Vibhandaka started listening as to how the outer world entered his inner world in the words of his son who was oblivious to the world:
“Dear father, my present state is like a man blinded by the sudden sight of a bright lightning in the darkness of the night. Having witnessed a phenomenon which I am not used to, I am struggling unable to come out of its obsession.”
“When you were away a brahmachari* (!) had come to the hermitage. His arrival seemed like approach of light itself, like a celestial body descending to earth. I saw moon in his face, cuckoo in his voice, nectar in his heart and swan in his steps.”
“Surprisingly, though he is a human, he doesn’t look like you or me. He is not like any of the brahmacharis you have explained to me. I have seen an unusual sweetness in his voice, poise, stance and structure. Furthermore, I felt dumbfounded by the intimacy of his inner being which contains both the beauty of his external appearance and the sweet attraction of his voice.
“Father, his eyes are not like yours. His pitch dark colored eyes resembling darkness ooze platonic love in them. I was surprised to note the dark color in the form of lines around his eyes apart from the centre of his eyes. His hair is not coarse like mine, smooth and silky flowing plait on his head reminded me of snake. When air breezes past him it carries the enticing aroma of floral garden in spring!”
“His apparels which are shiny and smooth provided the halo of rainbow to our hermitage. Our hut became vibrant with vivid colors today!”
“A rope which resembled lightning glittered around his neck; similar unusual designs adorned and shone around his arms, fingers, ears, waist. Two love-birds were dancing from his ears though they were lifeless! Two beautiful items hugging his feet – as beautiful as a bunch of lightning – made sweet sound whenever he moved; I was in a continuous state of surprise!”
“Just as he was, his rituals too were novel to me; he didn’t accept my greeting; he says he can offer salutations to me but I cannot do likewise to him! That was apparently his vow! His salutation is said to be like a climber plant hugging the trunk of a tree!”
“Bizarre situation of him hosting me sumptuously instead of me hosting him took place today! He didn’t savor the fruits I served him; he gave me the fruits he brought with him. Unlike our fruits, those fruits did not have any peel! Their comforting aroma too is totally new to me! They carry very refreshing taste and unseen before! When mixed with his love they became tastier!
“He had brought with him different varieties of water; on drinking those tasty waters with hearty aroma… weird sensations… I felt like the earth below my feet is moving!”
“He is a bundle of mysteries! Repeatedly he used to throw a peculiar fruit he had with him on the ground; but instead of breaking into pieces it used to bounce back every time he threw it!”
“He decorated himself with very beautiful flower garlands he had brought with him; just the way we decorate God; the flowers which are scattered all over the place are their remnants; strangely, the same flowers which excited me then are causing unknown pain in me!”
“I was mystified by seeing the beautiful thing which he had with him which sang when he moved his lips! When his voice mingled with its sound it is Samaveda! He interspersed those sounds with rare and intriguing footsteps!”
“The sound which still resonates in ears… the scene which is still visible for the eyes… the feeling which still is fresh in the heart…..”
“Like the moon that spreads moonlight throughout his stay in the sky, he spread happiness throughout his stay here! He drenched completely by raining excessive affection! If I have to repeat my earlier statement, like a lightning that strikes from behind the dark clouds in the dark of the night on a rainy day, and like the darker night which we feel after the lightning has silenced, he was all happiness and celebration when he was around, but his absence is causing complete darkness of disappointment within me!”
“Dear father, who is that mysterious brahmachari? What is the vow he is observing? May I observe the same vow in his company? I am very eager to see him again! Let him come here again; or let me go to wherever he is! If anyone of these doesn’t happen, where is the question of my happiness? Where is the question of my comfort?
“Father, please bring him back, or take me to his place”
On hearing the words of Rushyashrunga which were coming from the height of his innocence, Sage Vibhandaka clearly understood what transpired at the hermitage in his absence; he knew who had arrived and what happened. The anxiety and nervousness in him made way for anger!
The clarity was clarion call for the future eruption! Sage Vibhandaka boiled with an anger which was sufficient to break the entire pot called this world!
~*~*~
*Brahmachari : a bachelor who is in the spiritual path
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