BANGALORE: For this, let me narrate an incident that happened to the great Sage Vyasa’s son -- Shuka.
Shuka was an accomplished yogi who had marvelous powers and great knowledge. He had become Urdhvareta. His seminal fluid moved only upwards. He was known for practicing celibacy. Though he had acquired vast learning, Shuka was without peace. Vyasa knew this and that King Janaka was destined to solve his problems.
One day, father said, “O my dear son Shuka, King Janaka, the sovereign of this land, is an extraordinary enlightened being. Though he lives in the body, he is in the state beyond the body. Go and study with him, and he will enable you to be centered in your inner self.”
Shuka went to King Janaka. He discovered to his horror that the man with whom he was supposed to study was sitting on a golden throne, wearing a crown.
Shuka was a great Avadhut, a great ascetic; he had achieved the heights of renunciation and wore only a loin cloth.
He thought, “This king is nothing but a sensualist. What can he teach me ?” and he returned to his father. Vyasa asked him, “Did you see king Janaka?” “Yes”, Shuka replied, “But I don’t think he can help me. A Guru should be as luminous as the sun but without its heat, a Guru should be as cool as the moon, but without its stains.”
“You saw him with prejudiced eyes,” Vyasa said. “Janaka is the greatest sage alive today. There is no one greater and he is exactly the Guru you have described. Try again, and be a little more sensible this time”.
Shuka went back to Janaka’s court. Again he was shocked by the royal splendor and returned to his father.
“Did you receive anything?” Vyasa asked. Shuka replied, “What on earth could I receive there?”
“You should go back and give it another try.” said Vyasa.
Again Shuka went to Janaka’s court and again he returned. Each time Shuka returned his father would send him back to the king, saying, “You can get peace only from him.”
Finally as Shuka was returning for the ninth time, he encountered an old ascetic who asked him, “How many visits have you made to the king?”
“Nine,” said Shuka.
“Did you see the king as he was or did you see him according to your own mind’s projection? Shuka Muni, know that the truth is beyond both enjoyment and renunciation. Only a few people know that truth. One who doubts or criticises such an enlightened being loses all the merit he might have earned as a result of his past good deeds. Since you have already found fault with Janaka nine times, you have already lost most of your merits. Don’t be stupid any longer. You can receive knowledge of the truth only from him.”
With that, the old ascetic disappeared. The moment Shuka heard these words, he became aware of his stupidity. “Janaka is a pure being, and because of my ignorance I have projected my own stupidity on him,” he thought.
He was so shocked that he collapsed. After he regained his consciousness he went back to the king.
King Janaka instructed his guards not to let him into the palace. “Let him stand outside for three days.” Shuka stood like a log outside the palace for three days. Then, Janaka said, “Now keep him in the inner palace where my queens live.” He instructed the queens to take good care of him. Shuka’s name had become proverbial for celibacy. During these three days, the queens tried to initiate him in their own way, some bathed him, some rubbed sandal paste on his body, but he was not affected at all.
Finally the king sent for him. When Shuka entered the King’s court, he was amazed by what he saw. The king was seated on the throne and his beautiful maid servants were applying sandalwood paste and perfumes on his one leg and massaging it and his other leg was lying in the midst of blazing fire.
Now he realised that the king was neither a sensualist nor a renunciate. He prostrated before Janaka and said, “Please show me the way to peace.”
It is traditional for a great Guru to ask a disciple for an initiation fee called dakshina. He might ask for anything. So, Janaka asked, “What dakshina will you give me?”
Shuka had astonishing siddhis and his father was so great that even God would bow to him. So, he said, “Ask for anything. I’ll give you whatever you want.”
“In that case,” said the king, “Bring me something that is of no use to anyone on earth.”
“That won’t be difficult at all. I can get you any number of things.” said Shuka.
Shuka went out in search of something absolutely useless. By the power of his yoga he could travel anywhere and everywhere. But no matter where he went and what object he laid his hands on, he found that it had some or the other use. When Shuka felt he could not find anything, he felt very humiliated. Dejected and exhausted from his long search, he started back to Janaka’s court.
On his way, he stopped under a tree to rest. When he opened his eyes, he saw excreta lying on the ground next to him. He looked at it carefully holding his nostrils. “This is the perfect object.
Instead of going back to my Guru empty handed, I will take him this. It surely won’t be of any use to anybody.
As he proceeded towards picking it up, the excreta said, “Don’t touch me. You are a waste!” Shuka felt as though he had melted into water. His incurable pride about his knowledge, his learning, the power of celibacy and his perfect self control vanished into thin air. He was left completely humble.
So, Shuka addressed the excreta politely, he said,
“My brother, will you kindly explain to me why you have honoured me so highly by calling me a waste?”
“Do you know who I am?” questioned the excreta.
“No I am afraid I don’t,” said Shuka.
Excreta replied, “Before I was picked up by a human being like you, I was a sweet, a fruit and a delicacy. I was showcased in the most popular sweet shop with honour. But, as a result of passing through the human body, this is what has happened to me. You have already reduced me to such a terrible condition. You better not touch me”.
Shuka thought, “What is there about this body to be so proud of?”
He rushed to the king and said, “I have found the most useless object in the world.”
“What is that?” asked the king. “It is this. Shuka said and laid his body flat in front of his Guru.
“Now, you are worthy of my teaching” said King Janaka. He made Shuka sit close to him and said, “You have become perfect now because are aware that only consciousness is real and pride and obsession about the body are worthless.”
Janaka then initiated a mantra to Shuka and touched him and instantly Shuka was in total peace.
