Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 40

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 40

 

In this famous chapter, a learned Brahmin afflicted with severe, incurable white leprosy approaches the Guru in Ganagapur. To test his faith and visually demonstrate the power of pure devotion, the Guru commands him to plant a dry, dead wooden stick at the river confluence and water it daily. When the dry stick miraculously sprouts green leaves, the Brahmin is instantly cured and bursts into a beautiful eight-verse hymn of praise (Shri Datta Ashtakam).

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एक वेदज्ञ ब्राह्मण । श्वेतकुष्टें व्यापून ।
गुरुप्रति येऊन । म्हणें दीननाथा तारीं ॥१॥

A Brahmin well-versed in the Vedas was completely afflicted and covered with severe white leprosy (Shveta-kushta). Approaching the Supreme Guru, he cried out meekly, "O savior of the helpless and distressed, please deliver me!”

झालों दैवें कुष्टी म्हणून । तोंड हें न पाहती जन ।
ह्यांचें करीं तूं शमन । नातरीं प्राण सोडीन मी ॥२॥

"By the turn of fate, I have become a leper. People look down upon me and refuse to even see my face. Either cure me of this horrific affliction, or I will end my life right here before You.”

पुरश्वर्यादिकें पाप । न जाता हो उलट ताप ।
देवा तूंची मायबाप । माझें पाप शमवीं हें ॥३॥

"I performed severe mantra-chanting discipline (Purashcharana) to wash away the past sins causing this, but instead of a cure, it only increased my burning agony. O Bhagavan, You are my true mother and father; please dissolve this sin of mine”

आश्वासन देती गुरु । तंव आला एक नर ।
शुष्ककाष्ठ डोईवर । घेवोनि ठरला तो तेथें ॥४॥

While the Guru was comforting him, a man happened to arrive at the spot carrying a load of dry, dead firewood (Shushka-kashta) on his head, and he stood waiting there.

अपूर्वैक चमत्कार । करुं इच्छी गुरुवर ।
सांगे विप्रा घे झडकर । संगमावर रोवीं काष्ठा ॥५॥

Desiring to perform an unprecedented miracle, the Supreme Guru looked at the leper and commanded, "Take one of these dead sticks quickly, go to the river confluence (Sangam), and plant it firmly in the ground.”

अविरत सेवीं यासी । पाला येतां शुची होसी ।
द्विज रोवी त्या काष्टासी । सद्भावें जल शिंपी ॥६॥

"Water and serve this stick continuously. The moment green leaves sprout from this dead wood, your body will become perfectly pure and clean." The Brahmin planted the stick and, with absolute faith (Sadbhave), began pouring water over it daily.

लोक हसुनि वारिती । नायके तो गुरुप्रती ।
ते येवोनी तें सांगती । गुरु म्हणती भाव फले ॥७॥

The local villagers laughed at him and tried to dissuade him, saying it was impossible. But the Brahmin refused to listen to anyone, keeping his mind anchored strictly on the Guru's words. When the villagers reported this to the Guru, He remarked, "Pure faith always bears its fruit.”

अप्रमेय भावफल । धनंजयवाक्यें सुशील ।
लिंगा चिताभस्म दे भिल्ल । एकदां लब्ध न हो भस्म ॥८॥

"The power of absolute faith is immeasurable," the Guru explained, quoting an ancient story: "Once, a hunter (Bhill) named Dhananjaya used to worship a Shiva Lingam daily using the ash from funeral pyres (Chita-bhasma). One day, he could not find any ash anywhere.”

इच्छी वपू जाळावया । मला जाळी म्हणे भार्या ।
भस्म दे, तिला जाळुनियां । प्रसाद ध्याया आली तीच ॥९॥

"Determined not to fail his ritual, he prepared to burn his own body to generate ash for the deity. Seeing his resolve, his devoted wife said, 'Burn me instead.' He cremated her, and as he lovingly gathered her ash to offer to Bhagavan Shiva, she miraculously walked out alive to receive the blessing.”

तयेवेळीं प्रगटे हर । तया देई इष्ट वर ।
असा भावाचा प्रकार । म्हणूनी गुरु जाती तेथें ॥१०॥

"At that very moment, Bhagavan Shiva (Hara) manifested out of devotion and granted them all their desired boons. Such is the incredible nature of true faith." Explaining this philosophy, the Guru walked over to the river confluence where the Brahmin was watering the stick.

