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 Maiden.”
“O King, there lived a village maiden whose father was searching for a groom. One day a marriage party came to see her.
Her mother was not in the village at the time, so she had to pound the rice, cook and serve it.
It would not be proper for her to be caught doing this task so, she tried to pound the rice in secrecy. But the bangles on her wrist began to jingle. The more bangles she wore the more jingling. She kept two bangles on each wrist. Even then there was a little jingling from the bangles. She began pounding with only one bangle on each wrist.
O King, I learnt from the maiden that if too many persons gather in one place, quarrels begin.
When two persons are together, talking starts.
Therefore, a person should remain in solitude or keep the company of saints.
Lesson learned from the Maiden further illustrated
