Guru Bhakti - 1.

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Dear friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is eternal.

 

Deepaka's Guruseva

 

Deepaka was a nonindulgent bachelor.  He was once going through the Sastras and

saw this sentence --- “For a pativrata, her husband is only the God.  For a son,

his parents are only Gods.  For a student or disciple, Guru himself is

Parabrhma.  There are no “teerthas” to attend nor Vratas and Upavaasas to

perform, greater than “Guruseva”.  He immediately decided to approach a Guru,

serve him and learn all Sastras.

 

On the bank of river Godavari, there used to be the ashramam of one guru named

Vedadharya.  He used to teach many Sastras, Vedas and Upanishads to his

students.  Deepaka approached Vedadharya, bowed at his feet and requested him to

accept him as a disciple.  Observing the obedience of Deepaka, Vedadharya

accepted him as his disciple.  Deepaka in no time learnt all Sastras on account

of his extensive interest and devotional service to his Guru.

 

One day Vedadharya, concluding that Deepaka’s education is over, asked him “O

son! I did prayaschittam for all the sins committed in my previous birth. 

However, two more sins are left and they are very frightening.  I must go to

Kaashi Kshetram and do prayashcittam.  In Kashi the result for Karma will be 10

times.  Hence I will go there and do aavaahana (invoke) of these sins.  Then I

will get dreadful diseases like leprosy and my body will be oozing blood and

puss.  I will get an ugly appearance and also become blind.  My nature will also

change.  The gentleness will disappear and instead I will become harsher.  There

will be no sahanam (Tolerance) in me.  In that pitiable situation can you help

me and do my service?”

 

Deepaka, who only had service to Guru in his mind was very happy to serve his

Guru and said “O respectable Guru!  Since I am young I will invoke all the sins

and experience leprosy, blindness etc, in your place.”  Vedadharya replied “O my

son Deepaka! One is responsible for his own sins.  They must be experienced by

the karta who is responsible for the sins only.  It is not very difficult to

experience it.  The most difficult thing is to serve the papa-peedita (usually

caused by combust position of the sins). You need to have a lot of tolerance. 

Deepaka agreed.

 

Deepaka and Vedadharya reached the great Kashi Kshetram.  They arranged a place

for their living near Kamaleshvar Mahadeva Mandiram, which is to the north of

Manikarnikaa Ghat.  After performing puja to Lord Visweswara and Matha

Annapuurneswari, Vedadharya invoked the two sins of his previous birth.  He

started experiencing the sufferings from the diseases as he explained before.

 

He had no tolerance and used to show it on Deepaka.  Deepaka used to cry seeing

the bad condition of his Guru.  He used to take great care of his Guru by neatly

washing his wounds, cleaning blood and puss, applying medicine and tying

bandages.  He even used to clean the Mala-mutras (stools and urine) and put new

clothes for his Guru.  He used to do begging and getting food for his Guru. 

Vedadharya used to eat the whole lot and used to blame Deepaka for not bringing

sufficiently more.  Deepaka never used to get angry and without any leisure and

with great care he used to do his service to Guru.

 

One day. Impressed by the Guru Bhakti of Deepaka, Lord Visweswara appeared

before him and said “Vatsa!  Your Guru Bhakti is fantastic.  Please ask me what

you want?”  With spectacular jubilation Deepaka replied “Sarveshvara!  In this

world I do not know anything except my Guru.  I will ask him after he wakes up

from his sleep and tell you”.   After Vedadhyara woke, Deepaka told him what

happened and asked him “I will go to Lord Siva and ask Him to heal you”. 

Vedadharya did not accept and said “One must experience the result of his own

sins.  Then only they will be destroyed.  Only in that I will have

satisfaction”.

 

The next day, Deepaka went to the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Visweswara; but did

not ask any boon.  Seeing the supernatural practice of Deepaka, Lord

Parameshwara took him to ‘nirvaaNa manTapam” along with Parvathi Devi.  There

Srimannarayana and other Devatas were present.  There Lord Siva told every one

about the Guru Bhakti of Deepaka and praised him.  Srimannaaraayana said

“Deepaka! Please tell us your wishes.  We are ready to grant them”.  Deepaka

touched His feet and replied with obedience in a low voice “Devaadhideva!  I

never did Your naama-smaranam (recitation of Lord’s name).  Neither had I done

your puja nor archana.  Why are you ready to give me the boons?

 

Srimannarayana said “O Vatsa! Guruseva is equivalent to doing service to all

Devatas.  Hence please ask us what you want.  Deepaka folding his hands prayed

Him and asked “then please grant me achanchala (unflinching) Guru Bhakti”.  All

the Devatas were happy with Deepaka and granted him the same.

 

Moral in the Story:

 

Guru Bhakti is equivalent to service to all Devatas.  Deepaka, with his

unparalleled Guru Bhakti, had the unobtainable Darshanam of all the Devatas. 

Obedience and Guru Bhakti and interest in learning are very important for a

Student.  One who has these qualities can learn all Sastras in no time, like

Deepaka.

One must experience the result of his sin some or the other time.  This was told

by Vedadharya many times in the story.  Hence one must be very careful and avoid

doing sinful activities.

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry