During Bijaya Dashami, Guru Sannidhayan Sadhguru spoke about the immense force of the Universal Power and the consequences of its misuse. He narrated one story from Pancha Tantra. He emphasized that the healing abilities and spiritual powers many have been receiving from him since 1980 are not permanent. If one forgets the true source and foundation of these gifts, they can vanish in an instant, by the will of the Universe.
Article | October 13, 2024
Sadhguru: Once upon a time, deep in a dense forest, there lived a small, timid rat. His days were filled with scurrying through the undergrowth, constantly on edge, always fearing the shadows that loomed over him. Every rustle in the leaves, every distant call of a predator sent his heart racing. Life for the little rat was nothing but a continuous struggle for survival.
One fateful day, while the rat was foraging for food near the forest's edge, a swift shadow cast over him. A hungry cat, its eyes gleaming with predatory intent, had spotted the rat and pounced with terrifying speed. The rat darted away, barely escaping the sharp claws of the cat by slipping into a tiny burrow. Inside, he trembled uncontrollably, knowing that his close encounter with death would likely be repeated again and again in his fragile life.
Outside the burrow, the cat prowled for hours, waiting for the slightest movement. The rat, feeling trapped and hopeless, closed his eyes, praying for a miracle. He wished, more than anything, to no longer live in fear. His heart filled with a silent plea — to become something greater, stronger, something that no creature in the forest would dare threaten.
Suddenly, as if the universe had heard his desperate prayer, a strange, warm energy enveloped the rat. He felt his tiny body stretch and change. His limbs grew longer, his teeth sharper, his whiskers shorter. When the sensation ended, the rat stepped out of the burrow, only to realize that he had transformed into a sleek, powerful cat!
The once-timid rat was now filled with excitement. He revelled in his newfound strength, his agile movements, and his sharp claws. No longer did he have to scurry in fear; he had become what he once dreaded. For a while, life as a cat was perfect. He roamed freely, hunting small prey and confidently strutting through the forest. The terror that once gripped him had vanished, and he felt invincible.
But peace was short-lived. One day, while basking in the warm sun, the cat encountered a pack of wild dogs. Their growls echoed through the trees, their eyes filled with hunger. His feline instincts told him to run, and so he did, his heart pounding just as it had when he was a rat. Despite being faster and stronger than before, the dogs were relentless. They chased him for miles, snapping at his heels, their teeth grazing his fur as he barely escaped into the safety of a tree.
Perched high on a branch, the cat looked down at the dogs circling below, and once again, fear consumed him. He had escaped the dangers of being a rat, only to face the terrifying reality of being prey once more. The world was not as safe as he had imagined. In his heart, he wished again to be something greater, something no dog could threaten.
As if the forest itself heard his unspoken desire, the cat felt the same mysterious energy envelop him once more. His form shifted, his muscles grew larger, his fur thicker, and when he looked down at himself, he saw that he had become a mighty dog. His paws were heavy, his growl deep and resonant. No longer would wild dogs threaten him, for he had become one of them — stronger, faster, and far more fearsome.
Life as a dog was thrilling. He roamed the forest with authority, his presence commanding respect. He no longer had to run; he was now the predator. Smaller animals scattered at his approach, and even other dogs seemed to step aside in deference to his power. The once small, frightened rat had become a dominant force in the forest.
But power, as intoxicating as it was, soon brought new challenges. One day, while drinking from a stream, the dog heard a low, menacing growl behind him. Turning slowly, he came face to face with a tiger. The enormous creature’s eyes glowed with raw, predatory energy. The tiger was the true ruler of the forest, and in that moment, the dog felt his strength wane.
The tiger's presence alone was enough to send waves of fear through him. For the first time since his transformation, he realized there was something greater, something far more powerful than himself. Once again, the familiar feeling of helplessness washed over him, just as it had when he was a rat. Now shaking with fear, the dog wished more than ever to be even stronger, invincible — to become the tiger.
In an instant, the mystical energy returned. His body expanded, his muscles bulged, and his fur turned a bright golden hue. His paws became massive, and his claws were long and razor-sharp. He had transformed into a magnificent tiger, the king of the jungle. The forest bowed before him. No longer was there a predator he needed to fear. He was the supreme ruler of the land.
As a tiger, he roamed the forest with pride. Other animals cowered in his presence. His roar echoed through the trees, sending birds flying and creatures scurrying for cover. His once fearful heart now brimmed with arrogance. He believed he had achieved ultimate power — no longer a mere rat, no longer bound by fear.
However, with great power came a dangerous sense of superiority. The tiger’s mind, once humble and cautious, began to swell with pride. He looked upon the other creatures of the forest as beneath him, no longer worthy of his respect. In his eyes, the forest itself was his domain, and nothing could stop him.
