१२ द्वादशदशकः - उतथ्यजननम्
12 dvaadashadashakah' - utathyajananam
-The birth of Utathya.
The description about Maha Devi’s appearance to
Trinity and the explanation provided to them by Her
about Herself was given to Narada by Lord Brahma.
This was handed over to Veda Vyasa by Narada and
down the line to Shuka Muni and in turn to the King
Janmejaya as to how Devi Sarasvati interpreted the
foolish Brahmana boy’s ignorant chatter noise as Her
Bija ( Seed) Mantra and blessed him.
(A Brahmin called Devadutta did yagas and obtained a
son called Uthathya. He turned out to be dim-witted,
who did not see or hear or do what others told him..
He lived in the hermitages of sages and due to the
good company, he resolved to tell only the truth. He
once saw a pig hit by an arrow running into a forest
bush and he said “aim(ऐं)” and sathyavratha repeated
your Vag Bheeja manthra and became intelligent. This
story is given in book 3;chapter 10)
पुरा द्विजः कश्चन दे वदत्तो
नाम प्रजार्थं तमसासमीपे ।
कुववन् मखं गोद्विलशापवाचा
लेिे सुतं मूढमनन्तदु ः खः ॥ १२-१॥
puraa dvijah' kashchana devadatto
naama prajaartham tamasaasameepe .
kurvan makham gobhilashaapavaachaa
lebhe sutam mood'hamanantaduh'khah' .. 12-1..
1.In the olden times there was a Brahmin called Devadatha near the
banks of the river Thamasa. He did a yaga for getting a son. But due
to the curse of Gobhila attained endless sorrow, by getting a son
who was an idiot.
Devadutt was a brahmin who resided on the banks of tamasa river. He
had no children. He got ready to perform ‘puthrakaamesti yagnam’ to
get a good son. He did all the preparations for that. He selected
purohits who would do the yagnam; the yagnam also started. The
purohit named gobhila, who was supposed to initiate the chant of the
samaved mantras, was often stopping while chanting. Devadutt did
not like this. He said:- I am doing this yagna with good intentions. The
recitation of the Samaveda mantras are being disrupted due to your
stopping in between. Yagna for a good cause will give results only if it
is recited according to the prescribed rules. On hearing this gobhila
got very angry. He said:- “I have breathing problems. That is why
there is a break in my chanting of the Samaveda mantras. You have
insulted me in front of everyone. As a result of the yagnam a son will
be born to you, but, he will be fool.” Devadutt became very sad. After
he calmed down from his anger gobhila pacified and said-“the son
who is going to be born to you will be dim-witted. Over time he will
become a knowledgeable and great poet.” In this way the yagnya
ended auscipiously. In due course a son was born to devdutta. He was
indeed stupid. Seeing the stupidity of his son, devdutt was mentally
tormented.
उतथ्यनामा ववृधे स बालो
मूढस्तु दृष्टं न ददशव द्वकद्वित् ।
श्रुतं न शुश्राव जगाद नैव
पृष्टो न च स्नानजपाद्वद चक्रे ॥ १२-२॥
utathyanaamaa vavri'dhe sa baalo
mood'hastu dri'sht'am na dadarsha kinchit .
shrutam na shushraava jagaada naiva
pri'sht'o na cha snaanajapaadi chakre .. 12-2..
2.That boy whose name was Utathya grew up. He was not only an
idiot, he did not see what others saw, did not obey what others said
nor did he answer to any of the questions asked. Also he did not take
bath or chant manthras.
Devdutt named his son Uthathya. The foolish young lad did not
understand anything, by hearsay or by seeing. Many tried questioning
him. He did not speak anything. The milestones that he had to
achieve at each stage of his life, were not achieved. All the duties that
should be done for a brahmana boy was done by his father. Simply
they were done. The homage/worship the lad was supposed to do at
certain periods of time, the boy did not do. Had the son been blind or
lame, he could have been forgiven-parents cannot bear the sadness
of a foolish son. Over a period of time, uthathya was unwanted by his
parents and community members.
इतस्ततोऽटन् समवाप्तगङ्गो
जले द्वनमज्जन् प्रद्वपबंस्तदे व ।
वसन् मुनीनामुटजे षु वेद-
मन्त्ां श्च शृण्वन् स द्वदनाद्वन द्वनन्ये ॥ १२-३॥
itastato't'an samavaaptagango
jale nimajjan prapibamstadeva .
vasan muneenaamut'ajeshu veda-
mantraamshcha shri'nvan sa dinaani ninye .. 12-3..
