Sampoorna Mahabharata • సంపూర్ణ శ్రీమహాభారతము • Episode 10

Utanka’s story
Upamanyu whose vision was restored now returned to his Guru. Ayodadhoumya ecstatically said, ‘Auspiciousness will come to you. All Vedas and Dharmashastras will illumine in you’.
Dhoumya’s 3rd disciple Veda was entrusted with the task of carrying loads. Tolerating heat-cold, hunger-thirst he sincerely completed them for many long years. Pleased with his bhakti and dedication, Dhoumya instantly blessed him with omniscience and fortune. With Guru’s permission he got married and set up a Vedic school. He taught his 3 students. He focussed on their studies but never gave them any chore.
Bringing out the best in the student and then showering blessing upon him was the norm for Gurus of the past. Student’s wellbeing lies in perfectly obeying Guru’s commands.
Maharishi Veda once had to leave for completion of some Yagna. He entrusted his home responsibilities to his disciple Utanka and left.
During this period, without abstaining from dharma, Utanka treated his Guru’s wife as one would treat his own mother. Upon returning, Veda was delighted with Utanka’s Guru-bhakti. He showered plentiful blessings upon Utanka and said, ‘Your studentship is complete. You can leave’.
Although Veda was reluctant, Utanka was insistant on offering dakshina saying, ‘If lessons are taught or learnt through unrighteous means then among the Guru-student, one will face death and enmity’.
This is a subtle dharmic rule. In any yagna, we must offer dakshina (money) to the priest else, it is unrighteous on our part. The priest has to accept, else it is unrighteous on his part. Similarly, student must give dakshina and Guru must accept it. If not, both are tainted with sin.
When Utanka persisted, Veda said, ‘If my wife wants anything get it’.
She said, ‘I want the earrings that King Poushya’s wife owns. On the 4th day from now I want to wear them and serve food to Brahmins. If you get them, you will be blessed with fortune’.
Utanka set out. En route a celestial seated on a bull asked him to eat the bull’s dung. Utanka hesitated. The man said, ‘in the past your Guru too ate it’. The moment his Guru’s name was cited, Utanka unhesitatingly ate it and earned the celestial’s blessings.
But in that hurry instead of sitting, he stood and sipped water (acamana) which was wrong.
He resumed his journey, reached Poushya’s place and told the king the purpose of his visit. The king happily said, ‘Mahatma, please go and ask my wife. She will give her earrings’.
Utanka searched the queen’s palace but could not find her there. He returned saying, ‘O King, she is not in her home. It does not befit you to lie’.
The king said, ‘She is very chaste and pure. Impure people cannot see her’. ‘How can I be impure?’- Utanka was aghast. He recalled that he had sipped water when standing during his journey.
Remember: Except in absolutely unavoidable situations, never stand and drink water or any liquids. Always sit and drink.
Utanka purified himself and went to the queen’s palace. He could now see her. He narrated the purpose of his visit.
Pleased with his Guru bhakti and noble intent, she immediately gave her earrings saying, ‘The serpent Takshaka has been waiting to steal them. Be vigilant. To conquer him is very difficult. He is powerful and knows illusionary tricks’.
He collected the rings and returned to the king who requested him to stay for food. Utanka agreed. The king served the food. However, the food served was cold and was mixed with hair. Utanka furiously said, ‘O King, as you have served me cold, impure food may you become blind.’
The king retaliated, ‘As you abuse pure food, may you remain childless’.
Utanka said, ‘Do not act in haste. Please test the food and verify’. The king verified that the food indeed was cold and impure. A woman who had let loose her hair had cooked it.
There is a rule that hair should not be left loose when cooking for offering to God, elders, Mahatmas.
Realizing his mistake, the king was guilty. He said, ‘I have sinned. But yet, withdraw your curse’.
Utanka said, ‘Only for a short time you will lose vision. My words are always true. Now you withdraw your curse’.
The king said, ‘I cannot withdraw my curse as my anger has not totally abated’.