The 24 2 4 Gurus Guru s of Lord Dattatreya Dattatr eya http://muneshkumarkella.blogspot.in/2013/05/l http://muneshkumarkell a.blogspot.in/2013/05/lord-dattatr ord-dattatreya-and-his-24eya-and-his-24gurus.html http://www.swamij.com/twenty-our-gurus.htm Once King Yadu saw Lord Dattatreya (A vadhoot ) in a forest and addressed him "Sir, you are indeed quite capa!e, energetic and wise Such as you are, why do you !i#e in the forest, free from a!! desires$ %#en though you ha#e neither &ith and &in nor e#en a fami!y, how cou!d you e so !issfu! and se!f'contented$" he A#adhoot (one who has sha&en off a!! wor!d!y desires) rep!ied, " My bliss and contentment are the fruits of self-realization self-realization ha#e gained the necessary wisdom from the who!e creation, through 24 Gurus Gurus sha!! e!aorate the same for you" Shri Dattatreya had twenty-four teachers from teachers from nature "many are my preceptors," he to!d King Yadu, "se!ected y my &een sense, from whom acquiring wisdom free!y, wander in the wor!d* he earth, air+reee, s&y, fire, the sun, pigeon, python, sea, moth, e!ephant, ant, fish, -inga!a the courtesan, arrow'ma&er, infant+p!ayfu! oy, the moon, honeyee, deer, ird of prey, maiden, serpent, spider, caterpi!!ar and water are my twenty four preceptors
Narration of Story as in Srimad Bhagavatam Shri Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead narrates the story of Lord Dattatreya and his 24 Gurus, in His final teaching to his dear friend Uddhava. This teaching is considered as second best teaching by Shri Krishna after Bhagavad Geeta , and is known as The Uddhava Geeta. Once King Yadu saw Lord Dattatreya (Avadhoot) wandering in a forest happily, free free from worries. The king with humbleness asked the sage, about the secret of his happiness and the name of his uru. !urther said to sage, that despite you look capable and wise, why do you li"e in the forest. #"en though you ha"e no family, nor any lo"ed one, how could you be so blissful and self$ contented% To answer the Yadu&s en'uired 'ueries, the Lord Dattatreya ( Avadhoot Avadhoot, one who ha"e gi"en up all worldly desires) replied
"My bliss and contentment are the fruits of self-realization. Soul (Aatmaa) alone is my Guru, yet I have ained the necessary !isdom from the !hole creation, via # individual !ho !ere therefore my Gurus. I shall elaborate the same for you". !urther Lord Dattatreya said
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(… I have taken shelter of twenty-four gurus, who are the following: the earth, air, sky, water, fire, moon, sun, pigeon and python; the sea, moth, honeybee, elephant and honey thief; the deer, the fish, the dancing girl Pingala, the kurari bird bird and and the the ch chil ild; d; the the youn young g girl girl,, arro arrow w make makerr, serp serpen ent, t, spid spider er and and wasp…! ("rimad #hagavatam: $anto %%: $hapter &: "lokas ''')*
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1. Earth !olerance 2. Air/Wind "etachment . !"y #ll %ncompassing& yet
4. Water 5. #ire +. Moon 7. !un 8. $i%eon
steady 'mpartial (o)e *e austere ,naected by phases o (ie a)e thought or others "etachment 5
9. $ython 10. oney *ee/#nt 11. *ird o rey/awk 13. !ea 14. Moth 15. Ele&hant 1'.(eer
17. #ish 18. Pingala (A Dancing Girl) / Courtesan 18. hild/
a)e aith in destiny erain rom amassing wealth
emain ,naected ontrol your desires erain rom eual desires erain rom attachment erain rom el 6rati7cation enounce all "esires
(ead a areree (ie
$layful )oy
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(i)e in olitude
Maiden
/*angles 21. !er&ent/ !na"e 22. Arrowma"er / Artisan /)lac"smith 23. !&ider
24. aterpillar/ 9asp *umble *ee (apwing
*eha)e wisely oncentration
9orld is unimportant editate upon 6od or (iberation/oksha
erain rom ;bject leasure "iscard ense ;bjects
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1. *he Earth+ Learn !olerance rom %arth. Learn !olerance patience, !o#e and righteousness under any circumstances rom %arth. A!! creatures, in accordance with their pre#ious store of karma (action) assume different physica! forms and !i#e on earth -eop!e p!ough, dig and tread the earth hey !ight fires on it Sti!!, the earth does not swer#e from its course e#en y a hair.s readth On the other hand, it feeds and houses a!! creatures Seeing this, !earned that the wise one shou!d ne#er swer#e from his #ow of patience, !o#e and righteousness under any circumstances and one shou!d dedicate his !ife for the we!fare of !i#ing eings he earth a!ong with its mountains and ri#ers is my first guru
