७ सप्तमदशकः - शुकोत्पत्तः 7 saptamadashakah' - shukotpattih'

           ७ सप्तमदशकः -      शुकोत्पत्तः

          7 saptamadashakah' -        shukotpattih'

( The birth of sage Shuka is described. While sage Vyasa

wants him to adopt the duties of householder, Sage Shukha

was not interested, Sage Vyasa sheds tears. This is another

part of chapter X & Chapter XIV of book I)

On the very beautiful summit of Mount Meru, Vyasa, son of

Satyavatl, firmly determined, practised very severe austerities

for the attainment of a son.

Having heard from Narada, he, the great ascetic, repeated

the one syllabled mantra of Vak(vak beeja mantram) and

worshipped the Highest Mahamaya with the object of

getting a son.

He asked, Let a son be born to me as pure and as spirited

and powerful as fire, air, earth, and Akasa.

He thought over in his mind that the man possessed of Sakti

is worshipped in this world and the man-lacking Sakti is

condemned here, and thus came to the conclusion that Sakti

is therefore worshipped everywhere; and, therefore,

worshipped. Bhagavan Mahesvara coupled with the

auspicious Adya-Shakti and spent one hundred years without

any food.

He began his tapasya on that mountain summit which was

ornamented with the garden of Karnikara, where all the

Devas play, and where lives the highly ascetic Munis, the

Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Marut, the two Asvins, and the other

mindful Rishis, the knowers of Brahma and where the

Kinnaras always resound the air with their songs of music,

etc., such a place Vyasa Deva preferred for his tapasya.

The whole universe was infused with the spirit of asceticism

of the intelligent Parasara’s son Vyasa Deva; and the hair of

his head were clotted and looked tawny, of the colour of

flames. Seeing the fire of his asceticism, Indra, lord of Sachi,

became exceedingly terrified.

Bhagavan Rudra, seeing Indra thus afraid, fatigued and

morose, asked him: “O Indra, why do you look so fear-

stricken today? О Lord of the Devas! What is the cause of

your grief? Never show your jealousy and anger to the

ascetics; for the mindful ascetics always practise severe

asceticism with a noble object and worship Me, knowing Me

to be possessed of the all-powerful Sakti; they never want ill

of anybody.”

When Bhagavan Rudra said this, Indra asked him: “What is

his object?” At this, Sankara said: “For the attainment of a

son, Parasara’s son is practising so severe austerities; now

one-hundred years is being completed;

I will go to him, and give him today the auspicious boon of a

son.” Thus speaking to Indra, Bhagavan Rudra, the Guru of

the world, went to Vyasa Deva and, with merciful eyes, said:

“O sinless Vasavl’s son! Get up; I grant to you the boon, that

you will get a son very fiery, luminous and spirited like the

five elements fire, air, earth, water and Akasa, the supreme

JnanI, the store of all, auspicious qualities, of great renown,

beloved to all, ornamented with all Sattvik qualities, truthful

and valorous

Hearing these sweet words of Bhagavan Sulapani Maharsi

Krsna Dvaipayana bowed down to Him and went back to his

own hermitage. Tired with the labour of penance for many

years, he wanted to kindle fire by rubbing two fuels (Aran!)

with each other. While doing this, the high souled man

suddenly began to think strongly in his mind about

procreating a son.

He thought: “Will it be that my son will be born as this fire is

produced by the friction of the two churning sticks?

I have not got the wife, which the Pundits designate as

“Putrarani”, the youthful wife endowed with beauty, born of a

noble family, the chaste one I have not got with me.

This is known to all that a chaste wife, though clever in doing

all household duties, beautiful and giving happiness to one’s

desires, is yet always a sort of bondage. What more than this,

that the ever Bhagavan Mahesvara is always under the

bondage of woman. How, then, knowing and hearing all

these, I can accept this difficult householder’s life?

While he was thinking thus, the extraordinarily beautiful

Apsara Ghritaachi fell to his sight, close to him in the celestial

air.

