Gurudakshina

1/29/09

Here is an interesting story from Mahabharatha, also this is a very meaningful story.

 

Dronaachaaryar is the Guru of both Kauravaas and Pandavaas. After their Gurukula Vidhyabhyaasam or school education, they were all ready to walk into real life. In those days teachers never asked for anything in return for teaching children. They considered it as a previlege and a blessed opportunity to pass on divine knowledge to the next generation. Dronaachaaryar also was not different from that. When they were about to leave the ashramam both Yudhishtira and Duryodhana came to take leave and they respectfully asked Dronaachaaryar to suggest something he really wanted as Gurudakshina from them.

 

Dronaachaaryar thought for a while and called Yudhishtiran first and told him: 

"Dear Prince Yudhishtira, as Gurudakshina, I would like you to do something for me. In this village thousands and thousands of peoeple are living. Can you go and search for a man who is really bad or wicked or vicious in nature and character? When you find somebody, please bring him here with you."

 

Respectfully, Yudhishtira left the asharamam in search of the "bad guy". He travelled from house to house and he could not find anybody who was bad. Everybody was nice, showed warmth and all were good natured. He tried his best to find one who was really bad and he came back to Guru disappointed. He told Dronaachaaryar apologetically that he could not find anybody bad in the whole village. Dronaachaaryar told Youdhshtira: 

"Dear prince, I am extremely happy that you did not find anybody bad. Only if you have bad qualities in yourself, you will see those in others. Since you could not find anybody bad, it reflects your own good nature. I am very proud to be your Guru. May God bless you!" 

All the Pandavaas were listeneing to this and remember, Kauravaas were busy anticipating about what Guru would ask Duryodhana and how easy it would be for him to find a bad guy. They did not hear Guru's comments.

 

Next Dronaachaaryar called Duryodhana and told him almost the same thing except that one instruction was different. He asked Duryodhana to find a man of good nature and character in the village. Duryodhana left the ashramam in search of the "good guy". Everybody was rude, noisy and their manners were unacceptable to him. He tried his best to find a really good guy, but was not succeful. So he came back disappointed and told Guru about his inability to find a really good person and apologized for the same. Dronaachaaryar was not surprised and he said:

 "Dear Prince Duryodhana, only if you have good qualities in you, you will be able to see the goodness in others. This inability to find a good person in the whole village reflects your own mind filled with thamogunas or negative qualities . At least from now on, please try to purify your mind by prayers, good thoughts and actions. May God bless you!"

 

All the Pnadavaas witnessed and heard what Guru told Yudhishtira and all Kauravaas witnessed the test given by their Guru to Duryodhana. They all tried to think and undestand the significance. Of course, all the Paandavaas under the leadership of Yudhishtira remained satwic and righteous, where as all the Kauravas under the leadership of Duryodhana stayed away from Krishna, Dharma and remained thaamasic and adhaarmic. And in the end, what happened? 

 

Sanjaya says:

 

Yatra Yogeshwarah Krishno, Yatra Partho Dhanurdhara:
Tatra Shreer Vijayo Bhooti:, Dhruvaa Neetir Matir Mama."

 

Where there is Yogeshwar Krishna and Dhanurdhar Arjuna, there exists prosperity, success and justice.

 

Sreekrishnaarpanamasthu.