Two friends, Arjun and Meera, are sitting by a campfire after a long day of hiking up a mountain. Arjun’s dog, Buddy, lies nearby, wagging his tail lazily. The evening sky is painted in hues of orange and purple, and the conversation turns philosophical.
Arjun: (looking at the view) You know, Meera, when I got to the top earlier today, I felt this overwhelming sense of wonder—the vastness of the world, the beauty of nature. But look at Buddy. He seemed completely unfazed. He just sniffed around and lay down.
Meera: (smiling) True. He probably found the scent of a squirrel more fascinating than the view.
Arjun: Exactly! I’ve been thinking—why doesn’t he experience the same awe? Is it because he’s… well, a dog?
Meera: (nodding thoughtfully) It’s not just because he’s a dog. It’s about perception. Buddy’s world revolves around his senses—smell, sound, touch. His brain isn’t wired to process beauty like we do. For him, the world is a series of scents and sounds, not panoramas or sunsets.
Arjun: So, it’s like he’s missing out on something we humans can appreciate.
Meera: In a way, yes. But think about this—aren’t we, as humans, also blind to certain aspects of existence?
Arjun: (raising an eyebrow) What do you mean?
Meera: Well, let me tell you a story. In Indian folklore, there’s a tale of a musk deer. It catches a divine scent and spends its entire life searching for the source, unaware that the fragrance comes from its own body.
Arjun: (leaning forward) That’s… poetic. But what does it have to do with us?
Meera: A lot, actually. The Vedas say humans are like that deer. We chase happiness in the outside world—money, possessions, relationships—believing they’ll bring us joy. But true happiness, according to the Vedas, comes from within. It’s our lack of awareness—our own perceptual barrier—that keeps us searching in the wrong places.
Arjun: So, you’re saying we have limitations, just like Buddy?
Meera: Precisely. Buddy can’t understand the beauty of the view because his senses and awareness are limited. Similarly, we can’t perceive higher truths because we’re clouded by ignorance, what the Vedas call avidya.
Arjun: Hmm. And how do we overcome this ignorance?
Meera: The Vedas offer paths. Through Jnana Yoga, we seek wisdom and self-inquiry, asking questions like “Who am I?” or “What is my purpose?” Then there’s Bhakti Yoga, which focuses on devotion and surrender to something greater. These practices help us break through our barriers and connect with deeper truths.
Arjun asked:
Has anyone truly realized the inner Ananda the scriptures talk about, or is it just theory?
Meera replied with a smile:
Not just one, Arjun, but thousands across ages and lands. Their words, songs, and lives are proof of that realization. Let me name a few…
- The Vedic Seers (Rishis):
Vyasa, Valmiki, Yajnavalkya, Gargi, Maitreyi, Vishwamitra, Vashishta, and countless sages who revealed the Vedas, Upanishads, and epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana — all pointing beyond ritual to moksha and Ananda. - Upanishadic Teachers:
Nachiketa (from the Katha Upanishad), Uddalaka Aruni, Shvetaketu, Sanatkumara, and Adi Shankaracharya who later explained them with razor-sharp clarity. - Bhakti Saints of the North:
Meera Bai herself, Tulsidas, Surdas, Kabir, Ravidas, Namdev, Sant Eknath, Guru Nanak, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu — all sang of divine love as the doorway to bliss. - Alwars & Nayanmars of the South:
The 12 Alwars (like Nammalwar, Andal, Periyalwar) and the 63 Nayanmars (like Appar, Sundarar, Manikkavacakar) poured out devotion in the Divya Prabandham and the 12 Thirumurais. - Tamil Siddhas:
Thirumoolar, Pattinathar, Ramalinga Vallalar, Avvaiyar — mystics who spoke of yoga, compassion, and the experience of inner light. - Philosopher-Saints:
Buddha, Jesus, Mahavira, Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya — who debated and wrote profound commentaries, but ultimately called seekers to inner realization, not dry scholarship. - Modern Masters:
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Ramana Maharshi, Paramahansa Yogananda, Anandamayi Ma, and Mahatma Gandhi — all lived examples of yoga in life, teaching that Ananda is not a concept but an experience.
Meera concluded:
From the ancient Rishis to saints of today, every voice sings the same truth — rituals, philosophies, and songs are only signposts. The real journey begins when you turn inward, walk the path of yoga, and dissolve into the ocean of Ananda.
Arjun: (smiling) So, you’re saying that while Buddy can’t break his limitations, we humans have the chance to?
Meera: Exactly. We have the gift of awareness and the ability to grow it. But only if we make the effort.
Arjun: (looking at Buddy) Poor Buddy. He doesn’t know what he’s missing.
Meera: (laughing) Maybe not. But the real question is—do we know what we’re missing?
Both fall silent, staring at the horizon as the last rays of sunlight fade. Buddy barks softly, breaking the stillness. They laugh, the conversation settling into the quiet of the night.
– From Dr. Vis Desk
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Source: Medium
