Dvisahasri of Tembesvami (Summary and Study)
by Upadhyay Mihirkumar Sudhirbhai | 2012 | 54,976 words
This page relates ‘Description of the Devotion’ of the study of the Dvisahasri by Tembesvami:—a Sanskrit epic poem (mahakavya) narrating the legend and activities of Lord Dattatreya, including details on his divine sports and incarnations. Also known as Datta, he is considered one of the Holy Masters in the Natha cult imparting spiritual knowledge and adequate practice to the aspirant.
Chapter 20 - Description of the Devotion
[Note: This page represents a summary English translation of the Dvisāhasrī by Ṭembesvāmī, chapter 20.—In the 20th chapter the grace of the Holy Master, the test of Sāyandeva, the pilgrimage to Vāraṇas ī and the greatness of the vow are described.]
20/01-02: Nāmadhārka spoke: He wants to know about his own predecessors whose greatness makes him such a pious.
20/03-09: Siddha spoke: Reminding Sāyandeva[1] he sings His Divine Sports.[2]
20/10-12: Holy Master spoke: He blesses him that his (i.e. Sāyandeva’s) descendent will be full of firm devotion in Him.
20/13-15: Sāyandeva spoke: He is living with his family in Kāñcī. 20/16-17: Holy Master: It is difficult to serve Him.
20/18-Sayandeva says that he wants to serve Him like a shadow. The Holy Master accepts it. Once He goes to the confluence to test his devotee and command the cloud to rain (18-19). The rain starts badly. But Sāyandeva serves Him whose body is shaking due to rain (20-21). The Holy Master orders him to fetch the fire from the city and also informs that on the way he must not see anywhere (22-23). He inters into city. He returns with the fire but sees around to tests His words. He sees two serpents so he runs. He hears the recitation of the Vedas and comes and behold only Him and being perplexed (24-27). The Holy master says that the serpents have been directed by Him to protect him (28). The Holy Master says that to serve the Holy Master is difficult even for the Gods (29).
20/30-31: Sāyandeva spoke: He asks the nature of the serving the Holy Master.
20/32-46: Holy Master spoke: One should serve his Holy Master as if His shadow. One must follow the command of Holy Master (33-35). He narrates the dialogue between Pārvatī and Śiva. One day Tvaṣṭrā’s teacher tests his firmness. The teacher asks him to made a new home (36-37). After hearing this the teacher’s wife asks to bring a garment, his son asks for shoes and his daughter asks for ornaments, vessels, etc. Tvaṣṭrā goes to the forest (38-41). He thinks he must do something for his preceptor. Meanwhile a monk comes to him (42). Tvaṣṭrā bows down to him and informs all (43). The monk says that Lord Śiva exists himself in Vāraṇsī who is the bestower of all. Even the sight of a resident of Vāraṇsī removes the host of the sins. Lord Śiva confers human (44-46).
20/47-48: Student spoke: he asks the location of Vāraṇsī.
20/49-63: The monk takes Tvaṣṭrā along and arrives soon through his Yogic Power (49-50). The monk narrates him the pilgrimage in the details (51-53). He instructs Tvaṣṭrā to install a phallus of his name by which the Lord will become pleased and disappears (54). Tvaṣṭrā follows his words. After completing his pilgrimage he installs a phallus at that time Lord Śiva reveals His form and offers him a boon (55-57). Tvaṣṭrā asks for the demands of preceptor and His family. Lord makes him the knower of all the sciences and says that he will become famous in the world (58-59). He returns to his preceptor and offers all the demanded things. The preceptor is pleased and blesses him (60-62). Tvaṣṭrā ecomes famous (63). Thus Lord Śiva has told to goddess Pārvaī (64).
