Upakhyan (Anecdote)
Saint Ramanuja, due to physical weakness, had to take support of someone on his way to the river. Interestingly, while going to take bath he would put his hands over a Brahmin's (high caste person) shoulder and while returning from bath would hold on to a Shudra's (low caste person) shoulder. This used to surprise many people. They asked, "O saint, you become impure everyday by touching a Shudra, what is the point in taking bath then?"
Saint replied, "Dip in the river cleanses the dirt off my physical body. Pride and arrogance are the dirt of mind. This dirt of my mind gets cleaned when I touch a Shudra. I realize that I am not superior to anyone. Everyone else is superior to me, even a Shudra, as he is also a manifestation of the Almighty. I take support of a Shudra to fix these feelings within me."
One must make efforts to cleanse the body as well as the mind.
Hrudaysparshi Katha [Story, that touches our heart]
A Brahmin By Birth or Deeds?
This is an interesting story on caste division in the Vedic age. Maharshi Shalvin had two wives: Shlesha who was Brahmin by birth and Itara, who was a Shudra. Maharshi never discriminated between the two and both lived in perfect accord. Maharshi's home was a unique example of harmony between higher and lower castes.
It was a unique coincidence that both the women gave birth to two sons around the same time. Both the boys were very bright and pretty. None could find out who was the son of a Shudra and who of a Brahmin. There wasn't any need to since both were treated with the same love and affection by their parents.
But an unusual incident occurred when it was time for them to start their education. As they were entering the pious place for yagna for the first time, Maharshi lovingly asked Shlesha's son to sit down for rituals and harshly disallowed Itara's son to enter the place. The young boy was terribly hurt by this discrimination and insult. He ran to his mother with eyes filled with tears. He cried for a long time, but what could poor Itara do except console him. She was also hurt but could not say anything against her learned husband’s decision. Shlesha was very touched too. When she enquired of Maharshi, he explained his reason behind his action and Shlesha did not complain further.
Itara's son cried for a long time and the tears washed off all the pain from his heart. After a rush of emotions he attained composure, just like a gushing mountain stream slowly gets transformed into a mature and sedate river flowing through the plains. Tears purified him and he asked, "Tell me mother, how will I find my guru now?" Itara did not know what to say. She said, "Since your own father has refused to be your guru, you would have to make your own soul as your guru and this whole mother earth as altar. Start your worship with sincerity, my blessings are always with you."
The poor boy left his home. His intense study of the nature and his own self began to bear fruit. After several years of hardship he began to get transformed into a yogi. He acquired immense knowledge and soon Itara's son's fame began to expand like the phases of the moon. Maharshi's experiment was successful, his rejection had put the young boy through a very difficult test of hardship. The test had refined his personality and knowledge.
And then one day the boy returned home, glowing with brilliance and a manuscript in hand. Both the mothers were overjoyed, but their joy was nothing compared to that of Maharshi when he saw the manuscript: Aitereya Brahman. This scripture is regarded as one of the most perfect commentaries on the Vedas and it is said that without its study it is difficult to comprehend Vedas. The boy was none other than Aitereya.
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