the sage of arunachala - unbroken in quietude...

the sage of arunachala

when he left home

he was young and did not know 

the roads to where he was going 

he journeyed forward and rested in the streets 

or in the caves when they showed up to him

he let his mind be absorbed in brahman

and surrendered to grace as the guiding light 

without resistance 

when he came to arunachala he found a cave

to sleep in and laid down 

when he slept his mind continued unbroken in

quietude 

and though he slept he was fully awake 

and when he awoke he was not awake like others 

that were in mundane mind 

that looked to find the identity immediately 

and knit together a persona and knit together 

a map of the day with memories and the like 

he was awake yet asleep to the world 

not there in it 

but silent in peace that was non-dual

he lived this way 

moment to moment 

breath to breath 

day to day

year to year 

without ever coming out of it

the sage of arunachala

was not to go back home 

even when his mother came to him 

and begged him on her knees to come back 

and live with his family

he did not 

which did not mean he felt no love for his mother 

it meant his immersion in truth 

left no attachments to the world 

he was within deep quietude and living on his mountain 

that was Shiva 

and there was not another place to be 

that would call to him

and so his mother grief stricken saw that this young 

man was not to be persuaded and she left 

but returned later to her son 

to be near him until the end of her life 

the sage of arunachala

was not changed when death approached 

his body skin and bones 

and in great pain

he remained without veering from his absorption

in the absolute reality 

he was not in fear or wondering what is to happen next

he knew he was not the body that was 

inherently to decay away and pass 

he was pure spirit that was eternal

he continued to let his devotees near and gave darshan

with great love and compassion in his eyes 

the same pure *being* present without waver 

his last words said were that "they say that i am dying, 

but i am not going away. where could i go? 

i am here. i am here."