1) Eart (Prit!i) (Along "it #ountain $ %rees) & %eaces %olerance !he %arth teaches course o "harma& art o !olerance& art o erorming "uty. ;ne can learn atience and
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2. *he Air / *he )reeze+ Learn "etachment& staying clear o material world>s
disturbances rom #ir oser#ed that air is pure and odor!ess in itse!f And it !ows on oth sweet and fou!' sme!!ing things without any discrimination or preference hough it momentari!y seems to ta&e on the sme!! of its surroundings, in a short whi!e, it re#ea!s its pristine qua!ity /rom this !earned that a spiritua! aspirant shou!d !i#e in the wor!d, unaffected y the dua!ities of !ife !i&e 0oy and sorrow and y the o0ects of the senses 1e shou!d &eep his heart.s fee!ing and his speech unpo!!uted y #ain o0ects As ha#e !earned a!! this y oser#ing it, air is my second guru
2. Air ('aau) !he #ir being pure and odorless in its characteristics& mo)e reely among all objects and yet remain unaected. !he #ir teaches the )alue o being ree rom all contamination& and o staying clear o material world>s disturbances. 9hen #ir blows out o control& the atmosphere becomes agitated& similarly i the mind is constantly attracted and repelled by material objects& it will be net to impossible to think o the #bsolute !ruth& upreme ersonality o 6odhead& hri ?rishna. @
. !"y+ he S&y is #ll %ncompassing& all$per"ading, in7nite& endless& omnipresent, holding many worlds in its lap - yet the sky is teady& and %goless. Learn to e Steady and %go!ess rom ky he sou! is a!so !i&e the s&y, which is omnipresent ha#e noticed that sometimes the s&y (or space) gets thic&!y o#ercast, or fi!!ed with dust or smo&e At sunrise and during night, it apparent!y ta&es on different co!ors 2ut in fact, it e#er retains its co!or!ess se!f, and it is ne#er touched or stained y anything /rom this !earned that a true sage shou!d remain e#er pure !i&e the s&y or space, untouched or unaffected y anything in the phenomena! uni#erse in time, inc!uding his own physica! processes 1is inner eing is tota!!y free from emotiona! reaction to things and e#ents e#en !i&e the space hus accepted the s&y or space as my third guru
3. * (Aa*as) !he ky ha)ing no boundaries& beyond the reach o material nature. 'n7nite in nature& sometime clouds co)er the sky but yet sky remains unaected. 'n the same way& the soul is ne)er aected& by the material body contamination. (ike sky& the oul is omnipresent& all-per)ading& and in7nite in nature. !he inner emptiness o sky i.e. space& teaches the sage should be ree o emotions within insight. 8
4. Water+ 9ater teaches the Auality o purity& humbleness and 'mpartial (o)e. (earn to be ree rom all impurities& be humble& ne)er to be proud& gentle in nature and show impartial (o)e rom 9ater. 3ater is my fourth 4uru t quenches the thirst of e#ery creature, sustains innumera!e trees and a!! creatures 3hi!e it thus ser#es a!! !i#ing eings, it is ne#er proud of itse!f On the other hand, it hum!y see&s the !ow!iest of p!aces he sage too shou!d !i&ewise estow hea!th, peace and 0oy to e#ery creature that resorts to him Yet he shou!d e#er !i#e as the hum!est of 4od.s creation
4. +ater (,al) !he sage is like water because he is ree rom all impurities& gentle in nature and while speaking he creates a beautiul )ibration like the Bowing o water. *y seeing& touching or hearing such a saintly person& the li)ing entity is cleansed as i coming in contact with pure water. 9ater Auenches the thirst o e)ery creature& )ery important element or all creatures. 9ithout eeling any proud& water ser)es all li)ing beings. !he sage too should likewise bestow health& peace and joy to e)ery creature that resorts to him. !he age should e)er li)e as the humblest o 6od>s creation. 9ater teaches the Auality o purity. Cust as the pure water cleanses others& so 10
also the sage& who is pure and ree rom sel7shness& lust& egoism& anger& greed& etc.& puri7es all who come in contact with him.
