The odd behaviour of Swami Virjananda gave hope to Dayananda that he could be a spiritual wizard. Because it was a well known fact that all kinds of geniuses were supposed to be whimsical by nature. So seeing the odd Swami had become a matter of paramount importance for him.
At Mathura, he located the ashram and the hut of Swami Virjananda. Swami Dayananda knocked at the door.
“Who is it?” a grim voice emerged from the inside.
“A sanyasi by the name of Dayananda Saraswati,” the young swami introduced himself.
“Why do you come?”
“In search of the truth.”
“Do you know grammar?”
“Yes sir. I know some. I have studied Kaumudi and Saraswat,” Dayananda revealed.
The door of the hut was opened from inside and Dayananda went in. He respectfully bent down to touch the feet of the guru.
Suddenly Swami Virjananda spoke, “Dayananda! You are a youngman. The course of meditation and the spiritual pursuit is very tortuous. Even mature people flounder on this difficult path and get condemned as degenerates.”
“Guru, after a lot of thought I have renounced the world for the true knowledge. All other doors are closed for me. The spiritual path is the only option open for me. Please accept me as your disciple. I badly need your guidance,” Dayananda beseeched.
“The true knowledge you seek will take a lot of doing. It will be a tough call. You will have to do a lot of sacrifices,” Virjananda cautioned.
“I will make every sacrifice,” Dayananda assured.
“Think again youngman. I give you this last chance to reconsider.”
“I have already considered everything and all options. I will seek the true knowledge. No other consideration matters for me,” the youngman expressed his resolve.
Swami Virjananda asked several questions to Dayananda regarding his background and education. Dayananda answered deftly and in a straight forward manner.
Virjananda was impressed.
He found the young seeker courageous, intelligent and extremely focussed. And his quest for the true knowledge was genuine and intense.
Dayananda held a great promise.
Virjananda at last announced, “Alright, I accept you as my disciple. Before I start teaching you a lot requires to be forgotten of what you know. I only believe in pre-Mahabharata era original scriptures. A lot of nonsense has been added to our religious books by Brahmins and we have become a laughing stock of the world. All the holy books have been defiled by fraudulent insertions. The gold of the original Vedic wisdom has been adulterated with lowly metals of shallow and evil thoughts. I hate those imposters. You must keep your mind clean to enable me to teach you. You must understand that.”
Dayananda promised, “I understand, O guru. I will obey your every command.”
“So, go to the river and throw in it all the books you have,” ordered Swami Virjananda.
Dayananda bowed his head and went to the river with his books. He tossed them into the water. Strangely he didn’t fell sorry for the act.
The guru explained to his new disciple when he came back from the river, “I am unable to arrange for the food for my pupil. You must manage it yourself.”
“O guru, I won’t be a burden on you. I will arrange for my own meals. If required I will cook myself,” Dayananda said.
It was more easily said than done. Dayananda had no idea what to do. Those were no easy years. The land was suffering from severe famine. The poor were dying. Even rich were finding it hard to get two meals a day. No one had any food or the grains to spare.
Dayananda managed to get a few fistfuls of roasted grams. He would eat only a fistful everyday.
Whenever he felt thirsty he would run to the river Yamuna and gulp down generous handcups of the water. And water was helpful in filling up the stomach to make it feel full. Then, he ran out of grams. Most of the time he lived on the river water and shrivelled wild berries. It gave him stomach cramps.
It was a testing time. Dayananda survived. The time took turn for the better. Rains came and the winter crops were saved. The people again became generous. The food problem eased.
Gradually the folks around came to know of the mission of Dayananda Saraswati and his devotion to the learning. The people admired his single minded dedication.
A generous soul heard about the young swami. He arranged for the meals of Dayananda for some time.
Then, astrologer Amarlal came forward to shoulder the responsibility. For the other expenses of Dayananda Lala Goverdhan Sarraf agreed to pay him four annas a month.
The people had seen Dayananda read books in the light of the lamps that the religious women used to keep lit outside their homes. So hard the life was for the young swami. But he didn’t mind it. He took it as the price he must pay for gaining the true knowledge.
Dayananda went to live in a very small room that didn’t have even enough space to allow him to sleep with his legs fully stretched.
It was situated near Laxmi Narain temple.
Besides studies Dayananda served his guru as a domestic help as well. He used to sweep the room of his guru, fetch water and wash his clothes at the river.
Guru Virjananda was a hard task master. For mistakes he would severely admonish his pupil. Dayananda was getting used to the tamper tantrums of his guru.
Dayananda stayed with Swami Virjananda for two and a half years. He did his best to keep his guru in good mood. And guru never failed to punish him for his mistakes. The guru had his own old style of teaching. He would teach a lesson once only.
