Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
devoured their bodies fed other bodies, older or younger. They kept
life going on, without questioning why. Few would stoop to begging
if there was an ounce of strength in them left for honest work.
In return for offering me his waning strength and any small facts
at his disposal that he felt might interest me, this rickshaw wallah
expected only an extra rupee or two. He would have been content if
I merely gave him the fare he requested. 'Horrified' by Indian
poverty, Westerners show their deep humanitarian concern all too
often by haggling with paupers over ten cents.
'Why is this day special?' I asked him.
He concertinaed his brow, big, eager bloodshot eyes rolling up as
if he were literally attempting to read his own mind.
'The Siva-god,' he began uncertainly, 'he love too much the moon
- you know moon?'
I nodded.
'Ah! So the god have moon when she shape like beautiful silver
bangle in his hair - he love moon
too
much. Yes? And this day is day
for big moon.'
'Full moon -
poornachandra
?'
'Hah. Yes, complete big moon this one, sahib.'
Then he told me shyly the fare was usually five rupees. Eight
cents. I gave him far more than that.
Out of Vedism's nondualism emerged the Hindu Trinity: Brahma
- the Formless, the Unknowable; Vishnu - the Creator and
Sustainer of Life; and Siva - the Destroyer, who paves the way for
new creation. This corresponds to the three great Vedic Realities -
Creator, Creation, Language - if, that is, Siva represents Language,
since he is a destroyer of worlds. Fragmentation of the whole into
separate names for the parts unleashes chaos. That chaos must be
resolved, and drawn back to Oneness
through
language. The original
unity is not lost in the concept, which merely uses attributes and
functions anthropomorphically, as gods and goddesses. In most
processes of life, Siva - Destruction, Language, Chaos - is more
active than Vishnu. The former's activity is more Jehovah-like than
the Christ-like work of Vishnu, who incarnates to assist mankind
through a series of avatars, such as Krishna.
