A story of Sage RIBHU and his disciple Nidagha - Ramana Maharishi

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A Story of Sage Ribhu

& his Disciple Nidagha

(Chapter 26 of the Ribhu Gita)

as told by Ramana Maharshi (1879-1950)

 

The Sage Ribhu taught his disciple the supreme Truth of the One

Brahman (Pure Consciousness) without a second. However, Nidagha, in

spite of his erudition and understanding, did not get sufficient

conviction to adopt and follow the path of Self-Knowledge (Jnana

Yoga), but settled down in his native town to lead a life devoted to

the observance of ceremonial religion (Bhakti Yoga). But the Sage

loved his disciple as deeply as the latter venerated his Master. In

spite of his age, Ribhu would himself go to his disciple in the town,

just to see how far the latter had outgrown, his ritualism. At times

the Sage went in disguise, so that he might observe how Nidagha would

act when he, did not know that he was being observed by his Master.

On one such occasion Ribhu, who had put on the disguise of a village

rustic, found Nidagha intently watching a royal procession.

Unrecognized by the town-dweller Nidagha, the village rustic enquired

what the bustle was all about, and was told that the king was going

in the procession.

 

"Oh! it is the king. He goes in the procession! But where is he?"

asked the rustic. "There, on the elephant," said Nidagha. "You say

the king is on the elephant. Yes, I see the two," said the

rustic, "but which is the king and which is the elephant?What!"

exclaimed Nidagha. "You see the two, but do not know that the man

above is the king and the animal below is the elephant? What is the

use of talking to a man like you?Pray, be not impatient with an

ignorant man like me," begged the rustic. "But you said above and

below— what do they mean?"

 

Nidagha could stand it no more. "You see the king and the elephant,

the one above and the other below. Yet you want to know what is meant

by 'above' and 'below'" burst out Nidagha. "If things seen and words

spoken can convey so little to you, action alone can teach you. Bend

forward, and you will know it all too well." The rustic did as he was

told. Nidagha got on his shoulders and said: "Know it now. I am above

as the king, you are below as the elephant. Is that clear

enough?No, not yet," was the rustic's gentle reply. "You say you

are above like the king, and I am below like the elephant.

The 'king', the 'elephant', 'above' and 'below'— so far it is clear.

But pray, tell me what you mean by 'I' and 'you'?"

 

When Nidagha was thus confronted all of a sudden with. the mighty

problem of defining a 'you' apart from an 'I', light dawned on his

mind. At once he jumped down and fell at his Master's feet

saying: "Who else but my venerable Master, Ribhu, could have thus

drawn my mind from the superficialities of physical existence to the

true Being of the Self? Oh! Gracious Master, I crave thy blessings"

 

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Aum shri Ramanaya namaha !