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Yesterday's episode (Parvati's cooking) was one of the finest episodes in recent times - in fact one of the best ever. The description by Shiva (towards the end) of Parvati's attitude as a shishya was mind blowing.
For once, DkDM's depiction of this incident (Lord Shiva teaching Parvati Yoga) is authentic. According to the Hata Yoga Pradipika,when Devi Parvati wanted to know the secret of Yoga, Lord Shiva replied that this was not a trivial matter which can be discussed casually. The secrets of Yoga are so profound that it can be passed only from Guru to Shishya in the prescribed manner. The Guru has to be qualified enough to pass on the wisdom and the shishya has to prove himself worthy enough to receive the knowledge.
Devi Parvati agreed to the conditions imposed by Shiva and asked to be accepted as his disciple. Lord Shiva did so and one night- Shivaratri night to be precise- by the banks of the river Ganga, Lord Shiva imparted to Parvati the secrets of Yoga.
The other point which interested me (and has been a subject of a lot of discussion) is why Parvati is being made to do all the hard work when it should really be vice versa. This brings me to my favourite topic- the Guru- Shishya relationship - in the Indian context, of which no parallel can be found in the world.
For once, I did agree with DkDM when Vishnu mentions that while imparting knowledge, it is really the Guru who takes all the burden.
I have personally experienced this- both as a shishya myself and also as a teacher.I have seen teachers put their heart and soul while they are teaching- oblivious to the time, ignoring their own discomfort. My own guru would just go on and on- what was supposed to be an one hour class would easily extend to a three hour session - till we had mastered the song to perfection
The amount of effort put in by my teachers is being realized by me only now- when I have my students requesting me to squeeze a one- hour class at 7 in the morning because they are taking part in such and such competition. I find myself pacing the corridor nervously when there is a competition taking place and my students are participating.
And towards the end, when Lord Shiva describes Parvati as a model shishya, it took my breath away. There's one line he says "When I asked her to cook without taking anyone's help, an ordinary person would have questioned me, argued with me. But she obeyed me implicitly- thus placing my status as a Guru above even God."
Absolutely bang on. Implicit obedience is the hall mark of a good shishya. But the Guru should have a valid reason for why he is making the shishya do that task.
A shishya / students's effort is visible to everybody. But what is easily overlooked is the equal, if not more effort put in by the Guru- repeating the same point over and over again- without losing his temper, keeping the student's interest sustained.
It is only much much later that the student realizes his/ her Guru's worth but that realization, for the Guru is the greatest payback.
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