The poems of Bhima Bhoi, the 19th-century saint-poet from Odisha, stand as a profound testament to mystical devotion, radical compassion, and social critique within the Mahima Dharma tradition. His works namely, Stuti Chintamani, Bhajanamala, and others like Nirveda Sadhana and Chautisa Madhu Chakra weave philosophical ideas about the formless Absolute (Alekha Brahma or Shunya Brahma) into simple, lyrical Odia verses that are sung in villages to the rhythm of castanets and tambourines.
Stuti Chintamani, his magnum opus with 100 chapters of around 4,000 lines, is a monumental prayer lamenting human suffering in the Kaliyuga in form of sin, tyranny, exploitation, and moral decay and while seeking redemption through sincere bhakti. The poet’s voice ranges from supplication to righteous anger, grounding abstract metaphysics in lived pain and paradoxes. One celebrated passage captures his boundless empathy: “Praninka arata dukha apramita dekhu dekhu keba sahu/ Mo jeevana pachhe narke padithau jagata uddhara heu” (Witnessing the boundless suffering of beings, who can endure? Let my life rot in hell if necessary, but let the world be redeemed). This selfless plea embodies universal compassion, prioritizing global redemption over personal salvation amid inequality and oppression.
In another excerpt from Stuti Chintamani, Bhima Bhoi describes the formless Brahma in paradoxical terms that defy sensory grasp: “Pada pani nahim tanku dhariba kie? Emanta brahma svarupa dekha na yae” (Who can grasp His feet or hands? Such is the form of Brahma that cannot be seen). The poem continues: “Nahim tanka peta anta, phitai kahuchi gota; Nara deha vahi tanku kaliba nuhe” (He has no beginning or end, no body to speak of; the human form cannot contain Him). These lines evoke a void-like essence beyond attributes, hunger, thirst, or duality where “Icchare asanti bhrami, Bhakata Bhavaku Premi” (In desire, the restless wander, but the devotee finds love in Him). The language strips away ornamentation, using folk idiom to convey the ineffable, creating an eerie landscape of unseen realities: trees flowering without shade, flowers laced with poison, or spirits dancing to inaudible music.
Bhima Bhoi’s bhajans in Bhajanamala excel in melodic devotion, praising the lotus feet of the formless Lord and meditative union. One rhythmic invocation reflects contemplative surrender: “Vandana padapdmaku/ Dhyayi arupanandaku/ Bichara karichhi laye/ Chari pure nama brahma/ Ate ananta akshaya/ Abalapna anakara / Ana sadhane udaye” (I praise the lotus feet, meditate on formless bliss, contemplate in rhythm; Brahma’s name pervades the four worlds, infinite and imperishable, rising through effortless practice). These songs blend philosophy with everyday melody, emphasizing inner realization over external rites, and affirm the divine’s equal presence in all: wicked or saintly, servant or master, insect or bird.
The poetry explores life’s cycles and paradoxes: innocent childhood, youth’s passionate illusions of love and desire leading to wasted pursuits, then awakening to true purpose. References to personal hardships, like tending cattle in forests amid hunger, add intimate warmth: “Daily I used to tend cattle in the forest. When hungry and thirsty I used to drink water from the hill-streams.” Yet the focus remains mystical: “When you see that one and only Brahma you may even go blind. What I have seen I can barely describe.” Blindness here is metaphorical, symbolizing transcendence beyond physical sight to inner vision of the void.
Bhima Bhoi’s egalitarian humanism shines through rejection of caste and idolatry. He proclaims shared humanity. “In this universe, I only hope for one person and one caste; It is the Creator who has made everyone from the same earth.” Non-violence extends to compassion: “Be they wicked or saintly… you pervade all/ I see you equally in all beings/ Nowhere less than in another.” Peace arises from detachment and self-realization, fostering tolerance and unity.
His innovative forms, like reverse-alphabet cautisa poems in Chautisa Madhu Chakra, explain Mahima Dharma’s promise of end-of-Kaliyuga salvation. The verses challenge dogma, promote reform, and embody subaltern modernity: rational, devotional, and rooted in tribal experience.
Bhima Bhoi’s songs affirm shared humanity through raw emotion and profound insight. From supplication to indignation, they illuminate paths to justice, compassion, and the divine, urging redemption for the world even at personal cost. His legacy endures in Odisha’s villages and outside, healing and inspiring through timeless verses born of void and vision.
By Bishnupada Sethi, IAS
The author serves as the Chairman of the Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) and continues as the Chief Administrator of the KBK districts.
