Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 39

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 39

 

In this section, an elderly, barren woman named Somnath's wife approaches the Guru in Ganagapur, weeping over her fate of dying without children. Despite her being sixty years old and past menopause, the Guru instructs her to perform circumambulations of the sacred Peepal tree (Ashwattha). She miraculously conceives and gives birth to a daughter and subsequently a son. The chapter also details a classic dilemma regarding choosing between a long-lived foolish son or a short-lived wise son.

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एकविप्र सोमनाथ । तत्स्त्री वृद्धा वंध्या ख्यात ।

सेवी भावें गुरुनाथा । गुरु पुसती वांछा काय ॥१॥

There was a Brahmin named Somnath whose wife was universally known to be elderly and completely barren (Vandhya). She began serving the King of Gurus with deep devotion, and seeing her dedication, the Guru asked, "What is your heart's desire?”

ती कष्टो नी तयां म्हणे । अपुत्रा मी व्यर्थ शिणें ।

अश्वथाला भजतां जिणें । गेलें भेणें पुढती वाटे ॥२॥

Deeply distressed, she replied, "I am suffering needlessly without a child. My entire life has passed in continuous anxiety, and the future looks terrifying. Therefore, I have come to take refuge under this sacred Peepal tree (Ashwattha).”

पुढें मला होवो सुत । गुरु म्हणे कोण जाणत ।

पुढचें, आतां कन्यासुत । होवो म्हणे, ती गांठ बांधी ॥३॥

"Bless me so that I may have a child in the future." The Guru replied, "Who knows the future? But if you wish, you shall be blessed with a daughter and a son now." Hearing this, she firmly bound his words as a sacred promise in her heart.

गुरुत्तम म्हणे हरीं । पिंपळाची निंदा न करीं ।

आम्ही सर्वदेव त्यावरी । ब्रह्मा सांगे नारदातें ॥४॥

The Supreme Guru added, "Listen, never look down upon or criticize the Peepal tree. All the deities reside within it. Bhagavan Brahma originally narrated its immense cosmic significance to Sage Narada.”

श्रुतिस्मृती ज्याला गाती । त्याला करी मंदगति ।

प्रदक्षिणा लक्ष मिती । करीं अंतीं उद्यापन ॥५॥

"The scriptures (Shrutis and Smritis) sing its praises. Restrain your restless mind, perform one lakh (100,000) circumambulations (Pradakshinas) around the Peepal tree, and properly complete the concluding rituals (Udyapana).”

द्यावे तिलस्वर्णाश्वत्थ । विप्रां भोजन दे निश्चित ।

होती तुजःकन्या सुत । नारी म्हणतसे देवा ॥६॥

"Donate sesame seeds, gold pieces, and saplings to the learned Brahmins, and feed them generously. By doing this, you will surely be blessed with a daughter and a son." The woman then addressed the Bhagavan:

मी दुर्ज्ञा ना वंचूं कशी । साठ वर्षे झालीं वयासी ।

होत नाहीं विटाळशी । तरी तसीच मी सेवी ॥७॥

"O Bhagavan, I am an ignorant woman, how can I ever doubt your words? However, I am already sixty years old and my menstrual cycles have long stopped. Yet, with absolute faith, I will serve as you have commanded.”

ती त्यां न मुनी सेवि तशी । शीघ्र झाली विटाळशी ।

गर्भधरी पांचवे दिवशीं । कन्या ती सी झाली शुभा ॥८॥

Without harboring any doubts, she faithfully executed the service. Miraculously, her menstrual cycles restarted immediately, and she conceived on the fifth day after purification. In due course, she gave birth to an auspicious, beautiful daughter.

परम हर्षें त्या कन्येसी । आणी नारी गुरुपाशीं ।

गुरु म्हणे हो सती ईसी । दीक्षित पति लाधेल ॥९॥

Filled with supreme joy, the mother brought the newborn girl before the Guru. The Guru looked at the child and blessed her, saying, "She will grow up to be a deeply devoted wife (Sati) and will marry a highly learned scholar (Dixit).”

तुझे पोटीं मूर्ख शतायू । किंवा यावा बुध अल्पायू ।

ती म्हणे हो कां अल्पायू । दीर्घायू मूढ किमर्थ ॥१०॥

The Guru then posed a choosing dilemma to the mother for her next child: "Tell me, do you wish to have a foolish son who will live a full lifespan of a hundred years, or a highly intelligent, wise son, who will be short-lived?" She replied, "What use is a long-lived fool? I choose the wise son, even if he is short-lived.”

व्हावे हर्षद पंचसुत । तथा म्हणे गुरुनाथ ।

कन्ये घेऊन गृहाप्रत । ये हंसत ब्राह्मणी ती ॥११॥

"May I also be blessed with five long-lived, joy-giving grandsons in the future!" The King of Gurus replied, "Tathastu" (So be it). Filled with immense happiness and laughter, the Brahmin woman returned home with her daughter.

झाला नंदन शीघ्र तिला । विद्वान सर्वगुणी भला ।

पांच पुत्र झाले त्याला । सर्वां झाला विस्मय ॥१२॥

Very soon, she gave birth to a magnificent son who grew up to be an extraordinarily wise scholar endowed with all noble virtues. In time, the son went on to have five noble sons, filling everyone who witnessed this lineage with absolute wonder.

तशीच कन्या दीक्षिताची । पत्‍नि झाली सती साची ।

कीर्ति पसरली त्यांची । श्रीगुरुची असी दया ॥१३॥

True to the Guru's words, the daughter grew up to become the wife of a renowned Dixit scholar and lived as a flawlessly devoted woman. Their fame spread across the land. Such is the boundless mercy and grace of the Shri Guru!

 

 

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे एकोनचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः