Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c4.1244

c4.1244

2) Disciple Upamanyu. Once Dhaumya (the guru) asked his second disciple Upamanyu to tend the cows. He used to take care of the animals grazing in the woods during daytime and return home at dusk and prostrate before the guru. Looking at the plump and healthy body of Upamanyu the guru asked him how he was feeding himself. His reply was that he was begging alms and feeding himself with what he got thus. Then the guru asked him to hand over to him (guru) all alms got in future. After that he used to give everything he got by way of alms to the guru. And, he continued returning to the Gurukula at dusk and prostrating before the guru. Finding Upamanyu even then as plump and healthy as he was formerly, the guru said: My son Upamanyu, you hand over to me all the alms you get, and yet your body looks as trim as of old. How happens it so?” Upamanyu replied: “After giving the alms I get first to you, my guru, I do again beg for alms and feed myself”. To this the guru reacted thus: My boy, what you do is not the proper thing. By the second course of alms-taking you stand in the way of other people getting their food. It is gross injustice to do so.”