Shri Devnarayan Katha | Shri Dev Narayan Katha | Devnarayan Bhajan
This half of the narrative begins with Sadu Mata's severe tapas(penance) on a hill near the battle field. After eleven days, when her honour and life is about to be threatened by the Rana, she calls out to Bhagavan, who has promised to be born as her son. Devnarayan, who is playing a game of dice at the time with king Basak, rises up on a stream of water that splits apart the rock on which Sadu is seated. Borne on that jet of water in a lotus blossom, the infant Devnarayan falls into Sadu Mata's lap.
Threatened by the Rana, Sadu Mata decides to flee to her natal home in Malwa. Devnarayan spends his childhood there without any knowledge of past events. After eleven years, one day Chochu Bhat, the bard and genealogist of the 24 Bagaravat brothers comes to Malwa in search of Devnarayan. Sadu Mata who knows of his intentions tries to get him killed by poisoning, but Devnarayan revives him. Chochu Bhat then informs him of the battle between the Bagaravats and the Rana. Devnarayan then decides against his mother's will to return to his fathers ancestral land and take revenge on the Rana. While returning to the region of Bhilwara and his capital town of Causla Kheda, Devnarayan marries three princesses, one the daughter of a det (daitya), another the niece of a netherworld serpent king, and the third the daughter of the Gurjar ruler of Ujjain-Pipalde. While returning Devnarayan also meets up with his four cousins, Medu, Madno, Bhangi and Bhuno, who likewise have grown up unaware of each others' existence. Whereas Medo and Madno have been adopted by the Bagaravat's ally, the king of Ajmer, Bhangi has grown up as a Nath Jogi in the company of the Bagaravats' guru Baba Rupnath. Bhuno, whose name has been changed to Khanderav, has been adopted by the Rana himself. But once the cousins realize their true origins, they join up with Devnarayan to launch an assault against the Rana. Before the final encounter takes place, Devnarayan releases his herd of 980,000 cows and buffaloes in the royal fields in order to destroy the Ranas crops. In the end the cousins catch up with the Rana who is trying to escape. He is beheaded by Devnarayan's bow-string. But when Devnarayan sees that Bhuno is sad over the death of his foster father, he revives the Rana only after Chochu Bhat has extracted the Bagaravats' revenge from the Rana's stomach. Devnarayan then retracts the title of "Rana" giving him the title of "Sisodia". Thereafter Devnarayan instructs the revived Rana to establish the city of Udaipur, which according to the narrative is named after one of Devnarayan's names, Ud.Bhagwaan Dev Narayan was born on Shanivaar, Saptami Shukla Paksh of Maagh month and the year was Vikrami Samwat 968 (911 AD). Bhagwaan Dev Narayan lived a very short life of 31 years on earth.He went to BaikunthDhaam on Akshya Tritiya Shukla Paksh of Baisakh month in Vikrami Samwat 999 (942 AD). This was the time when Samrat Mahedra Pal divided his vast Empire between his two sons and loyalty of Gurjar fuedatories like Gurjar Chauhans, Gurjar Parmars, Gurjar Chandillas etc. were divided. Ultimately around 915AD Samrat Mahi Pal established himself on the throne of Gurjar Empire but a Great clan of Bagarawat Chauhans of Gurjars was already sacrificed due to this division of loyalties of various fuedatory kings and their vassals to these two Gurjar Pratihar Princes.
After Devnarayan has accomplished taking revenge on the Rana, he decides to depart to Baikunth (heaven). But his Queen Pipalde requests him not to leave her childless. A boy Bila and a girl, Bili are born to her. Bili is quick to realize her father's divinity. But Bila is stubborn and refuses to acknowledge his father's authority. After many unhappy incidents including being befallen by leprosy, Bila begins to realize the divine power of his father. He then agrees to look after Devnarayan's very first shrine and become Devnarayan's first priest from which the lineage of priests follow. Then, having established a place of worship, a lineage of priests, and a community of devotees, Devnarayan finally returns in his celestial chariot to Baikunth.
According to the epic, Infant Devnarayan was suckled by a lioness.That gave rise to famous Rajasthani Proverb
Gurjari Jaayan, Nahari Jaayan, which translated as
Son of a Gurjar is no less than a Lion.
Road- The Mehandipur Balaji is well connected with above cited stations There is very frequent service of buses on Agra Jaipur highway. The journey can be performed by car from Delhi either via Alwar-Mahwa or Mathura-Bharatpur-Mahwa.
Air- Delhi, Jaipur, Agra are well connected with Air. The rest of the journey is to be performed by car, bus,or rail & bus.