Chapter Thirty Nine
60 Year Old Sterile Woman Begets Children.
There lived one Shounak Gotri, Apastamb Brahmin named Somanath. His wife Ganga was a devoted wife, pious by nature. She was 60 years old, but she had no issue. She used to come to Shri Guru and bow to him devotedly every day.
Shri Guru being pleased, one day asked her, `Why are you worshipping me daily? What do you desire? God will fulfil your desire.
She said, `gurudeo, a woman's life is futile without an issue. Without a son the homeis like a forest. Issueless persons go to hell. Please give me a boon so that I will have a son at least in next life.'
Shri Guru smiled and said, `Service to the Ashwattha will not be futile. There is an Ashwattha tree at the Bhima Amarja sangam. I am present there after the bath in the river. Therefore worship the Ashwattha devotedly. The greatness of Ashwattha is narrated in the Puranas. Brahmadeo is at its root, Vishnu is in its middle portion and the Rudra is on its top and the Agni (fire god) lies in the interior of this tree.
In the months of Ashadha, Poush or Chaitra, when Guru and Shukra are not set, when the moon is favourable on an auspicious day, observe fast and start worshipping the Ashwattha. Do not touch the tree on Sunday, Sankranti and in the evening. The floor at the root should be smeared by cowdung and have rangolee designs. Worship the Ashwattha thinking it as a Trimurti, with 16 upchars, then saying Purushsukta and observing `moun' take rounds of the tree. Two lakhs rounds destroy even the sin of Brahmahatya. The Ashwattha gives four purusharthas. The desire of a son is also fulfilled by him.
Recitation of Mrityunjaya sitting at the Ashwattha on Saturday, avoids accidental death and gives long life. One gets credit of feeding several Brahmins, if one Brahmin is fed under this tree. If one Ashwattha tree is grown, 42 generations are liberated; but if one Ashwattha is cut, it is a great sin performed. Home performed under the tree gives credit of a great sacrifice. Do Homa of one tenth of the number of rounds and feed Brahmins and give golden Ashwattha in charity.
She started worshipping Ashwattha as advised by Shri Guru. On the third day, she had a dream. A Brahmin told her to go to Shri Guru at Ganagapur, have seven rounds of Shri Guru and take the prasad that is given to her and that her desire will be fulfilled. She awoke. On the fourth day she went to Shri Guru and had 7 rounds. Shri Guru gave her 2 fruits and said, `Eat these fruits. Your desire will be fulfilled.'
She then completed her vrat of the worship of Ashwattha. During meals she ate the fruits given by Shri Guru. In the evening she started menses. On the fourth day after bath she went to Shri Guru and bowed to him. She had sex act on he fifth day. She became pregnant, In the seventh month she was given `Oti' and she gave `vayan' to married women. `Seemant' was performed in the 8th month. After 9 months she begot a daughter.
After 10 days she came to Shri Guru with the baby. Shri Guru smiled and blessed her baby and said, `You will have one more son, what do you prefer? A well-behaved son of 30 years of age or a fool having 100 years' life?'
The woman said, `I would like to have a well-behaved son, who should have 5 sons.' Shri Guru blessed her as she desired. Later on she had a son who became learned and won fame. He had 5 sons in course of time. The daughter's husband performed sacrifices and was well-known as `Dixit.'