Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 11

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 11

 

This section describes the birth, childhood, and initiation of Shri Narasimha Saraswati, the second major incarnation of Bhagavan Dattatreya in the Kali Yuga, who was born to the devout woman Ambika (now reborn as Amba) as promised in the previous chapter.

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ब्राह्मण स्त्री करंजपुरीं । हो अंबारव्या सुंदरी ।
प्राक्संस्कारें प्रदोष करी । तिला वरी माधव विप्र ॥१॥

The Brahmin woman [from the previous story] was reborn in the town of Karanjapur (Karanja) as a beautiful girl named Amba. Due to the spiritual impressions of her past life, she continued to perform the Pradosha vow. In time, a virtuous Brahmin named Madhava married her.

झाली दृढधी गर्भिणी । बोले तत्वज्ञान जनीं ।
शोभली ती संस्कारानीं । शुभलग्नीं प्रसवली ॥२॥

She became pregnant and possessed an unshakeable, steady mind. Even while interacting with ordinary people, she spoke words of profound spiritual philosophy (Tattvajnana). Adorned with all sacred virtues, she gave birth to a son at a highly auspicious astrological moment.

तो पढें बाळ ओंकार । पिता करी तत्संस्कार ।
होती सर्व हृष्टतर । अवतार हा म्हणती ॥३॥

Immediately upon birth, the divine infant uttered the sacred syllable "Om" (Omkar). His father performed his birth rituals, and everyone in the town was filled with immense joy, proclaiming, "This child is surely a divine incarnation!"

करुन नामकर्मा । नाम घेती नृहरिशर्मा ।
पिता वेंची धन धर्मा । चित्र नर्मा दावी बाळ ॥४॥

During the naming ceremony, they named the child Nruhari Sharma (Shri Narasimha Saraswati). His father spent his wealth generously on charity and righteous deeds, while the child displayed highly extraordinary and playful divine signs.

न इच्छि शिंशु बोलाया । तया मूक मानूनियां ।
ते करितीं बहु उपाया । शिशु तयां दावी खुणा ॥५॥

As he grew up, the child showed absolutely no desire to speak. Believing him to be mute, his worried parents tried many medical remedies, but the child merely responded to them using mysterious hand gestures and signs.

मूकत्वा टाकी तेव्हां । बांधाल मुंजी जेव्हां ।
असें म्हणूनी करी तेव्हां । बाल लोहाचें सुवर्ण ॥६॥

The child subtly conveyed, "I will cast away this silence only when you perform my sacred thread ceremony (Munja/Upanayana)." To prove his divine nature, the young child touched a piece of iron and instantly transformed it into solid gold.

बोल तयाचा मानून । करिती व्रतबंधन ।
मातेपाशीं भिक्षा दान । मागे तीन वेद पढे ॥७॥

Believing his words and witnessing the miracle, the parents performed his thread ceremony. Standing as a young celibate disciple (Batu), he asked his mother for his first ritual alms (Bhiksha) and immediately began to recite all three Vedas flawlessly.

जैं प्रातःकाल येतां । अंधःकार जाय अस्ता ।
तेवीं बाळें वेद पढतां । मर्त्यताधी लोपली ॥८॥

Just as the morning dawn arrives and instantly dispels all darkness, the moment the young child began reciting the Vedas, the ignorance of worldly mortality utterly vanished from the minds of those present.

सर्वां परम हर्ष झाला । बटू प्रार्थी मातेला ।
स्वीकारुं संन्यासाला । होती तुला पुत्र पुत्री ॥९॥

While everyone was filled with supreme joy, the young boy made a request to his mother, "Permit me to embrace the ascetic path of complete renunciation (Sannyasa). You will be blessed with more sons and daughters in the future."

माता दंभोलीपातसे । ऐकतांची पडतसे ।
सांवरोनी बोलतसे । क्रम असे संन्यासासी ॥१०॥

Hearing this request, his mother felt as though she had been struck by a thunderbolt and collapsed to the ground. Composing herself, she argued, "There is a proper sequence of stages in life to take Sannyasa."

वेदांत ब्रह्मचर्यादि । क्रम असे नच आधीं ।
अन्यथा पडे मधीं । पुत्र सुधी ऐक म्हणे ॥११॥

"According to the scriptures, one must pass through the stages of student life (Brahmacharya) and householder life first, rather than jumping into it prematurely. Otherwise, one falls into spiritual ruin midway. My wise son, listen to my words!"

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे एकादशोऽध्यायः