The Teacher And The Student (Sookti Manjari)

[Guest guest]

from Sookti Manjari (Aug 2001)

 

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Those who are in teaching profession usually face two

types of problems. How to make the dull students

understand the subject – this is the first problem.

How to inculcate good behaviour in aggressive and

arrogant students – this is the second problem.

 

The first problem tests and increases the intellectual

capacity of the teacher while the second problem tests

his patience.

 

There are many teachers who do not give due importance

to the second problem. Even those who bother about

this problem display impatience and try to bring about

change by being strict. Some people argue that it is

not proper to be so strict and that one should earn

the confidence and love of children and then try to

bring about transformation in them. Some others opine

that such softness is not useful in all cases. They

also say that being strict may not work in certain

cases. Each child is different and therefore, the

methods should also be different to suit the mental

setup of the child – say some specialists.

If it is so difficult to bend the small children who

are like tender plants, how much more difficult it

will be to transform elders? How do we induce good

thinking in them? These are the questions faced by

spiritual teachers. The other name given to spiritual

teacher is Sadguru.

 

Usually it is the grown ups that approach the Sadguru

and ask Him to uplift them. When the Sadguru tries to

rectify their mistakes, they turn stubborn. They are

fully convinced that there are no defects in them.

With such a mental attitude, they engage themselves in

Guru Seva. The Gurus always find such disciples

problematic. A Sadguru has the responsibility of

removing each and every defect in His disciple. He has

to remove the ego and selfishness that are present in

His disciples. The following Sookti is intended for

such Sadgurus.

 

Mridutva naisvaarthya mukhaan sva shishye

Dhaatum gurustad vipareetameti

Stanandhaya vyaadhi nivaaranaaya

Maataa pibet tikta rasam svayam hi

 

In order to induce noble qualities such as tenderness

and selflessness in His disciples, a Sadguru will

sometimes take upon Himself qualities opposite to such

noble qualities (such as harshness and selfishness).

It is just like the breast-feeding mother who drinks

bitter concoctions to cure the baby’s disease.

 

There is some similarity between what the above Sookti

is saying and the opinion of the specialists who say

that the teachers should act keeping in mind the

mindset of the pupil. But there is a strong

disagreement also. The above Sookti says that the Guru

should display those qualities that are opposite to

what He intends to bring about in His disciple. This

is in sharp contrast to the opinion that it is

difficult to enforce upon the grown-ups noble thoughts

and that one should try to inculcate noble qualities

by first practicing it oneself.

 

Those belonging to the ‘inculcation’ school of thought

take the help of examples of great men such as Mahatma

Gandhi. On the other hand, those who uphold

‘enforcement’ reinforce their argument with the help

of examples of hardcore criminals who are beyond

repair. Among these two opinions which one does the

Sookti favour?

It does not favour either of them. In fact, it does

not even touch those problems. The Sookti is intended

for the Gurus of such disciples, who, despite being in

the spiritual path are not able to overcome their evil

qualities because of the tendencies of previous lives.

Once this becomes clear, one will not compare the

message of the Sookti with the above two schools of

thought.

 

Certain episodes that we come across in the Dattatreya

Purana help us to understand this better.

A pious person by name Vishnu Datta and his wife were

leading a life predominantly occupied by penance right

from their young age. Vishnu Datta was leading a pure

spiritual life. He never got entangled in mundane

life. He once got a desire to have the Darshan of Lord

Dattatreya. Vishnu Datta had a Guru, who had guided

him very well in the spiritual path. Vishnu Datta was

a very hard working disciple and had achieved much

progress in the spiritual journey. Now he got a desire

to have the Darshan of Lord Dattatreya. Even Lord

Dattatreya had the Samkalpa of giving him Darshan.

Where was the necessity for Lord Dattatreya to give

Darshan to Vishnu Datta, who had already become quite

old and had already achieved much spiritual progress?

It was because there were certain defects in Vishnu

Datta which his Guru was unable to remove. Now, Lord

Dattatreya had taken upon Himself the responsibility

of eradicating those defects. Therefore He wanted to

give Darshan to Vishnu Datta.

 

Vishnu Datta was an aged person. He had practiced

Tapas for many years. How can there be any defect left

in him? Yes. Even such persons have defects. Such

defects remain unknown to the person who possesses

them. It is only Lord Dattatreya who can remove such

defects.

 

Dattatreya first appeared to Vishnu Datta in a meat

shop. That too in the form of an alcoholic. Although

Vishnu Datta could make out that it was none other

than Lord Dattatreya, he didn’t go near Him. On the

second occasion, Lord Dattatreya appeared like a wild

person wandering in graveyards. This time also, Vishnu

Datta did not go near Him.

 

After these two episodes, introspective churning began

in Vishnu Datta’s mind. Why is Lord Datta appearing in

such forms?- he asked himself. After much churning,

Amrita came out. What Amrita? The nectar of thought.