5. #ire+ (earn to be austere rom
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he manifest fire transforms the #arious things it consumes into the same ash So too, the wisdom of se!f'rea!iation re0ects the manifest forms and properties of things as i!!usion and rea!ies their one origina! essence as itse!f hus the e!ement of fire is my fourth guru
5. -ire (Agni)
+. Moon+ (earn to be ,naected by phases o (ie rom oon Of a!! things in nature, the moon is unique t appears to wa7 and wane during the right and dar& fortnights n fact, the !unar g!oe e#er remains the same n this, it is !i&e the se!f of the man 3hi!e a man appears to pass through the stages of infancy, oyhood, youth, maturity and o!d age, his rea! se!f remains unchanged A!! changes pertain on!y to ody and not to the se!f Again, the moon on!y ref!ects the !ight of the sun, ut has no such of its own So too, the sou! or mind of man is on!y a ref!ection of the !ight of awareness of the rea! Se!f 1a#ing taught this truth, the moon ecame my si7teenth guru
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6. Moon (handarmaa! The moon waes and wanes, despite this continuous change taking place with the moon, yet it remains unaffected by this process. *imilarly the sage should not be affected by the continual change of body from birth to death including diseases and old age.
7. !un+ (earn to ha)e thought or others rom un 5y fifth guru is sun hough the sun we see in our dai!y !ife is one, it appears as many when ref!ected y water in different #esse!s Simi!ar!y, the one rea! Se!f manifests itse!f as many se!#es of !i#ing creatures when ref!ected y their physica! structures As Sun i!!uminates the many forms in nature to our #isions, the sage too i!!uminates the true nature of a!! things to his de#otees
". Sun (Surya! 13
The reflection of sun can be seen in many ob+ects, but the actual sun is One and undi"ided. That teaches the *upreme *oul is one, and reflected into "arious bodies but the soul is not body itself. The sun e"aporates water, and it returns water back to earth in the form of rain without any attachment or entangled with its act. *imilarly the sage can accept material things with his senses, but at the appropriate time he should gi"e these things back, as an act from sense of duty. -ithout getting attached to material sense ob+ects.
