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