Dear friend,
I was neither caught up in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, nor the firing spree of tech companies.
But I was away from Hastākshar. Very sorry.
Today we have stories of two gentlemen.
Megasthenes was a Greek ambassador.
Faxian was a Chinese pilgrim.
Their paths never crossed, but history links them by a common thread: their travel to India.
They came and documented the reigns of Changragupta Maurya and Vikramaditya – each taking a piece of Indian culture based on their understanding.
Raised in the extremes of Western and Oriental philosophy, their approach was contrasting.
Megasthenes was told that time is a river.
You need to follow the code of conduct, surrender to a higher authority and flow towards eternity.
Don’t worry about day-to-day stuff.
With time, you will reach the higher power.
This is essentially Western thought, which inspires to improve yourself step by step and become one with God.
A top-down approach.
Faxian was a Buddhist. He was told that time is an ocean.
Always existing, always around us. It is our source and our destination.
His job was to sit in silence and observe every little thing.
Through this, he understood himself, others around him and ultimately realized the divinity of everything.
This is essentially Eastern thought, which inspires you to unlock the god in you.
A bottom-up approach.
Your life may often be a confusion between the two.
Should you transform and reach a certain standard?
Or deeply understand what standard you’re currently at?
Does karmayog appeal to you?
Or would you choose bhaktiyog?
Do you want to reach god?
Or become god?
Forget the highway to hell, but which ladder to heaven appeals more to you?
Megasthenes and Maxian wrote books, but never shared answers to these questions.
When you find yours, I hope you will share the book with me.
Until then, wishing you blissful thinking!
