A hermit is sitting in padmasana with his eyes closed on a small rock close to a rivulet. The rhythmic flow of water and chirping of birds virtually create a musical ambience. A European walks in, he is holding a bag and there’s a camera hanging around his neck. He arrests his motion on seeing the hermit. He stands still for a while watching the deep meditative poise of the hermit. Then he slowly approaches him.

European (With some hesitation): Excuse me…

The hermit doesn’t respond. The European pauses for a while before speaking again.

European: Excuse me, do you hear me? I have got work here.

The hermit opens his eyes, blinks them slowly for a few times in a bid to come to terms with his awakened state and then turns at the European.

Hermit: How can I help you?

European: I am sorry to have disturbed you but then I need to sit on this rock.

Hermit: Okay, I will move away.

The hermit gets up.

European: Won’t you ask me what work I have got over here?

Hermit: I am sure you would have told me if you felt the need of it.

European: Actually I have to collect some water samples from this part of the rivulet…I mean the part close to the rock. I am collecting samples from this region every fourth day round about this time. I need these samples for my research.

Hermit (Smiling): So you are a scientist.

European: That’s right, my name is Mike, I am a bio-chemist.

Hermit: Nice to see you here, my name is Chetanananda.

Mike responds after a brief thought.

Mike: What did you say your name is—Che…tan…gada?

Chetanananda (Smiling): Chetanananda…Che-tana-nan-da.

Mike: I see, Chetanananda…but what does it mean?

Chetanananda: It means ‘the bliss of consciousness.’

Mike (Excited): O really! That’s very interesting…incidentally my research work is also on the subject of consciousness. I am collecting water samples to gauge the approximate rate of variation of carbon content in this part of the rivulet.

Chetanananda: Sounds interesting…but can I ask you what has the rate of variation of carbon content in this part of the rivulet has got to do with consciousness?

Mike: Sure, but then I will have to explain the whole thing to you…do you have some time in hand?

Chetanananda: Yes.

Mike: Well then, I shall explain but let me first take a water sample.

Chetanananda: As you please.

Mike gets over the rock, opens his bag, takes out a thick test tube, uncorks it, collects water, corks it again and puts it back into the bag.

Mike: Can we start now?

Chetanananda: Sure.

Mike and Chetananda sit next to each other on the rock.

Mike: First we must understand what is consciousness. Consciousness is the state of waking. One who is aware of oneself and the conditions around one is conscious. Understandably, only the animates are conscious, the inanimate bodies are not.

Chetanananda: You mean only living beings are conscious?

Mike: Obviously, only a living being can be cognizant of its existence…it exhibits life processes by responding to the stimuli generated by its surroundings. Are you following me?

Chetanananda: I am, please go on.

Mike: Alright, so we can say that only those who exhibit life processes have consciousness. But then what kinds of compounds are capable of exhibiting life processes? Only organic compounds…all living beings are organic in nature although the converse is not true, I mean not all organic compounds are living. By the way, do you know what are organic compounds?

Chetanananda (Nods): Organic compounds are those carrying carbon as one of the constituent elements.

Mike (Excited): That’s great…you seem to know quite a bit of science despite being an ascetic. So my friend, it will be very easy for you to understand why I am measuring the carbon content of a particular section of this rivulet. You will appreciate that the story of origin of life is the same as the story of origin of consciousness. The formation of water bodies on planet Earth was a precursor to the origin of life or consciousness. Some substances floating on water grew sensitive to the circumstances around them including the light falling on them. These early sensations cannot in the strict sense be called responses to stimuli but they were certainly the beginnings of consciousness. With passage of time these sensations grew both in quantity and quality. The sensations displayed by these proto-life substances grew more predictable in nature. I mean a given set of physical and chemical conditions would cause the same set of responses from these substances. Eventually life blossomed in the true sense of the word and with time it took a diverse shape. Complexities developed as single celled organisms evolved into multi-cellular organisms. Thereafter organs developed and in came the beings that could live outside aquatic conditions. That’s how life or what you would call consciousness started and developed. Carbon played a crucial role in the origin and development of consciousness. By studying these water samples I am trying to find out some truths about proto-life, that is proto-consciousness. By virtue of its composition this rivulet resembles in more than one ways the early water bodies on this planet. As the quantum of carbon in a water body is indicative of its potentials to support life, it makes sense to study water samples from rivulets such as this which resembles the water bodies of the past. The data could give invaluable information about origin and development of consciousness. (Smiles) Does my collecting of water samples now make sense to you?

Chetanananda (Nodding): Yes, it does make sense…but…

Mike: But what, my friend?

Chetanananda: I gather you believe that consciousness is the result of physical, chemical and biological processes happening inside the bodies of animates, isn’t it?