Though Vyasa Deva was a Brahmacari (holding in control the

secret power of generation) of a very high order yet seeing

suddenly the agile Apsara (“a celestial nymph”) coming close

to him and looking askance at him, he became soon smitten

with the arrows of cupid and feeling himself distressed,

began to think what shall I do in this critical moment.

Unbearable amorous feelings now have come to me; now if I

take this celestial nymph, knowing that Dharma is

everywhere looking, and woman has come to take away my

precious fire of spirit acquired by my tapasya, then I will be

laughed at by the high-souled ascetic Munis, who will think

that I have lost my senses altogether. Alas! Why I who have

practised for one hundred years the most terrible ascetism,

have become so powerless by the mere sight of this Apsara!

The Pundits declare the household life as the source of

getting son, one’s heart’s desire and the source of all

happiness; so much so that it leads all the virtuous souls to

the pleasures of Heaven, and ordains Moksa (liberation) to

those who are Jnanls; and if I get such unrivalled happiness

from this householder’s life, I can have this Deva Kanya (the

clestial nymph) though blameable. But again that happiness

will not occur to me through her; there is no doubt in this. So

how can I take her. I heard from Narada how, in ancient days,

a king name Pururava, fell under the clutches of Urvasi and

ultimately felt great pain, being defeated by her.

कृष्णस्य तस्यारणितः शुकाख्य-

स्तव प्रसादादजणिष्ट पुत्रः ।

हृष्टो मुणिममङ्गलकमम चक्रे

तत्राऽऽणदतेया ववृ षुः सुमाणि ॥ १॥

kri'shnasya tasyaaranitah' shukaakhyastava

prasaadaadajanisht'a putrah' .

hri'sht'o munirmangalakarma chakre

tatraaditeyaa vavri'shuh' sumaani .. 1..

with help of your blessings(devi’s),that krishnadwaipayana

(vyaasa),from the fire stick, a son named shuka, was born. the

extremely happy muni, did all the auspicious rituals. the

devas rained flowers

As instructed by Sage Narada vyaasaa did severe penance to

obtain a good son. Because of the shakti of his tapas he

became bright and was illuminated. Siva came in front of him

and blessed him and confirmed that may he have a good

son. Hence, vyaasa began to rub 2 pieces of wood(arni), at

the same time thinking-“in order to have a good son I need

to get married. My condition right now is not suitable for

marriage. If I get married to a lady who is capable of giving

me a son I will get tied down to the life of a householder.”

As vyaasa was thinking like this, an apsara named ghritachi,

inspired by devendran, made herself visible in front of

vyaasa. she tried to enchant him in different ways. The

feeling of passion arose in the mind of vyaasa. He wondered

wether he should marry her. Eventually decided not to.

Though the brain gave a wise advice, the mind was

emotionally weak. The apsara got scared that vyaasa might

get angry and curse her, assumed the form of a parrot. At

this moment vyaasa lost all his control. His sperm fell into

fire. Like that from fire vyaasa got a good son. This happened

when he saw the ‘shuka’(parrot) form of the apsara. Hence

vyaasa named his son shuka. He bathed his son in the waters

of the ganges. He also performed all the auspicious rituals

that should be performed by the father. The devas showered

the place with flowers.

Seeing the dark-blue lady looking askance at him, Vyasa

Deva thought: “Indeed! What is to be done now? This

Devakanya Apsara Ghrtaci is not fit for my household.”

Then, seeing Vyasa Deva thus thoughtful, the Apsara thought

that the Muni might curse her and got terrified.

Confounded by terror, she assumed the form of a Suka bird

and fled away; Vyasa, too, became greatly surprised to see

her in the form of a bird.

The moment Vyasa saw the extraordinary beautiful form of

Ghrtaci, the Cupid entered then, in his body, and his mind

was filled with the thought of sweet feminine form and was

gladdened and all his body was thrilled with pleasure so that

the hair of the body stood on their ends.

