We were discussing the interesting story of Avadhoota – a completely liberated person who was moving around like a mad man completely nude. Though Avadhoota had attained the ultimate knowledge, he never had any specific Guru. He imbibed whatever he knew from various sources which he considered as his Gurus. Some of these were not even human.
In the previous episode, we saw 8 of them namely fire, moon, sun, pigeon, boa constrictor, sea, moth and bee. We also saw what Avadhoota learnt from these Gurus. Let us continue with rest of his Gurus in this concluding episode on Avadhoota’s story.
Guru 14: Honey gatherer – Avadhoota knew that accumulating more wealth than needed is asking for trouble. Many a times people accumulate wealth putting lot of effort. But neither do they enjoy it nor do they donate it to anyone. They are like honey bees, who gather lot of honey in their hive, more than what they would ever need. What would be the consequence?
Some honey gatherer smells the honey and locates their hive. He deprives them, in one shot, from all that they had painstakingly gathered over several months. The bees could neither enjoy it nor did they ever allow other insects to have a share of their store. But they cannot safeguard it from the honey gatherer who mercilessly snatches it from them. So, accumulation of wealth is bad. This is what Avadhoota learnt form observing what a honey gatherer does.
Guru 15: Deer – A hunter normally lays a trap for a deer. He plays sweet music near the trap. The deer in forest get attracted to the music and out of curiosity they approach the trap and get caught. They finally meet their end.
Avadhoota observes these deer and learns to keep away from music and such other entertainments that can trap him into the world. He remembers how the innocent sage Rishyashringa was taken into their control by girls who lured him by playing erotic music and dancing. So, he stays away from any kind of pleasures.
Guru 16: Fish – Like the deer, fish too get trapped when they bite the bait laid by a fisherman. By looking at the fate of fishes, Avadhoota determines to stay away from being a slave to his tongue. He eats, but only as much to sustain his body and not to enjoy food.
Guru 17: Prostitute – Avadhoota says that he has learnt lessons even from a prostitute. He recalls the case of a prostitute called Pingala.
This prostitute used to decorate herself with all kinds of jewelry and fine clothing and wait at her doors for a prospective paramour. But one night, even after waiting for a long time, no customer turned up and she was frustrated. It was past midnight and there was no hope of anyone coming.
So, Pingala gave up and retired to her bed all alone. She introspected whatever she was doing. She realized how futile it was. She felt great relief from not having to wait for anyone. She understood that wants are painful as compared to freedom from wants. With this new enlightenment Pingala fell asleep on her bed with a calm and peaceful mind.
Avadhoota learnt a great lesson from her. Going after worldly wealth would never give you enough pleasure. You would be always craving for more. That craving causes pain and disillusionment. Freedom from craving is the biggest happiness. That gives you greater peace.
Guru 18: Osprey - Once Avadhoota found an Osprey sitting on a tree with a fish in its beak. It was eager to eat that fish. But unfortunately, before it could do that, other birds which were more powerful than the osprey got the scent of the fish and started attacking it wanting to snatch that fish.
The Osprey got up from the tree with the fish still in its beak and started flying away. But the other birds kept following it and harassing it. The Osprey was quite tired of flying. It finally dropped the fish down and flew away. Now the other birds that were tormenting it, were no longer after it. They were now after the fish dropped by the Osprey. Osprey was freed from their attacks.
By looking at this, Avadhoota learnt how anyone who gives up everything can attain happiness. As long as you keep holding on to your processions, the entire world would be after you. But when you give up everything, you are the freest person.
Guru 19: Child – Avadhoota observed a small innocent child. It was neither ashamed of its being naked nor was it afraid of anyone. It had no worries about maintaining a family, earning a livelihood and so on. It lived totally unconcerned and ever blissful. So, Avadhoota also decided to live totally detached and carefree like a child.
Guru 20: Maiden – There was a lone maiden in a house. She was not married. At last, for her luck, some suitors came to her house seeking her hand in marriage. She was all alone in the house. There was none who could prepare something to offer to her guests. So, this girl herself had to go in and prepare some food for her suitor.
So, she started pounding some grain. She was wearing bangles in her hands and when she was pounding, those bangles were colliding with each other and making lot of sound. That sound would definitely reach the guests sitting outside and they will come to know that she was all alone and did not even have any servants to handle such menial jobs. She felt embarrassed by that thought.
She removed most bangles from her hands leaving back just a pair of them. But even this pair made tinkling sound when they clashed with each other. Finally, the maiden removed even those two and stated working bare handed. Only then, the sound stopped and she could work without being conscious of the sound.
By looking at this, Avadhoota learnt that keeping company with people is always a call for trouble. If there are too many people around, there would be quarrels. Even if there are just two, they may argue with each other. So, living alone is the most peaceful choice. So Avadhoota started leaving aloof from the world. He enjoyed total peace.
Guru 21: Blacksmith – Avadhoota observed how a blacksmith works. The blacksmith heats the metal till it is red hot and strikes it to the desired shape. He focuses all his mind on what he is doing. If he is a bit careless or his mind wanders anywhere, he is in for trouble. He may burn his hands touching the red-hot metal. Or he could crush his fingers when he strikes the metal. His concentration should be such that even if the King’s procession passes in front of his workshop, he would take no notice of it. He should remain so engrossed in his work.
Avadhoota leant that he has to fully concentrate his mind and meditate if he wants to make any spiritual progress. If he gets a little distracted, he will fall from his aim and get tormented by the sense inputs that take him away.
Guru 22: Serpent – A serpent never bothers to build a house. It goes and occupies the house built by termites. Even there, it does not reside forever. It moves from place to place all alone without caring to make a permanent residence. In the same way Avadhoota resolves to live all alone in caves and other natural shelters totally detached – detached to his home as well as to the world at large.
Guru 23: Spider – Avadhoota observes a spider. The spider oozes out some liquid from its own body. It uses its own legs to convert that liquid into threads. And finally weaves a web using those threads. The spider is the one that created the web. The web came out from its own body and finally, the spider even swallows the web when it wants to dismantle it.
In the same way, Avadhoota infers that this world has come from God, who not only created it from within himself, maintains it, and finally dismantles it whenever he wants.
Guru 24: Wasp - Avadhoota observes a wasp. It brings a small worm from somewhere. It deposits that worm inside a small cavity it has constructed using mud. It closes the cavity and keeps hovering around it making humming sound.
After a few days, Lo! The cavity opens and out comes a fully grown wasp! It is as if the continuous humming has transformed a worm into a wasp! So, Avadhoota understands that if he goes on meditating on God with a single pointed mind, one day he would become like the God himself.
Those were Avadhoota’s 24 Gurus from whom he learnt whatever he learnt.
The conclusion of this Avadhoota story is quite obvious - It is not a must that one needs a Guru for leading him forward. If one is alert and observant, he can learn his step forward by observing the beings around him. As Krishna puts it ‘one is his own Guru, if only he pays attention’.
Let us continue in the next episode.
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