Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 8

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 8

 

In this section, the scene shifts from Gokarna to Kuravpuram (on the banks of the Krishna River). Bhagavan Shripada Shrivallabha saves a despairing woman from suicide, teaches her the significance of the Pradosha vow, and grants her a boon to become his mother in her next life. He also cures her intellectually disabled son.

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सिद्ध संक्षेपें सांगत । श्रीपाद तेथूनि येत ।
कृष्णातीरीं होयी स्थित । कुरुपुरांत तारक ॥१॥

Siddha Muni briefly continued the narration: The savior of the world, Bhagavan Shripada Shrivallabha, departed from Gokarna, came to the banks of the Krishna River, and settled at the holy island-town of Kuravpuram.

मूर्ख प्रजासमवेत । लोकनिंदेनें हो त्रस्त ।
जीव द्याया कृष्णेंत । आकस्मात देखे देव ॥२॥

[At Kuravpuram, there lived a virtuous widow with an intellectually disabled son.] Tormented by the relentless public mockery and taunts directed at her foolish child, she was about to end her life by jumping into the Krishna River, when she suddenly saw the Bhagavan.

प्रभू तिला निरोपिती । आत्महत्या दुस्तर म्हणती ।
जन्मांतरीं सुपुत्राप्ती । व्हाया प्रार्थी मग ती नारी ॥३॥

The Bhagavan firmly restrained her and advised, "Suicide is a terrible, insurmountable sin." Hearing this, the woman changed her mind and prayed intensely to the Bhagavan, asking how she could be blessed with a virtuous and wise son in her next birth.

तन्निष्ठा ओळखून । गुरु सांगती आख्यान ।
उज्जनींत चंद्रसेन । शिवार्चन करी प्रदोषीं ॥४॥

Recognizing her deep faith and devotion, the Guru narrated a sacred story to her: "Long ago, in the city of Ujjain, King Chandrasena used to perform the ritual worship of Bhagavan Shiva during the auspicious period of Pradosha."

त्याचा अमूल्य सन्मणी । हराया नृप तत्क्षणीं ।
घेवोनी अक्षौहिणी । उज्जनी वेढिते ते ॥५॥

"Desiring to steal the King's priceless, wish-fulfilling jewel, rival kings immediately gathered an enormous army (Akshauhini) and completely besieged the city of Ujjain."

हस्त्यश्च रथ पत्ती । पाहोनी न भी चित्तीं ।
शिवा पूजी तो भूपती । तें देखती गोपपुत्र ॥६॥

"Despite seeing the massive enemy forces of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers, King Chandrasena remained completely fearless in his heart and calmly continued worshipping Bhagavan Shiva. A group of cowherd boys witnessed this unwavering devotion."

अश्वत्थ संनिधानीं । अंगणी ते पाषाणीं ।
पूजिती, त्यां नेती जननी । पूजनीं रमे एक बाळ ॥७॥

"Inspired, the cowherd boys gathered near a Banyan tree (Ashwattha) and began to worship stones as Shiva Lingams in their courtyard. Eventually, their mothers came to take them home, but one boy remained completely absorbed in his worship."

राहे मेळा जातां एकला । पूजा लोटुनि माता त्याला ।
ओढी तो मूर्छित पडला । शिव त्याला दे सायुज्ज ॥८॥

"When his friends left, he was all alone. His mother arrived, angrily threw away his stone idol, and dragged him away. The boy fell unconscious out of grief, but Bhagavan Shiva was so pleased that He granted him complete absorption into the Divine."

पुढें नंदस्त्री होऊन । माता लाहे कृष्णनंदन ।
ज्योतिर्लिंग तें देखून । द्वेष सोडून जाती राजे ॥९॥

"In her next life, that boy's mother was reborn as the wife of Nanda (Yashoda) and obtained Bhagavan Krishna as her son. Meanwhile, the rival kings, witnessing a miraculous manifestation of a self-manifested Jyotirlinga, cast away their hatred and departed in peace."

पुढें सुत व्हावा तरी । शनिप्रदोष तूं करीं ।
येरु म्हणे तुम्हासरी । जन्मांतरी पुत्र व्हावा ॥१०॥

Bhagavan Shripada Shrivallabha concluded, "Therefore, if you want a divine son in the future, you must observe the Shani Pradosha vow (worshipping Shiva on a Saturday evening)." Hearing this, the woman requested, "O Bhagavan, I desire a son exactly like You in my next birth!"

जो भाविकां देई वर । तथा म्हणूनी शिरावर ।
मूर्खपुत्राच्या धरी कर । विद्वद्वर तो जाहला ॥११॥

The Bhagavan, who always grants boons to true devotees, replied, "So be it!" He then placed his holy hand upon the head of her foolish son, and by His grace, the boy instantly transformed into a brilliant scholar of supreme wisdom.

ती करुनी प्रदोषपूजा । पुढें झाली विप्रात्मजा ।
स्वसमांन नाहीं दुजा । म्हणूनीं हो तस्तुत दत्त ॥१२॥

Faithfully performing the Pradosha worship, that woman was later reborn as a Brahmin's daughter [Ambika]. Because there is absolutely no one else equal to the Supreme Bhagavan, Bhagavan Datta Himself took birth as her son [Shri Narasimha Saraswati, the next major avatar] in her next life.

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे अष्टमोऽध्यायः