Mahabharata - Ayota Dhaumya and Disciples

Ayota Dhaumya and his disciples

Aruni

 In ancient India it was a tradition that people would live their early years in the house of guru or the preceptor who would impart all kinds of knowledge to the disciple. The highest among all knowledge was the knowledge of God or Brahma Vidya. This knowledge was for free and only at the end of the tenure, which was generally twelve years, that the disciple was obliged to return some favours to the guru, called guru dakshina. During the twelve years period the disciples went through a stage called Brahmacharya, which also implied purity in thought, speech and action. The disciples had to perform many minial tasks in the house of guru, apart from the study and assmilation of knowledge. At the end of Brahmacharya period, after the education was complete, the disciple was free to lead a life of a householder or that of a recluse, depending on his inclination. Generally the sages became householders and led a life of poverty and contemplation.  

Sage Ayota Dhaumya had a disciple called Aruni. One day, Ayota Dhaumya asked Aruni to go to a certain field and stop the leakage of water from a water course. Aruni went there but not being able to find a way to stop the breach, he lay himself down there, thus preventing the water to rush out. In this manner to do his guru's bidding, he lay down for the entire day and in the evening when the guru, noting his absence, asked other disciples where Aruni was, he was reminded of the errand for which he had sent Aruni. The guru came to the field and called loudly for the disciple, "Aruni, where are you my boy?" Hearing the Guru's voice, the disciple came out of the breach and after telling him about his work, stood reverenetially with folded palms. Guru Ayota Dhaumya was very happy with his sishya's servitude and blessed him saying that henceforth he would shine with the knowledge of all the four Vedas. Since Aruni came out from a breach (Aal in Sanskrit), he would also be known as Uddalaka.

Upamanyu

Ayota Dhaumya had another disciple called Upamanyu. Upamanyu was entrusted with the job of looking after cattles. After performing his job faithfully throughout the day, he returned in the evening and stood reverentially with folded palms. The guru asked his disciple, how did he support himself throughout the day? Upamanyu replied that he begged alms in the village and thus supported himself. The guru chided him, saying that a disciple should not eat the alms without offering a portion of it to the guru. Upamanyu therefore went his way and brought back all the alms that he got to his guru. His guru took the entire portion without leaving anything for him. Yet, in the evening when he returned,  Upamanyu stilllooked plump and well fed. His guru asked him the reason for being so. He replied, "Lord, after giving you all that I have begged, I go and beg a second time." 

Ayota Dhaumya rebuked him saying that it is indeed improper to beg a second time as that would diminish the share of others who live by begging. Begging a second time is covetousness. Thus chided by guru, the disciple went after looking cattles, but when he returned in the evening, he still looked well fed. The guru asked him on his means of sustainenance and he responded reverentially that he now feeds himself on the surplus milk of the cows. The guru said that it was improper for him to drink the milk of the cows without informing the guru who was the rightful owner. Therefore Upamanyu went back and reported in the evening that now he lived on the froth that came out from the calves while they drank the milk from the cow. The guru was still not happy and said that, "Since you drink the froth, the calves, out of compassion for you bring out those froths from their mouth in large measures. Therefore they must be suffering from pangs of hunger. You should not do that."

Now Upamanyu had no further means of sustaining himself. He suffered terribly from hunger. One day, being unable to restrain himself, he ate the leaves of Arka, a poisonous plant, and became blind. Unable to see where he was going he fell in a well. When after sunset Upamanyu did not return, Ayota Dhaumya and his other disciples went searching for him. In response to his guru's call, he responded that he had fallen in a pit. Ayota Dhaumya aksed him as to how he fell in that pit and he replied that being oppressed by pangs of hunger, he ate the leaves of arka plant, got blind and fell. The guru told him to sing benedictions in praise of the twin Aswins, the physicians among the devas. When he begang suinging the hymns from Rik Veda in the name of the Aswins, the twin appeared and handed him a piece of cake and asked him to eat the same. But Upamanyu declined, saying that he would have to first offer it to his guru. Seeing the devotion of Upamanyu to his guru, the Aswins were very pleased, and they restored him his eyesight and blessed him to have golden teeth and good fortune.

When Upamanyu came up, saluted reverentially his guru and told him all about it, Ayota Dhaumya was very pleased. He blessed his disciple to have good fortune and a complete mastery over Vedas and other scriptures.

Veda

Another disciple of Ayota Dhaumya was called Veda. His guru asked Veda to remain in his house and serve his preceptor. Veda served him without sincerely day and night, bearing hunger and cold and various other afflictions with which his guru tested him. The trial of Veda ended satisfactorily and Ayota Dhaumya gave him the highest knowledge. Veda went back to his house and led the life of a householder. In time he also had disciples. But he took a vow as to never try and test his disciples. He took utmost care of their needs and never gave them any hard work, having himself suffered much through the trials of his guru.