The seeker of knowledge

SARA BUBBER shares a story from the Upanishads about knowledge, communication, truthfulness, and courage. She then gives us a few reflections and an activity to connect with Nature.

Satyakama

One day a young boy came to Sage Gautama, at the teacher’s Center of Learning, and said, “Revered sir, I desire to live under you as a student. Please accept me and teach me.” 
The sage asked, “Dear boy, where do you come from?”
The boy replied, “Sir, I do not know of where I am from, I have lived with my mother who told me she is Jabala and I am Satyakama. So, sir, I reveal myself to you as Satyakama Jabala.”
On hearing it, Sage Gautama smiled and said, “You are a courageous and brave boy, truly ready for learning. I shall initiate you as a student, for you have not deviated from truth.”

Thus, Satyakama Jabala became a student.

A few days later, Sage Gautama sorted out four hundred lean and weak cows and said to Satyakama, “Dear boy, take these cows to the forest, graze them, and bring them back when they multiply into a thousand.”
Satyakama bowed, and while driving the cows he said, “Sir, I shall not return till these cows multiply into a thousand.”

Satyakama lived in the forest and looked after the cows. Years went by and the number of cows increased to a thousand.

One evening, a bull came to Satyakama and spoke to him, “Dear boy! We are now a thousand in number. Let us go back to the Center of Learning.” The bull told Satyakama that he would teach him a quarter of the true knowledge, the Brahman. “He is so radiant, that if one meditates on him, he becomes as radiant.”

At dawn, Satyakama began his journey back to the Center of Learning.

He paused in the evening and herded the cows to rest. He lit a fire and sat when the fire addressed him. “Dear boy, I will teach you a little more about true learning, the Brahman. He is Endless. One who meditates on this endless reality, becomes endless with infinite potential.”

The next morning, Satyakama resumed his journey towards the Center of Learning. All of a sudden, a swan came flying and said, “Satyakama! I shall teach you a little more of Brahman. He is Effulgent, one who radiates goodness. One who knows him and meditates on him as the Effulgent, becomes effulgent in this world.” Then the swan told him that a waterfowl would teach him the last part of the Brahman.

As Satyakama began to move towards the Center of Learning, he came in contact with the waterfowl who revealed to him the last secret. “Satyakama! I shall teach you the last part of the true knowledge, Brahman. He is All-supporting. One who knows him and meditates on him as the All-supporting, becomes That.”

When Satyakama reached the teacher’s Center of Learning with the thousand cows, the Guru asked him, “Dear boy, your face shines with the knowledge of Brahman. Who taught you that?”
Satyakama told him about his four teachers and said, “Sir, I now request you to add meaning to my learning, as guidance from you will help bake the knowledge I have received.”

The sage did just that, and Satyakama learned and later became a teacher himself.

Reflections

Teachers are everywhere. Just as Satyakama learned from Nature, reflect on what Nature is teaching you.
What makes you think deeply about the goodness of Nature?

Have you ever felt that Nature is all-supporting?

NatConnect Activity

Try talking to a bird, a dog, a river, or a rock. Ask questions and see what answers you get. Think of what a rock or a river may want to tell you. You will be surprised with observations, new learnings, or you may end up with fully-baked answers!

You may enjoy it so much that you want to do it again and again.