3. that young boy wandering here and there, reached the
banks of river Ganga. He spent his time in dipping in the
water of the ganges, drinking the same water, living in
hermitage of saints and hearing the Vedas.
That Utathya who was unwanted by everyone wandered here
and there. Fortunately, he landed on the banks of the river
ganga. He stayed there, bathing in the water of the ganges,
& drinking the water of the ganges. Sometimes he would go
and stay in the ashrams of some sages. He used to eat the
food given to him there. He would see the various pujas
being conducted there. Sometimes he would hear the veda
mantras that were being chanted by the sages-like that
utathya spent his life in a very pure environment.
A foolish person can reach anywhere. He can be in the midst
of rogues, murderers, & drinkers. Once he mixes with these
people ,the person can never be corrected. Utathya reached
the ashramas of the sages on the banks of the river ganga.
Here we see the blessings of devi. In that avalanche of
blessings Utathyan flowed.
क्रमेण सत्सङ्गद्वववृ द्धसत्त्वः
सत्यव्रतः सत्यतपाश्च िूत्वा ।
नासत्यवाक् त्वत्कृपया स मूढोऽ–
प्युन्मीद्वलतान्तनवयनो बिूव ॥ १२-४॥
kramena satsangavivri'ddhasattvah'
satyavratah' satyatapaashcha bhootvaa .
naasatyavaak tvatkri'payaa sa
mood'ho'pyunmeelitaantarnayano babhoova .. 12-4..
4.Over time due to greatness of the good company he kept,
the Sathva guna in him increased. He never told a lie, spoke
only the truth, and made truth as his only penance. Though
an idiot, due to your blessings, his inner eyes got opened.
Bathing in the water of the ganges, drinking the ganges
water, the contacts with the sages all these, brought about a
change in utathya’s behaviour. Tamoguna started moving
away and satva guna started developing in him. Not only
that, he started talking. He did not think the untruth nor did
he tell lies. People seeing his devotion to truth, started
calling him Satyavrata or Satyatapas. Though born foolish, he
got an opportunity to get rid of his foolishness. His inner eye
was awakened-all due to devi’s compassion.
कुलं पद्ववत्रं जननी द्ववशुद्धा
द्वपता च सत्कमवरतः सदा मे ।
मया कृतं नैव द्वनद्वषद्धकमव
तर्थाऽद्वप मूढोऽस्मि जनैश्च द्वनन्द्यः ॥ १२-५॥
kulam pavitram jananee vishuddhaa
pitaa cha satkarmaratah' sadaa me .
mayaa kri'tam naiva nishiddhakarma
tathaa'pi mood'ho'smi janaishcha nindyah' .. 12-5..
5.He thought, “my parentage is sacred, My mother is saintly,
father is always engaged in doing good actions and I have
never done any prohibited actions; still people called me
foolish and an outcaste.
These thoughts were sign of Utathya’s foolishness being
reduced. A foolish person will never be able to identify
himself as ’I am a fool’. The reason for his foolishness also he
will not be able think.
जन्मान्तरे द्वकं नु कृतं मयाऽघं ?
द्वकं वा न द्ववयाऽद्वर्थवजनस्य दत्ता ?
ग्रन्थोऽप्यदत्तः द्वकमु पूज्यपूजा
कृता न द्वकं वा द्ववद्वधवन्न जाने ॥ १२-६॥
yanmaantare kim nu kri'tam mayaa'gham
kim vaa na vidyaa'rthijanasya dattaa .
grantho'pyadattah' kimu poojyapoojaa
kri'taa na kim vaa vidhivanna jaane .. 12-6..
“have I done any sin in my previous births? Did I not impart
knowledge to one who needed it? Did I not give them even
sacred books? Did I not Worship great people the proper
way? I do not know.
Utathya started thinking. The reason for my being foolish is it
due to some fault in my parentage or due to some
prohibited actions done in this birth-or pile up of sins done
in my previous births? If somebody comes to a wise person
to learn something, then that person should impart his
knowledge-that is his duty. Knowledge is not restricted to
only one person. Was I a knowledgeable person in my
previous life-probably because I did not impart my
knowledge to a someone who came to me to get knowledge,
I was born foolish in this birth. If one cannot give an answer
face to face due to lack of time, then one should give him
the correct book that will answer his question. Probably he
did not do that also. If it is not any of these, then probably he
did not do all the brahmanic rituals in the proper way. See
how logical utathya’s thinking has become.
