Aruni of Panchala was a dedicated student of the ancient sage
Dhoumya. In the days of yore, a student had to stay with the teacher and help
in the teachers daily chores in order to receive the knowledge he sought.
It was a day of cold winter. Aruni was carrying the firewood he
had collected for the sage's household. As he was passing by a field, which
belonged to the sage, he noticed a breach in the embankment that was holding
water in his teacher's field. He realized that the water would seep away and
the fields crops would die with no water.
"What should I do? If I stop to build the embankment I will
be delayed and there is no firewood at the hermitage to keep the place warm. I
better rush to the hermitage with the firewood and then come back to take care
of the breach."
Meanwhile the sage and his disciples had assembled for the day's
lesson. Aruni was missing.
Soon Aruni rushed in, dropped the firewood in the courtyard, and
informed the teacher about the breach of the embankment. Then he quickly rushed
out.
Sage Dhoumya felt proud of his disciple, "It is hard to get
such a responsible disciple."
Aruni ran all the way back to the troubled spot and tried to stop
the leakage of water by putting some logs and mud. However, this did not stop
the leak. The heavy pressure of water washed away the dam Aruni made. He felt
helpless. It seemed impossible for him to stop the leakage without help. He
thought for a while and then made a plan.
It was getting dark and the teacher became worried. He called his
disciples and set out looking for Aruni. As he called out for Aruni, he heard a
faint voice, "Here I am master!"
The teacher and his disciples rushed to the spot and saw Aruni
lying on the breach, in order to hold the water in the field. The disciples
quickly pulled Aruni out from the freezing water. He was repeatedly muttering,
"The water is flowing out, the crops will die ---."
"Don't worry Aruni! We will take care of the breach,"
said the disciples.
"Never mind my son! You are more precious than the
crop," said the teacher.
Aruni was covered in a blanket and brought home. Sage Dhoumya
himself tended to Aruni. The sage then blessed his disciple with pride,
"You shall, forever, be renowned for your unmatched devotion and obedience
to your guru.
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