Evening at Zambezi River, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, May 2015
and so does everything around... the situation, the people, the perspective, the needs.... and we too change.... the wise and courageous seek change.. because only change is constant!

Sunday, September 2, 2012

179. Strangers in the Night

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 31; the thirty-first edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. The theme for the month is 'Strangers in the Night'
I was being followed.
Constantly; continuously; without break; always.
I could sense IT.

Now that was bit funny.
I could not see who was following me, could not hear, could not touch, could not smell… still I could sense IT. The nameless, formless entity – It was difficult to elaborate IT to anybody. So, I chose never to talk to anybody about IT.

Who was IT? 
A Ghost? A God? One of my Ancestors?  My Conscience? My Instinct? And was it natural fear- born out of that instinct?
I did not know.
A stranger, I guess.

I named our pair, our co-existence as ‘Strangers in the Night’ only because I could never see who IT was. IT always remained a stranger to me. But the description of our relationship was not right. IT knew everything about me and I did not know anything about IT. Would IT name me as Stranger? No, I think not.
When did this start? I mean when did IT start following me? As far as I could remember, IT had always been there. I could never feel the absence of IT! IT had become inseparable part of me.

However, I was not frightened, – I mean not after certain time; in fact never except for the initial days. I got used to ITs’ presence. I accepted IT as part of my existence. Whatever I was doing – good, bad or ugly – IT never commented, never advised, never got angry, never irritated, never had a word with me.  When I did something good, I felt IT to be nearer and when I did behave badly, IT moved away from me a little further. This went on for years. I did not know what was achieved in the process - whether the stranger came nearer to me or moved away from me – I could not tell. IT was always at a handful distance and still away from my shadow. I could hardly affect it, leave controlling IT.I could never catch IT, could never understand IT.! I just kept on feeling IT. And sometimes I told myself that IT was just a hallucination – that was all.

When I was on the deathbed, I remembered the lines from MuNDaka Upanishad.
द्वा सुपर्णा सयुजा सखाया समानं वृक्षं परिषस्वजाते
तयोरन्य: पिप्पलं स्वाद्वत्त्यनश्वनन्यो अभिचाकशीति 
(तृतीय मुंडके प्रथम खंड – १)
(Two birds, united always and known by the same name, closely cling to the same tree. One of them eats the sweet fruit; the other looks on without eating.)

Then everything became clear to me.
We were strangers only because I was ignorant. We were inseparable because we were never two, we were always ONE.
When the realization dawns upon, there is no ignorance, there is no night and there are no strangers.
Everything is ONE.
Strange indeed, that I spent my whole life without understanding this simple truth.

Wish that for you there are no more Nights.
And no more Strangers in the Nights.

(Note: After reading the first four comments, I thought it better to add these two links. Those who want to know more are requested to go through those;
1. Upanishads
2. MunDaka Upanishad)
The fellow Blog-a-Tonics who took part in this Blog-a-Ton and links to their respective posts can be checked here. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. Introduced By: BLOGGER NAME, Participation Count: XX

29 comments:

  1. Still thinking about it :-)

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  2. Heavy stuff! Is this based on some mythology or philosophical readings? Best wishes for BAT!

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  3. Interesting. I remember the first post of yours I read was retelling of Nachiketa story 3 years back and now this. You must be an expert in Upanishads.

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  4. Anonymous, thinking about it or IT? :-)

    Rajpura, I understand. I am adding another link to explain the story a little more.

    Deepa, I am sorry for making it heavy. The added link would offer some help.

    The Fool, wow, you remember the Nachiketa story? That is great. No, I am not expert on Upanishadas but I enjoy reading those.

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  5. Wow! The way you wrote this made me wonder how one could write like this. Glad, you added links to Upanishads?? :)

    And a very big applause to you! 27 out of 31 Blog-a-Ton edition! Bang! Kindly update the same in your Blog-a-Ton! Keep writing aativas! Good Luck!

    Someone is Special

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  6. Now this is really something. Sincere thanks dude, I am lucky to have found such enlightening post. Kudos

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  7. ..interesting and intriguing indeed!
    Very well written..but I need to read it once again, Savita, or may be twice!!
    All the best:)

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  8. That was a kinda spiritual upliftment.. a very informative write-up :))

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  9. Spiritual fiction! That is a new genre we have. Good to read such posts, nicely woven. I liked the part where IT moved away when you did something bad and move closer when you did something good. Food for thought. All the best!

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  10. an amazing read!! soo much meaning attached to it loved it a lot!

    all the best fro BAT :)

    if you have time do visit Strangers in the night...

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  11. There is a reason we tag you bro, and the reason is you write a way to well. To understand the concept of Upanishads AND to provide the same to us, along with helper-links :) THANKS!!

    Do stop by my blog! Kappu

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  12. This was not fiction but truth. Sprituality at a high level..as I know some of the things you wrote, I could relate to it.

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  13. its a thought provoking post Aativas...
    loved the way you related it to Upanishads.
    And yes I read it in one of your comments..27 participation out of 31 is absolutely fantastic! a big congrats :)
    All the best!

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  14. Gulp. Well, good wisdom... thought provoking. Had to spend some time understanding. You have a very interesting choice of subject.

    When I started with your post, for the first two paras, I read IT as I-T (Information Technology). Lol. And then I realized you meant 'it'. So, I had to go back and start all over again.

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  15. hey.. the post is really great, spiritual enlightenment... a completely unique take.

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  16. Hi Aativas

    I am in the same boat as 'kshitij' I first read IT as Info Tech :) what a post ! At a totally different altitude ! Heavy yet thought provoking . :)

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  17. if it wasnt in the night...one could relate it to the Shadow
    ATB for BAT :)
    i could not participate...but u can see my post here
    Karan - Strangers in the Night

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  18. Heavy stuff. Good effort

    Do visit mine. hope you like it

    CRD - BLAME IT ON THE DARK

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  19. Heavy stuff :D Good narrative :)

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  20. You force the reader to think hard! Different than a lot of the stuff I`ve read so far. Cheers :)

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  21. I dont know what to say, Interesting or dense or thought provoking! Made me think and re-read the post! Thank you for letting me know of something new :)

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  22. I have travelled at odd hours i.e. any time of the day or night, lonely paths and places, rural or urban or forest, on foot or bicycle. A very few time I had such feeling, but momentarily. I was neither afraid nor did try to reason... Particularly even seemingly peaceful night has various sounds, and I enjoyed to listen.. Thankfully I haven’t read scriptures in any faith.

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  23. SiS, thanks for bringing the BAT participation to readers' notice :-)

    Thanks Maun Vision. I am sure you will find the original story much more enlightening.

    Amit, I know I should have written it in a better and simpler way!! Maybe, next tiime.

    Thanks Panchali.

    Sandy, Spiritual Fiction - well that sounds a very attractive name! Thanks.

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  24. Richa, glad to know that you loved IT!!

    Thanks Kappu. Happy that you read the posts.

    Diwakar, in a way it is a fiction and in a way it is a truth ..

    Ashzzes, thanks friend!

    Kshitij, unfortunately IT has become the IT today, so more confusion :-)

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  25. Beautiful mystic touch in this story!

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  26. Thanks Amit.

    Jayashreejee, I need to learn to put 'heavy' thoughts in simple words! Thanks for your encouragement.

    Karan, you are right. It is more like a shadow.

    Thanks CRD.

    Thanks Anunja.

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  27. Thanks Rajkiran, Richi and Manasa.

    Remijee, sometimes it is good not to have read scriptures.

    Thanks Sunilbhai.

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