Shri Chitragupta Katha Author: Late Munshi Fatelalji Simlote Manak Bhandari

Translated by Dr. Mahavir Mohan Simlot.

ïI icÇguPt kwa leok > Sv̂ muNzI )telaljI sImlaet, mank -~farI

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PREFACE

Our Grandfather, Munshi Fatelalji Simlote, was a writer and a

poet. He wrote the CHITRAGUPTA KATHA in simple Hindi

for common people. This Katha has been in use for generations.

The photograph of Chitraguptaji and his sons given on the front

page was created by an artist based on the descriptions given in

the Katha and scriptures. I am told that the printing block was

made in England and the printing was done in Ajmer.

I have made an attempt to translate the Katha in simple English

for the benefit of those having difficulty in reading Hindi e.g.

present generation of Indians brought up in foreign countries.

Translation of puranic Katha into English is a tough job, since

exact English equivalent of Hindi words are not available. I will

be updating this Katha as and when I find better equivalent

words.

Shriman Govind Swaroopji Simlote, son of Munshi Fatelalji,

has kindly given me permission to translate the work.

Dr. Mahavir Mohan Simlot

Udaipur

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SHRI CHITRAGUPTAY NAMAH

OM VISHVANI DEV SVITARDURITANI PARASUV;

YABHDDRAM TANN AASUV; YAJUH:

YAM DWITIYA STORY (KATHA)

(STORY OF YAM DWITIYA)

MANTRI SHRI DHARAMRAJASYA CHITRAGUPTAH SHUBHANKARAH;

PAYANMAM SARV PAPEBHYAH SHARNAGAT VATSLAH:

Yudhisthirji said to Bhishmaji- O! Great Grand Father Bhishmaji!

With pleasure, I listened to the scriptures. You told me about the

duties of Brahman, Kshatriya, and Vaishya and in particular about

shudras. You also told me about the pilgrimage. You had

mentioned the various fasts related to months (Maas), Stars

(nakshatra), date (tithi) and week days (vaar). Among these you

mentioned Yama Dwitiya. I now wish to hear in detail about this

fast. What can one gain from it? When and how this fast (vrat)) is

to be observed. Please tell me.

Bhishmji said- O dear Yudhistir! I will tell you about this important

fast (vrat) in detail. The second day (called tithi) of the first

(lighted) half (called paksha) of Indian month of Kartika and the

second (dark) half of Indian month Chaitra is called Yama Dwitiya.

Yudhistir asked- Who should one worship on this day in Kartika

month and how one should observe the fast (vrat)) in Chaitra

month?

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Bhismaji replied- O dear one! I will tell you a story from scriptures

(puran) about this. There is no doubt that whoever listens to this

Story (Katha) gets rid of all his sins. In the era of satyug Lord

Narayan, had narrated all the four Vedas to Lord Brahma, who was

born out of the Lotus flower present in the Navel of Lord Narayan.

Narayan said- O Brahmaji! You are the creator of the Universe

and you are also the moving force behind all physical forms and

yogis. I therefore order you to immediately create the world. O

king! Hearing this Lord Brahma became very happy and created

Brahman from his mouth, Kshatriya from his arm, Vaishya from

his thigh and Shudra from his feet. After this he created dev,

gandharva, danav, rakshasa, snakes, nag, water animals, land

animals, rivers, and mountains and trees etc. followed by Manuji.

He then created Daksh Prajapati and asked him to further procreate

the world. Sixty girls were born to Daksha Prajapati. Out of whom

10 were married to Dharamraj, 13 to Kasshyapji and 27 to

Chandrama (god moon). Kashyapji fathered species of Dev,

danav, rakshasa (demon/devil), gandharva, pishach (ogre), gau

(cattle), and birds. These species further procreated and held their

individual responsible position.

Knowing that Dharamraj is a spiritual Chief, Lord Brahma gave

him the responsibility of all the worlds and told him to work

relentlessly. On the basis of good or bad deeds done by Wight

(jeev) take decision judiciously according to the scriptures to give

them the fruits of their deeds and always to follow my orders.

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On hearing this command, wise Dharamraj with folded hands said

in a sweet and courteous voice-O Lord! I, your servant make a

request that you have assigned me the responsibility of giving

justice to those living in this wide world on the basis of their deeds

(karma) and to categories it according to their deeds. This is a

great job. I will do this job whole heartedly, such that Doer (Karta)

will get proper justice. But Wight (Jeev) and their bodies are

infinite and if their location, time period, knowledge etc. is

considered, their deeds become numerous. Of these how many

Doer has done and how many left to be done and in what way it

was accomplished. Furthermore each deed gets divided into many

because of the basic and minor differences. How the deed was done

by Doer, did he do it on his own or motivated by others etc. makes

it a very intensive work load. Hence consider as to how I alone will

be able to take up this huge work load. Therefore please provide

me with a colleague, who is pious, judicious, wise, skilled and

quick writer, smart, ascetic (Tapasvi), brahmnisth (faith in

Brahma), having knowledge of Vedic scriptures.

