Sky Gazing: Recent Episodes
Sky Gazing by Shamah | शम:
Contemplations, Meditations, Inspiration, Music, Chants, Books, Poetry. Named after the Tibetan school of Dzogchen. As you watch the sky you move with the clouds, you are free from conceptual traps. Observe. Witness. Be.
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"After me repeat Your numeration till we reach the Lakh, One, two, three, four, to ten, and then by tens To hundreds, thousands." After him the child Named digits, decads, centuries; nor paused, The round Lakh reached, but softly murmured on "Then comes the koti, nahut, ninnahut, Khamba, viskhamba, abab, attata, To kumuds, gundhikas, and utpalas, By pundarikas unto padumas, Which last is how you count the utmost grains Of Hastagiri ground to finest dust; But beyond that a numeration is, The Katha, used to count the stars of night; The Koti-Katha, for the ocean drops; Ingga, the calculus of circulars; Sarvanikchepa, by the which you deal With all the sands of Gunga, till we come To Antah-Kalpas, where the unit is The sands of ten crore Gungas. If one seeks More comprehensive scale, th' arithmic mounts By the Asankya, which is the tale Of all the drops that in ten thousand years Would fall on all the worlds by daily rain; Thence unto Maha Kalpas, by the which The Gods compute their future and their past."
~ Book the First, The Light of Asia, by Edwin Arnold
Welcome back to SkyGazing. Sorry, I have been tardy! Well, I have been away reading some fairly large books that I hope to share with you soon enough.
For starters, here’s a review of The Light of Asia; the poem that defined the Buddha by Jairam Ramesh, which is a commentary on the work of the poet, Edwin Arnold, the context in which he wrote the original poem, the deep influence it came to have upon a great many thinkers, writers and leaders of our time, from Swami Vivekananda to Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi, Oppenheimer and Kitchener, Raymond Chandler, C.V. Raman, among others. The poem is written in blank verse and is divided into eight books. This commentary on it has four sections, Arnold’s pre Poona days, the influence and context of the poem, its aftermath, and Arnold’s legacy. In as such, the poem is a life apart from yet intertwined with Arnold’s.
For those of you who haven't already read The Light of Asia, I would recommend you go there before you come to this work. Also do go to the Lalitavistara Sutra, which is the original epic poem that outlines the life of the Buddha in full. I would also recommend you read Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri after, to capture the similarity of the cadences.
Arnold’s work is a biographical study of the Lord Buddha, but to my mind it is very westernised, casting him as the "Saviour” and divine, born again, with a very Christianised lens on divinity. So as much as Arnold believed he was travalleing away from or positing a counter to the monotheistic linearity of the church in his time, from the Indic lens, he very much remains embedded within that framework. For instance his line “And mercy cometh to the merciful” is very much a refrain of Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the Merciful, for they will receive Mercy”. Arnold, in my opinion, was not as far removed or opposed to the constraints of his native lens as he seems to believe. So, it's important to read the poem in its original before you arrive here.
Also, my one pet peeve with Ramesh's work is his use of the term ‘Mutiny’ for the Indian War of Independence or the Rebellion of 1857. I find it too irksome and jars my reading of the book, building a sort of crescendo of annoyance. While he offers a note in the book, however I find that there was no need to use ‘Mutiny’ when not directly citing Arnold. I also find that when you read a book aloud, there are some evident grammatical omissions, bit of poor editing here, a missing 'to' and 'the' that kind of thing, nothing too big, but articles that become apparent by their absence. Still, a beautifully researched edition, and well worth the read.
Do remember this is just to give you an introduction to the book so I will be reading selected excerpts that I found interesting to whet your appetite, an asynchronous book club if you will. Please do engage with the book on your own. Of course I appreciate shares, comments and social media posts. Try not to tag the author if your comment is not favourable. That's just a bit rude.
The first section is a biography of Arnold and his context. It was a time of the great discovery of India in Britain, and Ramesh describes at length the socio-political climate in which Arnold arrived at his insights into the life of the Buddha. Born in Gravesend, on 24 June, 1832, to landed gentry, and his work prior, anthologies such as Poems: Narrative and Lyrical, The Light of the World, and Gandhi's favourite The Song Celestial. Ramesh also locates him in Poona, where Arnold would head the Deccan College, at a vibrant time when Jyotiba Phule was organising education for all and VS Chiplunkar was mentoring Bal Gangadhar Tilak. A time when the Christian missionary movement was strong, causing Arnold himself to question the wisdom of conversions. Many brahmins too converted, he notes, at a time when back home in England, the suitability of the influence of the Good Book was in question. The Christianity of the poem is in tone, but the content of the poem is so rich with knowledge both Vedic and Buddhist, his understanding of caste, king, hierarchy, what the Buddha was upturning, and what society of the time reflected, that there was no disputing the heft of the poet. Indeed, neither may we that of the biographer who captures every painstaking nuance across continents in a deeply complex time. In such social upheaval and churn, the book reflects the way in which England and India were realigning how we thought about religion, spirituality, society. It was a time of Florence Nightinglae’s India mission, the war effort, and the need for women to both cater to and be catered to in terms of social equality. And in that time of churn, the sort of non dogmatic, non ritualistic counter to what was being set aside both in England and in India, was the wisdom of the Buddha. Much of this is beautifully contextualised in the book.
