Tao of UG

UG and Chuang Tzu

“Your rishis (sages) can’t hold a candle light to those giants from China.” - UG

This was way back in 2002.

I was at the boarding lounge in Mumbai airport awaiting departure call for my late evening flight to Bangalore. Mother had been seriously ill for a while, she was to be operated the next morning.

I was flying in to join my brother and family members. My mission was to relieve them during night long vigils. Given the nature of surgery, it could be a long stay at the hospital.

As I waited at the lounge, a small bookshop at the gate beckoned to me. I lumbered in looking for something that could keep me busy during my night shifts at the hospital.

Nothing in the shop seemed to catch my attention.

As I lazily sauntered, the gentleman behind the counter abruptly came up to me, holding a small book, “The Art of War”. He accosted me saying that the book was a smash hit with marketing and business execs and was in great demand. I excused myself gently and moved over to the next shelf.

Given my mission tonight, the last thing I ever wanted to explore was the world of business or war. The title was a dead giveaway! The world has seen vicious corporate wars, they could be deadly. No wonder, the title seemed to hold much promise for corporate warmongers.

I found nothing interesting in the shop and, as I turned to leave, the shopkeeper again made his appearance. This time around, he seemed more determined. Strangely, in a pleading tone, he began to explain to me that it was the last copy in the store, and that he had carefully tucked it away from the public eye. For some reason, he felt that I should read the book! I patiently told him that I was not a businessman and had nothing whatsoever to do with marketing, but he would have none of it!

Not to be discourteous to the man, I took hold of the book. It was ‘The Art of War’ by Sun Tzu. It was an exposition on war by a ‘sagely’ military general, who had lived in China nearly three thousand years ago!

Sun Tzu had quipped, “The greatest General is one who wins a war without a battle!” His position was that the wars could be won through strategy and tact, without the need for fighting a battle or even spilling blood.

I decided to check out the Introduction to see if it was worth my time. That was my first ever reading of a Chinese Classic. Just a couple of paragraphs into it, I was simply blown away by its content.

In the introductory pages, the author had generously quoted the likes of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, extraordinary figures from the Taoist lore. The genre, the originality of content and expression of Taoist wisdom remains unparalleled to this day. Unlike volumes that fill entire libraries, the short, powerful, pithy statements of the Chinese sages drive home the very essence of life.

It was a déjà vu   moment! 

As I read on, I was stunned by the sagely observations. They looked utterly familiar. Their profound revelations, it appeared, had always been part of my essence, my very being. Every passage there was facile and fluid, expressing the innermost, subtlest stirrings of my heart, nay, of every human heart! They suddenly seemed to find a voice in the sagely remarks!

The uncanny wisdom and sagacity of the Taoist sages flowed on effortlessly and majestically, in utter simplicity and naturalness!

Here perhaps was the distilled wisdom of the ages and sages, the very essence of life minus any embellishment or trappings. It was simple and flawless exposition on life with no ado, no sophistry or ceremony.

No wonder, the smallest Wisdom Book – ‘Tao Te Ching’, the Chinese Classic with less than 5000 characters (not words!) remains the second most popular book in the world, after the Bible.

The little book became my introduction to the great Taoism (pronounced ‘Daoism’) of ancient China.

****

At the hospital, I discovered that the only place with good illumination, fit for any serious reading, close to mother’s ward, was a bench bang opposite the casualty wing.

The place remained awake through the night with people wailing over the dead at random intervals. This formed a sombre backdrop for my initiation into Taoist literature. Night after night, I sat on the bench digging deeply into the Art of War and other Chinese Classics. I had managed to assemble a tiny library, the very next day after my arrival. Mother too began recuperating slowly after the surgery.

The Art of War, personally, was a revelation to me on how to lead one’s life sanely and tactfully in a self-contradicting, volatile and treacherous social environment, full of existential threats. To me, this was the subtext of the Classic - it doubled up as a personal guide to life as much as a celebrated text on military strategy .

