Alaukikagṛhacaritam

These eleven verses follow in the tradition of the famous verse ending with “स्मारं स्मारं स्वगृहचरितं दारुभूतो मुरारि:”, which describes the domestic life of Sri Vishnu:

अलौकिकगृहचरितम्

एका भार्या कविकुलगता मन्त्ररूपा द्वितीया-

च्छागाकारस्त्वपरतनयः पत्रकारः कनिष्ठः।

तातो नाभिस्थलकुवलयं वाहनं मानसौकाः

स्मारं स्मारं स्वगृहचरितं वृद्धकायो विधाता॥1

The first wife (Sarasvati) lives among the poets while the second (Gayatri) takes the form of a Mantra. A son (Daksha) has the face of a goat while the youngest one (Narada) is a journalist. With a lotus born from Sri Vishnu’s navel as his father and a swan as his vehicle, Brahma turned old contemplating his domestic life.

एका भार्या स्वपितृनिलयं विद्रुता तापभीत्या

च्छाया तस्या वसति सहितं मन्दमाताऽसिताङ्गी।

एकः पुत्रो भुवनभयदो मृत्युदेवो द्वितीयः

स्मारं स्मारं स्वगृहचरितं दग्धदेहो दिनेशः॥2

Afraid of heat, his wife (Sandhya) fled to her father’s place. Her dark shadow (Chhaya) stays but she is the mother of the dull one (Shani). The first son (Shani) causes fear to the world while the second one (Yama) is the Deva of death. Thus, contemplating his domestic life, Surya Deva got burnt.

मासे सेव्या विविधदयिताः सप्तविंशांशभागाः

पुत्रश्चैकोऽपि स विजनितः स्थाणुभूषैककार्या।

अङ्के नित्यं चरति हरिणो लाञ्छनाभासकारी

स्मारं स्मारं स्वगृहचरितं निष्प्रभस्तापहारी॥3

Every month, different wives, each occupying the 27th portion, must be served. His only son (Budha) is ill-born and only occupation is adorning an old stump (Shiva). A deer roams in his lap creating the impression of a defect. Thus, contemplating his domestic life, Chandra Deva, the remover of afflictions lost his luster.

भर्ता शेषे स्वपिति सततं लोकचिन्ताविमुक्तः 

पुत्रो वृद्धो मदपि तरुणश् चापरोऽनङ्ग एव।

वासः पद्मेऽहनि न डयते वाहनं कौशिको मे

स्मारं स्मारं स्वगृहचरितं द्रव्यभूता हि लक्ष्मीः॥4

“My husband, free from the worries of the world, always sleeps on the serpent Shesha. My first son (Brahma) is older than me while another one (Kamadeva) is youthful but formless. My residence is in a lotus and my vehicle, the owl, doesn’t fly during the day.” Thus, contemplating her domestic life, Lakshmi turned into (physical) money.

तातः क्षारो मथितजलधिर् वारुणी सोदरा मे

भ्राता चन्द्रो विकृतवदनः कालकूटोऽनुगामी।

बन्धुच्छेदप्रभवममृतं चानुजं द्वन्द्वबीजं

स्मारं स्मारं स्वकुलचरितं द्रव्यभूता हि लक्ष्मीः॥5

“My father is the churned and salty ocean. My sister is liquor. My elder brother is the blemished Chandra while poison itself followed after my birth. My younger brother is the nectar of immortality, born out of a fight among brothers and the root of conflicts.” Thus, contemplating her lineage, Lakshmi turned into (physical) money.

बाल्यादेकः समरविजयी देवसेनाधिकारी

पुत्रः पूजाप्रथमपदवीमागतो मे द्वितीयः।

वासो नित्यं जनकनिलये स्वामिना सार्धमेवं

स्मारं स्मारं स्वगृहचरितं पूर्णकामा भवानी॥6

“My first son (Skanda), even in his childhood, emerged victorious as the commander of the Deva army. My second son (Ganesha) attained the right to be worshipped first in any Puja. I always reside in my father’s house (Himalaya) along with my husband” – thus contemplating her domestic life, Devi Parvati was fully satisfied.

एकः पुत्रो यदि गजमुखः षण्मुखश्च द्वितीयः

पञ्चास्यश्च स्वयमपि वृषो वाहनं व्यूढदेहः।

यस्यावस्त्रे वपुषि फणिनश्चाश्रिता भूतसङ्घा

भिक्षायै स स्मरति दयितामन्नपूर्णां भवानीम्॥7

If one’s first son has the mouth of an elephant, the second son has six mouths, one oneself has five mouths, one’s vehicle is a sturdy bull, one’s body is covered with serpents with many hoods, and one’s dependents are the hosts of bhūtas, then one recalls one’s beloved, the goddess Annapūrṇā, for alms.

