THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVI BEEJ / BIJA MANTRA

Once Suutji in his discourse with King Janmajeya repeated the words of Vyasji regarding the pronunciation of the word ऐ. Vyasji had heard the importance of this word in a meeting of all important saints at Naimisharanya. There this story was discussed.

In that gathering of such great sages, Rishi Jamdagni asked a question to all the eminent luminaries. He wanted to know which diety is the most revered and gets satisfied easily with our prayers. So Lomash rishi replied that Devi Bhagwati was one such diety. She will be satisfied and is ready to grant you a boon even if you just say the first letter of her beej mantra. In this context, he narrated the story of Satyavrat. The story is as follows.

There lived a Brahmin named Devdutt in Kosal. He was childless. He arranged for an elaborate Yagya for an intelligent son to be born. He invited all the eminent rishi’s to conduct this Yagya. Rishi Suhotra, Pael, Brahaspati Yagyavalka were assigned different tasks. Rishi Gobhil was asked to sing the Saamved. He sang the verses very well, but he had to take respite in order to breathe between two verses. This angered Devdutt. He spoke his thoughts to Gobhil rishi.

The rishi got very angry as Devdutt did not realize the practicalities of singing. He cursed Devdutt that instead of having a scholar son as he aspired, his son would be non-scholarly.

A frightened Devdutt knew the importance of having a scholarly son in contrast to a duffer. No one would like to associate with a dumb person. He begs the rishi to take back his words. So the rishi relents but tells him that his son would acquire scholarly inclinations later as he would be a duffer at his early age.

A son is born to Devdutt amidst all fanfare and rituals. The child is named Utathya. Devdutt tries to teach him shastras but in vain. On reaching the age of twelve the child decides to leave home in search of knowledge. But he is clueless about scriptures. But he settles down on the shores of Ganga and leads a very virtuous life always speaking the truth. He leads such a life for fourteen years. He now is known as Satyavrat and is now well known all around. He has become respectable although he is not well versed.

Once a hunter came in the forest and saw a wild boar. In order to kill it, the hunter ran behind it. The boar took shelter in Satyavrat’s ashram.

The hunter knew the reputation of Satyavrat and asked him about the boar. The good-natured man did not want the animal killed. He just repeated the word ऐ ऐ many times.

Devi Bhagwati was happy with Satyavrat’s virtuous life. Satyavrat had chanted the first letter of the Saraswat Beej mantra missing its nasal pronunciation. Then also the Devi blessed him with intense knowledge immediately.

Satyavrat with his newly acquired knowledge pacified the hunter, who went away. A scholarly Satyavrat was welcomed everywhere.

Therefore the Saraswat beej mantra of Devi is of utmost importance.