Sri Guru Gita – 3 February 2014 – Episode 47

Jaya Guru Datta Sri Appaji_/\_!!

Jaya Guru Datta. Even though Sri Rama and Sri Krishna were incarnations of the Divine, they approached a Guru. They taught the world the importance of having a Guru in one’s life. Sage Sandeepani was the Guru to Sri Krishna and his friend Sudhama. Since Sri Krishna and Sudhama were great souls, they knew the importance of a Guru. They served the Guru like he was Lord Shiva. Let’s see how Sri Krishna and Sudhama served Sage Sandeepani and how he blessed them.

Sloka:
“Yo gurussa sivah prokto ya ssiva ssa guru ssmrtaha
Vikalpam yastu kurvita sa bhavet pataki gurau”

Sri Krishna and Sudhama came under Sage Sandeepani’s tutelage at a very tender age. As children, they played together a lot. We will observe from this story that even though they quarreled and fought a lot, they never separated. However, if the Guru gave them any tasks, they would always carry out those tasks with great love and devotion. They never postponed the task given by the Guru.

Any task given by the Guru was immediately attended to and completed. They would always make Sage Sandeepani happy. They would also take on all the tasks given by the wife of Sage Sandeepani. Once, she called for Sri Krishna and Sudhama. They immediately went up to her and asked if they were called. She said “Yes, my dear sons, we are out of sacrificial wood. Please bring some from the forest”. The forest she was referring to was not an ordinary forest. It was a dense forest that was covered in darkness even during day time. It would be impossible to see anything. It was filled with poisonous trees and predatory animals. Sri Krishna and Sudhama were tender little children. They were excited to go to the forest. They were not afraid. They happily agreed to carry out her command. Saying,”Mother, don’t worry. We will bring lots of sacrificial wood”, they set out for the forest. It was completely dark in that dense forest.

Sri Krishna and Sudhama gathered up the wood they could find in the darkness. They couldn’t just pick up the wood, they had to search and gather. Soon, there were gusts and pouring rain. As sunset approached, the little traces of sunlight disappeared. Sri Krishna and Sudhama got scared. The held hands and walked in the heavy rain. The forest was flooded. Without letting go of each other, they began swimming. It was no more a forest to walk in; it was a forest to swim in. They couldn’t tell where the ups and downs in the forest were. They had no idea where they were going. Slowly, they found a tree that they took shelter under. They spent the night under the tree shivering in the cold. It was so dark and cold that it felt like the night of doomsday. They were very scared. Somehow, the night passed. In the morning, Sage Sandeepani set out in search of the little children, calling out their names. He found them both under the tree shivering from cold.

He trembled with compassion. Let’s see what happens ahead. Jaya Guru Datta. Sri Guru Datta.