The sage general, Sun Tzu, professed peace over war but also handed down a pragmatic guide to deal with the myriad hazards that could threaten our safety and security!

This extraordinary practical advice from Sun Tzu led me to explore more of the Chinese Classics. Lao Tzu’s ‘Tao Te Ching’ and the ‘Inner Chapters’ of Chuang Tzu followed suit. Then there was the outstanding Wen Tzu and many others.

By now, I was in awe of the great Taoist sages.

****

Tao or ‘the Way’  (as opposed to a dead, static path) points to the fundamental dynamic principle of our universe. Tao points to the deep interconnectedness between human and the animal, the earth and the heavens, the sentient and the insentient.

The whole of life is in an eternal dance born of cosmos that is in a flux, pulsing every moment. Life pulsates, and everything responds and pulsates with it. Everything is interconnected and hence affected by everything else in the universe.

Whether it is the human or plant or animal or earth or sun or moon, everything operates in cycles individually and in resonance with the collective. There is ‘yin’, there is ‘yang’, there is growth, there is decay, there is waxing, there is waning, there is life, there is death, there is day, there is night, there is male, there is female, there is summer, there is winter, there is activity, there is rest, there is light, there is darkness. The binary aspect of life or nature is a reality, but its essence is unary, just like the two sides of the same coin!

In a fundamental departure from all known spiritual traditions of the world, Taoism stands apart like a colossus, seeing no difference between the spiritual or the mundane, the contemplative or the practical aspect of life. It rejects all artificial divisions and the needless compartmentalisation of life.

In Taoist approach, the external search for meaning of life is failure on our part to see life’s operation in and around oneself.

There is no God or guru in Taoism! A master or teacher is considered to be more sensitive, more mature, more open, receptive pupil of life, a little ahead in the journey of life, a little down the road! Fundamentally and essentially, the teacher (‘adept’ in Taoism) is not different from the disciple who has just set out on life’s journey. Similarly, for the Taoist, there is no God or Agency standing away or apart from life and orchestrating its operations. There is only life and its cycles, the eternal universal dance with its own rhythm and order.

Taoism, like its counterpart Vedanta in India, touched and influenced every aspect of medieval life in China - art, music, literature, architecture, culture, medicine, farming, state affairs, commerce, economics, justice, the art of self- defence etc. Each realm imbibed the spirit of Taoism and evolved into its finest, most refined form. 

****

Among Taoists, perhaps UG comes closest to Chuang Tzu. UG’s brilliance and depth are matched by the wit and wisdom of Chuang Tzu.

Here are some gems from Chuang Tzu, the ‘butterfly’ philosopher:

The perfect man has no self, the holy man has no merit, the sage has no reputation.

sss

We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it. And yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away.

sss

Life has a limit, but knowledge is without limit. For the limited to pursue the unlimited is futile. To know this and still pursue knowledge is even more futile.

sss

Once upon a time, I, Chuang Tzu, dreamed I was a butterfly flying happily here and there, enjoying life without knowing who I was. Suddenly I woke up and I was indeed Chuang Tzu. Did Chuang Tzu dream he was a butterfly, or did the butterfly dream he was Chuang Tzu?

(Courtesy: http://www.eheart.com/TAO/CTchapters-small.pdf)

****

Mother was discharged from the hospital, and I left for Bombay carrying back with me a small collection of Tao books.

I now eagerly awaited UG’s next arrival into Bombay. I was curious to know what he had to say about Taoism, my latest discovery.

I began to wonder if UG had ever come across these Taoist Masters.

When UG came over, at the first opportunity, I asked him if he had ever read Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. He replied,

“Sir, I know all about Taoism and its sages Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu and Mo Tzu. In my younger days, I had read all those books in libraries of Calcutta. Those libraries have some of the finest and rarest collection of books anywhere in the world.

The Chinese sages were extraordinary. Your rishis in India can’t hold a candle light to those giants from China.”