20/65-74: Sāyandev bows the Holy Master (Nṛsi ṃhasarasvatī) and says that what ever He narrates, he visualizes all. He was there at Vāraṇsī when He narrates about Vāraṇsī. Sāyandev considers Him as Supreme Self and eulogizes (65-66). He is the Supreme-Self who creates the world (67). He removes the Nescience and purifies the devotees (68). He adopts renunciation to uplift the people (69). He gives speech to a dumb, sight to a blind, life to a dead one, along marriage life to a widow (70). He is a shelter of the Liberated One and wish-fulfilling tree for Liberation seekers (71-72). No one is able to sing His glory (73). He is residing on the confluence of the rivers Bhīmā and Amarajā (74).
20/75-85: The Holy Master is pleased by Sāyandev’s eulogy. At the time He blesses that all his descendant will be devoted to Him (75). He instructs him to leave the serving the Mleccha King and to live there (at the confluence) with his family (76). He again praises Him in Kannad language. Just as the iron turns into gold by the touch stone he too becomes pure by touching His Holy feet (77-79). The Holy Master says that his eldest son (named Nāganātha) is accepted to Him and the fortunate one (80). As soon as He places His hand on Nāganātha’s head, he becomes a knower like Bṛhapati (81). The Holy Master says that Sāyandev’s wife will beget four sons. Sāyandev will get beneficence. Sāyandev should perform the vow called Ananta (82-84). The vow is performed by Yudiṣṭhisira as per the instruction of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (85).
20/86-87: Sāyandeva spoke: the Holy Master is Ananat for him yet he asks the details about the vow.
20/88-: Holy Master spoke: Yudiṣṭhisira is a king of Hastināpura. Duryodhana conquers him in gambling and exiles to the forest. Yudiṣṭhisira becomes miserable in the forest (89-90). He informs his problem to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa who has come just to visiting (91).
20/92-102: Śrī Kṛṣṇa spoke: Yudiṣṭhisira should perform the vow of Ananta (93). Yudiṣṭhisira asks the details about the vow. Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that He Himself is Ananta (94-95). The vow bestows the desired boon if it is performed on 14th day of bright Bhādrapadā (96). Śrī Kṛṣṇa narrates a story to Yudiṣṭhisira. In encient time Gautami the wife of sage Sumantu begets a daughter and dies. He marries another woman who is not good. The pious daughter grows gradually (97-98). Sumantu gives her to Kauṇḍinya in married (99). For a month the couple lives there but due to the mother’s behaviour Kauṇḍinya lives the place along with his wife (100- 101). On the way near the river they see the married women worshipping. She goes near and asks about the worship. (102)
20/103-104: Women spoke: they describe the procedure of the worship. One should perform this vow on 14th day of bright Bhādrapada (104-107). They instruct her to perform the vow and give a red thread to her for worshipping. She performs it and goes to her husband (108). They become respectable and wealthy by the grace of Ananta (Lord Viṣṇu). Once sage Kauṇḍinya see the thread of the vow, thinks it to a chirm of attraction and throws it in the fire (109-110). Then their wealth is destroyed so Kauṇḍinya starts to search For Lord Viṣṇu (111). Lord Viṣṇu in the guise of an old man takes him in a divine village and reveals His Form. He eulogizes to forgive his faults (112- 113).
20/114-115: Lord Viṣṇu spoke: He bestows him the boon that he will be the Punarvasu Constellation.
20/116-118: Sage (Kauṇḍinya) spoke: he sees there no one eats ripe mangoes, a stow of grass does not reach to the ox, no one drinks the water of the lake, helpless donkey and an elephant as well as a Brahmin. So he asks the reason behind their condition.
20/119-121 Śrīmad Ananta: a proud Brahmin not teaching student becomes the mango tree, a person donating non fertile land becomes a cow, a rich do not donating becomes an o, two person donating mutually become two lakes, an angry one becomes donkey, an egoist becomes an elephant and He is the old Brahmin who released all of them.
20/122-123: In this way Sage Kauṇḍinya acquires the boon and becomes happy. Therefore Yudiṣṭhisira should perform the vow. He performs the vow and enjoyed prosperity for long time.
20/124-126: Sāyandeva performs the vow. He stays there with kinsman, dies and attains the Liberation. He (i.e. Nāmadhāraka) will too cross the Ocean of Existance.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
His account has been narrated in the 9th chapter.