Shivaji – A True Disciple
Shivaji – A True Disciple
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a very faithful disciple of his Guru, Samarth Ramdas Swami. Rightly, he was his Guru’s favourite disciple. Guru Samarth loved him more than any of his other disciples. This triggered a feeling of jealousy in his other disciples. They felt that since Shivaji was a king, he was their Guru’s favourite. Guru Samarth decided to remove this misunderstanding from the minds of his disciples. He thought of a plan and one day, he took all his disciples to the forest. In the dense forest, they lost their way. Guru Samarth went into a cave and pretended to be suffering from a severe pain of the abdomen. He started moaning and groaning. Hearing this, the disciples entered the cave and asked Guru Samarth how they could help. Guru Samarth said that only consuming the milk of a tigress, that too freshly milked, could help him recover. The disciples were shocked at his reply as they knew that getting the milk would mean, walking into the jaws of death.
Soon the news of Guru Samarth’s condition reached the ears of Shivaji Maharaj. Without losing a moment, he left his fort to visit Guru Samarth. Upon reaching the forest, Shivaji followed the moaning sounds of his Guru and traced him. He found the cave where his revered Guru was writhing in pain. Shivaji folded his hands and politely asked Guru Samarth as to how he could help. Guru Samarth told Shivaji that only the fresh milk of the tigress could relieve him, of his discomfort. He also told Shivaji that he knew it was an impossible task and he would understand if Shivaji could not help him. Shivaji was known for his stately qualities of unfailing courage, startling self-confidence and stupendous achievements. He was called as Chatrapathi Shivaji for all these reasons. Hence without even thinking, he just set out for the task of getting fresh milk from a tigress. He had just one thought in his mind and that was to save his beloved Guru!
After wandering in the forest for a while, his eyes fell on two tiger cubs. Shivaji knew that, their mother would be around somewhere. Within few seconds, a tigress came out from behind the bushes. As soon as the tigress saw Shivaji, she started growling and moving towards him. Shivaji knew that he could easily fight the tigress but that was not his intention. He gathered courage and folded his hands in front of the tigress and said, ‘O Mother, I have not come here to harm you or your cubs. I just need your milk to cure my beloved Guru’s illness. Please oblige me. I shall give your milk to my Guru and then come back to you. Then if you wish, you may eat me. Please trust me’. Saying this, he lovingly rubbed the back of the tigress.
It is said that, even animals can be won by love. The tigress stopped growling and started licking Shivaji. Shivaji then lovingly milked her and filled his kamandal (oblong water pot) with her milk. He bowed down to her with gratitude and left the place. Shivaji rushed back to Guru Samarth and offered the pot of milk to him. Guru Samarth looked at his favourite disciple Shivaji and said with tears of joy in his eyes, “With a devoted disciple like you, how can I be in pain for long?” Guru Samarth then looked at his other disciples. They bent their head in shame. They realised that Shivaji had every right to be their Guru’s favourite. They also understood that to be worthy of their Guru’s love, they too should work hard to be as sincere and devoted as Shivaji.
No wonder history remembers Shivaji as “Shivaji, the brave”. He was indeed a true disciple in every sense!