Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 34

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 34

 

This section narrates the dialogue between the King of Kashmir and Sage Parashara. The sage reveals that the king's son has only seven days to live. To avert this untimely death, the king performs a grand Rudrabhishekam ritual. When the messengers of Death arrive on the seventh day, they are successfully driven away by the messengers of Bhagavan Shiva, completely rewriting the prince's destiny.

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ते होत हे अक्षप्रिय । भूप म्हणें वदा भविष्य ।
मुनि म्हणे सप्ताहायुष्य तुझा तनय असे तरी ॥१॥

The King of Kashmir asked Sage Parashara, "What does the future hold for my beloved son who is so fond of these Rudraksha beads?" The great sage replied, "O King, your son has a remaining lifespan of only seven days.”

वेदान्तो पनिषत्सारा । रुद्रा विधी दे मुनिश्वराम ।
करी अधर्म संहारा । यमपुरा वोस करी ॥२॥

"The Shri Rudram hymn contains the absolute essence of the Vedanta and Upanishads. The ritual method (Vidhi) of worshipping Bhagavan Rudra destroys all unrighteousness and leaves the city of Death (Yama-pura) completely deserted.”

तज्जप्यनुभवा यम । कथी तया म्हणे ब्रम्हा ।
अभाविका हो अधर्म । भाविका शर्म दे हा रुद्र ॥३॥

"Bhagavan Brahma himself once narrated the glorious experience of chanting this mantra to Yamaraj. It remains entirely ineffective for faithless critics, but to true devotees, Bhagavan Rudra grants ultimate peace and protection”

मृत्यु कृतभय जाया । रुद्रें अर्ची मृत्युंजया ।
मग रुद्राभिषेक राया । द्विजवर्यां करवी करी ॥४॥

To conquer the deep-seated fear of death, the King worshipped the conqueror of death, Bhagavan Shiva (Mrityunjaya). Guided by the sage, the ruler had an elite assembly of learned Brahmins perform a grand, continuous ritual bathing of the Shiva Lingam”

त्या सुता सातवे दिनीं । मृत्यु येतां तीर्थें मुनी ।
प्रोक्षी शिवदूत येउनी ! मृत्युदूतां पळविले ॥५॥

On the fateful seventh day, as the personified force of Death arrived to take the prince, the sage sprinkled the holy consecrated water (Tirtha) over the boy. The divine messengers of Bhagavan Shiva (Shiva-dutas) suddenly manifested and aggressively drove away the messengers of Death”.

धर्मात्मा जो यम त्याप्रति । ते जाउनि सांगति ।
यम पुसे शैवांप्रती । ते म्हनती लेख पहा ॥६॥

The retreated messengers of Death went back to Yamaraj—the ultimate upholder of justice (Dharmatma)—and reported the entire incident. Yamaraj then questioned the record-keepers regarding the destiny of the Shiva devotee, saying, "Examine his written destiny immediately.”

तें मानोनी चित्रगुप्ता । करवीं लेख पहातां ।
यम हो भ्रांत शिवदूतां । क्षमा मागता झाला ॥७॥

Honoring his master's command, the cosmic scribe Chitragupta thoroughly examined the book of destiny. Reading the altered text, Yamaraj was completely astounded by the power of the Shiva-dutas and humbly begged for their forgiveness.

गेलें नैमित्तिकारिष्ट । नृप विप्रां करी तुष्ट ।
तों नारद तें अदृष्ट । सांगे स्पष्ट ऋष्युपकार ॥८॥

The sudden, imminent threat of death was successfully averted. The overjoyed king generously rewarded the Brahmins with wealth. Just then, the celestial sage Narada arrived and openly praised the extraordinary spiritual favour performed by Sage Parashara”.

महानंद सर्वां झाला । अयुतायू सुत जाहला ।
गुरु सांगे सतीला । ती गुरुला प्रार्थुनी म्हणे ॥९॥

A wave of supreme joy swept over everyone, and the prince was blessed with a massive, prosperous lifespan of ten thousand years. As Shri Narasimha Saraswati concluded this beautiful discourse for the young wife (Sati), she bowed down and made a heartfelt prayer to the Guru”.

 

 

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे चतुस्त्रिंशोऽध्यायः