Sri Sadguru Mahime

Author: Charana Dasa

Translator: Shri.Ganesh Prasad

Chapter 62 : Wife reborn as a dog; Sanyasa

One day a person probably a native of a village near Shivamogga who had returned back after working a long time in the Gulf came to Gurunatha’s house. He came in a car, brought lots of fruits and flowers and was wearing “kavi”( saffron clothing (ochre)used by hermits in Hinduism). Pointing to his attire Gurunatha asked him “Why like this?”. He replied, “Sir, my wife has passed away, I have nothing more left in this world, I have become a sanyasi”.

On hearing this Gurunatha asked him one more question, “How did you come here?”.

He replied, “I came by my car”.

Then Gurunatha said, “For someone going to become a sanyasi why this attachment to a car? Why wear saffron clothing? Why have you kept your wife’s sarees locked up in a cupboard? The person was silent. Gurunatha continued.. “Sanyasa is not something that comes as emotion resulting from an incident or happening. Those feelings can never be called Sanyasa. Your wife is reborn as a dog and she is at a house near Chickmagalur(giving the exact location details). You go there and call her as Sita, she will come to you. The dog has only one eye. You shall take the dog along with you and take good care of her.

That person when he visited the house as described by Gurunatha, found the dog exactly as described to him. On calling “Sita” it came to him and he took it with him promising to give it a good care.

In a similar context, Gurunatha explained what Sanyasa is in very simple words.

“Take a bowl of water, add few drops of oil into it. It appears as though the oil has blended with the water but at the same time it can be separated very easily, is it not? Similarly, Being in this life while not being attached to any of the happenings in it.. is real Sanyasa”.

A devotee from a village near Chanaraya Pattana was staying near Chickmagalur as he wanted to stay away from other family members due to a family dispute. He was in Gurunatha’s house the day before Shankara jayanthi, Gurunatha called him and said, “Tomorrow is an auspicious day, you should perform your son’s Upanayana”(Ritual in which the father gives a sacred thread and initiates son by giving a chanting). He was a bit taken aback by this sudden instruction, but knowing that Guru’s words are of foremost importance than anything, caught a bus in the night, reached Chickmagalur and performed the Upanayana rituals.

Few months prior to this he had come along with his family to seek Gurunatha’s blessings. Guru had given them a puppy, telling them one day it would save a life. Gurunatha visited them after the upanayanam, instead of going inside their house, he stood outside and took what they offered. Few days afterwards the puppy was tied at the same place where Gurunatha stood. The boy had climbed up about 18 feet on the roof of the house to do work. Suddenly, he lost balance and fell on the puppy. Thanks to Guru’s kindness boy sustained minor injuries; was hospitalized but made a full recovery. Today probably he is studying in college. The puppy given by Gurunatha had saved the boy’s life though it did not survive to see him again.

Gurunatha used to tell us one proverb in Kannada that roughly translates to..

“If you believe in Guru, you might see Shiva (Lord Eashwara), if you do not, you shall become a Shava(dead body)”.

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