One day, while prowling near a secluded grove, the tiger saw a man walking peacefully through the woods. This sight enraged him. “How dare a mere man walk freely in my kingdom?” thought the tiger. Blinded by his arrogance, the tiger decided that if he could defeat the man, he would truly prove his supremacy over all life in the forest.
With a low growl, the tiger stalked the man, ready to pounce. But just as he leapt into the air, something strange happened. The same mysterious energy that had once transformed him returned, but this time it did not make him stronger. Instead, he felt his body shrinking, his claws retracting, his strength fading.
By the time the tiger hit the ground, he was no longer a majestic beast but once again the same small, trembling rat he had been before. Confused and scared, the rat scurried back into the underbrush, realizing that in seeking more power, he had lost the essence of who he was.
And so, the rat learned a harsh truth: that chasing power without humility only leads to downfall.
Moral of the Story:
Ambition without humility can be dangerous. No matter how powerful one becomes, it is essential to remain grounded and remember one's origins. Power, when used without wisdom, can turn on us and lead to our own undoing.
Sadhguru’s explanation, when grounded in the idea of the universe providing, but also expecting awareness and humility in return, would reflect deeper spiritual truths about the balance of receiving and giving, the ego’s illusions, and the natural law of cause and effect. Here’s how he might explain the story, emphasizing the role of universal power and the cost of neglecting it:
Sadhguru's Spiritual Explanation:
"In this story, the rat’s journey from being a small, timid creature to a powerful tiger is not just a tale of transformation; it is a profound lesson about the nature of life and the universe. The universe is always giving, always providing, but we must understand one essential truth: just because life offers you something, doesn’t mean you should forget the very source that has made it possible.
The little rat, in his fear and helplessness, wished for more power. And the universe, in its infinite generosity, granted him the ability to transform. First into a cat, then a dog, and finally into the mighty tiger. At each step, the universe provided him with what he needed to overcome his immediate fears and challenges. But here is where the problem arises — each time he received more power, the rat forgot the source of that power. He believed that with each transformation, he had conquered something on his own and that it was his strength alone that elevated him. This is the nature of the ego.
In life, when things go well, when we receive what we desire, many of us tend to forget that all of this is a gift from the universe. We think that our success is solely our doing and that our strength comes only from ourselves. This is the illusion of the ego. The rat, now a tiger, grew proud, arrogant even, believing he was untouchable. But what he did not understand was that for everything the universe gives, there is a cost. There is no such thing as a free meal.
What is this cost? It’s not monetary, it’s not even material. The cost is your awareness, your humility, and your gratitude. The universe may provide endlessly, but if you fail to acknowledge the source, if you allow your ego to inflate and take credit for everything, you lose your connection to that universal power. And when that connection is lost, all the power you have gained can be taken away in an instant.
The tiger in the story forgot this. He forgot that his strength, his transformation, his very life was a gift from something greater than himself. Instead of living in gratitude and awareness, he became blinded by his ego, thinking that he was the ultimate power in the jungle. And so, the universe reminded him of the truth in the harshest way possible — by returning him to his original state. The rat, who had once feared everything, had become the tiger who feared nothing, only to end up once again in the same vulnerable position he started from.
This is how life works. The moment you forget the source of all that is given to you, the moment you think you have achieved it all by yourself, life will show you that your power is not your own. It is borrowed. The universe does not withhold its gifts, but it also expects you to remain conscious of where they come from. It is easy to receive, but the real test is in how you handle that receiving. Do you become arrogant, believing you are invincible? Or do you stay grounded, knowing that everything you have is a gift that could be taken back?
When you lose your connection to the universal power, the very thing that raised you up can bring you back down. The rat’s journey is a reminder that no matter how powerful you become, no matter what you achieve, you are always in the hands of something greater than yourself. The ego is quick to claim ownership of success, but true wisdom lies in understanding that you are simply a channel for the universe’s energy. Stay humble, stay connected, and never forget the source of your strength.
Ultimately, the moral of this story is simple: For everything you receive, there is a cost. That cost is your humility and gratitude. If you lose these, you lose everything. The universe does not operate on ego; it operates on balance. You may rise, but if you forget the force that lifted you, you will inevitably fall back to where you started. Life is not a free meal — it is a constant exchange between you and the greater powers at play. The key to sustained growth and true power lies in your ability to remember this and remain in tune with the universal flow."
In this explanation, Sadhguru would emphasize the balance between receiving from the universe and staying humble and connected to the source. The story, thus, becomes a reflection of how life teaches us through cycles of rise and fall, depending on how conscious we are of the universal power and the ego’s role in our journey.
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