****

Several Chinese University professors became attracted to UG after reading his recorded conversations, ‘Thought Is Your Enemy’, ‘The Mystique of Enlightenment’, ‘Mind Is A Myth’ etc. They turned into his admirers. They arranged some of his visits to China and took him around places and organised meetings with friends.

UG spoke highly about China.

The professor friends felt that there were great similarities between UG and the ancient Tao Masters.

UG admired the pragmatic approach of the Chinese and considered it as a powerful nation with superior military prowess. 

His favourite line was, “That country has produced so many business women, there are more than million millionairesses and even some billionairesses. I want to meet one of the billionairesses on my next visit.”

On his next visit to China, UG was invited by a billionairess to her mansion for a personal meeting. When he turned up at the appointed time, she courteously asked him to join her for a meal. UG excused himself saying that he consumed very little food and had already finished his meal at the hotel. Nevertheless, she invited him over to the table saying he could keep her company while she lunched.

UG was amused at the variety of foods served by her retinue of servants, “It was a fifty-four-course meal, and they went around the huge table and kept on bringing varieties of food to the table.”

At the end of the meal, she got up and used crutches to walk over to where UG was seated. UG inquired about her age and was shocked to know that she was still in her early sixties. She was curious to know UG’s age and couldn’t believe that he was decades older to her but hale, hearty and nimble. She couldn’t hold back her curiosity, “What’s the secret of your health, UG?”

UG, “I eat less, I eat fast and I eat standing! The reason for all your health problems is your fifty-four-course meal that you just had, the body needs only a little food for survival. Eating, in your case is a pleasure movement.”

****

Self, Free Will and UG

  

‘SELF’, 'FREE WILL' & UG

Cartesian Theatre

(Derivative work: Pbroks13 Original: Jennifer Garcia (Reverie) - Image:Cartesian Theater.jpg)

 A tiny person sits in a movie theater inside a human head, watching and hearing everything that is being experienced by the human being. An illustration of the Cartesian theater.

Self, Freewill and UG 

Are events and results predetermined? Are they beyond human control?

Or

Is there a ‘free will’, can we influence events and results?

According to the dictionary, the word ‘will’ denotes determination, insistence, persistence, or wilfulness.

Free will is one’s ability to ‘consciously’ exercise choice, to influence a decision or an action, so as to bring about a predictable outcome.

‘Free will’ cannot be thought of in isolation. It presupposes a ‘self’ or agent that has the power to consciously exercise choice! When we say consciously, we append yet another important attribute to the ‘self’, namely, ‘consciousness’.

‘Free will’, ‘self’ and ‘consciousness’ constitute our rich mental or psychological world. They share common traits and roots. To use a philosopher’s expression, they have a common ‘ontological basis.’

The idea of ‘self’ and ‘consciousness’ introduces the mind-body problem. Philosophers and scientists consider this as one of the toughest problems in understanding the nature of reality. Is our reality physical or mental or both?

The mind-body problem goes somewhat like this: How can the ‘self’, existing in a pure mental domain (or psychological domain), impact events in the physical domain? Does mind rule over matter? How does the mind arise in the physical system, in the first place?

Science is prodding on with this single most important question…

If you dare any philosopher to prove mind over matter, he will waste no time, “Mentally I decide to raise my arm (intention) and the damn thing goes up (action)!”

Renowned philosophers like John Searle from Berkeley advance formidable arguments for logically proving the existence of ‘free will’, even ‘self’ and consciousness. 

According to John Searle, “consciousness has a first-person or subjective ontology, and is thus not reducible to anything that has a third-person, or objective ontology.” [1]

This simply means that the phenomenon of consciousness is purely subjective experience and cannot be further divided or reduced to simpler or more fundamental units.

Reductionism is the typical approach of modern science. The idea is to reduce or break down a complex system into simpler, more fundamental units to understand its workings.

Unlike an atom that could be reduced to its constituents like protons, neutrons or electrons, consciousness cannot be further divided into its simpler units, say, ‘selftrons’ or ‘mentrons’!

