The many meanings of life

Neela Sood

Life has a different meaning for everyone. A decrepit, bedridden old man, in the grip of various ailments, and living on external life aids, may be in fathomless agony. Moved by his pitiable condition, one may pray for his early salvation. But if he is asked, it may be possible that he still wishes to live.

The mystic nature of life is described beautifully by the great Hindi writer Bhagwati Charan Verma in two small anecdotes. In the first incident, he describes a stampede in the Kumbh gathering in Hardwar. An elephant belonging to a group of sadhus goes berserk and starts running towards the crowd. Finding the elephant rushing towards them, people start running to save their lives. The one who is ahead of everyone is a leper in advanced stage, whose sight could horrify others. In a tizzy, Verma thinks to himself — what is in his life, for which he is running to save himself from the clutches of death?

In the second anecdote, he talks of a young ICS officer who had just started his highly promising career as District Magistrate. He has a beautiful wife who happens to be the only daughter of the richest businessman in the region. One day, while on duty to control an angry crowd of freedom fighters, he gets to listen to the fiery speech of their leader. The more he hears it, the more his mind is agitated. A conflict begins in his mind between his duty as an officer and duty to his motherland. Late in the evening, while returning to his bungalow, he thinks about it and his inner voice makes him decide the course. After reaching home, he drafts a letter, shows to his wife and sends it to his boss. He resigns from the elite service. Within a week, he is replaced by an English officer. And now, the freedom fighters have a new leader in him. His arrival in their camp fills the satyagrahis with new vigour. In a meeting that follows, it is decided to present a charter to the new English Collector and he offers to lead them. This time, the satyagrahis march with renewed enthusiasm, roaring and rushing like panthers. Suddenly, there is an order to shoot at sight. He is left dead in a pool of blood on the ground. 

Again, the writer questions — what on earth did he not have, for which he chose to embrace death?

Indeed, all have their own perception of life and want to live it their way. Every man sees the world not, as it is, but as he is. Philosophies, attitudes and perception are as varied as the stars in the Milky Way. One man’s food can be another man’s poison. So, why should we try to force our thinking on others by way of dictates — eat this, wear this, do this? When will we learn this simple truth? Till such time we do not learn, we have no right to be called civilised or cultured.