Sadu on the Sidewalk~

old, aging, ancient-

the sadu on the sidewalk trains patient-

the vedic equation maintains pain-

as latent statements of ego placement-

always jumping-

tree, tree; branch, branch; vine, vine-

I, I; me, me; mine, mine-

this the mind monkey made-

untamed and untrained and going grey with old age-

Shiva! he shouts under his breath-

in a whisper that only I can hear-

literally-

this beggar in raggedy robes-

blessing the droves of drop dead souls-

a silent hero-

the city lights-

the worldly sights-

he passes by-

he steps aside-

no pride to hide-

for all the world to see-

that yogi; that sadu; that baba; that sage-

I and I praise that truth seeker-

go deeper, go deeper-

don't hesitate-

fly higher, burn brighter-

this our shared sacred fate!-

as I sit on the sidewalk and slowly go sane-

made sane by way of knowledge-

knowledge of the soul-

soul the stage-

stage the place-

which plays the living show-

so on the street are people walking and smoking and shopping-

cows grazing trash-

cars honking-

I try open-eyed to gaze unmoving-

so much variety flying by-

dogs, cows, bums, rickshaws and slackjaws-

all bumping and grooving-

they flow in-

they mingle and mix-

they pass out of sight in their own time-

some slowly, some quick-

some healthy, some sick-

but always moving, ever moving-

this is the trick!-

this is the game-

all thoughts the same-

all feelings the same-

in that they continue on-

varied in expression-

still they sing the same song-

impermanent-

unsatisfying-

not self-

the problem is that we make mistakes-

and take those dogs and cows and passing people as equal-

equal to I, me, mine-

we forget that we are the sadu on the street-

smiling through rotting teeth-

serenely watching the scene-

'This Show is Dream!' he says-

'a gentle mental stream of word-thought and sun-beam'-

the sadu knows this and suffers no pain-

it is we that choose to stay in the deep drama rain-

complaining insane thinking we're on the stage-

thinking actor and witness are one in the same-

Hey Man...

they are one-

we are the same-

but you can't think this-

it's intrinsic-

non-dualistic-

the sadu gets high on this-

from his eyes stream bliss-

cause the dream is seen for what it is-

in breath-

out breath-

come to rest-

feel fresh-

abide residing deep in the chest-

the heart beat pressed against the breast-

and the man wrapped in robes is the first to attest to the true gain-

release from the cycle-

release from pain-

release from endless wandering in vain-

as I sit on the sidewalk and slowly go sane...

~India, 2006