1 - Satyakaam

One day a young boy came to Maharshi Gautam's Aashram and said - "I want to obtain the sacred knowledge by serving you, so please, accept me as your disciple. Maharshi Gautam asked - "My son, what is your Gotra?" The boy said - "I asked my mother about my father. She said - "When you were born, I was very busy in serving guests at home, so I could not ask his Gotra. My name is Jaabaal, and your name is Satyakaam, so call yourself as Satyakaam Jaabaal. That is what my mother said to me."

Maharshi Gautam got very pleased with him that he spoke truth. He accepted him as his disciple. He made him Brahmchaaree, gave him sacred thread and Gaayatree Mantra and declared him as his disciple. He gave him 400 lean and thin cows and said - "Go child, take them to forest and graze them." Satyakaam said - "Guru Jee, I will take them and I will return only when they will be a thousand cows." Satyakaam took them to a forest, settled down there by building a hut and started grazing cows.

He used to take care of them very much. After a few years those cows got healthy and strong and increased in number to a thousand. One day a bull among those cows spoke to him - "Now your cows are one thousand, so you may take them to your Guru. I will teach you "one quarter" (one fourth) truth about God. His name is "Prakaashvaan" (one who is alighted). Agni Dev (Fire) will tell you more about Him later." And thus the bull taught him the quarter truth about God.

Next day Satyakaam took his cows to his Guru. On the way he stayed for the night and lighted fire. From that fire Agni Dev appeared and taught him another quarter of the sacred knowledge. "He is called "Anantvaan" (which is never ending)." Next morning he again started his journey. In the evening he stayed near a lake along with his cows. At that time a swan came flying there and said to him - "I will teach you the third quarter of the sacred knowledge. He is called "Jyotishmaan" (who is shining by himself)."

Next day Satyakaam started his journey again to Guru's Aashram. In the evening he stayed under a Peepal (an Indian sacred tree) tree. A waterfowl came there and said - "I will teach you the final quarter of the sacred knowledge. His name is "Ayataanvaan"." and thus he taught him the fourth and final quarter of the sacred knowledge."

Next day he came to his Guru Jee and handed over the cows. Maharshi Gautam said - "My son, your face is shining with the knowledge of Brahm. Who taught you this?" Satyakaam told him about his four teachers and said - "But now you tell me the Brahm Gyaan so that my education is complete." Maharshi said - "Whatever you have learned, that is real Brahm Gyaan. There is little else I can add to it. I bless you."

[Thus by serving Guru Satyakaam got the Brahm Gyaan without much labor.]