Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 4

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 4

 

In this segment, Namadharaka asks about the origin of Bhagavan Dattatreya. Siddha Muni narrates the famous story of Sage Atri and his devout wife Anasuya, explaining how the Hindu Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) tested her chastity and were transformed into three babies, ultimately leading to the birth of Bhagavan Dattatreya.

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बहुवित् सिद्धा पुसे द्विज । अत्रि कोण सांग मज ।
त्रीश केवीं हो अत्रिज । सिद्ध गुज ऐक म्हणे ॥ १॥

The Brahmin Namadharaka, seeking immense spiritual wisdom, asked Siddha Muni, "Tell me, who was Sage Atri? And how did the Bhagavan of the three worlds become the son of Atri?" Siddha Muni replied, "Listen to this sacred, confidential truth."

जाण अत्रि ब्रह्मपुत्र । अनसूया तत्कलत्र ।
दंपती परम पवित्र । त्यांचा पुत्र दत्तात्रेय ॥ २॥

"Know that Sage Atri was the mind-born son of Bhagavan Brahma, and Anasuya was his wife. This couple was supremely pure and holy, and Bhagavan Dattatreya was born as their son."

निर्बाध अनसूयेचे । व्रत पाहुन ते साचें ।
मन भ्यालें सर्व सुरांचें । अबोधाचें बीज हें कीं ॥ ३॥

"Witnessing the flawless, unshakeable power of Anasuya’s vow of chastity (Pativratya), the minds of all the divinities grew deeply fearful. Such is the seed of ignorance [that even divinities became insecure]."

ते निश्चोतत्धैर्य देव । त्रिमूर्तीपाशी घेती धांव ।
आश्वासोनीं त्यांतें देव । भिक्षुभाव स्वीकारिती ॥ ४॥

"Losing their courage, the divinities rushed to the Hindu Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) for help. Reassuring the divinities, the three supreme Deities decided to adopt the guise of mendicant ascetics (Bhikshus)."

ते ऊर्ध्व लोक सोडुनी । भिक्षुकसे होवुनि ।
तिघे आले अत्रिसदनीं। जातां रानीं मुनिवर्य ॥ ५॥

"Leaving their heavenly abodes and taking the appearance of beggars, the three Deities arrived at Sage Atri’s hermitage while the chief of sages was away in the forest."

त्यां किंप्रयोजन ऐसें । अनसूया पुसतसे ।
नग्नभिक्षा दे तूं ऐसें । याचितसे देवत्रय ॥ ६॥

"Anasuya politely asked them what they required. The three Deities then made a shocking demand, requesting, 'Serve us alms (Bhiksha) completely unclothed!'"

जरी सृती सोडिती ते । तरी सती वदे त्यातें ।
तसीच मी तुम्हा देते । स्वस्थचित्तें भिक्षा करा ॥ ७॥

"Even though they demanded something that violated normal worldly traditions, the chaste wife addressed them calmly, 'I will give you exactly what you ask. Relieve your minds of any anxiety and accept my alms.'"

स्वव्रताच्या सामर्थ्ये ती । अत्रिपदा चिंती चितीं ।
अतिथी बाळ कल्पुनी ती । सती नग्न होती झाली ॥ ८॥

"By the sheer power of her sacred vow, she meditated upon the holy feet of her husband Atri in her heart. Visualizing the three guests as her own infants, the chaste woman divested her clothing."

सुदुस्तर ज्यांची माया । सहसा बालत्व ये तयां ।
तें पाहून अनसूया । विस्मया पावली ती ॥ ९॥

"The supreme Deities—whose cosmic illusion (Maya) is otherwise impossible for anyone to overcome—instantly turned into tiny infants. Witnessing this miracle, Anasuya was filled with profound wonder."

सुहास्यमुखी घे बालां । तंव स्तना पान्हा आला ।
पाजी एका एका बाला । जी विमला पातिव्रत्यें ॥ १०॥

"With a smiling face, she picked up the infants, and mother's milk immediately began to flow from her breasts. Pure in her absolute devotion to her husband, she tenderly nursed each child one by one."

त्यांची शांत झालीं मनें । पतिव्रतास्तनपानें ।
पाळण्यांत घालुनि गाणें । ती प्रीतीनें गायी साध्वी ॥ ११॥

"Drinking the milk of such a devout, chaste woman, the minds of the three Deities became perfectly tranquil. Placing them gently in a cradle, the saintly woman began to sing sweet lullabies to them with deep affection."

ती सुखानें गातां मुनि । तेव्हा आला वनांतुनि ।
ज्ञानें त्रिमूर्ति जाणुनी । स्तवुनी तोषवी त्याला ॥ १२॥

"While she was joyfully singing, the sage returned from the forest. Through his divine spiritual knowledge, he immediately recognized the infants as the Hindu Trinity and praised them, filling them with delight."

त्यांचें गुज तें जाणुनि । राहिले सुत होउनि ।
निजरुपेंहि स्वस्थानीं । जाती तीनी देव हर्षे ॥ १३॥

"Acknowledging the couple's pure devotion, the Deities agreed to remain as their sons. At the same time, the three divinities joyfully returned to their respective heavenly realms in their original divine forms."

सगुणत्वा आले त्यांची । अत्रि नामें योजी साचीं ।
चन्द्र दत्त दुर्वासाचीं । ब्रह्म विष्णु महेश्वर ॥ १४॥

"For the forms that manifested with physical attributes (Saguna), Sage Atri appropriately named them Chandra, Datta, and Durvasa—representing Bhagavan Brahma, Bhagavan Vishnu, and Bhagavan Maheshwar (Shiva) respectively."

चंद्र प्रणाम करुनी । चंद्रलोका गेला, मुनि ।
दुर्वासा फिरे भुवनीं । स्वसदनीं राहे दत्त ॥ १५॥

"Chandra bowed down to his parents and departed for the lunar realm (Chandra-loka), while Sage Durvasa wandered across the worlds. Bhagavan Datta, however, remained right there at the hermitage of his parents."

तो निवृत्तिमार्ग दावी । भक्तांचे काम पुरवी ।
स्मर्तृगामी पुनः भुवि । अवतरे श्रीपादाख्य ॥ १६॥

"Bhagavan Datta guides people on the path of renunciation (Nivritti-marga) and fulfils all the wishes of his devotees. He manifests the moment a devotee remembers Him (Smartrugami), and He later incarnated on earth as Bhagavan Shripada Shrivallabha."

 

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे चतुर्थोऽध्यायः