Mike: That’s right, not only me but the entire scientific community believes it. Do you disagree with this idea?

Chetanananda: I am afraid I do disagree with this idea, Mike.

Mike: What do you think is consciousness then?

Chetanananda: Well, consciousness is all that you can think of. Nothing in the universe is beyond the fold of consciousness. You are consciousness, I am consciousness, the rock we are sitting on is consciousness, all that we perceive around us is consciousness, and of course God is consciousness. According to Vedantic wisdom, consciousness is not the result of interplay of physical, chemical and biological processes; just the reverse is true, that is, the physical, chemical and biological processes are the results of movements of consciousness.

Mike: How can that be? How can every entity, irrespective of its being living or non-living, be conscious? If what you are saying is correct then this rock we are sitting on should also be a living being…so should be the water of the rivulet flowing behind us?

Chetanananda: I don’t know what is ‘living’ according to your understanding? All that I can say is that this rock is surely conscious, so is the water of this rivulet.

Mike: That’s stupid, how can you say that?

Chetanananda (Smiling): Would you answer one question for me, Mike?
Mike: Okay.

Chetanananda: Do you agree that all substances, living or non-living, are made up of atoms, which in turn are made up of electrons, protons and neutrons, which in turn are made up of still smaller particles?

Mike: Yes, I agree.

Chetanananda: So at the microscopic level the living completely resemble the non-living. If we see the sub-atomic pictures of an entity, it will be impossible for us to tell whether the pictures are that of an animate or inanimate body.

Mike: Indeed, that’s right.

Chetanananda: Then tell me why is it that despite the sameness at the microscopic level, the living and non-living things behave differently? How is it that consciousness comes to some and eludes the others despite the sub-atomic sameness of all entities?

Mike thinks for a while.

Mike: I don’t have an answer to that…in fact I don’t think science has unfolded this mystery.

Chetanananda: This is no mystery, Mike…what you call mystery is actually contorted perception. Had the natural forces been the cause of consciousness then all things in the visible universe would be apparently conscious as the same natural processes are happening inside all entities at the microscopic level. Why is that not the case? That’s because the natural forces do not cause consciousness, it is consciousness that causes the natural forces. Upanishads tell us that every entity— perceptible or imperceptible, tangible or intangible, living or non-living, moving or static, intelligent or unintelligent—is an expression of consciousness. What you call inanimates are lower or baser expressions of consciousness. Sri Aurobindo explains in The Life Divine that the entire creation is nothing but a play of consciousness. The God or the Supreme Brahman is ‘Sachchidananda’ which means Being, Consciousness and Bliss in perfect union. For the sheer purpose of deriving divine pleasure Sachchidananda creates the universe. The creation is nothing but pure descent of consciousness from higher levels to the lower levels. During the process of descent, consciousness progressively grows grosser till it reaches the level of nescience. (Points at the rock) This rock we are sitting on is conscious but the reason why its conscious self does not make a visible impression is that its consciousness is at the grossest level, that is, at the level of nescience. It is important to understand that the descent of consciousness is followed by the ascent of consciousness whereby consciousness rises from the level of nescience right up to the level of Sachchidananda.

Mike: On what grounds can you spiritualists claim that that is the truth?

Chetanananda: We don’t claim anything, Mike and we don’t even force anyone to believe what we are saying. It’s a matter of realization…all that I have told you is not an intellectual study but a set of spiritual truths. Anyone is welcome to verify these truths by way of spiritual practice.

Silence follows for a while as Mike gets into a thoughtful state. Chetanananda breaks the silence.

Chetanananda: What are you thinking, Mike?

Mike: Your words seem to carry a strange gravity…I can intuitively feel that all that you say is true.

Chetanananda (Smiling): That shows you have a potent spiritual spark within.

Mike: But I am a materialist, Chetanananda.

Chetanananda: So what? Materialism is not divorced from spirituality, it is rather a part and parcel of spirituality.

Mike: That means you think my experiments are meaningful?

Chetanananda: They are meaningful as long as you are not biased…don’t have any pre-conceived notions about consciousness lest your experiments should lose their objectivity. Be open to ideas even if they seem to be in apparent conflict with the convictions of science…let your consciousness flow freely just like the water of this rivulet.

Mike smiles, so does Chetanananda.

Curtains…

Author’s note:

Inputs from the following sources was used for writing this play:

• Sri Aurobindo, The Life Divine, SABCL vol. 21.
• Encarta Encyclopedia – Articles on Consciousness.
• Wikipedia – Views on Consciousness.
• ‘Cosmos’ – A series of documentaries by Carl Sagan.
• ‘The Living Planet’ – BBC documentary series narrated by David Attenborough.
• ‘Amar Chetana Chaitantya Kore De Ma, Anandamayi’ – A traditional devotional song by Ram Prasad.