24 Gurus of Lord Dattatreya

A Poem By Biljana Vozarevic, Serbia

Introduction

Dattatreya was looking for a guru, but could not find one

No one could take a role as an accomplished God’s son

Then he felt an impulse in his heart, heard a voice at last

“First you have to develop aspiration and faith steadfast

When you develop that, you will not feel separate from guru

And will learn from everyone and everything what is true

The knowledge of the Self will be delivered without asking”

So he started paying attention along the way, self-realising

 

1.       Earth

The Earth bears heat, cold, wind and rain with patience

A lot of dirt thrown on it with carelessness, negligence

It accepts people’s cruelty without exploding with anger

Like a mother observes, showing what she can forbear

It always revolves around its orbit regularly, endlessly

Creatures keep walking on her, feeding on her selfishly

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by watching mother Earth

These are divine attributes, he appreciated their worth

 

2.       Wind

Wind is always in motion, changes direction, moves

Like life itself which never stagnates, dirt removes

At the same time it cools down places overheated

It gives beautiful fragrance while staying unaffected

It passes through everything and everyone, like Truth

Even changes the world like a gale or heals it like ruth

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by watching restless wind

These are divine attributes, he learnt them and grinned

 

3.       Sky

Sky is endless and large, holding many worlds in its grip

It is resourceful, but without ego, a feeling of ownership

It is vast and spacious without being proud of its measure

It remains unaffected and serene beyond pain or pleasure

It experiences sunlight and various kinds of clouds, storms

Yet it remains limitless, never affected by thunderstorms

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by watching the huge skies

These are divine attributes, the sky above opened his eyes

 

4.       Water

Water cleanses and purifies everyone, yet it remains plain

It gives coolness to everyone, nourishes plants for their gain

In spite of being the son of the sea, it goes to everyone’s door

Sacrifices itself for the benefit of others, keeps giving more

It serves without pride or discrimination and gives life to all

It is transparent to everyone and remains steady without fall

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by only watching the water flow

These are divine attributes, water provided him a lot to know

 5.       Fire

Fire is the best purifier – purifies, yet remains clean like before

Its energy melts and shapes things, extracts gold from its ore

What it comes in contact with, the heat of knowledge reforms

It teaches austerity, letting go of anger, hatred, negative forms

It burns things into ashes, disintegrates transient embodiments

It does not store anything, cannot be suppressed by treatments

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by only watching the fire burning

These are divine attributes, fire gave him important learning

6.       Moon

The Moon waxes and wanes, however, it remains unaffected

There are changes in the body but the soul remains unchanged

Like a soul is not affected by pain, illness, changes or older age

So birth, death, rebirth, cycle of karma should not affect a sage

The Moon reflects the light of the Sun without having it itself

The same way the soul of human reflects the eternal, real Self

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by only watching the Moon shine

These are divine attributes, the Moon gave him a lesson divine

 

7.       Sun

Every single day at its time the Sun rises and sets, performs its duty        

The Sun has its own light and radiates it on all with absolute beauty

It is one and undivided, yet reflects in multiple bodies of creatings

The same way Consciousness is one, reflected in individual beings

The Sun makes water evaporate, gives it back fully detached

Performs daily task with commitment without being attached

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by only watching the Sun’s glory

