WHO AM I?

An old Post edited and re-written as a story without touching the core message to suit this week's IndiSpire Prompt What do you think about yourself? Share your views. #yourself is brought out here to feel who actually I am..

The story goes thus..

The day was the auspicious day of Maha Shivratri.. People from centuries had

• Fasted, 
• Visited the temples of Lord Shiva, 
• Kept themselves awake through out the night thru' Singing/listening the devotional songs.. 

The earlier day itself, the devoted mom away in her home town advised her son in the city who did not yet settle in his life thru' marriage to visit at least the nearest temple and pray to God for good to happen..

The son who always carried his own version in respect all such rituals and austerities murmured within,

"How can I do my work if I go and stand in queues for hrs to see God? All these rituals are not for a man like me. They are only for people who have time with them!"

but was in no mood to hurt his mother's feelings and so replied to her softly,

"OK, mom! I'll try to do that!"

As usual he got up that day in the early morning hrs to prepare and go to his office but strangely a little stomach upset held him up. Soon he felt quite uneasy in his body and decided to go an hr late to the office.

But the situation only worsened, there was no go and so he conveyed the same to his Boss by phone who instantly advised him to take off for the day.

The son thus remained at home with no hunger feeling and he decided not to eat anything except taking plenty of fluids.

By afternoon, he felt better but continued his fluid intake till evening without solid food.

As he started making some preparations for light dinner, his colleague who took off because of the festival called him casually on phone and knowing his condition instantly said,

"Yaar.. I'm coming to take you home.. Relax at our place to night and tomorrow you can go to office if you feel well!"

Having said thus, the friend in one hr’s time was at his door step with his car and soon both moved on.

The evening traffic was dense with extra festival rush and both the friends were held up near the famous temple of Lord Shiva on the way for almost half hr moving inch by inch in the traffic. All along, melodious devotional songs on Lord Shiva played near the temple premises were heard on few loud speakers installed on the road side.

Soon both the friends reached home, had a light dinner and spent few hrs up to midnight looking into few routine issues.

At 12 midnight they went to sleep, but strangely the new place kept the son awake for a longer time which continued almost the whole night. Added to that, few devotional songs from distant loud-speakers too kept him awake. In the early morning hrs, he fell asleep a bit but in no time the friend woke him up.

Both the friends soon readied themselves and headed to their Office. As they moved, near a certain temple premises, a strange feeling overtook the son instantly.

“What had happened to me in the last 24 hrs? Indirectly

• Fasted the whole day with no intake of solid food,
• Was held up near the temple of Lord Shiva on the way 
• Did not sleep almost the whole night and all along 
• Was listening to the various devotional songs played everywhere!

Further, I was off from my active work too in no time which hitherto I was thinking that I can never do it!”

Just then from the temple premises, the first sloka of Nirvana Shatakam (Atma Shatakam) was heard on the loud-speakers being recited melodiously with the meaning explained in parallel..

'Mano Budhyahankaara Chitani Naaham,
Na Cha Shrotrajihve Na Cha Ghraananetre
Na Cha Vyoma Bhumir Na Tejo Na Vayuh,
Chidaanandarupah Shivoham Shivoham.'

'I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the five senses, nor the reflections of inner self

I am beyond all that. Again

I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind as

I am indeed that Eternal Knowing and Bliss, the Auspicious (Shivam), Love and Pure Consciousness!'

Keyword: I