817 - 818. Satyavratha - Satyaroopa

 

817. Satyavratha - Paramaatma is the truth. Satya Vratha means to have Paramaatma as the only motive/purpose. To keep steadfast focus on Paramaatma all the time is Satya Vratha.

Story of Satya Vratha from Devi Bhagavatam

Once upon a time, there used to be a scholar named Devadatta in the kingdom of Koshala. He did not have children. So, he decided to perform a yagna on the banks of river Tamasaa. He called Brahma as suhrota of that yagna, Yagnavalka as Aadhvarya, Brihaspathi as Hotha, Gobila as Udgaata and other learned scholars as Rithviks.

Udgaata means the one who chants Vedas. As the yagna was progressing, Gobila was chanting Saama veda at high pitch. At the time when everyone was enjoying the process and the vedic chanting, Gobila's breath stuck for a moment, and he uttered wrong swara.. Devadatta got angry and said, "you fool! I am doing this yagna for a bright and talented son. You made a mistake in vedic chanting out of carelessness. Who is responsible if I get bad results after this Yagna". Gobila said, "Chanting vedas at such high pitch continuously is very difficult. You also know it. I inadvertently mis-spelled a swara. You became so angry for that and called me fool in front of everyone. I am insulted here. So, I am cursing you. You will have a son very soon. But he will be a fool. Even after trying many ways of teaching, he will not learn anything!" Devadatta's dream shattered after hearing the curse. He thought," it is better to not have children than to have my one and only son be such an ignorant fool. What would become of a brahmin who can't learn anything?" He pleaded Gobila to save him and his dynasty. Then Gobila said, "I can't reverse a curse. So, your son will be a born ignorant. But after some time, by Divine Mother's grace, he will become a scholar".

After some time, Devadatta's wife gave birth to a male child. As expected, he was very dull and inactive in studies. He couldn't learn even basics. Other students in the class made a mockery of his intelligence. Unable to sustain those insults, Devadatta's son went to forest and started living in exile. He built a small hut for himself and used sit in Padma asana all day. When hungry, he used to eat whatever, fruits he could get in the forest. He did not talk to anyone. Travelers passing by the hut thought he is doing Satya Vratha and started calling him Satya Vrath.

One day, a hunter came towards Satya Vrath's hut while chasing a wild boar. The boar came running towards him. Looking at it Satya Vrath uttered 'Iem' loudly in a bid to shoo it away. With that the boar went away. The sound of 'Iem' is vakbeeja. Right at that moment, Lord Parameshwara and Mother Parvathi were going that way in the sky. They saw Satya Vrath chanting 'Iem' and blessed him with utmost knowledge and intelligence. Within seconds, Satya vrath became a scholar. Meanwhile, the hunter came to Satya Vrath and enquired about the boar. He had a sense of urgency in his demeanor as he is still chasing the beast. To that Satya Vrath said

Yaa pasyathi na saa bruthe ya bruthe saa na pasyathi |

Aho vyaadha| Swakaaryaardhin ! kim pruchapi punah punah ||

O! hunter. The one that sees cannot speak. The one that speaks cannot see. Why are you asking me so many times? You are disturbing my concentration. Here, Satya Vrath cleverly saved the life of the beast without telling a lie. That is the mark of intelligence he is bestowed by Divine Mother.

Later Satya Vrath became a learned scholar and became quite famous.

818.Satyaroopa - Satya means truth. Truth is something that has been established forever. It exists in past, present and future. Divine Mother is eternal. Hence, she is called Satyaroopa. She is present in every being. Everything is her form. Hence, she is called Satyaroopa - Truth is her true form.