THE TWENTY FOUR TEACHERS

 

        There is an old legend, relating a conversation between a youthful ascetic and the powerful king Yadhu.  Yadhu asked him, Oh Brahman! How have you come to gain this clear insight into things, while refraining from all activity, as a consequence of which you, with all your knowledge live like a child? Please clear my curiosity.

        Thus questioned by the wise Yadhu, the great young ascetic replied: O King, I have many teachers from whom I have learnt, using my intelligence; following their example, I am free from attachment.  Let me tell about them.  The earth (Prithivi), air (Vaayu), sky (Aakaasa), water, (Aapas), fire (Agni), the moon (Chandramaa), sun (Ravi), a certain dove (Kapotha), the python (Ajagara), the sea (Sindhu), the moth (Pathanga), the honey-bee (Madhukruth), the elephant (Gaja), the honey-fly (Madhuha), the antelope (Harina), the fish (Meena), the courtesan (Pingala), the osprey (Kurara), the child (Arbhaka), the maiden (Kumaaree), the artificer of arrows (Sharakruth), the serpent (Sarpa), the spider (Oorna-naabhi) and the wasp (Supesha-kruth)-these are the twenty four preceptors from whom I learnt many things.

        All creatures are subject to the will of providence; knowing this truth, one should not deviate from the right path; this rule of life, I learnt from the earth.  The Yogi, who has realised the self, is no longer attached to the three Gunaas of the body than the breeze to the pleasant smell that it carries.  His Aathman is no longer affected by the body and the like which are products of time, than the sky is by the clouds that are blown across it by the wind.  Pure and kind hearted by nature, and sweet-spoken, the safe is like water, being a sanctifying influence in the lives of men who purify themselves by seeing, touching or speaking of him.  Radiating a Yogic power enhanced by auterieties, possessing nothing, the man who has steadied his mind remains unsoiled like fire.

        All changes from the time of birth to death, happen only to the body and not to the soul, being brought about by time as in the case of the digits of the moon.  The Aathman is not manifold; but to men who lack insight it appears as many various; in these respects it is like the sun.  The family man who has not achieved inner peace and who delights in material pleasures, leads a miserable existence trying to support his family, like the dove who fell along with her mate in to the net in which her young chicks were caught by the hunter.

(From 10^th Skandhaa of Sreemadh Bhaagavatham).