Monday Musings - Episode 167 - Know your self

MONDAY MUSINGS SEASON 2 – EPISODE 167

Know your Self

25th July 2022

Don’t hesitate to ask, Don’t lose the first mover advantage

Satyakama was conscious that Guru Gautama would ask his lineage and his status of an illegitimate child could get ridiculed by the Guru and his disciples. But he was not deterred.

There is no need to be ashamed of asking something which is on the side of truth. Do you face the problem of hesitation to raise your hands first in a lecture or seminar? I faced this handicap for long time. This is the fear of getting ridiculed, getting shouted at. Remove this fear. Satyakama knew very well that he could be ridiculed at the ashram. He did not bother. Think about Satyakama next time when you face with this fear.

Many sales people sidetrack or tell unconfirmed and unvalidated answers when faced with uncomfortable questions. In my experience with sales, customers generally appreciate when truth is told upfront like our Rishi Gautama. Relationship is more important in a sale and it is always better to convey truth upfront.

How Satyakama learnt?

I left Satyakama at Rishi Gautama’s ashram. Let us check if Guru Gautama admit him or not.

Gautama looked at Satyakama. The sage rose from his seat and embraced the boy warmly and said: ” My child, bring the firewood for the sacrificial fire. I have decided to initiate you into discipleship”

#KnowingSelf

Gautama started the lessons the next day. Gautama initiated Satyakama in meditation as the first step to settle his mind and heart. With a quiet mind, Satyakama experienced his own inner Self.

Learn your inner Self as the first step

Guru then took Satyakama to the pasture where hundreds of cows were grazing. Gautama separated out four hundred thin, weak cows and said "Take these cows to another part of the forest and live, my dear boy," he said. "Tend them carefully. You may return when they have multiplied to a thousand!"

 Without any question, the obedient Satyakama drove his four hundred cows to a lush meadow on the other side of the forest.

 At first Satyakama felt lonely, since he was all by himself. He sang to the cows and they mooed back to him as he slept. Satyakama learnt to enjoy his life in the forest. His cows ate nourishing green grass and drank pure water from a spring-fed pond. Satyakama watched his cows grow plump and happy.

 Satyakama was so contented with his life that he noticed neither the passage of time nor the increasing size of his herd.

#LearnToTakeChallengesOnYourStride.

 Profound change was taking place in Satyakama. In his peaceful life in the forest, his mind became serene, his heart filled with love. Satyakama never felt alone. Every living creature became part of his family. He remembered the phrase his mother had taught him, "The world is my family" (#VasudhaivaKutumbakam). He was so contended with his life that he stopped counting the size of his herd.

 One day, the head of the cows, a wise bull, reminded Satyakama that the size of the herd grew to 1000 already. The bull also offered to teach Satyakama the secrets of understanding Brahman. Satyakama listened to the bull

#ListenWellToLearnWell

 "Brahman shines from the east and the west and from the north and south. This is because Brahman is everywhere”  "The fire, Agni, will now teach you more about Brahman." The bull said.

 Satyakama began to drive the cows back to his teacher's ashram. When evening came, he put a rope around a large area to protect the cows. Then Satyakama lit a fire. After some time, the fire, Agni, spoke to him about the nature of Brahman. "Brahman is the earth and the atmosphere. It is the sky and the ocean. This is because Brahman is endless. It is without beginning or end. This is one quarter of Brahman." Agni then added  "A swan will tell you more about Brahman."

 The next evening, after traveling with his cows, Satyakama again lit a fire by the side of a river. He sat down and saw a great white swan gliding down the river towards him. The swan began to teach Satyakama about the nature of Brahman.

 "Brahman is fire and Brahman is the sun. Brahman is the moon, and Brahman is lightning. This quarter of Brahman is light. Brahman is the light of life." Then the swan said, "A bird will tell you more about Brahman."

The next evening, after settling his cows in a safe place beside a hill, Satyakama again lit a fire. He sat down on dry, soft grass, facing east. This time a purple sunbird flew down from the limb of a tree.

 The sunbird sang, "Brahman is the breath, and Brahman is the eye. Brahman is the ear and also the mind. This quarter of Brahman is the seat, the resting place. Just as the eye is the seat of what is seen, and the mind is the seat of what is thought, so Brahman is the seat of everything. Everything rests upon Brahaman."

Listen well to learn well. Learning could come from unexpected quarters. Never mind, it could be a bull, fire, swan or a sunbird.

 Finally Satyakama arrived at Gautama’s ashram. His teacher noticed how Satyakama's face was shining, and he said to him, "I see that you found Brahman. For it is said that the knower of Brahman has settled senses, a smiling face, freedom from worry, and has found the purpose of life."

 Satyakama still bowed before the guru and spoke humbly, "Please, honored Sir, teach me about the nature of Brahman."

What is Brahman?

 "You have heard that east and west are Brahman, that earth and sky are Brahman, that the sun and moon are Brahman, and that the eye and ear are Brahman. Like waves stirring within the ocean, all these are a part of Brahman. This is because Brahman is everywhere. Brahman is everything (Brahmaivedam Sarvam). It is endless. It is the light of life. Everything finds its rest in Brahman”

 "And Brahman is realized by knowing the Self, your true nature. Then you realize that you are everywhere – you are endless, and you are radiant. This is the supreme knowledge, Brahma Vidya. Yes, this is the supreme knowledge, Brahma Vidya."

Satyakama realized Brahman, and grew up himself to become a great teacher of Brahman.

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Compiled and posted as a weekly newsletter MONDAY MUSINGS by Jaganathan (www.authorjaganathan.com). MONDAY MUSINGS is a weekly newsletter with positive messages based on classical stories and literature. Please subscribe to MONDAY MUSINGS newsletter in LinkedIn or register in www.authorjaganathan.com to read MONDAY MUSINGS every Monday.

GOOD NEWS COLUMN

Look forward to my new science fiction COVID2121 in October 2022. This is a good news because it is a fiction for all ages without any negative content. Fiction with imagination of how the world would be in 2121, specific focus on Robotics, Automation, Genetic Engineering, Environment & Cyber Security.

Congratulations to Anuj Jagannathan on the new launch.

Anuj published his first book Negotiation Quotient in 2019. It received many 5-star reviews and valuable feedback from readers in all parts of the world. He has incorporated the useful feedback and has added new and important updates in the revised edition of Negotiation Quotient published in July 2022.

The new edition of 'Negotiation Quotient' can be ordered on the website of PropelursConsulting at www.propelursconsulting.com/bookpublishing.