Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 6

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 6

 

This section explains why Bhagavan Shripada Shrivallabha chose the holy site of Gokarna. Siddha Muni narrates the famous mythological back-story of how the demon king Ravana obtained the sacred Atma-linga (the soul-lingam of Shiva) from Mount Kailash, and how the divinities deployed Bhagavan Ganesha to trick him into installing it permanently at Gokarna.

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कथा असी परिसून । नामधारक करी प्रश्न ।

म्हणे सर्व क्षेत्रें त्यजून । ये गोकर्णक्षेत्रीं कां हा ॥१॥

Hearing this chronicle, Namadharaka asked a question, "Why did the Bhagavan leave all other holy places and come specifically to the sacred land of Gokarna?"

शैव धर्में रावणमाता । कैलासाची धरुनि चिंता ।

मृन्मयलिंग पूजिता । ये श्रीमत्ता सुता खेद ॥२॥

[Siddha Muni replied:] Deeply devoted to the path of Shiva (Shaivism), Ravana's mother desired to worship Mount Kailash itself. She routinely worshipped an earthen lingam. Seeing this, a sense of regret and pride arose in her wealthy and powerful son, Ravana.

तो आश्‍चर्य मानून । म्हणे कैलास आणून ।

देतों, दे हीमाती त्यजून । असें म्हणून चालिला ॥३॥

Exclaiming in wonder, Ravana said, "I will bring Mount Kailash itself and give it to you! Leave this clay idol aside." Saying this, he set off.

बळें मूळासह कैलासा । उचलितां हाले सहसा ।

भिवूनिगौरी वदे गिरिशा । प्रळय कसा हा वारी ॥४॥

When he used his immense strength to lift Mount Kailash from its very roots, the mountain suddenly began to shake. Terrified, Devi Gauri (Parvati) cried out to Bhagavan Shiva, "What kind of cataclysm is this? Please stop it!"

तैं कैलासा चेपी हर । खालीं रगडे निशाचर ।

मरणोन्मुख हो करी स्तोत्र । तेणें हर प्रसन्न हो ॥५॥

Bhagavan Shiva then pressed Mount Kailash down with his toe, crushing the demon underneath. Facing imminent death, Ravana began to sing a hymn of praise, which deeply pleased Bhagavan Shiva.

त्वदन्य न मला त्राता । तूंचि माझा प्राणदाता ।

दयाळू तूं राखें आतां । असें म्हणतां सोडी शंभू ॥६॥

Ravana prayed, "No one but You can protect me. You alone are the giver of my life. O Merciful One, save me now!" Hearing this, Bhagavan Shiva released him from the weight of the mountain.

त्वां अनुमान न करितां । शिवा सोडविलें आतां ।

असें म्हणूनी तो गीता । गाता झाला सप्तस्वरें ॥७॥

"Without hesitating for a moment, You have delivered me, O Shiva!" Saying this, Ravana began to sing devotional songs using all seven musical notes (Saptaswara).

गायी संम्यक्‌ रागरागिणी । निजशिर छेदुनि ।

त्याचा वीणा करुनी । काल साधुनि प्रेमानें ॥८॥

To strike the right chords and maintain the rhythm with absolute love, Ravana cut off his own heads, turned them into a stringed lute (Veena), and masterfully timed his musical performance.

शिव तयाच्या गाण्यासी । भुलोनी ये तयापाशीं ।

आत्मलिंग देउनि त्यासी । म्हणे होसी तूंच शंभू ॥९॥

Entranced by his music, Bhagavan Shiva appeared close to him. He handed his personal Atma-linga to Ravana and said, "Through this, you shall become like Shiva Himself."

ये हाता अमरता । तीन वर्षें हें पूजितां ।

लंका कैलासचि ताता । होईल आतां निःसंशय ॥१०॥

"By worshipping this for three years, you will achieve immortality. O child, your kingdom of Lanka will undoubtedly become Mount Kailash itself."

