Eternal, Ephemeral and I

I have always believed in the mystery surrounding this world. As a child, I believed in mythological stories, the stories in my textbooks, and the ones I heard on the radio (Television was not avaiable in homes until the 1970s). Then, when I entered the realm of books, I related to the stories there. Only after enrolling in GB Pant University and living surrounded by scientific institutions did rationality dawn on my consciousness. There was a great library there, and I used to spend hours reading books on humanities, driven by an irrational curiosity.
After coming to Hyderabad, the work pressure at the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) took me away from books for a while. In 1987, I developed life-threatening ventricular tachycardia and was rushed to hospital in an emergency. When I thought about why I had that medical emergency and how was I treated in an ICU, which included medicines accessed from the U.K. through government channels, my enchantment with the mysterious returned. I met Dr B. Soma Raju in the hospital. Colonel R. Swaminathan, Chief of Management Services at DRDL, emerged as excellent support. In hindsight, that crisis propelled me to a higher orbit.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had chosen me to pilot ‘Civilian Spinoffs of the Defence Technologies’, a programme aimed at developing affordable indigenous medical devices. He created the Society for Biomedical Technology as an interministerial initiative of the Government of India. But as the Indian economy opened up and globalisation swept in, this initiative turned redundant. Dr Soma Raju, by this time a good friend-cum-mentor, established the CARE Foundation and Hospital,and I took a leap of faith, quitting my government job to work there. Dr Kalam was a steadfast pillar, offering constant guidance and support.
In 2004, I suffered a cardiac arrest. Thankfully, as I was working at CARE Hospital (a career path that seemed nearly impossible for a mechanical engineer), I could be resuscitated in time. On the eve of my bypass surgery, Mr Madhu Reddy, CEO of University Press and publisher of ‘Wings of Fire’, visited me and gifted me a copy of ‘Glass Palace’, a novel by Amitav Ghosh about the King of Burma. Later, I visited Myanmar, the new name of Burma, with Dr. P. Krishnam Raju, Cardiologist and Chairman of CARE Foundation. We visited the real ‘Glass Palace’. Our visit paved the way for the training of Burmese doctors in India, which led to the beginning of the healthcare revolution there, similar to the onein India in the 1980s.
After Dr Kalam departed in 2015, I took up reading scriptures and decoding them for young people by writing in simple English. Dr Soma Raju gifted me ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’ by Joseph Campbell (1904–1987), which explores how mystery reveals itself in the world of sight and sound to whoever is open to transformation. On my own, I have read, over two years, the collected works of the Swiss psychiatristCarl Jung (1875–1961), published in twenty volumes. Volume 14 is ‘Mysterium Coniunctionis’; he wrote it at the age of 81. He metaphorically said that peace descends only after the ego is discarded, just as the moon rises after sunset.
And then, suddenly, the Shaligram appeared.
The use of the Shaligram Shila in the worship of Lord Vishnu is a well-known Hindu practice. I remember Shaligram Shila as a part of our ‘Thakur Ji’ collection, miniaturised metal idols handed over by our ancestors. When I asked my younger brother Salil, who lives in Meerut, about it, he told me that it had accidentally fallen while children were playing with it, causing it to crack. Therefore, it was immersed in the river Ganga.
Shaligram Shila is a fossilised stone collected from the bed or banks of the Kali Gandaki River in the Himalayas, famous for its course that runs between deep gorges. The hallmark of a Shaligram Shila is its black colour and distinctive fossil marks, representing an ancient creature preserved in stoneover millions of years. Obtaining an authentic Shaligram Shila is not easy, as they are primarily circulated through exchangesamong devoted believers. Of course, fake stones are available in the market.