The Lord was happy with Dharamraj's request and knew that the

request is genuine. He started worrying about fulfilling the wishes

of Dharamraj and to find a man with great knowledge, high

qualities and writer, without whose help Dharamraj's task will not

be completed. Brahmaji said- O Dharamraj! I will help you in your

requirement. Brahmaji left him and meditated for 1000 years. When

he opened his eyes after meditation, he saw in front of him a man

azure (shyam) in color, Conch shell like neck, deep forehead,

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moonlike face, with pen, inkpot and water in the hand, reciting

Vedic scriptures, very wise, raising the honor of deities, very duty

conscious, very skillful writer, and very smart looking. Who are

you? - Brahmaji asked him. Then the man said- O Lord! I don't

know my father and mother, but I have come out of your body.

Please give me a name and tell me the purpose for which I am born.

O Brahamaji! I do not know who I am. Please tell me everything.

Brahmaji after listening to that man laughingly told the Man born

out of HIS heart- Thou art born out of my kaya (body) and my kaya

is present in your body. Therefore you are Kshatriya named kayasth

Chitragupta. You are to record the good and bad deeds of those

living in the land of Dharamraj and be an assistant and a colleague

to him in all his work and as a good friend help Dharanraj in his

job. You are born to give justice to people for their deeds. He then

turned to Dharmraj and said- O Dharamraj! This excellent writer

friend I have given you, who is aware of the propriety of all types

of deeds (karmsutra) in this world. He will always obey you and

will be in your command. Brahmaji then disappeared. Chitrguptji

then went to Kotinagar and worshipped chandi-prachand

Jwalamukhiji.

While fasting, he engrossed Chandikaji in his mind and heart and

worshipped Jwalamukhiji reciting jap (a form of prayer) and hymn

and strot (form of hymn) as follows:

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“O! Bearer of the Universe! I salute you, Mahadevi.

O! Giver of Light to the worlds of Heaven, Earth and Patal Etc.

Salute to you.

Evening and Night form of Bhagawati! I salute You.

O! Wearer of White Clothes, Ma Sarasvati! I salute you.

O! Chandi Devi! The Bearer of good, bad, dark forms,

Radiance-giver to Deities! Resident of Himalayan Mountains,

prototype form! I salute you.

O! Sponsor of Veda, making 3.3 million deities appear,

O! Trieyed, holder of triple forms of IDOL, boon-giver to

devotees, spoiler of homes of devils, kingdom giver to Indra

and other deities. Mahadevi.

O! Devi! You do not hold bad or good attributes and are

without any attributes.

You are worshipped by Lord Hari.

You are the killer of demons and devils

O! Chandilika Devi! Kindly give me a boon and blessing just as

you have given to Lord Hari and Indra etc.”

I have prayed for the benefit of the worlds; there is no doubt about

it.

Any one, who recites this hymn in the early morning, definitely

earns Dharma, Arth, Kam and Moksha. Hearing such prayer, Deviji

blessed Chitragupta. Deviji said- O Chitragupta! O son! You

worshipped me properly and therefore I bless that you will be

skilled in helping others, undeterred in your responsibilities and of

infinite age. Deviji disappeared after thus blessing. After this

Chitraguptji went with Dharamrajji and occupied himself on a

position worthy of worshipping.

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At about this time Susharma, top sage amongst sages, worshipped

Brahmaji and with his blessings got a daughter named Irawati.

Irawati was married to Chitragupta. She gave birth to eight sons

named Charu, Sucharu, Chitra, Matiman, Himwan, Chitracharu,

Arun and the eighth Atindra. The second wife of Chitragupta was

the daughter of Manu and she gave birth to four sons named Bhanu,

Vibhanu, Vishwabhanu, and Viryvan. The twelve sons of

Chitragupta became famous and travelled to different parts of earth.

Charu went to Mathura and lived there and therefore was called

Mathur. O King! Sucharu went to Gaud in Bengal and hence was

called Gaud. Chitra lived in a town near Bhatt River and was called

Bhatnagar. Bhanu resided in Srivas nagar and was called

Srivastava. Himwan worshipped Amba Durgaji and lived in

Ambanagar and therefore was called Ambastha. Matiman went to

Sakhsen nagar with his wife and hence called Saxena. Likewise

living in different parts of earth gave them the name of that region.

At that time on this earth a king named Saudas was born in

Saurastra nagar. He was a great sinner, indulged in seizing others

property and treasure, very proud, lier and sinner. O king! During

his lifetime he had not done any good deed. Once with his army he

went for hunting in a forest where deer and other animals abound.

