FIRST STORY OF GURU PURNIMA
Long time ago, there were four elderly men who were seeking answers. The first one was miserable and he wanted to know how to get out of his misery. The second one wanted more progress and success, and wanted to know how to get that. The third one wanted to know the meaning of life. And the fourth one had all the knowledge but still he lacked something, and he did not know what that was.
So these four people were wandering for answers and they all landed up in one place where there was a Banyan tree. Under the Banyan tree, a young man was seated with a big smile on his face, and suddenly all of them thought that this person could give us the answer and so all four of them sat there and they got their answers. The young man who was sitting under the Banyan tree with a smile did not say a word, yet all of them got what they wanted.
- Misery was gone
- Abundance and happiness arrived
- The seeking stopped
- That fourth man had everything, he had all the knowledge but he did not have a Guru to connect to. So the inner connection to the Guru happened.
Symbolism of the story
In the story, the teacher is young because the spirit is always young, whereas the students are old. Seeking makes you old. Seeking for the world, or for liberation, or for anything, makes you old. So the disciples were old, and the Master was young.
Similarly today we can relate to the purpose of our life as our Guru..The day we connect with our purpose, all the miseries and unhappiness will be replaced with abundance of joy and happiness. A solid purpose keeps you ever young , irrespective of age.
What is the symbolism of the Banyan tree? A Banyan tree grows on its own. It does not need anybody’s care or protection. If the seed of a Banyan tree gets inside the crack of a stone, where there is not much water, it will grow there also. All it needs is a little mud and very little water. And a Banyan tree gives oxygen 24 hours. So the Banyan tree which only gives, symbolizes the Guru Principle.
Similarly if your purpose is for the welfare of your family or society in general, you are living 24 hours to give joy and happiness…like a banyan tree.