We all know that the teacher teaches the students. In ancient history, the teacher was known as the guru and the student as the disciple. Dronacharya, Kripacharya, Shukracharya were most popular gurus in that time. Students should respect their teachers, that is our tradition. But every student is not the same. Some respect their teachers but some do not. What if a student makes a lot of efforts to fool his teacher?
In our modern society, we can see many students are fooling their teachers in coaching, schools and colleges. In ancient time, few students aka disciples also fooled their teachers aka gurus. This story portraits one of such disciples and narrates how he fooled his guru in ancient time.
Once upon a time, there lived a brahmin guru named Dhiracharya. He was old and had no son. His wife had died a year ago in cholera. He lived by teaching to sons of eminent people. At that time, it was a custom that every child should get his first schooling at a Guru's house. This custom was called Chaturashram.
Once a new student named Dhumketu got admitted in his school. He was a jester's son. He was slender. He would wear yellow dhoti and a saffron stole over his body. He covered his forehead with a green half turban. He was very naughty and clever. He was inattentive in the study. He never memorized his lessons provided by Dhiracharya as he was lazy too. But because of his sharp mind, every time he narrowly escaped from punishments. Guru Dhiracharya received many complaints against him from his other disciples. One day, he determined to give Dhumketu a good lesson. He prepared a plan for the same.
The next morning, he took Dhumketu out for a visit to a remote village as per the planning. After walking for miles, both Guru and his disciple became weary and thirsty as well.
The Guru stopped near a tall coconut tree and instructed Dhumketu, "You climb this coconut tree and bring down two green coconuts to quench our thirst."
Dhumketu took no time to realise that he was taken here for punishment. He knew that he could not say no to his guru, so he used his sharp mind to get rid of this task.
He said to his guruji, "My Guruji, I read in scripture that no disciple should stay above the head of his guru. If I climb the tree then I have to stay above your head for some time. Being your disciple, I cannot allow this to happen. Instead, you are able to stay above my head. So, you climb the tree and bring down two green coconuts for us."
Guru Dhiracharya could say nothing because he knew that Dhumketu's statement was somewhat factual. Consequently, he himself climbed the coconut tree and brought down two green coconuts for them. After bringing down the green coconuts, guruji again instructed Dhumketu to cut the green coconuts so that they could drink coconut water.
This time also Dhumketu said in reply, "My Guruji, I also read in scripture that disciples should not use any weapon before his guru. If I can not use a weapon before you, how can I cut those green coconuts? Instead, I request you to cut them."
Guru Dhiracharya could not oppose Dhumketu'a factual statement. He cut those green coconuts with a small dagger that he used for his protection. He put those green coconuts under Dhumketu's watch and decided to drink coconut water after washing his hands in a nearby pond. He looked for a pond but could not find one.
About half a mile away, he found a pond where he washed his small dagger and his hands. By the time, he became more thirsty. When he returned to Dhumketu, he saw his disciple had drunk coconut water from both of the green coconuts. Guru Dhiracharya became furious towards his disciple. He demanded an explanation for his audacity.
This time, Dhumketu got scared. He stood silently for some time. He looked at his guru and knelt down before him. He chanted Guru Vandana to please him. Then he requested Guruji to listen to what had happened. He began to narrate.
"When you went to wash your hands keeping both green coconuts under my watch, at first I drank my coconut water as I was thirsty. But one green coconut could not satisfy my thirst. I tried everything possible not to drink your green coconut but was ultimately unsuccessful. Would you get angry if I were your own son and did the same mistake?"
Dhumketu knew his guruji had soft corner as he had no son. Guru Dhiracharya was pleased to hear his story and did not punish him. Moreover, he gave up the idea of punishing him in future. Dhumketu fooled his guru using his sharp mind.
This story is for entertainment purpose. I personally recommend all my readers not to disrespect your teachers. Teachers should be obeyed in every corner of the world. At the end of my story, I would like to share the lines of Guru Vandana to show my respect to all the Gurus/teachers.
|| AUM GUM GURUBHYO NAMAH ||
"GURUR BRAHMA GURUR VISHNU
GURUR DEVO MAHESHWARA
GURUR SAKSHAT PARABRAHMA
TASMAI SHRI GURUVE NAMAHA
DHYAN MULAM GURUR MURTIHI
PUJA MULAM GURUR PADAM
MANTRA MULAM GURUR VAKYAM
MOKSHA MULAM GURUR KRIPA
AKHANDA MANDALA KARAM
VYAPTAM YENA CHARAM CHARAM
TATPADAM DARSHITAM YENA
TASMAI SHRI GURUVE NAMAHA
OM SHANTI, SHANTI, SHANTI"
The English translation of the above Sanskrit "Guru-Vandana" is as follows:-
GURU IS BRAHMA, GURU IS VISHNU
GURU IS LORD MAHESHWARA (SHIVA)
GURU IS VERILY THE ABSOLUTE TO WHOM I BOW DOWN.
PICTURE OF THE GURU IS THE ROOT OF MEDITATION
FEET OF THE GURU ARE THE ROOT OF WORSHIP
WORDS OF THE GURU ARE THE ROOT OF MANTRA
GRACE OF THE GURU IS THE ROOT OF LIBERATION
I BOW DOWN TO THE GURU IN TOTAL SURRENDER.
INFINITE LIKE THE FORM OF A CIRCLE
EMBRACING ALL DYNAMIC AND STATIC WORLD
VISIBLE TO US WITH THE HELP OF THE GURU
TO THAT GURU WHO SHOWS US THAT GOD
DWELLS IN US
I BOW DOWN.