8. $i%eon+ (earn "etachment rom igeon ha#e gained wisdom from a pigeon too Once a pair of pigeons !i#ed together on a tree hey red their young and were ringing them up with deep affection and !o#e One day, a hunter caught the young f!edg!ings in a snare he !adyird, which returned from the forest with food for its young ones, saw their p!ight and, una!e to !ea#e them, she !eapt in the snare to share their fate Short!y after, the ma!e pigeon turned up and, una!e to ear the separation from its sweetheart, it too 0umped in the snare and met its end 8ef!ecting on this, rea!ied how, e#en after eing orn as an inte!!igent human eing, man is caught in the coi!s of possessi#eness and rings aout his own spiritua! destruction he se!f, which is origina!!y free, when associated with the ody sense, gets identified with it, and thus gets caught in the end!ess cyc!e of irth, death and misery hus the pigeon was my si7th guru
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#. $igeon (A Bird! Once a de"oted pigeon couple along with their babies li"es happily in +ungle. The couple lo"es each other too much, also take care of their infant babies. The lo"e among them is e"er growing e"ery day. One day the couple went to bring food for their children. n the meanwhile, the bird$ hunter came to their nest and caught the children in a net. -hen the couple returned back, they saw their dear children were caught in net. /nable to li"e without their children, the couple foolishly also +umped into that trap of net. The bird$catcher returned home with the complete catch. Tea%hes& The pigeon story warns against de"eloping obsessi"e lo"e or attachments in the transient material world. The sage would refrain from attachment after attaining the human body, which is the open door to 0ukti (0oksha, Liberation), a door to od$1eali2ation. #"en after being born as an intelligent li"ing being, one is caught in the clutches of possessi"eness and brings about his own spiritual destruction. #cessi"e attachment and lo"e with anything ecept wisdom, is the cause of bondage.
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9. $ython+ (earn to ha)e aith in destiny rom ython he python is a s!uggard, unwi!!ing to mo#e out ris&!y for its prey t !ies in its !urch and de#ours whate#er creature it comes across, e it sufficient to appease its hunger /rom this !earnt that the man in search of wisdom shou!d refrain from running after p!easures, and accept whate#er he gets spontaneous!y with contentment Li&e the python, he shou!d sha&e off s!eep and wa&efu!ness and aide in a state of incessant meditation on the Se!f hus the python was my se#enth teacher of wisdom
'. $ython (Agar! 3 python eats whate"er comes in its way and satisfy, whether it is sufficient or not, bitter or sweet etc. One should accept whate"er one comes across in the life with full contentment. -hile suffering the hardships and miseries in life, one should think, it is due to past sinful acti"ities that one is being punished. 3 sage always goes for search of wisdom and refrains f rom running after unwanted pleasures.
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10. ,oneybee+ (earn to erain rom amassing wealth rom oneybee 1oneyee wanders from f!ower to f!ower and, without hurting them in the !east, draws honey So too, a spiritua! see&er shou!d study a!! the 1o!y Scriptures ut retain in his heart, on!y that which is essentia! for his spiritua! practice Such is the teaching imied from my se#enteenth guru, the honeyee
)*. +oneyBee (Madhu Ma,hi! 4oneybee wanders from flower to flower to collect nectar from them, without hurting the flower and draws honey. *imilarly the sage takes the essence of different "arious 4oly *criptures, study and practices them spiritually. The sage should wander from door to door to beg +ust enough food for his li"ing without troubling the householders who pro"ide them. The sage should not become greedy.
Ant+ he ant stores up !ots of food materia!s which it neither eats nor gi#es away in charity to any other creature n consequence, other more powerfu! creatures are tempted to
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p!under the ants So too, the man who !ays y treasures of mere!y materia! things ecomes a #ictim of roery and murder 2ut the ant has something positi#e to teach us, too t is a tire!ess wor&er and is ne#er discouraged y any numer of ostac!es and setac&s in its efforts to gather its treasure So too, a see&er after wisdom shou!d e tire!ess in his efforts for Se!f'8ea!iation his no!e truth has the !itt!e ant taught me and ecame my e!e#enth guru
)). +oney-Theif (+oney-Gatherer! The bees collect honey and store it with hard work, which they neither eat nor gi"e away it, themsel"es in charity to any other creature(s). The 4oney$atherer (honey$theif), comes and takes the honey easily. The sage should not store things for himself e"en for the net time. 4e should use his palms to take food and stomach to store food. -e ha"e to lea"e all we store out of trouble throughout our life, at once and depart when the Lord of 5eath Yama come and take us with him.