Consciousness is a hard problem for science, as the Australian philosopher David Chalmers put it. Because it is irreducible!

****

Let us now find out what neuroscience has to say considering recent discoveries in brain anatomy.

But before that, what does ‘self’ mean to you and me?

It is strange but true that one may or may not believe in God, but all of us, without exception, including theists, atheists, agnostics, philosophers and scientists (that is pretty much everyone on the planet!) tend to believe in the existence of a conscious ‘self’ , a mental or psychological being, or the first person ‘I’ that exhibits awareness, that experiences pleasure and pain, that reasons out, that chooses or exercises the free will.

Self dominates every moment of our social existence.

Without ‘self’, there is no name, there is no social identity, there is no degree, there is no social security, there is no voter ID, there is no passport, there is no filing of tax returns, there is no death certificate!

The entire edifice of ‘society’ seems to have been built upon the notion of the ‘self’. And the ‘self’ too gets its legitimacy through and from society.

This social ‘self’ could be appropriately labelled as autobiographical self to borrow the words of the famous neuroscientist, Antonio Damasio.

Antonio Damasio has proposed a thought provoking theory of consciousness that is truly remarkable as it is thoroughly grounded in neuroanatomy. According to him, consciousness is centred upon the ‘self.’

The ‘self’, says Damasio, has evolved with the evolution of brain. He describes three distinct stages in the development of the ‘self’ alongside the evolution of brain – Proto-self, core-self and the autobiographical self.[2]

Proto-self is the most primitive form, a true biological entity, ‘it maintains its active model of the body, the chief object of its concern, and has the basic foundations of homeostasis (internal body) management.”

“On top of the proto-self is the core self. The core self is the momentary self. It exists in “pulses.” It comes into existence when the proto-self perceives objects and how those objects relate to the body. Is the object food? A predator or some other kind of threat? Another body like ours? Something else?”

“On top of the core self is the autobiographical self. This is the self that comes into existence as the organism lives its life. It is heavily dependent on memories, along with the projections it makes for the future.”

****

The core-self spoken of by Damasio comes closest to the observations of Eastern thinkers like UG or Nisargadutta.

UG’s description of how he operated in his Natural State completely resonates with the ‘core-self’ description of Damasio as that ‘pulses’ or ‘comes and goes’ momentarily.

UG explains, “What you call ‘I’ is just a first person singular pronoun. The ‘I’ or UG comes into operation here only when there is a demand. Otherwise there is no one here…” 

He adds further, "Every time a thought is born, you are born. When the thought is gone, you are gone.”[3]

Also, interestingly, the concept of core-self finds resonance with the Buddhist Doctrine of Momentariness or ‘Kshanika Vada.’ 

‘Autobiographical self’ on the other hand could be thought of as the ‘social self’ or ‘ego’ (with all its social trappings), a pure creation of society, a finished product of culture.

Autobiographical self is resurrected or reborn in every thought, during every social transaction or interaction. It shall be maintained at all costs for the sake of its own continuity (everyone craves immortality) as well as that of its very creator – the society.

****

Is the ‘self’ then a product of environment?

Animals and humans are subject to natural conditioning to be able to adapt, survive and function in the natural environment. This conditioning or adaptation ensures that the biological entity is not only capable of handling its function and operation, but fully capable of detecting and avoiding natural threats in the environment, and to survive on its own.

Perhaps natural conditioning could be the trigger for the evolution of Damasio’s proto-self.

On the other hand, humans are subject to a different form of conditioning. This apart from the natural conditioning. This is social conditioning imposed by life in the social environment and layered on top of natural conditioning.

Social conditioning largely happens through societal interactions, starting with mother, father, siblings, schoolmates, teachers, friends, groups and gatherings.

Language, learning, experience or socio-cultural interactions are some ways that ensure that one becomes socially conditioned and becomes acceptable to society.

Social conditioning has its roots in tribal communities in the distant past and over the centuries, has gradually developed into its most complex and sophisticated form of today.