Muni Vyasa Deva tried his best and exerted his power of

patience to its utmost, but failed to control his restless mind

to enjoy the woman. Though he was very energetic, and he

tried repeatedly to control his heart, enchanted with the

beautiful form of Ghrtaci, yet he could not, as due to a state

of things pre-ordained by God, control his mind.

At this state, when he was rubbing the firesticks to get the

sacred fire, (two pieces of wood used in kindling the fire) his

seed (semen) fell upon the Arani (the two pieces of wood

used in kindling the sacred fire).

But he did not take any notice of that, and he went on

rubbing the firesticks when arose from that Arani the

wonderfully beautiful form of Suka Deva, looking like a

second Vyasa.

This boy, born of Arani fuel, looked there brilliant like the

blazing fire of the sacrificial place, whereon of ghee are

poured

Seeing that son, Vyasa Deva was struck with great wonder

and thought thus: “What is this? How is that this son is born

without any woman”

Thinking for a while, he came to the conclusion, that this had

certainly come to pass as the result of boon granted to him

by Siva. No sooner the fiery Suka Deva, was born of Arani, he

looked brilliant, like fire, by his own tejas (spirit).

The river Ganges came there from the Himalayas and washed

all the inner nerves of the child Suka Deva, by her holy waters

and showers of flowers were poured on his head

Vyasa Deva next performed all the natal ceremoies of fhe

high-souled child; the celestial drums were sounded and

celestial nymphs began to dance and the lords of the

Gandharvas Visvavasu, Narada, Tumburu and others began

to sing with great joy for the sight of the son.

All the Devas and Vidyadharas began to chant hymns with

gladdened hearts at the sight of the divine form, the son of

Vyasa, born of Arani.

Bhagavan Vyasa Deva gave the name of the child as Suka as

during the moment of his birth he saw the form of Ghrtaci in

the form of the Suka bird.

Lord siva conferring the boon to vyaasa is there in book

1 chapter 10 of SDB the birth of suka in chap 14

केणचज्जगुः केचि वाद्यघोषं

चक्रुश्च िाके ििृतुः स्त्रियश्च ।

वायुवमवौ स्पशमसुखः सुगन्धः

शुकोद्भवे सवम जिाः प्रहृष्टाः ॥ २॥

kechijjaguh' kechana vaadyaghosham

chakrushcha naake nanri'tuh' striyashcha .

vaayurvavau sparshasukhah' sugandhah'

shukodbhave sarvajanaah' prahri'sht'aah' .. 2..

some sang songs in the sky. Some played instruments; ladies

danced; pleasant breeze spreading fragrant smell was

blowing; by the birth of shuka, everybody was extremely

happy.

the birth of shuka dev brought a lot of happiness to

everyone. The residents of heavens and residents of the

earth were very happy. the celestial drums were sounded and

celestial nymphs began to dance and the lords of the

Gandharvas Visvavasu, Narada, Tumburu and others began

to sing with great joy for the sight of the son. pleasant

breeze wafted with pleasant scent these are the signs of

good omen. All the Devas and Vidyadharas began to chant

hymns with gladdened hearts at the sight of the divine form,

the son of Vyasa, born of Arani

बालः स सद्यो ववृ धे सुचेताः

बृहस्पतेरात्तसमस्तणवद्यः ।

दत्वा णविीतो गुरुदणििां च

प्रत्यागतो हषमयणत स्म तातम् ॥ ३॥

baalah' sa sadyo vavri'dhe suchetaah'

bri'haspateraattasamastavidyah' .

datvaa vineeto gurudakshinaam cha

pratyaagato harshayati sma taatam .. 3..

3.That boy grew up very fast. That child who was intelligent,

learnt all knowledges from Brahaspathi, and with all humility

gave him “Teachers fee”(guru dakshina) & returned back and

drowned his father in joy.

No sooner the extraordinarily brilliant Suka Deva was born,

he grew up, and Vyasa Deva, who is master of endless

learning performed the son’s Upanayana ceremony.