नाकारणं कायवद्वमतीयवते द्वि
दै वं बद्वलष्ठं दु रद्वतक्रमं च ।
ततोऽत्र मूढो द्ववफलीकृतोऽस्मि
वन्ध्यद्रुवद्वन्नजवलमेघवच्च ॥ १२-७॥
naakaaranam kaaryamiteeryate hi
daivam balisht'ham duratikramam cha .
tato'tra mood'ho viphaleekri'to'smi
vandhyadruvannirjalameghavachcha .. 12-7..
7.It has been told that ‘without cause there is no effect’. It is
said that fate is all powerful. It can never be defeated.
Probably that is why in this birth I was born a foolish person.
Now I am as useless as a flowerless tree and waterless cloud.”
Utathya started thinking: there should be some reason for
my foolishness. Nothing takes place without a cause and
reason. Only, the reasons can be infinite. Everything is fate-
and very strong. Flowerless tree and waterless clouds- these
2 are same, useless. I am also like that.
There was no weakness in the logical thought of utathyan. It
is very clear that, the closeness to the ganges and the
company of sages, has lit the lamp of knowledge in utathya.
Whatever the sage gobhila said, while performing the
putrakaameshti yagna, is coming true.
इत्याद्वद सद्विन्त्य वने स्मितः स
कदाद्वचदे कं रुद्वधराप्लुताङ्गम् ।
बीित्सरूपं द्वकद्वटमेष पश्य-
न्नय्यय्य इत्युत्स्वनमुच्चचार ॥ १२-८॥
ityaadi sanchintya vane sthitah' sa
kadaachidekam rudhiraaplutaangam .
beebhatsaroopam kit'imesha pashya-
nnayyayya ityutsvanamuchchachaara .. 12-8..
8.Thinking like this, the one who lived in the forest, Once saw
a pig, fully covered with blood and with a repulsive form,
coming towards him and he shouted loudly
“ayyayye(अय्यय्ये)”
Utathya was deep in his reverie, when a pig came running
there. Its body was covered in blood. He felt repulsed on
seeing it. Suddenly he recoiled seeing that repulsive creature,
and said ‘ayyayye(अय्यय्ये)’.
शरे ण द्ववद्धः स द्वकररिवयातवः
प्रवेपमानो मुद्वनवासदे शे ।
अन्तद्वनवकुञ्जस्य गतश्च दै वाद-
दृश्यतामाप ियाद्वतविस्मन्त् ॥ १२-९॥
sharena viddhah' sa kirirbhayaartah'
pravepamaano munivaasadeshe
antarnikunjasya gatashcha daivaada-
dri'shyataamaapa bhayaartihantri .. 12-9..
9.That boar whose body was pierced by an arrow, scared and
trembling with fear, went inside a bush in the place where
the sages were staying. Oh Goddess who removes fears, the
boar was hidden due to fate.
An arrow had pierced it, and the pig was running hither and
thither with pain. It got into the tapovan, and hid behind a
climber bush. That was his fate. What else to say! O! Devi you
are the one who removes the distress caused due to fear of
troubled people. Uthatya saw everything.
द्ववना मकारं च द्ववना च िस्मि-
मुच्चायव वाग्बीजमनुं पद्ववत्रम् ।
प्रसन्नबुस्मद्धः कृपया तवैष
बिूव दू रीकृतसवव पापः ॥ १२-१०॥
vinaa makaaram cha vinaa cha bhakti-
muchchaarya vaagbeejamanum pavitram .
prasannabuddhih' kri'payaa tavaisha
babhoova dooreekri'tasarvapaapah' .. 12-10..
10. Without the letter “aim” and without devotion,
since he chanted The Vag Bheeja Manthra(aim), due
to your grace, he became intelligent and he got rid of all the
sins committed by him.
‘aim(ऐम्)’ is the vaagbeejmantra. When utathya saw the pig,
he said ayyayye. ‘I,I,I’ when said 3 times sounds like ‘ayyayye.
Utathyan said this with repulsion-he did not know that this
word is the beginning part of the vaagabeej mantram; nor
did he say it with devotion. But devi is full of compassion.
devi assumed that utathyan chanted the vaagbeej mantra 3
times. With that all his sins were washed out. His foolishness
disappeared and he became enlightened in wisdom.
नािं कद्ववगाव नद्ववचक्षणो न
नटो न द्वशल्पाद्वदषु न प्रवीणः ।
पश्यात्र मां मूढमनन्यबन्ुं
प्रसन्नबुस्मद्धं कुरु मां नमस्ते ॥ १२-११॥
naaham kavirgaanavichakshano na
nat'o na shilpaadishu na praveenah' .
pashyaatra maam mood'hamananyabandhum
prasannabuddhim kuru maam namaste .. 12-11..
11. I am not a poet nor an expert in singing, nor an actor, nor
am I an expert in making sculptures. If you see me here as a
foolish person with no relations, enlighten my mind, I salute
you.
