Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 37

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 37

 

In this concluding section of the chapter, Shri Narasimha Saraswati outlines the remaining parts of a Brahmin's daily routine, detailing the precise rules for deity worship, the execution of the five daily sacrifices to offset inadvertent householder sins, the sanctified laws of dining, and the correct conduct for code-compliant family life and marital intimacy.

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गृह भूमी संमार्जन । कीजे नित्य लेपरंजन ।

शालग्रामशिला धेनू । गृहीं राखून ठेवा गव्य ॥१॥

"One must daily sweep the floors of the house and coat them beautifully with pure cow dung (Lepa-ranjan). Always preserve a sacred Shaligram stone (representing Bhagavan Vishnu) and a cow (Dhenu) at home, and keep holy cow-products (Gavya) available.”

गृह त्वादे गृहमेधीय । अग्निहोत्र किंवा गुह्य ।

हो संध्यावत्‌ देवपूज्य । पशुतुल्यत्व अन्यथा ॥२॥

"A householder (Gruhamedhi) must establish either the continuous Vedic fire sacrifice (Agnihotra) or the essential household ritual fire. Just like the daily twilight prayers (Sandhya), the worship of God is supremely essential; without it, a human being is reduced to the status of a mere animal (Pashu-tulyatva).”

किंवा प्रातर्विस्तरानें । दुपारी पंचोपचारानें ।

सायंकाळीं निरांजनें । आठ स्थानें पूजनाची ॥३॥

"Worship can be executed either in full expansive detail in the morning, or through a simpler five-fold offering (Panchopachara) at noon, and by waving a sacred lamp (Niranjana) in the evening. There are eight recognized physical mediums (such as stone, metal, or water) that serve as proper seats for installing the deity."

जे कोणी न पूजती । ते यमदंड घेती ।

वेदमंत्रे द्विज पूजिती । पौंराणोक्तीं स्त्रीशूद्रादि ॥४॥

"Those who entirely neglect the worship of God invite the harsh punishments of Yamaraj. Twice-born Brahmins must worship by chanting Vedic mantras, whereas women and other castes (Shudras) should conduct their worship using the sacred texts of the Puranas (Pauranokti).”

विपि नां तोत्थ मध्यम । क्रीत हीन, स्वीय उत्तम ।

तसीं श्वेत रक्त श्याम । पुष्पें अधम शूद्रानीत ॥५॥

"Flowers plucked directly from a forest are of medium grade (Madhyama), flowers bought with money from merchants are of the lowest quality (Heena), while flowers grown and plucked from one's own garden are the absolute best (Uttama). White, red, and dark-colored flowers are auspicious, but one must never offer flowers brought by an unwashed or unauthorized person.”

न द्या देवा सकृमिछिद्र । दुर्गे दुर्वा, केवडा हरा ।

वर्जा तुळशी गणेश्वरा । धुत्तुरार्कादि कृष्णा ॥६॥

"Never offer a flower that is withered, holed, or infested with insects to God. Do not offer Durva grass to Devi Durga, nor screw-pine (Kewda) flowers to Bhagavan Shiva (Hara). Strictly avoid offering holy Basil leaves (Tulsi) to Bhagavan Ganesha, and do not offer thorn-apple (Dhuttura) or Calotropis (Arka) flowers to Bhagavan Krishna.”

वाम हस्ताकडे कलश । पुष्पादिका दक्षिण देश ।

शंख घंटा वामदक्षिणेस । कीजे न्यास देही देवी ॥७॥

"Place the water vessel (Kalash) toward your left hand, and keep the flowers and ritual items on your right side. Position the conch shell (Shankha) on the left and the ritual bell (Ghanta) on the right, and systematically align the divine consciousness within your own physical body through hand gestures (Nyasa).”

कायें मानसें वाचें द्विजा । षोडशोपचारे पूजा ।

मिळतां पंचामृतें पूजा । स्नानापूर्वीं नंतर भूषा ॥८॥

"O Brahmin, perform the worship using the traditional sixteen-fold offerings (Shodashopachara) involving your actions, mind, and speech. If available, perform the ritual bath using the five holy nectars (Panchamrita—milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar); remember to offer these prior to decorating the deity with fine clothes and ornaments.”