These are divine attributes he discerned from the Sun’s story

 8.       Pigeon

Pigeon parents left their small fledgelings, the food to get

In the meanwhile a hunter came, trapped them into a net

Parents came back, saw the sight, in agony jumped as well

The bird-catcher took full catch happier than he could tell

Foolish couple was attached, possessive beyond measure

Could not stand personal loss, bound to transient treasure

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by only watching the pigeon

Pigeon taught him these traps of the spiritual destruction

 9.       Python

A python does not chase its prey, it lies in lurch and waits

It devours whatever comes its way, regardless of its taste

It has no preferences about quantity, taste, eats what it got

Ignoring whether it’s sufficient to appease its hunger or not

It is content with what it has while making the most of it

Fearlessly having faith in destiny, maintaining a high spirit

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by only watching the python

These are divine attributes from a python he has drawn

 10.   Bumblebee

A bumblebee goes from flower to flower collecting food

It carefully chooses and doesn’t hurt a flower or intrude

If it stays in the sunflower which closes during the sunset

It gets trapped, dies, that’s what the greedy ones beget

It goes to the source of nectar directly, filters the useful

It does not overconsume but lives in harmony colourful

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by watching the bumblebee

These are divine attributes it taught him to set him free

 11.   Beekeeper

A bee spends time collecting pollen, making honey reserve

It stores the honey for later use, which it cannot preserve

A beekeper takes it away from a bee who wasted its time

It doesn’t pay to pile up material treasure during a lifetime

Better to spend time in acquiring inner treasure of the spirit

As neither body nor material wealth lasts for desired merit

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by watching the beekeeper

These are divine attributes he learnt as a spiritual seeker

12.   Hawk

A bird of prey caught a rat and carried it along the way

Other birds noticed it and surged to seize its rat-prey

They attacked the hawk, pecked it, knocked its head

In order to protect its prey it almost plummeted dead

Then the hawk let go of the rat, feeling suddenly free

The birds rushed after the rat, hawk realised how to be

Dattatreya learnt to conquer craving for worldly things

These are divine attributes he learnt from hawk beings

13.   Ocean

An ocean receives water from numerous various rivers,

Yet it remains the same, knows its depths without shivers

Changeable at the surface, but deep and undisturbed within

Its equipoise remains whether floods or droughts have been

Unconquerable, it cannot be troubled by anything splendid

Unfathomable, its wisdom cannot be easily comprehended

Dattatreya learnt this lesson by only watching the ocean

These are divine attributes, to be without any commotion

 14.   Moth

A moth was tempted by fire, attracted by its beautiful glow

Ran to the flame in the lamp but the outcome it didn’t know

It left its body scorched and charred, deceived by its senses,

Remaining in the vicious cycle of birth, death and pretenses

On the other hand, when a wise man notices fire of wisdom,

He leaps in it with single-minded determination, burns illusion

Dattatreya learnt from moth to control desires as they bind

Not to give much importance to the perishables which blind

 15.   Elephant

People raised a stuffed dummy cow-elephant in the forest

Attracted to the scent of a possible mate, ovecome by lust

An elephant fell into a pit, fettered by infatuation and rapt

Sensory gratification cost it freedom, it got entrapped

When one has a great passion for the highest truth, liberation

One shouldn’t be deluded by the traps of sensory gratification

Watching the elephant Dattatreya learnt this lesson very fast

He should put a ceiling to a sensual desire and beware of lust

16.   Deer

Version I – Lure

A deer, as swift as the wind, could not be captured, trapped

Nimble and swift of foot, it was on guard, alert and escaped

A hunter realised it was interested in or distracted by music

Used its vulnerability, it got enchanted with melodious trick

…

The deer lost its life due to its weakness, cause it lost alertness

On spiritual path it is substantial to maintain one-pointedness

Dattatreya learnt this lesson of sensuous music from the deer

He should put a ceiling to a sensual desire and watch his ear

 Version II – Fear

A deer, as swift as the wind, could not be captured, trapped

Nimble and swift of foot, it was on guard, alert and escaped

A hunter realised it can be frightened by making a big noise

He beat the drums and terrified it, it failed to keep its poise

…

The deer lost its life due to its weakness, cause it lost alertness

On spiritual path it is substantial to maintain one-pointedness

Dattatreya learnt from the deer he should never have any fear

Nor be afraid of others’ noise or succumb to pressure severe

17.   Fish

A fish was lured by the bait, swallowed the hook and got caught

Due to desire for food it was deceived, to death it was brought

Satisfying its taste buds it stayed in the cycle of birth and death

If palate is conquered, all else is conquered, this lesson is wealth

…

As a fish never leaves water, so too one should stay in true Self

With being always immersed in it, never stop connecting oneself  

Dattatreya learnt from the fish he should never greed the scraps

But put a ceiling to a sensual desire and beware of tongue traps

18.   Courtesan Pingala

One day, she eagerly waited a client with lust and greed till late

He didn’t turn up, she was frustrated and angry at her awful fate

Disillusioned, in highest suffering, she turned awareness within

Found a source of eternal bliss, became an enlightened being

…

She realised she had suffered because of desire and expectation

Through repentance she attained blessedness and transformation

Dattatreya learnt from Pingala how passion turned within elevates

Instead of directing ardour to desires, directing it to Spirit liberates

 19.   Child

A child lives a life of delight, curiosity and innocence 

It does not nurse anger, hatred, jealousy, grievance

 It lives in the now, free from ego, worry, arrogance

Fully engrossed in the supreme joy due to ignorance

…

A sage is also happy, but due to self-transcendence

Trusting the destiny, carefree, joyous from penance

Dattatreya learnt from a child to draw bliss from inside

Be light and full of celebration, beware of vanity, pride

20.   Maiden (unmarried girl)

An unmarried girl had guests while her mum was away

She was to show hospitality with food during their stay

Her bangles were making noise while she was preparing

Embarrassed she removed them, only one was remaining

…

Bangles are like spiritual aspirants living in the same place

Among a lot of people there is chat, dispute or disturbance

Dattatreya learnt from maiden that he should not seek attention

Only in solitude can he make a single-minded effort for liberation

 21.   Snake

A snake willingly, without fear, leaves its old skin and moults

A sage casts off his old body as he does his worn out clothes

Constantly sheds past, old ideas, welcomes the fresh and new

Fearlessly sheds the body, releasing the spirit which overgrew

…

Instead of making a new home, a snake occupies the existing

Inhabits whatever hole comes, it’s neither vain nor attaching

Dattatreya learnt from a snake that he should live anywhere

Instead of spending life building his own house somewhere

 22.   Arrowsmith

An arrowsmith was totally absorbed in moulding an arrow

He was so lost in his effort to make its tip sharp for the bow

That he did not notice the king’s procession passing nearby

He was so deeply engrossed, his concentration was so high

…

Like that single-minded, all-absorbing concentration

On the everlasting Supreme, eliminates all temptation

Dattatreya learnt this lesson from the arrowsmith’s routine

These are divine attributes, a secret in spiritual discipline

 23.   Spider

A spider builds a beautiful web, destroys it and restarts again

He makes it from his heart, plays, enjoys and abandons it then

He swallows that very same web, never entangled, recreates

The same way Almighty creates, preserves and dissolves fates

…

An individual soul too bears body, mind matter to collaborate

At its birth it projects them out as constitution, to express fate

When leaving it withdraws the senses, mind, picks remainder

Dattatreya learnt this lesson from merely watching the spider

 24.   Caterpillar

A special wasp catches a caterpillar and puts it in its hive

It stings it, lays its eggs inside and buzzes about to survive

The caterpillar listens to this wasp’s buzzing incessantly

Cannot think about anything else but its buzz consistently

…

Eventually it becomes a wasp itself, spreads its wings wide

Sees the world from a new perspective, the old view died

Dattatreya learnt from a caterpillar this lesson of constancy

Unintermitting devotion leads one to spiritual supremacy

 This poem is surrendered at the lotus feet of Lord Datta and my Guru Brahmarishi Mohanji.

||JAI BRAHMARISHI MOHANJI||

-Biljana

 

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