The person
with whom
I have
only
a little introduction,
even if he is sitting right next to me -
an ocean keeps lying
between
him and me;
that ocean
is the ocean of
ignorance -
the ocean of
indifference.
If
some day
that person
becomes
my best friend forever,
it is then only
that I can cross the ocean.
Then the separation of Space
becomes false,
then even the Separation of Bodies
does not create a barrier;
in fact,
even the Separation of Death
does not build a partition.
The ego
that
raises walls
on our four sides -
between each other,
and
keeps
each other
far away
even at a very close proximity -
(s)he for whom
that ego unblocks the path -
it is only that person
who becomes our own.
That is why
I was telling yesterday,
going across the ocean
is not a matter of
traveling very far away,
it is verily to accept
nearby things
as nearby.
Effectively,
our more nearby things
that are
residing
farther away,
their distance, too, is equally fearsome.
It is precisely because of this
that
when we make a relative a distant relationship,
then
we make him/her more distant
than
distant acquaintances.
(S)he in whose close proximity
I reside,
when I do not even
feel him/her -
then
that passivity
is much more unbearable
than the passivity of death.
This is precisely why,
He Who Is Closest
among all
in This World,
when we know
Him
as very far,
then
He becomes
the Farthest
among all
in This World;
He Who Is the Soul of our soul -
He Stands
beyond -
farther beyond
than that material wall;
in the World
then there is
no such distance
farther than which
He Does not move away.
The Pain of this Distance -
even though
we do not experience it clearly,
but under the Weight of This Distance
our everyday existence,
our household,
our duties,
all our social relationships
become stressed.
And yet,
the Seashore for which
we are crying
and
wandering,
how near That Shore Is -
in fact,
It Is
even nearer
than
this shore;
Those Who Know That -
They Have Said
extremely clearly.
When we hear That -
suddenly
we receive a jolt;
it feels,
the Truth That Is so near -
we had known
That also
as
this far.
This Is precisely What
we had been calling
impregnable, immense, impossible.
Those Who Have
Crossed
The Ocean -
What Do They Say?
They Say,
Eshaasya Paramaa Gatih,
Eshaasya Paramaa Sampat,
Eshosya Paramo Lokah,
Eshosya Parama Aanandah1.
Eshah means This One, This Person -
The One That Is Right In Front,
The One That Exists very nearby.
Asya means Of This One, Of This Person -
that too,
Of The One
Who Is very nearby.
This One, verily, Is
the Paramaa Gatih -
the Ultimate Destiny
of this one.
The One Who Is
the Ultimate Destiny
of someone -
That One
Is not far
from that someone
by even a trace.
So near, in fact,
that
we can call That One
This One -
we do not even
need to
name
That One;
'Oh, Here He Is' -
other than this
we do not
need to
give
any other introduction
of Him.
This One verily is All of this one.
Who This One Is
and
'This One's' means
Whose -
That
we had
no opportunity
to say2.
(S)he who is
on
this shore
of
the Ocean -
(s)he, verily, does not call
someone
from the Other Shore
as
Eshah -
as 'This One'.
This One, verily, Is
the Ultimate Destiny
of
this one.
That we move,
Who Makes us move?
We think, money makes us move, fame makes us move, people make us move.
(S)He Who Has Crossed,
Says:
This One, verily, Is
the Destiny
of
this one -
it is verily in the attraction
of This One
that
this one is moving;
the attraction of money,
the attraction of fame,
the attraction of people -
among all attractions
the Ultimate Attraction
Is
This One's;
all attractions may go away,
but
That Attraction verily Abides -
for among all goings, verily,
Is the Urge
to go
to Him.
Neither does
money say:
'You verily stay here';
nor does
fame say,
nor do
the people;
everyone says: 'You keep moving'.
He Who Is
the Ultimate Destiny,
He alone Is Giving us movement -
that someone else
shall keep us
confined
for ever
in the middle of the road -
who has that power?
Perhaps we may think,
that the Earth Is Attracting me -
That Is the Attraction of the Earth only.
But,
if that is the case,
then
Who Attracts the Earth?
Who Is Pulling the Sun?
That This Universal Power
of Attraction
Is Making
Planets and Stars and Heavenly Bodies
revolve -
not allowing anyone
to stay put -
the Center of That Huge
Centrifugal Force
Is verily not on Earth.
There Is an Ultimate Movement,
Which Is
my movement,
as well as the Earth's Movement,
as well as the Sun's Movement.
It is precisely
the Truth
of This Ultimate Movement,
remembering which
Upanishads
Have Said:
'Kohyevaanyaat Kah Praanyaat Yadesha Aakaasha Aanando Na Syaat'3 -
who would have
put an effort
of any kind -
even by a little,
were it not for
That Joy,
Existing
and
Pervading
the Whole Space.
It is precisely
That Joy,
Which Has Existed
by
Giving
the Universe
Infinite Movement;
it is precisely
because
That Space-filling
Joy
Exists,
that
I'm able to
open
my eyelid.
That is why I'm saying,
my Ultimate Movement
Is Not far away,
verily in the midst of
all my
trivial movements
Exist
That Ultimate Movement.
Just like
an apple fruit -
verily in the midst of
its falling to the ground,
Exists
the Universal Power of
Gravitational Attraction.
All movements
of
my body
and
all efforts
of my mind -
He Who Is
the Ultimate Movement
of all of them -
He Is Eshah - This One.
The Center
of That Movement
is not far away -
It Is Here,
Right Here.
After that,
He Who Is our Greatest Treasure -
our Last Refuge -
our Ultimate Bliss,
He verily Resides
in the midst of
all our treasures
of
every day -
all refuge
of
every day,
and
all bliss
of
every day.
Our people and riches,
our houses and cutlery -
verily in the midst of
all our
enjoyment
of emotions -
He Who Has Been
Existing
as the Ultimate Truth -
He, verily, Is
Eshah -
He, verily, Is
This One,
Right Here -
Right Now.
In all my movements
That Ultimate Movement -
in all my riches
That Ultimate Treasure -
in all my refuge
That Ultimate Refuge,
and
in all my joy
That Ultimate Bliss -
I shall verily know
as Eshah;
This, precisely, Is called
'going across'.
12 Paush 1315
(December 26, 1908)
Bengali original: http://www.tagoreweb.in/Render/ShowContent.aspx?ct=Essays&bi=72EE92F5-BE50-4057-6E6E-0F7410664DA3&ti=72EE92F5-BE50-4357-FE6E-0F7410664DA3&ch=1