Once Dattatreya was sitting in meditation when King Yadu passed by and saw this young person sitting unaffected, happy and calm.
King Yadu approached Dattatreya and humbly asked, “ How do you remain unaffected by troubles, happy and calm? Why do you always seem to be floating in bliss (happiness)? What has made this possible?”
Dattatreya replied, “O King Yadu I have observed the world closely and obtained a little knowledge from a number of gurus (teachers). Listen carefully! I will tell you what I have learnt.”
Datta said, “O King Yadu, listen carefully to what I learnt from the Caterpillar.”
“O King, a certain kind of bee catches an insect and keeping it in the nest, it goes round and round the creature buzzing loudly.
Out of fear, the insect stares hard at the bee, concentrating its mind completely on it. By doing so, the form of the insect gradually undergoes a change and it takes on the form of the bee.
Similarly, men paalso obtain the form of those on whom they concentrate their minds completely out of fear or devotion or out of hatred or friendship.
Oh King, I learnt :
If a small insect can transform its body, can there be any doubt that man possessing intellect and the faculty of meditation and concentration will be liberated after the body goes and obtain the same form as the one (deity) on which he meditated?
Lesson learned from the Caterpillar further illustrated