It is crucial to understand that conditioning is essential in all its forms for adaptation, survival and operation in the environment. Conditioning helps one to ‘function sanely and intelligently in the world.’

Certain pathological conditions could lead to certain brain disorders like ‘autism’ with the loss of identity or the loss of ‘self’ characterised by serious difficulties in social-interaction.

It is important to note that thought or memory plays a tremendous role in conditioning. UG offered a simple but powerful definition of thought that describes its role or function, especially related to conditioning:

 “Thought is the translation of a sensory perception within the framework of YOUR experiencing structure.”[4]

It is the thought that makes it possible for us to experience the world. Thought perhaps is the very instrument of conditioning.

****

This is what UG has to say about ‘free will’ or ‘freedom of action’:

“There is no way you can say that you have freedom of action or free will! Metaphysically you can explain, logically you can establish a point of view, but actually there is no freedom of action, because all the actions are born out of our thinking. And thinking is born out of the thoughts that are put in there, and I question the very, very thoughts and thinking you see. I say there are no thoughts and there is no thinking there at all! Thought is nothing but memory.” [5]

Free will or ‘freedom of action’ implies the ability to make a choice. Choice means deliberation, choice means thinking, choice means reasoning.

Scenario One: I get slapped, I hit back, there is no thinking. There is no ‘gap’ between stimulus and response. This is what UG calls the ‘unitary movement’. This is simple action.

Scenario Two: I get slapped, I stop, I deliberate,

“Should I hit back, or should I hold back’, Is it the right thing to do? Is it ethical? What about turning the other cheek?......”

This is thinking. Now there is a ‘gap’ between stimulus and response. Thought has created the gap, thought has brought about this division between stimulus and response.

These are conscious choices. Every choice is based on my previous experience or my learning or my cultural background. Every one of my choices (reasons) is coloured by environment, cultural or social. There is no choice that I can call my own.

UG often reiterated, “There is nothing original. Nobody is original. Every thought comes from outside (environment), everything is put in there by culture. They tell you what to do, what to wear, what to eat, what to think…there is not a single thought that you can call your own!”

Cradle-to-grave, every experience of ours, everything we know of, every thought of ours is externally acquired, borrowed from the social environment. There is nothing that we can call our own.

UG reiterates that free will or freedom of action doesn’t really exist at all, as there is nothing to really choose from, except what is offered to us by society or culture!

Also, there can be nothing original. Originality lies in expression, in ‘how’ something is said or done, and not in ‘what’ is being said or done.

We all are imprisoned and restrained in our thoughts and actions by the invisible golden chains of culture. UG could clearly see it, as his Calamity on his 49^th birthday flushed out every trace, every remnant of culture from his system, putting him back into primordial Natural State or Sahaja Stithi.

****

Here is UG’s last word on the ‘self’.

UG’s explanation of ‘self’ is much closer to the ‘pulsing self’ or the ‘core-self’ alluded to by Antonio Damasio earlier. It is that of a ‘self’ responding to the continuous stream of stimuli or perceptions pouring in from the environment.

Here UG explains in very clear terms the real nature of ‘self’ as well as the real place of thought (or conditioning) in the scheme of things:

“You may not accept what I am saying, so what you call ‘UG’ (or self) in one frame is the microphone, in another frame- tape recorder, another frame - cassette – audio cassette or the video cassette as the case may be! In another frame, it is a remote-control instrument. There is an illusion or impression that there is a person, or that there is one who is saying all these things, (but) each one is an independent frame. So, the identity (or self) can be maintained only by assuming that it is the same thing (UG) that is saying all these things….[6]

****

" I do not see that there are any individuals at all...there is no free will at all. "

Metaphorically, the raindrop falling into the ocean does not lose its 'essence' (as water) but has no 'sense' (of being the drop).

UG used to convey this powerful message sometimes through his sounding board, Mahesh Bhatt:

UG: " Hey Mister! Who are you?",

Mahesh, " Mahesh Bhatt, sir "

UG, " You call yourself that?! They (parents, society) put in the name 'Mahesh' there! Actually, I don't see anyone there."