No sooner the child was born than all the Vedas with all their

secrets and epitomes began to flash in the mind of Suka

Deva, as it reigned in Vyasa Deva.

Bhagavan Vyasa Deva gave the name of the child as Suka as

during the moment of his birth he saw Ghritachi in the form

of the Suka bird.

Suka then accepted Brihaspati as his guru and began

devotedly, with his whole head and heart, to perform duly

the Brahmacarya vow (the life of studentship and celibacy).

Muni Suka remained in the house of his Guru and studied

the four Vedas with their secrets and essences and all the

other Dharma sastras and gave Daksina to the Guru duly

according to proper rules, and returned home to his father

Krsna Dvaipayana. Seeing his son Suka, Vyasa Deva got up

and received him with great love and honour and embraced

him and took the smell of his head

युवािमेकान्ततपः प्रवृत्तं

व्यासः कदाणचच्छु कमेवमूचे ।

वेदां श्च शािाणि च वेस्त्रि पुत्र

कृत्वा णववाहं भव सद् गृहस्थः ॥ ४॥

yuvaanamekaantatapah'pravri'ttam

vyaasah' kadaachichchhukamevamooche .

vedaamshcha shaastraani cha vetsi putra

kri'tvaa vivaaham bhava sadgri'hasthah' .. 4..

4. once vyaasa said like this to that young shuka who was

practicing penance in isolation: oh son! You know about the

the vedas and the shastras. Get married and become a good

householder.

Having studied all the vedas, sri shuka became a young man.

But he lacked sensuality. So he got involved in doing

penance alone. Vyaasa, the father, was very unhappy. Vyaasa

wanted to get his son married. He (vyaasa) decided to advice

his son. His son should get married and become good

householder-is the essence of vyaasa’s advice

Vyaasa’s advice begins:

सवाम श्रमािां कवयो णवणशष्टा

गृहाश्रमं श्रेष्ठतरं वदस्त्रन्त।

तमाणश्रतस्त्रस्तष्ठणत लोक एष

यजस्व दे वाि् णवणधवस्त्रितंश्च ॥ ५॥

sarvaashramaanaam kavayo vishisht'aa

gri'haashramam shresht'hataram vadanti .

tamaashritastisht'hati loka esha

yajasva devaan vidhivatpitree'mshcha .. 5..

5.Very important wise people say that the position of a

householder is superior. This world is standing so long firmly

because of its dependence on this (the life of a householder).

Satisfy the gods and also the soul of your ancestors.

Sri shuka finds the topics on the functions of the sense

organs disgusting, he finds it more desirous to perform

penance in solitude. Knowing this vyaasa speaks to him: the

life of a householder is not lower than performing penance

in solitude to one who is not interested in anything. Wise

people consider the life of a householder to be the best.

Because the world is dependent on that to stand firmly. If

everyone becomes disinterested in any topics and become

sanyasis, then the next generation will not be born. For that

one should get married. It is the duty of the householder to

satisfy the souls of the ancestors and the gods. Not being

disgusted with marriage and performing penance in

isolation, it is the life of a married man that is more desirous

is what is said by various dharmas-this is vyaasa’s opinion at

the moment.

excellent sages achieved further excellence by becoming a

householder. This world is dependent and surviving on

householders. This satisfies all the ancestors and the gods.)

Srishuka feels it is better to do penance than allow ones

senses to control you. Sensing this vyaasa advices him thus:

severe penance is not considered below a householders life.

Knowledgeable persons consider a householders position to

be supreme. Because the world is totally dependent on them

for its survival. If everyone takes up sanyas then the next

generation will not be born. So one must get married.

Worshipping devas and and souls of one’s ancestors is the

duty of a householder. To die, performing the various duties

of a married life is desirable to being an unmarried

brahmacharya- this was vyaasa’s opinion now.

