Stories for Children- Guru Bhakti A True incident from Ekanathji Maharaj's life ! by Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji

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Dear All,

 

Ekanath is known for his Guru Bhakti. He was a Mahatma

who had learnt all the shastras. But he realized that

Shastras were of no use. He wondered, “Of what use is

learning ‘Tarka’ or Vedanta if one failed to

experience peace?” Even if we are adept in all the

Shastras - be it Vedanta, Tarka or any other

philosophy - we cannot enjoy peace/bliss unless these

are brought into experience.

 

Books and Shastras will not bestow peace. Only sadhana

will give peace. The doubts will be cleared only if

seen practically. So, Ekanath felt, “I have studied

all these shastras. But they are of no use. What is

the essence of all these shastras? To serve a Guru,”

and he deeply desired to serve a Guru. Lord

Panduranga, in a dream, directed him to

Janardhanaswami who was a great Mahatma.

 

Ekanath served Janardhanaswami for twelve long years

with one-pointedness. And how did he serve his Guru

all these twelve years? Without any expectation

whatsoever! He would clean the place, keep all the

puja articles ready for the Guru, maintain the

accounts of the home, wash the Guru’s clothes and so

on. Day and night he attended on his Guru.

 

Innumerable Sadhus visited his Guru. Janardhanaswami

taught Brahma Vidya to some, Raja yoga to some,

Shastras to some. The Guru blessed each with a way of

attaining liberation. But nothing diverted the

attention of Ekanath whose sole desire was to serve

the Guru in all ways. He had nothing to ask of his

Guru. He did not demand his Guru to bestow him with

Mantropdesa or teach him Shastras or Vedanta Vichãra.

He wanted to serve his Guru. His sole aim was his

Guru’s happiness. He did not even wish his Guru to

take notice of his services. He served his Guru in

this way for twelve long years.

 

Janardhanaswami felt guilty for not having given

anything to this attendant devotee of his. He was

wonderstruck that this young fellow had nothing to ask

of him. So, he himself decided to bestow darshan of

his Upasana Murti, Lord Dattatreya, on the selfless

Ekanath. He asked Lord Dattatreya to give darshan to

Ekanath when the latter returned from his morning bath

in the river. The next day when Ekanath stepped out of

the river Godavari he found Lord Dattatreya under the

nearby tree. Since one should not be disrespectful to

God he prostrated before this Lord. Lord Dattatreya

blessed him by placing His Feet on Ekanath’s head.

Ekanath then returned home.

Here, at home Janardhanaswami was restless. He walked

up and down awaiting Ekanath’s return. He kept

rehearsing as to how he should handle the stunned

Ekanath. It was not going to be darshan in a dream but

a real one, just as one person sees another.

 

Janardhanaswami thought, “Anyone who has darshan of

the Lord would swoon. Ekanath would be in bliss. Full

of joy he would come running and narrate the darshan

breathlessly. I must calm him down.” But Ekanath

returned home and carried on with his work as usual!

The Guru waited for Ekanath to come and describe the

darshan in an excited tone. But Ekanath did not! The

surprised Janardhanaswami called his upãsana devata

and asked him, “Did you not give darshan to Ekanath?”

 

Lord Dattatreya said, “I did! Just you had asked me I

gave him darshan as he returned from his bath in the

river”. The astounded Guru called the devotee. “How

can you be so calm? Have you not had darshan of Lord

Dattatreya this morning?” Ekanath simply replied, “I

never desired this! Only if I considered someone other

than you as God should I feel ecstatic! Since I

consider you as God there is no new darshan of God to

be had anywhere else. I never desired for it nor does

this surprise me. I desire only you!”

 

So great was his Guru Bhakti. Due to his Guru Bhakti

Lord Panduranga Himself later served this Ekanath, in

the form of a young man by name Kandya Kanna!

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

 

Regards

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