Sages, over the ages, have emphasised that the self- the psychological buildup is purely an artificial construct ( just like the VR & AR - Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality), society being its lead programmer.

Society tirelessly builds and maintains the psychological identity ( Family ID, Passport ID, Tax ID, Voter ID), (like the 'Object' in Object Oriented Programming (OOP)).

It defines, supplies everyone with a unique IDENTITY and FUNCTIONALITY in creating and maintaining an artificial reality.

Society or the transactional world will collapse in the absence of identity or agency.

Without identity (self), there is no agency (purpose), without agency, there is no 'free will'!

This is the real world where sages live and breathe, (where they do not initiate anything but only respond).

We in Facebook with email IDs & DPs certainly have no clue about its inner workings!

****

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[1] Searle, John. Freedom and Neurobiology: Reflections on Free Will, Language, and Political Power (Columbia Themes in Philosophy), Columbia University Press. Kindle Edition.

 

[2] Antonio Damasio: https://selfawarepatterns.com/2016/06/27/damasios-theory-of-consciousness/

 

[3] Mind is a Myth: Disquieting Conversations with the Man Called U.G.

[4] Courtesy: UG in conversation with Dr. Sreedhav, Chennai, India

[5] Transcribed from the video clip:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs4C91-_eqQ

[6] Transcribed from the video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs4C91-_eqQ

Dedication:

Am neither a philosopher nor a scientist, only a student of life. I am grateful to Dr. Narayana Moorty, Retd. Prof of Philosophy, Montery, California. He has been my mentor and guide having introduced me to Western philosophy. He has been of great help in streamlining my presentations as well as in the development of structured writing. A tough task master but a kind heart. This is my humble and respectful dedication to him. 

Affectionate Regards,

Suresh 

“This certainty ….I cannot give it to you.” - UG

 

UG Krishnamurti

Many books, gurus, teachers have spoken about Life. But the certainty with which UG spoke about Life and how It operates, carried a force and strength that has very few parallels. UG breathed ‘fire’! His words carried clarity and certainty that is indeed rare!

UG 'died' on his 49^th birthday and somehow revived. Did this ‘death’ trigger the certainty?

UG has taken great pains to describe the physiological processes that were set in motion by the ‘Calamity’ on his 49^th birthday. To his credit, Douglas Rosestone seems to have made the epic telephone call that somehow revived life in UG and triggered the cascading physiological changes.

We also have heard or known many a strange anecdote where people declared ‘dead’ by doctors, somehow revived and came back to lead normal lives. Obviously, ‘death’ in their case was not the Calamity that UG spoke of, and certainly it made no difference to the functioning of these people. They resumed their familial relationships and moved on with their ‘old’ lives.

The strange Calamity (or ‘death’) that wiped out the identity called 'UG' in this sense is quite unique!

UG’s oft-repeated line was, “The chance that this might ‘hit’ you …. is one in a billion.”

****

UG was ‘certain’ that he somehow ‘stumbled’ into that state which is nothing but the primordial or primal state of operation of every natural human being.

There were two occasions when UG drilled this into me personally, thrusting his index finger into my chest. The first time, “Look here! There is no difference between you and me. We function in exactly the same way but you are preoccupied and I am not!” Second time, “There is no difference between you and me. Only thing is you are in conflict with society but I am not!”  

UG repeated these statements endlessly, almost every day and with so many people.

UG brushed aside all ‘sadhana’ or preparation or methods or techniques to ‘regain’ the natural state. All of these implied ‘will’. But in case of UG, we see the complete withering away of the will before Calamity. In short, this is not a ‘wilful’ thing at all, rather its complete or total absence!

Post Calamity, UG in his natural state, lived in a ‘state of wonderment.’ His words, when uttered, exposed the social ‘lie’ about our unreal psychological existence, our fictitious identity, our fabricated autobiographical self.