To my mind, the most vital lessons, and the most relevant ones for us, in it come from the subtle but interesting comparison between the reclaiming of Ayodhya for Lord Ram and Edwin’s role in reclaiming Bodh Gaya for the Buddhists. That previous movement and hand over ended in 1953 peacefully, with the graciousness of the mahants, with joy on both sides, with the intermediations of men such as Jawaharlal Nehru and C. Rajagopalchari.
There is much more in the book that I have not mentioned, the depth of influence on Rabindranath Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, the King of Siam, on film and cinema, and Arnold’s own further life, in Sri Lanka and Japan, regional Indian translations. The book is rich with reference, and personalities that intersected in and out of the meridian that The Light of Asia was.
I do wish there was more about the actual poem itself actually. I would have loved to see notes that Arnold may have left about the poem, but apart from a few explanations on why he wrote it these are far and few between. It is more the perspective of this commentary that the poem rose as a product of its influences and their catalyst in its time. I also wish there was more critical referencing of Arnold and his role in the British ‘civilising’ mission.
The transmission of Buddhist texts and the biography of the Buddha has been unabated since the 2nd century CE, so what was it about this poem that caught the imagination where others didn’t? Was it metre, language, Arnold’s eminence and therefore his interactions with his contemproraries? I wish this book had more contemplation of the author (Ramesh’s) insight into the wherefore of its greatness rather than a mere clinical exposition of why everyone else thought it worked and how acclaimed it was. What does he, who has been in government himself, think of the Anglicised lens of an Indian Buddha? He does give us a brief glimpse of what he’s been thinking at the end, but overall, a lot of information, but he doesn’t join too many dots for us. Which could be good or bad, depending on how you see it.
One of the better non-fiction tomes on a key philosophical work, fundamentally a biography of its author. The narrative continues on to biographical nuggets like tracing the interesting circumstances surrounding the death of Channing Arnold, one of Edwin’s sons, on a farm in UP.
Towards the end, Ramesh points out that Shelley’s lines from Prometheus Unbound may well have influenced the title of the poem:
Asia! Thou Light of Life!
Shadow of Beauty unbeheld!
Hmmm. It always surprises me when the coloniser adores their subjects. How good we must have been. Have a good read/listen!
Best,
Gayatri
P.S. A bonus read for you is my short story City Whisperer that appeared in the Out of Print online journal in April. Do let me know if you enjoy it.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit skygazing.substack.com
Deputy High Commissioner of the UK to India based in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states, Dr Andrew Fleming has faced bullying throughout his life. It began when he was a young boy in school and continued to chase him as he got into his work life in the British civil services. His story is one of exemplary courage, resourcefulness, and self-determination.
At a time when diagnoses were expensive and awareness was low, he essentially, like so many children are even today, was left to fend for himself. If it was not for the wise compassion of one teacher who spotted the indications of his dyslexia, he would have never known that his struggles were not his fault, and as he puts it that “I was not stupid”. Andrew also developed a unique ability to externalise his gaze. Turning outwards from his deep loneliness, fears, and struggle, he reached out and helped others. He found ways in which to sublimate his pain, becoming the youngest certified football referee in a soccer-obsessed country in which he could not play the sport. When the union and internal redressal systems failed him, he won the union elections and used the opportunity to help others who were being bullied. Some failures to get the aid to the people who needed it the most continue, even to this day, to stick in his mind.
They serve as a reminder of why his speaking out against bullying, even in formal and structured workplaces, even in the government, even in positions of authority and influence, is so vital.
Andrew’s narrative also contains within it heart-warming parental love, the kindness of teachers, friendship, romance, love and the conviviality of a supportive peer group. Also observe how, when the workplace did step up, it enabled him to put a label to his struggles and supported him by creating awareness among his colleagues. It also offered a system of redressal that works if you use it knowingly, which Andrew did. These form the network of support that help an individual overcome their challenges. If you’re a bystander, this narrative has important lessons for your role too.
Andrew comes to tears at three key points during the narrative. The first, when his teacher clarifies to him that it’s not him, it’s the condition. The second, when he is appointed the youngest football referee in the UK, which finally gives him some respect from his bullies, but also protection from them. And third, when he finally gets to confirm his diagnosis of not just dyslexia but dyspraxia. Even all these years later, you can tell how great the toll of having to cope on one’s own with an undiagnosed neurodiverse condition has been. The need for diagnosis, for trained teachers, for affordable and accessible diagnosis, for resources of redressal within the workplace, and above all for the kindness and compassion of bystanders is so self-evident.
Despite many small wins, bullying as we can tell from Andrew’s narrative, can continue to pursue us relentlessly. It is persistent, targeted, relentless harassment and it is harmful. It’s important to not tire of pushing back.
