Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra – Chapter - 1

 

श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्र - Śrī Saptaśatī Gurucaritra
अध्याय – Chapter - 1

This chapter covers Mangalacharan (Salutations and the Purpose of the Book) and briefly narrates a brahmin by name Namadharaka, arriving at Ganagapur with the hope of getting the darshan of Shri Nrisimha Saraswati.

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नमः श्रीदत्तगुरवे हृद्वासोधौतिकारवे ।

स्वात्मज्योतिःप्रकाशाय सुखायानर्थशांतये ॥१॥

Salutations to the holy Guru Shri Datta, who acts like a washerman to cleanse the cloth of our hearts [from worldly impurities] [with the soap of wisdom], who illuminates the light of the self (Atman), brings eternal bliss, and destroys all miseries and worldly afflictions.

भूतं भव्यं भवच्चास्माज्जांयते येन जीवति ।

लीयते यत्र तद्‌ब्रह्म श्रीदत्ताख्यं त्र्यधीश्वरम्‌ ॥२॥

He from whom the past, present, and future are born, by whom they are sustained, and into whom they ultimately dissolve—that supreme Brahman is known as Shri Datta, the Bhagavan of the three worlds.

भक्तिगम्यस्य तस्येदं चरितं चित्तशुद्धये ।

संक्षेपेण स्फुंट वक्ति वासुदेवानंदसरस्वती ॥३॥

Shri Datta is attainable only through pure devotion. To purify the mind, Vasudevananda Saraswati concisely and clearly narrates His divine life story (Charitra).

ग्रंथीं वासुदेव निमित्त । कर्ता करविता दत्त ।

तत्पदीं ठेवोनि चित्त । चरित ऐकोत संत हे ॥४॥

Vasudeva is merely an instrument or a catalyst for this text; the true author and the one getting it done is Bhagavan Dattatreya Himself. Placing their minds firmly at His holy feet, let the saints and righteous people listen to this life story.

हें मानुनि जे वाचिती । किंवा भक्तिनें ऐकती ।

तेचि भवाब्धि तरती । उद्धरति निजकुळा ॥५॥

Those who read this book believing it to be true, or listen to it with deep devotion, will surely cross the ocean of worldly existence (Samsara) and liberate their entire lineage.

मनावाचा अगोचर । तो स्वच्छंदें हो गोचर ।

कलियुगीं यतीश्वर । नरसिंहसरस्वती ॥६॥

He who is beyond the reach of the mind and speech manifested Himself freely in the Kali Yuga as the king of ascetics, Shri Narasimha Saraswati.

 त्याचें चरित्र ऐकून । नामधारक ब्राह्मण ।

गाणगापुरीं दर्शन । घ्यावें म्हणून पातला ॥७॥

Hearing the divine stories of the Bhagavan, a Brahmin named Namadharaka set out to visit Gangapur to receive His holy sight (Darshan).

प्राणी ऊष्मानें तापून । इच्छिती छाया जीवन ।

तैसा त्रितापें तापून । ये लक्षून निजजीवना ॥८॥

Just as creatures scorched by intense heat long for shade and water (life), Namadharaka, scorched by the threefold miseries of life (Adhyatmika, Adhibhautika, Adhidaivika), approached Shri Narasimha Saraswati – Shri Guru, looking at Him as his very life-sustainer.

जो ऊर्ध्व खालीं भरल । आंत बाहेर सांचला ।

नामधारक म्हणे त्याला । दत्ता मला भेट देई ॥९॥

Addressing the Bhagavan who fills the heavens above and the earth below, and who pervades both the inside and outside of everything, Namadharaka said, "O Datta, please grant me Your vision."

तूंचि मूर्तिमंत ब्रह्म । त्रिमूर्ति तूं गुरु परम ।

कलियुगीं मंगलधाम । भक्तकामपूरक ॥१०॥

"You alone are Brahman personified. You are the Trimurti (Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) and the supreme Guru. In this Kali Yuga, you are the abode of all auspiciousness and the fulfiller of Your devotees' desires.”

विशाल तव सत्कीर्ती । परिसोनि केली विनंती ।

तव कर्णावरी न ये ती । वाटे खंती सर्वज्ञा हे ॥११॥

"Hearing of Your vast and true glory, I have made my prayer. O All-Knowing Bhagavan, does my prayer not reach your ears? This thought brings immense grief to my heart."

जरी मज तूं नेणसी । तरी सर्वज्ञ कीं होसी ।

किंवा मातें उपेक्षिसी । दयाळूसी साजे हें कीं ॥१२॥

"If you say you do not know me, then how can you be called All-Knowing? Or if you are deliberately neglecting me, does such behavior suit your nature as the Merciful One?"

मी अधःपाता जाईन । जरी देसी उपेक्षून ।

सेवा इच्छी कीं तव मन । तेणें होसी कीं दाता ॥१३॥

"If you abandon and neglect me, I will fall into complete ruin (perdition). Does your heart demand service first before you show your grace? If so, does that truly make you a selfless Giver?"

सेवा शान ठेवून । मेघापरी दे जीवन ।

पूर्वी जेवी दिल्हें दान । विभीषणध्रुवादिकां ॥१४॥

"Without expecting any prior service, grant me the water of life just as a cloud pours rain unconditionally, and just as you granted boons in the past to Vibhishana, Dhruva, and others."

किं मुख पसरितां । बाळपाशीं मागें माता ।

जरी बाळ मारी लाथा । तया माता टाकून दे कीं ॥१५॥

"Does a child need to beg its mother with an open mouth when it is hungry? Even if the child kicks the mother in ignorance, does the mother ever throw the child away?"

तूंची मम माता पिता । तूंची एक कुळदेवता ।

भिन्नभाव येथें नसतां । कोण दाता मज दुजा ॥१६॥

"You alone are my mother, my father, and my sole family deity (Kula-devata). Since there is absolutely no feeling of separation or duality between us, what other giver exists for me?"

नरेश्वर सेवकवंशा । रक्षी न धरितां आशा ।

तूं अस्मत्पूर्वजेशा । सर्वेशा कीं उपेक्षिसी ॥१७॥

"An earthly king protects the generations of his servants without expecting anything in return. You are the Bhagavan of our ancestors and the Ruler of all—why then do you neglect me?"

मी इत्यंभूत सर्व । कथितां ही नये द्रव ।

जेणे पाषाणा ये द्रव । तूं निर्द्रव होसी कैसा ॥१८॥

"Even after I have narrated my entire miserable condition, your heart does not melt with compassion. My words could make even a stone melt; how is it that you remain so non-responsive and heartless?"

अशी प्रार्थना करुन । हो मूर्छित हें जाणून ।

दत्त चित्तीं प्रगटून । आश्वासन देयी स्वप्‍नी ॥१९॥

Praying intensely in this manner, Namadharaka fell unconscious. Knowing his deep pain, Bhagavan Datta manifested within his heart and appeared in his dream to comfort and reassure him.

 

इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिव्राजकाचार्य श्रीमद्वासुदेवानंदसरस्वति विरचिते श्री सप्तशती गुरुचरित्रे प्रथमोऽध्यायः