Maya ***

The events had cascaded so fast. The sacking from his job. His wife’s hospitalization. The bank’s foreclosure. The car repossession. He had been forced to go to the Along. And soon, he was being pursued by the Along’s men.

Ravin was terrified. He stood in the dark shadow of the doorway at the end of the alley. He could hear the men moving around. They had pursued him relentlessly. And they carried spiked metal rods and machetes. They meant business. His heart was beating furiously, and his breath was hoarse. He was sure the men would hear him if they got any nearer.

The footsteps were dangerously near. And suddenly the blinding light of a powerful torch shining on his face. “No, no, no. Please. Please,” Ravin screamed deliriously. The terror was unbelievably agonizing.

***
“Ravin, what’s the matter. Stop screaming.” Lalitha shook him.
Ravin opened his eyes, and sat up. He was soaked in sweat. His face was wet with tears. He stared at Lalitha unblinking for several seconds before the reality dawned. It had been a nightmare. The feelings of terror which had been so real just seconds ago seemed so misplaced. It was ok. Everything was fine. The feeling of utter relief.

***
Ravin felt miserable. He had developed a migraine. The office problems were mounting. Staff resignations, audit problems, the union. On top of that his boss was making it a daily affair to find some fault with him.

And at home, his daughter Shilpa was behaving strangely. Her school grades had slipped. Her teacher called him very frequently, talking about her misbehavior. A friend had called, informing him that he had seen Shilpa with a boy at a shopping complex. And his wife was blaming him for all this. Lalitha's nagging was becoming unbearable.

And as if all this was not enough, Ravin’s sister had called him that evening. She was uncontrollably, as she related her marital problems. Ravin just couldn’t take it. He wished all these would just disappear – just as his nightmare did that morning.

The stress took away his appetite. And gave him insomnia. He had to pop several pills before his racing mind slowed down. He slipped into a fitful sleep. Later that night, Ravin had a stroke. He died.

***
He was free. All the problems he had grappled with until yesterday were gone. Just like the nightmare. Then Ravin realized it. The Maya of life. His life - it was just a role he had to play. And he had got attached to it, and failed to realize the impermanence of it all. Now that the veil of Maya was gone, he could see the Universal truth. And that set him free.


From the narrow vision of the individual need, one must voyage out into the broad vision of the Universal. When a drop of water falls into the ocean, it loses its narrow individualities, its name and form and assumes the form, name and taste of the ocean itself. If it seeks to live separately as a drop, it will soon evaporate and be reduced to non-existence. Each one must become aware that he/she is part of the One Truth that encompasses everything in the Universe.

- Divine Discourse, Dec 25, 1976