The Snake Inside

Chapter 2

When Amar had turned eighteen years old, before he began his final year of high school, from the United States came to visit his uncle Devrat, who arrived in Mumbai and stayed at their home. Devrat was not married and had lived alone in his house in the Indian community in New York, United States for fifteen years. He had not been feeling well lately and had returned to India to rest and visit his family. He was nearing the end of his life and all that he wanted was to be close to his dearests.

Amar grew to love his uncle very much. They often talked and were very sincere with each other. The two have developed a wonderful bond.

"Uncle! Uncle! What are we going to do today, how will we have a good time? It's Sunday!" - Amar said to his uncle one morning.

He brewed two cups of tea and took them to the living room. There, Devrat sat on the couch in the light of the sun and wrote something on his laptop.

"You know what! Let's get on the train and go to the beach. The day is wonderful, we will enjoy the sun and eat street food. What about a Vada Pav? Since when you haven't eaten great bun with a slice of vegetable cooked in oil and stuffed with mashed potatoes, admit it!" - insisted Amar with a smile.

"All right, Amar" - said his uncle gently - "let's go. I feel nice in your company anywhere, you're my best nephew. I'm sure we'll have a great day today, too."

"I feel great with you too, uncle!" - said Amar. -" You're so different from the people here, so ... smart. I've never met a person like you. You look different, you speak differently, and your words make me feel so unusual, I just wish I could start doing something unlike that I ever did, to change myself!"

"Well, let's talk today again, Amar," said Devrat, "for example, tell me how do you feel this morning?"

They slowly dressed and went out to the streets of Mumbai in search of pleasant experiences.

"Oh, uncle" - said Amar sadly - "I'm not happy. Not that something bad is happening to me, nothing of the sort. There is simply nothing interesting happening. I do not feel good, I look at the sun but I'm not happy, somehow, I feel pain in my soul!"

"Amar," said his uncle, "sometimes, for not being happy, bad karma can be to blame. The emotional suffering of the atman - the soul - lasts as long as lasts its cycle of birth - dying - and rebirth - that is, samsara. Your suffering in this life does not mean it is a consequence of something you have done lately, in this life. The consequences of our actions - karma - are felt even after death, in the other lives we are born into!"

"It's interesting what you told me, uncle. I've heard about karma. What is it actually? Can we change it somehow?"

"Well, you have to work hard on yourself, Amar," said his uncle. "All you are doing is to concentrate on studying in school, but I heard you this morning, you were singing. You're a great singer, Amar! I could do nothing but listen to you."

"What and if I am, uncle" - said Amar -" when I cannot become a professional musician."

They reached Mumbai's local train station and boarded on a train. Although it was a Sunday, there were many people on it. The carriages were packed. Some had even climbed to the top of the carriages and they drove like that. Mostly, young people.

"I've forgotten how fast and busy life is in Mumbai!" - Devrat said - "But, let's continue our discussion. See Amar, many of us, as a result of a few failures or bad opinions of the environment, have accepted that their opportunities in life are limited and that is the end of the story for them. They considered themselves to be 'like that', they know and how they have become 'like that', and this justifies all their actions. Such people are trapped in lies that they tell themselves and cannot move on. The truth is this, my boy: a man should independently, and consciously, make an effort to reject such limitations, and to realize that he is capable, he knows and he can. When he realizes that he is not a petty restricted being, but the great Brahman - the source of all that exists, he will reach the ultimate goal: enlightenment or moksha. You probably know that in Hinduism there are four major goals, each more important than the previous one: kama, arta, dharma, and moksha: pleasure, business, honor, and enlightenment. Moksha is so important because there, the suffering stops. The highest human purpose is to put an end to endless suffering.

The train set off. Amar managed to find two seats for him and his uncle and they sat down. It was a piece of real luck on a packed train!

- And how should I work on myself, uncle, what should I do? - Amar did not leave the interesting topic.

- Well, for example, you could raise awareness of yourself and your whole existence. This can be made in many ways, but I would suggest the Kundalini yoga. This way you may even remember your past lives and the karma associated with them, and see why it goes so bad in your life, Amar! And if it happens, there are always ways to solve the problem. All you need is to seek liberation!

So the two of them spent the day in the streets and beaches of Mumbai, chatting with each other and eating food from street vendors.