While studying the Shiva Purana to write my next book, ‘The Lord of Innocents’, I came across the story of Shaligram Shila. Lord Vishnu had to impersonate Tulsi’s husband to take away her chastity so that her husband, Shankhachuda, who was protected by that force, could be killed. WhenShankhachuda died in battle with Lord Shiva, Tulsi discovered that she had been deceived. She cursed Lord Vishnu to live as a stone on Earth. The innocent lady who was wronged, ended her life. Impressed with her, Goddess Parvati, took the body of Tulsi and transformed it into the Gandaki River, and from her hair emerged the Tulsi shrub.
Lord Vishnu assumed the form of a large rocky mountain,known as Shaligram, rolling over in the Gandaki river. To complete the punishment, worms with teeth as strong as the ‘vajra’ (the thunderbolt, Lord Indra’s weapon) carved out various markings on His stone body. So, whoever worships a Shaligram Shila with a Tulsi leaf bridges the ancient past and connects with the eternal strife between good and evil. Itreflects the complexities of discerning the right course of action in challenging situations, where even God may be required to take decisions that are neither straightforward nor conventional.
I usually share my learnings and interesting readings with Amol, my younger son, as a daily morning ritual, when chai (tea) meets coffee on our balcony. One day, I shared the story of Tulsi and Shaligram with Amol. Coincidentally, some of Amol’s friends were in Varanasi (Kashi) for a spiritual New Year celebration. He shared this story with them over the phone. The coincidence turned serendipitous as his friends were visiting the Bindu Madhav temple. The three presiding deities of Kashi are Lord Vishwanath, Lord Kala Bhairava and Lord Bindu Madhav, a Shaligram idol of Lord Vishnu. When Amol’s friends expressed the request for a Shaligram before the chief priest of the Bindu Madhav Mandir, he graciously gave away a Shaligram stone that had been housed in the temple for several hundred years. He refused to accept money for the favour and said, “It is going where it belongs.” Ever since I have received it, I daily offer it water and a tulsi leaf and experience a strange peace in performing this little ritual.
Fossil stones are found everywhere in the world. They vary in size from microscopic bacteria to fossils of birds, fish, trees and even dinosaurs, some weighing many tons. As for the Himalayas, they were created when the floating Gondwana landmass collided with another, causing the terrain to lift up. Several forests and animals were buried under the mass and their remains were etched on stones as time passed. When I worship the Shaligram, I feel connected to that distant past and the power of time over which water flowing over millions of years transforms rocks into smooth, rounded stones. Life is as ephemeral as it is eternal.
It is no wonder that life’s enigma attracts truth-seekers, from monks and philosophers to explorers and scientists. The best minds seek to unveil the mystery that governs these phenomena. My belief has grown that the universe is nothing more than a mystery, a benign enigma turned terrifying by our irrational pursuit of understanding it. Let us live purposefully, attending to our duties, and let the rest unfold. Some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved and why I exist is one such mystery.
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Wonderful and enriching blog Sir! Something I needed to read in my current state of mind.
I did not know about the story of Tulsi and Shaligram and learned something today.
As you rightly said, “Some mysteries aren’t meant to be solved and why I exist is one such mystery.”
Working in pediatric oncology has made me question everything- right from why some kids get cancer, why life is so uncertain, why some ppl are punished more to what is the purpose of my existence.
“Let us live purposefully, attending to our duties, and let the rest unfold.” This is something that I will take away from this blog today and imbibe in my daily thoughts.
Arunji, this is a beautifully written introspective piece that connects the past, present, and future in a deeply spiritual way. The ritual and its significance are explained with such clarity, making one reflect on the unseen ties we carry with our ancestors. Truly thought-provoking!
Sir, thank you for this thoughtful blog. Einstein theorised that a four-dimensional spacetime comprises time, space, and motion. He declared time is relative and not absolute but depends on the observer’s perspective. If an extraterrestrial escaped Earth at the speed of light, the “present” for the extraterrestrial being would be the past for Earthlings who remained still, and the inverse would be true if the extraterrestrial were to approach Earth.
This shows that the past, present, and future are all interdependent in spacetime rather than separate entities.
