनी नामदेव के घर दासी बनकर रहने लगी।
नामदेवके यहाँ नित्य ही बड़े-बड़े साधु-संत आते। जनीको अनायास उनका सत्सङ्ग प्राप्त होता सत्सङ्गकी महिमासे धीरे-धीरे उसका मन भगवान्में इतना रमने लगा कि वह अपना नित्यका काम भी भूल जाती। उसने अपना चित्त प्रभु चरणोंमें समर्पित कर दिया। इस कारण भक्तवत्सलभगवान्को उसके काम पूरे करने पड़ते। कई बार ऐसा हुआ कि वह भजनकी धुनमें कितने ही घरके काम करना भूल गयी नामदेवकी माता गोणाई ज्यों ही उसे डाँटनेफटकारने लगतीं त्यों ही भगवान् उन कामोंको स्वयं रूप बदलकर कर देते।
प्रातः काल आटा पीसनेका काम जनीके जिम्मे रहा। एक दिन वह सो गयी। भगवान्ने तत्काल पहुँचकर उसे जगाया और आटा पीसनेमें उसका साथ स्वयं देने लगे। आटा पीसते पीसते सुबह हो गयी । भगवान् जल्दीसे उठे और मन्दिरमें जाकर बैठ गये। इसी बीच उनके गलेका जड़ाऊ हार वहीं रह गया।
पूजाके समय पुजारीने हार न देखकर शोर मचाया। सभीकी तरह जनीसे भी पूछा गया। पर उसने साफ इनकार कर दिया। बेचारी कुछ जानती ही न थी । जनीपर जलनेवालोंने उसके घरकी तलाशी लेनेको कहा और जाँचमें हार उसीकी कोठरीसे बरामद हुआ।
भगवान् के गलेका हार चुराने और इनकार करनेके अपराधमें लोगोंने जनीको सूलीपर चढ़ानेका कठोर दण्ड दिया। भीमाके तटपर सूली बैठायी गयी और जनीको उसपर चढ़ानेका उपक्रम हो ही रहा था कि अपने निरपराध भक्तको बचानेकी बात भगवान्ने सोच ली। लोगोंके देखते-देखते सूली पानी-पानी हो गयी ! और लोग जनीबाईको निर्दोष बता उसे गौरव देने लगे।
-गो0 नं0 बै0 (भक्तिविजय, अ0 21)
A Shudra went to Pandharpur with his wife for Kartiki’s visit. He was accompanied by his little daughter Jani. At the end of the festival, he started returning home. Janika’s mind was so engrossed in singing hymns of God in Pandharpur that she was not getting ready to go home with her parents. The parents explained a lot, but he didn’t listen to even one. Helpless parents left him in Vitthal-temple and went away.
After the bhajan was over, when all the devotees left, then Namdev’s vision fell on Jani. Not seeing his guardian there, they brought the orphan home with them. Now Jani started living as a maid in Namdev’s house.
Big sages and saints used to come to Namdev’s place everyday. Jani used to get his satsang spontaneously, due to the glory of satsang, gradually her mind started getting so much engrossed in God that she even forgot her daily work. He surrendered his mind at the feet of the Lord. For this reason Bhaktavatsalbhagwan had to complete his work. Many times it happened that she forgot to do many household chores in the tune of bhajan. As soon as Namdev’s mother Gonai started scolding her, God himself would do those works by changing his form.
Jani was responsible for grinding flour in the morning. One day she fell asleep. God immediately reached and woke him up and started helping him in grinding the flour. It was morning while grinding flour. Bhagavan got up quickly and went to the temple and sat down. Meanwhile, the necklace studded around his neck remained there.
At the time of worship, the priest did not see the defeat and made noise. Janice was asked like everyone else. But he flatly refused. The poor thing didn’t know anything. Juniper’s people asked to search his house and in the investigation the necklace was recovered from his cell.
For the crime of stealing and refusing to steal the Lord’s necklace, people severely punished Jani by crucifixion. Crucifixion was done on the banks of Bhima and the task of offering Jani to it was being done that God thought of saving his innocent devotee. The crucifix became watery in the eyes of the people! And people started giving glory to Janibai by calling her innocent.
