How to learn the right thing - Dattatreya shows by example

 NOTE: This is a fairly long post. To avoid the break in thought has been retained as one. Read at your leisure. Ponder slowly.

            Samsara has its permanent attraction to all the Jivas. It not only cloaks the truth, but also twists it. To extract the right information takes more than a mind that has gone past the three gunas. Let us take the famous anecdote of the apple falling on Newton leading to the Laws of Gravity. Despite this discovery, most humans perceive falling fruit as a food source. Some can make the connection with the biological life-cycle of the apple and living beings. Yet if an advanced sadak or Self-Realized Mahatma perceives the same, they correlate with the Mahamtrutyunjaya mantra.

ॐ त्र्यं॑बकं यजामहे सु॒गन्धिं॑ पुष्टि॒वर्ध॑नम् ।  उ॒र्वा॒रु॒कमि॑व॒ बन्ध॑नान् मृ॒त्योर् मुक्षीय॒ माऽमृता॑त् ।।

oṃ tryaṃbakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanam urvārukamiva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā'mṛtā

OM, the three-eyed one (Shiva), whom we worship, who increases our vitality and nourishes like fragrance. May he liberate us just like a gourd (cucumber family) drops on account of its weight on maturity, effortlessly, lead us to immortality.

            It depends on the direction of the intellect and the depth of our atma vichara that enable us to grasp the truth at the subtlest levels. Whilst knowledge at any level is liberating for that level, Atma vichara is the highest as it liberates us from all realms of tamas and samsara.

            Srimad Bhagavatam narrates one such wondrous information. On the eve of Sri Krishna’s departure from this mortal existence, Uddava, his highest devotee who ate the remains of Krishna’s partaking, who lived on the cast off clothes of Krishna, constantly thinking only about HIM, got very grieved at the prospect of separation. Krishna’s words of wisdom are recorded as Uddava Gita, where he highlights the importance of Pratyaksha (Observation) and Anumana (Inference) coupled with Viveka (Intelligence) and Vairagya (Discrimination) as sufficient Gurus. Sri Krishna wanted Uddava to get more rooted in Sannyasa before returning to Vaikunta.

Storytime:

            Krishna cites a powerful anecdote in the shape of a conversation between Dattatreya, an Avadhuta and King Yadu, who was curious to know how the former had attained Self Realization at a very young age, what methods he had adopted and how he had acquired such wisdom. Hence this section is aptly called as Avadhuta Gita.

            Dattatreya shares the seemingly trivial incidents of his life and how he had extracted the highest wisdom hidden. In this process, he enumerates 24 such scenarios that he considered as Gurus. Though most of us will rarely encounter a true Guru or believe some person with attributed wisdom, we fail to realize the real wisdom that one can grow within only by having an open mind to learn.

Guru 1 – Prithvi (Earth) 

            A person of self-control must not swerve away from the highest path, even if constantly attacked by beings under the influence of their primordial tendencies. Observing how the mountains and trees are constantly serving others selflessly, the aspirant must stay committed to serving others unconditionally. Nara seva is Narayana seva.

Lesson: The earth is patient with others, yet constantly useful despite the abuse. Be selflessly serving.

Guru 2 – Vayu (Air) 

            The spiritual aspirant must learn to be satisfied with the food that is enough to maintain his pranas, his knowledge, manas and buddhi. Food here implies all sensory food. Just like air moves through many things, yet remains unattached. Air doesn’t alter by the smell it carries. Atma vichara will help one rise above the body, the atma passes through.

Lesson: The good or the bad should not affect a person who has transcended both. This frees the sadak from the new vrittis which bind oneself back to samsara. Rise above the dvandas of raga (likes) and dvesha (dislikes). Remain uninfluenced though discretion. 

Guru 3 -   Akasha (Sky)

            The sky may be covered completely by the clouds, yet it remains unaffected. The gunas and karma keep seeding the next body, yet the atman that enlivens it is unaffected.

Lesson: The sky encompasses everything within it, yet is unaffected. Everything resides in Brahman, yet they do not affect it. Connect with the all pervading Brahman, anywhere, anytime.

