The Missing Man

Anecdotes

-Staff

By Staff

Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 4:24

Ten foolish friends embarked on crossing a river. When they reached the other bank, they resorted to count to see if all were successful in the mission. Hence one of them started counting and ended the count with the number nine which he arrived at excluding himself in the count.

Th distressed counter under the belief that one among them was lost, requested another person in the group to do the counting. Hence one by one started counting and ended up with grief that one among their comarade was lost. The whole group wailed their grief out loudly until a wayfarer came their way.

The wayfarer aware of their folly, opted to help them out. He asked them to voice out the number as they received a blow from him, so as to get them to know effectively that they were included in the count. The group agreed cheerfully. As per the proposal of the wayfarer, all the ten received the blow to their astonishment, getting to know that everyone was present. The group then thanked the wayfarer and proceeded with their journey.

The story as told by Ramana Maharshi states the Vedantic truth that grief in turth did not exist. It is the mere outcome of one's own forgetfulness of one's true nature that brings in the so seeming grief. Happiness is inherent and nothing anew need to be added to realise the existing joy. Self realization oneself awakens one to the reality of the inherent blissful nature with no trace of misery.