षड् धात्र्यो वै नभसि वसतिं चक्रुरद्रौ पराम्बा

दैवी सेना विशति गगने कानने व्याधकन्या। 

भूयः स्थित्वा शिखिनि भुवनादन्तरिक्षं कृपालुर्

गामं गामं श्रमजलशुचिः पातु वः कार्तिकेयः॥8

Six mothers reside in the constellation Pleiades while another mother resides on the mountains of the Himalayas. The first wife Devasena (“army of the Devas”) lives in the sky while the second wife Valli, the huntsman-girl dwells in the forest. Therefore, seated on his peacock, while repeatedly traveling between earth andspace, may the merciful Kartikeya, who is purified by the sweat of labor, protect you.

कस्त्वं रामश्चरति स वने राघवस्तात वन्दे

सीते नाहं दशरथसुतो लक्ष्मण क्षेममीयाः।

तस्य भ्राता रिपुदमन किं शार्ङ्गभृद् गच्छ युद्धे

मैथिल्यैवं प्रतिहतवचाः पातु वो रामचन्द्रः॥9

देवी सीता – कः त्वम्?

श्रीरामः – रामः।

देवी सीता – चरति स वने।

श्रीरामः – राघवः।

देवी सीता – तात! वन्दे।

श्रीरामः – सीते! न, अहं दशरथसुतः।

देवी सीता – लक्ष्मण! क्षेमम् ईयाः।

श्रीरामः – तस्य भ्राता।

देवी सीता – रिपुदमन! किम्?

श्रीरामः – शार्ङ्गभृत्।

देवी सीता – गच्छ युद्धे।

एवं मैथिल्या प्रतिहतवचाः रामचन्द्रः वः पातु।

Sītā – Who are you?

Sri Rāma – I am Rāma.

Sītā – But Rāma, the black deer, roams in the forest.

Sri Rāma – No, I am Rāghava.

Sītā – O father Daśaratha, I bow to you.

Sri Rāma – No, Sītā, I am the son of Daśaratha.

Sītā – O Lakṣmaṇa, may you prosper!

Sri Rāma – No, I am his brother.

Sītā – O Śatrughna, what is it?

Sri Rāma – No, I am actually the wielder of the Śārṅga bow.

Sītā – Oh, then go to the battlefield!

May Sri Rāma, who was thus been rendered speechless by Maithilī protect us.


कोऽयं द्वारि हली प्रयाहि कृषक क्षेत्रं सगोलाङ्गलं

रामोऽहं भृगुनाथ नौमि शिरसा किं ते तपो वर्धते।

रोहिण्यास्तनयोऽस्मि देवि नभसो भूमौ ग्रहः क्वागतो

रेवत्यैवमनुत्तरीकृतमहासङ्कर्षणः पातु वः॥10

देवी रेवती – कः अयं द्वारि?

श्रीबलरामः – हली।

देवी रेवती – कृषक! सगोलाङ्गलं क्षेत्रं प्रयाहि।

श्रीबलरामः – अहं रामः।

देवी रेवती – भृगुनाथ (श्रीपरशुराम)! शिरसा नौमि। किं ते तपो वर्धते?

श्रीबलरामः – देवि! रोहिण्याः तनयः अस्मि।

देवी रेवती – ग्रहः (बुधः) नभसः भूमौ क्व आगतः?

रेवत्या एवम् अनुत्तरीकृत-महासङ्कर्षणः वः पातु।

Devī Revatī – Who is at the gate?

Śrī Balarāma – I am Halī, the one with the plough.

Devī Revatī – O farmer, proceed to the farm, along your oxen and plough. 

Śrī Balarāma – No, I am Rāma.

Devī Revatī – O Paraśurāma, the lord of Bhṛgus, I bow my head to you. Are your austerities progressing satisfactorily? 

Śrī Balarāma – O Devī, I am the son of Rohiṇī

Devī Revatī – Oh, how did a planet (Budha) fall on earth?

May Śrī Saṅkarṣaṇa Balarāma, who has thus been rendered speechless by Revatī protect us.

चित्रो भ्राता मम गजमुखो बुद्धिमान् सिद्धिदाता
स्थूलस्तुन्दी बहुशिवगणैर् मोदितो मोदकाद्यैः।
अग्रे पूज्यो जनकजननीस्नेहजो मूषकस्थः
स्मारं स्मारं ह्यनुजचरितं सस्मितः कार्त्तिकेयः॥11

“मेरा भ्राता गणेश विचित्र है – वह गजमुख, बुद्धिमान्, सिद्धिदाता, स्थूल, तुन्दिल, अनेक शिव-गणों के द्वारा मोदक-आदि पाकर सन्तुष्ट, पूजा में प्रथम-पूज्य, माता-पिता के स्नेह का पात्र और मूषक पर स्थित है” – इस प्रकार अपने अनुज के चरित का बार-बार स्मरण कर कार्त्तिकेय मुस्कुरा उठे।