Why Do We Need A Master?

Cheeniya · Sep 8, 2021

Why do we need a Master?*- An intresting parable

Once upon a time, a cow went out to graze in the jungle. Suddenly, she noticed a lion racing towards her. She turned and fled, fearing that at any moment the lion would sink his claws into her. The cow desperately looked for someplace to escape and at last, saw a shallow pond. Barely evading the lion's reach, she jumped into the pond, and in the heat of the chase, the lion blindly leaped after her.

To the surprise of them both, the pond was extremely shallow yet filled with deep recesses of mud. After toppling over each other, the cow and the lion found themselves a short distance apart, stuck in the mud up to their necks. Both had their heads above water but were unable to free themselves no matter how much they writhed.

The lion repeatedly snarled at the cow and roared, “I am going to enjoy the sound of crunching your bones between my teeth!”

He thrashed about in fury but soon became fretful as he found no prospect of escape.

The cow thoughtfully laughed as the lion struggled to free himself and asked him, “Do you have a master?”

The lion disdainfully replied, “I am the king of the jungle. Why do you ask me if I have a master? I myself am the master!”

The cow said, “You may be the king of the jungle, but here all your power has failed to save your life.”

“And what about you?” Retorted the lion. “You are going to die here in this mud too!”’

The cow smiled mildly and said, “No, I am not.”

“If even I, the king of the jungle cannot free myself from this mud”, snapped the lion, “Then how can you, an ordinary cow?”

The cow gently replied, “I cannot free myself from this mud, but my master can. When the sun sets and he finds me absent at home, he will come looking for me. Once he finds me, he will raise me up and escort me home sweet home.”

The lion fell silent and coldly glared at the cow.

Soon enough, the sunset and the cow’s master arrived. He immediately recognized the plight she was in and lifted her to safety. As they walked home, the cow and the master both felt renewed gratitude for one another and pitied the lion they both would have been happy to save if only the lion had allowed them.

The cow represents a surrendered heart, the lion represents an egoistic mind, and the master represents the Guru. The mud represents the world, and the chase represents the struggle for existence therein.

Its good to be independent and not rely on anyone.
But don't take it to an extreme, you always need a partner/coach/mentor/ friend who will be always on the lookout for you.

Having them does not mean you are weak, it's just that you can be stronger with their help.

joylokhi · Sep 8, 2021

Cheeniya Sir, that was a very simple but effective take on the need for a support system in some form. I felt it was almost like a personal reminder for me, as Im often guilty of prefering to be independent to a large extent without expecting any help from others. It pays to be humble enough to surrender and accept help when needed. Good one

jayasala42 · Sep 8, 2021

It is Cheeniya Sir! There cannot be an appropriate time more suitable than this
for writing this parable.It is just after Krishnashtami, Teachers' Day and a day before Ganesh Chaturthi.We need such Gurus even to provide articles on apt occasions.
Anything we do has to fall under one of the two categories: material or spiritual. As we know Lord Ganesha rules the 'Muladhara chakra' of our body. 'Muladhara chakra' is the interface between the material and the spiritual worlds. Lord Ganesha is said to control both these worlds. He is the one who gives the material enjoyments in this world and He is the one who liberates us from the endless cycle of birth and death. Our material life as well as our spiritual journey starts from the 'Muladhara chakra' which is controlled by Lord Ganesha. It is He who informs Kundalini when it is time to awaken and to reach nirgun nirakar swarup(brahman). Hence, to complete our life cycle without any obstacles, we need the blessings of Lord Ganesha. Since He is the one who gets rid off all the obstacles from our lives, that is why we worship Lord Ganesha before beginning any important work/task/pooja.
Parents and grand parents are the primary gurus to children.What type of Guru you should be-depends on the followers.

Whether they are not skilled but expecting directions and orders just like monkeys of Rama's army?
Or the followers are like Arjuna who is a great warrior but stuck up with certain issues?
If they are of ordinary level, we can give precise orders, instruct what to do.
If they are like Arjuna, we have to do as Krishna did,to provide strategic clarity,allow him to take the lead and guide from a distance.Ask them relevant questions so that they could find solutions for themselves
Younger generation doesn't want you to tell or show how things are done, they want to know the meaning of their task and how it makes a difference in this world.
They are Arjuna’s who don’t necessarily seek more skill/knowledge but they need someone to clarify the cobwebs in their mind,
Guru-sishya match is the most essential requirement in teaching-learning process

Jayasala 42