Today, Andrew uses the example of his life in the hope it helps others both within his work space and outside it to make peace with their reality, come to terms with their diagnosis, find techniques to cope, and direct them towards reclaiming their own power.
I found this an absolutely inspiring and a deeply personal story shared with kind and compassionate intention. I hope it helps you and those you may know in coping with bullying, if you are facing it.
It’s a bit long but it’s a detailed lived experience and full of personal insight so do listen to the end for the key takeaways that might help you if you’re facing bullying.
If you need resources, please find them in the directory listed below.
Just a note on engaging with people with neurodiversity: you may notice I don’t really speak very much during the interview and have overlaid my comments later. Neurodiverse people need space and time to formulate their thoughts. It doesn’t help them to be put on the spot with questions or constantly interrupted. So, I have limited my interruptions and allowed the natural flow of the conversation. These are edited excerpts from the larger conversation.
You can follow Dr Andrew Fleming on Twitter.
Resource Directory
For Suicide Prevention Helplines please click here.
What is neurodiversity? The Indian Express did a neat explainer here.
What is dyslexia? Can I get tested in India? Contact the Dyslexia Association of India for more info.
What is dyspraxia? The Dyslexia Association of India also has resources for this here.
If you are being cyberbullied within India, you can report it here
If you have FAQs on what exactly constitutes bullying I found the Nebraska Government website quite comprehensive. You can look it up here
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Shamah | शम: is a mind body spirit therapeutic practice founded by Gayatri Jayaraman. You can know more and book appointments online.
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I have held myself back from giving it all up and walking north with my dog several times over the last couple of decades, and I have met women on my journeys who did not share my restraint. You don’t need to look back to Andal or Miraabai to meet the woman mystic, even today, schooled, unschooled, regardless of caste or class, stripping themselves of the trappings of their origins, at Haridwar, Amarkantak, in Kanyakumari, in Mathura, at Ajmer, in gurdwaras, ashrams across the country, in Puttaparthi and Shirdi, you will find women who have walked away from children, family, property, material gain to follow the calling of their spiritual urges.
If women are already on the fringe of mainstream society, the woman spiritual seeker is on the fringe of that mainstream, and if those seeking outside the protection offered by the rules and disciplines of organised religion are even further beyond those limitations, exploring the periphery of true Freedom. Like madwomen.
The path of the woman mystic is vastly different from that of the man, in terms of infrastructure, backlash and expectation. This book is a long overdue account of four such women who map the inner landscape of spiritual India with their own vision and practice.
Women Who Wear Only Themselves by Arundhathi Subramaniam, published by Speaking Tiger, 2021.
The music is Sarasangi, by Mysore V Shrikanth and VK Raman.
NB: No copyright infringement is intended, just fair use critical use. Please do support the artists and author by buying the book and the music if you are so inclined.
Brought to you by Shamah | शम:
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Listen now | A reading of Purushottam Agrawal's Kabir Kabir & Rabindranath Tagore's translated 100 poems of Kabir.
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Listen now | A contemplation of four, yes four, Draupadis through the lenses of Sai Swaroopa, Ira Mukhoty, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and Mahasweta Devi.
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Listen now | A reflection on Sumana Roy's How I Became A Tree, Herman Hesse's Seasons of the Soul and Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees. #SkyGazing #podcast Also on Google, Spotify and Apple podcasts
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Listen now | A reflection on The Book of Buddha by Arundhati Subramaniam. A beautiful medium not because it is well researched or nicely penned, both of which it is, but because it shows you how to think about the Buddha.
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Wait. Don’t give up hope yet.
Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing. This one is Poem 55 in the book. Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021Set to Music: Prelude, Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major, BWV 1012: II. Allemande, Johann Sebastian Bach's Air (Acoustic version). Played by Yo Yo Ma.
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The leaping river is a destructive river. Let us not destroy with our blindness.
Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing. This one is Poem 56 in the book. Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021Set to Music: Abhijit Pohankar, pahadi dhun.
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The commodification of Truth.
Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing. This one is Poem 16 in the book. Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021Set to Music: Better Than Coffee, in Elements, by George Brooks, Gwenyth Wentink & Kala Ramnath.
Available on Spotify, Apple and Google Podcasts.
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A love story.
Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing. This one is Poem 49 in the book. Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021Set to Music: Johann Sebastian Bach's Air (Acoustic version), played by David Garrett.
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The lovers are lunatics.
Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing. This one is Poem 45 in the book. Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021Set to Music: Bach's Prelude Cello Suite No 2, D Minor played by Yo Yo Ma.
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Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing. This one is Poem 46 in the book. Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021Set to Music: Bach's Sarabande Cello Suite No 1, G Major played by Yo Yo Ma.
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Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing.
This one is Poem 35 in the book.
Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021
Set to Music: Bach's Courante Cello Suite No 1, G Major played by Yo Yo Ma.
Dead Stars and Other Poems is an ongoing collection I'm writing. This one is Poem 30 in the book.
Written & Read by Gayatri Jayaraman (c) Gayatri Jayaraman, 2021
Set to Music: Bach's Prelude Cello Suite No 1, G Major played by Yo Yo Ma.