तवाश्रित मी मला तारीं । म्हणूनी निर्माल्य घे शिरीं ।

भावें मंत्रजप करीं । तीर्थ पी शिरी घे उद्वासी ॥९॥

"Praying from the heart, 'O Bhagavan, I have taken full shelter in You, deliver me!', place the blessed floral remnants (Nirmalya) reverently upon your forehead. With deep focus, chant your mantras, sip the holy consecrated water (Tirtha), apply it to your head, and formally bid farewell to the deities (Udvasanam).”

घे अंतःकरणीं देवा । पंचसूना दोष जावा ।

जरी तरी वैश्वदेवा । प्रातःसायं स्वान्नशुध्यर्थ ॥१०॥

"Anchor the presence of God firmly within your heart. To completely neutralize the five inevitable sins of accidental micro-injury caused in a household (such as using the broom, grinding stones, or lighting the hearth—called Panchasoona), a householder must perform the Vaishvadeva ritual every morning and evening using his own freshly cooked food to purify it.”

याचे प्रातःकालारंभण । होम करी तो देवयज्ञ ।

हो बळी तो भूतयज्ञ । पितृनृयज्ञ तत्तर्पणें ॥११॥

"Initiate this practice at dawn. Offering portions of food into the fire forms the sacrifice to the divinities (Deva-yajna). Placing food portions on the ground for external creatures forms the sacrifice to living beings (Bhuta-yajna). Executing water libations and ancestral feeding forms the sacrifice to the ancestors (Pitru-yajna), while feeding a guest constitutes the sacrifice to humanity (Nru-yajna).”

वीक्षणार्थ अतिथीसी । किंचित् ठरा अंगणदेशीं ।

येतां अन्न द्या शक्तीसी । द्या यतीसी सजलांन्न ॥१२॥

"Step out momentarily into the front courtyard to look out for an unexpected guest (Atithi). If a traveller arrives, feed them generously to the best of your material capacity; if a wandering monk (Yati) arrives at your doorstep, serve them an abundance of freshly cooked food and pure water.”

ओले पाद मुखकर । जेवा घेउनी परिवार ।

नेणत्यासी वाढा दूर । नच करा पंक्तिभेद ॥१३॥

"With your feet, mouth, and hands freshly washed and damp (Ole pad), sit down to dine along with your entire family. Keep uninitiated or unwashed individuals seated a clear distance away, and never practice unfair discrimination or create divisions within the same row of diners (Pankti-bheda).”

घालून चित्राहुति । आपोशन घ्या मौंनस्थिति ।

घ्याव्या मंत्रे प्राणाहुति । पात्र हातीं धरुनिया ॥१४॥

"Offer the small symbolic food portions to the elemental forces (Chitrahuti), take the initial purificatory sip of water (Aaposhana), and enter into a state of absolute silence (Mauna). Chant the specific mantras dedicated to the five internal life-pranas (Pranahuti) while holding the dining plate firmly with your left hand.”

सर्वांस प्राणाहुत्यंत । मौंन पुढें विकल्पित ।

पात्रीं टाका न उच्छिष्ट । जल पितां शब्द वर्ज्य ॥१५॥

"Maintain total silence at least until the conclusion of these initial life-prana offerings; breaking silence immediately afterward is considered optional but discouraged. Never discard half-eaten leftovers (Ucchhishta) back onto the serving vessels, and avoid making any loud gulping sounds while drinking water.”

दीप मावळतां न खावें । रजस्वलांत्यां न देखावें ।

त्यांचे शब्द न ऐकावें । न शिवावें परस्पर ॥१६॥

"Never consume food if the house lamp accidentally goes out mid-meal. Do not look at a woman during her period of menstruation or anyone in an unclean state while eating. Do not listen to their voices, and ensure that the diners do not touch one another.”

दुर्वायु अधो आतां । अन्न त्यजा कीटयुक्ता ।

न जेवावें वांती होतां । केश पडता प्रोक्षुनि घ्यावे ॥१७॥

"If anyone passes foul gas during a meal, abandon the food immediately. Discard any food that is found to contain insects or worms. Never eat if someone vomits nearby; if a stray hair is found in the food, remove it, sprinkle the plate with holy water to purify it, and only then resume eating.”

