The Ideal Disciple

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Jaya Guru Datta,

 

Here is today's saying:

 

“Once sage Narada was flying in the Pushpaka Vimana (the celestial aircraft)

along with four of his disciple kings (Parvataka, Kashiraja, Dhananjaya and

Shibi). During the course of conversation, they started asking as to who would

reach Vaikuntha (the abode of Lord Vishnu) first. Narada, with the help of his

divine vision, said 'I can not say right now about all of you; but I am sure

that Parvataka will not be able to go to Vaikuntha.' Continuing, Sage Narada

said -

 

'Parvataka, you were my disciple in your past life also. You were a king then

also and you were ruling your kingdom in a dharmic way. I had once come to your

kingdom then. You took me around your kingdom. We reached a grazing field and

there were thousands of cows there. You pointed towards them and boasted- 'All

these cows have been given away as charity by me to the needy. But those who

have accepted the charity cannot even afford to look after them properly.

Therefore I am taking care of the cows. All these actually belonged to me.' At

this juncture, I wanted to change the subject, but you kept on dragging me back

to the same topic. You said 'I want to donate more cows.'

 

Thus, O ! Parvataka, you forgot that you are only a trustee to the resources at

your command and thought that you actually owned them. You also took pride in

boasting about your acts of charity. A man with so much pride and ego has no

place in the Vaikuntha.' After listening this, Parvataka became speechless.

 

Now Kashi Raja asked - 'What about me ? Will I go to Vaikuntha ?'

 

Narada replied - ' Kashiraja, I once heard Lord Shiva speak very highly of you.

I wanted to see who you were and I came to your kingdom. When I came to your

kingdom, you were about to get into a brand new chariot you had got made just

then. I saw that chariot and asked, 'this chariot is very nice. Can I take it ?'

Without thinking even for a moment, you gave that chariot to me. After some

time, your name came up again in the presence of Lord Shiva in Kailasa. Agai

Lord Shiva was all praise for you. Surprisingly, Goddess Parvati did not show

much enthusiasm. I came to your kingdom once more. At that time, you had just

got a silver chariot made. As you were about to climb it, I wished for it.

Without any hesitation, you gave it to me. The same thing happened when you got

a golden chariot made. I requested for it and you gave it away. The next time

when you were about to ascend a chariot studded with diamonds, I again asked for

it. You gave it too because I was your Guru. But thi

s time, you thought 'I am a king; so I need chariots. But of what use is a

chariot to my Guru?'

 

What a thinking ! You are a king and so you need a chariot. But you are

forgetting that you are my disciple, too. Do you want your Guru to come walking

to your palace to accept Guru pooja? In fact, all the chariots were my

creations. You are enjoying what I have created. You must offer the best of what

you have to your Guru. You forgot this and entertained menial feeling while

offering. Therefore even you are ineligible to go to Vaikuntha.

 

It was now Dhananjaya who asked whether he would go to Vaikuntha. Then Narada

narrated about him.

 

'Dhananjaya, you too were my disciple. Once, when I visited you, out of respect

for me, you and your wife made me sit in the royal chariot and took me round

your kingdom. After some time, I said that the chariot should not be pulled by

horses and asked you and your wife to pull it. Immediately, you set the horses

free and the royal couple were pulling the chariot ! After some time, I said

that even your wife should not pull. Then you started pulling the chariot alone.

We entered the city and all the people started seeing you pulling the chariot.

You felt a sense of shame and thought 'this is the job of horses. Why is this

man making me pull the chariot ?' With this, it was proved that you did not have

total devotion. You had not surrendered your ego. Therefore even you are not

eligible to go to Vakuntha. King Shibi, who was listening to all this, was

silent. He was not interested to know whether he would go to Vaikuntha. Narada

himself spoke-

 

'This man Shibi was prepared to donate everything he had including his flesh.

Still he did not think that he was the giver and the other person was the

recipient. His attitude is the most sublime one. He has the eligibility to go to

Vaikuntha.

 

With the help of this story, we can realise as to how impartial the Guru behaves

and also how the disciples tread the wrong path when they think high of

themselves. Understand the essence of this story and strive to become ideal

disciples."

 

 

 

Sri Swamiji

Bhakti Mala, May 1997

http://www.dattapeetham.com/india/bhaktimala/May-Bhaktimala/May_Ideal_disciple.h\

tml

 

Sri Guru Datta,

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