67. )ird of &rey+ A ird of prey is my nineteenth guru One day, saw one such carrying away a dead rat 5any other irds !i&e crows and eag!es attac&ed it, now &ic&ing on its head and again pec&ing on its sides in their endea#or to &noc& off the prey he poor ird was thus #ery much pestered At !ast, it wise!y !et its prey fa!! and a!! the other irds rushed after it hus freeing itse!f from so much otheration, it sighed in re!ief /rom this, !earned that a man who runs after wor!d!y p!easures wi!! soon come into c!ash with his fe!!ow'eings who too run for the same, and has to face much strife and antagonism f he !earns to conquer his cra#ing for wor!d!y things, he can spare himse!f much unhappiness rea!ied that this is the on!y way to the peace in the wor!d
12. ir o0 Pre (urari ir a"*) & (earn the dangers rom ha)ing worldly ossessions and renounce worldly ossessions rom ?urari *ird. ;ne there was ?urari bird who pick some sort o ood in the beak rom somewhere. #t that time& the other stronger birds ha)ing no ood to eat attacked that bird to take ood away rom his beak. 'n order to get rid o the attack and to attain peace& the bird dropped the ood rom beak. !eaches: !he worldly possessions are source o trouble. ' one run ater sensual pleasures& will soon come into clash with his ellow-beings& who too run or the same& and has to ace much miseries and strie. appiness and %nlightenment belong to one who li)es simply& conAuer his cra)ing or worldly things and seeks only spiritual goals. ;ne becomes as happy and relie)ed only on abandoning the sensual pleasures.
13. !ea+ Learn to remain ,naected from the *ea.
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9ontemp!ating the mar#e!ous nature of the ocean, ha#e gained much wisdom Any numer of o#erf!owing ri#ers may 0oin it, yet the sea maintains its !e#e! :or does its !e#e! fa!! e#en y a hair.s readth in summer, when a!! the ri#ers dry up So too, the 0oys of !ife do not e!ate the sage of wisdom, nor do its sorrows depress him ;ust as the sea ne#er crosses its thresho!d on the each, the wise one ne#er transgresses the highest standards of mora!ity under the pu!! of passions Li&e the sea, he is unconquera!e and cannot e trou!ed y anything Li&e the unfathoma!e ocean, his true nature and the depths of his wisdom cannot e easi!y comprehended y anyone he ocean, which has taught me thus, is my eighth guru
). Sea (/%ean0 Samudra! The ocean neither increases due to ecessi"e inflow of ri"ers nor decreases due to stoppage of flow of ri"ers, yet it maintains its le"el. The calm sea ne"er disturbed, always remains in its boundaries (ecept the 8atural 9atastrophe). The sage should be e'uipoised and in state of calmness. The life of sage remains balanced the +oys of life do not ecite him, nor do sorrows depress him. The wise sage ne"er transgresses the highest standards of morality. The depth of such sage&s wisdom cannot be easily comprehended by anyone, +ust as hidden pearls at the depth of ocean cannot easily be disco"ered.
14. Moth+ (earn to ontrol your desires rom the oth 18
often oser#ed that the moth (or, more precise!y, a grasshopper) is tempted y fire to 0ump in it and get urnt down So too, the unthin&ing man is enticed y the i!!usory p!easures of the senses and thus gets caught in the cease!ess cyc!es of irth and death On the other hand, the wise one, when he catches e#en a g!impse of the fire of wisdom, !ea#es e#erything aside, !eaps in it and urns down the i!!usion of eing a !imited se!f hus the moth was my ninth guru
)4. Moth (Grassho1er0 $atanga! The moth is tempted by fire, being attracted by the delightful beauty of flame, it +umps into it and get burns within it. *imilarly a foolish man is enticed by the illusory pleasures of the "isual senses and thus gets caught in the ceaseless cycles of birth and death. Tea%hes& To control the sense of sight (and all other senses) and to try to a"oid being greedy.