What thought? “I am hating bad things. It is not good

to have hatred. I must always be in the right path;

still I should not hate bad behaviour. In spite of

knowing this, I am hating it. Lord Dattatreya is

appearing in those forms only to serve as a mirror and

show me my defects.” This was the line of thinking of

Vishnu Datta.

 

Once this nectar-like thought was born in Vishnu

Datta’s mind, there was no defect left in him anymore.

After reconfirming this once again, Lord Dattatreya

gave Darshan to Vishnu Datta in His real form.

 

There is another episode in Datta Purana, when Lord

Dattatreya appears to Indra in the form of a drunken

person engaged in lustful play with women. Although

Indra misunderstood Dattatreya in the beginning, he

sought the advice of elderly sages and soon corrected

himself. “Sadguru Datta! Because I have become a slave

of my senses, you gave me Darshan in that form in

order to point out my defect” Indra told himself.

Because of such thinking, Indra got protection.

 

When Lord Dattatreya appeared to Jambhasura and other

demons in the same form, they believed that whatever

they were seeing was real and tried to kidnap the girl

next to Lord Dattatreya. When Lord Dattatreya realized

that the desired transformation had not occurred in

the minds of the demons, He decided that they were

unfit to live. In no time, they were defeated by

Devatas.

 

These episodes make one thing very clear. Lord

Dattatreya did not show the same form to all. He

showed such forms which mirrored the defects of those

who came to have His Darshan. In other words, He acted

as a mirror. The above Sookti is advocating the same

technique.

 

In order to point out that a Guru behaves as a mirror,

the phrase “Gurustad vipareetameti” has been used.

Vipareeta in Sanskrit means inverted. When does an

object appear inverted? When it is kept in front of a

mirror. When the Guru takes the role of a mirror, the

phenomenon of lateral inversion takes place and the

defects of the disciple reflect in the Sadguru. At the

same time, the noble qualities of the Sadguru get

transmitted to the disciple. This phenomenon is

indicated by the term ‘Viparyayam’ in the above

Sookti. This word indicates not only the method

adopted, but also the fruit it bears.

 

A very good explanation indeed. But is it proper for

the Guru to use such foolhardy methods just for the

sake of the disciples? Should they do it? – some may

ask. The above Sookti justifies it with the help of

the example of the mother who drinks bitter medicine

for the sake of her child. It does not mean that

making the mother drink bitter medicine can cure every

disease of the child. However, in certain cases it may

be a good method. In such cases, the mother does not

say “this medicine is very bitter, I cant drink it”

and avoid drinking it. Similarly, when all the paths

are closed and when the Guru realizes ‘this is the

only path left’, he will assume the form of a mirror

and will not (and should not) hesitate to reflect in

Himself the ugly defects of His disciple. With the

help of the example of mirror, the Sookti helps the

disciples to understand the occasional ‘odd’ behaviour

of the Sadguru. It will also prevent the disciples

from suffering the same fate as Jambhasura.

Jambhasura is different in that he did not accept

Dattatreya as his Guru. There are examples of those

who, despite accepting Dattatreya as Sadguru and

obtaining much help from Him, committed the mistake of

misunderstanding Him. The episode of Dharma Keerti (in

Datta Darshana) is an example for this. By

understanding the message of the above Sookti, one can

avert such a mistake.

 

May Lord Dattatreya shower His blessings on you so

that you may succeed in understanding your Sadguru in

the right perspective. May you not push your Sadguru

to a circumstance when He is forced to drink bitter

medicine for your sake!

 

Jaya Guru Datta.

 

Jaya Guru Datta.

 

Sri Swamiji

 

 

 

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Gurorangripadme ManaScenna Lagnam tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim! tata: kim!?

Sarva Kartha, Sarva Dhartha, Sarva Hartha, Mangalam!

Satchidananda, Satchidananda, Satchidananda Mangalam!

Tasmai Sri Guru-murthaye Nama Idam Sri Dakshinamurtaye!

 

Ata Nityo Narayanaha, Brahma Narayanaha, Sivascha Narayanaha, Kalascha

Narayanaha. Disascha Narayanaha, Vidisascha Narayanaha, Urdwamscha Narayanaha,

Adhascha Narayanaha, Antar-bahischa-Narayana.Narayana Eh Vedam Sarvam, Yat

BhootamYacchha Bhavyam.Nish-kalango Niranjano Nirvikalpo Nirakyadhas,suddhho

Deva Eko Narayanaha, Na dwiteeyosthi kaschit,ya evam Vedas Vishnu reva Bhavati,

Sa Vishnureva Bhavathi, Etat yajur veda sirodeeyathe.

 

~*Om * Ayim * Hreem * Sreem * Siva * Rama * Anagha * Dattaya * Namaha*~