Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00377)

                        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 havespoken, 
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 placeand 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