15. Ele&hant+ (earn to erain rom eual desires rom the %lephant he e!ephant was my tenth guru he human eings raise a stuffed cow'e!ephant in the forest he wi!d tus&er mista&es it for a mate, approaches it and then s&i!!fu!!y ound in
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fetters y the cunning human eings So too, the unregenerate man is tempted y the opposite se7 and gets ound y the fetters of infatuation he see&ers after !ieration shou!d !earn to e free from !ust he e!ephant was thus one of my teachers
). 3e1hant (+aathi! The male elephant out of immense lust falls into a pit co"ered o"er with grass by the scent of its mate, a paper and wooden made female elephant. The elephant gets caught and enchained after being attracted towards its opposite gender mate. *imilarly, a passionate person is tempted by the opposite gender and falls into the trap and come to grief. The seekers of *piritual Truth should learn, to get rid from the clutches of lust.
1'.(eer+ (earn to erain rom attachment rom the "eer. t is said that deers are #ery fond of music and that poachers emp!oy it to !ure them efore hunting them /rom this, !earned that passions and sensua! desires wi!! soon og down a spiritua! aspirant who has a wea&ness for mere!y secu!ar music, ti!! he u!timate!y !oses whate#er spiritua! progress he has achie#ed ear!ier he deer that taught me this truth is my eighteenth guru
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)6. Deer (+iran! The deer is "ery fond of music and is "ery much attracted by it. The deer is trapped by hunter through its lo"e for music. 4unter employs music to lure the deer before hunting it. Tea%hes& :assion and *ensual 5esires will later or sooner bring down a sage from his spiritual progress. 3 renounced person should ne"er become attracted by mundane sounds like sensuous music, specially the sweet singing and dancing of girl.
17. #ish+ (earn to erain rom el 6rati7cation rom the
)". 5ish (Ma%hai! 5ue to uncontrolled tongue, the fish is caught on hook. t is through tasteful bait (small food use to catch fish), that the fish meets its end. Tea%hes&
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3mong the sense, tongue is the most difficult to be controlled. -hen tongue is controlled, other sense will become easy to be controlled. 3part from that, fish ne"er lea"es its home (i.e. water), so one should ne"er lose sight of his True *elf.
18. Pingala (A Dancing Girl)/ Courtesan (earn to enounce all "esires rom the ingala/ the ourtesan $in%ala+ he thirteenth guru that has awa&ened my spirit is a prostitute named -inga!a One day, she eager!y awaited a particu!ar c!ient in the hope that he wou!d pay her amp!y She waited and waited ti!! !ate in the night 3hen he did not turn up, she was at !ast disi!!usioned and ref!ected thus< "A!as= 1ow stupid am= :eg!ecting the di#ine spirit within, who is of the nature of !iss eterna!, foo!ish!y awaited a deauchee (sensua!ist) who inspires my !ust and greed 1enceforth, sha!! e7pend myse!f on the Se!f, unite with 1im and win eterna! 0oy hrough such repentance, she attained !essedness 2esides, ref!ecting on its o#ious purport, a!so rea!ied that a spiritua! aspirant shou!d !i&ewise re0ect the !ure of !esser spiritua! powers, which are mere y'products of sadhana(spiritua! practice) !earned that the temptation to secure things from other.s hands are the seeds of misery6 that renunciation of these is the so!e means of rea!iing infinite 0oy
)#. $ingaa (A Dan%ing Gir! There was a dancing girl named :ingala, she was tired of looking for customers one night to come and gi"e her sensual pleasure along with lot of money. *he became hopeless and ultimately out of frustration ga"e her plans for earning money "ia this means. !eeling satisfaction from her abandonment of material desires, she was contented with what she had, and then had sound sleep. *he has reali2ed that di"ine spirit lies within herself, who is of the nature of bliss eternal. Tea%hes& The abandonment of epectation from people, leads to contentment and infinite +oy.