 

Guru 4 – Apa (Water) 

            Just as the Ganga cleanses and purifies anyone by mere sight of it, besides being sweet and calming, so do the holy waters. The impurities of anything can be washed away by water. A holy person is akin to the holy waters of Ganga as he purifies the hearts of men by mere sight, contact or Kirtan, a reason why many places we still venerate many Gurus of the past.

Lesson: A person immersed in Brahma vichara is like a lightning rod that earths the powerful lightning. As we move in samsara we gather the negative charges, yet the mere sight or contact of a mahatma can save us and others around by sanctifying. Having centered in elevated Brahmavichara, one casts a cleansing, calming influence on everything around.

 

Guru 5 – Agni (Fire) 

            An all consuming fire accepts everything, yet remains unaffected. A person immersed in Brahmavichara is constantly replenished by the fire of his Tapas, having no real needs, is not after any specific likes or dislikes. Whatever comes his way gets purified, just as the fire burns everything that it contacts. Just as the fuel has the element of fire residing in it, Paramatma resides in all HIS creations.

Lesson: Fire burns all it contacts. A person immersed in Brahmavichara burns all the vrittis, vasanas and samskaras of who come in contact with him, physically or even mentally. Atmavichara elevates not only oneself but all around.

 

Guru 6 -   Chandrama (Moon)

            The moon appears to constantly differ in its appearance, it is waxing or waning. Yet, there is no actual impact on the real moon. In a similar way, the Atman takes birth or dies from different bodies, yet remains unaffected by birth and death.

Lesson: Atman is beyond changes. Realize you are the Atman and not the body.

 

Guru 7 -   Ravi (Sun)

            The sun evaporates water from different water bodies and eventually restores it back as precipitation. A Yogi channelizes the objects of senses with the senses for the welfare of others. Just like evaporated water serves the sun no purpose, so do the sensory object contact does not affect the Yogi.

Lesson: The Yogi moves around the world for its welfare. This is often characterized as Karuna as the benefits are only for the laymen who come in contact with the Yogi. Use your Tapasya, Jnana and Sadhana for removing the Avidya of others. Be a conduit of Bhagavad vichara and anugraha to those who are still immersed in samsara. 

Guru 8 – Kapota (Pigeon)

            On the branches of a tree in a forest lived an extremely devoted pair of pigeons. Bonded to each other they raised some lovely fledglings. One day, the young ones got trapped in a net of a fowler. The female bird rushed to address the needs of the screeching young ones only to be trapped. The male pigeon, finding all the things it was attached dearly to, found no meaning in existence. Senseless, in deep grief and with utter lack of discrimination, the male bird also threw itself into the net.

Lesson: Having attained the human form that takes a Jiva to the door step of Mukti, being consumed by the traps of Maya and attachment, the wise consider this akin to throwing oneself to a bottomless abyss after attaining great heights. Be wary of attachment.

 

Guru 9 – Ajgara (Python)

            Hankering of pleasures also exposes to extreme pain. Depending on one’s level one may perceive the lower levels of enjoyment as hell. Just as a python exists on catching prey it comes in contact with, one has to quietly enjoy the sense objects one gets exposed to, instead of chasing after them. This way one avoids more Agamya Karma and also exhausts ones’ Prarabdha.

Lesson: The senses, mind and body are available to all to explore. Instead of living a life of chasing after the ephemeral, one learns to train the mind to be awake and vigilant by keeping the sole focus on the purpose of life. Be contented.

 

Guru 10 – Sindhu (Ocean)  

            The ocean is vast, deep, unfathomable (atleast without instrumentation), yet calm, unperturbed by the inputs. No amount of rivers seems to influence its traits.  A Muni absorbed in the thoughts of Narayana is not affected by sensory inputs of any magnitude. Objects of enjoyment do not dent the Muni, just as the ocean does not overflow or shrink due to the rivers that flow into it, nor do we notice the influence of evaporation or precipitation.

