Bharadvaja was a dedicated student. In fact, no one was more dedicated to the study of the Vedas. He devoted his life fully to the texts: reading, writing, committing them to memory, and then doing it all over again. So intense was his dedication that he exhausted an entire lifetime solely thus. Upon rebirth, Bharadvaja knew immediately what he wanted to do—again, study the Vedas. Believing it would bring him the highest good. Once more, he studied so much that he exhausted another lifetime. The third rebirth brought more of the same. People began to hear of this incredibly reclusive but extraordinarily wise sage named Bharadvaja. No one had ever seen him, because he spent his days and nights in deep study and recitation. By far, he was the most accomplished scholar of the Vedas spending three lifetimes in constant dedication to the scriptures. At the end of his third lifetime, as Bharadvaja lay sick and dying in his bed, reciting Vedic mantras over and over and waiting for the end, Shiva appeared to him. Bharadvaja’s eyes widened in surprise. “Finally” he thought “I’ll be liberated from the cycle of birth and death”. Unfortunately, he was in for another shock.
“Bharadvaja,” said Shiva, with a disappointed tone in his voice. “What are you doing?”
“I’m dying, Shiva. Aren’t you here to take me with you?” replied Baradhvaja with so much hope his eyes sparkled.
“No, Bharadvaja, I won’t be taking you with me this time, and I hope you’ve finally learned your lesson about all this excessive studying!” said Shiva, exasperated.
“What are you talking about? It was the hope of getting closer to you, Dear,” replied the astonished Bharadvaja.
“Well,” Shiva explained, “what you have learned is no more than this.”
Shiva casually reached out the window and scooped up a handful of dirt from a nearby mountain and showed it to Bharadvaja. “This is what you learned during the first lifetime of study.” He placed the mound of dirt at Bharadvaja’s bedside. Then he reached out again and grabbed a second handful of dirt from another nearby mountain and showed it to Bharadvaja. “This is what you learned during the second lifetime of study.” He placed the second mound next to the first. Finally, he reached out and grabbed another handful of dirt from the closest mountain and showed it to the now bleary-eyed Bharadvaja. “This is what you learned during your third lifetime of study.” He placed the final mound of dirt next to the others. Shiva looked compassionately at Bharadvaja, placed his hand on his shoulder, and said, “You’ve spent all this time becoming the expert on the Vedas, and there is no doubt that no one knows more about them than you. But really it’s only as useful as these piles of dirt… Similarly you may recall Krishna telling Arjuna in the Gita – “What use is a puddle of water (meaning the vedas) when the entire land is flooded?”
The moral of the story is that whatever you pursue in life, science, art, literature, they are wonderful but not designed to fulfill you, they can’t fulfill you. Yes you are here to give something, contribute, learn and grow, but nothing outside of you has the power of true fulfillment, to add something more to you than what you already are. Only Self Realisation, God Realisation can do so.
Therefore what should you do? Realise ‘You Are That’, Tat Tvam Asi. The only reality that is eternal and everlasting. Worship life as prescribed by scripture, be wise. Then whatever you do will be a great blessing to yourself-your jiva and the world. You’ll be adding not taking from the creation. And how will you be ‘adding’? By your very presence. A person who’s satisfied in themselves, offering a shining light to the world. If an opportunity comes to share the wisdom, do so. Preserve and glorify the scriptures. Allow it to truly come alive and live inside and through you.
“So, dear Bharadvaja, I’m going to give you another chance. You can spend one more lifetime trying to realise Me, and if you use it wisely, I promise you that it will be your last.” And with that, Shiva left Bharadvaja, who died quietly that night. Bharadvaja’s next lifetime was spent not studying, but teaching. He realised Shiva was none other than himself and dedicated his life to sharing the deep wisdom and joy that comes from Self Knowledge through Vedanta. He educated many aspirants in the ways of true spirituality, his knowledge and compassion and was known far and wide. On his deathbed, students came from many distant lands to pay homage to the great Bharadvaja. Even Shiva came to pay his respects to this venerable teacher. Once again, Shiva put his hand on Bharadvaja’s shoulder and said, “Dear Bharadvaja, you have finally learned your lesson, Om Tat Sat.”
It took Bharadvaja three lifetimes to realise what, hopefully, you can learn in this one: When you come to the source of joy, the Self, by knowledge, your duty is to live it and integrate it into every waking aspect of your life. This doesn’t mean we need to convince or prove it to anyone. Rather, if you understand and live the teachings, by example and precept you naturally inspire others to find that same source of joy within themselves. You could be a warrior like Arjuna, a King like Janaka, a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker. Many people waste a lot of time doing something that makes them unhappy, or focusing so hard on achieving a goal they miss the whole point. Let your life be a great reflection of the true glory of What You Are, which is divine and perfect. In Hatha Yoga the pose ‘Bharadvajasana’ is a twisting pose. Dedicated to the sage who learned the hard way that too much of anything in this world is never enough!
