ಕುಚೇಲವೃತ್ತಮ್ (ನಾರಾಯಣೀಯಾಂತರ್ಗತಮ್)

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 ಕುಚೇಲವೃತ್ತಮ್ (ನಾರಾಯಣೀಯಾಂತರ್ಗತಮ್)

                ದಶಕಮ್ ೮೭

ಕುಚೇಲನಾಮಾ ಭವತಃ ಸತೀರ್ಥ್ಯತಾಂ

ಗತಃ ಸ ಸಾನ್ದೀಪನಿಮನ್ದಿರೇ ದ್ವಿಜಃ|

ತ್ವದೇಕರಾಗೇಣ ಸ ಧನಾದಿನಿಸ್ಪೃಹೋ

ದಿನಾನಿ ನಿನ್ಯೇ ಪ್ರಶಮೀ ಗೃಹಾಶ್ರಮೀ  ||೧||

A brahmin named Kuchela happened to be a classmate of Yours at the house of Sandeepani.  He spent his days as a householder with single-minded devotion to you, without any desire for wealth and with contentment and peace at heart. 

ಸಮಾನಶೀಲಾಪಿ ತದೀಯವಲ್ಲಭಾ

ತಥೈವನೋ ಚಿತ್ತಜಯಂ ಸಮೇಯುಷೀ |

ಕದಾಚಿದೂಚೇ ಬತ ವೃತ್ತಿಲಬ್ಧಯೇ

ರಮಾಪತಿಃ ಕಿಂ ನ ಸಖಾ ನಿಷೇವ್ಯತೇ ||೨||

Though his wife was also of the same temperament, she had no such control of mind to the same degree.  One day she said to her husband why he should not approach Krishna, a friend of his, for a living. 

ಇತೀರಿತೋಽಯಂ ಪ್ರಿಯಯಾ ಕ್ಷುಧಾರ್ತಯಾ

ಜುಗುಪ್ಸಮಾನೋಽಪಿ ಧನೇ ಮದಾವಹೇ |

ತದಾ ತ್ವದಾಲೋಕನಕೌತುಕಾದ್ಯಯೌ

ವಹನ್ ಪಟಾನ್ತೇ ಪೃಥುಕಾನುಪಾಯನಮ್ ||೩||

Thus told by his wife who was tormented by hunger Kuchela set out, though detesting riches which would make men arrogant, eager to have a meeting with You carrying with him, tied at the end of his  cloth, flattened rice as an offering. 

ಗತೋಽಯಮಾಶ್ಚರ್ಯಮಯೀಂ ಭವತ್ಪುರೀಂ

ಗೃಹೇಷು ಶೈಬ್ಯಾಭವನಂ ಸಮೇಯಿವಾನ್ |

ಪ್ರವಿಶ್ಯ ವೈಕುಣ್ಠಮಿವಾಪ ನಿರ್ವೃತಿಂ

ತವಾತಿಸಂಭಾವನಯಾ ತು ಕಿಂ ಪುನಃ ||೪||

Reaching your  city full of wonders, Kuchela entered the house of Shaibya, one of your consorts,  and felt such peace as if he had come to Vaikuntha, more so because of Your receiving him with love and respect.

ಪ್ರಪೂಜಿತಂ ತಂ ಪ್ರಿಯಯಾ ಚ ವೀಜಿತಂ

ಕರೇ ಗೃಹೀತ್ವಾಽಕಥಯತ್ ಪುರಾ ಕೃತಮ್|

ಯದಿನ್ಧನಾರ್ಥಂ ಗುರುದಾರಚೋದಿತೈ-

ರಪರ್ತುವರ್ಷಂ ತದಮರ್ಷಿ ಕಾನನೇ ||೫||

Kuchela was honoured by you and fanned by your consort. You  held his hands in yours and narrated what had happened when both of you had been caught in an unseasonal heavy rain while,  at the instance of the guru’s wife, you had been collecting firewood in the forest.