वियुक्तः स्याद् द्विजत्वात्स । पलांडुलशुनादिभुक् ।

तामसाहारभुग्दुर्धीः । सात्विकाहारभुक्सुधीः ॥१८॥

"A twice-born Brahmin falls completely from his spiritual status if he consumes onions or garlic. Consuming such dark, spicy food corrupts the intellect, whereas regular consumption of pure, clean food (Satvik-ahara) blesses the seeker with a brilliant, refined intellect.”

आज्या पयोन्न लवण । सर्व खावें अन्य अन्न ।

सशेष द्यावें उच्छिष्टान्न आपोशन । अर्धे प्यावें ॥१९॥

"Sacred ghee (Ajya), milk-products, and rock salt may be eaten freely even if they are sourced from outside. When a meal is finished, leave a tiny fraction of food on the corner of the plate as a token for the unseen elements, take the concluding sip of water (Aaposhana), and drink only half of that water.”

मुखाचा शोधनासी । वर्जावें तर्जनीसी ।

मुख हस्ताघ्री शुचीसी । द्विराचमनें बोलीयेलें ॥२०॥

"While cleaning and rinsing your mouth after a meal, never use your index finger to scrub your teeth or gums. Wash your mouth, hands, and feet thoroughly with clean water, and execute two rounds of ritual water sipping to restore complete purity.”

ध्यासम्यक् तांबुलादि । ऐकावें पुराणादि ।

कीजे सायंसध्याविधी । भोजनांदि पूर्ववत्‌ ॥२१॥

"After the meal, chew on natural mouth-fresheners like betel leaves and nuts (Tambula), and spend your afternoon listening to the reading of the sacred Puranas. When dusk arrives, perform your mandatory evening Sandhya prayers, followed by the dinner rituals exactly as detailed before.”

क्षीरान्न रात्रीं शस्त । दिवाकर्म प्राक्प्रहरांत ।

रात्रौं वर्जा सौंरपाठ । निशींथांत रात्रिकर्म ॥२२॥

"Consuming a simple meal of milk and rice (Kshira-anna) is highly recommended for the night. Execute all your mandatory daytime duties within the first few hours of the morning. During the night, avoid reciting the solar Vedic hymns, and ensure that all specific night-time spiritual obligations are completed before the arrival of midnight.”

जैं पञ्च यज्ञादिकचुके । कीजेप्रायश्चित्तविवेके ।

सुखशायिनिशां वंदा, सुखें । निजाईशाअर्पूनकर्म ॥२३॥

"If you ever happen to miss the execution of the five daily sacrifices due to unavoidable circumstances, immediately perform the appropriate scriptural atonement (Prayashchitta) with deep awareness. Before going to bed, offer your nightly salutations, dedicate the entire fruits of your day's actions to the Supreme Bhagavan, and drift into a peaceful sleep.”

स्त्रीऋतु कालीं करा रति । पर्व मूल मघा रेवती ।

वर्जा दिवा श्राद्धव्रती । ऋतुगामी ब्रह्मचारी ॥२४॥

"Engage in marital intimacy with your wife exclusively during the permissible days following her menstrual cycle (Ritu-kala). Strictly avoid intimacy during major festival days (Parva), or when the moon resides in the constellations of Moola, Magha, or Revati. Avoid intimacy during the daytime, or on days when you are performing ancestral funeral rites (Shraddha); a householder who strictly regulates himself according to these windows is considered a true celibate (Brahmachari)."

न गुर्विणीशीं रमांवें । रतीं कोप द्वेष त्यजावे ।

ऋतु चुकवूनी न जावें । जातां पावे भ्रूणहत्या ॥२५॥

"Never engage in intimacy with a pregnant wife, and completely banish all traces of anger, hostility, or hidden resentment from your heart during the union. A householder must never deliberately ignore his wife's fertile window without a valid spiritual reason; doing so attracts the severe karmic sin of destroying a potential life.”

घर धंदा होतांहि विप्रा । न सोडावें निजाचारा ।

गुरु ऐसें कथिती विप्रा । तो आचार करुनि तरे ॥२६॥

The text concludes: "Even while engaged in the relentless pressures of daily household work and economic duties, a wise Brahmin must never abandon his personal code of pure conduct. The Supreme Guru stated that any Brahmin who anchors his life in this flawless code of conduct easily crosses over the ocean of worldly existence.”

 

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे सप्तत्रिंशोऽध्यायः