[Advaita-l] 24 Gurus of Bhagavan Dattatreya - III

[Nithin Sridhar]

Oh Ok :)


On Sat, Dec 21, 2013 at 3:03 PM, Sujal Upadhyay <sujal.u at gmail.com> wrote:

> Nithin ji,
>
> I am Gujarati, but I am born and brought up in Mumbai :)
>
> I have never visited Girnar
>
> OM
>
> Sujal Upadhyay
>
> "To disconnect from the self and to become Aware of anything else is
> nothing but unhappiness" - Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi
>
> He who has faith has all
> He who lacks faith, lacks all
> It is the faith int he name of lord that works wonders
> FAITH IS LIFE, DOUBT IS DEATH - Sri Ramakrishna
>
>
> On Sat, Dec 21, 2013 at 2:41 PM, Nithin Sridhar <sridhar.nithin at gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Sujal ji,
> >
> > You stay in Gujarat right?. Have you visited Girnar? Girnar is eternal
> > abode of Dattatreya. Even today there are many Sadhaks, Aghoris etc
> living
> > there doing Sadhana.
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Dec 21, 2013 at 1:53 PM, Sujal Upadhyay <sujal.u at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > Srimad bhAgavatam (BhAgavat PurANa) chapter 11, beginning of Uddhava
> > Gita.
> > >
> > > I have heard it is also present in Eknathi bhAgavat, as a monk from
> > > chinmaya mission has written a commentary and translation from Eknathi
> > > bhagavat which is originally written in Marathi.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > OM
> > >
> > > Sujal Upadhyay
> > >
> > > "To disconnect from the self and to become Aware of anything else is
> > > nothing but unhappiness" - Bhagawan Ramana Maharshi
> > >
> > > He who has faith has all
> > > He who lacks faith, lacks all
> > > It is the faith int he name of lord that works wonders
> > > FAITH IS LIFE, DOUBT IS DEATH - Sri Ramakrishna
> > >
> > >
> > > On Sat, Dec 21, 2013 at 1:51 PM, Nithin Sridhar <
> > sridhar.nithin at gmail.com
> > > >wrote:
> > >
> > > > Please also provide the chapter in which it occurs so that I may
> pursue
> > > > study in it.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Sat, Dec 21, 2013 at 1:18 PM, Jaldhar H. Vyas <
> > jaldhar at braincells.com
> > > > >wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > 17.  Pingala the veshya
> > > > >
> > > > > In Videha there lived a veshya (prostitute) named Pingala.  Each
> > night
> > > > she
> > > > > would dress in her finest most alluring clothes and ornaments and
> > stand
> > > > in
> > > > > the doorway of her home enticing passing men to come and spend the
> > > night
> > > > > with her for money and pleasure.  One night many men passed by on
> the
> > > > > street and she watched them thinking "oh this one is rich" and "oh
> > that
> > > > one
> > > > > is handsome" but nobody came to her.  As the hours wore on she
> became
> > > > more
> > > > > and more depressed and anxious.  Eventually she gave up waiting
> for a
> > > > lover
> > > > > altogether.  And then she had an epiphany.  She realized she did
> not
> > > need
> > > > > the attention of others for happiness and sadness occur within.
>  From
> > > > then
> > > > > on she decided to live a disciplined and moral life.  And that is
> the
> > > > > lesson Dattatreya learned from her.
> > > > >
> > > > > 18. a vulture
> > > > >
> > > > > A small vulture found some carrion and rushed away with it,
> > constantly
> > > in
> > > > > fear that it would be taken away.  Sure enough, a group of larger
> > > > vultures
> > > > > who had no meat of their own came and stole it away from him.
> > > > Unexpectedly
> > > > > the vulture felt relief that he no longer had to worry about
> > protecting
> > > > the
> > > > > carrion.  From this He learned that posessions only make one
> fearful
> > of
> > > > > their loss and it is better to renounce them all.
> > > > >
> > > > > 19. a baby
> > > > >
> > > > > A baby has no sense of respect or offense. It may laugh or cry or
> > sleep
> > > > or
> > > > > wake but these are all fleeting states which are forgotten as they
> > > pass.
> > > > > From this He learned that emotions are transient and, like a baby,
> a
> > > yogi
> > > > > should just let them pass over him and be forgotten.
> > > > >
> > > > > 20. a young woman
> > > > >
> > > > > A girl was of marriagable age and the parents of a suitor were to
> > come
> > > > and
> > > > > visit her.  But they arrived unexpectedly when the girls own
> parents
> > > were
> > > > > away.  So she welcomed them herself and quickly went into the
> kitchen
> > > to
> > > > > prepare something for them to eat.  As she was grinding the flour,
> > the
> > > > many
> > > > > bangles on her wrists began clashing.  The girl stopped, thinking
> "By
> > > > > hearing this sound, the guests will know I am preparing food
> myself"
> > > [and
> > > > > therefore that the family is poor.]  So she removed all but two of
> > the
> > > > > bangles and began grinding flour again.  Still their sound could be
