Sometimes we get so angry that we feel like burning the whole world into ashes; but what can be done if the object of our anger is not before us? Without them being there, and the object of our profoundest affection is before our eyes, isn’t it like pouring cold water on the hot metal?
Sage Vibhandaka was in similar situation!
He had uncontrollable anger on the fallen woman who spoiled the effort of his lifetime in bringing up his son without even letting him know the existence of a species called “female”; but she was not before his eyes! Innocent son who was the object of his utmost affection was before him; Vibhandaka was unable to show his anger on his son as he had no role to play in the turn of events; add to it was the his excessive obsession with the son!
There was no room for Vibhandaka to vent his anger. Because, redeeming his son to his true self was top priority. But he had a peculiar problem, how to make the boy, who doesn’t know the existence of feminine gender, understand? For a moment he thought it was a mistake to nurture the child without allowing him any contact with the outside world. Where there is innocence, aren’t there more chances of pretence?
After thinking briefly, Vibhandaka called the ‘phantom’ to rid his son with childlike innocence from the spell of the mystery woman!
You know what he told his son?
“Demons come in enticing forms! They distract the sages from their path of the divine; they sweep them off their feet! We are not supposed to look at them, talk to them or interact with them. If you provide them the space for a needle, they will use the opportunity to settle here firmly to upset us from the saddle of penance. The apparels they wear and gift, the aromatic flowers they possess are all venomous snakes; the drinks which hoodwink us and make our life stink are in fact prohibited for our consumption; the tasty nourishments and refreshments they bring with them are nothing but hidden punishments and utter contempt on our path towards fulfillment; glittering material of their fabric is more of a magical spell!
Someone who is striving for attainment should be content by not even thinking of going anywhere near those harmful creatures which come in mysterious forms….”
While listening to these words from Vibhandaka, won’t the child remember a mother who shows the phantom?
But Rushyashrunga who took every advice from his father as sacrosanct so far, found it difficult to agree with these words for some inexplicable reason; he couldn’t find anything wrong with the ‘Brahmachari of Bliss’ who had arrived the other day. He couldn’t understand how the fault lines missed him after meeting the Brahmachari and were detected by the father who had never met him. His mind kept repeating, “No, it can’t be! He is not like what you have thought him to be!”
While dealing with the childlike son as coolly as the ice from the Himalayas, a volcano was waiting to erupt within the bosom of Vibhandaka. He was eager to shower that fire at the mere appearance of the eagle that tried to capture his doting parrot. But that had to wait!
Knowing full well that penalty is a certainty on her visibility the girl was hiding in the safety of the forest holding her life in her fist. Game of hide and seek was on in the greens!
Sage Vibhandaka commenced a combing operation for the cunning woman who concealed herself somewhere under the cover of dense forest – like searching for the thin line of crescent moon on the day after no moon day behind the clouds; his eyes searched inside the caves, hills and mountains, behind the gloom of greenery and along the course of the cascading waters.
The lass continued to be elusive even after the loss of three days and three nights without losing an inch of land in his search! Seeing is the skill of the seer; fleeing is the forte of frail female. When the fallen woman continued to evade the eyes of the sage, she proved that even illuminated souls can be defeated by illusion which is virtuous! The girl could see Vibhandaka searching for her; but Vibhandaka could not see the girl who kept a watch on him!
After failing to find the fairy in spite of searching for her everywhere, Sage Vibhandaka assumed she is not there in for forest. “Thank God!” – sighed the frail female! She continued to keep close concentration on the hermitage. Her spies waited for the sage to step out of the hermitage.
Whatever is inside has to come out at some point; whatever has gone out has to return at some point – this is the rule of nature.
If Vibhandaka continued to sit in the stomach of the hermitage what is there to support the stomach of himself and his son? He had to depart from the hermitage in search of roots and fruits to satiate their hunger. That is what the girl was waiting for! Vibhandaka’s exit from hermitage for the sake of filling the stomach filled her heart.
The divinely beautiful girl rushed to the hermitage on getting the report of Vibhandaka’s exit from there.
While the soul of Rushyashrunga was obsessed with the lass here in hermitage; his inner self had set foot towards Angarajya without his knowledge; his eyes were restless for the rainbow which he had seen once. Though there was no express promise to return from the mystery man, his mind was certain he would return!
They say today’s hope is the mother of tomorrow’s well-being. It didn’t prove to be a lie in Rushashrunga’s case; Lo and behold! Spectrum strikes at the threshold! Mystery man of Rushyashrunga was at the door once again!
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Translated blog of Sri Samsthana SriSri RaghaveshwaraBharati MahaSwamiji.
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