The Tale of Daksha and Chithrakethu
प्राचेतसस्तु भगवन्नपरो हि दक्ष-
स्त्वत्सेवनं व्यधित सर्गविवृद्धिकाम: ।
आविर्बभूविथ तदा लसदष्टबाहु-
स्तस्मै वरं ददिथ तां च वधूमसिक्नीम् ॥१॥
praachetasastu bhagavannaparO hi dakshastvatsevanaM
vyadhita sargavivR^iddhikaamaH |
aavirbabhuuvitha tadaa lasadaShTabaahustasmai
varaM daditha taaM cha vadhuumasikniim ||1||
By wanting to expand the population, Pracheta’s son, another Daksha, paid homage to the Supreme Lord. The Lord appeared with his eight radiant arms to grant the boon and gift Asikni as the spouse.
तस्यात्मजास्त्वयुतमीश पुनस्सहस्रं
श्रीनारदस्य वचसा तव मार्गमापु: ।
नैकत्रवासमृषये स मुमोच शापं
भक्तोत्तमस्त्वृषिरनुग्रहमेव मेने ॥२॥
tasyaatmajaastvayutamiisha punassahasraM
shriinaaradasya vachasaa tava maargamaapuH |
naikatravaasamR^iShaye sa mumOcha shaapaM
bhaktOttamastvR^iShiranugrahameva mene ||2||
Despite the fact that it went against their father’s plan to repopulate Earth, the eleven thousand sons of Daksha heeded Shree Naarada’s counsel to devote themselves to worshiping the Lord in order to attain spiritual liberation. Daksha was enraged by Naarada and cursed him to never find a permanent home. Sage Naarada’s pious disposition made him see this divine curse as merely a divine blessing.
षष्ट्या ततो दुहितृभि: सृजत: कुलौघान्
दौहित्रसूनुरथ तस्य स विश्वरूप: ।
त्वत्स्तोत्रवर्मितमजापयदिन्द्रमाजौ
देव त्वदीयमहिमा खलु सर्वजैत्र: ॥३॥
ShaShTyaa tatO duhitR^ibhiH sR^ijataH kulaughaan
dauhitrasuunuratha tasya sa vishvaruupaH |
tvatstOtravarmitamajaapayadindramaajau
deva tvadiiyamahimaa khalu sarvajaitraH ||3||
Daksha’s sixty daughters had numerous children at his request, and one of their grandsons, Viswaroopa, assisted Indra in defeating the Asuras. Learning the hymn to the Lord (Naaraayana Kavacha) from Vishwaroopa gave Indra protection and victory. In Bhattathiri’s words, “Hey Guruvayoorappa, you are always happy to ensure victory to your devotees.”
प्राक्शूरसेनविषये किल चित्रकेतु:
पुत्राग्रही नृपतिरङ्गिरस: प्रभावात् ।
लब्ध्वैकपुत्रमथ तत्र हते सपत्नी-
सङ्घैरमुह्यदवशस्तव माययासौ ॥४॥
praakshuurasenaviShaye kila chitraketuH
putraagrahii nR^ipatirangirasaH prabhaavaat |
labdhvaikaputramatha tatra hate sapatnii
sanghairamuhyadavashastava maayayaasau ||4||
Chitrakethu, the Great King of Surasena, is introduced by Bhattathiri in the fourth slokam of the twenty-second Dashakam of the Narayaneeyam. The wish of King Chithrakethu to have a son was granted by Sage Angiras. One of his envious wives, however, killed his son. The bereaved King was overwhelmed by Maya.
तं नारदस्तु सममङ्गिरसा दयालु:
सम्प्राप्य तावदुपदर्श्य सुतस्य जीवम् ।
कस्यास्मि पुत्र इति तस्य गिरा विमोहं
त्यक्त्वा त्वदर्चनविधौ नृपतिं न्ययुङ्क्त ॥५॥
taM naaradastu samamangirasaa dayaaluH
sampraapyataavadupadarshya sutasya jiivam |
kasyaasmi putra iti tasya giraa vimOhaM
tyaktvaatvadarchanavidhau nR^ipatiM nyayunkta ||5||
During their visit, Naarada and Angirasa showed Chitraketu the soul of his departed son. Chitraketu was asked by the soul, “Whose son am I?” His thoughts were filled with those words, which revealed that everything in the universe—from enormous mountains to tiny grains of sand, from the enormous blue whale to tiny bees—is a creation of the Lord. Those words dispelled the king’s erroneous beliefs. He learned from the sages to worship Lord Jagannath and to walk the path of salvation.
