Reinvent The Self!

It is the river which brings the people together, gives them a purpose to live, a meaning to their living. A river, since ages, has been a silent witness to so many civilizations from Mesopotamia to India. On its way, she “accepts” everything right from creeks, waterfalls, the water from beneath the soil, rocks and becomes One with all of them. She never crosses her banks and flows strictly between them. In other words, while flowing, she doesn’t cross her limits. And more importantly so, she knows her limits.

She quenches the thirst of all trees, animals, birds, and so many life forms without expecting anything from them in return. She also satiates the hunger in every life form by growing trees near her, which bear tasty fruits for all to eat. A true Love! Her love is so powerful that even a sharp rock when comes in contact with her, becomes a pebble!

This way, she creates an environment of “growth” around herself by attracting society, greenery and thereby sustaining the Universe. A pure joy of giving! She loves everyone and at the same time spreads the message of love wherever she flows. She knows no resistance, only a true acceptance. She even goes to the extent of absorbing all the dirt and waste that we as humans ruthlessly emanate. Isn’t it a true Forgiveness?

She has a true Faith in the Sea. She just walks the path designed for her by the Sea. She knows for sure that ultimately, she is going to merge with her formless nature which is Infinite, Abundant, Spacious, and Still. It’s not for nothing that we treat a river as a form of Goddess. This is all about reality as it is.

There are so many metaphorical views about a river, that are commonly held by us. In one way, I “think” of the river as the river of barriers, obstacles towards realising our true essence. I need to cross the river to go to the other bank (realise a formless dimension). We have our “rafts” given to us by Buddha for helping us cross it.

In other view, I “think” of the river as a flow where we “cleanse” our clothes, our body, our mind. To make them pure, unobstructed, flawless. Like Anasuya. This mind, thus purified, will then be able to comprehend the Reality (Datta) which lies beyond three (Atri) dimensions, gunas, tenses, states that are required to create the world of forms.

Also, I think of the river where I drop anything unwanted, like wastewater, industrial waste. My conditioning is just another waste which I need to “drop” in this river. My false beliefs, inherent biases, predispositions, prejudices, inclinations, unfounded assumptions, wrong notions, images, cognitive dissonance, dreams. The list is absolutely endless! The only solution? Drop it (in the river)!

I think of the river as a flow of Consciousness. So just “accept” and swim with the stream. Swimming against the stream is offering the resistance to what is. River “knows” where is Sea. Just be with its stream. I will be taken to the place where I truly belong, a place “Dhruva“, perhaps the youngest and the most ardent devotee of lord Vishnu, belongs to.

I think of a river as “samsara“. The impermanence. Always flowing. Not “Still”. Anitya! Like our fickle mind, our incessant thoughts. This realization is the single most effective and transformational. This too shall pass! I need to “come out” of this river.

And in my favorite view, I think of a river as a river of devotion. Where everyone thinks of Him and no other. Like in Gokul, the abode of Gopis, who think of no one other than Krishna. Uddhav, a friend of Krishna, out of curiosity, once went to Gokul and asked Gopis a question. “What will happen by just chanting the name of Krishna? Don’t you want to know the reality? Don’t you want to get enlightened?” The only answer he got is: “Our true nature? A reality? What is enlightenment? Who cares? Forget it, first please tell us how is our Krishna? We only know one thing which is Krishna and our whole purpose is to remain in His service at His Lotus Feet”. Bhakti! So powerful! So true! I need to immerse in this river. Sink into His Holiness and Love that pervades everything.

In short, depending on how I “view” the river, I have to either “cross it”, “swim with it”, or “drop in it from a bridge”, or “bathe in it”, or “immerse in it”.

And when I “drop” my all views about the river into the river, I ask, “What is the river”? What’s left then and there? There, I just AM! Here and Now!