Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 34
Kṛṣṇa’s Impending Departure; Uddhava’s Surrender; King Yadu and the Avadhūta’s Twenty-Four Gurus
Beginnings
पृथिवी वायुराकाशमापोऽग्निश्चन्द्रमा रवि: । कपोतोऽजगर: सिन्धु: पतङ्गो मधुकृद् गज: ॥ ३३ ॥ मधुहाहरिणो मीन: पिङ्गला कुररोऽर्भक: । कुमारी शरकृत् सर्प ऊर्णनाभि: सुपेशकृत् ॥ ३४ ॥ एते मे गुरवो राजन् चतुर्विंशतिराश्रिता: । शिक्षा वृत्तिभिरेतेषामन्वशिक्षमिहात्मन: ॥ ३५ ॥
pṛthivī vāyur ākāśam āpo ’gniś candramā raviḥ kapoto ’jagaraḥ sindhuḥ pataṅgo madhukṛd gajaḥ
أيها الملك، لقد احتميتُ بأربعةٍ وعشرين مُعلِّمًا: الأرض، والهواء، والسماء، والماء، والنار، والقمر، والشمس، والحمامة، والأجغر (الثعبان العظيم)؛ والبحر، والعُثّة، والنحلة، والفيل، وسارق العسل؛ والغزال، والسمكة، والبغيّ بينغلا، وطائر الكُرَرا، والطفل؛ وكذلك الفتاة، وصانع السهام، والحية، والعنكبوت، والدبور. ومن تأمّل أفعالهم تعلّمتُ علمَ الذات.
The wasp is known as supeśa-kṛt because it causes the insect that it kills to take a beautiful form in the next life.
FAQs
In this verse the Avadhūta lists natural elements and creatures as his teachers, showing that spiritual instruction can be received by attentive observation of the world.
King Yadu inquired about the Avadhūta’s extraordinary peace; the Avadhūta replies that he cultivated wisdom by taking lessons from many ‘gurus’ found in nature and daily life.
Practice mindful observation: learn tolerance from earth, steadiness from the ocean, and beware of destructive attraction like the moth drawn to fire.