Lesson: The Vrittis of the mind get calmed when it comes in contact with the Brahman. Samsara gets quietened as the river merged in the Ocean. Connect with Brahman and shake the influence of the samsaric Maya.

 

Guru 11 – Patanga (Moth) 

            Attracted to the brightness of the fire from the lamp, the moth perishes in it. Attracted to the sensory titillations, the Jivatman falls prey to objects perceived by the senses. The most common ones include women, gold, ornaments and clothes. This flawed attraction arises in the lack of viveka, deludes by creating an intense attachment and eventually draws itself closer to its destruction. The weakness through the eyes is exemplified.

Lesson: The essence is to retain viveka above the senses. Due to the strong lure of the sensory pull and our vasanas, the only prescription that can work in this equation is to follow Bhagavad Gita 6.5. Raise one’s lower self by submitting to the higher. 

Guru 12 -   Madhukrit (Honeybee)

            Just as honeybee collects trivial quantities of nectar from different flowers, so should a sannyasi. Grihastashrama is the foundation on which all the three ashramas exist, hence minimal taxing is advised for the Sannyasi, but it also implies that the needs must be absolute minimal. It also acts as a warning that if a Sannyasi accumulates, he is likely to perish like the honeybee that meets its fate for mere accumulation. The same example works at a different level. An intelligent person must extract the essence of all scriptures just as a honeybee collects only the essence of the flower. It can also imply that the accumulation of such strenuous efforts must be passed on.

Lesson: Be less taxing on your surrounding; extract the essence of knowledge from all sources and disseminate.

 

Guru 13 – Gajaha (Elephant)  

            Wild male elephants are caught by the lure of a domesticated she-elephant. The mighty beast still harbors fundamental weakness which can result in its trapping and even death. Lust for senses is bound to weaken even the most towering personality. In this case upastha chapalata, sensory contact is highlighted.

Lesson: Beware of the sensory attractions at all times. Even a casual, occasional lapse can bring years of tapasya down.

 

Guru 14 - Madhuha (Honey gatherer)

            A miser or a self centered person is too busy accumulating things, which gets usurped by someone, just as a honey collector robs the painstakingly collected honey from the honeybees. Even if one is smart enough to ward off others, whatever one has collected has to be left back at the time of death.

Lesson: No matter how much one accumulates, one loses it to others in time. Convert Artha can be converted to Dharma by serving humanity. In this way, those punyavasanas will further one’s spiritual evolution. 

Guru 15 – Harinaha (Deer)  

            The weakness through the ears is highlighted with the example of how a stag gets caught by a hunter imitating a doe. A spiritually inclined person or ascetic must stay away from worldly music, as it opens the trapdoors to getting entangled in samsara. The example of Rishyasringa, who got lured by the music and enslaved by sensuous dances of women, is quoted.

Lesson: Ears are a powerful sensory input and if not careful can lead one on a rapid downward spiral.

 

Guru 16 – Meenaha (Fish)  

            A fish due to its senseless attachment to eating swallows the angler’s baited hook. Unlike other senses, the abstinence (fasting) of the tongue only intensifies the craving. Subduing the other four senses with the exception of the tongue has no merit and the one who conquers the palate is as good as the one who has conquered them all.

Lesson: na jayed rasanam yavadjitham sarvam jithe rase sums the importance of conquering Jihva chapalata. We can be convinced that the metabolic disorders, the leading cause of death, medical expense in the modern world merely confirms this insight. 

Guru 17 - Pingala 

            Pingala, a courtesan from Videha, decked in finery, once waited for some choice client who could make her a handsome payment all evening into midnight in vain. The frustration turned into disappointment and dejection, yet she somehow was able to harness it into dispassion (vairagya). With a little discrimination (viveka) she was able to pull her mind out of para purusha (other men) and place it at the feet of the ParamaPurusha (Achyuta). Harnessing this wisdom, she rose above her own desires and vasanas.

Lesson: With every desire lies the seed of liberation. Using Viveka and Vairagya as two wings, the bird of Atma can fly away from its own mental encasings.  

