I have read a few books by Hazariprasad Dwivedi ji and would always remember his book on Kabir that gave me so many more insights into my favourite poet and his works. His book on Nath Sampradaya is like a research thesis on the subject. I picked up Anaamdas ka Potha thinking it would give me access to the oldest known works of Kabir but it turned out to be such a simple and yet profound story.
Upanishads are said to be the most evolved literature of India and probably the world. It is not easy to understand them, as they say everything in a nutshell, in a codified format. They are the knowledge capsules of Indian knowledge systems, which people have spent life times studying and commenting upon.
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Anaamdas ka Potha puts that knowledge in the form of a simple love story between a Sadhaka and a princess who first meet in a storm. Sadhaka is unaware of the ways of the world while the princess is the world. They meet each other and unknowingly fall in love but each in their unique way. A few more characters join in the story and each brings their own characters to the story. Their journey is the journey of a sadhaka as he engages with the world and navigates it testing the tenets he learnt in scriptures and seeing their practical application.
In between their conversations they converse, discover, and contemplate on knowledge and its boundaries. The relationship between the learned with knowledge and those on the path of learning comes out beautifully. Simplicity of a story where everyone is pure and devoted, and yet entangled in the myriad web of circumstances and situations.
Some of the gems from this, translated by me:
- Anyone who lives 77 years 7 months and 7 days becomes a devata.
- Aadi, the beginning and Ant, the end are the only truth. Everything in between is Prapancha or Mithya – simply not true.
- You learn many things only from Satsang – the company of good and learned people. It is an important part of Tapasya.
- When you worship a devata, it is the only devata that is not just most powerful but also the only one relevant.
- Among Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha – the first three are the means to the Moksha. Artha should be earned by following Dharma and Kama should follow your Dharma and Artha.
- Society is the measure of Tapasya. Only when you stay in society and pass every time it tempts you to choose between truth and greed that you know if you have succeeded in Tapasya. Being truthful while living alone is easy.
- Pran-Priya – Because the attachment emanates from Prana – the life force
- Only by accepting nature can you create a culture, you only create distortions by going against it
- Brahman has two forms – formless in the form of Sky and Air, and with form – which is all that is visible to us in this world.
- To fall in love is the first step towards knowing Brahman, but remember it is just the first step, not the end goal.
- To enter an ashram, even a king should have the permission of the Guru and he must come without his royal attire.
- Kanyadana is giving the responsibility of the daughter to someone capable of taking that responsibility.
This is such a simple yet such a powerful story that weaves so much knowledge in its folds.
Read it.