तवास्तु सिुत्र ऋिादहं च

मुच्येय मां त्वं सुस्त्रखिं कुरुष्व ।

पुत्रः सुखायात्र परत्र च स्यात्

त्वाम् पुत्र तीव्रैरलभे तपोणभः ॥ ६॥

tavaastu satputra ri'naadaham cha

muchyeya maam tvam sukhinam kurushva .

putrah' sukhaayaatra paratra cha syaat

tvaam putra teevrairalabhe tapobhih' .. 6..

may you have a good son. Let me(father) be free from debt;

a son, brings joy in this world and the other world; you will

help me to get this happiness, oh son! It is by performing

hard penanace that I got you.

Only if Son, grandson, great-grandson series exist will our

ancestors be happy. this is the belief of a householder. some

believe that only if the son grandson series exist only then

will we be free from our ancestor’s debt. To be freed of

ancestorial debts is the main aim of vyaasa. Loving thy son

when you are young and wishing that he will take care of you

when you are old--- these are pleasures of this world.

Relishing in heaven the shraadham performed by your son

on earth – this is the pleasure in heaven you enjoy. Wishing

for a son after growing old is very painful. To overcome this

pain one has to do severe penanace. Vyaasa still remembers

the severe penance he did to beget a son. He wished that his

son should not have a similar experience.

णकञ्च प्रमाथीणि सदे स्त्रियाणि

हरस्त्रन्त णचत्तं प्रसभं िरस्य ।

पश्यि् णपता मे जििीं तपस्वी

पराशरोऽणप स्मरमोणहतोऽभूत् ॥ ७॥

kincha pramaatheeni sadendriyaani

haranti chittam prasabham narasya .

pashyan pitaa me jananeem tapasvee

paraasharo'pi smaramohito'bhoot .. 7..

7. Not only that, the uncontrollable senses, is always

churning the human mind violently; parashara maharshi my

father, a sage, too, seeing my mother was overcome with

passion.

“Only people attached to household duties will think about

children and grandchildren, I am disgusted in the affairs of

this world probably”, the son might say.

Thus thinking like this vyaasa says: I have given up all the

feelings of my sense organs. Completely. For them I am

dead. No body need be proud of this fact. Just by being

proud of that will not make u immortal. Any tapasvi can

bring out what is there in their mind. My father Parasara,

though a great ascetic, was struck with Cupid’s arrows at the

sight of the daughter of a fisherman, named Kali and

accepted her in the boat. (this has been explained in detail in

chap 6 sloka 1 of DN. check it out). When the apsara menaka

danced in front of maharshi vishwamitra and how his mind

was provoked is a very well known story. An auspicious

daughter (shakunthala) was born from the womb of Menaka

by Visvamitra. It is similar to the restlessness experienced by

vyaasa when the apsara ghritachi came and stood before

him. Whose mind will get disturbed at what time nobody can

say. nobody can be proud of the fact that I have complete

control over all my senses. That is only a false pride

य आश्रमादाश्रममेणत तत्तत्

कमाम णि कुवम ि् स सुखी सदा स्यात् ।

गृहाश्रमो िैव च बन्धहे तुः

त्वया च धीमि् णक्रयतां णववाहः ॥ ८॥

ya aashramaadaashramameti tattat

karmaani kurvan sa sukhee sadaa syaat .

gri'haashramo naiva cha bandhahetuhu

tvayaa cha dheeman kriyataam vivaahah' .. 8..

8. one who goes from one stage of life to another, doing

the duties of that stage of life, will always have a life

filled with pleasure; The stage of life, as a householder, does

not create ties; so Oh great one you must get married.

Brahmacharyam, gaarhastyam,vaanaprastham, sanyaasam -

these are the 4 ashramas given in the puranas. Gaining

knowledge is the period of brahmacharyam. As a young

adult one should find someone to share your life with. One

should enjoy the material things in life- you should be

saturated. ‘this pleasure is short lived’ will be understood

then. One who understands this will never be desirous.

