The Search and the Find
Sathesh, one visitor to this blog has requested me to share more about my search and what is it that I have found. He is quoting from what I have written in 'About Me' and asks what I exactly mean by the Truth.
Well. It is a long story. But yet it is also a very short story. Here I go then with the long and short of it. By nature of being born to parents who had certain ideas of upbringing, I learnt carnatic music - vocal and instrumental and shlokas and chanting in Tamil and Sanskrit.
I took to reading the books of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother in the 1990s. As Sri Aurobindo has said, when the mind is travelling on a single plane of existence, force of circumstances gives a jolt in some form or another. This jolt came in the form of an auto accident on August 15, 2000, Sri Aurobindo's birthday. A woman seated just next to me suffered grievous injuries while I just scraped my elbow and knee. Getting back to work after four days of leave, for the first time, I had this thought: Why was I spared in this accident. What is the purpose of my existence?
It was this question that took me on a path of what is popularly known today as Yoga, Meditation and Spirituality. But even then, I did not go in search of truth, but I was just answering some call and saw myself being taken to all the places and people who were providing me with the answers. When I dithered or just forgot, someone would come to remind me or tell me what to do.
Truth of Existence is a difficult thing to explain. But all the music, all the Sanskrit or anything that I learnt by heart, began unfolding the deeper meanings to me. I now see the same roads, same polluting MTC buses, the same people, the same poverty or prosperity, the same clean or unclean roads, the same everything. But earlier, they were all different and I was different. Now the Truth is - I and Them, I and It, I and Him, I and Her are all one. The person who asks the question is me. The person who replies is me. My answer for Who Am I? will now be - Well, Nothing. If you don't like this answer, I will say, Well, then Everything. It makes no difference.
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13 comments:
swahilyaji
you have tried to explain something that is difficult to explain. What you have described is very Athmartham.
But being a spiritually inclined person myself, I can relate to it very much. you cant grab air by your hands yet its everywhere.
Whole purpose of religion is go within ourselves to find the answer to this complex question of What is the purpose of my life, why I am here. Thats what the meaning of the word 'Kadavul' Kada-go + 'vul' - inside. Most of us take life for granted, till life gives an experience that lead us to contemplate on these things.
For many of us God or purpose of God is as means of getting promotions, marriage etc
We are ready bribe even God to get what we want. But as long as the search is going to be outside its like trying to grab air.
Yes Ganesh: Trying to describe Truth is like trying to describe air, light or love. The only way is Experience.
Swaha.
Hi Swahilya,
Fantastic as always. To comment on this post is beyond my capacity. So silence is the best tribute to it. As you said silence is invaluable.
Hari: Silence is the most powerful sound.
swahilya enjoyed your posts
keep writing. Its rare these day to find
peopel like this.
For some reason being spiritual has been translated to being old and tired.
But we know thats so wrong
if you are old and then try to be spiritual you are probably too late.
Agree truth can reveal itself
but with muddied water(old and tired mind) there can be no reflection
One's knowledge can be others guide.. not all have an experience that take them into the path of search for absolute meaning- of life, of truth, of existence..or i can put it as not all realise whats happening to them might hold a meaning beyond what they really see or experience.
That which they failed to realise in their own experience, when they come across other's experience or realisation it might strike a chord in them to think about what they missed..
Wow Ganesh. True. But I have a feeling that more and more young people are drawn towards the pursuit of Truth.
Swaha.
Its nice to experience your realisation..
Sathesh: You are right. The experiences happen moment to moment for everybody. But it takes another person, most often to show them that what they are facing is what will lead them to the experience of realisation.
Swahilya.
The intrinsic components of all people are the same but their individuality still holds out. Isn't this the point you are trying to make? I think it is similar to what Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels tried to say, they said so in a totally non spiritual manner and you are linking it to god. I feel that the core of most philosophies remains the same and we always fight about the rudimentary adjustments.
Yes Robbie: The components that make the whole Universe are just the five elements, earth, water, fire, air, space and then the subtler mind, when it comes to mankind. Individuality is there and is bound to remain. Just like different species of trees or animals, humanbeings also differ in their individual nature a great deal. The core of all philosophies are the same because the spring from the same source. The only difference with Karl Marx and Spirutuality is, Karl Marx spoke of an idealistic equality of matter. In reality, matter cannot be equal - textures, geography, solids, liquids and gases are different - but the oneness is the inner unity that is present everywhere and in everything. That is known by several names and one of them is God.
That was simply a beautiful explanation. I havent heard such a clear explanation for things in a long time. You have an excellent way of correlating things and explaining them.
Thank you Robbie. Actually, when I am answering a question, my clarity improves more and more. So the credit goes to you!
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