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9hen ingala "ancer was young& at that time she had many ustomers. *ut when ingala "ancer became old its body became diseases and she became poor. earing the taunts o the world and also seeing the eect o bad ?arma she has done in the other world& it started to remain sad. eeing the state o that sad lady& the mind thought that better to spend the time let with us in doing some good deeds rather than repent at some later stage. !hat sad lady which made her own lie and the lie o other people perishable& broke the ideal o a householder and married lie& elt remorse or all this. eeing the remorse o ingala "ancer& the other people get warned and ' decided to accept this ingala "ancer as my e)ered 6uru.
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19. Cil earn to ea a Care0ree i0e 0ro6 te Cil # child has no grie)ance& anger& jealousy& hatred and abo)e all
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2. Maiden+ (earn to (i)e in olitude rom the aiden Once, oser#ed a fami!y #isit a maiden.s house, see&ing her hand in marriage for their son At that time, her mother was away from home So the maiden herse!f had to entertain the guests with refreshments She at once started pounding food'grains with a pest!e he ang!es on her hand started &noc&ing against each other, pounding sound She was afraid that the guests might hear the sound and e unhappy for ha#ing caused her so much of trou!e As a 1indu maiden, she is not e7pected to remo#e a!! the ang!es on her hand at any time So she &ept two on each hand and remo#ed a!! the rest %#en then, they were &noc&ing against each other and were ma&ing noise So she &ept on!y one ang!e on each hand this time and she cou!d finish her tas& in quiet 8ef!ecting on this, rea!ied that when a numer of spiritua! see&ers !i#e together, a !ot of unwanted gossip ensues and no spiritua! practice can e pursued with a sing!e'minded effort On!y in so!itude, a spiritua! aspirant can carry his tas& Knowing this truth, henceforth resorted to so!itude hus, a maiden happened to e my twentieth guru
2*. Maiden (n-Married Gir! Once some people came home to see a 0aiden irl. 4er parents were not at home, so she had to
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entertain them herself. *he went to kitchen and started beating rice for their food. 3t that time her hand bangles started making noise. *he did not like that noise ;because it showed that they were so poor that she herself had to beat the rice<. *o she broke all the bangles ecept two in each hand. =ut still they made noise. *o she broke one more bangle from each hand. 4ence no noise produced.
Tea%hes& -hen there are number of spiritual seekers li"ing together, there will be clash of interests. #"en among two persons, there might be disturbance, dispute etc. The sage should li"e alone in solitude, as it is better to li"e alone, without creating any unwanted noise, gossips.
21. !er&ent+ - (earn to *eha)e wisely rom the erpant
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oser#ed that a serpent ne#er ui!ds a dwe!!ing for itse!f 3hen white ants ha#e raised an anthi!! for themse!#es, the serpent e#entua!!y come to inhait it Simi!ar!y, wor!d!y peop!e ha#e to endure many hardships in raising houses for themse!#es, whi!e a rec!use mon& does no such thing 3or!d!y men raise the monasteries and the mon& !i#es in them6 or, he !ea#es in o!d di!apidated temp!es, or underneath shady trees he serpent mou!ts, !ea#ing off its o!d s&in So too at the end of his !ife Yogi !ea#es his ody de!ierate!y and in fu!! awareness of his own true se!f and is not frightened y the phenomenon of death On the other hand, he casts off his o!d ody as happi!y as he does his worn out c!othes and dons new ones hus has my twenty first guru taught me
2). Ser1ent (Sna,e0 Saaam1! The snake li"es alone and a"oids the company of other creatures. n order to seek *elf$1eali2ation, one should abide in the ca"e of his own heart. The snake lea"es of its old skin after sometime, and gets the newer one that make resemblance with phenomenon of death. 3 true sage ne"er frightened by the death, knowing sooner or later he will get a new life based on his karmic actions.