There he saw a Brahman doing a fast (vrat) and worshipping

Chitraguptaji and Yamrajji. That was the day of Yam Dwitiya. The

king asked maharaj! What are you doing? Brahman told him about

the Yam Dwitiya fast (vrat). Hearing this the king on the same day

that is on the second day of the first half of month of Kartika,

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worshipped Chitraguptaji and Dharamrajji with incense and oil

lamp. He also observed fast (vrat)) and then returned to the palace

with wealth and treasure. He forgot about this for some time, but on

remembering it, he performed the fast (vrat) again.

In time to come, King Saudas died. Yam's staff (Yamdoot) took him

to Yamraja after tying him strongly with a rope. Yamrajji saw the

terrified king being beaten by his staff, and asked Chitraguptji-

What deed has this king done- Good or bad? Whatever he has done,

tell me. Hearing Dharamrajji, Chitragupta said- This man has done

many bad deeds. But by chance, he had observed a fast (vrat) on

Yam Dwitiya, which falls on the second day of the first half of

Kartika month. On this day, he performed Pooja of both of us with

sandalwood (chandan), flowers etc. by following the protocol of

taking food once in a day and by keeping awake the whole night. O

Dev! O lord! Because of this he does not deserve to be sent to Hell.

On the advice of Chitragupta, Dharamrajji let him go free and was

sent to heaven because of this fast (vrat).

Hearing this King Yudhistirji said to Bhishmji- O great

grandfather! How should one worship Chitraguptji and Dharamrajji

in this fast (vrat)? O Lord! Tell me. Bhishmaji said- Listen

carefully the Yam Dwitiya protocol. On this day early in the

morning write the names of Chitraguptaji and Dharamrajji with

sandal paste on a betel leaf and decide in mind to perform their

Pooja {worship). Keep a fast on this day. Later in the day install

their idols and worship Dharamrajji and Chitraguptji with sixteen

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different types or five different types of provisions like different

types of sweets laddus, fruits and flowers, betel leaf and items to be

given away as charity (dakshina). After this bow again and again in

front of them saying- Hey Dharamrajji! I bow before you. Hey

Chitraguptji! I bow before you. Give us son, give us wealth and

fulfill all our wishes. This way after worshipping Chitraguptaji

along with Dharamrajji, complete the worship of pen and inkpot as

well, using sandal wood paste, camphor, incense, betel leaf and

provisions to be offered to Brahmans. Give gold to the Story

(Katha) teller and have meals at sister's place and offer her gifts etc.

In this way whoever observes fast with devotion on Yam Dwitiya

begets sons and gets all his wishes full filled.

___________________END_____________________

NB. In Hindus, after the completion of any Pooja (worship) of a

God/ Goddess, aarti is performed with oil/ghee lamp while singing

hymns in the praise of HIM/HER. Translation of aarti is not

possible. Hence aarti is given here in Hindi with English script.

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Shri Chitraguptaji's Aarti

(written by Munshi Fatelalji Mathur Manak Bhandari Simlot)

SHRI VIRANCHI KULBHUSHAN, YAMPUR KE DHAMI.| SWAMI YAMPUR

KE DHAMI

PUNYA PAP KE LEKHAK CHITRAGUPTA SWAMI,| JAIDEV, JAIDEV.

SHISH MUKUT KANO ME KUNDAL AATI SOHE,| SWAMI KUNDAL AATI

SOHE.

SHYAMVARN SHASHI SA MUKH, SAB KE MAN MOHE. | JAIDEV, JAIDEV.

BHAL TILAK SE BHUSHIT LOCHAN SUVISHALA, | SWAMI LOCHAN

SUVISHALA.

SHANKH SARISI GARDAN, GALVICH MANIMALA. |JAIDEV, JAIDEV,

AARDH SHARIR JANEVU, LAMBI BHUJA CHHAJE, | SWAMI LAMBI BHUJA

CHHAJE.

KAMAL DAWAT HATH VICH PADUK PARA BHRAJE, | JAIDEV JAIDEV

NRAP SHIVDAS ANARTHI THA ATI BALWALA, | SWAMI THA AATI

BALWALA.

AAP KI KARUNA DWARA, SURPUR PAGDHARA. | JAIDEV., JAIDEV.

BHAKTI BHAV SE AARTI JO KOI JAN GAVE, | SWAMI JO KOI JAN GAVE.

YAHAN MAN VANCHIT PHAL PA, VAHAN AMRIT PAVE, | JAIDEV, JAIDEV.

FATEHLAL MANAK BHANDARI AJMERI GATA, | SWAMI AJMERI GATA.

KUL KI RAKSHA KIJE, SUKH SAMPATI DATA .| JAIDEV, JAIDEV.