(Sathya Kama Jabala)

 

 (Sathya Kama Jabala)

 

 

A poor woman called Jabala stayed in a small hut with her son Sathya Kama. She had named her son so because of her strong faith in being truthful. (

‘Sathya Kama’, meant–– the one who loves the truth).

When he was about eight years old, he came to his mother and said,

“Mother! I want to learn Brahmavidya from a suitable guru.”

 

Jabala became very happy. She knew she would have to be separated from her son. But she would do anything to make her son happy.

She said, “My child! I am very happy. Find a guru and obey him implicitly. Whatever happens, tell only the truth.”

Jabala fell at her feet, took her blessings and walked in search of a guru.

 

Those days, teachers taught students in their hermitages. The students had to stay with the gurus and obey their instructions. Their gurus taught them what they thought was suitable for them.

Sathyakama walked for many days and came to the hermitage of a sage named Haridrumata Gautama. He prostrated before him and requested politely, “Master! I want to learn Brahmavidya. Kindly accept me as your disciple.”

 

Goutama welcomed him and asked him the usual question, “Child! What is your gothra? What is your father’s name?”

 

Sathyakama replied, “ Master! My mother’s name is Jabala. When I asked her about my father, she said, “I have worked in many places. I am not sure as to who is your father.”

 

Though this reply surprised the guru, he was also immensely pleased with Sathyakama’s honesty. He said, “Sathyakama! You are able to tell the truth without any hesitation. You certainly have the right to learn Brahmavidya. I will take you as my disciple. You will be known as ‘Sathyakama Jabala’ from today.”

 

He took him inside the hermitage and from the next day, started teaching him how to meditate. Sathyakama learnt with great interest and started practicing meditation sincerely.

 

After a few days, the guru called him and said, “Look, Sathyakama! Here are 400 cows. Take them to the jungle and stay there. They will get enough grass there and you can manage with the fruits and tubers available there.  When they multiply to 1000, bring them back to me.”

 

The cows were old and weak. But Sathyakama did not question his guru. He took his guru’s blessings and moved to the forest driving the herd of cattle with him.

 

For a few days, life was difficult. But slowly, he got used to that life. He had nobody to talk to except the trees, birds, insects and his herd of cows. He spent most of the time meditating. He found an inexplicable peace inside him. He did not notice the passage of time. Hours passed into days, days to months and months to years. He lost the count of time. The pregnant cows gave birth to calves and the calves grew to young cows and bulls. They flourished in the verdant forest that had rich greenery. The herd grew in size but Sathyakama did not even bother to count their number. He was quite happy with his meditation.

One day, a fully grown bull came near him and spoke to him in human voice.

“Sathyakama! Our number has reached a thousand now. Please take us to your guru’s ashram. Before that, I will teach you one part of the Brahmavidya. Know this! The Brahmam is that which pervades everywhere. It spreads its brilliance from the east to the west and from the north to the south. Agni will teach you another portion of the Brahmavidya.”

 

Sathyakama offered his respects to the Bull and accepted its ‘upadesha’. The next day, he started driving his herd back towards his guru’s ashram. In the evening, he stopped at a place and lit a fire to fight the piercing cold. The cows and bulls stood around him.

As the flames burst high, Agni appeared before him. He said, “ Sathyakama! I will teach you another part of the Brahmavidya. This earth, this atmosphere, the sky, the ocean ––– all are the Brahmam. The Brahmam is limitless and endless. You will receive your next lesson from a swan.” And, Agni disappeared.

 

The next day, Sathyakama began walking with his herd, and stopped at a place in the evening for rest. That day also, he lit the fire and sat near it for warmth. Suddenly, from nowhere, a lovely swan came, flying. It landed near Sathyakama and began to talk.

 

“Sathya kama! The Brahmam is the Sun. The Brahmam is the Moon. The Brahmam is the light of life. Understand this.” A water fowl will teach you the final portion, tomorrow.” Saying this, the swan flew away.

 

The next evening, as Sathyakama stopped to take rest along with his herd and lit the fire, a colourful bird flew by and sat in front of him.

“Sathyakama! I have come to teach you the final part of Brahmavidya. The Brahmam is our breath. The Brahmam is our sight. The Brahmam is our ability to hear. The Brahmam is our mind. Brahmam has its abode in all these things. In fact, it resides in everything. Remember this.” And, the bird flew away.

 

And then, Sathyakama drove his herd to his guru’s hermitage. Guru Haridrumata Gautama was very happy to see his disciple after a long time with a large herd of healthy cows and bulls. 

 

From the glow on the face of Sathyakama, the guru understood that his disciple had already learnt what he came to learn.

 

Giving him a hearty welcome, Gauthama said, “Son! I can see peace emanating from your face. A blissful smile adorns your face. Your mind seems relaxed and your vision is sharp. I am sure your have already received Brahmavidya.”

 

Sathyakama prostrated before his guru and said, “Master! I want to learn Brahmavidya through you, too. Please teach me.”

 

The guru was very impressed with Sathyakama’s humility. He said, “Sure, my child!” Then he taught everything about Brahman in detail that included all that was taught by the Bull, the Agnidev, the swan and the colourful bird. He continued. “The one who knows oneself is the knower of the Brahmam. You are limitless. You are resplendent. You are all-pervading. Realising this is acquiring Brahmavidya. You have acquired it.'

 

The guru blessed Sathyakama wholeheartedly.

 

Later, Sathyakama Jabala became a very famous sage and helped many disciples to attain true knowledge.

 

 (The details about Sathyakama Jabala are found in Chhaandhogya Upanishad. His life is proof for the fact that when a person is truthful and dedicated, what he wants, comes to him.)

––– B. Ramadevi