Uthathya grew up as a foolish individual. Because of the
blessings of his mother, he reached the banks of river ganga
and had the company of the rishis. That reduced his
foolishness. Coincidentally uttering half part of the vaagbeej
mantra, he became wise. The poet who is writing this is also
a fool. He is someone with less wisdom, who does not have
any talent nor the shastras. His relation is only Devi. The poet
prays to the devi to make him wise like utathya.
In Kosala Desa of Lord Rama, there lived a Virtuous Brahmana named
Deva Dutta desirous of begetting a Son performed ‘Puttreshti’ Yagna with
great devotion. Suhotra acted as the Brahma of the Sacrifice, Sage
Yagnavalkya as ‘Athurvu’, Brihaspati as ‘Hota’, Paila as ‘Prastotha’, Govila
as ‘Udghata’ and many learned Brahmanas as the Key Assistants.There was
a Superintendent Brahmana too for the Soma Sacrifice who was to
measure the Principal Area for the Yagna, collect the Sacred Vessels, fetch
the Sacrifice Animal and manage the Function all through. Rig Veda and
Yajur Vedas were rendered and Govila as Udghata being an expert of
Sama Veda initiated its recital. But, Deva Dutta became restless since
Govila was taking deep breath in the Sama Veda rendering in accented
voice,viz. ‘Uddhata’, ‘Anuddhata’ and ‘Svarita’ and finally ‘Ratantara Sama’
in seven tunes. Govila’s rendering was objected by Deva Dutta; he shouted
on Govila and said : “you are rendering the Veda in bits and pieces as an
ignorant and dumb person!” This insinuation in the open house angered
Govila and he cursed as follows: “ Your son will be ignorant and dumb
too”! Deva Dutta regretted his remarks and begged of Govila’s pardon.
Govila in turn excused Deva Dutta and lightened the curse to say: “
Although your son will be initially stupid and dumb, later in life will be a
Learned Sage by the grace of Maha Devi Sarasvati.”
As Deva Dutta was blessed with a son in due course, he was named
Utathya. But, he had indeed turned out to be a stupid and dumb boy
attracting his parents’ frustration and disgust for him. One day, the
boy disappeared as he was harassed too much and went into a dense
forest without aim.
He was surviving with fruits and sitting under a tree took a resolve
that he would never tell a lie, come what might. In course of time, he
built a hermitage with the help of villagers nearby and gradually came
to be known as Muni Satyavrata as a person who always spoke truth.
One day, a hunter passed by and asked the so-called Muni whether a
boar passed by; actually the boar which was wounded by the hunter’s
arrows had indeed taken refuge in his own hermitage and while
entering the abode it gave a very pitiable look as though it entreated
him not to inform the hunter that the animal was hiding in his own
hermitage. Satyavrata being a truth stating person was in a dilemma.
Somehow, he did not tell the truth as he felt that the hunter had his
selfish reason to catch and kill the boar whereas the boar deserved
mercy since it was hurt and gave a frightened and mercy seeking
look. So he replied the hunter saying ‘aim, aim and aim’, without
meaning any thing.The hunter knew that the Muni had the name for
telling the truth only and left away. Meanwhile, the boar left the place
into the forest thus rescued. Ever since then he kept repeating the
word ‘aim’, aim,’aim’ for everything. Indeed the word was the first
letter of the Seed Mantra of Devi Maha Sarasvathi viz. Om Aim
Dheem Kleem! Maha Devi Sarasvathi was pleased with the continuous
repetition of only one word of the ‘Moola Mantra’ untiringly and
gradually he pronounced the word OM also by the grace of Maha
Devi Herself! Eventually Satyavrata became a renowned Sage as per
the blessing of the Sage Govila and a proud son of Deva Dutta and
his virtuous wife. Apparently, there were many factors working in
favour of Satyavrata to transform himself from an illiterate to a Sage:
the immediate blessing was by Sarsawati Herself as he was persistent
in his dedication to speak the truth always and reciting even one
word of the Seed Mantra out of sheer ignorance though, the blessing
of Sage Govil who diluted the curse into a favour, the forest life and
sense of renunciation, the act of mercy shown to the hurt boar vis-à-
vis the selfish hunter who might have hurt Satyavrata too but for his
weighing the pros and cons in his cool judgment and finally, his own
‘Karma’ as ‘Prarabhda’ or ‘Sanchita’ actions of the past as carry
forward were all the beneficient causes.
Thus ends the 12th chapter.
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Dasakam 12 Utathya Jananam -The Birth of Udathya"
