When Kshatriya Taught Braahman

According to our Hindu religion, normally it is Braahman's duty to study and teaching Ved etc, but we find in our scriptures a few cases when Kshatriya (normally means kings) taught Gyaan to Braahman. And these Braahman were also not an ordinary Braahman, rather they were great Braahman.

(1) King Janak Initiated Shuk Dev Jee
Shuk Dev Jee was the son of Ved Vyaas Jee. Whenever he used to ask his father to initiate him for Moksh Gyaan, his father used to say - "King Janak is the only person who can initiate you, so you go to him. Don't think that he is a king. He is the only person who can connect you to Naam (name of God) and initiate you." For long time this statement of his father stopped him to go to the King Janak, because his mind always pleaded that how could a king be the only person to initiate him. But whenever he talked to his father he always answered in the same way. So one day he went to him. Now King Janak wouldn't initiate him just like that. First he would test him whether he was worthy to be initiated or not. So he did and when he was satisfied then only he initiated him.
Read their full story here.

(2) King Jaivaali Taught Muni Uddaalak
Rishi Uddaalak was the son of Aaruni (a famous disciple of Rishi Dhaumya). Uddaalak had two sons - Shwetaketu and Nachiketaa; and one daughter Sujaataa. He married Sujaataa to one of his disciples named Kaahod. He taught Shwetaketu very well. Once Shwetaketu went to the assembly of the King of Paanchaal Desh, King Jaivaali. There the King asked him a few (precisely 5) questions but Shwetaketu could not answer any of the questions. Feeling embarrassed he came home and said to his father - "You said that you taught me well but I could not answer their even one question from among 5 questions." Uddaalak asked the questions they asked his son and said - "My Son, I also don't know their answers, how could I teach you what I myself do not know." And he set off to Paanchaal Desh.

There he straight away went to the King and asked him to teach him the answers of those questions which he asked his son and his son was not able to answer them. Uddaalak accepted that he also did not know the answers of those questions. King Jaivaali said - "O Braahman, This knowledge has never gone to any Braahman before, that is why it belongs only to Kshatriya alone and you do not know it." And then he teaches Muni Uddaalak that knowledge.
Read this story in Brihadaaranyak Upanishad

A similar story comes in Chhaandogya Upanishad also

(3) King Ajaatshatru Taught Aachaarya Balaaki
This story was shown in TV Serial "Upanishad Gangaa", Episode 31.
Aachaarya Balaaki was the disciple of Garg Rishi. Once he went to the Kaashee King Ajaatshatru with the desire of some wealth, so he asked the King - "Are you ready to get educated from me?" Ajaatshatru replied - "I take a vow to give you 1,000 cows in Guru Dakshinaa in advance." So Balaaki started teaching the King Ajaatshatru. Surprisingly enough Ajaatshatru knew all those things before, rather he knew more than that. Thus Balaaki got defeated. Then Balaaki asked Ajaatshatru to teach him Gyaan. Ajaatshatru said - "Hey Braahman, My duty is to protect people, not to teach. If I have to teach you I will have to leave this throne." and he left the throne to teach Gyaan to Balaaki.

That is why it is not always true that whoever's duty is to teach, only he would teach. Anybody can teach who has Gyaan, and anybody should take Gyaan from anybody who has Gyaan. Above examples show that even great Rishi did not hesitate in taking Gyaan from Kshatriya to whom they were supposed to impart Gyaan.

Sushma Gupta
www.sushmajee.com