त्या उद्योगातें पाहून । करितीं काष्ठा प्रोक्षण ।
आले अंकूर फुटोन । विप्र स्वर्णवर्ण झाला ॥११॥

Witnessing the Brahmin's relentless efforts, the Guru sprinkled holy water (Prokshana) over the dry stick. Instantly, fresh green shoots and buds burst out of the dead wood, and the Brahmin's skin simultaneously transformed, glowing beautifully like pure gold.

बरवे अंकुर फुटले । कुष्ठ सर्व मावळलें ।
द्विजें स्तवना आरंभिलें । तैं उदेले अष्टभाव ॥१२॥

Beautiful green sprouts bloomed from the stick, and every single trace of leprosy vanished from the Brahmin's body. Overjoyed and filled with ultimate ecstasy, the Brahmin began to compose a hymn of praise, as the eight symptoms of divine love (Ashta-bhava) manifested within him.

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Verses 13 to 20: The Shri Datta Ashtakam (Hymn of Eight Verses)

शांतदांत इंदुकोटिकांदीप्त अत्रिनंदना ।
देंववृंदवंद्यपाद दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥१३॥

O Son of Sage Atri, You are perfectly peaceful, self-controlled, and Your divine aura is as brilliant as a crore of moons! Your holy feet are universally worshipped by the assembly of divinities. O Bhagavan Datta, You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

पापतप्ततापभंजना सनातना जनार्दना ।
मायिकांधकारसूर्य दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥१४॥

You are the absolute destroyer of all miseries, distress, and sins. You are the eternal, primeval Bhagavan Janardana. O Bhagavan Datta, You act like the radiant sun to dispel the dark night of cosmic illusion (Maya)! You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

दत्तकृत्तकामरोष वेषधारि भिक्षु तूं जना ।
इष्ट देसि धर्म पासि दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥१५॥

You have completely destroyed the forces of desire and anger. To bless the world, You wander in the simple guise of a begging monk. You swiftly grant all righteous desires to those who remain close to their duties. O Bhagavan Datta, You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

राग द्वेष दोष वारिं, तारिं सूर्यचंद्रलोचना ।
भक्तकामधेनु तूंची दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥१६॥

Please ward off all hidden attachments, hatred, and deep-seated flaws from my heart, and deliver me from this world, O Bhagavan whose eyes are the Sun and the Moon! You alone are the divine wish-fulfilling cow (Kamadhenu) for Your seekers. O Bhagavan Datta, You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

हस्तिंदण्ड कुंडि घेसि देसि जीव वीतजीवना ।
रक्तपद्मपत्रनेत्र दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥१७॥

You hold the sacred staff of an ascetic and the water-pot (Kamandalu) in Your hands, and You infuse fresh life into those who are spiritually dead and exhausted. O Bhagavan whose eyes are like the petals of a red lotus! O Bhagavan Datta, You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

तूंचि विश्वहेतु मंतु सोसि होसि मायबाप ना ।
नित्य शुद्ध बुद्ध मुक्त दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥१८॥

You alone are the ultimate source, the witness, and the operator of this entire universe. You endure our flaws and look after us as our true mother and father. You are eternally pure, completely enlightened, and ever-libitrated. O Bhagavan Datta, You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

तूंचि देव योगि होसि नासिं दैन्यदुःखकानना ।
न्यासि होसि कृष्नावासि दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥१९॥

You are the supreme God of all divinities, the master of all yogis, and the destroyer of the dense forest of poverty and grief. You are the ultimate king of ascetics residing on the banks of the sacred Krishna River. O Bhagavan Datta, You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

ब्रह्मवस्तु तूं अनादिमध्यनाश खास वासना ।
वारिं, भक्ति देयिं तारिं दत्त भक्तचित्तरंजना ॥२०॥

You are the supreme Brahman, completely free from beginning, middle, or end. Please burn away all my latent material desires (Vasana), bless me with unshakeable devotion, and deliver my soul. O Bhagavan Datta, You are the ultimate delighter of Your devotees' hearts!

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तयाचा भाव जाणुनि विप्रा । विद्यासरस्वतीमंत्रा ।
देऊनियां सकलत्रा । राहवि मित्रापरी गुरु ॥२१॥

Recognizing the absolute purity of his faith, the Guru initiated the Brahmin into the sacred Vidya Saraswati Mantra. He kept the Brahmin and his wife residing close to Him in Gangapur, treating him with the love and affection of a true friend.

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे चत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः