Prakruthiya paata - Part 5

The Bumblebee and The Honey-Collector

As the avadhuta wandered in the forest he observed bumblebees (bhramara) flitting from flower to flower extracting nectar with their long hairy tongues and, to store and feed themselves and their young ones. He watched with wonder, the delicate process of extraction of nectar. He marvelled at how the flowers were left unharmed.

I must take in knowledge from every possible source. But like the bee extracts only the nectar I must also absorb the essence of the learnings, rejecting inconsequential information, thought the avadhuta.

The honey stored in hives is accumulated patiently and hives are built laboriously by the honey-bees. Yet they are destroyed in no time by the honey-collector (madhuha), who collects the honey and sells it.

The honey collector never tastes the honey and derives no pleasure from the act of honey collecting. Like him there are various people who keep accumulating wealth all their life deriving no other pleasure than the accumulation itself. They never enjoy their wealth.
I must be neither avaricious nor destructive, like the honey-collector, concluded the avadhuta.

Elephants, deer and fish

Elephants are popular as gentle giants. They move in herds and display social behavior, especially when it comes to rearing their young. But come the mating season, when female elephants become receptive; the male elephants engage in fights for dominance and to lay claim over the same female. These fights often escalate and result in grievous injuries.
The elephants and their fights taught me that the need for possession and dominance leads to competition and strife, which I must clearly stay away from, decided the avadhuta.

The avadhuta describes the ancient technique of deer being lured by the haunting melodies played by the hunter, only to lose its life.
Giving in to the fleeting pleasures of the senses and mindlessly seeking to satisfy yields dismal results. I should be careful to recognise and avoid the lure of sensory enjoyment, unlike the deer, said the avadhuta.

The fish has plenty of food in the water it lives in, yet it loses its freedom and life when it bites the tantalising worm, at the end of the fishing rod, dipped in the water. Understanding this nature of the fish, the fishermen exploits this weakness to capture the fish. The most difficult sense to master is the tongue. Nothing can diminish its cravings except will-power. The fish taught me that I must strive to be in control of my desires, said the avadhuta.

The elephant, deer and fish have all succumbed to the yearnings of the sense organs. Seduction, bewitchment and greed are the three traps that the avadhuta strives to avoid.
To be continued...