> > > > heard.
> > > > > So she took one more off and was able to complete her task in
> quiet.
> > > >  From
> > > > > her He learned that wherever there are lots of people there will be
> > > > > unnecessary talk and gossip.  Even with only two there will be the
> > > same.
> > > > It
> > > > > is better to be by oneself and take a vow of silence.
> > > > >
> > > > > 21. an arrowmaker
> > > > >
> > > > > A certain arrowmaker supplied his weapons for the army of a king.
>  He
> > > > > prided himself on his work and once was so engrossed in it that
> when
> > > the
> > > > > king came by he failed to see him let alone salute him.  From him
> He
> > > > > learned that a yogi should meditate with complete one-pointed focus
> > > like
> > > > > the tip of an arrow.  Only such dhyana leads to the supreme goal.
> > > > >
> > > > > 22. a snake
> > > > >
> > > > > A snake lives a solitary life, it does not remain in one place, it
> is
> > > > > silent in movement, it does not build any kind of residence but
> finds
> > > > > shelter in whatever cave or hole etc. is available.  From it, He
> > > learned
> > > > > the code of conduct of a muni.  To live alone, wander from place to
> > > > place,
> > > > > not to engage with other people but pass silently, and to find
> > shelter
> > > in
> > > > > any place.
> > > > >
> > > > > 23. a spider
> > > > >
> > > > > A spider secretes raw material from its body and then swallows it
> > again
> > > > to
> > > > > create silk threads which it uses to create elaborate webs.  From
> it
> > He
> > > > > learned that Brahman expands the material universe from itself and
> as
> > > > > Ishvara creates, maintains, and destroys it from His own maya.
> > > > >
> > > > > 24. an insect
> > > > >
> > > > > There are some species of wasp that can actually trap small insects
> > > such
> > > > > as aphids and use them as sort of farm animals or even a place to
> lay
> > > > their
> > > > > eggs.  One such insect was trapped in this manner and out of fear
> > began
> > > > > serving the wasp gradually identifying more and more with it until
> > > > > eventually it began to think it was a wasp!  From it He learned
> that
> > > > > feelings such as fear or love or lust for power can alter our
> > > > self-identity
> > > > > but knowledge of the true nature of the self only shines when such
> > > > feelings
> > > > > are given up.
> > > > >
> > > > > Thus Bhagavan Dattatreya, the yogeshwar and avadhuta related his 24
> > > > gurus.
> > > > >
> > > > > Then he added that there is a 25th.
> > > > >
> > > > > 25.  The atma.
> > > > >
> > > > > Dattatreya said that all these gurus who bestowed their knowledge
> > upon
> > > me
> > > > > were not external, but only aspects of my own self so it this self,
> > > this
> > > > > atman which is not different than brahman, immortal and pervading
> all
> > > > which
> > > > > is the true form of the guru.
> > > > >
> > > > > At that King Yadu fell at his feet.  Accepting the kings
> salutations,
> > > > > Dattatreya blessed him and continued his wanderings.
> > > > >
> > > > > Note on the translation:
> > > > >
> > > > > While I have presented it in third person form "He learned" in the
> > > > > Bhagavata itself the narrative is in the first person so read "I
> > > learned"
> > > > > instead.  So needless to say this is not a literal translation.
> >  Also I
> > > > > left out many details so please read it for yourself in the
> original
> > if
> > > > you
> > > > > can.
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
> > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > > > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > > >
> > > > > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > > > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > > >
> > > > > For assistance, contact:
> > > > > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > > >
> > > > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > > >
> > > > For assistance, contact:
> > > > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> > >
> > > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> > >
> > > For assistance, contact:
> > > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> > >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> > http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
> >
> > To unsubscribe or change your options:
> > http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
> >
> > For assistance, contact:
> > listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Archives: http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/archives/advaita-l/
> http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.culture.religion.advaita
>
> To unsubscribe or change your options:
> http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/advaita-l
>
> For assistance, contact:
> listmaster at advaita-vedanta.org
>