Seeing in person (what all happend in the story)

Sri Vasista

1. O Rama, in a short while, the illusion about 'samsara' that arose in Gaadhi subsided like a vortex merging back into ocean.

2. The mentally constructed bewilderment vanished and Gaadhi was like Brahma who became rested from the act of creation on the advent of deluge.

3. He became aware of himself like one who has woken up from sleep. He was like one who was freed from the intoxication of a drink.

4. As darkness dissolves, people can see the world clearly. Similarly Gaadhi realised that what he saw was not really there.

5. As autumn finishes and spring enters, the lotus buds start opening. Similarly as he realised his real nature, Gaadhi moved out of the waters of lake.

6. He was surprised seeing the sky and quarters and earth. They looked as something different (from all that he had seen)

7. -8 His brows clinched at this. He started musing: 'Who am I? What have I seen? What have I done'?' He felt that what all he had seen was due to tiresomeness.

9. Where were my mother and other women on the banks of this lake when I died?

10. -15 . 'My parents died when I was an infant. I am unmarried. I have no knowledge of women. My relatives live far away. Then among whose midst have I left my body? Then how did I see all these various activities? It looks more like a city in the skies, All this seems to be a delusion. There seems to be no truth in this. People's minds roam around in delusions like a lion which wanders about in a forest'.

16. -21 . Thus Gaadhi considered this whole episode as delusion of mind. He stayed back in the hermitage for some time. During this period a guest arrived. He was like Durbasa and looked very tired. Gaadhi entertained the guest with food and in other appropirate ways. Both of them retired after due performance of evening rituals. A conversation started between them. During the conversation Gaadhi asked the guest. 'O brahmin, Why are you looking so famished? Why are you so tired?'

Guest

22. -29 . O Gaadhi, please listen to the reason for my state of tiredness. I do not tell any untruth, There is a country called 'Keera' on the northern side of this earth. I stayed in that country for a month impressed by the regard shown by the people and the gifts of money and food they gave me. One day a person told me that this country was ruled for the last eight years by a chandala. Knowing this, hundreds of brahmins, living in that country entered fire and killed themselves. Seeing that, the king also killed himself by entering fire. And so I performed the 'chandrayana' ritual and came here. Because of these rites. I look famished and tired.'

Sri Vasista

30. -38 . Gaadhi was taken aback listening to the story. Night passed and as the sun rose, the guest left after performing all the morning rites. Wonderstruck Gaadhi started thinking thus: ' What the guest told is exactly what I saw in my delusion. But he told as if all is real. Is this also 'maya'? There is no doubt at all about my death among relatives being completely illusory. Let me find out about the rest. I shall go to that village to verify the truth about my becoming a chandala.' He rose immediately to start on the task. Intelligent people acquire a sway over their mental empires through effort. There is nothing that can not be achieved through effort. Gaadhi tried to explore the entire field of 'maya of the world'.

39. -51 . He proceeded then to the 'Keera' country at great speed like the movement of flood waters. Like a cloud driven by winds, he reached the 'keera' country and the village therein. He recollected the village and saw the village. He saw the area where 'chandalas' live. He noticed all the features which he saw earlier. He saw his house, where he lived as a chandla. It was devastated by rain waters. The entire place looked like a picture of poverty and dilapidation. It was full of bones and skeletons of cows, buffaloes and horses and craniums - there were remnants of the untensils which he used. Gaadhi left that place and came back to the village center.

52. -56 . He asked a villager : Sir, on the outskirts of this village there lived a chandala. Do you remember? There was an old chandala who was the very picture of grief. Do you remember? Please tell me if you remember'. Gaadhi asked every one whom he saw in the same way.

The villagers

57. -62 . 'Yes, there was a 'chandala' alled 'Katarya' in the outskirts, He was ghoulish looking. He had a big family. In his old age, his entire family fell to death. He then moved out of this village and became the king of 'Keera' and ruled it for eight years. Then the people came to know that he was a 'chandala' and abandoned him like an untouchable poisonous tree. They threw themselves into fire as a reprieve. 'Katarya' also felt bad and left his body by throwing himself into fire.

63. -66 . 'But O Lord, why are you so curious about 'Katarya'? Is he your relative? While the villagers asked him repeatedly these questions, Gaadhi made further inquiries in other parts of the village. He spent a month thus. All of them confirmed his experiences as a chandala. He was tremendoulsy surprised at these confirmatious and remained there incognito.