He would never repeat.
He taught Dayananda grammar in that style. The young swami had an excellent memory. His mind retained most of what he read once or was told by his guru. He would repeat in his mind in the evening whatever he was taught in the day.
One day his memory betrayed him. He found that he could not remember the grammar lesson he was taught during the day. He tried hard to remember but he could not recall it. Even the book failed to help him.
He went to Virjananda and said, “Guruji, I fail to work out this lesson. I tried hard but can’t remember how you had explained it to me. Please teach the lesson to me again.”
It sent the guru in furious mood. He yelled at Dayananda, “I do not repeat any lesson. You have failed. Better you go back to your home.”
“Such mistake won’t be repeated again, sir. Just tell me this one time,’ the pupil pleaded.
“Shut up! I told you that I never repeat a lesson again,” the guru screamed.
“Just one time…,” Dayananda begged.
The guru shook his head vehemently and stared at his pupil with burning red eyeholes.
The pupil stood there frozen.
The guru rebuked, “If you can’t remember what I taught you then go to the Yamuna river and jump into it. I will not repeat the lesson.” It was said with an air of the finality.
Dayananda withdrew cursing his memory. He was getting angry at himself. What had gone wrong with his mind and the memory? He was infact feeling ashamed of himself. In a pensive mood he reached the river bank and sat down at a lonely spot.
He concentrated his mind on the lesson guru had taught him in the day. His focus became so intense that he was unaware of his surroundings and his own physical existence.
Suddenly, from the focussed point of his mind every word of the lesson began to pop out one by one. The entire lesson was there written in the capital letters on the black board of his mind. Then, he realised who he was and what he was doing there.
Dayananda raced back to his guru screaming, “Guruji! Guruji!! I remember the lesson. I remember every word. I am happy. Happy, happy, happy!!!”
Guru Virjananda beamed a smile at his pupil. He too was happy at the happiness of his Dayananda. An overwhelmed guru embraced his dear pupil.
Such was their special relationship.
Virjananda said in choked voice, “I knew, that you would do it. You just required to be rebuked and challenged. I have great hopes from you son. That is why I get angry at you when I see that you are fumbling. Careful. Don’t lose you concentration. Well done!” He thumped the back of Dayananda.
Guru’s enthusiasm and his praise sent the moral of his pupil soaring sky high. Dayananda was ecstatic. Dayananda had a feeling that he was getting closer to the true knowledge. His increasing power of concentration was the proof. May be, someday his mind’s concentration power would also reveal all the answers to the questions he had been seeking.
Dayananda became more meditative.
Daily meditation became his routine. In those moments he could see his innerself being set alight for his inner vision to scan it. For this purpose he used to go to a lonely spot on the river bank. During meditation he would completely lose touch with his physical realities.
One day he was lost in his meditation. A woman happened to come there.
She was a religious type. She looked at the serene figure of the youthful swami in meditation. To her he looked like a divine being. Overwhelmed with the devotional sentiment she put her head reverently at the feet of Swami Dayananda.
Just then Dayananda woke up from his meditative spell. He found a female head resting on his feet.
A chill went down his spine. He felt his body raising a harvest of goose pimples.
Dayananda had taken a vow of life long celibacy. Even touching the shadow of a woman was a sin for him. As the gravity of the situation sank into him his body trembled in rage. But he refrained from saying any uncivilised words to that lady.
The lady was unaware of the feelings of Dayananda. She went away without knowing that she had caused a moral crisis for a celibate young swami.
Dayananda felt ‘By physically touching me that woman has desecrated me. I must do penance. Only that would redeem me.’
Swami Dayananda went into a derelict temple and shut himself in. Without eating he meditated for three days for the purification of his conscience.
On the fourth day, he emerged out of the temple and went straight to his guru Virjananda.
The guru was puzzled.
“Where have you been for three days?” he asked.
Dayananda told him the entire happening. His penance making impressed the guru. He blessed his pupil feeling proud of him. And Dayananda also knew for certain that he had found out the teacher and the guide he was wandering around for.
He should stick around that he knew.
Swami Virjananda was a strict adherent to his unattached value. He had renounced all worldly relationships in true sense. He had strict standing instructions for his disciples that if any member of his ex-family arrived wishing to meet him, that member was to be turned away.
‘In no case should he be allowed in’, he had said, emphatically.
Once such a member (ex-relative) arrived wishing to see Swami Virjananda. The disciples told him point blank that Swamiji does not wish to meet him. He begged for a chance just to have a glimpse of him.
He said, “Sons, please let me see him. I will just look at him and withdraw.”
