Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 29

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 29

 

To the Trivikrama Bharati’s deep question about why the Low caste man lost his knowledge when the sacred ash was washed off, Shri Narasimha Saraswati answers that the absolute purifying power of sacred ash (Bhasma) by narrating the ancient story of Sage Vamadeva and a tormented demon (Rakshasa).

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बरवा प्रश्न ऐकून । गुरु म्हणे भस्में ज्ञान ।
दिधलें तें धूतां जाण । जाऊन हो अज्ञानी ॥१॥

Praising it as an excellent question, the Guru replied, "It was through the power of the sacred ash (Bhasma) that I temporarily bestowed spiritual wisdom upon him. Naturally, when the ash was washed away, he returned to his original ignorant state.”

पूर्वयुगीं वामदेव । क्रौंचवनी घेयी ठाव ।
त्या पाहुनि घेयी धांव । दुर्भाव तो राक्षस ॥२॥

"In an ancient epoch, the great Sage Vamadeva was wandering through the dense Krauncha forest. Spotting him from a distance, a vicious, terrifying demon (Rakshasa) rushed toward him with evil intent.”

तो दुर्गंधांगीं तेव्हां । धरी भक्षूं वामदेवा ।
भस्म लागतां दुर्भावा । त्यजुनी भवा पूर्वा स्मरे ॥३॥

"The demon, whose body exuded a foul stench, grabbed Sage Vamadeva to devour him. However, the moment the demon's body accidentally brushed against the sacred ash smeared on the sage's body, his evil nature vanished, his past sins dissolved, and he suddenly remembered his previous births.”

तृटक्षुधा शांत झाली । म्हणे पंचवीस आपुलीं ।
स्पष्ट जन्में म्यां स्मरलीं । भूपकुलीं मी दुर्जय ॥४॥

"Instantly, his intense demonic hunger and thirst were completely pacified. The demon exclaimed, 'I can clearly remember my past twenty-five births! In my prime life, I was an invincible king born of a noble royal lineage.”

धरुनि मी भोगीं स्त्रिया । राज्यमदें करुनियां ।
चारीं वर्णांच्याही भार्यां । भोगीं वेश्या असंख्यांत ॥५॥

"'Blinded by royal pride and power, I indulged heavily in sensory pleasures. I unlawfully enjoyed women from all four castes and kept an uncountable number of courtesans.”

अविवाहितांही भोगीं । रजस्वलाही न त्यागी ।
पुढें दैवें झालों रोगी । शत्रू वेगीं घेती राज्य ॥६॥

"'I violated unmarried girls and did not even spare women during their periods of menstruation. Eventually, due to my terrible sins, my fortune turned; I fell gravely ill, and my enemies swiftly seized my entire kingdom.'”

दुराशयें पाप केलें । स्त्रियांनीं बहु शापिलें ।
क्षयरोगें ग्रासियलें । अंतीं आले यमदूत ॥७॥

"'Driven by dark greed, I had committed endless atrocities. I was heavily cursed by the women I wronged. Afflicted with a wasting consumption disease (Kshaya-roga), I eventually died, and the terrifying messengers of Death (Yama-dutas) arrived to claim me.'”

अपयात्‌ क्षय आयुषः । हें कळलें निर्दोष ।
मी मरतां यमपुरुष । न्हेती दोष क्षाळांवया ॥८॥

"'I realized then that my lifespan had been violently cut short due to my absolute lack of virtues. As soon as I died, the servants of Yama dragged me away to suffer punishments to wash off my deep-seated demerits.'”

भीदेश्रोत्रा यातना ती । पित्रांसह भोगुनी अंतीं ।
अंगीं शिश्नें हजार होती । प्रेतगती ये ती मला ॥९॥

"'After enduring horrific, bone-chilling tortures in the hellish realms alongside my ancestors, I was condemned to a ghost-like existence (Preta-gati), bearing the physical deformity of a thousand genital organs upon my body.'”

तें गात्रही सोडून । मी चोवीस भोगीं योनी ।
ब्रह्मराक्षस होउनी । राहें वनीं सदा भुका ॥१०॥

"'Leaving that deformed ghost body behind, I transmigrated through twenty-four wretched animal births. Finally, I became a demonic ghost (Brahmarakshasa) in this forest, permanently weeping with starvation.’”

ह्या पञ्चविसाव्या जन्मीं । गजा खातांही भुका मी ।
स्पर्शमात्रें शांतीं तुम्हीं । दिल्ही तुम्ही साक्षा देव ॥११॥

The demon continued, "'In this current twenty-fifth birth, even after devouring entire wild elephants, my hunger was never satisfied. Yet, by the mere touch of your body, you have granted me absolute peace. You are surely God personified!’”

गेले क्षुत्पिपासादि । याचा हेतू सांगा आधीं ।
वामदेव म्हणे शुद्धी । झाली आधी गेला भस्में ॥१२॥

"'All my burning hunger and thirst have vanished. Please tell me the secret cause behind this miracle!'" Sage Vamadeva replied, "Your internal purification occurred because the layers of your sins were instantly burnt away by the sacred ash.”

