Udanga

It is said that everything in this world will happen in its own sweet time and in a predetermined manner. (Evolutionists: dont argue at this spot) Whatever is happening is for the good and happy is he who realises it.

This morning for no reason at all I was reminded of Udanga Maharishi and his devotion to the Lord. This character is one that is publicly trounced for all his devotion.

Udanga as a young sage was the disciple of Sage Vishwamitra. Now, who hasn't heard of the legendary anger of him? As soon as Udanga completed his education, Vishwamitra extremely pleased with him told him that he did not have to pay Guru Dakshina. But Udanga argued and counter argued to a point that the sage completely went berserk and asked him to bring 48 horses of a given Sabhurikha lakshana.

Now these horses are extremely rare and were owned by a king who lived eons away. And also there were only 48 horses in the entire world. The king also had 48 beautiful daughters of a lakshana found nowhere else.

Udanga was dismayed and pleaded with Vishwamitra. But now, the sage would hear nothing of it. Udanga set out and reached the king after a long and wearying journey.

The king refuses to part with even one of his horses. But as Udanga pleads, begs and points the wrath of Vishwamitra if he returns without the horses, he finally yields.

But as fate would have it, Udanga gets caught in a storm near a river on his way back with the 48 horses. Three of them go wild and jump into the river to be swallowed forever. The storm stops and Udanga is disconsolate. He rushes back to the king and begs with him.

But now there is nothing that even he can do. So he offers 3 of his daughters in place of the horses. Shaking with fear and trembling as a leaf, Udanga reaches Vishwamitra. He narrates the issue and seeks forgiveness. But to his surprise and mortification, the sage bursts out laughing.

He says,"Udanga, If you had any real brains, you would have got the 48 daughters of the king than the horses."

Udanga leaves the ashram ashamed and chastised.

So what do we have here? Is it that Vishwamitra is a womanizer? Or is the lesson that Udanga learnt was that women are better than horses?

Not at all. The lesson is that blind obediance to the Guru is required. He definitely knows what is going to come. If Udanga had only listened to his guru instead of thinking himself to be capable of much more than what the Guru could ask, he would not have been subject to such discomforts and humiliation.

Either he must have got all the 48 horses or the 48 daughters. Now he has got an incomplete number of both. The application of the knowledge imparted is not present. It is not to be assumed here that Vishwamitra prefers the 48 daughters. He is a sage who has won the senses.

So Udanga is left to no doubt about the incompleteness of his knowledge: application to practical issues and the inferiority to his guru.

He sets out to seek the permanence that exists beyond all and the knowledge that he craves for.

We shall see more of Udanga in the coming days