Devāpi’s Stotra to Śiva (Brahma Purāṇa)
Devāpikṛta Śiva Stotra · devāpi-kṛta śiva stotra, “the stotra to Śiva sung by Devāpi”
Devāpi’s Stotra to Śiva is the praise that the boy Devāpi, son of the purohita Upamanyu, offered to Bhagavān Śiva on the bank of the Gautamī, so that he might bring back his father, King Ārshṭisheṇa and the queen from the netherworlds. It is found in the Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 57 (verses 48–53), where Brahmā tells Nārada the glory of Devatīrtha on the northern bank of the Gaṅgā. In six verses the boy confesses that he has no power to praise the guru of gurus, whom neither the Vedas, the devas, the ṛshis, Brahmā nor Vishṇu know, and praises Śiva as the protector of those who bear pāpa, the helpless and the poor, at whose door even beggars become givers, and who saves even those sunk in naraka at the mere word “Śiva”. Bhagavān Śiva appeared and granted all he asked.
The setting
King Ārshṭisheṇa placed his kingdom in the charge of his son Bhara and took dīkshā for an aśvamedha on the banks of the Sarasvatī. While the devas watched, in the presence of the sacred fires and the brāhmaṇas, Mithu, the mighty king of the dānavas, destroyed the yajña and carried off the king, his wife Jayā and the purohita to pātāla. The purohita’s son, the boy Devāpi, learned from his mother what had happened, left her in Bhara’s protection and set out to bring them back by the power of tapas and brahmacarya.
He went first to the ṛtvijas, who sent him to Agni; Agni sent him to the devas, and the devas, who say they follow the Vedas, sent him to the Vedas. Devāpi purified himself and invoked the Vedas, and they appeared before him. They said that they too follow Īśvara: Mahādeva, Maheśvara, the support of the universe who is supported by none, stainless, the one abode of all power. “Go to the Gautamī and praise Maheśvara there. The merciful Bhagavān Śiva, when pleased, will surely give you what you desire. King Ārshṭisheṇa, his chaste wife Jayā and your father Upamanyu live in the netherworlds free from illness through the varas of Bhagavān Śiva, and by his vara you will slay the rākshasa Mithu.” So the boy went to the Gautamī, bathed, and at the proper time praised Maheśvara.
The stotra
- “O master of the chiefs of the devas, I am a mere boy. You are the guru of gurus, and I have no power to praise you fittingly. Namaskāra to you, O Śambhu.”
- “The Vedas do not know you, nor the devas, nor the ṛshis, nor Brahmā, nor Vishṇu. As you are, so you are. Namaskāra to you.”
- “You protect, O Maheśvara, those who bear pāpa, the helpless, the miserable, poor and sick.”
- “The dwellers of svarga, worshipped with tapas, rites and mantras, give only the fruit you ordain, O Lokeśa, master of the worlds.”
- “At your door even beggars become givers; nothing they desire is lacking there. You are the cause of this wondrous state.”
- “O Jagadguru, guru of the universe, at the mere utterance of the word ‘Śiva’ you protect the ignorant, those who have done pāpa, and those sunk in the ocean of naraka.”
What followed
As he praised, Trinetra, the three-eyed Bhagavān Śiva, appeared before him and said: “Tell me what vara you wish, Devāpi. Enough of your sorrow, boy.” Devāpi asked to bring back the king, the queen and his father the guru, and for the death of his enemy. Bhagavān Śiva said “So be it”, and the merciful Śambhu called Nandin, one of his gaṇas, and sent him with his own divine śūla. Nandin went down to pātāla, slew Mithu and the leading asuras, and brought Upamanyu and the others back to Devāpi.
The aśvamedha of Ārshṭisheṇa was then completed there on the Gautamī. Agni, the ṛtvijas, the devas, the Vedas and the ṛshis said: “Where Śambhu, the Deva of the devas and master of the universe, gracious to his devotees, appeared in person, O Devāpi, that place has become Devatīrtha. It shall destroy all pāpas, grant every siddhi and give puṇya, and your fame shall last for ever.” When the aśvamedha was finished, the devas granted them varas, and having bathed, they went content to svarga. Fifteen thousand one hundred and eight tīrthas arose on both banks; bath and dāna there bring great puṇya.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 57
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapter 57