Shekchilli

Does anyone remember the story of Shekchilli? Its about a person by that name who's sitting on the branch that he's cutting! This story suddenly struck me as a good analogy of what I'm doing. Here's how...

Adi Shankara said that the sword of knowledge should be used to cut the darkness of ignorance, forever. He has refuted so many opponents' views that jnana can go hand in hand with karma. Having said that, I'm trying to cut my karmas sitting on the same branch, while also trying to get jnana out of it. This, I'm sure, will never happen. The only way to do it is by renouncing whatever is possible, be it in bits and pieces and moving a step away from all this at hand, in the process going a step closer to eternity.

To someone who doesn't agree so, I've my point of view: To a spiritually advanced person, being amongst the worldly things and still being secluded comes naturally. This is called as "hands in the society, head in the forest" principle. But for a student like me, its not so; he has to be in the forest! For the true master, there is no branch to cut, no darkness of ignorance, no sword of knowledge, no student... all that is, is The Knowledge.

Om tat sat