But the disciples could not oblige him inspite of being sympathetic. They dared not as all of them knew the fury of Swamiji and his strict orders on the subjects. The relative sadly had to depart without having a peek at his former kin.
Swami Dayananda was not at the hut ashram then. He was just on his way and the ex-relative ran into him. The relative knew that Dayananda was a special pupil of Swamiji. The relative fell at his feet.
A surprise Dayananda asked, “Who are you sir? Why do you fall at my feet so? Do you wish something of me?” He blessed like a swami.
“I am a relative of your guru Virjananda. I had come here from a far off place to see him. But his disciples did not allow me to see him. I will be extremely thankful to you if you help me in this matter,” the relative spoke with folded hands in the fashion of saying a prayer.
Dayananda shook his head, “Dear man, guruji has strict instructions for all of us disciples to prevent any ex-relative of his from meeting or seeing him. He only meets his disciples and no one else for whatever reason.” Dayananda tried to explain.
The relative begged, “But you can help me. I will say no word. Just a silent glance at him and I will go back satisfied.”
He again fell at the feet of Dayananda and clutched them. He was rubbing his forehead against swami’s feet desperately. That was how badly he wanted to see Swami Virjananda! Dayananda stood transfixed pondering over what he should do. Helping the poor man was his human duty. But it was against the orders of his guru which entailed severe punishment.
His heart said, “Your must help the needy and the suffering. Even if that means making a great personal sacrifice. That is the fundamental rule of the civilised behaviour and the basic teaching of the religions.”
Dayananda was educationally evolving and forming his own rational line of thinking which was independent of what others said, wrote or thought. He decided to help the poor relative of his guru and face whatever the consequences. After all the relative just wanted to set his eyes on guruji with no ill intention.
He said to the relative, “Alright, I will help you. Come with me. But you shall not speak a word or make any noise betraying your presence, I will face whatever comes if it does at all.”
The relative assured, “Kind sir, I promise that I will make no sound. One peek at him is all I ask for.”
Dayananda took him along to Swami Virjananda hut and helped the relative have a look at him.
The satisfied relative thanked Dayananda and begged for his permission to leave. Dayananda walked with him to see him off.
In the process they ran into another disciple who was coming to the ashram. The disciple asked Dayananda about the person accompanying him. The latter honestly revealed the truth. That disciple happened to be a backbiter.
He went to the hut and told Swami Virjananda, what Dayananda had done.
Swamiji flew in rage. His Dayananda had betrayed his trust taking advantage of his blindness. That was how he saw it.
Dayananda was summoned.
Guruji screamed, “Why did you bring that man into my hut against my orders?”
“Forgive me, respected guru. That man was dying to have a glimpse of you. Helping others in harmless way in basic human dharma. That thought made me bring him in without causing any disturbance to you,” Dayananda humbly pleaded.
“You betray me first and then try to teach me human dharma, hunh!” Swami Virjananda snarled shaking in rage.
“Guruji, I have a lowly mind. I can’t teach you anything. I beg for your pardon,” Dayananda appealed.
“You have exploited my blindness. You must leave my hut and ashram at once. I don’t want you here!” The raging guru announced grimly.
Dayananda touched the feet of his guru and departed. Later, he learnt about the person who had poisoned the ears of Swami Virjananda.
There was one another disciple of Swamiji named Nayansukh. He was a friend of Dayananda. And he too was one of the favourite pupil of Swami Virjananda.
Nayansukh was shocked when he learnt about the expulsion of Dayananda. He went to Swami Virjananda and spoke, “Guruji, I hear that you have expelled Dayananda from here. Is that true?”
“Very true,” Virjananda replied.
“What wrong had he done, Guruji? The punishment is too harsh. How could Dayananda do so wrong a deed to deserve that?”
“He disobeyed my orders and violated the cardinal rule of my ashram. You all know I don’t meet any of my ex-relatives. No disciple of mine is allowed bring in any of them. Dayananda took advantage of my blindness and brought one of my relatives in stealthily. I could not tolerate it and expelled him from this place,” Swamiji explained.
“Respected guru sir! The man brought here by him was very sad at not being able to see you. Dayananda tried to help him. In this act what selfish motive Dayananda had?” Nayansukh argued.
“He had no selfish motive, of course. He did it out of pity. But whatever…for me disobedience and cheating a blind man is crime. The crime is crime,” Swamiji countered.
Nayansukh did not give up. He said, “Guruji, it would be foolish of me if I dared to suggest something to you. I am only appealing to you. A crime is what is done with some selfish motive. But helping someone in a harmless way is charitable deed. It can not be termed as a crime. If my opinion rings of overstepping my right I beg for your pardon. In comparison to you I am a humble creature.”
