Lessons I learnt from a mad-man

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Our hearts have become closed – there are certain people in the world, whom we don’t even consider human. We don’t even look at them or feel anything for them, and for us ‘they don’t exist’..

"Your heart has the capacity to heal many lives, don’t hold yourself, open your heart and embrace life in all forms."

I visited the temple town of Gokarna, a beautiful little town by the ocean bordering Goa, in the state of Karnataka. It is famous for its ancient Shiva temple called Sri Mahabaleshwara Swamy temple, along with other notable temples of Maha Ganapathi, Sri Vinayaka & Sri Bhadrakali etc.

After visiting the temples, late in the evening, I was taking a walk at the beach and there were hardly any people. It was the night of Amavasya (new moon) and there was only one big light pole at the main beach area, every other side being pitch-dark. A little further into that darkness, I saw a man sitting with a small bundle. It was strange to see someone sitting all alone, late at night, in that darkness. So, I went closer to him to enquire.

This man looked like a beggar or a mad man, unkempt hair and beard, torn clothes, sitting with a bundle full of trash, probably hadn’t even taken a bath for months. I went near him but he got really scared just looking at me. I looked into his eyes and felt, probably he has been beaten, kicked, and tortured by a lot of people, and many must have thrown him out of their surroundings. Looking at me, he must have felt the fear of getting kicked out from that beach or something like that.

Lessons from a Mad Man

Lesson 1: Our hearts have become closed – there are certain people in the world, whom we don’t even consider human. We don’t even look at them or feel anything for them, and for us ‘they don’t exist’.

I then took out some money from my pocket and offered him, now his fear got converted into anxiousness or even irritation and he started saying, ‘I don’t have anything, please go’. Probably, a lot of people must have bothered him by assuming that he must be selling cheap drugs or something.

Lesson 2: We are so greedy that we want to take things even from beggars. So, who is the real beggar, the one who is poor, homeless, or the one who is obsessed with self & greed?

I touched him and asked him lovingly, ‘have you eaten some food?’ Now, he became totally confused or rather surprised. He took a pause and said ‘yes’. Probably, he was never cared for, never received love or a healing touch. Again, I offered him the money and said, ‘I don’t want anything from you, just keep this and you can have some food in the morning’. Then I talked to him for few more minutes before saying goodbye and offered prayers in my heart for him.

Lesson 3: Every being deserves our respect, love & kindness. Each life is precious and must be treated with dignity.

After walking a few steps, I looked back at him; he was still looking towards me with much relief and lightness and with some wonder in his eyes.

Lesson 4: Your heart has the capacity to heal many lives, don’t hold yourself, open your heart and embrace life in all forms.

I feel very thankful to that mad-man, who reinforced my learning and taught me these incredible life lessons.

Lesson 5: Feel gratitude for what you have and share it because ‘Life is a great reverberation, what you give is what you receive back’.

Your heart has the capacity to heal many lives, don’t hold yourself, open your heart and embrace life in all forms.

Om Tat Sat, Sri Anish

"Feel gratitude for what you have and share it because 'Life is a great reverberation, what you give is what you receive back"

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