doing is knowing...applied spirituality

 

Tabla, sitar, manjira and such musical instruments were painting the evening as a freshly awakened morning state. People around were becoming percussion of heightened happiness. It had already been a couple of hours of this devotional gathering, when suddenly the phone vibrated. And it felt like earth again to Mahendra, who answered the phone in a loud whisper, "I am in a satsang (Hindu devotional gathering). Can we speak later?” And he kept the phone.

And somehow we have all been active subscribers of the blurred definitions of the word "urgency", notedly in the wake of mobile phones where everything seems to be urgent. 

What this has also done to our Darwinian-selves is to come up with our own unique strategies to avoid calls and messages. 

Mahendra too had prejudged that this wasn't any urgency (as Shankar would call everything urgent and notoriously just dial up), and so he quickly kept the phone. He had barely buried the phone back into his pocket when it vibrated again. And this time Shankar on the other side just rushed one keyword ..."Police".

Mahendra and Shankar had jointly bought the auto rickshaw about a year back, and would drive one shift respectively.

Upon hearing this, Mahendra went out to a place where he could use his normal voice.

Shankar informed, "There was an accident. Our autorickshaw accidentally ran into a man who is now injured. They have taken me to the Police and the RTO (traffic registrations) and filed a case. Please speak to the injured man. His name is Ismail."

Suddenly Mahendra could sense the evaporation of the holy drench he had just taken. He had been a very sincere devotee for a long time.

Mahendra also believed that spirituality is a twenty four hour ritual...smiling, cordial voice, compassion, joy during autorickshaw driving, let-go, etc was as much a spiritual path for him. Owing to this background, he was able to preserve himself in this moment.

Since early childhood, Ismail too was an eager devotee. He would religiously devote to his namaaz and other performing duties.  And he would actively participate in helping people, smiling, being warm hearted, and thus was known in his community as a very good man.

He would have taken the entire accident as a synchronicity, had it not been for Shankar’s abrasive behavior, which made him take an action so that it isn’t repeated with somebody else.

Ismail grabbed the phone from Shankar, and the first thing that he could listen to was the Hindu devotional music in the background.

Before Ismail could say anything, Mahendra started with a genuine sound and a deep apology. And he requested Ismail to say everything that he wanted and also promised that he would not interrupt him at all. 

Ismail could sense words of embrace in what Mahendra had just said. Instead of a volley of words roasted in anger, there came a humble and a grounded question from Ismail, “Where are you?”

Mahendra replied, “I have just come out of a satsang to speak with you”.

Something happened and silence just took over the world for almost a minute. Both Mahendra and Ismail were on the other sides of the live call, but on the same side of some simple silence.

Ismail felt a huge burden on his voice. Somehow he delivered, “Please forgive me that I have pulled you out of your devotion right now. Please go back, and I am immediately withdrawing the case.”

That’s it. That was it.

Those two simple sentences after an accident plus police case.

One looks for some elaborate details in this, somehow wanting some more words and explanations and causalities, but trust me, there isn't.

No more words. No more reasons. No more rhetoric.

No more…just no more.

Mahendra tried meeting Ismail after that day but could not. Mahendra also realized that Ismail had left it on him (Mahendra) to counsel Shankar, which he has successfully done.

He continues his good ride and also narrates this incidence to all his passengers.

This is not a story of faith.

This is not a story of symbols, rituals, mythology.

This is not a story of two religion.

This is a story of two humans who knew what it is to be human.

And by listening to few words during adverse situation could realize each others depth of humanity.

This is a story of two human who knew that spirituality is a way of life and not tied to religion.

That it is about compassion, friendliness, joy and discretion.

Like we have maths and applied maths, physics and applied physics…likewise there is spirituality and applied spirituality.

These two men knew that “doing good with pure intent” is a more pervasive spirituality.

That it can be done in profession, while on roads, in relationships, discussion about national issues, etc.

These two men not only knew what it is, but also knew that “doing” is what establishes the right “knowing”.

To know more, just do more. Thank You.