Swamiji softened up visibly. He spoke, “Dear pupil, it is a matter of discipline. Not that of dharma or crime. Indiscipline and the disobedience can not be tolerated. Otherwise lawlessness will prevail in my school. Such acts have to be harshly dealt with.”
Nayansukh nodded his head in agreement but added, “For disobedience some punishment is justified, no doubt. But the punishment should not be so serve that it destroys the very life and the future of the offender. For physical disorder bitter medicine is needed but not a death sentence. Guru sir, for us pupil you are like our father. He, Dayananda also is your pupil. He had come to you seeking the true knowledge. If you forsake him his future will become a darkness and the mission of his life will be destroyed. So, please treat him like a son and call him back. He will accept whatever corrective punishment you deem fit.”
Swamiji smiled and nodded his head.
Nayansukh ran to the river where he found Dayananda sitting at his usual place brooding very sadly. He told Dayananda that Guru Swami Virjananda was calling him back. Dayananda jumped with joy.
He ran back to guru’s hut and fell at his teacher’s feet. By now Swamiji had completely cooled down. He picked up Dayananda and embraced him.
Virjananda was easy to fly off the handle and his cooling down was also as swift. In the cool mood he would show extra love as if to compensate for all his acts of rage.
Dayananda was happy to be again in the good books of his revered teacher Swami Virjananda.
Alongside such episodes, ups and downs the time kept slipping by. Dayananda had completed 2½ years under the tutelage of the true guru who happened to be blind but had incredible inner sight of wisdom and learning. From a confused pupil by now Dayananda himself had grown into a mighty Vedic scholar capable of generating his own academic and social theories.
His educational evolution had completed. It was now time for employing the knowledge he had gained in real life for the good of the society.
His last duty to his guru would be to pay the traditional guru dakshina.
It was troubling Dayananda’s mind because he had nothing of offer. What could he give? Somehow he collected about half a kilogram of Laung (a spice) and placed the bag at the feet of Swami Virjananda and said, “Guruji, please accept this bag of laung as my guru dakshina. I have nothing else to offer to you. What can I? Kindly bless me.” He had folded his hands.
“I can’t accept it. You can offer me something else. And what I want you have the capacity to give.” Guru’s voice was grimly resonant.
“Whatever I have is yours, O Guru. You gave me new intellectual life. I can offer you my body. Do with it whatever you wish to.”
Swami Virjananda shook his head and spoke, “I don’t need your body for myself. Dedicate it to the service of our people and our society. Use the knowledge and the wisdom it possesses. Dear son, you have a great reservoir of knowledge in you that can light up our society that is suffering in the darkness of evil customs, blind faiths, false rituals, rites, hoaxes, manipulative religious theories, casteism, fabricated myths and falsified scriptures. They are all products of narrow mindedness of canards orthodox Brahmin clergy. Spread the sublime Veda message. Destroy the canards of idol worshipers. Your path will be strewn with thorns and countless hurdles. But you will have to march on holding high the daunting torch of the true knowledge. Are you ready to meet the challenge, Swami Dayananda Saraswati?”
Dayananda said, “I am ready, gurudev. I take a vow to march on the path shown by Vedas and guided by the true knowledge I have gained from you. I will lay down my life in this endeavour if need be. I only seek your blessing.”
The blind eyes of Swami Virjananda flickered. Overwhelmed with emotions, he embraced his dear disciple. Then he blessed.
He spoke in choked voice, “Son, you are my star disciple. My entire life’s work is invested in you. You have to fulfil my dreams to redeem me and our society. I hope that you will succeed in your mission. My good wishes and blessings will always be with you.”
Dayananda touched the feet of his guru and sought permission, “Allow me to proceed on my mission,
O guru.”
“Go, son. God bless you.”
And thus, Swami Dayananda Saraswati set out on the mission that would change the course of the Hindu history.
It was a very low period of Hindu society that was slithering in horrendous mess of social evils, scandalous customs, barbaric superstitions, murderous practices of widow burning or torturing or dowry black-mails, untouchability, fraudulant exploitation of masses by rulers and Brahmin priests and a plethora of irrational blind faiths. The entire world was looking down at Hindus as a subhuman herd. The religious books of Hindus had been criminally doctored by vested interests to make the religion tool of exploitation. The common Hindu was too disorganised and sheepish minded to redeem himself. Any voice of sanity was being stifled by ganged up orthodox Mafia. Intelligent Hindus were in hopeless minority to be able to challenge the orthodox Mafia. They had become helpless spectators of the farcical drama.
The Vedic wisdom had already been eliminated by falsified Idol worship was infesting the Hindu society like a malignant disease.
Swami Dayananda was up against the deeply entrenched enemies. The task was not easy. Most of the Hindus had been completely brain washed.
