The story of Satyakāma, the boy who admitted not knowing who his father was
When Satyakāma went to Gautama to ask for spiritual instructions, the guru asked which is the gotra from which the boy comes, and he, in honesty, admitted his mother didn't know who the father was.
Satyakāma is the protagonist of the fourth part of the Chāndogya Upanisad. He is a poor boy born to a maidservant, who doesn't know who his father is. When Satyakāma goes to Gautama to ask for spiritual instructions, the guru asks which is the gotra (or lineage) from which the boy comes, and he, in honesty, admits his mother does not know who the father is. From this, the guru immediately understands that despite his low birth, Satyakāma has the nature of a Brāhmana, since only a Brāhmana could speak so honestly. He thus accepts him as his student.
Prabhupada mentions this passage in a few of his lectures, including a class on SB 1.2.2 he gave on Rome, May 26, 1974:
"If anyone wants to become a brāhmaṇa, it is not that the brāhmaṇa's son would automatically become brāhmaṇa. No. Anyone could become brāhmaṇa. Just like Satyakāma Jābāla. Satyakāma was the son of a prostitute. He was not a brāhmaṇa's son. He wanted to become brāhmaṇa, so he went to Gautama Muni, "Sir, please initiate me. I want to become a brāhmaṇa." Śūdras were not initiated, therefore, Gautama Muni inquired that "What you are? Because I do not initiate who is not born of a brāhmaṇa father." So he said, "I do not know." "So go to your mother. Ask whose son you are." The mother said, "I do not know." So he came and he said that "Sir, my mother does not know whose son I am." So Gautama Muni accepted him as disciple because he was truthful. He saw that he has got the brahminical qualification, truthful. No one is willing to admit that he is the son of a prostitute. No. But he admitted, "Yes, my mother does not know by whom I was begotten." So this is his qualification."
After being accepted by his guru, Satyakāma received the task of taking care of 400 squalid cows and bringing them back when the herd numbers 1,000. During this time, he is instructed by Vāyu (in the form of a bull), Agni (appearing from the sacrificial fire), Āditya (as a swan) and Prāṇa (appearing as a diver bird), who taught him to see Brahman in the four directions, in the different planetary systems, the sources of light and in the senses. When he comes back, after several years, his guru notices his effulgence and understands he has realized the Supreme Brahman. When Satyakāma describes how he had been instructed by demigods, the teacher asks him to share the knowledge with him.
Later, Satyakāma becomes a guru himself and accepts Upakosala as his student. The boy serves in the āśrama for twelve years, tending the sacrificial fires, but Satyakāma does not teach him, departing instead on a trip. Since the boy was very anxious to hear about the Absolute Truth and become free from birth and death, the fires themselves appear to him in their personified forms and instruct him, teaching him to see Brahman in prāna, as the source of life, and also the source of unlimited happiness. They tell him that, worshiping the sacrificial fire, as he was doing, he should meditate on Brahman in Earth, fire, food, the sun, water, the directions, constellations, and the Moon, prāna, ether, Svargaloka, and lightning.
When Satyakāma returns, the boy reveals to him the instructions he had received. Satyakāma then adds the final teaching:
ya eṣo 'ntar-akṣiṇi puruṣo dṛśyate sa eṣa ātmeti hovāca, etad amṛtam ayam etad brahma tad yad yad asmin sarpir vodakaṁ vā siñcati vartmani eva gacchati, etaṁ sampad-dhāma ity ācakṣate etaṁ hi sarvāṇi kāmāny abhisaṁyanti
"He said: He who is seen within the eye is the ātmā. He is immortal, He is the Supreme Brahman. Because of His presence, if one sprinkles ghee or water on the eye, it runs off. He is called sampad-dhāma, the indwelling Self, source of all opulence and the supreme destination. For one who sees Him all desires are at once fulfilled." (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.15.1-2)
The soul lives inside the heart, which is, by nature, a dark place. By itself, the soul has no power to perceive the world outside, this power has to be given by the Lord, who activates the senses, allowing the soul to see, taste, hear, etc., and thus perceive the world. Of all the five senses for acquiring knowledge, vision is considered the principal, and thus is especially emphasized. The Lord is present in the eye, and because of His presence, we can only see the world. The whole universe is a manifestation of the Lord, and it is because of the potency of the Lord that we can see it; therefore, the Lord is present in the eye.
Because of the presence of the Lord, the eye has a special characteristic: water, oil, and other substances do not stick to it. Instead, it flows away on both sides. This comes from the special characteristic of the Lord of never becoming contaminated.
The instructions received from the fire-gods taught Upakosala to see the Supreme Lord everywhere, in all material manifestations, but the final instruction added by Satyakāma taught him to see Him inside his own heart, and in the functions of all senses. This instruction, revealed by the Upaniṣad, teaches us to see the Lord everywhere. The whole material manifestation is a manifestation of the Lord. He is the material objects we see, He is the light that allows us to see, and He is also the function of the senses that allow us to see. The whole material experience is thus nothing more than a partial manifestation of the Lord, which we see at every moment. One who understands this can see the effulgence of the Lord behind this temporary manifestation and see the Lord as the Supreme Person behind this effulgence, surrounded by His devotees. By this realization, one can attain the Lord, just as Upakosala.
This passage also teaches us to see the functions of the senses as a direct manifestation of the Lord, and connect all our activities of seeing, touching, tasting, etc., with the service of the Lord. When we see our body and senses as our property, we automatically become inclined to use them for material enjoyment, but when we see both the body and senses as a manifestation of the Lord, we see they should be used only in His service. With this, the passage ultimately brings us to the stage of pure devotional service to the Lord.
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