Narayaneeyam Dasakam 23

 

Narayaneeyam Dasakam 23 - 

The Story of Daksha and Chitraketu

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Another Daksha, apart from Prachetas' son, was deeply devoted to the Lord and pleased with his devotion. Lord appeared before him and granted him Asikni as his bride and fulfilled his wish to create a species. 

Eleven thousand sons born to him took to the path of salvation with Sage Narada's advice instead of continuing with the job of creation. Angry with Sage Narada, Daksha cursed him that he would never have a permanent place to stay, which Sage treated as a blessing. 

Daksha then multiplied mankind through his sixty daughters. Vishwaroopa, one of his daughter's sons, helped Indra win the battle over asuras by teaching him Narayana kavacham, a prayer addressed to Lord seeking protection. 

Chitraketu, King of Surasena, got a son with the blessing of Sage Angirasa through his first wife, who was killed by one of his other wives due to sheer jealousy. Grief struck, King lost self-control, dwelling in maya and agony. 

Sage Narada and Angirasa took the soul of his lost son to the king, who asked him, "Whose son am I? In which birth of mine were you, my father? Due to karma, I attained different parents in different Janmas". The questions asked by the soul removed delusion in Chitraketu's mind. Then he worshipped the Lord and got the Lordship of Vidyadharas. He was blessed with knowledge about the Lord when he got his vision in Adhisesha form. 

Chitraketu wandered happily in all the worlds, singing in praise of the Lord and went to Mount Kailas. He saw Lord Shiva seated in the assembly of sages and Goddess Uma seated on his lap. He mocked at Goddess Uma,  who in turn cursed him to be born as an asura. 

Chitraketu was born as Vritthasura, and even though he was an asura and fought with Indra, he imparted the knowledge about the Lord to him and removed the delusion of his enemy too, and so was blessed to reach Vaikunta.

Diti, mother of the Asuras, worshipped the Lord for a year so that she would be blessed with a son to kill Indra. She had sons called Maruts who only became friends with Indra. Having worshipped Lord for a long time, Diti, though she wished evil for Indra, ended up getting sons who stayed united with Indra. 

That is the power of worship, whether done with good or undesirable intention, says Bhattathiri, and he requested that he may be protected similarly.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 01

प्राचेतसस्तु भगवन्नपरो हि दक्ष-
स्त्वत्सेवनं व्यधित सर्गविवृद्धिकाम: ।
आविर्बभूविथ तदा लसदष्टबाहु-
स्तस्मै वरं ददिथ तां च वधूमसिक्नीम् ॥१॥

praachetasastu bhagavannaparO hi daksha-

stvatsevanaM vyadhita sargavivR^iddhikaamaH |
aavirbabhuuvitha tadaa lasadaShTabaahu-

stasmai varaM daditha taaM cha vadhuumasikniim ||1

Oh Lord! Apart from the famous Daksha, son of Prachetas, there was yet another Daksha, who propitiated You to fulfil his desire of multiplying creation. You appeared before him in Your divine form, radiant with Your eight arms and granted him his wish along with Asikni as his bride.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 02

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

Oh Lord! Ten thousand sons were born to him first, and then yet another thousand were born, but all of them adopted the path to salvation instead of creation on the advice of Shree Narada. Daksha was displeased with Narada and so pronounced a curse on him that he would not have any fixed place of residence. Sage Narada, the highest of devotees, considered it only a blessing.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 03

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

Then Daksha multiplied the species through his sixty daughters to multiply mankind through them. His daughter's son's son, named Vishwaroopa, made Indra win the battle against the Asuras. Indra was provided protection and victory by learning from Vishwaroopa the hymn addressed to You (Narayana Kavacham). O Lord! Your glory can indeed conquer all.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 04

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 ||

Long ago, Chitraketu, the ruler of the country of Surasena, who wished for a son was blessed with a son in his eldest wife, through the yogic power of Sage Angiras. But the other jealous wives of the king killed the child. The king was grief-stricken and lost control over himself due to Your Maya, causing him great agony.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 05

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 ||

The merciful Narada and sage Angirasa went to Chitraketu and showed him the soul of his dead son. The soul asked Whose son am I? These words dispelled the king's delusion. The sages then instructed him in the ways of Your worship.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 06

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 ||

Then, being initiated into Your worship by sage Narada, who taught him the appropriate hymn of praise and mantras to propitiate You, he performed penance to Your Adisesha form, to please You. Within seven nights, he attained the Lordship of Vidyadharas; yet he continued to worship You as ardently as ever for Your grace and pleasure.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 07

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 ||

Presently, You revealed Yourself to him in Your form of Adishesha, with a thousand hoods and white like a lotus stalk, surrounded by bands of Siddhas singing hymns of praise. Pleased with the hymns, You blessed him and imparted to him the knowledge of the self, and then You disappeared.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 08

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 ||

This great devotee, Chitraketu, for many, many years wandered about happily in all the worlds without much attachment. He led the troupe of beautiful Vidyaadharis and also caused Your glories and excellences to be sung, to his heart's content.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 09

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

To rid himself completely of all sensuous hankerings, prompted by You, he once went to Mount Kailaash. There, he saw the destroyer of Kamadeva, Shankara, sitting in the assembly of sages with his consort Uma seated on his lap without any concern. Chitraketu mocked at him and, in turn, was cursed by Uma.

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 10

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 ||

Unperturbed, Chitraketu did not ask for relief from the curse and was born as Vritraasura. By his devotion, while fighting in the battle against Indra, he imparted the knowledge of the self to Indra, and he removed the delusion of even his enemy. Thereby, he reached your abode. which is truly amazing!

Dasakam: 23-- Shlokam: 11

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 ||

Diti, the mother of the Asuras, worshipped You to have a son who would kill Indra, but instead gave birth to Maruts, who became friends of Indra. By worshipping You, even an evil-minded person receives good only. Oh Guruvayurappa! May You of such immense glory, save me.

Om Namo Narayanaya!