Smoke Becomes a Cloud and Extinguishes the Fire from Which It Rose
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 102
Doha 107 · Movement 1 of 2
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The Guru calls Bhushundi close and reveals the true fruit of Shiva-seva: unwavering devotion to Rama's feet. Shiva and Brahma worship Rama, he says. How can an ordinary mortal seek happiness through hostility toward the one whose feet the great gods love?
Hearing Shiva named as Hari's servant, Bhushundi burns. Knowledge poured into an unpurified heart acts like milk fed to a serpent, strengthening poison. He opposes the Guru day and night, while the compassionate teacher shows no anger and continues offering clear counsel.
Bhushundi recalls the law of ingratitude. Smoke is born from fire, then rises as cloud and extinguishes its source. Dust lies beneath every foot, but when wind lifts it, it falls into the eyes and crowns of kings. The base first attacks the benefactor through whom it rose. Therefore the wise neither quarrel nor form intimacy with wickedness, but remain apart. Bhushundi, full of deceit, could not bear the words spoken for his good.
Raised by the Guru's kindness, Bhushundi turns against its source like smoke returning as a cloud to drown its own fire.
Read the passage from the Manas
एक बार गुर लीन्ह बोलाई। मोहि नीति बहु भाँति सिखाई।। सिव सेवा कर फल सुत सोई। अबिरल भगति राम पद होई।। रामहि भजहिं तात सिव धाता। नर पावँर कै केतिक बाता।। जासु चरन अज सिव अनुरागी। तातु द्रोहँ सुख चहसि अभागी।। हर कहुँ हरि सेवक गुर कहेऊ। सुनि खगनाथ हृदय मम दहेऊ।। अधम जाति मैं बिद्या पाएँ। भयउँ जथा अहि दूध पिआएँ।। मानी कुटिल कुभाग्य कुजाती। गुर कर द्रोह करउँ दिनु राती।। अति दयाल गुर स्वल्प न क्रोधा। पुनि पुनि मोहि सिखाव सुबोधा।। जेहि ते नीच बड़ाई पावा। सो प्रथमहिं हति ताहि नसावा।। धूम अनल संभव सुनु भाई। तेहि बुझाव घन पदवी पाई।। रज मग परी निरादर रहई। सब कर पद प्रहार नित सहई।। मरुत उड़ाव प्रथम तेहि भरई। पुनि नृप नयन किरीटन्हि परई।। सुनु खगपति अस समुझि प्रसंगा। बुध नहिं करहिं अधम कर संगा।। कबि कोबिद गावहिं असि नीती। खल सन कलह न भल नहिं प्रीती।। उदासीन नित रहिअ गोसाईं। खल परिहरिअ स्वान की नाईं।। मैं खल हृदयँ कपट कुटिलाई। गुर हित कहइ न मोहि सोहाई।।
Once my guru called me and taught me in many ways. He said: the fruit of serving Shiva is this, my son, to gain unwavering devotion at Rama's feet. Dear son, even Shiva and Brahma worship Rama; what can a poor mortal say about this? At whose feet Brahma and Shiva are devoted, you, unfortunate one, seek happiness by opposing Him? When the guru declared Shiva to be Hari's devotee, O king of birds, my heart burned. Being of low birth, gaining knowledge, I became like a serpent fed with milk. Proud, crooked, ill-fated and low, I opposed my guru day and night. My extremely compassionate guru showed not the slightest anger and repeatedly offered good counsel. The wretch who gains greatness through someone first destroys that very benefactor. Listen, brother: smoke is born of fire, yet when it gains the status of a cloud, it extinguishes the fire. Dust lies dishonored on the road, constantly bearing blows from everyone's feet. When the wind lifts it up, it then falls upon the eyes and crowns of kings. Listen, O king of birds, understanding this: the wise do not keep company with the base. Poets and the learned sing this wisdom: neither quarrel nor friendship is good with the wicked. O Lord, one should always remain detached, avoiding the wicked as one would a dog. I was wicked, full of deceit and crookedness; my guru's beneficial words did not please me.