Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00375)

SINBARA DAS, The MAHOUT. 





SINBARA Das prospered exceedingly. 



By speech alone he guided his elephant, clothing sound reasons 

in soft tones. 



When the troop came to deep waters where the ford had been, the 

head man smote with his iron in vain. The elephants trumpeted one to 

another, denying the efficacy of effort. They swayed from side to 

side, trembling, fearing the sharp iron, fearing more the rush of 

waters as they said:



"Abstain, abstain from disturbing our meditation. We bear 

in our bosom the seed of further harvest. The plain of Iran waits. 

Delay us not." 



The mahouts held counsel. The younger drivers, headstrong from 

uniform experience and knowing no language than the commands of their 

chiefs, cursed the great bodies and small heads of the beasts; cursed 

the deep waters running yellow with blessings for the starved soil 

and parched fields of Iran; cursed the far mountains, elder brothers 

of the plain, for the unseemly melting of the snows; cursed the bland 

air of the uplands; cursed the hot sun of the spring; but the herd 

obeyed not their oaths nor their adjurements. 



The older drivers, seated around the rajmahout, advised 

encampment and the preparation of sacrifice. 



"It is well known, Master of men and of elephants,' said 

they, "that those strive in vain who seek to make head against the 

will of the gods. These are religious beasts obeying according to 

their natures. To beat them because of the high waters is to prick 

against the gods through them. We are far from home. If we are not 

patient in this adversity it may well be that the gods will punish us 

our rebellion by smiting our women and children. It would be well 

that we should wait till Surya turns his hot eye. Then the snows 

will sleep, bland air return to the mountains, the waters, unnourished, 

will recede, and the work of the gods, not being hindered, will pass, 

and we can resume the journey. 



We have food in plenty and provender lacks not for the herd. Of a 

truth, this is a sign that we should abide in peace. Being but 

drivers of elephants our lot is hard and rest comes but seldom. 

Veritably, this is our gift from the gods, did we but read with the 

eye of gratitude, the signs."



Thus, one by one all spoke, each according to his nature, 

esteeming his experience sufficient and his understanding complete, 

seeking no other rendition of the meaning of circumstance. 



But the raj-mahout remained with his mind swaying from side to 

side, hearing within himself the diverse trumpeting of duty and of 

fear. Upon the ceasing of speech, his attention returned from the 

abstraction within to the circumstances without, for his was the 

false abstraction due to the pressure of circumstances. Goaded by the 

sharp iron of necessity, as the beast is goaded by the sharp iron of 

the mahout, the headman spoke. 



"Sinbara Das, hast thou no word? All these have spoken, 

tendering the aid of advice and opinion, but the obstacle remains. 

The merchants will have cause for reproach and the administration of 

punishment upon the company, I being chief. Silence is not seemly 

while the road of efficacy remains unfound. In times of stress it is 

customary for all to speak. There is no other way known to seek a way 

than by much speaking and a multitude of counsels. The will of the 

gods is to be known only through the voices of men, and whom the gods 

choose for their vessel, through him comes the speech of the gods,

giving true direction. Manifestly these others are not chosen, 

for the way is not found. Sacrifice having been made, interpretation 

is needed. It is known that the gods are present where sacrifice has 

been made. Speak, that it may be known if the sacrifice has. been
sufficient." 



Sinbara Das, putting off the garment of silence, uttered wisdom 

to fools, for by what means can a fool weigh wisdom? 



"Master of men and of elephants, the snows perform only 

their own duty and know no other. The tall mountains hold in custody 

only that which is theirs. The yellow waters, being a mixture, know 

only the meditation of action and run swiftly and deep, meditating 

only upon the seed in their bosom. The herd is confused in its duty, 

hearing the voices of the duties of the water, and fearing the duty 

of another which, as is well known, is full of danger. 



"It is not well to curse Father Surya, setter of the duties 

of all. It is not well to curse the snow, nor the mountains, nor the 

bland air, nor the yellow water, nor the obedient elephants, for they 

be ignorant of the duties of others, seeking only to learn their own 

duty well. But we, being mahouts and men, are of superior caste to 

all these. It is our duty to know the duties of these younger 

brothers of the mountain, of the snow, of the air, of the waters, of 

the herd, and instruct them in the coherency of all duties. We being 

faithful to the duties of our caste will be true interpreters of the 

will of Surya, shining on all, and the duties of each will then 

become the bridge of the waters. It is by understanding, not by 

doing, the duty of another, that Antaskarana, the bridge is formed. 



"I have obeyed thy injunction and have spoken." 



Sinbara Das spoke in the words of men; answering to the 

injunction of the raj-mahout. Yet, since the air is a common air, 

both for man and for beasts, and performing its duty well carries all 

sounds, whether of men or of beasts, whether of wisdom or of fools, 

therefore the air carried the tones of Sinbara Das to all who had ears; 

to the head-man who listened with the ear of perplexity; to the older 

drivers who heard with the ear of tamas, to the younger drivers who 

heard with the ear of rajas, and to the elephants who heard with the

ear of sattva. 



Being faithful in the performance of their duty, the elephants were 

confused only in their sense of duty, interpreted, for their understanding 

through the tamas and rajas of the older and the younger drivers, not fully 

faithful and learned in the performance of their own duty. 



The younger drivers, heady with rajas, reviled Sinbara Das, saying, 



"This troop of words hath indeed the sound of much wisdom 

but the belly of our understanding remains empty and not nourished. 

