SHORT STORY: IN LOVE WITH YOUR GURU

Copyright@shravancharitymission

By Kamlesh Tripathi

IN LOVE WITH YOUR GURU

In ancient times there lived a Mahatma whose name was Maharishi Kanad. He had the distinction of exponentially increasing the treasure base of Indian knowledge by scripting the Vaishesik Sutras that determines the rights and the wrongs in terms of finding the absolute good, for a person. He had many shishayas (pupils) that included both men and women, and they all owed their esteem allegiance, to their Guru, Maharishi Kanad.

    And, in that there was a beautiful woman also, who used to look after the Guru with all sincerity. But slowly and slowly, she started feeling as if she was falling in love with the Guru, but she was not able to express her feelings in front him. And, she was even scared that the Guru, should not suddenly shun her, and the other shishayas should not make fun of her.

    But still one day when she was alone with the Guru. She gathered some guts and said, ‘My dear Swami, I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I want to sacrifice everything of mine on you. So can you please accept me in life?”

    The Guru was shocked, at what the lady had told him suddenly, and had gone quiet for some moments. And, the utterance of the lady had spread like a ‘jungle fire’ in the hermitage. And now, all the shishayas were eagerly waiting to know what would be, the Guru’s reply.

    Guru smiled and said, ‘I’m happy that you love me. But you also know that I love the entire world, and when I say the entire world even you are included in that. And you also know that all my shishayas love me, so what is so special about your love.

    Now, the lady was in a dilemma and could not figure out as to how, she should explicitly convey what she wanted to convey. For she did not know how to communicate her deep love to him, and she was also a little cautious, knowing, that so many unseen eyes and ears must be waiting for the much awaited answer of the Guru. Guru waited for a while 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. And this also means that you are not conversant with the real meaning of the 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 cottage, you come to me.’

    Upon hearing these lovely words of acceptance the lady went gaga. She came out of the cottage, where rest the female shishayas were now jealous of her, as they too wanted to share her luck.

      Next day after decking up, and when she felt no one is in the cottage of the Guru she entered, when rest of the shishayas were keeping a constant track of her.    And when they saw her entering the cottage they quietly assembled near the cottage of the Guru.

    And when the lady entered she saw, the Guru was in samadhi and around him there was a circle of light, and in that the Guru was appearing like the Sun. She ran towards the Guru in full enthusiasm trying to embrace him. But alas: what was that? She then saw she was only embracing herself. And suddenly she felt the Guru is all over the sky and she can’t just hold the sky nor she can embrace the sky. And after trying all ends, she could only experience as if she is trying to catch the endless sky. And after a little while she was tired and stood there wonder struck. She then could hear a loud laughter in the cottage.

    And that is when the Guru said, ‘my dear shishaya you forgot the basic essence of life that the Guru is not a personal property of anyone, and 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. But don’t try to control your Guru. And feel my wisdom and knowledge within you.

    And after hearing such divine sermons that lady who till some moments back was dull and gloomy immediately cheered up and with her fellow shishayas started celebrating and praising the Guru. And thereafter, slowly the Mahatama returned to his embodiment when he too joined the celebrations.

    This story is lifted from mythological articles, and conveys, our relation with our Guru, which is different than our relation with others.

    Today is Guru-punima and this is a tribute to every Guru.

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SHORT STORY: KNOW YOUR GURU

Copyright@kamleshsujata1

By Kamlesh Tripathi

Once upon a time there lived a Mahatma named Angiras in a forest. In his aashram he had many pupils, and all them, had a great praise for their Guru’s knowledge and wisdom.

Amongst the pupils there were some who learnt faster than the others, from the Guru and followed the route suggested by him. And these pupils were generally respected by other pupils.

But some pupils used to be jealous of these pupils. They used to forget that because of their own shortcomings they were unable to understand and comprehend the Guru in a wholesome manner. And soon they started suspecting that the Guru was using some mysterious ways to coach his favourite pupils for some special talent.

One day when the Guru was alone these students went up to him and asked, ‘Gurudev, it appears you are teaching something special to your favourite students. Why don’t you give the same knowledge to us also?

Guru, did not like the query of his pupils, but he peacefully replied, ‘I consider everyone to be the same and have imparted the same education and knowledge to everyone. And, if some out of you have progressed faster than others it is because of your own efforts. Who has stopped you from being proficient?’

Students did not understand what the Guru was trying to say. And, so after thinking for a while the Guru spoke again and said, ‘I am ready to give special attention to all the students who want it, but I have one condition. You will have to clear a small test for me. You will have to go to the nearby villages, and find a ‘good person’ for me.’ Finding the test to be simple and easy all the complaining students felt very happy. They quickly elected a representative who enthusiastically set out for the mission.

But unfortunately wherever he went and whomsoever he met were all involved in some form of sin, and after searching a lot he returned to the ashram empty handed and in a remorse tone he said, ‘Gurudev, I could not find even one person who had not committed a crime.’

Guru, in a morose tone said, ‘Is it so, let me see. Okay let me send someone out of these students about whom you all were complaining.’ Guru called a pupil and ordered him to go to the nearby villages and get him a bad person. The obedient pupil said, ‘As the Guru desires, let me try.’ And after saying this he left.

But the remaining students out there felt Gurudev had again committed injustice. As the pupil will get plenty of bad men, as the villages are full of bad people.

Guru requested them to keep their cool. And after sometime the pupil deputed returned empty handed and said with folded hands, ‘Please pardon me Guruji. I scanned the nearby villages but I did not find a single bad person.’ Rest of the pupils started laughing. He further said, ‘every person has done at least one good deed. And I did not find a single person who had not done one good deed. So, kindly excuse me.’ and after saying this he took his Guru’s permission and left.

Guru then told his complaining pupils, ‘My dear students. This is that borderline which differentiates between good and bad, right and wrong and positive and negative.

Your mind blossoms when in everything you see goodness. World is a mixture of happiness and sorrow. This depends on your mindset what you want to take from the world. People who are positive grow faster than those who are negative.

For a Guru all his pupils are dear. And if any pupil considers himself distanced from the Guru, then it is that student’s stupidity. The more you feel close to me the more you will develop and it will be seen in your actions.’

This story tells how we should face life and its challenges. Complete surrender to your Guru will lift you from all your sorrows. The story is from Upanishad.