This is a very contemporary song, but if you listen carefully you may appreciate the deep message. The song goes like this:
- I am not hindu, or muslim or of any other religion
- I am not space/air/fire/water/earth
- So on an so forth
Bhagawan Ramana Mahirshi used to say to inquire into who is “I am” and hold onto that one thought and grace would fall one day. The message of the song is similar to that but in an interesting way. If you ever try to do the inquiry you would quickly come to a conclusion that it is the hardest thing to do in this whole world. In scriptures this layer (or veil) is called “Asmita” (or Aham Asmi) which literally mean I exist or pure “I am”. We somehow intuitively know that we exist right? Sages say, that is the root from which the whole samsara (our imaginary world) grows. You know the worst part, there nothing we can do. i.e. to know that we are NOT. Kind of stupid endeavor if you think about it. If i want to do or know something my presence has to be there first right? That’s the 1st order condition. So how can I know that I am NOT?
This is where every concept or theory or anything that the MIND can hold breaks down. All the great sages of the past says to hold steady (in the “I am”) and one day THAT (call grace or god or anything you like but remember all concepts are false?) will come and take over what IS. I say pretty tall order for mortal beings, but a Buddha, a Mahavir, a Ramana Mahirishi come and show us that it is possible.
I would say we enjoy this beautiful song and see if we can get a glimpse of this pure “I am”.