Guru 18 – Kuraraha (Osprey) 

            Attachment to sensory objects results in more sorrow, despite possessing them. An Osprey with a piece of meat was attacked by other birds, till it relinquished it and became free.

Lesson: Give up attachments to the objects of desire.

Guru 19 – Bala (Child)  

            A child and a sage are the only two who are not tainted by worries, former through ignorance and the latter by rising above the gunas of Prakriti.  They do not care for honor or insult, nor have the worry of householder.

Lesson: Rising above honor and dishonor and attachments of outcome, one can remain carefree.

 

Guru 20 – Kumari (Maiden) 

            Once a maiden found herself entertaining visitors; eager for her marriage, when there were no others in the house. To extend proper hospitality, she started husking paddy when her conch bangles (a sign of poverty) were making loud noises. She started breaking them one by one to find that the lone bangle on each hand made no noise. A spiritually inclined person, especially a Sadhu must learn to live in solitary, to avoid distractions and unwanted conversations when in others company.

Lesson: Though this lesson is for an ascetic, we may benefit from periodic periods of mouna (silence) which speed up our spiritual efforts.

Guru 21 – Sarakrit (Arrowmaker) 

            The mind has to be fixated on a single object of its focus, yet remain vigilant and not fall into laya (sleepy absorption). Such an effort strengthens Sattva, leading to the elimination of Rajas and Tamas. This state of mind is akin to the arrowmaker, who is intensely focused on making his arrowhead and not even aware of the King passing with his retinue nearby.

Lesson: The sage is one who has his mind absorbed in Atman without any experience of inside and outside and of objects pertaining to them. Train the mind to remain intensely focused.

 

Guru 22 – Sarpa (Snake) 

            The snake merely occupies the holes made by other creatures. The sage, being solitary, just makes no effort to remain in one place and adjusts to any available option, as it is temporary.

Lesson: This lesson perhaps is mainly for a sage, but a householder of today can immensely benefit by limiting his choice of house to one of his needs and not his desires. Be adaptable.

Guru 23 – Urnanabi (Spider) 

            Observing a spider that creates and absorbs its own web, it reminds one of Narayana sportively creating this universe through his powers of Maya and transforms it based on the three gunas – Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. The play of Jivas is solely to its basis in Purusha and Prakriti, which gets absorbed back into Himself at Pralaya.

Lesson: The Universe provides a constant reminder of its common origin and end, despite the diversity of the transient. All existence and dissolution remain within Ishwara.

Guru 24 – Pesakrit (Wasp) 

            The worm placed in a hole by the wasp is totally transformed into a wasp (feeds the egg that hatches). Whichever object one concentrates, irrespective of the emotion, one attains that state of the object.

Lesson: The mind and emotions are the vehicle that propels our next (d)evolution. Choose wisely on what the mind needs to focus for it is the next stopping point for this jiva in this cosmic journey. Concentrate on Paramatma rather than the sensory attractions of this ephemeral Jagat.

 

            Dattatreya urged Yadu to use his own body as a tool. The biggest benediction is the birth as a human, after countless birth cycles. The human body has all the instruments to liberate from this endless cycle of birth and death.  One has the ability to master the senses and evolve or regress backwards by being a slave to it. Observing all around, Dattatreya emphasizes the need to remain free from attachment and live a life free from false ego. Thus, one can arrive at the subtle eternal Truth which is Absolute and without a second. Dattatreya also urges to keep the mind open to seek out the wisdom from as many Upagurus, even though one may have One Guru, as the subject is very profound.

            The focus has to be in sharpening one’s intellect, purifying it to be more saatvic and doing more Atmavichara. This enables one to look at the most trivial objects all around and extract the highest wisdom. Just as a separated lover, pines for one’s beloved with every object reminding its connection with something memorable, as one develops deep bhakti and jnana, the mind is constantly pulled towards Brahmavichara.

            May we realize that the Paramapurusha is the real and only force that attracts us through this façade of Maya. May we all realize that every object, emotion and thought is a portal to attain Brahman and we all have the keys to unlock it.

Om Tat Sat