भस्म स्पर्शें एक जाण । द्राविड जार ब्राह्मण ।
त्यजिला शूद्रें मारुन । ये श्वान त्यावरि एक ॥१३॥

Sage Vamadeva then narrated another history: "Know that by the mere accidental touch of sacred ash, a corrupt, adulterous Brahmin from the Dravidian region achieved salvation. After he was caught and killed by a lower-caste man, a stray dog happened to wander over his body.”

श्वस्पर्शनें तदंगस्थ । भस्म लागुनी झाला मृत ।
त्यांतें न्हेती यमदूत । शिवदूत सोडविती ॥१४॥

"Because that dog had previously rolled in sacred ash, its touch transferred the ash onto the dead Brahmin's body. When the messengers of Death (Yama-dutas) arrived to take his soul, the divine messengers of Bhagavan Shiva (Shiva-dutas) intercepted them and fought to release him.”

त्या सानंदें कैलासातें । न्हेता यम आला त्यातें ।
धर्म सांगून विप्रातें । दूत न्हेतें झाले तया ॥१५॥

"The divine messengers triumphantly escorted his soul to Mount Kailash in supreme joy. Even Yamaraj (the King of Justice) accepted the spiritual law regarding the ash and bowed down to the power of the Shiva-dutas.”

शंभुच जाणें तन्महात्म्या । भस्म लावीं मी सर्वकाया ।
लागलें किंचित्‌ तुझ्याकाया । ज्ञान तया योगें हो हें ॥१६॥

Sage Vamadeva concluded to the demon, "Only Bhagavan Shiva (Shambhu) truly knows the full, infinite glory of this ash, which I smear across my entire body. Because a fraction of it touched your body, spiritual wisdom dawned within you.”

वदे रक्ष राज्य करितां । वापी केल्या निर्जळपंथा ।
विप्रांवृत्ति दिधल्या आतां । आलें हातां त्याचें फळ ॥१७॥

The demon repented, "While ruling my kingdom, I had built water reservoirs along waterless desert pathways and donated livelihoods to virtuous Brahmins. It is the merit of those few righteous deeds that has brought me to your feet today.”

सांगे सविस्तर मला । भस्मधारण विधीला ।
वामदेव म्हणे शिवाला । प्रश्न केला हा कुमारें ॥१८॥

The demon then requested, "Please explain to me in full detail the proper ritual method (Vidhi) for applying this sacred ash." Sage Vamadeva replied, "Long ago, this exact question was asked to Bhagavan Shiva by the celestial youth Sanat kumara”.

मग नंदीगौरीयुक्त । शिव बसे देवासहित ।
सनत्कुमार वंदुनी तेथ । करीतसे हा प्रश्न ॥१९॥

"Seated alongside Devi Parvati (Gauri), Bhagavan Nandi, and the celestial assembly, Bhagavan Shiva listened as the sage Sanat kumara bowed down reverently and posed this inquiry:”

भो व्याघ्राजिनवास । चतुर्विध पुमर्थास ।
देई शीघ्र असें आम्हांस । सांगा खास स्वल्प साधन ॥२०॥

"'O Bhagavan who wears the tiger skin! Please reveal to us a simple, easily accessible spiritual practice (Sadhana) that can swiftly grant all four ultimate goals of human life (Purusharthas—Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha).'”

त्यां म्हणतसे ईश । धारण करीं भस्मास ।
चतुर्विध पुमर्थांस । दे हें खास सुसाधन ॥२१॥

"Bhagavan Shiva replied, 'The ritual application of sacred ash (Bhasma-dharana) is the absolute best, most direct method. It easily grants all four goals of life to a seeker.'”

नगमे ऐसें सुसाधन । गोमयें अग्निहोत्रांतून ।
भस्म घेई करीं धारण । भृसमान त्रिपुंड्रेसी ॥२२॥

"'There is no spiritual practice equal to this. Gather the pure ash generated from the sacred Vedic fire ritual (Agnihotra) using dried cow dung (Gomaya). Smear it across your body and draw the three horizontal lines (Tripundra), becoming equal to the ancient sages.'”

हो नव देवादिक । एका एका पुंड्री देख ।
मध्यांगुष्टानामिका । काढीं रेखा शीर्षादिकीं ॥२३॥

"'Nine powerful deities reside across the three lines of the Tripundra. Using the middle finger, the thumb, and the ring finger (Madhyangushta-namika), draw these horizontal lines firmly across your forehead, head, chest, and shoulders.’”

हो हेंच पापशमन । असें वामदेव सांगून ।
करवी भस्मधारण । उद्धरुन गेला राक्षस ॥२४॥

"'This practice acts as the ultimate destroyer of all accumulated sins.'" Sage Vamadeva explained this entire science to the demon, initiated him into the practice, and the demon was successfully liberated and ascended to higher realms.

गुरु असें सांगती । सर्व आनंदीत होती ।
गेला त्रिविक्रमयती । कथा पुढती सांगो ऐक ॥२५॥

As the Supreme Guru, Shri Narasimha Saraswati, concluded this beautiful discourse, the entire assembly was filled with profound joy. Trivikrama Bharati took his leave with a peaceful mind. Listen further as I narrate the next wonderful chapters of His life.

 

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे एकोनत्रिंशोऽध्यायः