How will wife react when the husband tells her he is going to marry again? Reaction of most of traditional Gurus will be similar when a disciple tells he is going to surrender before another Guru! But Bhagawan Vasishta was not just another Guru! Guru is superior among humans; Guru Vasishta is most superior among all Gurus! He is the Himalaya of humanity; he is the real master.
को गुरु: ? Who is real Guru?
= अधिगततत्व:! One who has clearly understood the philosophy and its implications.
= शिष्यहिताय उद्यत: सततम्! One who is continuously striving for the wellbeing of the disciple.
(-AdiGuru Shankaracharya)
“I will surrender to Rushyashrunga to be blessed with offspring” when Dasharatha prayed, Sage Vasishta sent him to Rushyashrunga blessing him from the bottom of his heart. Because those two characteristics of real Guru where completely there in him:
अधिगततत्व: He knew both the philosophy and implication that the path to Dasharatha being blessed with offspring begins at the feet of Rushyashrunga; and…
शिष्यहिताय उद्यत: सततम् –he was continuously striving for the wellbeing of disciple Dasharatha.
He only wanted good to befall on Dasharatha and through him to the entire world. His wish was not tainted with selfishness ‘good things should happen only through me’! There is a lesson from Vasishta for those commoners who’s divine and charitable wish ‘Let there be good” becomes tainted as it is coupled with the selfish and ulterior motive, ‘let the good happen only through me’ – just like the milk that is present in the bosom of a street cur!
What a personality was he! “कामक्रोधावुभौ यस्य चरणौ संववाहतु:” – ‘greed and anger’ –two scissor-like vices owing to which every living being on earth is being cut are believed to be pressing his feet! Where is the question of jealousy, which is nothing but an offspring of the above to vices, coming even closer to him!?
That doesn’t mean Sage Vasishta was incompetent; there was nothing which he could not do! But if he did everything what is the role of others? If omnipotent Hanuman did every work for Rama what would Angada~Jambavanta do? What would the squirrel do? Just as trunk~flower~fruits have their own significance in a big tree though root is the most important part, destiny has made different persons for different tasks. It has to work the same way to maintain the system. When the Lord of the world descends on earth, maximum number of souls should be able to be blessed by doing their part of the service. When the ocean of nectar flows towards earth, countless souls waiting for that nectar for yugas too should get their part of the nectar.
Spirit of the Sage was to spare the chance of the sacred service which would pave the way for Rama’s birth to Rushyashrunga!
On the other side, there was absolutely no change in the outlook of Dasharatha towards his Guru. When his mouth uttered the words, “Shall I pray before Rushyashrunga to perform the sacrifice ritual necessary for being blessed with the offspring?” what his heart meant was “Shall I see you in Rushyashrunga?”!
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Translated blog of Sri Samsthana SriSri RaghaveshwaraBharati MahaSwamiji
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