ತ್ರಪಾಜುಷೋಽಸ್ಮಾತ್ ಪೃಥುಕಂ ಬಲಾದಥ

ಪ್ರಗೃಹ್ಯ ಮುಷ್ಟೌ ಸಕೃದಾಶಿತೇ ತ್ವಯಾ

ಕೃತಂ ಕೃತಂ ನನ್ವಿಯತೇತಿ ಸಂಭ್ರಮಾ-

ದ್ರಮಾ ಕಿಲೋಪೇತ್ಯ ಕರಂ ರುರೋಧ ತೇ ||೬||

You forcibly snatched the bundle of flattened rice from Kuchela who was ashamed and embarrassed to give it to you. You ate a fistful of the flattened rice by which time Rukmini came in  rushing with anxiety and held your hand saying ‘this much will do’.

ಭಕ್ತೇಷು ಭಕ್ತೇನ ಸ ಮಾನಿತಸ್ತ್ವಯಾ

ಪುರೀಂ ವಸನ್ನೇಕನಿಶಾಂ ಮಹಾಸುಖಮ್ |

ಬತಾಪರೇದ್ಯುರ್ದ್ರವಿಣಂ ವಿನಾ ಯಯೌ

ವಿಚಿತ್ರರೂಪಸ್ತವ ಖಲ್ವನುಗ್ರಹಃ ||೭||

Honoured by you who is a devotee of your devotees, Kuchela spent one night in the city and left the next day, alas! without money.  Your blessing indeed takes various (curious) forms.

ಯದಿ ಹ್ಯಯಾಚಿಷ್ಯಮದಾಸ್ಯದಚ್ಯುತೋ

ವದಾಮಿ ಭಾರ್ಯಾಂ ಕಿಮಿತಿ ವ್ರಜನ್ನಸೌ|

ತ್ವದುಕ್ತಿಲೀಲಾಸ್ಮಿತಮಗ್ನಧೀಃ ಪುನಃ

ಕ್ರಮಾದಪಶ್ಯನ್ಮಣಿದೀಪ್ರಮಾಲಯಮ್ ||೮||

Walking back home Kuchela sololoquized “If I had asked Krishna for money he would have given. Now what shall I tell my wife”.  Then, with his mind immersed in the thoughts of your words, playfulness and your smile, he gradually reached a house shining brightly with precious stones.

ಕಿಂ ಮಾರ್ಗವಿಭ್ರಂಶ ಇತಿ ಭ್ರಮನ್ ಕ್ಷಣಂ

ಗೃಹಂ ಪ್ರವಿಷ್ಟಃ ಸ ದದರ್ಶ ವಲ್ಲಭಾಮ್ |

ಸಖೀಪರೀತಾಂ ಮಣಿಹೇಮಭೂಷಿತಾಂ

ಬುಬೋಧ ಚ ತ್ವತ್ಕರುಣಾಂ ಮಹಾದ್ಭುತಾಮ್ ||೯||

Apprehending for a minute that he had lost his way he entered the house and saw his wife surrounded by maids and adorned with gold and diamond ornaments. Then he understood Your compassion and kindness par excellence. 

ಸ ರತ್ನಶಾಲಾಸು ವಸನ್ನಪಿ ಸ್ವಯಂ

ಸಮುನ್ನಮತ್ಭಕ್ತಿಭರೋಽಮೃತಂ ಯಯೌ |

ತ್ವಮೇವಮಾಪೂರಿತ ಭಕ್ತವಾಞ್ಛಿತೋ

ಮರುತ್ಪುರಾಧೀಶ ಹರಸ್ವ ಮೇ ಗದಾನ್ ||೧೦||

Himself living in halls studded with diamonds, he gained immortality with increasingly deep devotion to you.  O Lord of Guruvayur who thus fulfils the wishes of your devotees ! take away my afflictions.