अवनिवरी मध्यें जरी । ठेवितां न ये करीं ।

येणें परी नेई पुरीं । काय करिसी कैलासा ॥११॥

Bhagavan Shiva added a condition: "If you place it down on the earth anywhere along the way, it will become fixed there and cannot be lifted by any hand. Carry it to your city keeping this in mind. Why bother moving the entire Mount Kailash?"

शिवा करुनी नमन । पुरा जाई रावण ।

त्वरें नारद जाऊन । करी कथन सर्व इंद्रा ॥१२॥

Bowing down to Bhagavan Shiva, Ravana departed for his city. The celestial sage Narada immediately went and reported everything to Bhagavan Indra.

अधर्मा त्या जाणून । इंद्र ब्रम्ह्या दे सांगून ।

तोही विष्णूसी कथून । ये घेऊन शिवाप्रती ॥१३॥

Knowing Ravana's unrighteous nature, Indra informed Bhagavan Brahma. Brahma then told Bhagavan Vishnu, and they all approached Bhagavan Shiva to discuss the matter.

त्या अनुचितकर्मे हर । पश्चात्तापें म्हणे विसर ।

पडला झाला पाव प्रहर । गेला क्रूर येथोनियां ॥१४॥

Regretting his impulsive action, Bhagavan Shiva said, "I made a lapse in judgment. A quarter of an hour has already passed since that cruel demon left this place with the lingam."

देव बंदींत पडले । विष्णू म्हणे तुज कळलें ।

तरी कां हें असें केलें । जड ठेलें पुढें मज ॥१५॥

Realizing that the divinities would now be imprisoned by an immortal Ravana, Bhagavan Vishnu said to Shiva, "You knew the consequences, so why did you do this? You have left a heavy burden for me to handle."

जो आधी मारी जीव । तया केला चिरंजीव ।

वरदान सांगे शिव । म्हणे उपाय करीं तूं ॥१६॥

"The one who slaughters living beings has been made immortal by your boon!" said Vishnu. Bhagavan Shiva replied, "Please find a way out of this."

ऐसें निगुती ऐकून । नारदा दे पाठवून ।

विष्णू करावया विघ्न । धाडी विघ्ननायकातें ॥१७॥

Hearing this request, Bhagavan Vishnu sent Sage Narada to delay Ravana, and simultaneously dispatched Bhagavan Ganesha to create a disruption.

मुनी मनोवेगें तया । गांठुनि लोटी काळ वायां ।

धाडी संध्या करावया । गणराया तव आला ॥१८॥

Traveling at the speed of mind, Sage Narada caught up with Ravana and tricked him into wasting time. As the sun began to set, Bhagavan Ganesha approached Ravana in the guise of a young Brahmin boy (Batu).

त्या मानुनी ब्रह्मचारी । तो न घेतां त्याचे करीं ।

रावण दे लिंग तरी । अवधारी म्हणे बटू ॥१९॥

Believing him to be a simple, celibate Brahmin boy, Ravana asked him to hold the sacred lingam so that he could perform his mandatory evening prayers (Sandhyavandanam). The boy replied, "Listen to me carefully first."

स्वपोष्य मी अतिदीन । तीन वार बोलावीन ।

जड होतां खालीं ठेवीन । दोष ने मग मला ॥२०॥

"I am a very weak boy who must be fed by others. I will call out your name three times. If the weight becomes too heavy for me, I will place it down on the ground. Do not blame me afterward."

स्वर्गलोकीं सुर पाहतां । बोलावी त्या अर्घ्य देतां ।

तीन वेळ तो न येतां । तो स्थापिता झाला लिंग ॥२१॥

While the divinities watched from the heavens, Ravana went to offer his evening prayers. The boy called out three times, but Ravana could not return in time. Consequently, the boy placed the lingam firmly on the ground.

त्यानें केलें तें स्थापन । रावणा न हाले म्हणून ।

महाबळी हो गोकर्ण । क्षेत्र जाण भूकैलास ॥२२॥

Because Ganesha installed it there, it could never be moved again by Ravana despite his immense power. Thus, that place came to be known as Mahabaleshwar (The Bhagavan of Great Strength) at Gokarna, widely recognized as a heavenly abode on earth (Bhu-Kailash).

 

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे षष्ठोऽध्यायः