Bhushundi Leaves One Body for Another as Easily as a Man Changes Clothes
Uttara Kanda, Doha 110
Doha 110 · Movement 2 of 2
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The Guru rejoices at Shiva's words, consoles Bhushundi, and returns home with Shambhu's feet held in the heart. Time and destiny carry the disciple toward a mountain, where the human form gives way to the serpent body pronounced in the temple.
After a time, that body is shed without effort. Another comes, then another. Bhushundi puts on and lays aside forms as easily as a person exchanges worn clothing for new garments.
Shiva has preserved the truth of sacred order without abandoning the offender to agony. Across the succession, knowledge does not disappear and distress does not seize him. Body changes while remembrance continues, allowing consequence itself to become education. What might have been a chain of unconscious rebirth becomes a long corridor lit by the Guru's intercession and Shiva's promise.
Bodies fall behind like folded garments, while one remembered teaching walks unchanged through a thousand doors.
Read the passage from the Manas
सुनि सिव बचन हरषि गुर एवमस्तु इति भाषि। मोहि प्रबोधि गयउ गृह संभु चरन उर राखि।।109(क)।। प्रेरित काल बिधि गिरि जाइ भयउँ मैं ब्याल। पुनि प्रयास बिनु सो तनु जजेउँ गएँ कछु काल।।109(ख)।। जोइ तनु धरउँ तजउँ पुनि अनायास हरिजान। जिमि नूतन पट पहिरइ नर परिहरइ पुरान।।109(ग)।। सिवँ राखी श्रुति नीति अरु मैं नहिं पावा क्लेस। एहि बिधि धरेउँ बिबिध तनु ग्यान न गयउ खगेस।।109(घ)।।
Hearing Shiva's words, the guru rejoiced and said 'Evam astu' (So be it). Consoling me, he went home, keeping Shambhu's feet in his heart. Impelled by time and destiny, I went to a mountain and became a serpent. Then, without effort, after some time, I shed that body. Whatever body I took, I left again effortlessly, O Garuda, like a man putting on new garments and setting aside the old. Shiva preserved the Vedic path and righteousness, and I felt no distress. Thus I took on many forms, but knowledge never departed from me, O king of birds.