स्तोत्रं च मन्त्रमपि नारदतोऽथ लब्ध्वा
तोषाय शेषवपुषो ननु ते तपस्यन् ।
विद्याधराधिपतितां स हि सप्तरात्रे
लब्ध्वाप्यकुण्ठमतिरन्वभजद्भवन्तम् ॥६॥
stOtraM cha mantramapi naaradatO(a)tha labdhvaa
tOShaaya sheShavapuShO nanu te tapasyan |
vidyaadharaadhipatitaaM sa hi saptaraatre
labdhvaa(a)pyakuNThamatiH anvabhajadbhavantam ||6||
Chitraketu began preaching to the Adi Sesha form of the Lord using the hymns and mantras that Sage Narada had taught him. He gained the position of Vidhyadharas’ leader after seven days of tapasya. “O Guruvaayurappa,” says Bhattathiri, “but his mind was entirely focused on you and he was unwilling to abandon his devotional path.”
तस्मै मृणालधवलेन सहस्रशीर्ष्णा
रूपेण बद्धनुतिसिद्धगणावृतेन ।
प्रादुर्भवन्नचिरतो नुतिभि: प्रसन्नो
दत्वाऽऽत्मतत्त्वमनुगृह्य तिरोदधाथ ॥७॥
tasmai mR^iNaaladhavalena sahasrashiirShNaa
ruupeNa baddhanutisiddha gaNaavR^itena |
praadurbhavannachiratO nutibhiH prasannO
datvaa(a)(a)tmatattvamanugR^ihya tirOdadhaatha ||7||
In the twenty third Dashakam’s seventh sloka, Bhattathiri says that the Lord, pleased by Chitraketu’s devotion, manifested as Adi Sesha, who had a thousand hoods and a body as white as a lotus stalk. Lord Achyutha then blessed him and imparted to him the knowledge of Atman and Paramatman.
त्वद्भक्तमौलिरथ सोऽपि च लक्षलक्षं
वर्षाणि हर्षुलमना भुवनेषु कामम् ।
सङ्गापयन् गुणगणं तव सुन्दरीभि:
सङ्गातिरेकरहितो ललितं चचार ॥८॥
tvadbhaktamauliratha sO(a)pi cha lakshalakshaM
varShaaNi harShulamanaa bhuvaneShu kaamam |
sangaapayan guNagaNaM tava sundariibhiH
sangaatirekarahitO lalitaM chachaara ||8||
Chitraketu turned into one of your most devoted followers. He traveled the world with Vidyadharis singing your hymns and praises, detached from the world of material possessions.
अत्यन्तसङ्गविलयाय भवत्प्रणुन्नो
नूनं स रूप्यगिरिमाप्य महत्समाजे ।
निश्शङ्कमङ्ककृतवल्लभमङ्गजारिं
तं शङ्करं परिहसन्नुमयाभिशेपे ॥९॥
atyanta sanga vilayaaya bhavatpraNunnO
nuunaM sa ruupyagirimaapya mahatsamaaje |
nishshankamankakR^itavallabhamangajaariM
taM shankaraM parihasannumayaa(a)bhishepe ||9||
In order to purge himself of all sensual cravings, Chitraketu journeyed to Mount Kailaash. There he saw Lord Shankara with other sages. Chitraketu saw Lord Siva holding Goddess Umaa in his lap. He believed that Lord Siva, despite being the best of all living beings and the spiritual leader of the general public, was unable to separate himself from the material world and should be embarrassed to embrace Goddess Parvati in front of the saints.This sight made Chitraketu laugh, and Goddess Parvati cursed him.
निस्सम्भ्रमस्त्वयमयाचितशापमोक्षो
वृत्रासुरत्वमुपगम्य सुरेन्द्रयोधी ।
भक्त्यात्मतत्त्वकथनै: समरे विचित्रं
शत्रोरपि भ्रममपास्य गत: पदं ते ॥१०॥
nissambhramastvayamayaachitashaapamOkshO
vR^itraasuratvamupagamya surendrayOdhii |
bhaktyaa(a)(a)tmatattvakathanaissamare vichitraM
shatrOrapi bhramamapaasya gataH padaM te ||10||
Chitraketu reincarnated as Vritraasura because he was hesitant to request penance and decided against seeking a break of the curse. In the battle against Indra, he helped his opponent get past the false beliefs and taught Indra about the real self the Atman and Paramatman. Thereby he attained salvation.
त्वत्सेवनेन दितिरिन्द्रवधोद्यताऽपि
तान्प्रत्युतेन्द्रसुहृदो मरुतोऽभिलेभे ।
दुष्टाशयेऽपि शुभदैव भवन्निषेवा
तत्तादृशस्त्वमव मां पवनालयेश ॥११॥
tvatsevanena ditirindra vadhOdyataa(a)pi
taanpratyutendra suhR^idO marutO(a)bhilebhe |
duShTaashaye(a)pi shubhadaiva bhavanniShevaa
tattaadR^ishastvamava maaM pavanaalayesha ||11||
In Dashakam twenty third’s last verse, Bhatathiri teaches that the Lord’s divine favor turns evildoers into good people. Diti, the mother of Asuras, prayed to Lord Vishnu for a son who would kill Indra, but the Supreme Being gave her Maruts, who later became friends with Indra. Those who worship Lord Guruvayoorappa are guided toward only good things. O Lord of Guruvaayur! Please protect me.