Time does not pass in a straight line; what we see as happening in the past or the future is merely a product of our narrow viewpoint. Relativity states that the observer’s inertial frame of reference determines the relative motion of the passage of time rather than an absolute flow of time. In spacetime, there is no separation between the past, the present, and the future; all three exist side by side and are interdependent. Discussing the past and future – whether personal or collective – and not addressing the present moment is useless.
ARUN, THANKS FOR THE ELABORATE INFO ON THE ORIGINS OF THE TULASI CONCEPT I NEVER KNEW IT THANKS FOR THE DEEP MEANING OF THE MYTHOLOGICAL EPISODE
Dear Sir, Greetings! Your storytelling always has a way of blending profound wisdom with deeply personal reflections. The story of Tulsi and the Shaligram you shared withsit to Hyderabad this January me during my vi resonates even more after reading this beautifully written piece. Your journey, from the rationality of science to the mysteries of life and the spiritual connection through the Shaligram, is truly inspiring. Thank you for reminding us that some mysteries are meant to be embraced, not solved. It is always a privilege to learn from your insights.” Warm Regards,
Very inspiring information! Being present in the moment is the most important thing one can do. Our minds are the sole places where our history and our future can be stored as bits of information. The future is not going to materialise someday; instead, it will explode into life at this very moment, and we will be a part of it. Neither the past nor the future contain reality; they are components of the eternal Present moment.
I learnt from this article, Tauji, that Time is one of life’s most incredible illusions; we tend to think of it in terms of the past, the present, and the future. Most people would say the time when asked to rank the most important thing in life and yet idle through their lives most passively doing nothing. Life in the here and now is but a stepping stone to the redemption and fulfilment that awaits us in the future, defined by our histories. We lack the one thing that matters most: being fully present in the here and now, that state of mind where one is experiencing one’s essence.
Sir,
In Shri Bhavishyottara Purana. Lord Krishna tells King Yudhisthira:
गण्डक्यां चोत्तरे तीरे गिरिराजस्य दक्षिणे ।
दशयोजनविस्तीर्णा महाक्षेत्रवसुन्धरा ॥
It is located on the northern bank of the Gandaki River and the southern slope of the King of Mountains. Ten yojanas in breadth, it is the most sacred rock on Earth.
शालिग्रामो भवेद्देवो देवी द्वारावती भवेत् ।
उभयोः सङ्गमो यत्र मुक्तिस्तत्र न संशयः
The deities should be the Shaligram and the goddess Dvaravati (planted outside the door, Tulsi). Where the two meet, there is no doubt that there is liberation
पादोदकं च निर्माल्यं मस्तके धारयेत्सदा ।
विष्णोर्द्दष्टं भक्षितव्यं तुलसीदलमिश्रितम् ॥
One should always put water for the feet and a garland on their head.
Offering Tulsi leaves to Lord Vishnu is the best form of worship.
Why we exist is indeed a mystery, however, that there is meaning to our existence, is brought home to us every time the doubts rise in us and the universe reveals to us its hand.
Thank you for another lovely piece Sir.
Respected Sir, thank you very much for writing about Shaligram Shila. Saligram Shilas, indeed found on the Gandaki River’s bank, are precious and significant. These Shilas are considered to be directly Lord Vishnu himself, and the person who worships or even keeps in the house or bathes the Shaligram and drinks water or pours those waters on their head that man becomes free from all sin, and it prevents untimely death. That person becomes free from all sin and all material disease. The person who worships Shaligram with Tulsi leaf daily also gets the boon of a million Yajna.
Dear Sir, your blog on the connection between the eternal and the ephemeral is illuminating, sir. While it’s true that life is short, it’s also true that our consciousness can expand to an endless degree. Both the everlasting and the transient coexist, as is well known to everybody in India.
Daily, ladies make a pattern called a Rangoli or Alpana outside their houses out of powdered limestone or rice flour. This “work of art” survives for a few hours, with the powder being displaced by the wind, humans walking over it, and insects and birds eating it. As a reminder to savour the moment, it joyfully embraces transience. Remaining separated from all worldly possessions is symbolic of tomorrow’s renewal.
