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STORY- THREE TESTS

September 16, 2015short storyashram, bhram gyan, complete knowledge, disciple, guru, himalayas, karma, kindness, love, maharishi, mahatma, meditation, non-violence, short story, spiritual, story, values, vashist, violence, virtuesshravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

Maharishi Vashist was a renowned Mahatma. Many people from far of places used to come to him for help and guidance in education and spiritual knowledge. One day a visitor who had come to see him said, ‘Maharishi I have heard a lot about your spiritual powers. I want to learn Brahma-gyan (complete-knowledge) from you, so kindly bless me with the knowledge.

On hearing this all the shisyas (pupils) who were present there started smiling sarcastically thinking it was not all that simple as they too were at the service of the Maharishi with the same objective for years now. Maharishi heard the request and peacefully said, ‘sure! I will definitely pay attention to your request but for that you need to first do tapasya (intense meditation) for a year, and after completing that come to me. The Bhakt (disciple) turned visitor was extremely happy considering the spiritual knowledge that some people couldn’t attain all their lives was now going to come to him in a year. And assimilating Maharishi’s advice he left the place happily for his mission when all other pupils out there looked stunned.

After completion of a year the Bhakt came back to the ashram and along with other visitors he was waiting to meet the Maharishi. But while he was waiting one pupil who was carrying litter in a basket slipped and fell and the entire litter fell on him. This enraged the Bhakt and he bashed up the shishya for dirtying him. Later he met the Maharishi who then smiled and said, ‘son you have failed in your first test.’ Shunning violence is the first lesson of Brahma-gyan. Your entire tapasya has gone for a waste but I will still give you one more opportunity. Go and perform tapsya for one more year and then come back to me.’

The Bhakt was quite dejected. But obeying the command of the Maharishi was his duty so he left for the second round of tapsya for a year. After a year he returned again, but as ill luck would have it this time one servant by mistake poured dirty water that drenched and dirtied his clothes.

Although, the visitor remembered and regretted what he had done last time, he did not beat up the servant but he reprimanded him nice and proper. Later he met the Maharishi and complained about the servant and conveyed to him of the incompetence and indiscipline in the ashram.

Maharishi said, ‘son again this time you have not succeeded in your exams, because to shun anger, should be the second biggest step towards your objective where you’ve failed. So again your tapasya has gone for a waste. But I will give you one last chance. Go back and perform your tapasya for another year.’

This time the Bhakt was filled with repentance and gloom and started doubting if he really required this Brahmya-gyan for the journey of his life. But since he didn’t want to cross the Maharishi, he again set himself out for the tapasya and after a year he returned again. This time also by an unfortunate chance the dustbin of the kitchen in the ashram fell on him.

But, the surprising part this time was neither did the Bhakt get angry nor hassled on the contrary he cheerfully started helping the shishya who was carrying the dustbin to clean up the place; and he didn’t even mention about it to the Maharishi. And some other pupil informed the Maharishi about this incident.

When the Maharishi met the Bhakt he smiled and said to him, ‘all the three tests were taken at my behest. And I’m happy this time you’ve cleared your test and now you are heading towards your objective. Now you are away from anger, violence and hate. Your mind is filled with love, trust and kindness. My best wishes are with you.’

Upon hearing this the Bhakt fell on Maharishi’s feet and offered his pranam and thereafter he very happily left; so happy that he didn’t even enquire about Brahma-gyan. Rest of the shisyas were dazed at this behaviour of the Bhakt. They enquired from the Maharishi; the objective with which he came to the ashram was not even fulfilled so how could he leave before that.

Maharishi very politely said, ‘any person who is peaceful about himself and the world and trusts his Guru completely and who has love for mankind need not run after Brahma-gyan. In fact Brahma-gyan will run after him. A righteous person gets knowledge and wisdom even from the best wishes of his Guru.

This story tells us how we can obtain Brahma-gyan without running after it.

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SHORT STORY: IN LOVE WITH YOUR GURU

July 31, 2015ARTICLE SPIRITUAL, causerie, column, short story, snippet, spiritual, spiritual article, storycollege, disciple, guru, gurupurnima, karma, kismet, lady, mahatma, parent, profession, pupil, school, shishya, short story, spiritual, story, student, teacher, vaishesik sutrasshravancharitymission

In ancient times there lived a Mahatma by the name of Maharishi Kanad. He had the absolute distinction of exponentially increasing the treasure base of Indian knowledge by scripting the Vaishesik Sutras. That determined the rights and the wrongs in a human life. In terms of discovering the absolute good, required for the betterment of man. He had many shishayas (pupils) that included both men and women, and they all owed, their esteem allegiance, to the Mahatma.

Among his shishayas there was a beautiful woman also. Who used to look after the Mahatma with all sincerity. But slowly. She started feeling as if she was falling in love with the man. But was unable to express her feelings in front him. Moreover, she was even scared that the Mahatma might suddenly shun her. If she expressed her feelings and that will also give an opportunity to other shishayas to make fun of her.

But, still, one day when she was alone with the Mahatma. She gathered guts and said, ‘My dear Swami. I have started loving you from the bottom of my heart. I want to sacrifice everything of mine, just for my love, which is you. So, can you not accept me in life?’

The Guru was shocked at what the lady had just told him. Because of which, he went quiet. And the unexpected utterance of the lady, had even spread like a ‘jungle fire’ in the hermitage. Now, all the shishayas were eagerly waiting to know, what would be Mahatma’s reply.