UG spoke with great certainty and pointed to the natural functioning of the entity that is fully endowed with tremendous intelligence and resources, essential for survival and operation in the natural environment.

It is this certainty or authenticity that sets the sage apart.

****

There is a very interesting episode in the life of Kalidasa, who is hailed as the greatest Sanskrit poet ever, that sheds light on the quality of certainty and authenticity.

The story goes like this!

The Emperor Vikramaditya, in whose court Kalidasa reigned as the Poet Laureate, was in awe of his greatness and held him in high esteem. In fact, there were many brilliant poets in his court. Among them there was one other great poet whose expression exactly matched and resonated with that of the great Kalidasa. Their expressions were so similar that it was impossible to tell the difference.

The Empress unlike her husband, felt that both Kalidasa and the fellow poet were of the same calibre and strongly advised the Emperor to treat both on par.

The Emperor was convinced that Kalidasa was unparalleled and wanted to demonstrate this truth to the queen. He hatched a secret plan that would prove the greatness and authenticity of Kalidasa to the queen. According to the plan, the Emperor and the queen were to enact a public drama!

Before the drama began, the Emperor summoned his messengers and sent out a word to all his poets that a beggar had approached him with his wife and the corpse of his only child. The beggar had earlier prayed to the Lord to restore his child’s life and the Lord had appeared to him in a trance and assured him that he would restore the child’s life on completion of a small task. The beggar, incapable of fulfilling the task had now surrendered to the Emperor to help him out in completing the task and revive his child.

In the dream, the Lord, it seems, had uttered an incomplete quatrain (a poem with four lines) with only three lines. The Lord had promised that upon completion of the quatrain, that is, by supplying the missing line, the child would raise from the dead!

The Emperor wanted to help the poor man and announced a great reward for anyone who could complete the quatrain and restore the life of the child.

As per plan, at the appointed hour, the Emperor and the Empress put on the garbs of beggars and along with their infant child appeared in front of the palace. The lady sat on the ground with the sleeping baby on her lap, covered with a cloth, and started wailing out loudly as advised by the Emperor.

All the poets including Kalidasa and the great poet made a beeline to the palace. One by one, each of them made an attempt to complete the poem and revive the dead child.

The first poet came and sang the quatrain supplying the missing line. The beggar went over to his wife, uncovered the child and found the child lying motionless and came back nodding his head in disappointment. 

The poet announced, “Perhaps there is a better way of completing the verse and wake up the child”, and walked away in dejection, giving way to the second poet, then to the third and so on….

Now it was the turn of the poet who was as great as Kalidasa. He too went up to the beggar couple and uttered the missing line. The child did not get up!

Finally, Kalidasa took his position and uttered the missing line.  The beggar again went over to his wife, uncovered the child and came back announcing that the child still did not wake up!

Unlike the previous poet who had accepted his helplessness and walked away, Kalidasa stood his ground and asked the beggar to repeat what the Lord had  instructed in the dream. The beggar repeated that the Lord had promised him that upon completion of the missing line, the dead child would get up!

Then Kalidasa ended the high drama with these words, “True! The dead child will get up… and if the child does not get up, the child is not dead!”

Kalidasa and the other great poet had in fact uttered the same missing line. This was exactly the same line , word for word, the exact replica! What lacked with the other man was the certainty. He was a great poet and a great wordsmith but singularly lacked the confidence and certainty of Kalidasa!

****

In the Upanishads or Vedanta, the sage is categorised as Brahma Nishta, as the One rooted or grounded in Brahma or Natural State whereas a Brahma Jnani is said to be aware and knowledgeable about the Natural State or Sahaja Sthiti but not grounded. 

Jnani howsoever subtle and harmless still denotes the ego!

This subtle difference between the Jnani and Nishta was highlighted by the great sage of yore, Yagnavalkya, in no uncertain terms!

The certainty or authenticity is the hallmark of a Brahma Nishta.

To paraphrase UG’s words, “(A Jnani) may have seen ‘the sugar cube’ but not tasted it (like the Nishta)!”

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