Once upon a time, a young boy called Svetaketu was sent by his father to a gurukul, to a family of an enlightened master, to learn. He learnt everything that could be learnt. He memorised all the vedas and science known in those days. He became proficient in them and became a great scholar. His fame began to spread. When there was nothing else to be taught, the master said to him, “You now know all that can be taught. Now you can go back.” So Svetaketu returned home to his father, with great pride and ego. When he was entering the village, his father Uddalak looked out of the window at his son returning from university. He saw the way he was walking — proudly, the way he was holding his head — in an egoistic manner, the way he was looking all around — self-conscious that he knew lot more than others. The father became sad and depressed, because this was not the way of one who really knew. This was not the way of one who had come to know the supreme knowledge. The son entered the house thinking that his father would be very happy that he had become one of the best scholars of the country and that he was known everywhere, respected everywhere. But he saw that the father was sad. So he asked, “Why are you sad?” The father replied, “I want to ask you only one question. Have you learnt that by learning which, there is no need to learn anything, anymore? Do you know that by knowing which all suffering ceases? Have you been taught that which cannot be taught?” The boy also became sad. He said, “No. Whatsoever I know has been taught to me, and I can teach it to anybody who is ready to learn.” The father said: “Then go back and ask your master to teach you that which cannot be taught.”...............To Be Continued
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 04:14:26 +0000
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