Guru smiled and said, ‘I’m happy that you love me. But you should also know. That I love the entire world, and in that even you are included. And Devi (respected lady), you also should know, that all my shishayas love me. So, then what is so special about your love?’

The lady was now in dilemma, because she couldn’t really figure out. How to convey what she actually wanted to. For she had all the hesitation in communicating her deep love to the Mahatama. Moreover, she was also cautious about the fact that so many unseen eyes and ears must be waiting for the much awaited answer from him. Mahatma waited for sometime and then said to her, ‘When you say you love me, and you want to sacrifice everything for me. It also means, you want to control me. Which goes to show that you are not conversant with the real meaning of Guru. But since you are a devoted shishaya. I don’t want you to be unhappy, so you can have my love. Tomorrow, when, I am alone in the cottage. You come to me.’

Upon, hearing these lovely words of acceptance. The lady was on top of the world. She came out of the cottage. Where, the rest of the female shishayas, were now jealous of her. As they too wanted to share her luck.

Next day after decking up when she felt no one is in Mahatama’s cottage. She entered. But, rest of the shishayas were keeping a constant track of her. When they saw her entering the cottage. They quietly assembled to ascertain what was going on.

The lady could see that the Mahatma was in samadhi and all around him, there was a halo of light. In that he appeared like the bright Sun that excited her. She suddenly ran towards him in full enthusiasm trying to embrace him. But alas: What was that? She then saw, she was only embracing herself. When, suddenly, she felt the Mahatma was all over the sky. Where, she, just couldn’t hold the sky nor could she embrace the sky. Even after trying from all the ends she could only experience, as if she was trying to catch hold of the endless sky. But all was in vain. And after a little while. She was tired and stood there wonder struck. She then heard a loud laughter in the cottage.

And that is when the Mahatma said, ‘my dear shishaya. You forgot the basic essence of life. Guru is not a personal property of anyone. In fact he belongs to everyone. He is divine, who is everywhere, but not visible. He is the route to your destiny. But not your destiny or your kismet. Guru, makes you farsighted. So share me with everyone. And don’t try to control me. Feel my wisdom and knowledge within you.

After hearing such divine sermons from the Mahatma. The lady who until some moments back, was dull and gloomy. Immediately, cheered up, and with her fellow shishayas started celebrating the occasion, and praising the Guru. Thereafter, slowly the Mahatama returned to his embodiment. When he too joined the celebrations.

This story is lifted from a mythological article. It conveys. Our relation with our Guru, which is quite different than our relations with others.

Today is Guru-punima. Therefore a tribute to every Guru.

Posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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SHORT STORY: THE ART OF SURVIVING

July 27, 2015ARTICLE SPIRITUAL, causerie, column, short story, snippet, spiritual, spiritual article, storydisciple, education, faith, guru, gurukul, helping hand, hermitage, karma, maharishi, pupil, shiksha, short story, spiritual, story, virtuesshravancharitymission

Maharishi Mandalya was a scholar of great repute. He had many pupils in his hermitage. One day, two out of them went out to the close by river, to collect some flowers and fruits. And on the way they saw a scorpion crawling near the banks of the river. The first pupil cautioned the second one, ‘beware of the poisonous scorpion, as Guru ji says, we should keep away from bad people and bad things.’

In the meanwhile the scorpion slipped and fell into the river and started struggling for life. Upon seeing this, the second pupil picked it up with his own hands, and put it back on the banks. But, while doing so the scorpion stung him and soon he was in deep pain as the poison started spreading.

The first pupil, on seeing the second one in deep pain got very angry and said, ‘You did not follow the teachings of the Guruji and that is why you are in deep agony now.’ The second pupil reacted, ‘No I have followed his teachings, and he can’t be wrong.’ And that started the vehement discussion between the two, about the teachings of the Guru.

In spite of the severe pain, the second pupil told the first one. ‘Our Guru, has taught us to help anyone in need, and at any cost, and even if they don’t agree with our sentiments. The way scorpion’s nature is to sting, my nature is to save it from drowning.’

The first pupil said, ‘But our Guru has also taught us to keep away from bad people and to protect ourselves. But you have violated this rule of the Guru, and that is why you are in deep pain.

Both stuck to their guns and could not reach a conclusion. Finally, they went to the guru and narrated the whole episode. Maharishi with a smiling face heard both of them, and in a peaceful tone said, ‘Up to a point you both are correct but beyond a point you both are incorrect. You all have not understood my teachings properly, as there is no contradiction in what I’ve said.’

‘When I taught you to stay away from bad people and things, what I meant was don’t let yourself get polluted by the evil. And every intelligent person should do this only till he doesn’t develop the inherent capacity to completely remove the evil from the society. When I taught you not to give up your helping nature, the objective behind was to teach you service. You should be like a true doctor, who doesn’t decipher between enmity and friendship and only concentrates on reducing and removing pain.

In this episode the second pupil got mixed up with both the teachings. It was his duty to save the drowning creature. But he could have used a stick for that. There was no need to use your hand. By using a stick he could have saved that scorpion and also protected himself.

‘If the evil is powerful and big, what should one do?’ asked a pupil. The guru replied, ‘your first obligation is to save yourself, because to stay alive is the biggest obligation of life. Later on if it’s possible you can kill the evil with your materialistic and spiritual powers.

This interesting story tells us how we should help others and while helping others we should also keep in mind that we don’t hurt ourselves. And as our gurus have said, help others by keeping yourself safe.