Better, O Head-man, had he not spoken." 



The elder drivers in their turn and after their manner complained with
fault-finding. 



"Master of men and of elephants," complained they, "this Das 

means well, beyond doubt or objection, but like a false bale from a 

swindling merchant, there are many wrappings of speech which being 

removed and the content examined show small measure of value. It is 

clear that Sinbara Das has hidden in his heart more desire to find 

favor with thee through soft tones than sound reason. This is not 

respectable in morals nor good as means of obtaining the desire hidden deep
in his heart, seeing the wisdom of experience required in a head-man. 



"Or, peradventure, Sinbara Das, in the depths of his 

cunning, prepares in advance the fortifying excuses which, softly 

clothed at the occasion, will deceive the Master of Merchants and 

cause in the end thy replacement as raj of mahouts, himself being cunningly
disposed to that end. After much counseling and 

the opinion of all, no way has been found. Even thy superior wisdom 

is perplexed and discerns no true interpretation. How, then, should 

Sinbara Das discern that which thou hast not discerned? 



"We have spoken with reverence to the gods and with 

gratitude towards thee. Sinbara Das is a disturber of the will of the 

gods, and has no respect for his elders, nor gratitude towards thee. 

Gratitude towards superiors, respect to elders, reverence to the 

gods, is true duty. Let Sinbara Das be silent, or, if needs his 

conceit must have speech, let him talk to the elephants. We have 

said." 



In this way do men and mahouts speak when tamas and rajas are 

present, causing whirlpools in the waters of the understanding, 

drowning the sense of duty. Thus they cannot Lord the turbulent 

waters of the mind, and though the air, performing its duty, brings 

to their ears the voice of wisdom as well as the clamor of folly, 

they perceive naught but circumstance, which is the echo of folly. 

They give heed only to the voice of conceit and prejudice.



Upon the ceasing of uttered complaint by the elder mahouts, the 

herd recommenced trumpeting, and the waters recommenced the sound of 

rushing. The raj-mahout, perceiving by this renewal of clamor that 

there had been silence, and confused only in the sense of his duty, 

withdrew his attention to the silence that had been.



He perceived further that at the time of the speaking of Sinbara 

Das the herd had ceased to trumpet, and that the tones of Sinbara Das 

had blended with the rushing of waters., The sounds of conceit and of 

prejudice which encompassed the speaking of the younger and elders 

therefore entered not at all in the mind of the head-man, seeking to 

resolve the perplexity of unlearned duty. 



The soft tones of Sinbara, clothing sound wisdom, bridged the 

confusion of the head-man, yet aroused the conceit and the prejudice 

of those who were indolent and headstrong, not seeking the 

significance of circumstance. 



Therefore this head-man of mahouts addressed further injunction 

to all. 



"Let Sinbara act as seemeth best unto him. If his 

understanding is a ford through this difficulty of circumstance, let 

him take the direction of action, whereby the duty of all may be 

joined. Those who cannot see the way should follow those who have 

perception. This is duty, and all joining in the act of faith, the 

bridge will be complete. 



"Sinbara Das, thou hast spoken in obedience to my 

injunction; obey further." 



Sinbara Das, having in his heart well meaning toward all, 

approached to Gunga, smallest of the elephants, at the rear of the 

troop, for there is precedence among beasts as among men. As among 

men, they too go by the appearance of greatness. 



Now the karma of Gunga was meritorious. She had been allotted to 

carry the timbers for the sacred platform in the Mother river so that 

the breast of Gunga, the sacred river, might not be troubled at the 

period of the pilgrimage thus was she called Gunga after this service, 

and thus had she Sinbara Das for a mahout, who had named her, and who 

now named her name.



But the other mahouts remaining seated as before, the raj of 

mahouts spoke as became a wise head-man.



"See ye that Sinbara Das has moved to his place and confers 

with his servant? Act, then, like him. The first step in wisdom 

is to emulate the actions of the wise."



Thereupon there took him each man to his elephant, and seeing 

Sinbara Das speak to the meritorious Gunga in moderate speech, giving
explanations in soft tones, accompanied with interpretative touch and
gesture, confidence entered-they knew not how-into their hearts and
overflowed, yellow with blessing, and into the heads of the mahouts.
Confidence being in the hearts and in the heads of the mahouts, the herd
became tranquil and attentive to 

further interpretation. 



Then Sinbara Das walked in friendliness by the side of Gunga, 

his arm on her trunk, moving tranquilly with her into the rush of 

waters where the ford had been, full of faith in the power of Surya, 

setter of the duties of all. 



Then Gunga, remembering the lesson learned of the sacred river 

and the transport of timbers for the platform for bathers in the 

sacred waters, aroused by the friendliness of Sinbara Das, 

interpreter of Surya, reached forth her trunk, lifted up Sinbara Das 

Out of the rush of waters to his place between her ears, and marched 

steadily and tranquilly through the waters. Then the great of the 

herd followed Gunga, perceiving that where the small can go the great 

can follow. 



Thus in the prosperity of Sinbara Das all prospered and received 

commendations from the Master of Merchants. But Sinbara Das prospered 

most for he gained in the fullness of the comprehension of Surya, 

which is obtained only by those who seek to unite the duties of all 

into the coherency which bridges difficult circumstances. 





[From the writings of J G -- THE BOOK OF IMAGES]

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Dallas































Dallas





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