Dhaumya (धौम्यः)

Dhaumya was a great Muni (sage). He had three disciples, Aruni, Upamanyu and Veda. In the Puranas we see another hermit with the name Dhaumya. In Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva, Chapter 14, Stanza 112, it is mentioned that this hermit was the brother and teacher of hermit Upamanyu. He had been keeping contact with Dyumatsena, the father of Satyavan. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 298, Stanza 19). Other names such as Ayodha Dhaumya, Apodhadhaumya, etc. are used for this Dhaumya. (Page 233, Puranic Encyclopedia - Vettam Maṇi)

Disciple Aruni

He belonged to Pancala, and once his guru deputed him to construct embankments in the field. But, his attempts to construct embankments did not succeed. Finally he lay himself in the field where the embankment was required, and then the flow of water stopped. The guru enquired about Aruni, who was thus lying in the field. Then only he knew the reason for Aruni's absence. The guru went to the field and called Aruni. Then the embankment burst open and Aruni came out, and because of that Aruni got the name Uddalaka. (M.B., Chapter 3, Verses 21-33).

Disciple Upamanyu

Once Dhaumya (the guru) asked 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 byway 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." Upamanyu, from that day onwards strictly followed his guru's instruction, and continued returning at dusk to the guru and doing obeisance to him. Even then finding Upamanyu to be quite plump and healthy the guru told him : "Well, now you hand over to me all the alms you get, and you do not take alms a second time the same day. Yet you are quite fit and fat. How is it so ?" To this Upamanyu's reply was that he was feeding himself on the milk of the cows he tended. The guru told him that this too was not just and proper on his part. The guru had not permitted him to drink milk thus. Upamanyu agreed to obey his orders. And, as usual he continued tending the cows and returning at dusk. Even then he maintained the same plump and healthy physique. And the Guru told him as follows : "You do not eat the food you get at the first alms-taking, you do not go in for alms a second time the same day, nor do you drink milk. Yet, how is it that you maintain the same fat and healthy physique as in former days ?" Upamanyu's reply was that he was feeding now-a-days on the foam of milk bristling at the mouth of the calves when they had fed on their mother's milk. And, the guru said : "if that is so the calves will be, out of kindness and sympathy for you, releasing much foam of milk out of their mouths. That will affect them. So, do not repeat the process. Since the guru forbade him to have food in any manner as detailed above, Upamanyu, while tending the herd of cows in the forest, ate the bitter and poisonous leaves of a tree one day to satisfy his burning hunger. The leaf was bitter in taste and injurious in its properties. Therefore, this new way of satisfying hunger affected the health of the eyes of Upamanyu and he became blind. Moving about in this condition he fell into a neglected well in the woods. When, even after the sun had set, Upamanyu did not, as usual, return, the guru enquired about him from other disciples. Naturally, they told the guru that Upamanyu was out in the forest with the cows. As the guru felt that Upamanyu was staying away late in the forest since he had been prevented from doing everything he (guru) went to the forest accompanied by other disciples and called out for Upamanyu, and Upamanyu responded from deep down the well. He also told the guru how he happened to fall into the well. After telling him that if only he would pray to the Asvinidevas they will cure his blindness the guru returned to the Asrama with other disciples. Upamanyu, accordingly offered praises and prayed to the Asvinidevas, who were so pleased with him that they appeared before him and gave him a bread. Upamanyu refused to eat the bread without giving it to the guru. Then the Asvinidevas told him thus: "In the past when we gave your guru a bread like this he ate the same without giving it to his guru. You may just imitate him and eat the bread yourself". Even then Upamanyu did not eat the bread. The Asvinidevas were so much pleased at this that they blessed Upamanyu thus : "The teeth of your guru will turn into hard iron and yours into pure gold. Your blindness will be cured and all happiness and prosperity will be yours." The blessings of the Asvinidevas took full effect, and Upamanyu hurried to his guru and prostrated at his feet. Dhaumya and the other disciples of his congratulated Upamanyu. (M.B., Adi Parva, Chapter 3, Verses 34-77).

In the Krtayuga, there lived a hermit named Vyaghrapada who had two sons. They were called Upamanyu and Dhaumya. Some learned men are of opinion that Upamanyu the son of Vyaghrapada and Upamanyu the disciple of Ayodhadhaumya, were one and the same. Once Upamanyu visited another hermitage along with his father. He happened to drink the milk of the cow there. After that they returned to their own hermitage, Upamanyu went to his mother and asked her to make milk pudding for him. But the mother felt very sorry because there was no milk. At last she mixed flour in water and made pudding and gave it to him. Upamanyu did not accept it. His mother told him that there was no way to get milk and that men could get wealth, crops etc. only by the grace of Siva. Upamanyu who was of a wilful nature did penance with meditation and contemplation on Siva. Finally Siva appeared before him in the shape of Indra and told him to ask for his boon. Upamanyu boldly replied that he wanted no boon from anybody else except Siva. Siva made his appearance in his own form and made Upamanyu a deva (God). Upamanyu said all these things when he talked with Sri Krsna. (M.B. Anusasana Parva, Chapter 14). In the Book "Our hermits", written by Ramasvami Sastri in Tamil, it is mentioned that Upamanyu had written a book "Siva bhaktavilasa" in which biographies of devotees of Siva of great attainments are given. (Page 808, Puranic Encyclopedia - Vettam Maṇi)

Disciple Veda

He was the son of the hermit Ayodhadhaumya. (Page 841, Puranic Encyclopedia - Vettam Maṇi) Ayodhadhaumya one day said to Veda: "You stay with me for sometime serving me. That will bring you all prosperity in life." Veda agreed, and stayed for a long time in the Asrama in the service of the guru. Without even the slightest murmur he put up with every discomfort and hardship, be it acute hunger and thirst or extreme cold or heat, and gladly performed all the work and duties the master imposed on him. The guru was absolutely pleased and his blessings resulted in all prosperity and omnipotence for the disciple. (M.B., Adi Parva, Chapter 3, Verses 78-80) . (Page 84-85, Puranic Encyclopedia - Vettam Maṇi)