Without any compulsion he can move on to the stage of

vaanaprastham and finally to sanyasam. This is a safe and

uninhibited life. Without crossing all this, a person who goes

directly to sanyasam from brahmacharyam will face all the

difficulties mentioned above

Hearing these words of the father, Suka Deva said: “O father!

Kindly say this to me what pleasure is there on this earth that

is not mixed with pain. The happiness, that is mixed with

pain, is not called happiness by the wise.

The mind is full of passion. The good and the evil are mixed

in that. Depending on the situation each is awakened. No

one can tell in advance how and when what type of situation

will arise. So, lust, anger etc. can awaken any time. Only with

the help of regular exercise can one control these emotions.

Whatever should be done for the decline of passion all that .

should be done. Whatever needs to be done should be done

at the right time. In order to control lust. Get married, in the

correct way experience ecstasy – in this way if one lives lust

will diminish. Along with-it anger will also diminish.

Oppositely, if we suppress lust it will manifest as extreme

anger. Eventually that will weaken the mind.

“I will marry. But wont I be tied down?”- this doubt is out of

place. Just because one is married, he need not be tied down

to relations. By avoiding getting married one need not

displace one’s relations. Relations and theft are both in the

mind. relations are there due to marriage should not be

considered.

While vyaasa was saying all this sri shuka heard him with

concentration like a son. He is able to understand everything

also- Yes he is ‘Dheemaan’ . but he did not show any facial

expressions.

एवं ब्रुवािोऽणप शु कं णववाहात्

अद्यसक्तमाज्ञाय णपतेव रागी ।

पुरािकत्ताम च जगद् गुरुः स

मायाणिमग्नोऽश्रुणवलोचिोऽभूत् ॥ ९॥

evam bruvaano'pi shukam vivaahaat

adyasaktamaajnyaaya piteva raagee .

puraanakarttaa cha jagadguruh' sa

maayaanimagno'shruvilochano'bhoot .. 9..

9. Even after telling all this, the father of the puranas as well

as teacher of the world, realizing that Shukha was against

marriage, just like an ordinary father, caught in illusion, shed

tears

the advantages of getting married and the disadvantages of

not getting married was very clearly put forth by vyasa to his

son. After Hearing all this the son was least bit agitated. He

did not say anything- wether he wud marry or not. Vyaasa

was very depressed. As an ordinary father who does not have

any religious thoughts, he burst into tears. It was Jagadguru

and the author of the puranas, who cried. He did not cry

because of the destruction of knowledge! He did not cry

because the devotion to devi had reduced! He did not cry

because of the decline of penance! Then why? He cried

because his son was not getting ready to marry! this is the

vastness of ‘maya’. Even the Jagadguru got caught in ‘maya’.

भोगेषु मे णिस्पृहताऽस्तु मातः

प्रलोणभतो मा करवाणि पापम् ।

मा बाधतां मां तव दे णव माया

मायाणधिाथे सततं िमस्ते ॥ १०॥

bhogeshu me nispri'hataa'stu maatah'

pralobhito maa karavaani paapam .

maa baadhataam maam tava devi maayaa

maayaadhinaathe satatam namaste .. 10..

10.Oh mother, let me not crave for sensory enjoyment,

Let me not get attached and start committing sins. Oh

Goddess, let your maya not affect me; Oh Goddess who rules

over Maya, Always to you my salutations

His son, shukan, did not have sensorial attachments, so he

had no inclination to get married. it was such a person

vyaasan was forcing to get married. Many times, being

beaten by temptations, man tends to do evil activities. A

person with solid knowledge, including saints, at a weak

moment do things that are not to be done. Be indifferent to

luxuries, whatever temptations come your way do not get

entangled. - to achieve both one needs the blessings of

mayaadhinatha Devi. if mayeshwari blesses you, you can

control ‘maya’. To achieve this the poet bows down to the

Devi.

Devi bhagvatham 3rd skanda 14th chapter contents have been

compiled here

Thus ends the 7th chapter