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22. Arrow-ma"er/ Artisan /)lac"smith+ (earn oncentration rom
Once oser#ed an arrow'ma&er who was tota!!y asored in mo!ding a sharp arrow 1e grew so o!i#ious of a!! e!se that he did not e#en notice a roya! pageant that passed y his sight awa&ened me to the truth that such sing!e'minded, a!!'asoring contemp!ation of the Se!f spontaneous!y e!iminates a!! temptation for the tri#ia! interests of the wor!d t is the so!e secret of success in spiritua! discip!ine hus the arrow'ma&er is my fourteenth guru
22. Arro7-Smith (Ma,er of Arro7! Once there was an arrow maker, he was so absorbed in making the tip of an arrow that he didn&t notice the procession of King passes nearby him. 4e was "ery much keen in his work. Tea%hes& !ocused 0ind, 9oncentration is the way to achie"e *elf$1eali2ation.
23. !&ider+ (earn that 9orld is unimportant rom the pider
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he spider is my twenty second guru t wea#es its we from the thread in the form of a f!uid After sometime, it gathers up the we into itse!f he supreme pro0ects the who!e creation out of itse!f and after sometime, withdraws it into itse!f at the time of disso!ution he indi#idua! sou! too, ears the senses and the mind within itse!f and, at its irth as a human eing or any other !i#ing creature, it pro0ects them out as the sense organs, organs of action and the who!e ody n accordance with its !atent tendencies, the creature thus orn, gathers up a!! the means and o0ects needed for its !i#ing At the end of its !ife.s duration, the sou! again withdraws the senses, mind and acquired tendencies at the hour of death hus ha#e !earned from the spider
2. S1ider (Ma,ari! *pider builds a beautiful web from his heart through the mouth play and en+oys with it and then after some time swallow that "ery same web. Tea%hes& Lord *upreme creates material uni"erse from 4is 0aya, preser"es it and after a while draws it back into the *elf. The *upreme *elf has no desires and is beyond the reach of cause and effect.
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7>.ater&illar+ (earn to editate upon 6od or (iberation/oksha rom the
aterpillar he caterpi!!ar is a!so one of my teachers of wisdom he wasp carries its caterpi!!ar to a safe corner and c!oses it up in its nest and goes on uing aout it he young caterpi!!ar is so frightened y the incessant uing, that it cannot thin& of anything e!se than the uing wasp hrough such unintermittent contemp!ation of its mother, the caterpi!!ar too, soon grows up into a wasp= n a !i&e fashion, a true discip!e is so charmed and o#er'awed y the spiritua! eminence of his own guru that he cannot thin& of any one other than him hrough such contemp!ation, he soon !ossoms into a great spiritua! master himse!f he caterpi!!ar is thus my twenty third 4uru
24. Caterillar (+as ringee) !he wasp catches hold o a worm caterpillar& put it in its hi)e nest& gi)es it a sting and goes on buFFing about it. !he caterpillar is so rightened by this whole ongoing process o buFFing& that it cannot think anything else apart rom wasp. !he constantly kept thinking o caterpillar o about wasp& e)entually make a caterpillar& a wasp itsel.
%eaces 9hate)er orm a man constantly thinks o knowingly& unintentionally& be it with lo)e& jealousy or ear etc.& he attains in course o time that orm. #s a man thinks& so he becomes. %)en at the time o death& whate)er oneDs mind ocused on& one attains the same li)ing species orm in his net lie. !hus one must try to gi)e up all attachment to the body and attain oksha or liberation. ' one constantly& de)otedly without any sort o de)iation mediates upon the upreme ersonality o 6odhead& one will achie)e a spiritual body just like that o the (ord& Aualitati)ely.
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u6:le ee - (earn to erain rom ;bject leasure rom the *umble *ee. a"ing - (earn to "iscard ense ;bjects rom (apwing.
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3ith such humi!ity and de#otion, !oo&ed upon the who!e of 4od.s creation as my teacher, gathered up wisdom and, through patient effort rea!ied my goa! of spiritua! en!ightenment > Lord Dattatreya
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