On the banks of the Devika (a river near Udhampur in Kashmir), there was a city known by the name of Viranagara. It was prosperous and extremely beautiful. Pulastya lived there, in a charming grove that was on the outskirts. Nidagha knew about yoga. He resided in that city for 1,000 divine years. After this, Ribhu went to visit his disciple, Nidagha. A sacrifice to the Vishvadevas was going on and as it was about to end, he stood near the gate. Nidagha noticed him standing there. He took some arghya (a gift for a guest) and made him enter his house. When he had washed his hands and feet and had accepted a seat, he lovingly asked him to eat. Ribhu said, 'O noble Brhmana! What food, capable of being eaten, exists in your house? Please tell me. I have never been fond of inferior food.' Nidagha replied, 'Saktu, food made out of barley, vatakas and apupas exist in my house [Saktu is pounded ground meal, colloquially known as sattu, vataka is a small cake, apupa is a sweet cake].' As you wish, eat whatever pleases you.' Ribhu said, 'For Brhmanas, this is inferior food. Give me sweet rice, payasam made out of barley, mixed with phanita [Payasam is a dish made out of sweetened milk and rice, phanita means molasses].' Nidagha responded, 'O housewife! Use what is best in the house to prepare sweet food for him to enjoy.' His wife was thus instructed to prepare sweet food for the Brhmana. Honouring her husband's words, she prepared it. She placed this sweet food before the great sage. While he ate, Nidagha stood humbly before him. When he had finished, Nidagha spoke. Nidagha said, 'O Brhmana! Are you greatly satisfied with the food? Are you content? Did the food you ate bring you mental pleasure? Where do you live now? Where are you going? Why have you come here?' Ribhu replied, 'When a hungry man has eaten food, he must be satisfied. Why are you asking me if my hunger has been satisfied? When something made out of earth is scorched by the digestive fire, hunger is flung out as a consequence. When the water has been exhausted, thirst is generated in men. Hunger and thirst belong to the body. I have no sense of ownership in them. When hunger results from a deficiency, I must always act so as to satisfy it. However, the welfare and satisfaction of the mind have to do with the dharma of consciousness. Therefore, you should ask about the consciousness. You asked me—where do I live? You also asked me—where am I going? Your third question was—where have I come from? Listen to my words. The atman goes everywhere. It pervades everything. It is like space. Whence have I come? Where am I? Where will I go? Do such questions make sense? I do not go. I do not come. There is not a single place where I reside. You are not different from someone else. Nor is someone else different from you. Nor are they different from me. No doubt you have a question about sweet food versus food that is not sweet. When one is eating, what is sweet and what is not sweet? If sweet food causes anxiety, it is no longer sweet. Food that is not sweet becomes sweet when sweetness causes anxiety to a person. What food is pleasing at the beginning, the middle and the end? [At the beginning of a meal, food may seem to be sweet. When one has eaten some of it, it seems less sweet. When one has eaten too much, it no longer seems sweet.] A house made of earth becomes stable when more mud is plastered on it. In this way, the body is made out of earth and the earth is made out of paramanus. Barley, wheat, mudga (moong dal), ghee, oil, milk, curds, molasses, fruit and other things are made out of atoms of the earth. In thinking about food that is sweet and food that is not sweet, this is what you must understand. Your task is to have this parity in your mind. This equilibrium is the path to emancipation.' Having heard these words about the supreme truth, Nidagha prostrated himself before the immensely fortunate one and addressed him in these words. 'O Brhmana! For the sake of my welfare, please show me your favours. Please tell me the truth about who has come here. [There was no reason for Nidagha not to recognise Ribhu. Therefore, Ribhu must have appeared in the disguise of an ordinary Brhmana.] Hearing your words, all my delusion has been destroyed.' Ribhu replied, 'I am Ribhu, your preceptor. I have come here to impart wisdom to you. Now that I have told you about the supreme truth, I shall leave. Know that in this entire world, there are no differences.' Thus addressed, Nidagha prostrated himself before him. Ribhu left.

duality

The Illusion of Duality

Two Men in a Boat