Every year, idols of Ganpati and Durga are crafted. They take months to make and are very elaborate and full of detail. The event itself is much commotion and full-on commitment. The ritual ends with the ceremonial immersion of the gods and goddesses into the water, symbolising a farewell with a vow to return the following year. It is common to say, “I will come back” while leaving home rather than saying, “I am leaving”. Thank you Sir.
Thank you for taking us to your world of mysteries and books. It’s flourishing through serendipitous encounters with the likes of people such as Dr Soma Raju and the great Abdul Kalam makes it most interesting.
I recall that a Saligram occupied a central place in my grandmother’s small temple. She brought it from her char dham yatra which she undertook in the late 1950s. Imagining this ritual with tulsi connects me to two of my previous generations.
Congratulations! How marvellous to have such a cherished connection you enjoy with your younger son Amol each day!
Namaste Arunji.. This piece beautifully encapsulates the delicate balance between the fleeting and the everlasting. The analogy of the moon rising after sunset beautifully captures how true peace emerges only when the ego dissolves. Your own tapasya of living a meaningful life with high sense of duty and selflessness is inspiration for so many of us.
Dear Prof
This is another beautiful piece of reading. Thank you for being a truth-seeker.
Your life’s journey is inspiring.
Thank you Prof Tiwari for yet another lovely story within your life journey.
What a treasure and joy that you can share with Amol daily!
Thank you sir for this beautiful article .. I believe this realization that we are a part of a continuum is something that can pull us out of the the spell of the mayavi ‘I’ asura. Slaying this demon, firstly requires us to come to terms with the ephemeral nature of our existence. I am here today, tomorrow I will not be. Irrespective of whether or not I love my life experiences; I have to obey the four truths of life, as Krishna says-Janma, Mrityu, Jara & Vyadhi.
This troubles everyone, But when we become cognizant of the same, we realize that we are part of a continuum of life, and when this cognizance translates into realization; the I is capable to gain a taste of eternity in an ephemeral existence.
A friend Chitra Suresh has written a beautiful book “Floral mediations with the Mother” wherein she had described the spiritual significance of Tulsi in light of the teachings of the Mother of Sri Aurobindo ashram. Am sure the ritual of offering Tulasi to the Shaligram that you offer too is being done in a similar light.
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः |
न चैव न भविष्याम: सर्वे वयमत: परम् ||
I never existed, nor did you, nor did these rulers of men
Nor will we all be hereafter (Gita 2. 12)
On Janmashtami in our home in Mangalore there would be a Pooja by a Priest in the evening. There was a Saligrama which was worshipped and Tulsi leaves would be offered with each mantra. ….
Your story shows how life’s mysteries can guide us. From childhood stories to scientific studies, you have explored the unknown. The Shaligram appearing is a beautiful example of how things connect in unexpected ways. It is a reminder that some questions are best left unanswered, and that peace can be found in accepting the mystery of life.
“Let us live purposefully, attending to our duties, and let the rest unfold.”
Eat, drink and be merry. This is my takeaway from life.
It’s very interesting to read your journey through the yester years. It is very clear that deep in your heart you have always been searching for truth!
Very happy and proud to be associated with a magnificent person like you!
Indeed, “LIFE IS A MYSTERY TO BE LIVED AND NOT A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED”. Exploring mystery surrounding idols, saligram and chakrankita which are part of our spiritual rituals are the products of belief systems that gave shape to niraakar and nirguna Paramatma, the almighty. These connect us to past, Present and Future in this world and the cosmic spiritual world shaping it to the realm of Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma the protector, destroyer and the ceater. Let us explore to believe in the umbelievables. This is life. Every thing is destined. Work, contribute, enjoy and understand the atma and paramatma’s blessings.
Arunji, A beautifully written reflection on the interplay of faith, science, and destiny. Your journey through knowledge, spirituality, and serendipity is truly inspiring. Very Proud feeling to have been associated with you!!