Hari Om
Shri Gurubyoh Namah!
Once upon a time, a young boy was keen to get admitted into a Gurukula to learn all the four Vedas.
The boy was so excited to join the Gurukula which was run by a very renowned master who was an expert in all Shastras.
One day, He went to the Acharya and thus said – “My dear master, I would like to learn the shastras and Vedas from you”.
The Guru immediately replied “Oh my child, it is not a one or two year business to master vedas. It is full twelve years course. Are you ready to spend 12 years to learn Vedas”?
The boy was highly motivated and passionate so he immediately joined the Gurukula for the course. For Vedic education, in olden times, students go into a Gurukulam and learn the Vedas for twelve years.
So this boy signed up for the entire course with the master and also learned the Vedas for twelve years.
Like in any academic / educational system, at the end of this course, there is a final examination to certify that the student has passed all the courses and qualified for the graduation.
The final leg of the course for the boy to graduate was completed. This boy also chose the date of examination with his master for graduation.
On that day of final examination, when the student approached his master for graduation, his master surprised him by saying that he was very busy and that he would not be able to conduct the exam for him at that time.
General procedure during such examination was that the master would ask his disciples to recite certain chapters / portions of the Vedas and they are graded appropriately based on their presentation and performance.
The Master asked the boy to go to the backyard of Ashram and stand next to a particular tree. He asked him to recite a certain verses of the Vedas [Anuvaka].
The tree upon completion of recitation by student will shed some leaves. The master would ask the boy to count the number of leaves as they signify the number of mistakes committed during the recital.
This test was new for the boy and he was eager to take this surprise challenge.
The boy was aware of the practice of invoking Lord Ganeshji before reciting the Anuvaka.
When he invoked Ganeshj, to his shock, all the leaves from the tree had fallen down.This little boy was bewildered by the incident.
He went straight to the master’s room and explained what happened.
The master who knew already what had happened, told the boy that before invoking Lord Ganesha, Lord Narayana, Lord Shiva or any other deity, one need to do a Dhyana on his Guru.
You should always meditate on the most compassionate soul (the Guru) who has bestowed you with this great knowledge. The Guru is verily the compassionate personality, who is the none other than the Lord Himself.
What we learn from this story?
The Master (Guru) who bestows the superior knowledge of the Lord (and Self) is not a normal human being and he is the Lord himself, who is the first person to be invoked in our thoughts and prayers when we commence any event or work. By invoking the Guru first in our thoughts and prayers, we will be led to other positive thoughts and actions naturally by the Divine force in Guru, culminating in success and victory.
The following Vedic manta gives the same meaning:
Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru devo Maheshwara
Guru sakshat, param Brahma, tasmai shri guravay namah ||
Meaning : Realize that the Guru is Brahma Himself. He is Vishnu and He is also Shiva (Maheshwar). Guru is Parabrahma (Supreme God or the Absolute Truth). With this knowledge, I (salute) offer my obeisance to the Guru.
The moment one meditates on the Guru, that form of the Lord who has appeared on the earth to save us, he or she will be liberated.
We should always meditate on our own Guru and be thankful for all gifts of spiritual wisdom we have received from him.
On other side we should not speak publicly about him and reveal him to others who are not connected spiritually.
A man who has great wealth and gems does not portray or exhibit them to the world and would hide them secretly. Similarly relationship with our Guru and our spiritual realizations should be guarded as secret deeply in our heart and not exposed to the world.
Guru’s Grace and His Blessings can rewrite, for a disciple, what is prewritten.
GF’ Blessings…..🙏😊✋️